94 A NATURALIST IN WESTERN CHINA 



On leaving Chiangkou we ferried across the Pa Chou River 

 and then made a steep ascent of a few hundred feet. The 

 rest of the day we meandered along the crest of a range of low 

 mountains, following an undulating path. In parts the road 

 was good, in others ankle deep in slippery mud. Thunder- 

 showers fell at intervals and it was fairly cool. 



The country generally is similar to that traversed during 

 previous days. Tobacco is a rather common crop hereabouts 

 and we saw a little cotton. Maize is very rare, but rice is 

 abundantly cultivated. Shrines and small temples continued 

 common and in good repair. Kwanyin and Tuti are the 

 common deities, the latter representing an old man and 

 his wife, constituting the tutelary genii. Dignified, ornately 

 carved tombstones and mausoleums were everywhere in 

 evidence. 



Our intended destination for the day was Chen-lung 

 ch'ang, 60 li from Chiangkou, but on reaching there we found 

 market in full swing, and, to avoid the crowd, we journeyed on 

 another 6 li. On market days these villages are impossible, 

 from the foreigner's point of view. I rode through this village 

 in my chair, and the crowd which gathered at the upper end 

 of the place mustered several hundreds. Wine appears to flow 

 freely on market days and many were under its exciting in- 

 fluence. Prudence as well as comfort therefore demands that 

 one avoid all crowds as much as possible when travelling in the 

 interior regions of China. Women attend these markets in 

 force and appear to be a power in this part of the Celestial 

 Empire. Their bearing and manners generally are very free 

 for Chinese women ; natural, unbound feet are the rule. 



Chen-lung ch'ang is clustered on the narrow neck of a 

 sandstone ridge, and in common with all such villages boasts 

 a fine village temple. We lodged for the night in a poor way- 

 side inn at Hei-tou-k'an, alt. 3100 feet. 



The next day was cool, with showers at odd times, but of no 

 consequence. With the exception of one steep descent and 

 an ascent in the late afternoon, the road was more or less level 

 all day, traversing the tops of the low mountains. These 

 sandstone mountains are dissected by innumerable deep, 

 narrow ravines, clothed with Pine, Cypress, and a dense j ungle 



