Flora of Kwangtung and Hongkong/Means of Access
Means of Access.—The coast of Kwangtung can be reached at several points by ocean-going European steamers and at frequent intervals between these by Chinese launches running along the coast from them. Well equipped river steamers also make regular trips through the province by way of the West River. Beyond these lines of communication access to the interior is provided to a limited extent by Chinese rapid-boats. By means of the latter the North and East Rivers and some of their tributaries as well as the Han can be ascended, and the vegetation within easy reach of them has been more or less explored by collectors. Beyond that, progress has to be made by the use of Chinese paths.
There are no roads, even between the largest cities. Chinese guides can conduct the traveller from town to town, but the paths are not commodious for the carriage of heavy baggage, being at intervals only a few inches wide and consisting of narrow stone steps on the mountain sides. It thus happens that though many able and enterprising botanists have resided in the province, none of them have been able to make any considerable collections beyond the neighbourhood of the water ways.