Official Convoys 113 



to lose him at Chung-chow, where we exchanged him for 

 an ordinary specimen of the Yamen-runner — a pale, sickly, 

 opium-smoking youth covered with sores and dirt. Not 

 bringing their beds, these men have to find a lodging ashore 

 for the night. On inquiry, I find our itch-covered gentleman 

 obtained his, including use of quilt, for eight cash, or two- 

 fifths of a penny, while our exquisite paid just double for his. 

 While on the subject of official messengers, I may add that 

 each of the big whitey-brown envelopes enclosing the 

 despatches with which I am being convoyed, has stated upon 

 it the names in full of the two messengers deputed to deliver 

 it; but, Chinese-fashion, one man only is really sent: and this 

 man often takes the pay, and then engages some poor tramp 

 to take his place at one-third the pay, he pocketing the 

 difference. This sub-letting of contracts is reduced to a 

 fine art throughout China. 



Early this morning, a few miles above Wu-ling Chi (Five- 

 mountain Point), the river takes a sharp bend to the 

 westward, and we turn our backs upon the high range we 

 have been coasting since leaving Wan Hsien, and enter the 

 reach in which stands, again on the left or north bank, 

 the district city of Chung-chow, the " loyal " city. We track 

 round the concave shore of this bend, where the current is 

 at its strongest ; but the reefs of rock on the convex side, 

 which boats towing up usually affect, are too extensive and 

 scattered for even a woman of Shen to thread, at the 

 present low stage of the water level. 



I notice here, for the first time, a properly constructed 

 towing-path, consisting of a stone embankment, built up 

 twenty feet high against the rocky cliff, so that the trackers 

 need not jump like goats from stone to stone, as in most 

 similar places. The embankment is, like all the useful public 

 works still extant in China, ancient and out of repair ; and, of 



I 



