212 FLOODED RIVEES 
terrific thunderstorm, accompanied by a deluge of rain, 
caused the river to rise so rapidly that the boat could 
not return to the other side. I found shelter in a 
hut that luckily happened to be near. The numerous 
watercourses filled almost immediately, and poured 
torrents into the already swollen river. Later in the 
day the weather cleared, and I pushed on to a village 
near the Ya River and about fifteen li from Ya-chow-fu. 
The remainder of the coolies with baggage had been 
unable to cross, so I was forced to leave them behind. 
I heard that a sampan had been swamped in the river 
and that several lives had been lost. 
July 30.—The road now led across the river, which 
was so swollen as to be dangerous to cross, it having 
rained heavily during the night. At about noon it sub- 
sided a little and the passage across was made. 
Directly afterwards a heavy rain stopped all progress, 
as the coolies could not work. Shelter was found in a 
hut in a small village called Cha-pa built on a steep 
rocky knoll on the river bank and reached by steps cut 
in the rock. The banks here are precipitous but 
vegetation is seen in every possible place on the face of 
the cliffs. 
July 31.—A thick mist in the morning. After 
travelling fifteen li, the country became hilly and rice 
was cultivated in terraces. The river had now to be 
