people are exceedArriving at Yohon to inform the

remained in the capital of Kwei-chow when we arrived there. We left Wu-chang on the evening of January 2nd. The river journey as far as Yoh-chow, has been previously taken by several other missionaries so I need say nothing about it, except that we preached at most of the intermediate places without any trouble. At Chen-Linki, about twenty li from Yoh-chow, an officer from the customs came to us while preaching, and warned us not to go into the country, where there are no officials to protect us, as he said the ingly rough. He was however quite polite to us. chow we found this same gentleman had gone mandarins of our coming. We reached that city about noon. We walked in through the north gate, (through which I had been driven. out two years ago,) and then on the wall to the Yoh-yang-leo, then down into the street, when we were recognized, and the cry was set up, "those foreign demons are come again, kill them, beat them!" We were followed by a considerable crowd towards our boat, but no one injured us. We spoke to the people now for a short time only. Presently a gunboat officer, Tin Lao-yeh, now well known to some of us, came on board our boat, saying he was sent to escort us to any place we were going to. We assured him that as we were not officials, but only private persons, we required no such honour, and that we did. not fear any trouble. We shewed him the recent proclamation as to Mr. Margary's matters and asked if it had been issued in Yoh-chow. He said it had not. The people were so fierce that they dare not put it out. If they did so the people would at once destroy it; and the rulers could not govern them. On hearing this, my native helper asked Tin Lao-yeh if the rulers were able to make the people pay their revenue, and if so, why unable to put out a proclamation. At Yoh-chow we were kept two days, by strong winds, and in this time we were able to preach on shore, and sell a considerable number of books and tracts. We were unable to procure any bread here, but our friend Tin Lao-yeh kindly had twenty small loaves made for us. Chinese officials do not all deserve the bad name which they usually bear among us. Besides the gunboat, the hsien also sent eight men to escort us to the next city. Leaving Yoh-chow we proceeded to Pu Tai-k'eo, which at low water, is the entrance to the Tong-ting lake. Here we had again some little delay as the winds were too rough to cross the lake. The wind having abated we were able to procced; we occupied the most part of two days in crossing the lake. It is very important to have a sound boat, or in case of sudden winds arising, an unsound one might not be able to stand the rough waves of this large sheet of water, which is about two hundred li across. On the south-west border of the lake we entered the "Uain-kiang," at

Nan-tsue, from whence the miles of flat mud banks we have passed, give place to pretty hills and clear water. The latter is no small treat, after having the thick muddy water of the Yang-tsz in which to cook our rice. I may here suggest that a small filter is valuable to persons passing on the Yang-tsz, but in Hunan beyond the Tong-ting lake, the water is excellent. A tin of water crackers would also be most valuable to any one who feels the need of flour made food. We were nearly a month without bread of any kind in Hunan and Kweichow, very little wheat being used there. On 15th January we reached Liu-sin-t'ang, a large sized village where we had a good time of preaching the Gospel, and sold books and tracts in abundance. Here, as indeed at most country places, the people were civil, and listened to the Gospel freely. Near this place we had a remarkable phenomenon pointed out to us. On the river bank were a number of holes, about six to ten inches deep where the earth had been scraped out. On applying a lighted paper to the ground, fire comes out and burns for some few minutes a bright blue flame, which runs about the ground looking somewhat like spirits of wine set on fire. There was no smell, but on stirring the earth up, the flame burnt more freely. The place probably at times sends out more fire than when we saw it.

On 16th January, we reached Long Yang-hsien, but had seen nothing of our escort for two or three days. We found however that notice of our coming had preceded us, and while we were on shore preaching, two men from the yamen went and told our boatmen to move away, that they had no right to bring a foreigner there. Considerable crowds however heard the Gospel and without giving us any trouble. The next day we arrived at Chang Teh-fu. Our boat had only just pulled to shore, when an official came with the hsien's card; he was soon followed by another in full dress, who came with several soldiers and apologized for the hsien not coming in person. After he had left, Li Ta-jen, a military mandarin come to see us. This gentleman paid us a visit again next morning in full dress with his retinue, and as the escort from the hsien had not arrived, Li sent his own military attendant with us as far as Tao Uain-hsien (90 li). Greater civility could not have been shewn to us than that of the officials at Chang Teh-fu. We had a good opportunity of preaching to rich and poor, and without inconvenience. This is truly a great city and we could heartily cry to God to send some to labour permanently in this place and carry the knowledge of Jesus to them.

Some distance beyond Chang. Teh-fu we passed a remarkable number of fishing boats; I counted about a hundred at one place, each boat having a few fishing cormorants on board.

We passed the city of Tao Üain-hsien without going ashore

although it is a busy place. From this place our escort returned to Chang-teh, and we hoped we were now free from official supervision. We stopped for the night about ten li beyond the city. Just as we were retiring to rest about 10 P. M. an officer from the hsien arrived with a soldier and a yamen runner, who he said would escort us to Shen-chow. But as they wished to be on our boat, we pleaded want of room, and declined to take more than one man, assuring the officer that while grateful for his kindness, we had not the least desire for such attention. He shewed me however, a copy of instructions they had received to escort either merchants or missionaries passing that way.

From Tao Uain-hsien southward, the scenery becomes very pretty. The country is hilly and vegetation more abundant than in Hupeh, with bamboo groves in great abundance. Palm trees are numerous, from which matting is made. We now came to the beginning of the rapids, and many extraordinary rocks and hills, with occasional caverns, by the river side.

