18G1-] 
241 
Notes on the Elver Yang-tse-Kiang. 
Sundries. 
Brass buttons, ... ... ...per gross, 3.2.0 Taels. 
Telescopes, ... ... ... each about 10.0.0 „ 
Pistols, ... ... ... ... „ 4.0.0 „ 
b»o carriage was procurable at Chung-king, the country between it 
and Cliingtu being full of rebels, so that we had to proceed by water 
to Siichow. 
Hie fiist town reached above Chung-king is Kiang-tse (hien) ; the 
current runs about four miles an hour and rapids occur ; the river, 
from passmg through such a hilly country as the province of Sz’chuan, 
is liable to sudden freshes, every thunderstorm in the hills pouring 
a large body of water into it ; it falls nearly as rapidly as it rises ; 
flats of shingle are washed for gold as below Chung-king ; coke is used 
for fuel, and coal and limestone are dug near the village of Yoclii. 
Above Chung-king, none of the boats use sails and dispense with 
the steering oar used for assisting the helm in the rapids ; boats 
with salt and merchandise were continually passing down, and bales 
of cotton being carried up on rafts formed of bamboos ; a number of 
oil boats were also passing down. 
Above Chungking the poppy crop was over, and sugar cane and 
indian corn were being planted in its stead, at the same time that 
rice was taking the place of wheat and barley ; buffaloes (many of a 
pink colour) are the only animals used in farming operations. 
At the town of Hokiang (hien) a small river called Zhun-huei, 
rising in Kweichow, falls into the Yang-tse ; in this district the 
safflower (Hungqua), is extensively cultivated, and a species of hemp 
is grown both here and at Chungking. 
The river Fusung joins the Yang-tse at Lu (chow) (called Che-li- 
leou on some maps) ; this river passes about 30 miles to the East of 
Chingtu, and, at the time we passed, the country through which 
it flows was held by the rebels ; it is one of the roads to Chingtu ; 
at Lu, a great number of spars, apparently of fir, were stacked. 
At the town of Nachi (hien) the appearance of the farm houses 
and villages changes for the worse ; the people look poor forming a 
a great contrast to those a short distance below ; the district was 
visited last year by the rebels, which may account for the wretched 
appearance of the inhabitants ; the river Yanlin here hills in from 
the South. Below Nachi several reefs and shoals occur in the river 
