78 WU-SHAN GOBGE 



night. Tlie weather had l)eeu fine during the day ; 

 thermometer 80°. 



On April 2 got under way at 5 a.m. The weather 

 was lovely, Ijut the wind light and baffling, causing 

 much hard work for the trackers and crew. A small 

 rapid was passed during the day, and a gorge entered 

 in which the boat was secured to the bank for the nio-ht. 

 On shore I found a fine variety of wild rose, the flower 

 being large and of a crimson colour. The scarcity of 

 birds was remarkable. It was certainly nesting time, 

 and they might be expected to be more in seclusion ; 

 1 )ut one rarely caught sight of a solitary specimen, with 

 the exception of the small white heron, which is plenti- 

 ful on the banks of the river. The Chinese do not 

 destroy or trap them to any extent, and they do not 

 appear to have many natural enemies. 



On April 3 I got under way at 4.30 a.m. with a fair 

 wind, and proceeded through the Wu-shan Gorge. This 

 is the longest in the river, being twenty miles long. The 

 hills here are about 2,000 feet high in places on each 

 side, but breaking out here and there into more 

 open country, and the scenery very fine, the land 

 being cultivated where possible ; but the population is 

 sparse. The boat was made fast to the shore at the 

 head of this gorge for the night, being now 560 li from 

 Icliang and 1,400 from Chung-king. Several rapids 



