A CKUISE UP THE YANGSTZE IN 1858-59. 197 



and a pleasant arrival amongst mountain, rock, and 

 waterfall, after an eight weeks' stay in lands as flat 

 and streams as tame as ditch-water. The sharp 

 bracing weather common to the season of the north- 

 east monsoon had evidently set in ; rattling breezes 

 and clear skies were now to succeed the hot moist 

 winds of the summer; and all we had to think of 

 was to escape back from Hankow before the snow 

 and frost of winter caught us. All was exhilarating, 

 and promised fairly for success ; for even the Great 

 Eiver during our run of yesterday showed less signs 

 of having departed from its old channels since it was 

 surveyed in 1842, and gave us, consequently, more 

 confidence in carrying sail as well as steam up the 

 reaches. As we neared Silver Island all hands were 

 agog, from the Ambassador to the tiny sailor-boys ; 

 for they knew that in the next reach we were about 

 to sight what had been reported to be one of the 

 finest scenes in China, the great city of Ching-keang- 

 foo, guardian of the gateway leading to Pekin by way 

 of the Great Canal. Golden Island, with its rich 

 temples, and pagodas covered with tiles of real im- 

 perial yellow porcelain, and Silver Island, so pictur- 

 esque, were, we all knew, behind the steep point 

 ahead. Had not the matter-of-fact Sir John Barrow 

 said of that reach of Ching-keang-foo, that what with 

 the host of vessels of war, pleasure, and commerce 

 that were moving or floating in the neighbourhood 

 when the Embassy passed to which he belonged, and 



