EASTERN SZECHUAN 77 



precipitous descent to the river, which we reached at Sha-to-tzu 

 about 3 p.m. In its early stages the descent is as difficult as 

 it well could be — over loose Rowley-raglike debris, down and 

 up steep steps, and over slopes of greasy clay. We crossed 

 one or two cultivated slopes, but most of the time the road 

 skirts around the sides of cliffs. At the edge of one precipice, 

 500 to 1000 feet sheer, the road is carried through a narrow 

 tunnel some 50 yards long and 3I feet broad at the exit. This 

 tunnel is partly natural and partly made by blasting the hard 

 limestone. It was quite dark within the tunnel save for a 

 faint glimmer of light at the exit. Both chairs and loads were 

 with difficulty carried through this tunnel. This roadway is 

 of recent date, and is unique in my experience of Chinese roads. 

 Rough as it is it saves about 10 li and a very steep ascent 

 and descent. 



From the tunnel-way the road skirts the tops of the cliffs 

 with many exasperating and wearying ascents and descents. 

 Finally we descended to a small tributary of the main stream 

 and, crossing over, reach Sha-to-tzu, a busy market village and, 

 for the nature of the country, of considerable size. Up the 

 tributary stream some 10 li, iron is mined and smelted, the 

 quality being described as good. Around Sha-to-tzu, coal 

 is worked and lime burnt. 



The river we had with so much fatiguing travel reached 

 enters the Yangtsze at Yunyang Hsien, distant 150 li. It is 

 a clear-water stream of considerable volume, and is navigable 

 for small boats from just below Sha-to-tzu to within 15 li of its 

 mouth. Salt and a little peddling traffic was noticeable on the 

 road; also odd loads of medicines, including Tu-chung, the bark 

 of Eucommia ulmoides. The salt is a product of Yunyang 

 Hsien, and is not allowed to enter Taning Hsien. The quality 

 is said to be superior to that found within the latter district. 



The flora of the day's journey was not particularly interest- 

 ing, being very much the same as that found in the glens 

 and gorges around Ichang. A new Stachyurus and Ahelia 

 Engleriana were collected. The Heavenly Bamboo {Nandina 

 domestica) was particularly abundant in rocky places, its 

 elegant foliage and large erect trusses of white flowers with 

 conspicuous yellow anthers making it very attractive. In 



