Passage in a Salt-Junk 217 



firmly withstood the proposal to return on shore, with the 

 prospect of having to say all our adieux over again two 

 days hence, we remained in our boat, squatting on the top 

 of our luggage, while a young fellow from the hong was 

 sent to see whether he could procure us room in a salt-jimk, 

 of which, at this season, the one most favourable for the 

 navigation, a fleet of five or six sail daily. After three 

 weary hours' sitting in the sun, the time being passed by 

 an interchange of pipes, and the consumption of some of 

 the packets of cakes and sweetmeats with which kind friends 

 had speeded my departure, our " runner " returned. He had 

 found places for us in a salt-junk sailing the next morning, 

 and as it was now sunset we all adjourned. 



Below the mouth of the Kia-ling ho, and abreast of the 

 city of Kiang-peh ting,* which, as I have previously described, 

 forms practically the northern suburb of Chung-king, the 

 river widens out, and a long ledge of rocks stretches up 

 and down, forming a barrier between the rapid current of 

 the main stream, and a lake-like expanse between it and 

 the steep hills on the left bank. Here the salt-junks are 

 moored in tiers, their bows to the shore. Approaching by 

 the stern, we scrambled over the high gunwale aft, and 

 entered the skipper's cabin, on the floor of which, being 

 the raised main-deck, we at once spread our quilts, and 

 shortly afterwards went supperless to bed. The fare down, 

 a distance of eight days, had been agreed upon at sixteen 

 dollars for the three of us, including a portion of the 

 sailors' plain boiled rice three times a day, " trimmings," if 

 wanted, having to be provided by ourselves. Upon the 

 floor of this cabin slept also the pilot, a fine, tall, well-built 

 Chinaman, with a handsome oval face, dignified in manners, 



* This city has just been captured by the anti-missionary rebel, Yu 

 Mantse,who is said to be now (October, 1898) besieging Chung-king itself. 



