The river flows in 4 arms, from 40 to 7o feet wide, in a considerably wider bed. In spite of yesterday's rain, the water did not come above the axles of the wheels. The E (right) bank was high. Chenghwa miao, a temple similar to Shangfu sui in the town, stood picturesquely on the bank. A wheel track led past it to Uchow. — The road ascended in a NE direction up the high, ridge-like slope quite close to the bank. The sandy ground, mixed with small stones, was heavy for the arbah. On the left we saw a line of hills running in a NNE direction towards a fairly large range of mountains that was visible in the NE and disappeared on the horizon. High, dark mountains appeared in the distance to the SSE and SE. After 8 li Lao fu feng with 15 houses. The ground was still sandy with some stones, the course almost E. After 20 li Ehr-shih-li-pu with 5o houses. A couple of narrow belts of trees came up to the right of the road and there were others further off. We crossed a dry river bed. At 3o li San-shih-li-pu with 5o houses. Course NE following a slightly stony sunken road. After 40 li Sui-shih-li-pu with 40 houses. The ground rose slightly, and the road very soon took us down into a fairly large dry river bed between high, slightly hilly banks. Its direction was NNW—SSE. We followed it for a short time and then the road led between steep ledges up to the hills on the W bank. From their crest, reached in a few li, the ground fell slowly towards a large valley, going in a NE direction, bounded in the N by the mighty chain of mountains that we had long noticed in the NE. In the S the valley changed to low hills with long, gentle slopes. We could see several villages and a few trees at the bottom of the valley. After 6o li Chulo with 70o houses, partly fortified. Here the same plants are grown as at Tatung with the exception of opium. Average crop to fold. io head of cattle, 20 horses, a good many donkeys and 200 sheep may be calculated per too tja. The slope was stony. Close to the village a dry river bed. — SE. After 8o li Ehr-shih-li-tui-tzu with 25 houses. We passed a couple of dry beds going SE. After 87 li Shih-changpo with ioo houses and at go li Wan-guar chung with 25o houses. The ground was level and the road good in spite of large patches being under water. Here, too, the same plants are grown, except opium. Average crop g fold. There are 15 oxen, 3o horses, 40 donkeys and 6o sheep per too tja. — Snow from the gth to the 2nd month, 5-6 inches deep; plenty of rain from the 4th to the 8th month; NW burans in the spring.
We went on in a NNE direction. The landscape was comparatively shady with long rows of planted trees. After 3 li the village of Yahaliang with ioo houses. The ground on the left of the road ascended slightly, on the right it dipped a little towards a river that could be seen sparkling in the sun about half a mile away. The Chinese call it Ta ho and no other information was obtainable. Of course, it flowed in the same direction as our road. After to li Peishaliang with too houses, 15 li Yang Ehr tsun with 20. For a time our course was almost N. We drew considerably nearer to the mountains in the N. After covering about 24 li, the distance dividing us from them was 2-3 li. At about this place they dipped considerably, probably intersected by a gorge. A little further on they rose again to a considerably greater height and continued in an E direction. The road led on to the ENE, a direction it kept to during the rest of the day.
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