ting Lake and the Yang-tsze Kiang, one hundred and twentythree sea miles above Hankow; where, thinking that it was but a short distance up to the lake, and that we of the junk would do very well with the fair wind then blowing, the Admiral cast us adrift. But who can foretell the wind or the weather? We did not reach Yo-chow, only seven miles distant, till eight o'clock next day, night having overtaken us and forced us to anchor in a creek filled with wind-bound junks, the crackers and gongs of which "chin-chinning "as we supposed for a fair wind-kept us awake half the night.

Yo-chow (hien) is well situated on high ground, on the eastern side at the outlet of Tung-ting Lake. It does not seem to be an important place of trade. The chief gate in the western wall, on the brink of a steep bank, is a picturesque structure, with a fine flight of steps leading down to the water, and afforded the subject of a sketch for our artist. The suburb lies along the water to the south of the city, in which is a fine pagoda, while another low one stands on the summit of a hill a little inland. Beyond a promontory, jutting into the lake from the Hoo-nan shore, is an island about eight miles distant. Inland to the east the country is mountainous, while the opposite shores are so low that they cannot be defined at any distance, and must during summer be overflowed. A shoal, dry in March, bears from the city southwest, and about west from the large pagoda; it is about a mile in length, with a north and south position. The Taipings were at Yo-chow in 1852 or 1853 for one year, but then passed on down the Yang-tsze on their way to Nanking.

With respect to the Tung-ting Lake, not much is known concerning it. To the south there are extensive black-tea districts, in which the most important place seems to be Siangtan, some distance up a river of the same name, coming from

G

66

the southern part of the province of Hoo-nan, where teas are collected for manipulation and packing for foreign markets. It has hitherto been in communication with Canton, viâ the Meling Pass;" but now that Hankow is open as a foreign depôt, this produce is taking the more easy water route to that place. Great Kinshan, a hill on which a small quantity of tea is grown for the Emperor's own use, is to the south of the lake. The price for this tea is said to be 6400 cash per catty (about 208. a pound), but it is not to be had for money. Chang-teh, a short distance up a river on the west of the lake, and Chang-shah on the east, are subsidiary ports to Siang-tan. Sinte, on the left bank of the river, is also a place of activity and importance. Pao-king, in the same province, and approachable by water from the Tung-ting Lake, is the place whence, we were informed, the coal which supplies the Hankow market is brought. The Canton expedition, which passed subsequently to our visit, speaks of seeing immense numbers of boats on the Tung-ting Lake; and there can be little doubt that a very large portion of the trade which centres at Hankow is from the country around that magnificent sheet of water; and it is consequently hoped that before long some port may be opened on its shores to foreign enterprise.

From the uncertainty of the date at which the Gulf of Pecheli might become suitable for naval operations, Sir James Hope decided not to delay any longer on the Yang-tsze. He had with vessels built in England, and which had "rounded the Cape," pushed into the very heart of a country hitherto so pertinaciously closed against foreigners; he had ascended over eight hundred miles, and so broken the seal of the Yang-tsze; he had done well, and could return with all honour. But we had expected to be towed a little farther; at least we wished it, and were therefore rather disappointed at the sudden decision of the Admiral. Three

hours were allowed us for our letters, and then, steam being up in the vessels, we paid our last visits to our friends on board.

Hoisting a red ensign in the junk, we dipped to H. M. S. 'Coromandel' and 'Bouncer.' They returned the compliment three times three; the paddles moved, the screw revolved, a signal was run up which we read, "Success to the expedition," and we were left to our own resources.

CHAPTER VI.

JUNK-TRAVELLING IN HOO-PEH.

BEFORE proceeding to narrate the incidents of the next fifteen weeks that were consumed by our boat voyage in the interior of China, during which our own was the only European society we enjoyed, I ought to mention the composition of our party.

66

66

On leaving Shanghai we were four Europeans, four Seikhs, and four Chinese; but one of the latter falling sick was sent back with the naval squadron from Hankow. The three remaining were, a Chinese "writer," or as often called 'teacher," to the missionary gentleman of the party; and two "boys," as servants are called in the Far East, Messrs. Quei-quei" and "Bin-quei." The Seikhs were Sepoys of H. M. 11th Punjaub Infantry, Havildar Kumal Khan, and Privates Zuman Shah, Fuzil Deen, and Mahomed Buksh, with whom we had been allowed to augment our party by the Commander-in-Chief Sir Hope Grant, who showed in this and other ways his desire to conduce towards the success of our enterprise.

Our intention when the expedition was proposed was, by taking advantage of a clause in the Treaty of Tien-tsin, to have passed through China, thence into Tibet, and across the Himalayas into North-western India. The idea, I believe, originated with two of us simultaneously; and the third, throwing up, rather sooner than he would otherwise have done, a lucrative practice, jumped at once at the prospect of so novel and adventurous an undertaking. Our great difficulty at the outset was to engage the services of a competent