The Min River
We reached the riverside--it looked merely a stream--and found our
boat, with the luggage already aboard, looking most unpromising,
despite the efforts of our men. It was a small river craft about
eight feet broad. Bamboo matting not more than five feet high formed
our house-room, with a few planks for a door in front. Fragments
of matting made a partial screen in the centre. The floor was of a
rudimentary character, just a few boards with large gaps between
them, through which one could study the depth of water over which our
luggage was precariously poised on low props. In order to prevent all
our small things from dropping through the floor, we spread over it
our invaluable sheets of oil-cotton (a kind of waterproof largely used
everywhere in China), and fastened up a curtain at each end of the tiny
boat to secure a small amount of privacy. There was just space for
our two carrying-chairs and our mattresses. One of the chairs we used
as a wardrobe, and the other as a store-cupboard. The bamboo chairs
we had procured at the penitentiary of Chengtu, despite the advice of
our friends, as we found sedan-chairs very irksome, and decided that
open ones would be more comfortable and enable us to see the country
better. With long fur coats and foot muffs we felt that we could brave
the cold, and there was always the resource of walking if we got too
chilly. We never for a moment regretted our decision, and we found that
the men carried the open chairs far better than the heavy closed ones.
We profited at once by the exchange, as they were able to be used for
going to Mount Omi, and we were carried some distance up the mountain.
Under the seat was a box in which we could carry all our small things,
and the coolies hung their coats, hats, &c., on the back.
As our room was so small we sat mostly on the floor, so as to have
everything within reach without getting up. The cooking was a somewhat
difficult matter, as the brazier on which it was done was only six
inches in diameter, and rather apt to burn a hole in the floor if it
was heated sufficiently to do any cooking. We were glad of its warmth,
as the weather was very cold. Chopsticks were evidently the correct
fireirons, and are just the right size to match the charcoal. With
practice I got fairly expert at making palatable dishes, as naturally
the range of the menu was much limited. From this time onward I did
all the cooking, and I cannot help attributing to this fact mainly the
excellent health we enjoyed throughout the whole journey.
It was on his way from Chang Te to Mount Omi that the unfortunate
Lieutenant Brooke was murdered by Lolos about a year later than
we were there. We were strongly warned about the care requisite in
dealing with Lolos, and told that it was imprudent even to mention
the name in public, as it is considered a term of reproach. It was
suggested that we should spell it if desirous of speaking of them.
Their country is marked on the maps as “Independent Lolos,” and covers
about 11,000 square miles: no Chinaman dare penetrate into it without
the safe-conduct of a Lolo. Their speech, dress, customs, religion,
and laws are entirely different from those of the Chinese. No one has
yet come into sufficiently close contact with them to ascertain even
approximately the number of Lolo tribes in existence at the present
time, speaking different dialects. What was true at the time that Baber
explored Western Szechwan is equally true to-day--that practically
nothing is known about them. He gives a graphic description of the
Lolos whom he met, which I quote at length: “They are far taller than
the Chinese; taller probably than any European people. During the
journey we must have met hundreds of them, but we never saw one who
could be called, even from an English standard, short or undersized.
They are almost without exception remarkably straight-built, with
thin muscular limbs. Their chests are deep, as becomes mountaineers:
the speed and endurance with which they scale their native mountains
is a prodigy and a proverb for the Chinese. Their handsome oval
faces, of a reddish brown among those most exposed to the weather,
are furnished with large, level eyes, prominent but not exaggerated
cheekbones, an arched but rather broad nose, an ordinary mouth,
somewhat thin-lipped, and a pointed and characteristic chin from which
the beard has been plucked. The same process has denuded the upper
lip, which is of good proportion. Their teeth are remarkably white and
regular, a preservation for which they account by asserting that they
never eat roast meat, but always boil their food. Perhaps the most
marked character of their faces is a curious tendency to wrinkles,
especially on the forehead, which is low, but broad and upright. The
lowness of the features may be merely an illusive appearance, since
it is overshadowed by a peculiar style of hairdressing. With very
rare exceptions the male Lolo, rich or poor, free or subject, may be
instantly known by his _horn_. All his hair is gathered into a knob
over his forehead, and then twisted up into a cotton cloth, so as to
resemble the horn of a unicorn. The horn with its wrapper is sometimes
a good nine inches long.” Baber mentions slave raids made by the Lolos
to capture Chinese children, whom they usually bring up like their own
children. They tattoo the slaves on the forehead with a blue cross.
Apparently it is to have a place of safety in case of such raids that
the Chinese have built towers like the one I have sketched on the
borders of Yünnan. Many of the customs of the Lolos are peculiar and
interesting, and the position of woman is far above that enjoyed in
China. The birth of a girl is more highly esteemed than that of a
boy, and a stranger introduced by a woman Lolo has the best possible
guarantee. Baber considered that a European would be quite safe in
Lololand if properly introduced and of honest character. The most
experienced and successful travellers always seem to emphasise the
importance of the latter fact.
We were escorted by two soldiers, as usual. Our progress was far from
rapid, as the river is extremely low at this season. For the first two
days we were generally able to see to the bottom, and often we scraped
the stones if we did not actually stick fast. The men seemed to spend
nearly as much time in the river, pushing and pulling us, as on the
boat. It was a picturesque and interesting journey, as we continually
came to the dams made for irrigation purposes. We much regretted that
we were unable to visit Kwan Hsien (thirty-six miles north of Chengtu),
where the system of irrigation of the plain can be seen at its source.
