Fén Ho cuts through the range, and there the sides are precipitous. Beyond 
this and away to the west stretch range upon range of mauve-blue mountains, 
some of the peaks in which are from 8000 to 10,000 feet high.”’ 
During our visit frequent thunderstorms and heavy rains were experienced 
so that the river was continually on the rise and fall. After rain in the 
mountains to the north-west, there would be a great rush of water, and the 
river would become impassable for several hours. Every time the water rose 
large quantities of silt were brought down, and the fords had to be moved 
repeatedly, owing to the treacherous and shifting nature of the river bottom. 
On several occasions different members of the party got into trouble with their 
ponies in crossing; but although the animals would sink rapidly in the quick- 
sands up to their haunches, they always succeeded in scrambling out again. 
The camp was frequently visited by sick natives asking for help, which they 
usually received in the form of simple drugs, or ‘first aid” treatment in the 
case of injury. A lad with his head cut open would be brought in, or an old 
man with a shoulder dislocated would hobble from his work in the fields 
expecting some miraculous cure! The mules during this time were kept in 
T’ai-ytian Fu, but the ponies, being required for work continually, were kept 
tethered in the open out at camp. 
By July 16th everything in connection with the base line and triangula- 
tion had been completed, and the party returned to T’ai-yiian Fu, where they 
put up at a private house, rented for the purpose, to await the arrival of further 
supplies. Preparations in the way of packing the provisions and outfit, in loads 
suitable for mule transport, were commenced. This was no light task, as can 
be imagined, when we consider the length of journey contemplated, and the 
varied nature of outfit necessary; and it kept all at work. Further, it had 
been decided to have a medical man with the party, and the services of 
Captain H. E. M. Douglas, V.C., D.S.O., of the Royal Army Medical Corps, 
were very kindly lent by the War Office for this purpose. On arrival, Captain 
Douglas at once took over the meteorological work. Mr. Clark desired, 
moreover, to add a zoological department to the expedition, and to undertake 
the charge of this he engaged the services of Mr. A. de C. Sowerby, who had 
recently returned from a collecting trip in Shensi. 
This increase in personnel naturally entailed a further store of provisions, 
to obtain which Mr. Grant paid a visit to Shanghai, at which place, too, he 
took over an additional supply of photographic material just arrived from 
Europe. 
Arrangements, too, were made for the telegraphic determination (from 
4 
