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CHAPTER XII 
SECOND JOURNEY TO TA-TSIEN-LU 
Arrival at Ichang—Story of the lowban’s flag—Despatch collections— 
Leopard on the river bank—Trip to Hankow—Telegraph line— 
Official letters concerning my boat—Prepare for journey up river— 
Boat damaged on rock—Curious pagoda at Shi-po-chia—Arrive at 
Chung-king—Collector sent to Quei-chau—Sui-fu—Kia-ting-fu— 
Prepare for journey—Despatch coolies to Kia-kiang—Oméi-hsien— 
Wan-nien-tze—Bronze elephant and Buddha—Peculiar tea—Tibetan 
worshipper—The summit of Mount Oméi—Bronze temple—Pagoda— 
Tremendous precipice—Tigers on the mountain—Suicides—View of 
the Snowy Mountains—Number of temples and priests on the moun- 
tain—Kia-kiang—Arrival at Ya-chow—Bamboo rafts on Ya River— 
Yung-ching-hsien — Tai-hsiang-ling-kwan Pass—Ching-chi-hsien— 
Bad road—Arrival at Ta-tsien-lu. 
On September 19 I arrived at Ichang at 3 p.m. It had 
been raining heavily all day, and the river was rising. 
My ‘boat was anchored opposite the British Consulate. 
The next morning the British Consul came on board and 
asked me what flag I had been flying, as a deputation 
of leading citizens had waited upon him that morning 
saying that his Minister had arrived, and that they were 
anxious to pay their respects. I showed it tohim: this 
was the flag that I allowed the lowban to procure at 
Kia-ting-fu, and he read immediately that it bore the 
