A Creeping Nest 239 



the reach towards Feng-tu. At this point, some 300 feet 

 above the water, is erected the tomb of Cho-hwang, the tutor 

 of the Emperor Tow-kwang, who ordered this fine tomb to 

 be erected for his prseceptor in his native province. 



The fine weather, which had been continuous for the past 

 two months, now at last began to break up, the prayers 

 for rain, the fasts, and the closing of the south gates of 

 the cities, which we had observed on our upward voyage, 

 having been at length successful. A thick mist enveloped 

 the summits of the hills on either side, giving breadth to the 

 view, but promising an uncomfortable voyage in our small, 

 ill-protected vessel. A strong head wind set in, and our 

 crew, who had hitherto been content to let the boat drift 

 with the current, had now to work hard at the oars in order 

 to keep headway on her. A short, broad junk, with a long, 

 high-roofed house, manned by a dozen rowers protected 

 under a mat awning, well named a " pa wo'rh," or " creeping 

 nest," that had so far kept company with us, was now com- 

 pelled to bring up ; the ascending junks moored under the 

 rocky bank were almost invisible, and we seemed to have the 

 mighty stream — here three-quarters of a mile wide — all to 

 ourselves. The rain now came down heavily, and the men, 

 unprovided with the coir rain-coats which are worn on the 

 lower river, had to come aft and couch under the mats for 

 shelter. Meanwhile we drifted on, spinning round in the 

 eddies in a manner that rendered me at last quite giddy. 

 We continued this until noon, when, on approaching the 

 dangerous reefs above Feng-tu, we were forced at last to 

 moor to the bank. A noticeable feature of the " Chuan river," 

 already mentioned, is that, no matter how hard it blows, a sea 

 is never raised, the ceaseless eddies and the ascending and 

 descending columns of water breaking up each ripple as soon 

 as it is formed. 