On 22nd and 23rd January, we passed up several rapids, which in this neighbourhood extend for about thirty li, in almost unbroken succession. The river is perhaps a few hundreds of yards wide, thickly studded with sharp rocks standing out of the water in every direction, projecting above the surface usually about eight or ten feet. The blue waters rushing along with their white crested waves and foam, dashing with a roar over the rocks, make a most lovely picture, of which the beauty is heightened by the abundance of vegetation on the rocky heights bordering the river. T'sin Lang-t'an is the most beautiful and the most dangerous of these rapids. I was told that yearly, many boats are broken on its rocks, although it is not often that lives are lost. The shouting of boatmen as they all pull together, the rattling of their spiked poles on the rocky bed, and the rushing of the water, make altogether a most exciting time as we ascend these difficult places. After passing many villages and small towns, we reached

Shen-chow-fu on 25th January. After walking through the city, we preached the Gospel at the gate near the river to a good number of persons. This city bears a bad character on account of the lawlessness of its people. Yet I am glad to say we saw nothing of the kind. The people were not inclined to be friendly, but yet no one offered us injury, although we had no official protection here. Pan Lao-yeh formerly the hsien in Yoh-chow, and who was probably the instigator of our being turned out of that city two years ago, is now the magistrate in Shen-chow, and he certainly is not more civil than he has been compelled to be. One of his underlings came and told our native preacher that his master would send an escort to protect us, as the people were dangerous. No such person

however came until we had left the place and were clear of these. so-called "dangerous people." When about ten li beyond the place a dirty, ragged, poor fellow called to us from the river side, saying he was sent by the hsien to protect (?) us. I told him that having no evidence whether he was a robber or otherwise I declined to receive him on to our boat. We much preferred trusting our God alone, to having company we did not care for on our boat. As we passed along this neighbourhood we noticed that the women here appear to have the hardest part of the work to do. Probably four fifths of those who were bearing burdens on their backs, by the river side, were females. On account of the mountainous character of the roads here, the carrying pole is not nearly so convenient, and is less used; burdens are usually piled up on a basket, which is borne on the back.

The next city we came to was Lu Chi-hsien. This is, I think, the smallest walled city I have seen in China. Its walls could scarcely be more than a mile and a half in circumference. On the north side are some fine hills. On the south-west a river joins the Üain-kiang, which flows down from the borders of Sz-chuen.

Passing Lu Chi-hsien about 30 li we came to the remarkable rocks of Ma-tsue Ngai. For a considerable distance on one side of the river the hills present a high perpendicular surface towards the water, like a natural wall of rock, in strata of 10 or more feet thick. High up, perhaps 60 or 80 feet from the water and about 50 feet from the top of the rocks, there lies a Chinese boat, fast in a cleft between two strata; one side of the boat protruding beyond the surface. We examined it by the aid of a small telescope. It appears to be of very hard wood aud well oiled, evidently not very ancient. Further on in a line with the boat, and fixed under a projecting ledge of rock is a box or cupboard. So far as we could learn there is no way of reaching either boat or box; but many years ago the curiosity of the natives became greatly excited, believing that the box contains untold treasure. Accordingly a long piece of calico of about 40 cubits was procured, by which a man was let down from the top of these rocks. On his being lowered as far as the box, a loud clap of thunder was heard, and the natives felt assured that the gods were displeased and the man dared not venture to open the mysterious box. Since then, no one has dared again to make the attempt. At the foot of these rocks is an extraordinary cavern, which the Chinese say extends for forty li. The entrance to it is perhaps 15 feet above the water, and about 20 feet from top to bottom. Immediately inside the entrance the roof is about 70 feet high, and the cavern divides into three passages. The one to the right is built up; that to the left is the course of an under

ground river, the roof above it being covered with numerous pieces of stalactyte. The centre passage is the grand one, and I feel powerless to describe its magnificence. Huge pendants of stalactyte are hanging down, while from the floor rise several strange-shaped pinnacles of the same mineral. One of them nearly 20 feet high, shaped like a spiral shell; another not unlike some old church pulpit, and others taking most fantastic shapes. We wandered on as far as we felt our lamp and candles would last; here having to stoop under low passages, there coming out into lofty chambers, the height of which our lights would hardly reveal. Sometimes a great chasm beneath our feet, going down to, we knew not where. This neighbourhood would well repay any one visiting it for geological researches. Indeed on the whole route through Hunan, Kwei-chow, and Sz-chuen, the many underground rivers, the extraordinary rocks, and abundance of mineral wealth, are worthy of much attention.

On 27th Jan. we reached ifi Pu-shih, a town of considerable trade, specially in oil. When Mr. Margary passed through this place, the military officials had great difficulty in keeping the mob from violence. We however walked through the place more than once, and preached the Gospel at the city gate without the slightest inconvenience. Its large boat traffic would make it a suitable mission station, and its situation is beautiful, at the foot of a range of hills near the river. We reached San Chi-hsien the same day. Beyond this place the river winds to such a considerable extent that we had purposed taking the high road from here. But as we could not come to an agreement with the coolies, we took a small boat to Tung Jen

We

fu via Mo Yang-hsien about 325 li, for 3,800 cash. Here we leave the Uain-kiang for the T'ung Jen-ho. I may suggest for future travellers, that it is absolutely necessary that boats, from Chang Teh-fu and all the way up these rivers, have a very strong bottom, to endure the severe bumping they get in passing the rapids; and none but Hunan or Kweichow men are fit to work them. were very happily off in this respect or I do not know what would have become of our boat. Our men worked with a will and quick activity that was a marvel to us. Doubtless the gift of a little pork occasionally, was a stimulus. We felt quite sorry to part with our boat people who had brought us from Chang Teh-fu. They had not only served us well, but we have great hope that the head man has become a Christian. His wife and little ones, all on board, were such a good specimen of family happiness as one seldom meets among the heathen. One of the six sailors on this boat is a Christian man, a member of the Rev. G. John's congregation at Hankow. He greatly desired to accompany us in our further journey, to which we agreed. At this place one of our native