Peking to Lhasa : vol.1 / Page 65 (Color Image)

0065	Peking to Lhasa : vol.1

THE CHING LING 35

picturesque roofed bridges, such as are common in

Szechwan and South China, but which as far as he

could recollect did not exist in North China. The

path now again ascends steeply, rising to 7150 feet

at the Chi-kung Liang.

At Sünyangpa, 90 miles from Sian, he again

found soldiers with little discipline. They awoke

him early by trying to get into his house, probably

with the idea of looting his baggage. But his

escort mounted guard and he was left in peace.

This house was a regular gambling den. In the

evening the soldiers came to play, whilst at mid-

night his boys were caught gambling with his

chair-bearers.

Gambling and opium - smoking are the two

chief curses of the Chinese. When the Govern-

ment a dozen years before set to work to suppress

opium, it for once did a good action without getting

much credit for it. But since the introduction of

the Republic, opium and morphia pills have again

made their appearance, and opium-smoking seems

to be constantly on the increase.

Leaving Sünyangpa the path again ascends

narrow valleys for 91 miles to P'ingho-liang, the

highest point on this route (8690 feet). Several

coffins were passed on the way. They were made

of heavy wood and carried by eight men who

seemed to sing the whole way. On the top was

the usual cock, whose duty it is to let the spirit of

the departed know by his crowing where the coffin

is, in case he might leave the body and not know

where to find it again.

Pereira's escort consisted at this time of one old

and two young soldiers. And he remarks that

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