RECORDS OF THE JOURNEY
on the other side of it. The ground now began to ascend slightly towards the hills that we saw yesterday E of the town. Some lower mountains had wedged themselves between the road and the chain of mountains on the left, their most projecting part tending towards the W. The road had become stony. After 20 li the village of Tachaushang with 8o houses, intersected by two deep ravines, crossed by stone bridges. The ground dipped slightly for a time. The road ran between walls of soft earth, was full of holes and cut by such deep wheel-tracks that the arbah sank to the axle. It threatened to capsize any number of times and once it actually did so.
After 25 li the village of Tatchiatsung with 3o houses and after 3o li Heitchiarien with 5o. Just beyond the village we crossed a stony river bed, about 5o yards wide, between high banks of soft earth. Its direction S—N. Another river bed, also practically dry and of about the same width, joined it. The road ran along its bottom for some time. A deep sunken road, full of holes and very rough during the rainy period, took us over a ridge or terrace-like hill of löss with gentle slopes. The arbah was in danger of getting stuck in the road. After 40 li Szeerhling with ioo houses. Here we halted and sent back two horses to help pull the well-nigh empty arbah which arrived at last, having taken fully 7 hours to cover these 13 miles. The amount of energy required to obtain two horses in the village in this pouring rain can only be realised by those who have travelled in the interior of China. Having drunk tea, warmed ourselves and fed the animals, we continued our journey. — Millet, tchumiza, shuza, jumi, wheat, peas, red kunsjut and potatoes are grown in the village. Opium is said not to be grown there, though it is grown in the district, for during the journey I saw a few opium fields. Average crop 7-8 fold. — There are no horned cattle, but about a dozen horses and about ioo donkeys.
For 10-15 li the road now became sandy, stony and rocky, running along the bottom of an almost dry river bed or along the ledges of the banks, on which the wall of rock was exposed. After 45 li Chötierh with 200 houses, after 55 li Liushutuan with 7o, after 6o li Nachia with 6o-7o. A little further on the ground again became very deep and full of holes. Large patches had been turned into regular lakes. Destruction in the form of large holes lurked below the quiet surface of the brownish-yellow water.
After 73 li, having crossed a small river, we came to Chihli-chia with 16 houses. We could see the town now. In order to reach it, it was necessary to wade for a couple of miles, the water which had submerged the road reaching, in the best of cases, to the horse's belly. After 8o li Hwaian hsien, Sincheng the westernmost district of the province of Chihli along this road. It is the residence of a mandarin subordinated to the Suanhwa fu. The population is said to be about 2500 tja. Millet, tchumiza, gaolyan, wheat, red kunsjut, mustard, hemp, peas, jumi, potatoes and opium are grown. Average crop g fold. Snow from the 9th to the 3rd month, up to i6 inches in depth. Rain from the 4th to the 8th month, plentiful in the autumn. W storms in winter and spring. to oxen, 2 horses, ioo donkeys and ioo sheep per ioo tja.
Our course was ENE. After 3 li we crossed a dry river bed going S—N. The banks July 19th. were of stone, the road sandy and heavy. Immediately after, we crossed another river bed. Sanlitai village.
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