Chap. XIX. 
SALT-HEAPS. 
309 
in length, and in some places a quarter of a mile 
in width ! The ground on which they are placed 
is raised a considerable height above high-water 
mark, and is perfectly level and smooth. The 
salt-heaps have their ends at right angles with the 
river, and between each range there is a small 
open drain for the purpose of carrying off the 
rain-water and to keep the bottom bags dry. 
The bags are made of split bamboo, and are conse- 
quently very strong, and mats are thrown over 
the whole to afford the protection of a roof and to 
carry off the rain. On looking at the enormous 
quantity of salt roughly stored in this manner, one 
is apt to imagine that a considerable portion must 
be wasted, particularly during the wet months of 
spring and autumn. But the Chinese are too 
economical in their habits to allow any great 
amount of waste to take place, and therefore I 
suppose the rough covering must be more efficient 
than it would appear at first sight. That a por- 
tion of the salt gets melted was apparent enough ; 
the little drains between the heaps were full of 
it, either in the form of salt-water or of salt itself. 
The view from the top of one of these salt-heaps 
was curious and novel. The whole place had a 
wintry aspect, the ground was whitened as if with 
hoar-frost, and as I walked over it a crisp crushing 
noise was heard as if one was walking on frosted 
snow. On these grounds not a blade of grass or 
green thing was visible, and, had it not been for 
the view of green trees and fields in the distance, 
