Page:Ling-Nam; or, Interior views of southern China, including explorations in the hitherto untraversed island of Hainan (IA cu31924023225307).pdf/153

 The Gorges of the Lren-Chow River, 149

peaks of the limestone cliffs, are soon among the smooth rounded hills again as we enter the Pak-yeung-shui Pass. At the foot of this pass we come to the first of the many rapids that are the most serious obstacle in the way of travel up this river. The pass we enter is about five miles long, and is in the form of a semicircle. Its beanty is of a quiet shade; no roeky cliffs, no sombre forests, but smooth grass-clad hills, over whieh the shadows of the passing clouds chase each other, and a @reamy feeling of forgetfulness steals upon us as we watch them. Over the brow and down the precipitous side of every hill facing the river is a deep and well- worn track, down which the bundles of wild mountain grass are shot, to be gathered below and carefully stowed away for fuel.

On the southern side of the pass the arc of the semi- cirele is scarcely broken; but on the northern side it is divided into equal segments by a stream of clear and limpid water, whose existence is unsuspected until we come directly abreast of it, the reason for this being that a low hill lies almost immediately in front of the opening in the hills through which it flows, shutting out the view of it from the east and south. It is a beautiful stream, deep and cool, with numerous rocks rising in its bed. As we follow its course through the notch in the hills, we find it flows through a picturesque valley broadly open to the north, but walled in on the east and west by rocky cliffs of igneous formation, and running toa sharp point at its southern extremity. In this valley are five or six villages, and the small market: town of Chuk-t'in, where an interchange of commodities