238 Through the Yang-tse Gorges 



grief. They are not procurable for the upward voyage, being 

 all engaged as tenders, nor would they prove desirable for a 

 lengthened sojourn, an arched mat amidships forming the 

 sole protection from the weather; but for the short run 

 down-stream, they are most handy. I have much wanted to 

 engage one of these originally at Chung-king, but my China- 

 men would not hear of it. However, I now insisted upon my 

 companion going down to Fu-chow in the dark, and en- 

 deavouring to procure the boat. I then turned in, hoping 

 for the best. While spreading my pu-kai (bedding of cotton 

 quilt), one of my fellow-passengers, who slept in the next 

 compartment, begged me to turn my bed round, and sleep 

 with my head against the panel that divided us. As his 

 motive was " F^ng-shui," the religion of China, I assented 

 with a good grace. I knew it was consonant with the pro- 

 prieties to sleep head to head and feet to feet, but I was not 

 aware before that the rule applied to the occupants of adjoin- 

 ing cabins. My attendant, with whom I afterwards discussed 

 the matter, remarked that Chinamen regarded propriety under 

 all circumstances. I retorted, "Where is the propriety of 

 observing a trifle like this, when the more urgent propriety 

 of allowing the pilot to get a quiet nighf s rest is entirely 

 disregarded ? " 



Next morning I was awoke from my first sleep at one a.m. 

 by the splash of oars alongside— a welcome sound, which 

 told me that the wupan had been secured. My friend had 

 settled everything, and we were to start at dawn. The 

 wupan, with its crew of six men, including the laota, who 

 was assisted by his wife, had been hired for fifteen dollars, 

 under guarantee to land us in Ichang in five days' time. 



Our luggage and stores having been transported to the 

 wupan, we were off again at six o'clock, and the sun had not 

 risen ere we were round the point, and rapidly descending 



