3  ro  THE  CHINESE  EMPIRE
of  our  crew  then  drag  the  boat  by  main  force  around
the  point,  those  remaining  on  board  fending  her  off
the  rocks,  the  water  meanwhile  boiling  and  foaming
under  the  bows  and  threatening  to  swamp  her.  .  .  •
The  hookers  have  to  be  mighty  careful  never  to  lose
their  hold,  as  that  involves  drifting  back  into  the
current  .  .  .  losing  in  a  minute  or  two  the  fruits  of
hours  of  work.  .  .  .  The  boat  heeled  over,  threatening
to  capsize  on  the  instant  ;  fortunately  our  trackers
promptly  cast  off  the  tow-line  in  the  nick  of  time,
and  we  incurred  no  other  danger  than  being  swept
violently  down-stream  in  the  eight-knot  current.”
The  stream  thus  characterised  furnishes  the  only  water
outlet  for  the  trade  of  one  of  the  richest  provinces  of  China,
the  alternative  routes  being  mountain  roads  over  a  much
accidented  country  intersected  by  deep  ravines,  feasible
only  for  light  packages  carried  on  men’s  shoulders.  By
this  route  the  traffic  is  carried  in  junks  of  varying  size.  The
largest  are  of  a  dead-weight  carrying  capacity  of  60  to  7°
tons,  with  a  regular  crew  of  24  and  a  force  of  85  trackers
(re-enforced  at  the  worst  rapids),  engaged  for  the  upward
voyage  ;  junks  of  medium  size  carry  30  to  40  tons,  with  a
crew  of  18,  and  45  trackers  ;  small  junks  carry  14  to  20
tons,  with  a  crew  of  10  and  20  trackers.  The  upward
journey  takes  about  four  weeks  at  the  most  favorable
season,  while  in  the  summer,  against  the  full  strength  of
the  Yangtze  in  flood,  the  voyage  may  be  extended  to  three
or  even  four  months  :  under  the  most  favorable  conditions ­
  the  average  rate  of  progress  does  not  exceed  l5
miles  a  day,  and  it  may  fall  as  low  as  3  miles  a  day  through
the  whole  of  the  course  of  420  miles  from  Ichang  to  Chungking.
  It  is  on  the  upward  journey  that  most  of  the  accidents
occur,  and  full  a  tenth  of  the  junks  arriving  at  Chungking
arrive  with  their  cargo  more  or  less  damaged  by  waterwhile
  total  loss  is  not  uncommon.  Down  stream  sails
are  furled  and  masts  struck,  and  the  junks,  driven  by  oars
to  give  sufficient  speed  for  steerage  way,  are  taken  down
in  charge  of  the  skilled  pilots  working  the  route,  and  seldom