ai) HANKOW 
and it is. here that all the Imperial ware is manufactured. 
It. is hardly necessary to say anything about the town 
of Kiu-kiang, as it is a place comparatively well known 
to Europeans. The inhabitants are celebrated for their 
skill as silversmiths, and turn out much beautiful work 
which is highly prized by Europeans. During my stay 
I experienced much kindness at the hands of Mr. Wavell 
of the Imperial Chinese Customs. 
On August 4 I left for Hankow and arrived on the 
6th. The scenery ascending the river is flat and un- 
interesting, and nothing noteworthy was seen. Hankow 
is the great centre of the tea trade, and possesses the 
finest bund in China. As usual, however, as in most 
other towns on the Yang-tze, during floods the streets 
and bund are under water, and communication has to 
be: made from house to house by sampans. I here 
obtained from H.M. Consul the necessary passport for 
the provinces of Hu-peh and 8ze-chuen. 
A delay of three days was caused by the steamers 
not running in connection with each other, and during 
this time Mr. and Mrs. Armour were most kind to 
Mrs. Pratt, my children, and myself. Had it not been 
for their hospitality we should have experienced great 
inconvenience from the mosquitoes and the heat. The 
s.s. Aiang-tung took us to Ichang, where we arrived 
on August 14. The river being now high, no difficulty 
