64 Through the Yang-tse Gorges 



to the great grief of the Pei-lo coolies traversing it, with 

 their piled-up loads on their backs. 



We at length got off again with a strong fair wind, 

 through the " Ping-shu Pao-chien " hsia, or " Gorge of the 

 Military Code and the Precious Blade." This name, too, 

 is taken from. the supposed resemblance of a big group of 

 stalactites on the cliff to this celebrated emblem in Chinese 

 ancient history — now often seen as a favourite decoration 

 on Chinese porcelain and embroidery. This gorge is not 

 named by Blakiston, nor in the Admiralty Survey. It is about 

 two miles long and a little over a quarter of a mile wide, and 

 its walls of perpendicular cliffs are said to descend as far 

 below the water as they rise above it, 1200 to 1500 feet; 

 behind are the precipitous mountains rising to over 3000. 

 The strata dip to the south and west at an angle of about 

 thirty degrees, and the rocks appear to be formed of a 

 compact greyish sandstone with shales ; in these the water 

 has in many places eaten out caverns and worn the walls into 

 columnar shapes. Towing is, of course, impracticable ; but 

 we came through with a slashing breeze, which enabled us to 

 stem the two-knot current with ease — a current without a 

 ripple on its surface, and which seemed like still water after 

 the "races" of this morning and yesterday. However strong 

 the gale, the deep swirhng water effectually forbids anything 

 like a sea getting up ; and hence the small freeboard of the 

 junks, which at first sight, to one accustomed to the big seas 

 that every gale raises on the Lower River, looks uncommonly 

 dangerous. We had a tough job to get round the point 

 which forms the western limit of the gorge, the boatmen 

 clinging on to the crevices in the rock with long bamboos 

 armed with small steel hooks. Beyond the gorge the valley 

 again opens out ; still, however, enclosed by mountains, one 

 peak on the left bank rising to 4000 feet. Near to, and just 



