There was but little variety in the journey until the following day,
when we approached the great bend in the Yang Tsze, and Akong told us
that, if so inclined, we could land from the boat, and by walking six
or eight miles across the country join the boat again, the bend
rendering it necessary for her to go around some thirty or forty miles.
This we gladly assented to, and taking my gun, in hopes of meeting with
some snipe in the paddy-fields, and with Aling and a coolie for
interpreters, we landed.
Charley and I both experienced a rather queer sensation as we watched
the boat sail off, and found ourselves with no other white man within a
hundred or more miles. The country ahead was one immense rice-field,
divided by dykes or banks paved with stones and forming paths for
walking. At some distance we saw a large clump of bamboos with tall
elms beyond, indicating a village, called, as a coolie at work in a
ditch informed us, Fi-Loong. Soon we saw a broad creek with a handsome
stone bridge over it, and on the other side an unusually large house of
two stories, which turned out to belong to the Te-poy, or local
magistrate of the place.
Pages:
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42