THE ANCIENT KINGDOM OF PA 97 



Our stay over at the farmhouse was hardly a success ; 

 we had a full crowd until bedtime, and in spite of fair promises 

 four of my men who remained in the house with me had 

 neither dinner nor bedding. As a punishment I paid only 

 half our usual rate, much to the householder's chagrin. Fu- 

 ling ch'ang was quite deserted when we passed through in the 

 early morning. It occupies the narrow neck of a sandstone 

 ridge, after the usual manner of these villages. The same is 

 true of Shih-ya ch'ang, 30 li farther on. Ten li beyond this 

 latter village we passed a nine-storied pagoda and sighted the 

 town of Yilung Hsien, to the northwards, about a mile distant 

 as the crow flies and at equal altitude (2500 feet). Yilung 

 is a very small town, situated on the mountain-top, backed 

 by a steep bluff and surrounded by a wall of dressed sandstone. 

 Two-thirds of the land enclosed within the city wall is given 

 over to cultivation. We passed to the south-west of the town 

 by a road which makes a steep descent and ascent and then 

 meanders along the tops of the mountains until Tu-men-pu 

 is reached. The mountains are lower, more flat, the valleys 

 wider, and the whole country more treeless. Cotton is abun- 

 dantly cultivated throughout this region, and it is evident 

 that the district of Yilung produces a very considerable quan- 

 tity. Rice and sweet potato are the common crops, the 

 latter thriving on the hot almost soilless rocks. The earth is 

 drawn into ridges, often leaving bare rock between, and cuttings 

 are inserted. These cuttings, leafy shoots about 6 inches long, 

 quickly take root and form plants that produce an abundant 

 crop. Sorghum is fairly common in places, but maize is very 

 scarce. Stone monuments were less in evidence, but we passed 

 a fine 0-mi-to Fu stone surmounted by a hideous T'eng-kou. 

 Six old hats protected this stone from the rain and sun ; in 

 front was a huge mass of ashes and the remains of many 

 Joss sticks. We were informed that the tutelary genius of 

 this spot is renowned for his benevolence, and that it was 

 hoped shortly to erect a shrine over the spot. 



We had been unfortunate in the matter of market days all 



along, and found another in progress at Tu-men-pu. Seemingly 



having gained nothing by staying the night a httle beyond or 



before reaching these villages, we experimented and stayed at 



VOL. I. — 7 



