Peking to Lhasa : vol.1 / Page 128 (Color Image)

0128	Peking to Lhasa : vol.1

94 PEKING TO LHASA

From here Pereira made a long march of 314

miles to Hung-tao-yü-kou on March 10. For the

first mile and a half the descent was through

snow and frozen mud to the valley. The going

was then good and free of snow. After 5 miles

the T'ao Ho was reached and the road ascended

the valley for 4 miles. Then the road leaves

the river and ascends some small valleys with a

few small villages set amid low bare hills. The

road was exceedingly muddy and snow lay on

the ground. At 16 miles the Chin-ku-ch'eng

Shan, 7880 feet, was crossed and then the Kuei-

hsiao P'o, 8300 feet. The road then lay down

the valley to Hung-tao-yü-kou, a village of 17

families, and containing one wretched inn. The

discomforts were increased by donkeys being

made to share the common room. The atmo-

sphere was appalling, and the braying chorus

made up in power what it lacked in music.

Ti-tao, a town of about 17,000 inhabitants,

was reached on March 11. It is 97 miles from

Choni and lies at an elevation of 6800 feet.

The valley of the T'ao River through which the

road runs is 3 or 4 miles wide and is bounded

by low hills bare of trees. Several small villages

are scattered about it. Ti-tao is a go-ahead

place. It is very anti-Mohammedan, and since

the Mohammedan rebellions no Mohammedan has

been allowed to settle on the right bank of the

T'ao Ho. Kansu is a very conservative Province

and wisely backward in modern education. There

are not the same student troubles as in other

provinces and Lan-chow is the only place in

which students are prominent. Kansu still gets

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