speed of the Rapids 293 



current, we were swept back and touched a rock with our 

 starboard propeller, badly bending two of the blades : these 

 being made of bronze we, later on, at Chung-king, succeeded 

 in hammering back into shape; but our speed for the re- 

 mainder of our voyage was reduced by this accident to 

 about six knots. Fortunately half our journey, counting by 

 rapids, was over when, on the following morning, we tied 

 up safely under the walls of the ancient city of Kwei- 

 chow-fu. 



We delayed two days at Kwei-chow-fu to give our Ningpo 

 engineers a rest, and time to overhaul the engines, which had 

 had a severe strain put upon them during the past week 

 while keeping up full steam, 150 lbs., continuously. Crowds 

 lined the shore where we lay — a great contrast in their quiet 

 behaviour to the rude shouting and mud-throwing we had so 

 often had to put up with at this place while travelling in 

 native boats. All wanted to come on board, but we were 

 compelled to restrict our visitors to those who presented 

 cards ; these we freely admitted, and our little saloon was 

 at times inconveniently crowded. 



From Kwei-chow-fu to the " Miao chi-tse," or " Temple 

 stairs," we toiled, at our unfortunately reduced speed, 

 through a succession of minor rapids, at the worst of which 

 we had to cast off our tows and wait above for them to track 

 themselves up, thus making in all only about eighteen miles 

 in seven hours. For we moored at the Miao chi-tse early 

 in the afternoon, the string of junks waiting to ascend show- 

 ing that we should have to wait till the morning. It is 

 remarkable how the rapids vary : this rapid was now running 

 with greater force than the fierce Yeh-tan, a comparatively 

 narrow slope of smooth water with big breaking waves below. 

 We went up next morning with two tow-lines and 150 



