Sneak Peek

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  1913 Dr. E. Kyle Simpson's First Yangtze River Voyage

  Rev. Dr. Edward Kyle Simpson (known as Kyle) was born on the Scane Sideroad in Howard Township, Ontario, in 1883. After receiving his teachers’ certificate, serving a year as a student minister in Essex County, Ontario, and receiving his medical degree in 1912, Kyle joined the Canadian Methodist Mission and embarked for China in January of 1913. His steamer, the SS Monteagle, set ground in Tokyo on Feb. 12, 1913. Kyle and his party spent some time in Tokyo visiting sites and resident Protestant missionaries. The party then pushed on to Shanghai where Kyle purchased some supplies before boarding a steamer for travel up the Yangtze River towards Sichuan. It is not clear how long Kyle spent in Shanghai or on board the steamer to Wuhan (Hankow), and then on a smaller steamer to Yichang, which he reached by Feb. 23rd, 1913. In Yichang, Kyle’s party transferred to a smaller houseboat to traverse the Yangtze Gorges. They stopped in Chongqing long enough to visit the missionary community across the river from the city, and then continued by houseboat to Luzhou, where he was stationed for language study for several years, while conducting some medical work among the Chinese. This event presents the photos that E. Kyle Simpson took and acquired of his first trip up the Yangtze River. He was a keen observer of culture, history, economic pursuits and engineering, taking photos of interesting things he encountered along the way. Most of the photos of the missionary party were taken by someone else with him in the photo.
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  Cargo Boat on the Upper Yangtze

  A Chinese boat with a tall sail and long pole off the back end navigates the waters of the Upper Yangtze west of Chongqing. Rolling hills spotted with trees can be seen in the background.
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  Boats Moored at the Shoreline

  Three boats loaded with people are moored at a beach on the Yangtze, possibly waiting their turn for passage through the Gorges.
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  Yangtze River Shipping Operations

  Taken from the boat, the photo depicts a low water shoreline with goods staged for loading onto a ship or carriers, including at least one hog. A horse and numerous workers are on the shore. A cargo boat is moored ready to receive goods. Farmers' fields are growing crops in the background.
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  Broken Statues at Shabaozhai Temple

  The camera looks down a cavity behind a tall wooden fence with open slats. There are numerous broken statues on the ground in the cavity. In the foreground, one statue is standing, but its head has been broken off. The caption implies that it was revolutionary rebels who perpetrated this damage.
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  Missionary Woman Holding a Child on a Steamer

  A woman holds a young girl on the deck of a ship or steamer. A cluster of Chinese boats float on the expanse of water in the background.
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  Summer Cottage in the Chongqing Hills

  Large brick house at the top of a hill with stairs leading up to it. The house appears to be a single-story building with extremely high ceilings. A person standing in front of the outbuilding provides a sense of scale.
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  Group of Missionaries on Hilltop Overlooking the Yangtze

  Six women and two men pose amongst large rocks on a cliff overlooking the Yangtze River. The river and the opposite shoreline can be seen in the background.
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  Bishop Harris Holding Two Children

  Bishop Harris holds two young girls, one named Ossa and the other Margaret. They appear to be aboard a ship or steamer. Ossa appears to have Asian facial features, and is probably Japanese.
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  Guizhou Seen from the Yangtze River

  Seen from the river, the small town of Guizhou sits on an embankment above the shoreline and nestles up into the mountains behind.
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  Two Missionary Women wearing Pith Helmets

  Two women pose for the camera on a grassy hillside wearing cardigans and pith helmets. A path can be seen winding among the hills in the background.
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  Emerging from the Wuhan Gorge

  View from the front of a boat showing a tall mountain directly ahead behind another mountain that juts out forming a curve in the river. Two boats are on the river before and in the pass. The trackers' path can be seen carved into the hillside on the right.