229 
18GL] Notes on the Biver Yang-tse-Kiang. 
the South, South West and West, but confused masses of hills ; the 
valleys are thinly inhabited and the people we saw looked poor 
and sickly ; they seemed alarmed at our appearance, some taking to 
flight ; those living near the river suffered severely from the flood 
of last year, many head of the few cattle they possessed having been 
destroyed ; this year they are said (apparently truly) to be suffering 
from want of food ; streams of clear water run through the valley, near 
which the bamboo is extensively cultivated ; peaches, pears, cherries, 
peas and beans were in blossom and violets were growing in profusion. 
The boats of the lower Yang-tse ascend no higher than Ichang, 
and we had here to engage a boat fit for the ascent of the rapids ; 
we anchored for some days off the “ Tien Chan” pagoda, a mile 
below Ichang ; the occupation of the men here is principally fishing, 
the field work being, for the most part, performed by women ; stur- 
geon (called by the natives yellow fish) are said to be found in this 
part of the river ; porpoises are in great numbers from near the sea 
until a short distance below the rapids, when they disappear. 
The town of Ichang (foo) stands close to the river on the left 
bank ; its position, as ascertained by Captain Blakiston, is 
Lat. 30° 41' 5” N. 
Long. 111° 3' 0" E. 
It is distant from Shangliae 950 geographical or about 1,100 
statute miles, from Hankow it is 366 geographical or about 420 
statute miles ; steam vessels would find no more difficulty between 
Yochow and Ichang than between Hankow and Yochow ; the most 
easy time to ascend would be when the river is low, as after its rise, 
the whole country below Shi-show is so flooded that the banks are not 
visible, and some difficulty might be found in keeping to the channel. 
Most of the trading junks from Sz’chuan go no further down the 
river than Ichang, though many go to Shahs/.’ and some few to 
Hankow ; this would be a very advantageous port for trading with 
the West of China, the difficulties of the navigation above being 
such as few owners would allow their vessels to risk, at any rate 
until something more is known of the rapids, and boats of a different 
construction to any at present in use on the Chinese waters have 
been built ; an immense number of junks were moored along shore 
when we were at Ichang, and a crowd of them at anchor under the 
walls on a bank ; these latter had on board a number of braves 
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