CH'IEN-T'ANG RIVER l8l 



therefore, had to decide between freezing 

 and the risk of not going straight, and we 

 took the latter. The top or cover to the 

 boat was made of thin slips of bamboo be- 

 tween which were nicely interwoven large 

 leaves of some kind, and this proved almost 

 impenetrable to wind and rain. But on at 

 least one occasion, the rain came down in 

 torrents and we had to dry our bed-clothes 

 as best we could. On another occasion we 

 were overtaken by a snow-storm, which 

 covered the ground for several inches deep 

 and filled the ravines between the hills. 

 The cooking was done in the aft of the boat 

 on Chinese stoves, and if we had not, 

 fortunately, brought with us two oil stoves 

 there would have been no means of keeping 

 our room even moderately warm. It was so 

 dark when we were aboard, with the door 

 necessarily closed, a lamp was kept burning 

 nearly all the time. The top, which is 

 ingeniously constructed, is held fast to the 

 hull of the boat by means of wide bamboo 

 slips, some extending from side to side like 

 a hoop and holding down others which are 

 placed lengthwise the boat. The fastening 

 is quite secure and at no time did we fear 

 that the top would blow off, although we 



