7o Through the Yang-tse Gorges 



suddenly shot out towards the middle of the stream ; the 

 trackers were thrown down, and two badly hurt by being 

 dragged over the rocks, while the boat heeled over, 

 threatening to capsize on the instant. Fortunately, our 

 trackers promptly cast off the tow-line in the nick of time, 

 and we incurred no other danger than being swept violently 

 down-stream in the eight-knot current. Fortunately, the 

 up-river breeze still held, and the two men left on board 

 were able to set the sail in time to get steerage way upon 

 the boat before she drifted on the rocks below, and the 

 Lao-ta succeeded in steering her into the eddy on the safer 

 left bank, with nothing lost but the result of the morning's 

 toil. As we suddenly broached-to and lay over for a moment 

 in the boiling surf, a cry of " Tachang ! " (Broken adrift !) 

 rose from the crowds on the shore, this being the technical 

 term for this often disastrous accident. Our Lao-ta now 

 decided to wait his turn on the left bank, which we even- 

 tually got up successfully, the water being shallow, and with 

 no more harm than a few bumps on the rounded boulders 

 along the shore. 



Leaving the Yeh-tan with its animated scenes, we entered 

 a wide reach, bounded by steep crimson-coloured hills, 

 about 2000 feet high, patched with bright-green wheat-fields, 

 the easier slopes affording sites for Alpine villages, sur- 

 rounded by fruit-trees and evergreens, the former still in 

 blossom. In this valley are more coal burrows, and at its 

 head is the rapid of " Niu-kou," or Oxhead. This is almost 

 a reproduction of the Yeh rapid, except that the current 

 sweeps round an angular bend in the river, and the danger 

 is increased by a circular rock right in the centre of the 

 channel, from which the rapid takes its name. From below, 

 this rock appeared to stand four to five feet out of water ; 

 while looking from above, it seemed just awash ; its surface. 



