THROUGH THE LAOLIN (WILDERNESS) 239 



into a deep, narrow gorge, traversing a difficult roadway usually 

 high up above the stream. The scenery is very fine — steep 

 cliffs, either bare or clothed with shrubs, on every side. 

 Journeying slowly we reached the solitary house at Chang-ho- 

 pa, alt. 4000 feet, about 5 p.m., having covered 50 li. 



During the day's march we saw a number of interesting 

 trees, and obtained specimens and photographs. Carrieria 

 calycina, a widespreading flat-topped tree, is very common in 

 rocky places by the stream-side, and was laden with its torpedo- 

 shaped, velvety-grey fruit which was not ripe. The Tapiscia 

 is fairly numerous, but the trees are of no great size. Perhaps 

 the most noteworthy tree of this region is Meliosma Kirkii, 

 which has a shapely port, rigid branches, and handsome pinnate 

 leaves, 2 feet long. Evergreen Oak, various Laurinece, tall- 

 growing Bamboos, and a Fan Palm [Trachycarpus excelsus) 

 are abundant, denoting a mild, moist climate. The Chinese 

 Fir is the only Conifer. The quantity of this useful tree and 

 the many fine and shapely specimens were among the leading 

 features of this trip. We had left rice behind at last, and 

 entered a region where only maize is grown. Every available 

 bit of land is under cultivation, but the district is very sparsely 

 populated. A certain amount of tea is grown around Ping- 

 ling-shih, but the industry is of little importance commercially. 



The people at Chang-ho-pa informed us that the road before 

 us was much worse than that which we had traversed. For 

 the first 10 li after leaving our lodgings I thought they had 

 dissembled, but afterwards the truth of their statement was 

 only too evident The stream flows through a narrow, wild 

 gorge or succession of gorges ; the road is either some hundreds 

 of feet above the stream, or down by the water's edge. The 

 " ups and downs " repeat themselves with monotonous and 

 irritating frequency. The path is very much overgrown with 

 weeds and brush, always very narrow, the ascents and descents 

 precipitous and difficult. It is misleading and foolish to term 

 it a " road." Goats would make a better pathway, did they 

 travel it frequently ! 



The scenery is grand, though mists and a drizzle of rain 

 did their best to rob us of its enjoyment. The cliffs are in 

 the main clothed with shrubby vegetation, but alongside the 



