START FROM ICHANG 7& 



hold or on the coniiter out of the way. Tliese are of 

 great strength, provided that no kinks are taken in 

 them, but with a short nip they snap at once. They are 

 m universal use on the river for tracking, and, owing to 

 the sharp edges of the bamboo, are somewhat dangerous 

 to use unless handled with great care. I had also on 

 board an anchor and a f-inch chain cable, which I had 

 purchased at Shanghai for use in case of emergency. 



After having seen all ready, a start was made at 4.30 

 P.M. on March 26, with a fair wind upstream. Every- 

 thing, however, was not in its place, for one of the 

 crew was ashore. He came off hurriedly, seeing the 

 boat under way, and in getting out of the sampan fell 

 overboard, but was promptly picked up, with no 

 damage done beyond getting wet through. The steamer 

 Kiang-tung was at anchor in the river, and as we 

 passed her the captain saluted with a blast of the 

 steam whistle, the last sound of the sort we heard for 

 many months. After getting well away from the town, 

 I had the boat anchored for the night opposite the 

 mouth of the Unknown Eiver. This is a small stream, 

 and takes its name from the fact that none of the 

 European inhabitants of Ichang have as yet ascended it. 

 The Chinese always make a point of taking a short dis- 

 tance as the day's journey on making a start for a long 

 trip, and I was quite prepared for an early halt, only 



