SUNGPAN TING 145 



and Fir and the circuitous course of the river Min (Fu). The 

 river still pursues its winding course, but the forests have long 

 since disappeared. It is only in temple grounds and among 

 tombs that any trees remain. The mountains are absolutely 

 treeless, where not under cultivation they are covered with 

 scrub and long grass. The outer crust of the mountains con- 

 sists of a rich flaky loam, probably of glacial origin, rather heavy , 

 but specially adapted for cereal cultivation. In the grass and 

 scrub Pheasants are very plentiful in the neighbourhood of 

 cultivation, so also is a long-eared, light-grey-coloured Hare. 

 Musk Deer, Wapiti, and White Deer occur in the neighbour- 

 hood. On the moorlands a Marmot, called " Hsueh-chu " 

 (Snow-pig), burrows in large colonies. 



North-west of Sungpan is the Amdo country, a region of 

 grasslands. The Chinese designate it " Tsaoti," which may be 

 interpreted " Prairie." This region is made up of rolling 

 country above 11,000 feet altitude, where vast herds of cattle, 

 sheep, and many ponies are reared. A great part of this 

 region is peopled with pastoral Sifan, but the more remote 

 parts are in the hands of nomads belonging to Ngo-lok and 

 Nga-ba tribes, of evil reputation as robbers and bandits, 

 dreaded alike by Chinese and the more peaceably inclined 

 Sifan. These robber tribes are of Tangut origin, having their 

 headquarters around the Kokonor region. Being of nomadic 

 habit they wander far afield, and rob caravans and kill the 

 settlers weaker in numbers than themselves. When I arrived 

 in Sungpan in 1910 I found there some 200 soldiers from 

 Chengtu bent on a punitive expedition against these banditti. 

 About a year previously a Chinese official had been murdered 

 in the Amdo country, not many days' journey from Sungpan, 

 and no redress had been obtained. Nine persons were held 

 guilty for this crime, but in spite of demands on the part 

 of the Chinese the clan would not give up these people. 

 The affair ended in the Chinese killing as many members of 

 this robber clan as the small army sent on the expedition 

 could capture. It is from the Amdo region that Sungpan 

 derives most of its wool, skins, and medicines, consequently 

 the trade depends very largely upon peace obtaining there. 

 The Sifan (Western people) are unquestionably of Thibetan 

 VOL. I. — 10 



