Page:Ling-Nam; or, Interior views of southern China, including explorations in the hitherto untraversed island of Hainan (IA cu31924023225307).pdf/125

 -tlong the North River. 121

these mountuins, and have repeatedly expressed the desire that some of the riflemen in Hong-kong should join them in their sport. Near the Tsing-nen pagoila, which forms an exception to the general rule in being built upon low land, a small stream, flowing down from these mountains, enters the viver. It comes through a rough, mountainous conniry, and its rapid current is only made navigable for small cvaft by frequent dams. Between high hills it flows. with several market towns, to concen- trate the meagre business of the district. The town of Pak-shek-tam marks the limit of travel by its little boats, whence a day's journey over a mountain pass, amidst mag- nificent scenery, brings the traveller to the Lien-chow stream, a few miles below Yeung-shan. The mail and Government couriers follow the line of this stream in going to Lien-chow.

The city of Tsing-uen,-which stretches for a mile or more along the river, is one of much importance. It is famous for its sugar, its vice, and its flies. The Baptists have a mission there, the little church gathered having firmly withstood the shock of persecution to which, in all its severity, it was exposed during the past year. One night « company of evil men had planned to attack the chapel, in which they supposed there was but one man living alone to keep the place. As they approached, they heard him talking, as they thought, very earnestly to some one, and concluding he was not alone they thought it best to return. He was praying.

Ten miles above Tsing-uen we come to one of the finest bits of scenery to be found anywhere. Through the midst of a mountain group, rent asunder by some