TI-HUA-FU 261 



with four detectives, in pursuit of a murderer who 

 had committed his crime in Shensi two years 

 previously. 'I'hey were reduced to one miserable 

 little donkey, which carried their personal belon^y- 

 ings and a weird collection of instruments, with 

 the aid of which they hoped to arrest their man. 

 These comprised an iron hook called an " eagle's 

 claw," to grab the victim ; a kind of glorified stage- 

 dagger, blunted, so that the prisoner could be 

 captured alive ; and a couple of wicked-looking 

 flails 18 inches in length, shod with iron. George 

 finally persuaded them to part with the lot, though 

 they were rather reluctant at first. 



As we drew near Ti-hua-fu we found ourselves 

 shut in by the Bogdo-Ola range. Sheep and ibex 

 are found here, though, of course, in midwinter it 

 would have been useless for us to attempt to hunt 

 them. We had to content ourselves with four or 

 five brace of partridges and a couple of hares. 

 There is a steep ascent to the summit of the pass, 

 necessitating two teams to each cart. However, 

 we negotiated its difficulties successfully, and 

 passed the next day into more level country. 

 Here two hundred Chanto irregulars overtook us, 

 from Hami. They were proceeding to the capital, 

 as were all the troops on whom the Governor 

 could rely. V'ery pleased with themselves, they 

 said : " Now we Chantos are coming the Ko-lao- 

 hui will all run, for they know we can shoot." 



On January 31st, exactly two months after 

 leaving Lanchow, we reached Ti-hua-fu. 



