THROUGH THE LAOLIN (WILDERNESS) 243 



a magnificent series of limestone cliffs, their steepest crags 

 clothed with weather-worn trees of Silver Fir. Everywhere 

 else the trees have been cut down. 



From the torrent we struggled up a severe ascent of 1000 

 feet, and reached the summit of the watershed, alt. 10,100 feet. 

 Here we got a very fine view of the country, which is simply 

 a succession of cliffs and crags capped by rugged trees of Silver 

 Fir, and with a dense growth of broad-leaved trees in the more 

 inaccessible pockets. 



The rest of the day's journey was all downhill over a vile 

 pathway. We reached the tiny hamlet of Yang-tientsze, 

 alt. 7600 feet, at 6 p.m., having occupied eleven hours in cover- 

 ing 30 li. Two men who carried our food-stuffs arrived just as 

 darkness closed in, and reported the rest of our gear far behind. 

 Our lodgings were poor enough in all conscience, but most 

 acceptable after such a fatiguing tramp. After dinner I tried 

 to sleep on an oil-sheet spread over one of the native beds, but 

 was soon discovered by hungry, tormenting fleas, and, tired 

 as I was, sleep proved impossible. About one o'clock my bed 

 and some other gear arrived. The carriers had been forced 

 to wait after darkness fell until the moon was up in order to see 

 the path. I could not complain ; they had done their best over 

 a most heart-breaking road. The rest of our loads turned up 

 soon after daybreak, and we left Yang-tientsze at 7.30 a.m. 

 Descending by a comparatively easy road for 30 li we reached 

 before noon the village of Malie, alt. 5300 feet, a very poor 

 place, situated on the main road between Omei Hsien and 

 Fulin via Wa shan. 



Thus had the Laolin been crossed from north-east to 

 south-west, and, personally, I have no desire to repeat the 

 journey. The continued rains increased considerably the 

 difficulties of the bad roads and made what, under the most 

 favourable weather conditions, must always be a fatiguing 

 journey, an exceedingly arduous and miserable one. The 

 rain and dense mists robbed the trip of its greatest charm, 

 namely, the scenery. Except on odd occasions I saw nothing 

 outside a radius of 50 yards. The unpropitious weather also 

 prevented any investigation of the flora other than that along- 

 side the pathway. In so far as it came under my observation 



