Page:A wandering student in the Far East vol.1 - Zetland.djvu/103

Rh wooden cabin tilted up over the rudder constitutes the abode of the captain and his family. Immediately in front of this is a more or less open space for the men at the helm; next, in the middle of the boat, a long wooden deck-house divided into three compartments for the traveller; and finally, an open deck forward, which can be roofed over with matting at night, and which forms the scene both of the labours and the repose of the crew. My crew totalled twenty-three men,—the captain, of whom we were hard put to it to decide whether his mind or his language were the stronger; the helmsman, paid at the extravagant rate of 14,000 cash (about 30s.) for the voyage to Ch'ung-k'ing; a tai-wan-ti—i.e., an individual whose duty it was to be ready at all times to jump out of his clothes and into the river to release the tow-rope when obstructed, paid from 6000 to 7000 cash (say 15s.); a ship's cook, who took a hand at the oars when not otherwise engaged; five boatmen always on board to handle the huge sweeps and stave the vessel off rocks with long, iron-shod, bamboo punting-poles; and finally, fourteen trackers, who toiled