162 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. X. 
journey, but it would be rather inconvenient to travel in 
one for 300 or 400 le, exposed to a fierce sun, and often- 
times to heavy rain. 
The Bohea-mountain chair is constructed with more 
attention to the comforts of the traveller. It has above 
the seat a light bamboo frame covered with oiled paper 
or glazed cloth. The seat has a back to it formed at an 
angle of 45 degrees, and as the chair itself, foot-board 
and all, is generally about four feet long, the traveller 
can recline and sleep if he chooses to do so. Some soft 
article, such as the wadded bed-cover in common use, is 
generally spread over the bottom and back of the chair, 
which makes it very comfortable. 
Having made all our arrangements, I got into my 
chair, and we left Hokow, travelling in a southerly 
direction across the valley which I have already noticed. 
A small river, which rises on the north side of the Bohea 
mountains, and which falls into the Kin-keang near 
Hokow, comes winding down this valley, and was 
crossed several times on our way. 
Leaving the valley of Hokow, we gradually began to 
enter a hilly country, and now and then our road led us 
up hill-passes of considerable steepness. In going over 
one of these passes my chair was besieged by a host of 
beggars, the most importunate I ever met with. Another 
traveller, who was a few yards in advance of me, had 
them all about him for some time. 1 could hear him 
protesting that he had no cash in his pockets, and 
beseeching them to go away, but this seemed only to 
render them more importunate. Whether he gave them 
anything or not I cannot tell, but they left him and 
