FOREST AND CRAG 63 



western Hupeh. Almost immediately west of it the charac- 

 teristic red sandstone of Szechuan commences. 



For twenty-two consecutive days my followers and I had 

 struggled through the wild, lonely mountain fastnesses of north- 

 western Hupeh, suffering much from bad roads, worse accom- 

 modation and scarcity of food supplies. For the first time on 

 record the journey had been accomplished by a foreigner, and 

 one and all of my followers were happy in the thought of the 

 comparative luxury and plenty of the country which was now 

 before us. 



