are used for the manufacture of oil. I was seized with acute pains in the bowels, vomiting, purging, and cramps in the stomach and legs; and it was not until after much suffering, and by the aid of morphia and laudanum administered by the Doctor in sufficient quantity to have killed any man under ordinary circumstances, that I got over the effects. I would caution all future wanderers in these regions against this fruit. It grows on a tree not unlike a small walnut-tree; the flower is rather pretty, of white and pink. The tree is called "Tung-shu," and seems to be much cultivated in these parts; and the nut is known as the "Tung-tsze." It has been made out in England to be Eloococca verrucosa.

Before coming to Quai-chow there is yet another gorge to be passed. It is a short one, and known as "Fung-siang," or Wind-box. Although the last, it is by no means the least in grandeur. One pass at its upper end is not over 150 yards across; cliffs rise towering above to a prodigious height, and large caverns have been scooped out by the mighty current, allowing of fishing-boats lying in perfect security from the wind and weather. We went through aided by an easterly breeze, and our boatmen made the gorge resound with their wild shouts, which echoed to and fro between the vertical cliffs on either hand. They were calling for the wind; and it is curious that this whistling or shouting is, among so many different nations, the recognised method of propitiating Boreas. An isolated rock stands out nearly in mid-stream; as we emerge from the gorge, a tall white pagoda comes in view, and Quai-chow lies before us.

CHAPTER IX.

EASTERN SZ'CHUAN.

ARRIVED at Quai-chow (foo), our first business was to determine how we were to proceed onwards: the choice lay between the land and the water, the latter having the advantage of ease of travelling and the opportunity of surveying the river; but as we had progressed so slowly thus far, we were desirous, for the sake of saving time, to take to the land. Sending cards-pieces of red paper with our names inscribed on them in large Chinese characters with Indian, or rather China, ink-two of the party proceeded without delay to the "Yamun" of the Prefect, or Governor, to whom admittance was gained without difficulty. Official duty at Canton had worn off any novelty for me in Yamun visits and Chinese ceremonies, and, not having recovered from the effects of the dose of poison taken on the day previous, I kept the Doctor company on board the junk. Meanwhile, in plain English, translated of course into Chinese, the Prefect was informed who we were and our object, and his assistance was requested in forwarding our views, in the course of which the "Treaty of Tien-tsin" was referred to, but he seemed to be ignorant of anything concerning it, except the bare fact of its existence, and therefore, as we had a number of copies of that peculiar document, he was presented with And I should here mention that, notwithstanding it expressly stipulates that the convention was to be published throughout the empire, at no single place on our route after we parted with Admiral Hope's squadron did we find it

one.

posted, or that the inhabitants had any knowledge of it; and farther, at many places the mandarins themselves admitted that it had never reached them at all. Let us hope that the Prince of Kung, from whom so much more is expected than any Chinaman, I think, is capable of, will, when he reads this book—and I shall prevail on the publisher to send him a copy-have this error rectified.

The business with this Celestial Prefect was overlaid and interlaid with an immense amount of small-talk; but the upshot of the conversation was, that the Prefect, who was a very polite old man, gave us his advice that we had better not think of leaving the river, as it was by far the easiest way of travelling; in fact, that there existed only the most inferior road by land from Quai-chow westward; that the regular route left the river at a place called Wan some few days further up, whence we should find ready means of getting to Ching-tu, the capital of Sz'chuan, which was a principal point in our intended journey, as we had letters to the Viceroy, who is at the same time Governor of Tibet, and from whom we expected to obtain the requisite authority for travelling as government officials over the Yun-ling mountains to Lassa. Whether the Prefect told the truth or not, I cannot pretend to say,—the chances are against him; and I consider this to have been "shunt off" the first.

The Chinese have a notion that foreigners can see into the ground, and can tell whether it contains minerals or treasure. This is, I am told, a very general impression with them, and hence, perhaps, their antipathy to Europeans travelling by land. I fancy that a geologist must have at some time astonished their Celestial minds by indicating the existence of a valuable mineral substance in a certain locality, and thus have given rise to this belief.

Having carried out his instructions by accompanying the expedition into Sz'chuan, Captain Mur-king-köw,—the officer

whom I have already mentioned as having been sent by the Viceroy of the "two Hoos,"-notwithstanding he had constantly expressed a wish to accompany us into Tibet, and had even thrown out hints of his desire to visit our "honourable native country," decided on returning home. He had, we supposed, "made his pile," as a Californian would say, by extracting from the petty mandarins along the route money to pay his way, although there can be no doubt that he lived on us the whole time. However, it is the custom of the country; and although, when this theoretically perfect system of government was worked without intrigue and abuse, it would not have been tolerated, alas! there is now nothing but a system of squeeze within squeeze from highest to lowest, and a mandarin is necessarily a rogue. I recollect, on our return to civilization, taking a walk with a friend after the heat of the day to the top of a hill at Hankow which overlooks the river. The Taipings were at the time reported to be near at hand, and the whole garrison of Wu-chang was in readiness for them. Over the top of the hill runs a part of the wall of Han-yang, and the little pagoda stands in an enclosed space. A number of three-cornered banners floated from the wall, being stuck into crevices or propped up with piles of bricks, and distributed equally along the line of defence. As we were contemplating the scene of inundation which presented itself on all sides, a Chinaman began to take down these banners and stow them away carefully in the pagoda, while another was in place of each substituting a paper lantern, until, as the shades of evening drew in, the illumination was complete. Across the river the walls of Wu-chang, which are of great extent, were similarly lighted up, and had a most animated appearance, not really so animated as they should have been, however, for my friend, as he descended the hill, said, "Each of those flags and lanterns represents a man-you know, every soldier carries a banner

by day and a lantern at night;—and, believe me, the Imperial Government at this very time is paying some one, perhaps a mandarin high in office, a rich merchant, or some large proprietor, for the number of soldiers these things represent, while the two coolies you saw are the only men he finds. If it were known at the proper place, the individual would assuredly be decapitated; yet such corruption and villany exist throughout the public departments, that these frauds are overlooked, and the reason is-bribery. Is it likely that rebels will be put down in this way? and what can we expect to result from such a state of things?"

In place of our gallant protector, a Lieutenant of the Celestial army was appointed, along with six soldiers, as a guard; a boat being found them by the Prefect. We also here engaged a second junk for ourselves, finding that the increase of the heat caused close stowing to become disagreeable; and while the skippers were making preparations for our farther progress, we scribbled a few letters to our friends and relations, detailing how we had thus far prospered. These were made up into a sealed packet addressed to the representative of Messrs. Dent and Co. at Hankow, with an order for the payment of five dollars on delivery written on the outside in Chinese characters. The Tartar Captain, who was to start in a day or two, took charge of the packet, and we subsequently learned that he delivered it in safety. One of the letters was to the Editor of the North-China Herald' for the information of the foreign community at Shanghai; and as it gives a tolerable summary of the first part of our voyage, I give it with the editorial remarks upon it entire :

"The interest which The Child of the Ocean,' 'The Great River,' and par excellence The River'-as the Chinese call it -is now creating in the commercial world, receives additional prominence from every new feature or incident connected with it. Not the least so is the exploration of its