stone with hollows of fantastic outline made by wind or water. A little further on we passed Ehr-shih-li-pu with 30o houses and a few li beyond Mau sy with 8 and Shih-li-pu with 200. The mountains on the right were steep and beautiful with several rounded peaks. We were now 3-4 li from the town of Fukiang. High up on the slope there was a succession of not particularly picturesque temples built in the easily handled wall of earth. From one of the larger ones a colossal Buddha, extending through three storeys, looked down upon us with a shining, gilded face. The name of the temple is Tafasy and there is a legend that he grew up during the time of the Emperor Fusi. Other temples and tall towers decorate the summits of the mountains in the vicinity of the little town. — The road turned south and led us into a side-gorge about 2/3 of a mile before reaching the town. — In the country we passed through to-day wheat, millet, tchumiza, maize, gaolyan, peas, cotton, huma (an oil plant), rice, mustard, tchinkho, kunsjut and opium are grown. Average crop 7 fold.
After taking us a couple of miles southward along the valley, the road crept up the mountain on the left. The ascent and descent were easy. For a considerable distance we travelled along the ridge itself, where there were a couple of villages. It took us quite two hours to negotiate it. Main direction SE. At the highest point the barometer No.' indicated 608.3. After 33 miles (ioo li) we reached the village of Kuan-tzu cheng at the foot of the mountain, quite a little town, when seen from above. It contains 40o houses inhabited by Chinese. Wheat, peas, tchumiza, millet, opium, kunsjut, rice and huma are grown. Average crop 6-7 fold. There are said to be no burans, but high west winds in spring. Snow falls between the loth and 2nd months, but does not remain on the ground. Rain between the 3rd and gth months, though not very plentiful. We were now in the valley of the Si ho, a tributary of the Wei ho.
April r3th. Just outside the village the road took us across a river, 3-4 fathoms in width and
Tsinchow. of no great depth, and we went on chiefly in an E direction. We had to cross the river several times and for about half its length the road goes along the actual stony bed of the river. In its broader parts the valley is about 2/3 of a mile wide, but the bed of the river encroaches on it considerably, so that a large part of the tilled fields are high up on the slopes, which are often very slightly inclined and well suited to the purpose. They are almost bare. The only trees visible are small groups of cypresses that indicate the sites of burial grounds. In the valley, too, there are not many trees. The monotony of the landscape was accentuated by a grey and damp light and during the latter half of the journey by light rain. The villages we passed did not look either attractive or prosperous. Counting from our starting-point to-day they lie at the following distances: 15 li Thashy tsui with 3 houses; 20 li Liu-shih-li-pu 40 houses; 30 li U-shih-li-pu 5o houses; 40 li Shui-shih-li-pu; 46 li Huangdja vanza ioo houses; 50 li San-shih-li tiedza 7o houses; 65 li Lidja teitza zoo houses and 74 li Wang tjamuo to houses. 10-12 Ii from Kuan-tzu cheng the mountains force their way into the river bed, but a mile or two beyond, the valley widens again to its former size, if not slightly more.
In several places the road is rather marshy. We noticed deep wheel-tracks, but did not meet any arbahs, though people on foot were seen constantly. The number of porters increased
) 594 (
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