Evening star., 1926-05-30
Peril in Grand Gorges of the Yangtse
From Gunshots, Rapids and Rocks
Bridge
Transpor Duesso o Soldiers.
Y ELIZABETH MOVES HEMP.
STONE.

ID
STONE.
~ UFFETED by cross-currents:
- sucked downward by whirl-
pools; held nearly motionless
H. by the rushing waters OF the
powerful rapids; nenaced on
all sides by jagged, age-worn rocks
and shifting shoals, the clumsy, top
heavy merchant ship fights its way
into Szechuan--harassed by all the
forces Of nature, and the prejudice
and hostility of man. For, hiding be-
hind that gray rock. there may be
bandits or soldiers with lifted guns;
or concealed near that harmless ap-
pearing farmhouse, there may be
| field gun, with its crew. And at every
port unprotected by foreign gunboats,
there may be some advancing or re-
treating general with his troops.
wives, concubines and worldly goods
unwclcome and non.paying passen-
ger--who will force hts way on board
at the point Of guns; thus violating
the neutrality Of our country. and
rendering null and void the protec-
ton OF the Stars and stripes which
fiy so bravely from our fagmast.
For convenience sake, the Yangtse
River--like all Gaul---is divided into
three parts-from Shanghai to Han
kow, is the lower river; from Hankow
to Ichang. the middle river; from
Ichang to Chungking, the upper river.
It is possible, at high water. to take
a smaller steamship 200 or 500 miles
farther on to Suifu. But most people
who are travelling for scenery or ex-
citement are more than willing to
turn around at Chungking and let the
swift current bear them back to civi.
lization. Few tourists visit Hankow,
although II is a prosperous and I'M
portant commercial center, the juno
ton of rivers and railways; fewer yet
reach 1chang, for the trip up the
middle river has small charm OF its
own, and the very few who have made
the trip on the Upper Yangtse since
It was found to be navigable by steam
in 1897 should treasure the wonder
full memory like a bit of rare jade or
amber. For within the next year or
so, this Journey, dangerous always,
may become an impossibility. AS the
perils of nature are being surmounted
by the increasing knowledge ana ini.
tiative Of progress. the menace or
hostile and barbarous men is daily De-
coming complicated and more alarm
ing. The Chinese. in their blind 1gno-
rance and primitive savagery. are
shutting Of from mankind one OF tns
scenic wonders OF the world.
The Yangtse gorges are beautiful,
with that breath.taking, awe.insparlng
grandeur which holds you silent ana
abashed. What mighty force. through
how many countless ages. Gu. tnese
deem gashes through the solid rockY
Sheer and precipitous for hundreds OF
feet. the giant wallis rise on each side
Of ,is. while above and beyond them,
thousands Of feet high. snow-capped
mountains glisten, unsullied and aloof.
And we fight our way slowly ana
nainf1lly against the seething, muddy
waters; Just barely making this rapid
or that one, against the raging cur
rent. and turning from one side or the
narrow channel to the other to avoid
the Jagged rocks, fallen fragments
from the heights on each side OF US.
THE gorges begin as soon az you
! leave Ichang on your way to
Chungking. The Tchang gorge is 16
miles long. While tt ID beautiful, 1t
cannot compare with the Wushan
gorge. which is 25 miles long. And
this. in turn, must yield to the Wind
box gorge, which, though only 4 miles
long, is the most marvellous OF all
When you have reached Wanil-
sien, It's miles above Ichang, you are
practically through the gorges. But
that is only comparatively speaking,
for the voyage continues to be inter-
esting and exciting to the very end.
The Yangtse winds its way to
Chungking through two provinces
Ichaf1g being in Hupeh, and Chung
king In Szechuan-the most fertile Of
all the provinces. The air is very
damp, and constantly full Of gray
mist-which keeps the fields beauti-
fully green, and the soil is SO rich
that It looks plumcolored. 1t Is well
cultivated, every square inch seem
ingly laid out IN patches like check.
erboard. IT, - :.
Picture for yourself this wonderful
four-day trip. through miles of mag
nificent gorges. which rise an some
places, gray and abrupt, Ike the
lowering walls OF the Yosemite Val.
lev. Further on they will look en-