inese myths, the
landslip which produced the rapid was caused by the following
circumstance. The ova of a dragon being deposited in the bowels of the
earth at this particular spot, in due course became hatched out in some
mysterious manner. The baby dragon grew and grew, but remained in a
dormant state until quite full grown, when, as is the habit of the
dragon, it became active, and at the first awakening shook down the
hill-side by a mighty effort, freed himself from the bowels of the
earth, and made his way down river to the sea; hence the landslip, the
rapid, and its name.

FUH T'AN RAPID (OR TIGER RAPID)

Eight miles beyond Wan Hsien. Very savage during summer months, but does
not exist during low-water season. Beyond this point river widens
considerably. Twenty-five miles further on travelers should look out for
Shih Pao Chai, or Precious Stone Castle, a remarkable cliff some 250 or
300 feet high. A curious eleven-storied pavilion, built up the face of
the cliff, contains the stairway to the summit, on which stands a
Buddhist temple. There is a legend attached to this remarkable rock that
savors very much of the goose with the golden eggs.

Once upon a time, from a small natural aperture near the summit, a
supply of rice sufficient for the needs of the priests flowed daily into
a basin-shaped hole, just large enough to hold the day's supply.

The priests, however, thinking to get a larger daily supply, chiselled
out the basin-shaped hole to twice its original size, since when the
flow of rice ceased.

KWAN IN T'AN (OR GODDESS OF MERCY RAPID)

Two miles beyond the town of Feng T'ou. Like the Fuh T'an, is an
obstacle to navigation only during the summer months, when junks are
often obliged to wait for several days for a favorable opportunity to
cross the rapid.

CHAPTER IV.

_Scene at the Rapid_. _Dangers of the Yeh T'an_. _Gear taken ashore_.
_Intense cold_. _Further preparation_. _Engaging the trackers_. _Fever
of excitement_. _Her nose is put to it_. _Struggles for mastery_.
_Author saves boatman_. _Fifteen-knot current_. _Terrific labor on
shore_. _Man nearly falls overboard_. _Straining hawsers carry us over
safely_. _The merriment among the men_. _The thundering cataract_.
_Trackers' chanting_. _Their life_. _"Pioneer" at the Yeh T'an_. _The
Buffalo Mouth Reach_. _Story of the "Woodlark."_ _How she was saved_.
_Arrival at Kweifu_. _Difficulty in landing_. _Laying in provisions_.
_Author la