8 SAN-YU-TUNG GLEN 
of timber and tiles. There was neither ceiling nor par- 
titions, and the floor was of earth. Close to the side 
was a large cesspool that was replenished daily from 
the city, and in the evening its contents were used to 
fertilise a large garden opposite. The continual stirring 
of its contents made us quite aware of its fragrance, 
and though none of us suffered in consequence, my 
Chinese boy got typhoid fever, from which I am glad 
to say he eventually recovered. 
We were not, luckily, obliged to stop in the house 
just mentioned during the whole of our stay in Ichang, 
for in September I hired a house-boat with six compart- 
ments, in which we embarked for the San-yu-tung Glen, 
which is situated on the left bank of the river, and just 
at the mouth of the Ichang Gorge. I fully determined 
to live in the boat as long as the weather would permit, 
and, leaving Ichang on the 10th, we arrived at our 
destination the same day. The boat was much more 
comfortable than the house in every way, and my in- 
tention was to make the most of the remainder of the 
season in collecting insects. I brought my Chinese 
boy up in the hope that the change would assist his 
recovery, and on arrival sent him up to a joss-house. 
He only was permitted to stay for five days, when 
his mother arrived and wished to make some of 
her ‘joss pigeon’ over him, and removed him for the 
