Our next stage of the journey took us over the mountains to Chungyang, a long 70 Zi, but a road every mile of it full of beauty and charm. We wound up the side of a mountain by a narrow path, with luxuriant growths of bamboo on either side, until we reached the summit, where there was before us a great expanse of wild country, with tree clad hills and mountain streams, while here and there the hamlets of the farmers or huts of the wood cutters made a pleasant bronk. Much bamboo is grown here, and after being cut is floated down the streams till it reaches the river, and from there transported to Hankow or some other centre.
The beauty spot of the trip is at a village called Funghsia.
Here we reach the river, a shallow stream of beautifully clear water, with a sandy bottom and crowded with jagged rocks. Our path skirts the side of a hill with the river on our left, and on the opposite side are low hills covered with trees, many of them in their autumn dress of flaming scarlet and gold, and mirrored in the clear water they make a picture that would rejoice the heart of an i The river here is full. of rapids and when in spate makes a fine sight as it roars and foams over the rocks.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.