Return to Hankow 243 



ling Miao marks the eastern termination, would seem to form 

 the axial centre of elevation of the whole of this mountain 

 district. On its flanks, to the east and to the west, lie the 

 gently tilted strata of sedimentary rocks, through which the 

 channel flows in clean-cut gorges. Here, on the other hand, 

 the water has disintegrated the crystalline material, and left 

 the less soluble rocks strewn around in colossal fragments. 

 Through and past these gigantic stone-heaps the river 

 threads its way, and, at points where the water is not visible, 

 the valley floor exhibits nothing but a vast expanse of 

 barren, broken rocks, while the slopes beyond are gleaming 

 in their rich spring verdure. Tedious work it is for the 

 ascending junks, as the unfortunate trackers toil painfully 

 over the successive headlands composed of angular rock 

 fragments. Numerous lifeboats are stationed here, as in all 

 the dangerous parts of the river. 



Hurrying down through the Ichang Gorge, the scenery as 

 we approached the city seemed tame to a degree, after the 

 grand country we had just been traversing. The only 

 interesting object is the " Ko tao shan," " Mount of the 

 Taoist (hermit) Ko,'' which, seen from this aspect, looked 

 like a perfect pyramid, of the same shape and size as that of 

 Cheops. It is this pyramid which forms the bane of the 

 Ichang Feng-shui, and which the good people of Ichang are 

 now spending myriads of taels to counteract. 



The river, now in early May, had risen sufficiently to 

 allow of the steamer Xiangtung, of the China Merchants' 

 Company, making her first voyage of the season, and in her 

 I returned to Hankow, making in thirty-six hours the voyage 

 which had occupied nearly a month in the ascent. Below 

 Ichang the river was nearly bank-full, and the roofs of the 

 houses were just visible behind the big embankments, much 

 reminding one of Holland and of Dutch scenery generally. 



