204 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



lant crew, and afflicted us with a fever which harassed 

 the Columbines during all the subsequent passage to 

 England. About here used to be the Marion Rock, 

 on which a transport of that name, bearing all the 

 headquarters staff, including Sir Hugh (now Lord) 

 Gough, spitted herself and swung about helplessly 

 for some time with her distinguished military freight 

 men, the majority of whom are now known to 

 European history. But the Marion Eock is no longer 

 in the river; it is now apparently part of the south- 

 ern bank, owing to alluvial deposit having filled up 

 the channel within Golden Island; for the Yangstze 

 is evidently somewhat wayward in the opening and 

 closing of its deep-water channels, yet not more so 

 than such a lusty stream may be expected to be. 

 By-and-by we come to Eching and Luho, pleasant 

 places once, where we might have purchased all sorts 

 of pleasant things ; but we care not to look at them 

 now, for the poor creatures have been alternately 

 squeezed and plundered by Taepings and Imperi- 

 alists ; and our friends the Sinologues assure us that 

 they are now undergoing the visits of a third party, 

 who believe neither in Confucius, the Emperor, nor 

 the visible presence of the Trinity in Nankin, and 

 distinguish themselves as the "^Fleechers," a name 

 they no doubt well deserve. Then we come to the 

 Sikea Hills, with the grove of trees and pretty temple. 

 The last time we saw it, the graceful Daphne, com- 

 manded by the dashing Captain Keppel, was keeping 



