230 RAPID TRAVELLING 
in the Wu-shan Gorge being reported as too dangerous. 
for my boats to pass through. ‘The river, however, fell 
during the day and night, and we were able to proceed, 
but found the stream in the gorge still very violent. 
The wrecks of two junks were passed in it, the crews 
being busy saving what they could from them. 
At Niu-kan-tan, the worst rapid in the river, when 
it is at this height, was passed, the boat being tossed 
about like a cork among the immense whirlpools. 
Below it, many junks were waiting for the river to fall, 
the ascent being now impossible. The Sin-tan and Ta- 
tung rapids I found to be perfectly smooth but the 
current very strong, the river being fifteen feet higher 
than when I passed down last year. 
Ichang was reached on Septeinber 25, the journey 
down the river from Chung-king, a distance of four 
hundred miles, having been made in fifty hours and 
forty-five minutes, as will be seen by the time-table 
below, the journey up having taken twenty-two days. 
Time under way 
Date H MoM 
September 18 : : 5 3 0 
19 : 7 10 
s 20 . ; ‘ 3 30 
ay 21 i ‘ 3 11 380 
a 22 é . : 9 25 
BB 3 0 
is 24 9 30 
3 40 
. 
ss 25 
