ward in a more or less unbroken line beyond Fén-chou Fu, a large city about 
seventy miles to the south-west, forms the watershed between the two rivers, 
Fén and Huang. The average height of this chain is between 7000 and 8000 
feet, but here and there great peaks like Mo-érh Shan rise to a far greater 
altitude. These are usually of granite, or some similar crystalline rock, 
probably of an intrusive nature. On the eastern side of this divide numerous 
ravines running together form valleys, which vary in width from one to four 
furlongs, and extend in a more or less easterly direction. Those near the 
source of the Fén Ho in the Ning-wu district run south-south-east, and are 
succeeded a few miles further down the course of the river by others running 
south-east, whilst in the country west of T’ai-yiian Fu the valleys run almost 
due east. West of the divide there are fewer large valleys, but these are 
broader and run more nearly north and south between ridges of shale and 
loess. They are joined on either side by numerous gorges, which cut down 
through the strata to a considerable depth. The broad valleys join the bed 
of the Yellow River some distance southwards. It was noticed that the 
country east of the divide was much rougher and more irregular than that on 
the west, whilst the hills were uniformly higher and more pointed. Reference 
has been made already to the peculiar isolated peaks of Ch’ing-ting Shan. 
West of these the ravines all had a south-westerly direction, opening finally 
into the bed of the Huang Ho. 
