I02 Through the Yang-tse Gorges 



mats, so as to leave the limited deck space clear for the 

 " Tai-kung " (lit., " Great Work," i.e. " Bow-man "). He was 

 busy sounding ahead, and poling the boat's head off the 

 rocks, when 'suddenly I heard the ominous cry, " Ta-chang!" 

 felt the boat heel over, and looked out to see how soon the 

 trackers would cast off, as she was taking a sheer in the 

 current, which, unless something gave way, must end in 

 our immediate capsize. Fortunately, the bamboo tow- 

 line was cut by the rock and gave way, and we went 

 careering down stream again at the rate of six miles an 

 hour. In this there was no danger from rocks, the 

 channels throughout all the gorges being perfectly clear; 

 but we managed to collide with a small junk towing 

 astern of us, and lost our flagstaff and the house-flag, which 

 I was proudly displaying for the first time on the Upper 

 Yang-tse. 



At the entrance to the gorge, on the left bank, are carved 

 three josses, painted and gilt in full canonicals : they are 

 called " Shui fu san wan," or " the Three Guardians of the 

 Water." Our boatmen informed me that they only " Kwan " 

 the river by day, and are off duty at night, and that therefore 

 no good boatmen move in the dark. On the opposite rock 

 wall is carved a " Pai Fang," or triumphal arch. Of course, 

 josses and all undergo a long annual submersion in the 

 summer floods. Below and above this gorge are boulder 

 and shingle-covered spits, upon which gold-washing was 

 being carried on in a most methodical manner ; but I could 

 not find out that any of the cradles I visited' had found any 

 gold that day, and I imagine the gleaning here must be 

 infinitesimal. After being towed through several small, 

 shallow rapids, and constantly grounded on submerged gold - 

 digger's spoil-heaps, we moored for the night a few m iles 

 below the celebrated city of Wan. 



