UP HILLS OF WATER

Evening Star, Issue 20151, 16 April 1929, Page 8

UP HILLS OF WATER

EXCITING JOURNEY OH YANGTSE RAPIDS AXD J,OOOFT CLIFFS. Graphic details of a five weeks’ journey up tlio Yangtso River from .Shanghai come in a loiter to friends from an Australian girl, Mrs Harold Anderson,' of Chengtu, whose husband, Dr Anderson, is a professor of medicine at the West China University. Coining from Ichang to Chungking,” she write.-, “we were in a convoy of seven boats, with one of the new American gunboats so far ahead that she couldn’t have been the least use to us in ease of trouble. We dropped so far behind that the third night out we had to tie up alone in a bad part of the river, where robbers abound. The officers had had a thirteen hours’ day, so the passengers offered to keep watch all night. It was most dramatic to look out in the middle watches and see figures witli torches slipping about, throwing rays of light into the pitchy darkness. FIGHTING SWINGING STREAM. “ Added to which the river is so wicked in that part, with its swirling waters and its terrific rapids. The boat simply had to fight its way up with every chance of rubbing off a rudder on some hidden rock. The cliffs on each side are immense . Aon look up a dear LOliUft in conic places, and feel like an ant in comparison. “ When wo readied Chungking, we spent several days debating whether we .should go overland, ten days’ quicker, or by water, to Chcugtu.

However, with all our baggage and books, it Mould have taken ten men to get the four of ns across, so wo decided to go by the river. This meant a five days’ journey by motor boat for another 400 miles- Wc spent tho entire time in our little six by •six cabin, sitting on Gin stools until onr knees creaked; “ At Snifii ivc boarded native boats —one apiece for each family—-with all our luggage stowed away below, tho crew on the front platform and tho captain and onr servant behind. We had a bathroom made out of matting, a pantry, bedroom, and sitting room, with doors made of bed mats, which could go np or down according to fancy. "The old captain was a melancholy poor thing, and availed away at the trackers night and day. _ When our rope broke in a rapid his voice would have outdone King Lear mourning his misfortunes. Rapids are tremendously exciting. The river narrows and pours through its channel in a torrent. The boat lias literally to be pulled np a hill of water. The trackers get down on all fours and dig their toes in. The polo man in front lies down to his poling, and yon hang there poised, waiting to see which will win—men or river.”