Chap. 11. BOAT AND BOATMEN. 23 



part by my servants. The length of time these 

 boatmen are able to work this scull is very extra- 

 ordinary. It is customary with them to go on 

 continually both day and night, from the com- 

 mencement of a journey until its end. When 

 working in rivers, when it is calm, or when the 

 wind is a-head, they have to anchor when the tide 

 is against them, and in this way rest for six hours 

 at a time ; but in canals, when the tide is not felt, 

 they go on always both night and day. And 

 what is more wonderful still, the greater part of 

 the work is done by one, and that one is often- 

 times a mere boy. The boatman in each boat is 

 generally the owner, and the boy is engaged by 

 him to assist in the working of the boat. Hence 

 the former is the master and the latter the man ; 

 and as a matter of course the man has to do the 

 greater part of the work. But these boys are well 

 fed and kindly treated by their masters, and they 

 seem happy and contented with their lot in life. 

 This continual working with the scull seems to 

 unfit them for any other kind of work ; when on 

 shore they walk badly with a sort of rolling 

 motion, much worse than that of a common sailor, 

 and seem altogether like a " fish out of water." 



The distance from the city of Ningpo to the 

 end of the canal and foot of the hills to which I 

 was bound was about ten or twelve miles. As 

 we had travelled all night we reached the end of 

 the canal some time before daybreak. I had slept 

 pretty well on the way_, but was now awakened 



