1 1 2 Through the Yang-tse Gorges 



of the gorges, I at first took these lumbering machines in the 

 distance to be only sampans. Each big junk, both in 

 ascending and descending, has a sampan in attendance, which 

 acts as its tender throughout the voyage. With all this 

 apparatus the junks barely make steerage way ; and when a 

 dangerous place is approached, the shouting to make the 

 men work is terrific. 



Day's run, eighty li (twenty miles); 276 from Ichang. 



Sunday, April u/.— Weather still fine and warm, with 

 light, south-westerly breeze. Our ragged escort was ex- 

 changed at Wan Hsien for a new " despatch bearer." From 

 one district city to another, the news of my progress is thus 

 communicated by one magistracy to the next. This is a 

 polite attention, happily as unnecessary in this favoured 

 province as it is to the traveller vexatious. These mes- 

 sengers have to be fed and housed, and in this small boat 

 we have no room to spare; and also custom demands a 

 present of two hundred cash for the man's return expenses 

 at each stage, which at our rate of travel extends over two 

 days. A writer from the " Ya-men " also comes on board, 

 and carefully engrosses a literal copy of my voluminous- 

 passport. Red tape is not confined to England. At Kwei- 

 fu the officials had the additional trouble of sending each 

 a Sze-yeh (clerk), with a card, to return my calls. The 

 messenger from the rich city of Wan is a great contrast to 

 the poor devil we received at Yun-yang. He is a dandy in 

 his way. Though his feet are bare, he wears most elaborate 

 straw sandals, in form like those of the ancients, with a blue, 

 rose-shaped tassel over each great toe. His underclothing 

 of grey shirting is scrupulously clean, and he is one of the 

 few natives hereabouts I have yet seen not covered with itch 

 sores. He made himself useful, assisting in the kitchen, our 

 cook proper being still laid up with a scald. I was quite sorry 



