We print below a translation of the
chang, announcing that the Krling was reclamation issued by the Magistrate of about to ascend the rapi We have now received from Mr. A. J. Little a translation of @ contemporaneous proclamation issued by the Taotai of Kingchow, the district next to Ichang. It will be observed that the proclamation distinctly states that it is issued in accordance with instructions received from the Viceroy and the Governor, acting in obedience to a despatch from the Toung-li Yamen. In the face of this, Sir John Walsham's action in prohibiting the departure of the steamer is perfectly incomprehensible. He has, no doubt, been told by Mr. Gregory, the Consul at Ichang, that the opposition to be expected from the junkmen and traders would be found an insuperable difficulty; and this shews the folly of sending the oldesband most effete port like Ichang, where a young, capable and official in tue iti Consular bervico to 8 energetic official is urgently required. We hear from Mr. Thong, ar ft Little that' "hil rapid which isa'portage in very dry winters, he went up to the "Ching T'an," the big and was mobbed by friendly crowds of junkmen and trackers, who asked him, When is the steamer coming?" doesn't she come now? The water is Nothing happens in life but the unexpected, says somebody very wise. And it really seems go, Arrived at Ichang, we find the Chinese authorities have got ready a gunboat and a Wei-yuen to go with the Kuling. Proclamations are posted everywhere informing the peuple that. steamers will not
done elsewhere, by opening up new employ-rain them, but enrich them, 4 they have manta, And it isthe English Government, as represented by Sir John Walsham, that forbids the Kuling from proceeding—until a special hav-chow has been obtained from the Tsungli Yamen. It is well that Ichan, at this time of year is a sort of enchant scene, through which the river flows so gently as only to impart an additional feeling of repose. The air is soft, the sun casts a rosy glow, so as to make the town itself look like city bewitched, perched up as it is on high poles like cranes' legs supporting its foremost houses. The hills opposite cast dark purple shadow till they fade away into the congregation of light blue, that indicates the entrance to the famous Yangtse gorges, framed in snow-capped mountains the far distance. The people sing, and smile, and shout as if the sunshine had got into their voices, and just as in Peking one feels oneself really in the East, so here at Ichang for the first time in China I feel as if I were in the South.
"Oh! Tam glad to have come here. replays all," says a fellow traveller in softly impressive German English. Only what I cannot understand is why none has spoken tome of. as if it were itself beautiful." We feel its softness all the more, because of the bitter snow storm, that lasted durin, the eight days we lay at Hankow, followed us up the river for one day,—whilst we contended against a current, that at times seemed to rush by at the rate of six knots. They did what they could at Hankow. Indeed they always seem to do all they can there. They cleared their heavy fall of snow away with almost incredible rapidity, thus always keeping the dinner parties and friendly teas, and, beat Bund passable. And they kept cheery with of all, with a musical entertainment at the Club, which treated us all to excellent hot coffee, besides a very gued concert, winding up with "Cox and Box," the best amateur entertainment I think I have ever assisted at. But the climate is ever the prominent consideration at Hankow, where it seems to be always grossly too hot or too cold, so with Rataplan ringing in our ears we had again to face the wintry blast, the darkness of the China town, slippery planks and flights of steps partially frosted over. And over all down fell the snow. It was a dreary getting off to the steamer, but it was after all better than last June, when heat and mosquitoes combined were enough to send any European crazy.
And in spite of it all Hankow seems to have grown much cheerier, with new eloments introduced into its society, and in spite of snow and cold they appeared slightly offended we did not stop for their grand ball, and said kindly Oh but you'll come back for our races anyhow."
chang algo has new social elements, but Ichang does not boast of its doings or its society. It rests upon its glorious scenery so near at hand, and even does not sry much about its own individual beauty,—merged in that of the grand gorges soon to be opened out to every globe-trotter, we hope.
Ne. Polhill Turner and Mr. Phelps of the China Inland Mission arrived from Chung. king two days ago, and report the peop! there as mostly longing for the steamer, though of course some are not, They had just made a tour of 400 miles and said that they had everywhere found the people friendly and pleasant. Walking right through Ichang' yesterday with the Consul, and going into two Yaméns and one Temple Iwas struck by the same thing. Some of the people seemed amused to see us, they took notice certainly, as one says of babies, but I only wish people in London would make way for one as politely as they did.
our foreign clothes and two foreign dogs in™ Yet we were rather an exciting party with
after Shaeze, where just landing from tearing. spirits. Tt was a great contrast a boat to walk up the face of the embankment into a Missionary's house, I only just got inside before the people were throwing stones, and had already been greeted in the most opprobrious manner. The China Inland are said to live simply, but L was startled to tind only ladders inside, not staircases.. They had not seen a European won tan for three months. Tt was touching to see the little indications of European refinement mixed up with a Chinese jualor, by comparison with which lodgings in Whitechapel would have something of princely luxury, and among which the photogeaph of a father in the regimental of a dragoon regiment seemed strangely incongruous, just as the manners one is nccustomed to associate with elegant ease in an English country house at friendly 5 o'clock, when the men come in from their shoot: ing, sit strangely with Chinese clothes and pig tails. But the Chinese clothes must be very convenient, and how pleasant English country house manners ai
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.