338 



LAKES AND MARSHY COUNTRY. Chap. XVI. 



according to circumstances, by the surviving re- 

 latives. 



The lakes themselves had a much more lively 

 appearance than those dreary shores. The white 

 and brown sails of boats like our own were ob- 

 served in great numbers making for the mouths 

 of the various canals which form the highways to 

 the large towns and cities in this part of China. 

 Those seen going in a southerly direction were 

 bound for Hang-chow-foo, and the towns in that 

 district ; those sailing northwards were on their 

 way to Soo-chow-foo, while those going in the 

 same direction as ourselves were for the silk 

 country and its rich and populous cities. 



The water of the lakes was as smooth as glass, 

 and in many places very shallow. Various species 

 of water-plants, such as Trapa bicornus, Nympheas, 

 &c., were common, while here and there I came 

 upon the broad prickly leaves of Eur y ale ferox 

 covering the surface of the water. 



In the afternoon the scenery began to assume 

 an appearance somewhat different from that of 

 the morning. The country was evidently getting 

 higher in level and more fertile and populous. 

 To the westward I thought I could detect a real 

 boundary to the waters, but I did not feel quite 

 certain of this as I had been deceived several 

 times during the day. About five p.m. we arrived 

 at a place named Ping-wang or Eing-bong, as it 

 is pronounced in the dialect of the district. This 

 proved to be a small bustling town on the edge of 



