Peking to Lhasa : vol.1 / Page 322 (Color Image)

0322	Peking to Lhasa : vol.1

238 PEKING TO LHASA

brigands in the Pa-mei, but they were " friendly "

brigands and not likely to trouble Pereira.

The postal arrangements at Yen-ching were of

a primitive description. The postmaster was a

Tibetan. Pereira found him in bed in a small

dark evil-smelling room. He sat up half naked

in bed to register the letters and Père Gorè did

the stamping, while a number of dirty children

clustered round the door.

The salt pans were visited on September 13.

There is a very steep descent of 1367 feet to the

Mekong river bank. The salt on the west bank

is reddish. The pans consist of small mud squares

on logs supported on piles. The brine is poured

on to these and the water evaporates in the wind

and sun. The wells, which were now in the rainy

season below the level of the river, could not

for the time being be used.

Dr. Thompson was taken ill at Yakalo and

feared he was being attacked by cholera. How-

ever, he recovered and was able to continue the

journey.

But the country ahead was very unsettled.

While they were actually at Yakalo a band of

the Nanka Lama's had raided a village near

Tsong-en on the road Pereira would be taking to

Batang. On the other hand, the Markham Ti-j ei,

in reply to a letter which Pereira had written

him, had asked Pereira to meet him at Lhandum,

just over the border near Pa-mu-tang.

So on September 15 Pereira set out on his

next main stage to Batang ; and he had now

to get back from the valley of the Mekong to the

valley of the Yangtze. After descending the

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