Hsing Chung (the laoban) hereby contracts to convey Dr. M. to
Chungking on the following conditions:--

1. The passage-money agreed upon is 28,000 cash (_L2 16s._),
which includes all charges.

2. If Chungking is reached in twelve days, Dr. M. will give
the master 32,500 cash instead; if in thirteen days 31,000,
and if in fifteen days 28,000.

3. If all goes well and the master does his duty
satisfactorily, Dr. M. will give him 30,000 cash, even if he
gets to Chungking in fifteen days.

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.

With a clear and sunny sky, the riv