EASTERN SZECHUAN 8i 



heat from stark surrounding cliffs and hundreds of furnaces 

 is a regular inferno. Prosperous it may be, but it failed to 

 appeal to us, and one and all were glad to quit it. 



A steep ascent of a few hundred feet and we cleared the 

 town. After passing through a large graveyard we descended 

 to an alluvial valley where much sugar-cane, maize, tobacco, 

 and a little cotton is cultivated. The road is broad, paved 

 with blocks of hard stone, and traverses the valley to its head 

 at Ma-chia-kou, 12 li from Wen-tang-ching. Ma-chia-kou is 

 the coal port for the salt-wells. Coal is carried overland 

 some 30 li, and at this point put into small boats and conveyed 

 to the brine-pits. This coal is valued at three cash per catty, 

 the carriers receiving one cash per catty for carrying it down. 

 The boats are small, steered by sweeps fore and aft, and can 

 descend this stream to Kai Hsien, 60 li below Wen-tang-ching, 

 and from thence to Hsiao Ch'ang on the Yangtsze, no li 

 distant. At Ma-chia-kou the road leaves the main stream, 

 which flows down from the northward, and after crossing a 

 neck descends to a broad stony torrent, which it ascends through 

 uninteresting country, eventually leading through a limestone 

 ravine. The coal supply is of primary importance to the salt- 

 wells, consequently the road is kept in good repair. During 

 the forenoon we met hundreds of coolies and many women 

 laden with coal. Iron is found in this neighbourhood, and 

 pigs of this metal were being carried down to the boats. 



On leaving the above-mentioned ravine we traversed a 

 valley of rice fields and reached Yi-chiao-tsao about noon. 

 Five li above this hamlet we crossed over, and during the rest 

 of the day's march descended a narrow valley flanked by steep 

 Cypress-clad slopes. Sweet potato is abundantly cultivated, 

 also rice and maize. Houses are frequent, and the people 

 appear fairly well-to-do. 



We found lodgings for the night at Wang-tung-tsao, 

 alt. 1350 feet, having covered our usual 60 li. The day was 

 terribly hot, making the journey very fatiguing. The inn is 

 beautifully situated in a grove of Bamboo and Cypress, but is 

 poor and abominably stinking. Really, it is a pity that such a 

 vile house should defile such a charming spot. 



The next day was also grilling hot, with no signs of a storm 



VOL. I. — 6 



