136 Throiigh the Yang-tse Gorges 



inhabitants of the many well-built bamboo houses, who crowd 

 to the extreme margin as the water falls, and have now to beat 

 a hasty retreat. At length a sedan chair was sent down to the 

 boat to receive me, and we quickly ascended the long stone 

 staircase, and having entered the city gate, I was carried 

 through the narrow, crowded streets to my host's residence 

 in the " Pai-hsiang kai," or " Street of the White Elephant." 

 This is the main business street of the bankers and wholesale 

 merchants of Chung-king, and contains many fine hongs. 

 A hong of this description consists of a series of two-storied 

 buildings situated one behind the other, and separated by 

 intervening courtyards, the whole comprising the warehouses, 

 offices, and residences of the clerks and servants employed 

 in the establishment. The ground floor is very lofty, and 

 elaborately decorated with gilding and carving in wood and 

 stone ; the upper story, mostly bedrooms for the numerous 

 staff, being low, unwholesome attics. In many instances, as 

 in the present one, the proprietor (" Tung-chia," i.e. " who 

 sits on the East ") resides with his family at a distance. My 

 host lived in the " Upper Town," which stands on a sand- 

 stone plateau about one hrmdred feet above and imme- 

 diately in the rear of the business quarter. I had here a 

 little room assigned to me, and messed with the " Ho-chi " 

 — literally, " partners," but who would be better described 

 as assistants, and was glad of the opportunity thus afforded 

 me of free converse with the natives of the place during 

 my stay. 



I had made the journey from Ichang in twenty-one days. 

 Had I hired a large passenger-junk usually employed, called 

 " Kua-tsz," I should have occupied double the time, the 

 chief delay being in waiting one's turn to tow up the rapids, 

 while a small boat scrambles through on the unoccupied 

 bank, and thus often escapes a detention of two or three days. 



