NORTH-WESTERN SZECHUAN 133 



cliff with upturned strata on edge, sheer and bare of vegetation. 

 Behind this is another nearly vertical slope covered with stark, 

 dead Conifer trees. In the distance, looking back on the 

 road we had followed, bare, vicious -looking peaks, probably 

 14,000 to 16,000 feet high, were visible. All around the hostel 

 the lesser slopes are covered with impenetrable forest of broad- 

 leaved deciduous trees. The higher parts and the crags are 

 clothed with Conifers, tall, slightly branched trees of no great 

 size — altogether a wonderful scene of natural beauty, at present 

 undefiled by the hand of man. 



It was cold during the night ; the wind played freely 

 through the unfinished structure, and the thickest of clothing 

 was needed in order to keep warm. 



The next day we made a later start than usual, and travelling 

 most leisurely covered the 40 li to San-tsze-yeh before 5 p.m. 

 The journey was one long scramble through a continuation 

 of the savage ravine. The chairs had to be carried piecemeal, 

 and aU of us reached our destination very much fatigued. We 

 enjoyed a gloriously fine, sunny day, the narrow streak of sky 

 visible from the bed of the ravine being of the purest Thibetan- 

 blue. The camera was kept busy and I secured a fine set of 

 views, but so steep is the country and so dense the jungle that 

 it was impossible to photograph trees. 



The rock-strewn torrent, with its thundering, seething 

 waters, occupies practically the entire bed of the ravine, leaving 

 scant room for the road which winds along its banks. We 

 crossed this torrent many times, either by fording it or by 

 means of half -rotten log bridges. Luckily the waters were 

 low and caused us no trouble. In 1904 I ascended this ravine 

 shortly after heavy rains, and have the liveliest recollections 

 of the difficulties encountered. Much of the road and many of 

 the bridges had been washed away, making it necessary to 

 hew a pathway through the jungle and improvise bridges by 

 felling trees in several places. 



No words of mine can adequately depict the savage, awe- 

 inspiring scenery of this wild ravine. Stupendous limestone 

 cliffs, 3000 to 4000 feet high, often too steep for the scantiest 

 vegetation to find a foothold, but more generally sparsely 

 or plentifully forested, wall in the torrent and its accompanying 



