Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-08-25
Selected MISCELLANY,
Al EXCURSION IN CHINA.
A Consups Adyenture-The Temple Of
Fly Come-Ptk Lok and It's villages
Country Hospitality.


PIX IoK TUNG Mon .sTEY,
PRovGSCE or KwASG TUNG t1ASToH),
CHINA, May, 1870.
AT night we anchored al Tai Tong Hui
The next day, FRIDAY, we met another dead
body floating down the river. That night
brought us to the large market town Of
Using Yune. The next day about noon, as
we were passing the custom house at PAX
Mn NEW intending to land at the town
10 Get some provisions a crowd Of the EN-.
moves at the custom house ordered our
boatman to stop, so that our boat might
he examined Our men paid no attention
10 them, and passed the mrs, customs
boat, without resistance but the soldiers
nm board the next one seized the gunwales
NJ orr boat with their hooks, and were
about to stop her, when my travelling COM
nanlon, who was on the roof, expostulated
with them for attempting to stop or board
without permission boat with
Inc American flag flying, telling
them at the same time, that the
limited States Consul was on board,
and he would resent any such interference,
Tbev still paid no heed, and he then seized
. rIank and aimed blow Mt the head of
leader,
N nroceed. was lying down at the time,
hearing a great storm Of voices, but bliss
fnllv ignorant OF the cause. A hundred
Yards further on we moored to the wharf,
and my friend promptly made his way to
the custom house, and called for the head
oe3ciaI He demanded of that functionary
for what reason his soldiers attempted to
atom and board in that irregular and dlsor-
5orIv wav a boat on which the U, s. flag was
g,;no andwhich was carvings US. Consul.
Tbo officer apologized, begged not to be re-.
norted To his superiors, said 1t was all a mis-
take of the soldiers, who did not under,
It'd The courteses due in such case
ord that he was very sorry for the occur
ronce NV friend then gave the message
i'm which he was charged that the con
srI was travelling for pleasure, information
and health that his boat was moored at
tbe town. that he had given his boatmen
str;ct orders not to smuggle anything I'M
der cover of the flag that 1t was quite pos
sible however, that they We're doing so
secretly. that if h desired to find ont, and
would SO intimate Immediately, the consul
wonld receive and entertain him officially
within an hour and would give him an OPP
nortunitv to search the boat thoroughly.
Tie sent word back, with his card that he
was perfectly satisfied, and did not wish to
examine the boat
We now entered the Using Yune Pass.
The river here breaks through bold aud
lofty range of hills, from 1900 to 2000 feet
in height. Tho pass is three miles or
more in length, and there are many abrupt
ha pt "a
the cliffs which frowu down on the passing
traveller are almost perpendicular. The
river throughout the pass Is quito swift and
deep. and has ali average width Of about
$50 wards, but in some places 1t must be
less than Is yards wide. The wind was
not TO be depended upon in such place,
and rowing against the current was out OF
the question; so our boatmen had to resort
to cracking which indeed they had been
compelled to do often before. Eight or ten
men land, each provided with n short
rope, To one end of which is attached a
cotton collar; the foremost man holds the
end of the main rope, which is paid out
from the top of the mast to sufficient
length; he quickly mounts the bank, and
scrRmbes no 10 the roadway; the next
man fastens his short rope IN trice to the
main one; the next whose rope is n
little longer takes longer interval and
fnstens his, and so on to the last. They
then throw their weight cheerily into the
collars, and away they 60 ut n swinging
gait A substantial roadway is cut out Of
the steep hillside. 1t is about five feet
Wild, and paved with granite, Viewed
from the water il looked noe unlike the
track ol n railroad skrting the side Of a
mountain, The handsome granite arched
bridges. which spauued every chasm and
waterfall breaking from the hills served
TO complete the illusion, and | half ex-
pectod to hear the scream of the locomo-
tive startle the echoes Indeed, with a
very little lev6lling and doubling the
width of this track, perfect bed for the
iron rail would be ready here. One could
not help admiring the substantial cbaRc.
ter of the BRIDGES Every one, and they
were uumberless, was built of dressed
granite, and looked MS il intended to last
for ages. This is the character of all the
public or cooperation works of China that
| have seen.
About midway OF this pass We came to
the temple and monastery of Fee Ioi "hy
come The tradition is that "a dragon
which oecupie- the shrine at the top ct the
mountain 'came by flying, oud took his
abode at this spot Broad, handsome step,
OF granite reaching below the water'- edge
lend up the main entrance The pnn.
cipal buildings are erected som forty or
fifty feet above the river and occupy the
broad lap Of great ehasm which de ouch.
es here The temple Is built atter the
fashion Of an uch in China We were
offered tea, which Ne declined, aud init,
mated that we wished TO 60 to the top and
see the shripes and small temples above.
The pries' informed us that there was a
stairway mp either side 81 the chasm but
tnut he left one was e be preferred After
climbing some three or four flights oi steps