[VOL III] ENTRANCE TO THE HOANG-HO, OR YELLOW RIVER

ENTRANCE TO THE HOANG-HO, OR YELLOW RIVER

Cover Image: Entrance to the Hoang-ho, or Yellow River / SuQian JiangSu China / Drawn by T. Allom Engraved by H.Adlard – ALAMY Image ID:2X55N4E

*The location of the Yellow River’s estuary has indeed undergone multiple changes throughout history. In the early Ming Dynasty, the flow of the Yellow River altered its course, passing through regions in Henan such as Xingze, Yuanwu, Kaifeng, and Suqian (JiangSu Province), before eventually merging into the Huai River. This change resulted in the southward movement of the Yellow River’s estuary, until new alterations occurred later. These shifts in river courses are a recurring aspect of the geographical features of the Yellow River basin, regularly impacting the local geography and agricultural output.

“But ere the mingling bounds have far been passed,
Turbid Hoang-ho rolls his power along
In sullen billows, murmuring and vast,
So noted ancient roundelays among.”

THE Chinese carry the process of irrigation, and the benefits of water-carriage, to a greater extent than any other nation, and they seem to have received encouragement in both objects from the natural facilities that present themselves in every part of the empire. A level surface permits the easy execution of the one,—vast mountain-chains, either within the imperial confines, or in the adjoining countries, supply endless resources in effecting the other. Two great rivers have long been known to Europeans as the feeders of Chinese canals, and as the principal sources whence fertility is diffused over the surface of that ancient empire—the Yang-tse-kiang, sometimes incorrectly called the Blue river; and the Hoang-ho, or Yellow river. The first of these noble streams has frequently been spoken of in the preceding pages; the embouchure of the second constitutes the chief subject of the accompanying illustration.

Issuing from two spacious lakes, Tcharing and Oning-Suh-hai, in the lofty mountains of Thibet, and in the region of Kokonor, the waters of Hoang-ho descend from their fountain, at first, through a length of two hundred and fifty miles, with the most uncontrollable impetuosity; then turning from an eastern to a north-western direction, they find a more level course for about an equal distance, after which they enter the Chinese province of Shan-tse, and the stream, remaining parallel in its course for some hundred miles with the Great Wall, at length intersects that celebrated work in the twenty-ninth degree of latitude, and takes a northern direction for upwards of four hundred additional miles. Hence “vires acquirit eundo” briefly describes its character, many rivers and lakes contributing the overflow of their waters to swell those of the great recipient; and again directing its power eastward, it recrosses the Great Wall, traverses the northern provinces for hundreds of miles further, and enters Honan in the same parallel of latitude in which it has its source. In Kiang-nan it is augmented by a vast contribution from Lake Hong-tse, after which the majestic volume moves more slowly towards that part of the eastern ocean to which it imparts both its turbid character and expressive name.

It is its intersection with the imperial canal—the junction of Lake Hong-tse, the afflux of the Salt river—that is considered to be the mouth of the Hoang-ho; and here it is that commerce has formed a rendezvous for shipping, and here also superstition has erected an altar to her worship. Descending with rapidity through a constant slope of two thousand five hundred miles, the stream of the Hoang-ho acquires a momentum that renders the crossing from shore to shore always a perilous undertaking. At the efflux of Lake Hong-tse, and at the precise spot where the canal locks into the river, the velocity of the current is seldom less than four miles an hour, although that locality is not more than twenty miles distant from the sea. It has been calculated from obvious data—the breadth, mean depth, and velocity—that this famous river discharges into the Yellow sea in every hour of fleeting time, 2,563,000,000 gallons of water, which is more than one thousand times as much as the Ganges yields. Nor is this immense volume its sole distinguishing feature, it has a second still more extraordinary,—the quantity of mud which it constantly holds in suspension, and which it carries with it into the sea in such proportion as to disfigure its brightness, and give it amongst geographers a characteristic name. From an experiment cautiously performed, two gallons of water taken from the middle of the river deposited a quantity of yellowish mud, which, when compact and formed into a brick, was equal to three solid inches. Hence it follows, that the quantity of water which is supposed to escape hourly into the Yellow sea, conveys simultaneously two millions solid feet of earth. (*When a Chinaman wishes to deny the possibility of an event, he sometimes expresses his incredulity by the well-known proverb, “that it will come to pass so soon as the Yellow river becomes clear.”)

This turbid property excites no attention, is directed to no particular or special purpose, is attended with no unusual respect, from these worshippers of natural effects; but, the dangerous velocity of the stream of the Hoang-ho has, from immemorial time, obtained the most reverential acknowledgments. Before the barge shall launch upon its surface, victims for sacrifice are provided, and brought on board. These consist generally of fowls, († So, also, the Levitical law prescribes, that “the priest shall bring it (the fowl) unto the altar, and wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar, and he shall pluck away his crop with the feathers, and cast it beside the altar.”) or pigs, or both, according to the means of the devotee. The fowl, stripped of the feathers and hair, is then daubed on different parts of the junk, after which cups of wine, oil, tea, rice, flour, and salt, are ranged in order on the forecastle. The last of these articles of existence has long enjoyed the respect of nations. The Hebrew law directed, “Every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt: neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering.” Ovid speaks of the “puri lucida mica salis” amongst the oblations of the primitive Italians; and Horace, of the “saliente mica” amongst the peace offerings to the offended penates. But, in Oriental countries, especially under tropical climes, where salt is not only scarce, but the chief antiseptic for meat, it is not singular that it should be so much valued, and employed consequently in offerings, either of supplication for mercy, or atonement for crime. Amongst the ancient Romans, salt was estimated at such a value, that he who had obtained a pension from the state, was said to have received his salarium, the price of his salt, whence the English word salary; and the phrase of having “eaten the salt of such an one” is still familiar amongst the Hindoos, who claim it as a bond of friendship, or at least a ground of obligation. (‡ When the Duke of Wellington, (Sir Arthur Wellesley,) was stationed at Hastings, immediately after his return from India, a friend expressed his surprise that the general, who had led so many thousands to victory could so soon become reconciled to the command of a brigade. “I am mimmukwallak,” replied Sir Arthur, “as we say in the East; that is, I have eat the king’s salt, and therefore I conceive it to be my duty to serve, with unhesitating zeal and cheerfulness, when and wherever the king and his government may think proper to employ me.” — Wright’s Life and Campaigns of Wellington, vol. i. p. 97.) The slaughtered animals, the vessels of offerings, and dishes of cooked provisions, being duly spread out on the deck, the captain takes his place before them, and remains in a standing position, until the junk reaches the most rapid part of the current, an attendant all the while beating on a gong with untiring industry. This critical part of the voyage being happily accomplished, the captain proceeds, with the utmost gravity, to pour the contents of the cups severally over the bow of his vessel into the stream, sending the offal after the libation, but retaining for his own use the dishes made from the most delicate parts of each victim. The removal of the dishes to the cabin is attended with a still more violent beating of the gong, a rapid discharge of squibs, crackers, and other species of fireworks, during which the crew are busily engaged in performing three genuflexions, and as many prostrations. In this way the Yellow river is passed by the junks that navigate the imperial canal; and, although an English sailor would feel little apprehension in making this voyage of not more than a mile, where reasonable diligence can scarcely fail in accomplishing the object, very many fatal accidents occur to the Chinese. Against their recurrence, however, no means have yet been devised, or introduced, by the followers of Fo, beyond these customary attempts to propitiate the evil spirit by offerings, which are believed to have been accepted whenever the navigator reaches the destined bank in safety.