THE ANCIENT KINGDOM OF PA 93 



(pronounced P'an)-miao ch'ang at 10 o'clock. Here, contrary 

 to what my map indicated, I found no river. Replies to 

 inquiries gave it as 30 li farther on, and so it proved. The 

 map for this region is hopelessly inaccurate, and it was quite 

 useless attempting to be guided by it. Pai-miao ch'ang is a 

 small village built on the top of a ridge and surrounded in 

 part by woods of Cypress and Pine. Crossing an undulating 

 area we descended by an easy path, finally reaching the 

 T'ungchiang River, 10 li above Chiangkou. This river is fully 

 100 yards broad, with red-coloured water and a sluggish 

 current. Boats were easily secured and we dropped down- 

 stream to Chiangkou, which we reached at 3 o'clock, just before 

 a heavy thunderstorm broke. The day's journey was said to 

 be 70 li, the road was easy, with flora and scenery identical 

 with that of the preceding days. 



Chiangkou (alt. 1600 feet) is the second town in size and 

 importance in the department of Pa Chou. It consists of 

 about 500 houses, built on the fringe of a promontory between 

 two rivers, backed by low, steep, well-wooded hills. The 

 rivers unite at this point and are navigable downwards to 

 Chungking. The more easterly stream descends from T'ung- 

 chiang Hsien, the westerly stream from Pa Chou, each town 

 distant from Chiangkou 180 li. Both streams are navigable 

 for small boats up-stream to these towns. 



A Feng Chou (official next below a Chou in rank) resides 

 at Chiangkou. From a distance the town looks well-built 

 and prosperous, but it does not improve on closer inspection. 

 The position is admirable and undoubtedly the town is of con- 

 siderable commercial importance, yet we had great difficulty 

 in exchanging twenty taels of silver. Like other towns we had 

 passed through, Chiangkou was feeling the suppression of the 

 opium traffic severely, and until new industries arise to take 

 the place of the opium trade the resources of all these places 

 will be crippled. 



We found accommodation in a poor but quiet inn, and, 

 thanks to the thunderstorm, no curious crowd gathered to 

 annoy us. My principal men spent several hours in finding 

 out a cross-country road to Yilung Hsien, and eventually 

 succeeded. 



