En Route to Szechuan, Through the Yang-tze Gorges
By F. A. ALLUM
Believing that the friends in the homeland will be interested in the journey we have just made, I am writing this account, which will give the story from I-chang to Chung-king. An account of the journey from Shanghai to I-chang has already been published in the REVIEW. I am letting this take the form of notes from my diary. March 27. We left I-chang by native house boat, which is known in this part of China as a quodza. Some one has said that it resembles not a little a gypsy caravan afloat. Before leaving I-chang the boat people killed a fowl and spilled the blood on the front of the boat, and also stuck some of the feathers on both sides of the boat at the front, and placed some on each side of the front cabin, and also in the middle. The captain's wife beat a gong vigorously, and at the same time they burned paper money and fired off crackers. They reason that if they only burn paper money and do not fire off crackers, the gods will not know that they are worshiping them. The whole system of heathen worship is to pacify the evil spirits, which are said to make their home in the waters of the great Yang-tze-kiang. Our boat ascended the stream about one mile, and then we anchored, as the captain had not finished all his preparations for the journey. As he would not come on board until sundown, we shall remain at this place over the Sabbath. March 28. We spent a very pleasant Sabbath. In the morning we had Sabbath school, and after this I spoke to the crew of our boat, who number eighteen in all. I concluded my remarks with an appeal to them to give up smoking and the drinking of wine. One man decided right away that he would not smoke any more, and immediately threw his pipe into the river. He has not smoked since. March 29. Leaving I-chang about 6 A. M., we sailed almost due north for about five miles, and at this point turned west and entered the famous I-chang gorge. This gorge is thus described by one who has traveled in nearly every part of the world: “It looked as if we were sailing through a chain of mountain lakes.” Having a favorable wind, we soon arrived at a place called Hwang Ling Miao. It is thirty miles from I-chang. Here I took a picture of the many rope sheds. There must be at least twenty miles of rope for sale here. These ropes are made out of bamboo, and are used for hauling the boats up the rapids. About 7 P. M. we came to the first dangerous rapid. It is called Ta Dung rapid. We had already passed two rapids today. It took us over half an hour to pass this rapid and make three hundred feet up the river. We anchored for the night above the rapid. In all, we made 120 li today (about forty miles). This is splendid for China. Truly God has been good to us. March 30. We left our anchorage above the Ta Dung rapid about 6 A. M. There was a head wind blowing, so we made slow progress. About 9 A. M. we arrived at a place called Tung Ling Tan, where we stayed until 2 P. M. A little after this hour we slowly crossed the Tung Ling rapid. Here the passage is very dangerous, for there are many rocks hidden in these whirling waters, and right in the middle of the stream lies an enormous rock, which may be forty feet above the stream or as much below it, according to the condition of the river. It was here that the German steamer “Sui Hsiang” was lost. She struck this rock, and in a few minutes sank in one hundred and fifty feet of water. Thirty missionaries were on board, but only one foreigner, the captain, lost his life. However, many Chinese were drowned. Among these was the son of a mandarin, who was returning to Wan-hsien. His servant helped him into the “Red Boat” (the Chinese lifeboat), but he, seeing no immediate danger, foolishly returned to the steamer to secure some valuables that were in his trunks. Before he could secure them, the vessel sank, and he was lost. Thus, on the one hand, we see God's special protection over the missionaries, and on the other, the loss of life of those who trusted in uncertain riches. After ascending the Tung Ling rapid we stayed some time at the Tung Ling village, and finally crossed the first and second rapids at Tsin Tan, and arrived at the third rapid about 6 P. M. This rapid at low water is the most dangerous one on the river. Here many boats are wrecked and lives lost. The loss of life would be greater if it were not that at all dangerous points on the river the Chinese have stationed lifeboats. We anchored below this rapid for the night, for at 6:30 P. M. there were no less than twelve boats ahead of us, and each boat must wait its turn to be hauled up the rapid, as the passage is not wide. March 31. We did not try to cross the Tsin Tan rapid until 3:15 P. M. However, when we did try I had about the most thrilling and dangerous experience I ever had in China. Brother Warren had already safely gone up the rapid on another boat, and was on the shore taking pictures of our boat as it ascended the rapid. All the Chinese Christians being on the shore, I was the only one of our party on board. We had seen a good many boats go up safely, and therefore did not think we should have much trouble. However, the captain was on shore directing the efforts of the fifty or sixty trackers who were to pull the boat up the rapid, and the pilot in command made the mistake of launching out too far into the rapid, and so allowed the boat to dip into a whirlpool, and it shipped so much water that all the front compartments were filled, and then it keeled over so badly that all thought it was going to turn over. I climbed with difficulty to the highest side of the boat and prepared to swim for my life. It would have been a terrible swim, for the water was rushing by with such force that it might have ended fatally. However, God's protecting hand was over me, and the man in command cut the tow-line with a hatchet at just the right time, and the boat righted itself. However, the next danger was that it would sink, owing to the large amount of water that it had shipped; but by the frantic efforts of the crew the water was quickly bailed out, and the boat was beached on the shore. During this time I was working hard to get our things out of the hold of the boat in order that they should not be spoiled by the water. On the boat's reaching the shore, Brother Warren assisted me in this work. One of my boxes of books was damaged by water, and our provisions also suffered. We realize that God's word was fulfilled to us in a wonderful way in this experience. We had just read at our noonday prayer meeting, Isa. 43:2: “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee.” Surely this scripture was fulfilled to us in a literal way. To him we offer sincerest thanks, for he heard our prayers. Our Bible woman told me, after it was all over, that her twelve-year-old boy cried bitterly when he saw the danger I was in, and then he prayed to the Lord to save me. He is a fine little fellow, and always give good testimonies in our social meetings. At present, as we have no cook with us, he is acting as our cook, and is rendering good service.