The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-04

and sought to prevent us from going
into the Slang Valley. They told US Of clan
fights on our intended route and declared that
they could not be responsible for our safety.
We went ahead the next day. however. and
were not molested. few DAYS later Mr..
| Parsons. Capt. Rich. Woo and myself left the
party and went west to the city OF 70 Chou.
which IL situated at the junction OF the Yang
| tse and Slang rivers. II ie a walled city OF
| 100000 population. has telegraphic communi-
| cation with Hankow and is to be shortly
| opened as treaty port. They were holding
the annual examinations there and 10000
students had come to the city to take part. and
on that account we were forbidden to enter the
city. Woo was allowed to enter however. and
the rest OF us remained on our boats.
THE overflow from the Yang-tse. Slang.
Yuan and half dozen other streams forms an
immense lake west OF 70 Chou 1t is over a
hundred miles long during the treshets and
only great mud sink during the winter. 70
Chou promises to be quite trade centre. for it
already has good shops and the tea country In
the higher levels back Of 1t makes 1t important
to that industry, We went up the Slang River
and a week later reJoined the other members
of the expedition at Slang Yin to which point
they had carried the survey. Here we were
Hospitality received by the Shen Magis-
trate and by Chinese gentleman in the
telegraph service. Yu by name. who had
been to the Tien -tsin University. and who
spoke English very we'll We were entertained
nj a dinner which was entirely Chinese and
greatly enioyod the novelty Of soma Of the
dishes ma well as the amusement created nv
our somewbat ludicrous attsmpts to manipu-
late our chopsticks. The menu included. be-
sides some more familiar courses. shark fms.
pigeon eggs, wood fungus. lotus seeds. snail
mussels and bamboo shoots The dinner was
well-cooked and we were rather SURPRISED to
find how good It was. Our visits to cities con-
tinued TO attract neral attention. The trum-
peters with our soldiers would enter first
blowing as IL their lives depended upon IL.
and every blast brought hordes of Chinese.
AT Tung Kuan we had our first serious
trouble. Some OF the ll-natured ones in the
big crowd began to show their contemp ut for us
by hooting and throwing stones The officials
and soldiers surrounded US and hurried us to
our boats, where we were out Of harms way
During the confusion Mr. Parsons was struck
by a stone but was not hurt The Slang ia a
very large river with fairly swift current and
ia navigable for fairly large steam boats proba-
ably as far as Heng Chou, 1t has for the
most part high banks and in some places
very picturesque cliffs The country is
generally billy and the main valley is OF
varying width. We made anywhere from ten
to sixteen miles a day UP the Slang and
were not seriously retarded. We reached
Chang Sha, capital OF the province OF Human.
on Jan. 7, and we're reluctantly received by the
Governor It seems that his predecessor had
been dismissed from office for being progress
siye and guess that he feared that n preoe-
dent had been established He seemed also to
think that II he showed us any consideration
there would be a great popular demopstra-
ton In which he would be unable to Garry
to give US a reception. and the nature OF tho
concession will be understood when it ia stated
that we were the first foreigners who ever en-
tered his yamen. He said that his people
we're not vet ready for a railway. and
that they would have to be educated
before ono could be- built Chang Sha ia a
largo and important city with an estimated
popuatio Of 800. 600 including city OF boats
with regular streets and blocks. which covers
much OF the river. There are some flne-look-
ing temples and houses. and the whole city ia
surrounded by a massive we'll built wall and
moat The city is well-situated. and back of
1t are some hills which afford beautiful views
Of the river and opposite mountains and VAL
leys In the days OF this Governors predeces-
sor the place was very progressive, and an
electric light plant was started. Unfortunately
the administration and policy were changed
and believe reform Is now dangerous
"Opposite Heng Chow another large CITY
we encountered the Lei River. which flows
into the Slang after draining q large area to
the southeast Here we left the Slang, contin-
uing UP the east bank OF the Lei We were
surprised ons night to receive a call from a
Chinese Christian missionary. a member Of
the London Inland Mission. Human Is not an
agreeable place for missionaries; there are
very few stations in the entire province, and
they are compelled to keen very quiet. This
fellow seemed much encouraged with his
mission at Heng Chow. and perhaps we were
wrong to doubt his sincerity We at least
hoped we were We were a little sorry
to leave the Slang, which Is one OF the
most beautiful rivers l have ever seen
but the Lei ia also abundant with magnificent
scenery: and indeed the country itself n "a II
became more mountainous. delighted us more
and more. In places II is rugged and wild. but
there will be no difficult engineering problem
TO face in building the railway through the
country In fact whom the road ts finished
this will he one of tho places where palace car
Messengers will be tenn pted to keen their noses
fattened against the window pane in order to