Page:Ling-Nam; or, Interior views of southern China, including explorations in the hitherto untraversed island of Hainan (IA cu31924023225307).pdf/162

 158 Ling-Nau.

Leaving’ the boat: a few miles above the pass, we direct. our steps to some tower-like rocks, at the foot of which lies the village of Ling-kwai. These rocks rise several hundred feet almost perpendicularly from the plain. They are black and jagged, covered with sharp points and indentations of various shapes and sizes. Out of these crevices grow trees almost to the very top, and birds find a safe and comfortable home in the small cavities that abound. To the east of the village the music of falling water attracts us, and a little searching brings us to a beautiful cascade that falls in a broad sheet | over a wall of rock ; a limestone deposit covers the ledges of the wall, and on them grows a rare and beautifal fern with downy leaves and a silvery under surface. To' the west of the village is another waterfall almost hidden by a clump of bamboos. The water rushes down with such force as to be projected some distance from the wall of the precipice, and in a cavity behind the falling water, exquisite ferns, nourished by the never-failing spray, hang in rich folds. Passing these points of interest. the hills again descend to the river, and in the face of the perpendicular rocks that form the shore are many curious little cavernous openings, from which they receive the name of Kwai-lung rocks.

A short distance above this point, but hidden from the eye of the passing observer, iz a beautiful spot embosomed in the hills, called by those who discovered it “ Sabbath Glen.” Its discovery was in this wise. One Saturday evening in our journeying we anchored near this point to spend the Sabbath. The mountains on either side are high and rocky, bold and picturesque, but as we passed