1350.
Topography of the Yellow River
two largest branches are called Yü ho
and Hwui ho,
507
y
and when the first named, which rises not far from the banks of the R. Loh, is considered as the principal branch, the whole course of the river exceeds 400 miles. The country drained by the R. Yi is flat, but appears to be less fertile than other portions of the Great Plain. A short distance below the place where the channel of Lake Hung- tsih unites with the Hwáng ho are the two entrances of the Grand canal, which are lined with quays, built of large square pieces of granite and marble, and are nearly a mile wide. The Chinese who navigate the Canal consider the passage of the river dangerous on account of the great rapidity of the current, which frequently carries their barges far below the opposite entrance. Barrow gives the follow- ing account of the passage of the river, and the religious ceremonies observed by the boatmen :—
•
"Before our barges launched into the stream of the Yellow River, which rolled in a very rapid torrent, certain ceremonies were conceived to be indispensably necessary. In the practical part of religion (which indeed may be considered as nearly the whole) a Chinese is not less solicitous to avert a possible evil, than to procure an eventual good; and of all evils personal danger is most ap- prehended. It was therefore deemed expedient that an oblation should be made in every vessel of the fleet to the genius of the river. The animals that were sacrificed on this occasion, were different in different yachts, but they generally consisted of a fowl or a pig, two animals that were very common in Grecian sacrifices. The blood, with the feathers and the bair, was daubed upon the principal parts of the vessel. On the forecastle of some were placed cups of wine, oil and salt; in others, tea, flour and salt; and in others, oil, rice and salt. The last article appears to be thonght by the Chinese, as well as Hebrews, a necessary accompaniment to every sacrifice. Every oblation of thy meat- offering shalt thon season with salt: neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the co- venant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat-offering." As, however, the high priest and his friends were to feast on those parts of the meat-offering which were considered as unworthy the acceptance of heaven, which parts, by the way, were always the best of the victim, one might, perhaps, assign a reason for the strong injunction of offering salt, this being a scarce article in many countries of the East, and the best preservative of meat against putrefaction.
"The cups, the slaughtered animal, and several made-dishes, remained on the forecastle, the captain standing over them on one side, and a man with a gong in his hand on the other. On approaching the rapid part of the stream, at the signal given by the gong, the captain took up the cups one by one, in order that, like the Greeks of old, he might perform the rites, and pour the ruddy wine;' which he did by throwing their contents over the bow of the vessel into the river. The libation performed, a quantity of crackers and squibs and gilt tin foil were burnt, with uplifted hands, whilst the deep-sounding gong was incessantly struck with increasing violence as the vessels were swept along with the current. The victim and the other dishes were then removed for the use of the captain and crew, and the ceremony ended by three genuflexions and as many proctrations.
"Our fleet consisted of about thirty sail, and from each vessel there proceeded, on its launching into the stream, such a din of gongs and crackers, and such volumes of smoke from the burnt offerings, that the deity of the river must have been in a very surly humor if he was not pleased with such a multitude of oblations. The safe arrival, on the opposite bank, of the whole squadrer was a proof of his having accepted the homage, and accordingly he was again