He glanced across at Robin. Bright blue gaze locking with thoughtful grey. ‘Heading this way at fifty mph or so. But what we really need is news from Zhicheng.’ His finger moved the equivalent of five hundred miles upriver towards the Three Gorges. ‘Whatever is coming down on Anquing, at least three times more will be coming down on there.’ ‘Zhicheng,’ answered Daniel. ‘It’s the next city downriver from the dam.’

Was this a new discovery in forestology? The thought was too exciting, and forgetting the weariness of the tired limbs, I proceeded to climb up and get specimens of leaves and cones, and to make notes of the new discovery.

In the Province of Fokien is alſo a great City called Foning, which commands over three Cities, as Foning, Fogan, and Ningte.

Half the populace are idle, / Half are busy in a room; / All are gravebound from the cradle, / All are hotfoot for their doom.