A CRUISE UP THE YANGSTZE IN 1858-59. 213 



he is a perfect oracle at legends connected with its 

 dangers. He vows that some Hen famed in story 

 was busy filling up the big river with stones, when 

 Dame Partlet was charmed away from her wicked 

 work by an ingenious priest imitating the crowing of 

 her much-loved Chanticleer a proof of the use of 

 the bonzes, and the necessity for contributing to the 

 little temple and its oily occupants, as the pilot slyly 

 added. Anyhow, the Hen and Chickens made a 

 very ugly pass for our sea-going craft to navigate 

 through ; and so formidable is the barrier to native 

 junks that a cutting has actually been made through 

 a hill on the southern bank, to enable them to avoid 

 its dangers. This spot is just fifteen miles from 

 Ngan-king, and about three hundred and forty miles 

 up the river, and may be said to be the first serious 

 obstruction to the navigation, not from barring it 

 entirely across, but because no ship under sail could 

 with safety attempt the channel in consequence of 

 the peculiar manner in which the tide is dammed up 

 into a race at one part, and sweeps at other points 

 fiercely on to the danger. Steam-power or tugs will 

 always here be necessary, unless the artificial cutting 

 be found, on further examination, to be practicable for 

 our craft ; but it is worthy of note that up to this 

 point there are no difficulties which sailing-ships may 

 not master, in the hands of good sailors. Leaving 

 the Hen and Chickens behind us, with the inde- 

 fatigable gunboats ahead, so as to give us warning of 



