DAMAGE TO SAMPAN 229 



fell 2 J feet, as I measured on a stick stuck in tlie bottom, 

 close to the boat, for the purpose. This, however, 

 made but little difference in the rapidity of the stream, 

 and whirlpools and strong eddies were very frequent. 

 Though many dangerous places were passed, no damage 

 was done until Hu-lin was reached. Just below this 

 place the sampan containing all my living specimens, 

 struck hard upon a rock and knocked a hole in her 

 bottom. This was temporarily stopped in the usual 

 way, by ramming in a handful of rags, a supply of which 

 always appears to be kept handy for such purpose in 

 navigating this river. She then came on and caught us 

 up at our evening anchorage, her crew being anxious 

 to reach us before making any further repairs as my 

 boat carried all the food. She now had to be comj^letely 

 unloaded, baled out, and then have the damage made 

 good in the best way that we could manage it. This 

 did not take much time, and she was loaded again the 

 same night and remained fairly watertight till I had 

 finished with her at Ichang. 



The Crossoptilon were hy this time much reduced 

 in numbers, many having died from want of strength to 

 stand the voyage, all being under six months old. The 

 other birds, being mature, stood the journey much better. 



A slight delay occurred at Wu-shan-hsien, where we 

 were forced to remain a day, the whirlpools and current 



