over the provisions and two large tents specially ordered for the summer 
work, procure suitable stoves, and with all speed proceed to Lan-chou Fu, 
picking up Sowerby again on his way. Sowerby, after Clark’s departure from 
Hsi-an, would stay in that neighbourhood and collect, until on the receipt of 
a wire from Shanghai he would proceed to Honan, and there re-join Clark. 
In the meantime Douglas and Grant, with the greater part of the pack-train 
and stores, were to proceed westward into Kansu, taking an unfrequented 
road to Lan-chou, at which place they would await the arrival of Clark and 
Sowerby. Hazrat Ali would accompany this party, and carry on his plane 
table survey from Yen-an to Lan-chou. Everything having been arranged in 
this way, the party set about re-packing stores, etc., to suit the altered plans; 
and on January 28th Clark and Sowerby left Yen-an Fu on their southward 
journey. A few days later the remaining division, having completed their 
arrangements, started westwards. 
