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CHAPTER XV 



OMEI-SHAN TO SHANGHAI AND HOME 



Departure from Omei-shan — Find Mr. Kricheldorff at Kia-ting — His 

 difficulties at Moii-pin — Packing np — Bad conduct of collectors — 

 Flood of Min river — Dangerous position of boat — Expedition to 

 Mantzu caves — New species of bat — Arrival of collectors — Live 

 stock — Leave Kia-ting-fii — Lolo raiders — Leave Sui-fu— Dangerous 

 state of river — Ba-sa-tou — Chung-king — Delayed by state of river — 

 Murders of native converts — Quei-chau collector — Desertion of 

 pilot — Sampan stove in at Hu-lin — Mortality among Crossoptilon — 

 Delay at Wu-shan-hsien — Kapid at Niu-kan-tan — Quick travelling — ■ 

 Arrival at Ichang — Sale of boat — Shanghai — The collection of Prince 

 Henri — Leave for Southampton. 



On August 17 I left the summit of Omei-shan on my 

 return to Kia-ting-fu, reaching Su-chi on the evening of 

 the 18th, just at dusk. 



Being anxious to reach my boat as soon as possible, 

 I hired two sampans, for myself and my coolies, hoping 

 that with the favouring current the short distance 

 would be quickly and safely traversed. 



It soon became very dark, however, and the boat- 

 men seemed to lose either the way or their heads, for 

 before I apprehended any danger, I found that the sam- 

 pans had been swept into a rapid, and that in the dark- 



