THIRTY THOUSAND MILES IN CHINA 1 1 



In its lower reaches the Yellow Eiver is reallv navigable 

 only m two stretches : to the north of Honan and in the last 

 25 miles of its course. But even in these parts shoals pre- 

 vent boats except of very light draft from passing. 



The control of the Yellow Eiver is to-day one of the most 

 pressing of China's physical problems. Experience has shown 

 that the diking of such rivers is insufficient and almost futile. 

 Captain William Tyler, coast inspector of the Chinese light 

 house service, has presented a report on the Yellow Eiver 

 published by the Inspectorate-General of Customs at Shang- 

 hai in 1906, in which he proposes to control the river's lower 

 reaches by providing for the depositing of the silt by de- 

 liberate flooding of large areas along the river, that is, to 

 regulate its floods. 



Of the Grand Canal we have already spoken. In the 

 great delta regions natural and artificial waterways are as 

 frequent as the cross roads in an American country. 



In the south the highways are mere "single-file" foot- 

 paths on the tops of low ridges between cultivated fields. 

 In some sections these are paved with stone slabs. The 

 only native carts I have seen south of the Yangtze are the 

 low slung ox-carts in the southern part of the Island of Hai- 

 nan and the high hung ox-carts of mid Hunan, and of these 

 the chief part is their "squeak." In the Yangtze basin, 

 Central China, and especially Shantung, wheelbarrows are 

 used both for passengers and for goods; and some of these 

 affairs are veritable "ships o' the land." In some sections 

 of the Chengtu plain in Szechwan smaller one-passenger low 

 slung barrows were encountered and used, though the sedan- 

 chair is the "palace car" here as in most parts of China. 

 In these regions the roads are generally wider than in the 

 south, but hardly any better. 



In the north generally, both east and west, carts are 

 much used. Village and city streets as well as roads are 

 hence of a better width than in the south. Throughout 

 mountainous regions pack animals, usually mules or donkeys, 

 are used, though in some regions human carriers alone can 

 negotiate their way. While across the desert regions camels 

 are the monarchs of the road. 



In some regions, as in the loess country, the roads have 

 become deep ruts worn below the general level of the 

 land to a depth of 10, 20, 30 and even 70 feet ! And these in 

 the dry season are dusty beyond description and in ramy 

 weather are deep in mud of a peculiar stickiness. 



Along with the development of railways China needs- 

 improved roads everywhere. , 



