Page:A wandering student in the Far East vol.1 - Zetland.djvu/123

Rh market town in England." The time occupied in the transportation of merchandise from the coast to Ch'ung-k'ing is a factor of no little importance. Let me recapitulate the dates of my own journey. On October the 21st I left Shanghai. On October the 24th I reached Hankow, 600 miles higher up the river, and left again at midnight on the 25th, reaching Ichang, 400 miles beyond, at 10 p.m. on the 29th. On the morning of the 31st I re-embarked in a light passenger junk, and reached Ch'ung-k'ing after a quick passage on the afternoon of November 22nd. Time occupied between Shanghai and Ch'ung-k'ing, thirty-three days. When it is seen that at the most favourable time of year for effecting a quick journey a traveller cannot expect to cover the 1400 odd miles in less than a month, it will be readily understood that merchandise may occupy anything from six weeks to three months from the coast to the commercial gateway of Ssŭch'uan, according to the state of the water and the time of