t28 Through the Yang-tse Gorges 



Distance run, ninety li (twenty-two miles) : total from 

 Ichang, 362 miles. 



Thursday, April t^th. — " Ching-ming," or first day of the 

 fortnightly period of the Chinese calendar—" Clear bright." 



A very fine day, without wind, but with very hot sunshine. 

 We started early as usual, and passed through several lake- 

 like reaches, mostly rurming at right angles to each other, 

 obstructed at the ends by extensive rock ledges now dry, 

 and forming smaller rapids, and in their middle by extensive 

 boulder-covered sandbanks. The hills are from 500 to 

 1200 feet high, beautifully cultivated to their summits with 

 the dark-green poppy, interspersed with cypress and large 

 bamboo groves. The water latterly is a rich chocolate 

 colour, the same colour as the ferruginous soil which covers 

 all the hills from Wan Hsien upwards. We passed the 

 village of Lin-sze, noticeable from its large three-arched 

 bridge, decorated with three handsome, new, carved stone 

 " Pai-Fang," or triumphal arches, which spans a gully now 

 dry. This bridge, they say, gets washed away once every 

 twenty years. On the opposite or left bank of the river, 

 here three-quarters of a mile wide, stands out another of the 

 many cliff-sided, flat-topped, isolated hills which distinguish 

 this sandstone country. This one, about 300 feet high, was 

 remarkable from a distance for the fine, thick wood of big 

 trees which covered its talus, and the tops of which half con- 

 cealed a range of buildings which I thought must be a 

 temple. It turned out to be the residence of a wealthy 

 family (" Tsai-chu," «.if. Wealth-Lord, or Plutocrat), such as are 

 scattered about in picturesque and isolated situations, testify- 

 ing to the peace and quiet that now reign throughout this 

 rich province. On the edge of the cliff was a large, orna- 

 mental gateway, and two two-storied pavilions, or drum- 

 towers, appeared to adorn the outer courtyard. Above this 



