Page:Ling-Nam; or, Interior views of southern China, including explorations in the hitherto untraversed island of Hainan (IA cu31924023225307).pdf/216

 212 Ling-Naum.

The dialect spoken varies considerably from that of Lien-chow, as does that of Tung-pi, and that of Po-on. The local patois of these four places, Lien-chow, Tung-pi, Po-on, and Sing-tsz, have a common groundwork, and are alike in general characteristics, but differ greatly in many points, making it easy for those who are familiar with them to detect a man by his peculiar speech. I may say at this point that through all these regions the people have treated us with unvarying friendliness. The first demonstration of hostile feeling on their part has yet to be made.

At Sing-tsz the river divides into two smaller branches, these dividing again into brooks, several of which we can trace to their sources in caves. The first of these primary streams on the west flows out of a remarkable cave at the foot of the dividing range. It is called the ‘‘Black Cave,” from the colour of the rocks, It is apparently very ex- tensive, the stream of water, a never-failing one, making it difficult to explore. The stream was only a few inches deep in the interior of the cave at the time of our visit, a deep pool, however, obstructing the entrance ; but when the water is plentiful, I was told that a small boat is used to take visitors farther into the depths. Passing the mouth of this cave is the road leading into the remoter valleys, and thence into the next province. Half a mile to the east, around the shoulder of a projecting hill, is another “water eave,” called the “Red Cave,” and so named from a perpendicular wall of reddish rock that rises above it. It is much higher up the hill than the other one, being at least two hundred feet from the hase, and is in the form of a great spring welling up from an