Cuar. XI] CHUSAN ARCHIPELAGO. 225 
CHAP. XII. 
CHUSAN ARCHIPELAGO. — STORM IN A SMALL BOAT. — NEARLY 
UPSET. — KIN-TANG, OR SILVER ISLAND. — ITS INHABITANTS, 
— THEIR SURPRISE ON SEEING A FOREIGNER. — YANG-TSE- 
KIANG RIVER. — ITS NUMEROUS SAND- BANKS. — OUR 
SCHOONER AGROUND. — NOVEL METHOD OF GETTING ASSIST~ 
ANCE FROM THE CHINESE. — VILLAGE OF W0OO0-SUNG. — 
OPIUM STATION. — REMARKS ON THE OPIUM TRADE. — ITS 
EFFECTS UPON THE CHINESE. 
In the summer of 1844 I was frequently engaged 
in exploring the islands of the Chusan Archipelago, 
more particularly that portion which lies between 
Chusan and the opposite shores of the main-land. 
It was of course necessary for this purpose to em- 
ploy Chinese boats, which are not very trustworthy. 
The distance from Chusan to the town of Chinhae, 
at the mouth of the Ning-po river, is about thirty 
miles. A sail across a sea such as this is generally 
pleasant enough, because the water, which is 
hemmed in on all sides, is frequently as smooth as 
a mill-pond. Sometimes, however, the wind comes 
down in gusts from the openings amongst the hills, 
and then the little China boats are all laid nearly 
upon their beam-ends before the sail can be taken in. 
Once, in particular, I had a narrow escape from a 
watery grave amongst these islands. I had engaged 
a boat to take me across from the city of Ning-po 
Q 