As we were short of time, and also heard that we should not see much at
this time of the year, it did not seem worth while going there. The Min
River flows from the Min Hills, and just near Kwan Hsien a cutting was
made in order to divide it into two large branches. These again were
subdivided into many others, forming a network to irrigate the whole of
the plain in which Chengtu lies. This was done by an able governor more
than 200 years B.C., and the original system, which is still in use
to-day, has turned an unproductive plain into one of great fertility.
Naturally, there have been many improvements made in the course of
centuries, and dams and dikes have been erected to regulate the flow
of water. We were able to see quite a number of these after leaving
Chengtu, and to marvel at their simple and successful construction.
They are mostly made of bamboo crates, filled with stones, and rising
about three feet above water. These are placed in long lines, and
the temporary dike is made of sand. The channels have to be cleaned
regularly, and large sums have to be spent on repairs. The farmers
pay a tax of about ½d. an acre, and, in order to get the money in
regularly, they are compelled to pay double if it is not paid before
a certain date. For about a month yearly the river below Chengtu is
closed, and there is always a great crowd of boats at that time, both
above and below the dam, waiting for the re-opening. The opening of a
big dam, such as the “Frog’s Chin,” is an imposing ceremony, preceded
by a day of worship at the temples and the inspection of dikes. All
the officials attend, and when the sluice is opened the runners of the
officials lash the water, and the women and the children throw stones
in to make the water run faster to irrigate the fields!
[Illustration: HOUSE ON MIN RIVER]
Throughout the plain there are many water-wheels to raise the water to
higher levels, and some also are apparently used for grinding corn. At
the close of our first day’s journey on the river there was a great
deal of loud talk when we halted for the night, added to the tiresome
beating of the drums by the night watchmen, who patrol the towns and
big villages all night long. It turned out that a man had come to try
and persuade our captain to undertake a bigger job than ours. On being
warned that the interpreter would hear what he said, he remarked that
it did not matter, as he would not be able to understand the dialect.
Mr. Ku, however, had studied the dialect when he was at college, and
thoroughly understood the plan that was being devised. This was that
we should slip down the river in the middle of the night, while the
escorts were away sleeping at the inn. Then some story would be trumped
up that the boat could not take us any farther, and we should have been
obliged to find another one. Mr. Ku had the good sense to go ashore at
once and apply to the Yamen for a couple of soldiers to come and sleep
on board, so that there was no opportunity for the captain to undertake
the new job even if he had been willing to do so, and we had no further
trouble. Certainly, one could hardly be surprised if the captain wished
to make a little more money, for he receives about 6s. for a trip which
lasts four days, and out of this money he has to pay and feed two other
men besides feeding our two. We hear that a man can live (without
starving) on a penny a day for food, and the regular allowance of
soldiers is only 2d. per day.
We passed many picturesque villages, some built in lath and plaster,
which, at a little distance, might almost have been taken for Cheshire
villages, if it were not for the beautiful blue figures flitting about;
for blue is the universal colour of the clothing here. We were much
interested to see a large number of fishing cormorants at one place;
but unfortunately they were not at work. Very light rafts are used for
this purpose, turned up at one end, as in the sketch. We also twice
saw otters used for the same purpose. The Chinese declared to us that
the otter brings the fish up in its paws, and not in its mouth; but
they always invent an answer so glibly to your question, whether they
know the answer or not, that I should certainly not believe the above
without further corroboration. We were surprised to see in one place
that the cormorants (after diving) were fished up to the surface in
baskets very much the same shape as the birds, and evidently made for
the purpose.
[Illustration: OTTER FISHING ON MIN RIVER]
About forty miles below Chengtu, the two main branches of the river
unite and form something more worthy of the name of river. The branch
which flows through Chengtu is called the “Walking Horse River” at its
division from the main current--a very dangerous spot for navigation,
and one where there are constant disasters. It is said that the rafts
generally carry coffins with them in consequence; and certainly the
number of those carrying coffins which passed us going upstream gives
colour to the story. It was curious to see the boats being towed along
by men walking beside them in the water harnessed as trackers. Lower
down, the river becomes deeper, and some of the rapids look very
pretty, as the water is a bluish-green colour and the rocks are red
sandstone. Sometimes the road from the riverside leads up precipitous
hills by long stone staircases. The reflections of the common blue
clothes of the people, as seen in the river, are an exquisite turquoise
colour. The scenery becomes increasingly beautiful as one proceeds
down the river. Our escort was changed daily, and one man brought a
fowling-piece on board with which to beguile the time. He tried to
shoot the wild ducks, which are the size and colour of our tame ones,
but he had not the smallest success. We were interested to see the
loading of the weapon, which had a piece of smouldering rope finally
thrust down the barrel, preparatory to its being fired off. The gun
had to be balanced on a bundle of sticks while careful aim was taken
at a very near bird sitting quite still. Even then, the bird was in no
danger, so far as we could see, but ineffectual attempts to shoot kept
the man busy all day. The soldier wore a silver ring, of which he was
extremely proud. This had to be entrusted to the other soldier each
time that he fired his weapon. Part of the way we had police boatmen,
who spent some time in rowing, and were of material assistance to us;
but unfortunately this was only a rare occurrence.
Kiating was the first large town we reached, and here we left the boat
in order to make our expedition to Mount Omi.