ANCIENT DWELLING-PLACES 99 



about six birds. I went on shore durinn- the day and 

 saw some particularly interesting caves cut in the red 

 sandstone. In many of these Chinese coffins had been 

 deposited, and in one, where the coffin had been placed 

 near the mouth, it was nearly covered with the roots of 

 a tree which were as large round as a man's body. 

 These caves were made for dwellings by a race which 

 inhabited the country before the Chinese drove them 

 out, and are probably very ancient. Some are of con- 

 siderable extent, and the marks of the gouge or tool 

 with wliicli the inside was finished may still be seen 

 in most of them. Many are on the faces of precipices 

 some distance up, and could only be reached by 

 ladders laid up to landing-places. They appear to be 

 dry and have couches or bed places, still to be seen, 

 cut in the sandstone. 



3Iay 9. — The waters still very strong, and plenty 

 of trackers required. After travelling ninety li the 

 boat was made fast ofi" a village where there was an 

 iron-foundry for casting pans or boilers for use at the 

 brine wells further up the river. 



May 10. — Hard work for the trackers against the 

 strong current. The sail is never used in these upper 

 parts of the river though the mast is kept stepped, as it 

 is often necessary to have the towing rope from the mast- 

 head. The vegetation is much varied here, and in the 



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