146 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society . [May, 



the same time most inconvenient for creeping along the rocky banks 

 of the river ; they are continually thumping on sunken rocks in such a 

 manner that at a very early period a voyage to Szchuan is calculated 

 to destroy the nerves of the most courageous traveller. 



Amongst the cargo carrying craft, that known as the Szchuan Junk 

 is conspicuous from its great size and comfortable little cabin near the 

 stern, in which the adventurous Szchuan merchant, during the three 

 months' voyage from Hankow to Chung Ching, spends his days, in- 

 haling the energy-destroying fumes of opium. The next most con- 

 spicuous are the charcoal and straw boats which are larger than the 

 so-called Szchuan Junks, are loosely put together and loaded to a 

 depth that would deter any one, but a careless indifferent Chinaman, 

 from travelling in them ; these are sent down to Hankow with charcoal, 

 fruit, and a peculiar kind of straw, used in the manufacture of spill 

 paper, and on arrival are broken up and sold for fire- wood, the ex- 

 pense of taking up so large a boat against the current amounting to 

 more than the price of a new one in Szchuan. 



Having described the means of conveyance on this great artery 

 of commerce, I proceed to describe the road itself as far as Chentu, the 

 capital of Szchuan. Embarking at Hankow, the traveller suddenly 

 finds himself (after passing the city of Hanrang on the left bank) 

 ascending the swift current of the Han, and after a day's tedious jour- 

 ney up this river enters the chain of lakes through which he follows 

 a westerly course for 8 or 10 days, as far as Sha-su on the left bank of 

 the Yangtzu ; having, by taking the lake route, cut off the bend of the 

 great river above Hankow. Embarking at Sha-su on board a river 

 boat, he ascends the broad and swift current as far as Ichang on the 

 left bank, passing which a few miles above he enters the Ichang gorge, 

 the first of the celebrated Yangtzu gorges, and leaves behind tna 

 plains of Hoopeh which here give place to hills, running generally 

 N. E. and S. W., increasing in height and splendour, until they at- ' 

 tain a climax in the snowy mountains of Tibet. Continuing up this 

 gorge some 20 miles passing ever and anon deeply laden Szchuan Junks, 

 rowed by boatmen, whose wild but cheerful song runs in a hundred 

 echoes along the precipitous sides of the gorge, he comes to the first 

 rapid, and having been safely towed up this, he may be said to have 

 undergone his initiation in travelling the upper Yangtzu. Passing on i 



