ee oO 
The road branched off to the east up a small ravine about a mile north of 
Fu Chou, and at this point two or three inns and a few miserable houses 
formed the village of Ts’a-féng; and here we halted. This stage is reckoned 
to be eighty-five /:. At this time of year travelling was anything but pleasant, 
owing to the severe cold. The inns were never warm, the badly-fitting doors 
and torn windows admitted streams of cold air, which effectually counteracted 
any benefits accruing from the use of charcoal braziers and a small portable 
stove. The innkeepers are far too poor to keep the kang fires lighted during 
the day, and as these estimable contrivances take some hours to heat up, and 
in addition smoke abominably, they were tabooed. By hanging up waterproof 
sheets over the doors and windows we could manage to render the temperature 
a little more endurable ; but bed was the only really comfortable place. The 
early rising, necessitated by our desire to cover long stages every day, was 
perhaps the hardest trial, although again precedence might be given to the 
keen head wind which, in spite of the heaviest clothing, seemed on some days 
to cut through to the very bone. Usually, however, when once fairly on the 
move, we found that the interests of the road, the not infrequent opportunities 
of sport, and the varying scenery kept us from noticing the low temperature 
and the biting wind. The road was in excellent condition, and in that way 
did credit to the soldiers who made it. But it is probable that the absence of 
wheeled traffic had more to do with its present smooth surface than anything 
else. At first it was hard to understand why no carts made use of this 
magnificent road, but after seeing some of the gradients no further explanation 
was necessary. The only wonder that remained then was why so much 
labour should have been expended to construct a cart road, whilst such 
important details as suitable gradients, easily obtainable with very little extra 
work, had been utterly neglected. However, even this is explainable by the 
reflection that the work was carried out by Chinese. 
Leaving Ts’a-féng before daybreak, we travelled for a short distance up 
the small ravine which we had entered the night before. Snow commenced 
to fall, and alas! for hastily formed opinions, the road became abominable. 
Its smooth surface becoming greasy offered no foothold, and as several steep 
ascents had to be made, travelling became not only unpleasant, but distinctly 
dangerous. The mules with their heavy loads had the greater difficulty in 
keeping their feet, but even the ponies floundered about in a most distressing 
manner. However, the badness of the road led to no mishap, though Clark 
met in another fashion with a most unfortunate accident. In stepping from a 
high kang in an inn, where the party stopped for lunch, he slipped and 
35 
