THE STORY OF THE DAVIDIA 287 



a single tree of the Davidia, the only example he had 

 discovered in a trip which extended over six months and 

 the only one he had ever seen. The place was among 

 high mountains in the sparsely populated region 

 bordering the provinces of Hupeh and Szechuan and 

 south of the mighty Yangtsze River. This locality 

 was my destination and this solitary tree my sole ob- 

 jective. 



On the morning of April 15th I left Ichang, in 

 my boat, to ascend the Yangtsze as far as the 

 district city of Patung where I arrived on the 

 21st idem. The journey was exciting, for the rapids 

 which are very numerous were at that season difficult 

 to negotiate. Twice we ran on rocks and had to 

 repair damage. At the worst rapid the boat all but 

 capsized and there were other and numerous inci- 

 dents which space will not allow me to mention 

 in detail. At Patung the head official did his best 

 to frighten my men and begged me to abandon the 

 enterprise. Finally, his efforts proving of no effect, 

 he promised an escort of six soldiers and washed 

 his hands, as it were, of the business. The man was 

 in earnest and genuinely afraid for my safety. Some 

 two years before there had been much trouble in this 



-*v 



region. Rioting between anti-Christian and Chris- 

 tian villagers had taken place; hundreds of lives had 



