Peking to Lhasa : vol.1 / Page 91 (Color Image)

0091	Peking to Lhasa : vol.1

A SHOOTING EXPEDITION 61

inhabited by Chinese, who in their fight for exist-

ence are always spreading out north and west,

wherever the ground can be cultivated, and slowly

pressing back the natives. The path rises and

falls along the hill-side. The stream in this valley

was bigger than the Teng-ch'ih-kou stream, and

either this or one farther south near Mu-p'ing is

the chief branch of the headquarters of the Ya

River, that mad mountain torrent which every-.

where runs in wild rapids from its upper reaches

till it joins the T'ung River to the west of Kiating-

fu. Pereira was surprised to find a banana tree

at 6000 feet, and he also saw lacquer trees, which

the Chinese were busily tapping. He spent the

night in a hovel of wooden planks with a roof of

bamboo rafters held down by stones on the top ;

and he seems to have attracted the attentions of

the Chinese to more than the usual extent. They

watched him consume some eggs and vegetables

with as great a thrill as an English crowd would

watch a close Derby finish.

On October 12 he climbed 2700 feet to a height

of 9180 feet to a shelter on the upper slopes of

the Hsü-chia-shan. Round the Chinese hovel the

trees had been cleared to a considerable extent.

But on the heights the forest was dense. And

from his camp he had a beautiful view across the

valley to the high tree-covered hills to the north.

The following day the dogs put up a serow, but

drove him away so that Pereira never even

had a glimpse of him. Some wood.-cutters said

they had seen a pander hereabouts a month

previously. But still no game appeared, and on

October 17 Pereira returned to Teng-ch'ih-kou

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