Page:Ling-Nam; or, Interior views of southern China, including explorations in the hitherto untraversed island of Hainan (IA cu31924023225307).pdf/133

 Along the North River. 129

as the fifth century the discovery was made that by putting iron into the water of this stream it would, as the record states, become copper, and leave a salt behind, that is, sulphate of copper. It is only at certain points that the water is of this strongly mineral quality.

Above Ying-tak the river flows between high banks, with large fields of rice and sugar-cane along its course. Aiter passing “ Cat's Ear” rock, which juts out of the water in a manner to suggest its name, and the village of Kong-wa, we come to Mong-fu-kong, which, as well as Ying-tak, is a station of the Wesleyan Mission. At the back of this town rises a peculiar hill, on the top of which is a lake in what is supposed to be the crater of an ex- tinct voleano. As the river winds in its course, a pleasant variation in travel may be had by walking across the country and meeting the hoat again at the cliffs of the Goddess of Merey. Over an attractive rolling country, past the Lion Hill, a peculiar rocky cliff, and the “Pencil Rock” peaks, the path leads us, until we yeach the ferry, landing opposite the striking cliffs in which are found the caves of the Goddess of Mercy. Straight from the water's edge, which flows in a deep current at this point, to a height of six hundred feet, rises a perpendicular wall of rock. is pierced by innumerable small cavities in which the birds find homes, and shows straggling shrubs that have taken root in the handfuls of soil on the ledges. The whole is a mass of igneous rock, of white, grey, reddish, and yellow colour in various parts, which shows no effect of atmospheric changes. The ferry boat lands us at the mouth of the cave, which is in several chambers, whence we ascend a

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