ACCIDENT IN RAPID 7D 



were passed through during the day, none, however, 

 being of any importance. 



The next day the start was made at 4.30 a.m. to ascend 

 the Fung-sien (wind-box) Gorge. Just before reaching 

 the gorge the river takes a sharp turn, and there is a 

 very awkward and dangerous rapid. Here the boat 

 nearly came to serious grief through the carelessness of 

 the loiohan or captain. He did not use a stout enough 

 tow rope or have enough trackers, the result being that 

 the boat hung in the rapid, and then the rope carried 

 away. A large junk was made fast to the bank, and 

 her crew were asked to assist us, but they would not 

 move a finger to help a foreigij- d^.yil out of a most 

 perilous situation. .. . .^ ■ 



The boat was driven back, into a whirlpool, and by 

 dint of hard work was huloed into a backwater and 

 then to the bank, after having been swept down a con- 

 siderable distance. This caused a vexatious delay, but 

 upon proper precautions being now taken, the rapid 

 was safely ascended and the gorge entered. It is very 

 winding, and the scenery particularly striking. The 

 mountains are high, and precipices are seen 2,000 feet 

 deep. There are but few landing-places, and the locality 

 is dark and gloomy. There are a number of Chinese 

 coffins laid about in cracks and crevices that appear to 

 be utterly inaccessible, and the wonder is how they were 



