This, the most formidable obstruction to the navigation of the river, was created during the 22nd and 23rd day of the 8th moon (28th and 29: h September, 1806). Its position is marked on Mr. R. A. de Villard's map as Tachang (27 miles below Wanhsien and 153 miles above Ichang, but the place is now known as Sintan (; or New Rapid. Hitherto the Chingtan and Yehtan were looked upon as the worst rapids in the river bat these are simply child's play compared to the new ones. They are said to be worse now that the river is low than they were in October last, and, after personally seeing them for two days, I can vouch for the fact of three junks coming to grief, two in coming down and one in going up; bottom poco A for hours in the whirlpool the latter being capsized and floating about before finally drifting into smooth water. Most of the crew clambered on to her bottom, but it is ssid that six poor fellows were lost. Of the other two junks, one got caught in the whirlpool, after successfully shooting the rapids, and was drifted again and again into the rough water, in spite of the frantic exertions of her 20 oarsmen, until she gradually got waterlogged; but was finally rescued from her danger by getting near enough to the side to enable friendly hands to seize s rope and draw her to smooth water, where she discharged her cargo of oranges, at least as many of them as were not already floating about in the numerous eddies. The third junk, after shooting the rapids, grazed some rocks with her bow and scattered many splinters of wood by this momentary touch; she also drifted intozsafety lower down, The]new land-slide has narrowed the channel to about 150 yards, where the water rushes through, with " considerable overfall, round three rocks now visible and over other submerged ones. The downward currents from each side of the channel shoot across each other below the two points forming its entrance and then form a confused sea, with waves of considerable height which tumble over each other in Fine backwash then forms a large whirlpool {djstyle, but awful in their grandeur. which carries anything that gets into it back again to the edge of the rapids, but which is avoided if the junks are able to Keep in the strength of the original current. The scene is one of great excitement to watch a large junk glide smoothly down the slopes of water at the entrance to the rapids, then tumble about in the rough waves, burying her nose into the water. which flies in quantity on to her deck; and to hear the shouts of the oarsmen as they double their exertions to clear the "whirlpool, encouraged by the frantic gesticulation of the pilot who jumps and stamps in his energy. The rocks on 94, each side are lined with sightseers watching the stirring scene and shouting their interest in it.
For an hour I watched the preparations of a large junk to ascend the rapids and finally her twenty minutes' struggle to get through them, which she successfully did with the aid of five towing lines and seven large hawsers, each line being handled by at least 100 coolies who were struggling on inch by inch about a thousand yards ahead. The hawsers were short ones from the junk to the rocks.at her side, two of which Kept her stern in position, and, in the event of the towing lines parting, would ha. given the tow the necessary cant to keep "er off the rocks. For some minutes shi! ted against a wall of water, then grade.llv so over it showing daylight under er bow and after long suspense gradually drew into smooth water and safety. The e would doubtless not have been successfully made except for the votive offerings of rice constantly being thrown overboard by her excited crew.
Both upward and downward-bound junks have to discharge their cargoes fore attempting the rapids and only the largest-sized ones can get up them. For some time only three junks a day have passed upwards, and there are hundreds of them waiting both above and below the rapids. Thousands of coolies are to he seen carrying cargo round the rocks, and piles of cotton, bales of yarn, and assorted packages of Szechuan produce are stacked in the open, waiting transhipment. The place is already developing into a large town and it must become a very important centre of labour and population.
The hill from which the land-slide took place is on the north bank, at least half a-mile away from the present river channel. The line of fracture is clearly market, some 1,000 feet up, end the whole slope of earth and rock seems to have slid gradually down to the water, shoving hugo boulders of rock before it, until checked by reef which already existed in about mic channel. This reef, with its new addition of earth and rocks, now forms the northern point of the present channel and stands some 50 feet out of the water. The people say that the slide was a very gradual one, taking more than a day to complete its course, wud they describe the scene as the earth sinking and not falling. Some curious facts attest the truth of this statement; three grave monuments ate still upright after moving some 600 yards and one grand old tree is still erect, with its roots entwined in rocks, and its leaves ate still green with its life uninjured, although many hundred yards below where it originally stood. The formation of the mountain range is red sandstone, with strata showing a very gradual dip from N. W.. to S. E. Immediately above the [deed land-slide are signs of a similar one wing occurred in past ages, and there are still some miles of this formation which in. ages to come will probably follow suit.
There are some hopes that the now rapids will be less dangerous after a cutting as been completed through the present debris of rocks and earth, at which thousand coolies are now working. The idea is evidently to provide a relief for the heavy rush of water now pouring through the Sintan, and the local authorities deserve credit for having so promptly commenced some work to remedy. this latest and most serious obstruction to the Upper Yangtze. ce "For tue Broop 1s THe Lrre."—Clarke's World-famed Blood Mixture is warranted to cleanse the, blood from all impurities from whatever cause arising. For Scrofula, Scurvy, Eczewsa, Bad Legs, Skin and Blood Diseases, Pimples, and Sores of all kinds, its effect are marvellous. 'Thousinds, of. wonderful cures have been effected by it.' Sold everywhere at Sd, Beware of worthless imitations,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.