202 A NATURALIST IN WESTERN CHINA 



of men, with long guns, swords, and conspicuous charm-boxes. 

 Many of them wore their hair in a long plait with a sort of black 

 yarn braided in, the whole being wrapt around their heads to 

 form a turban ; a few wore felt hats with high conical crowns. 

 One or two women were with these caravans tending the 

 animals exactly in the same way as the men. Ability to 

 whistle and heave rocks with sure aim seemed to be the essential 

 parts of a yak-muleteer's profession. Yak are slow, phlegmatic 

 animals, and on sighting any unusual object they stand stock- 

 still for a little time, and then make a mad rush forward. They 

 appeared to be docile enough, but their long horns looked 

 dangerously ugly, and we got out of their way as much as was 

 possible. Each caravan was accompanied by one or more 

 large dogs. These animals trot alongside the caravan and take 

 no notice of any one, but when tethered and on guard in camp 

 will allow no stranger to approach. They are massively-built 

 dogs, and their savage appearance is heightened by a huge 

 red-coloured collar of woollen fringe, with which they are 

 commonly decorated. 



The flora was merely a repetition of that of the previous 

 afternoon's journey. The valley and contiguous hill-sides are 

 covered with scrub, except for clearings here and there which 

 serve as yak-camps. In addition to the shrubs mentioned as 

 occurring around Hsin-tientsze, Prickly Oak, Juniper, several 

 kinds of Rose, and the Thibetan Honeysuckle {Lonicera 

 thihetica) are common ; Barberries in variety are a special 

 feature. Conifers are scarce and all of small size ; all the 

 larger timber has been felled and removed long ago At the 

 hamlet of Lung-pu, reckoned 40 li from Hsin-tientsze, crops 

 of wheat, barley, oats, and peas put in an appearance, and 

 became more general as we descended the valley. Around 

 Je-shui-t'ang the cereals were just coming into ear. 



During the day, which was beautifully fine, we had grand 

 views of the snowclad peaks around Tachienlu and the steep 

 ranges with pinnacled peaks to the east-south-east of that 

 town. Around Je-shui-t'ang there are several hot springs, in 

 some of which the water was actually boihng. These springs 

 are rich in iron, but in those I examined no sulphur was evident. 



Our quarters at Je-shui-t'ang were a considerable improve- 



