240 A NATURALIST IN WESTERN CHINA 



stream large trees are common. The climate is evidently 

 very moist and warm, since broad-leaved evergreens abound. 

 Perhaps the most common shrub or small tree is a Walnut 

 or Chinese Butternut {Juglans cathayensis) , which has six to 

 twelve fruits arranged in a raceme, and leaves up to a yard 

 in length. The Horse Chestnut {Msculus Wilsonii), Yellow- 

 wood {Cladrastis sinensis), Hornbeam, and various Maples 

 are among the more interesting trees hereabouts. Clearings 

 and abandoned cultivated areas are overgrown with the 

 handsome Anemone vitifolia, var. alha, which was 4 to 5 feet 

 tall, and bore myriads of large attractive flowers. This herb 

 made a wonderful display, and I do not remember having seen 

 it so luxuriant elsewhere in my travels. Beneath cliffs drip- 

 ping with moisture, Begonias, Impatiens, Ferns, and various 

 Cyrtandrece in masses made pretty effects. The Chinese Fir 

 ceases at 4800 feet altitude, but limestone country is not to 

 its liking, and the trees quickly become scarce on quitting the 

 red sandstone. 



Houses and patches of cultivation are few and far between, 

 but it is surprising that any should be found in such a pre- 

 cipitous country. We put up for the night at one of the three 

 small houses which collectively form the hamlet of Peh-sha Ho, 

 altitude 5000 feet, 40 li from Chang-ho-pa. The house is built 

 on a steep bank, overlooking a point where the stream divides, 

 the larger branch flowing from a southerly direction. 



On leaving Peh-sha Ho we headed for the source of the 

 lesser of the two streams — a mere mountain torrent. Our 

 difficulty all day was in discerning the track and keeping to it. 

 I lost it early in the morning, and wasted two hours in a jungle 

 of Bamboo ; my Boy had the same misfortune in the afternoon. 

 The collecting of Bamboo shoots is an industry here as on the 

 other side of Wa-wu, and the tracks made by men engaged 

 in this are many. The path we endeavoured to foUow was 

 frequently less well-defined than these tracks and, moreover, 

 was overgrown with vegetation. It crossed the torrent many 

 times, but the fords were difficult to discover. We passed 

 neither house nor person, and perforce had to explore our own 

 route. It rained heavily the whole day, increasing our diffi- 

 culties and discomforts. 



