84 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. V. 
ther took place, an event common amongst these moun- 
tains. When we went to bed the evening was calm 
and serene, and there was no appearance of any change 
in the weather. Before midnight, however, two or three 
sudden gusts of wind followed each other in quick 
succession ; and in the short space of a quarter of an 
hour it was blowing a gale. I was awakened by a 
sudden gust which blew the door open, and then nearly 
swept the roof off. At the same time the boat was torn 
from her moorings, and driven out into the stream. 
We were now in a dangerous position, for this part of 
the river was full of rocks. All the men were up, and 
with two large sculls and bamboo poles tried to get the 
boat in-shore. Some of them were lashing the roof 
firmly down to the hull with ropes, and I thought it 
would have been carried away before it could have been 
secured. Chinamen-like, our crew were making a great 
noise ; all were giving orders, and none obeying them. 
In the mean time we were ^jirig down before the wind, 
and with a rapid current. I expected every moment 
that the boat would strike upon the rocks, and be 
dashed to pieces. Luckily, however, they managed to 
get her in-shore, and ran upon a bank of sand, where she 
was made fast again. 
At daylight the wind had abated considerably, but it 
still blew too strong for us to get under way. We were 
therefore obliged to remain where we were during the 
greater part of the day. Our boatmen invited some of 
their friends, who were detained by the same cause as 
ourselves, to come on board to dine and play cards ; aud 
in this way they amused themselves until the afternoon, 
