HIGHLY CULTIVATED DISTRICT 81 



This is a place of considerable importance, trading in 

 salt and coal. Large junks come down from the upper 

 parts of the river, but do not, as a rule, proceed lower 

 down than this. Here I was obliged to take two sol- 

 diers on board as a guard. They go by the name of 

 ' runners ' among the Europeans, and are of little or no 

 use when travelling by boat. On the road they are of 

 great assistance in procuring lodgings. In the after- 

 noon, before reaching the town, my dog Toby, a 

 spaniel, jumped overboard, but could not land, and 

 was carried two miles down the stream before he was 

 picked up by a coolie whom I had sent down in a sam- 

 pan to his assistance. This caused some delay. 



April 5. — Started as usual at 4.30 a.m., and there 

 being no wind the trackers had to go on shore. The 

 current was very strong, and only fourteen li were 

 got over during the day. The country passed through 

 w^as open and highly cultivated, cereals, tobacco, and 

 vegetables being largely grown. 



April 6. — A welcome fair wind on starting, and at 

 9.30 came to a small rapid, which was safely got 

 through. The wind helped us all day, and in the 

 evening we got through a very bad rapid and then 

 made fast for the night, having done 138 li — a very 

 good run. Here I heard from the natives that there 

 was a very bad place ahead. There is so little water 



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