The boy travellers in the Far East : adventures of two youths ... - Library

318
IN
THE BOY TRxVVELLEKS.
CHAPTEE XXIII.
EIKST DAY IN CHINA.
due time they entered the waters of the great river of Northern
China, the Yang-tse. They entered tliem long before they siglited
land, as tlie vast quantities of earth brought down by the stream make a
change in the color of tlie sea that can be readily distinguished a great
distance from the coast. In this respect the Yang-tse is similar to the
Mississippi, and the effect of the former on the Yellow Sea is like that of
the latter on the Gnlf of Mexico. The coast at the month of the Yang-tse
is low and flat, and a ship is faiily in the entrance of the river before land
can be seen. The bar can be passed by deep-dranght vessels only at high
TJIE WOOSUNG KIVER.
water, and consequently it often be-
comes necessary for them to wait sev-
eral hours for the favorable moment.
This was the case with our friends,
and they walked the deck with im-
patience during the delay. Eut at last
all was ready, and they steamed on-
ward in triumph, dropping their to\v at
Woosnng, and waving a good-bye to
'' the Mystery," who had recognized
them fj'om tlie dock of tlie disabled
bark.
Shanghai is not on the Yang-tse,
but on the Woosnng Eiver, about
twelve miles from the point where
the two streams unite. The channel
is quite tortnons, and it requires care-
ful handling on the part of a pilot to
take a ship through in safety to her-
self and all others. Two or three times
they narrowly escaped accidents from