Among the Celestials : vol.1 / Page 65 (Color Image)

0065	Among the Celestials : vol.1

CHAP. II.] SANSING. 4I

copses we regularly found some excellent

pheasant-shooting. All day long, too, flock

after flock of geese flew by us overhead, making

towards the south. Usually these were a long

way out of shot, but on a windy day they

would often be forced down so as just to top

the hills, and then from the summit we would

get a shot at them as they flew over.

We once more crossed the Sungari, and on

October 13 reached Sansing, an older town

than those we had recently passed through, and

with much less life and bustle about it. Very

(ood furs, however, were to be obtained here,

and, as hard winter might be on us any day

now, we fitted ourselves out with long loose

sheepskin coats, reaching well down to the

ankles. Sansing is the farthest inhabited place

of any importance in the direction of the Amur.

The Sungari is here quite navigable for boats

of considerable size, and consequently the

Chinese had erected near by some fortifica-

tions of considerable strength. We rode out

to see them, and I was astonished to find a fort

constructed of earthwork, and planned on the

most approved European lines, and armed with

Krupp guns of six or seven tons' weight.

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