The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1884-04-16
Scenes in the FlOwery Kingdom.

The following is an interesting account
of an excursion from Hoikow, the port
on the. northern shore of Hannah, near
the town of Kiungchow, China. The party
of four assembled the Tingan or Kicnki-
ang river proceeding past Kiungchow, to
Bakshiang, a miserable village of a few
huts, but still u starting place for the up
river traffic. The IIoikow river boats
arc described as follows: ':Meeting one,
it would seem from a distance that a high
pole supporting a very large rectangular
sail, fixed into a long narrow log of wood,
was approaching, for both the size of the
sail and the length of the boat, some
forty-tivc feet, are quite out of proper
ton to the breadth, about seven feet.
Being at-bottomed and the draught of
water only a few inches, it is admirably
adapted for travelling over the shadows
up-river. The mode of progression is by
sail. wind permitting; otherwise by
yulohing, should the water be sufficiently
deep; by polling; by manual tracking
along the bank with the tow rope at
tachcd to the masthead, or may be by two
or more of these methods combined"
With d fair wind the travellers sailed on
ward against the swift-howing current
"each bend of the broad river seemed to
open up views more and more interesting
and beautiful, and scenery at times rival
ing in beauty even that of the ever-fa-
nous Rhine itself. The water nearly rs
blue rs the clear azure sky overhead, the
river banks thickly clad with foliage of
all tints and hucs slcping gently to the
waters edge; solitary farm houses, above
which lowered the majestic palm, seen
empowered amid the trees; glimpses OF
silvery waterfalls dashing down rocky
ravines; cattle basking in the sunshine;
bufTalocs disturbed in their muddy bath
that raised their ugly heads above the
water with an angry snort of disapproba-
ton at our approach-all added II liNcli-
ness and rustic charm to the picture,
and tended to enhance the pleasure of
the excursion. The town of Licnto
was reached shortly after noon. Two
photographs having been taken OF the
party rs a future rcminiscencc, the yelp-
ing dogs were let loose, and a start was
made for a little shooting. Unfortuna-
tely the sport was not good, owing to the
thickness of. the covert, and only doves,
squirrels, and a single deer were seen.
On our way back we visited the potterics
for which Liento has 4 more than local
fame. We strolled down long rows OF
storehouses in which were slowed away
an immense collection of earthenwarc ar
ticlcs of household use, in size varying
from the water kaug to the small ,auccr
used to hold the Chinaman's lampwick
and oil. Mounds some 100 feet in
height had been thrown up, and on
their sloping sides five tiers of kilns had
been constructed, under each of which
wood furnaces were lighted, the smoke
issuing from the uppermost. The native
potter, the color of the clay he worked
in, seated himself on the ground with
one leg on each side of Il wooden disk,
which he kept in motion by his feet, and
while we were present threw off jars of
various shapes and sizes. all seemingly
being made with the same ease and FL
pidity. 1t was with no little reluctance
that we had to leave SO interesting a
sight. Late in the evening We started
the homcward journey, and we
reached IIaikow without any mishap Mt
carly morning.-PubHc Opinion.