Clawing Ahead 67 



and the Niu-kou-tan, one minor rapid, called the Heng- 

 liang-tse, and innumerable Chi-pa or races. These latter 

 are caused by a projecting point of rock, behind which we 

 paddle up in the eddy, then land the trackers at the point, 

 and ease the shock of the boat's head against the rocks by 

 a stiff pole over the bows, round which is twisted a 

 " stopper " rope, which fends her off very effectually. Four 

 of our crew of seven then drag the boat by main force round 

 the point, two men remaining on board to fend her off the 

 rocks, the water meanwhile boiling and foaming under her 

 bows and threatening to swamp her. The helmsman mean- 

 while takes care to keep her as much as possible head on 

 to the current, and shouts to the trackers when to haul and 

 when to slacken. Oftentimes at the most critical moment 

 the manoeuvres are compromised by the tow-rope catching 

 in an almost inaccessible crevice, when we hang in a most 

 uncomfortable position until one of the trackers runs back, 

 climbs with his bare feet cat-like up the rocks, and, apparently 

 at the risk of his life, releases us. Then, when we have 

 safely reached the comparatively smooth water, if the banks 

 are precipitous, as on the greater part of our route to-day, 

 the whole crew jump on board and claw us along under the 

 overhanging cliffs — two men clinging on to the rocks with 

 the sharp iron claws affixed to the end of their boat-hooks, 

 while two others, with poles, keep her off a safe distance 

 from them. The hookers have to be mighty careful never 

 to lose their hold, as that involves drifting back into the 

 current, and bringing up some distance below, losing in a 

 minute or two the fruits of hours of work. Twelve hours of 

 this sort of progress is very tantalizing, as when once an 

 accident has happened, as occurred to-day, one is always in 

 dread of another, and one's nerves are kept on the stretch all 

 the time. Where practicable, I walk ; but as the practicable 



