Page:A wandering student in the Far East vol.1 - Zetland.djvu/135

Rh instance of the perspicacity of the governing body. They agree, therefore, "that until improvements can be carried out, steamship owners shall be allowed to erect, at their own expense, appliances for hauling through the rapids."

It appears to the uninitiated, however, that in connection with such schemes sufficient attention has not been paid to the enormous rise and fall of the water at different seasons of the year. Let us take an example. The summer of 1905 was remarkable in Ssŭch'uan for a prolonged period of drought. "Towards the end of July the crops had become parched, and rain was earnestly looked for. As is customary, one of the city gates was closed, and the magistrate was called upon to offer up prayers at various temples." He prayed with prodigious effect. On August 5th he attended at the city temple, and on August 6th rain fell in torrents, some distance higher up the river a waterspout burst, carrying away with it half a hill, and by the 10th