86 GOLD WASHING 



in natural history treasures. At noon the wind 

 freshened and the poor trackers were somewhat re- 

 lieved. The weather was cloudy, and a run of ninety- 

 five 11 was made. The thermometer only showed 70° 

 to-day, and in the evening the boat was secured near 

 a small town about 505 li from Chung-king. 



April 14. — The journey made to-day was much 

 the same as usual ; nothing of special note occurred^ 

 with the exception of the intricacy of the channel, to get 

 safely through which I was obliged to engage a native 

 pilot, there being so many dangerous rocks in the 

 channel. Two pagodas were passed on the right bank 

 of the river, and one on the left. The boat w^as made 

 fast for the night, after having made a run of 100 li, 

 about two miles above a small town on the right bank, 

 the distance from Chung-king being now about 405 h. 



Aj^ril 15. — A light wind favoured us to-day, and 

 eased the work of the trackers. The weather was 

 cloudy but fine ; thermometer 80°. There are no gorges 

 in this part of the river, the country being more level. 

 Flat sandbanks and shingle beds occur, and a good 

 many men are engaged in washing for gold, which 

 occurs rather more plentifully than lower down tlie- 

 river, but still in such small quantities as to make the 

 industry profitable only to a Chinaman. Heaps of 

 stones on the shingle banks formed by their washing 



