4. The sum of 14,000 cash is to be advanced to the master before starting; the remainder to be paid on arrival at Chungking.
(Signed) Yang Hsing Chung.
Dated the 17th day of the 2nd moon,
K, shui 20th year.
The Chinaman who wrote this in English speaks English better than many Englishmen.
CHAPTER II.
From Ichang To Wanhsien, with some account of Chinese Women and the Rapids of the Yangtse Kiang.
The agreement was brought me in the morning; all the afternoon I was busy, and at 8 p.m. I embarked from the Customs pontoon. The boat was a wupan (five boards), 28 feet long and drawing 8 inches. Its sail was like the wing of a butterfly, with transverse ribs of light bamboo; its stern was shaped "like a swallow's wings at rest." An improvised covering of mats amidships was my crib; and with spare mats, slipt during the day over the boat's hood, coverings could be made at night for'ard for my three men and aft for the other two. It seemed a frail little craft to face the dangers of the cataracts, but it was manned by as smart a crew of young Chinese as could be found on the river. It was pitch dark when we paddled into the stream amidst a discharge of crackers. As we passed under the Kweili, men were there to wish me bon voyage, and a revolver was emptied into the darkness to propitiate the river god.
We paddled up the bank under the sterns of countless junks, past the walled city, and then, crossing to the other bank, we made fast and waited for the morning to begin our journey. The lights of the city were down the river; all was quiet; my men were in good heart, and there was no doubt whatever that they would make every effort to fulfil their contract.
At daylight we were away again and soon entered the first of the great gorges where the river has cleft its way through the mountains.