history. The mound was noticed certainly, but so great is it, that we actually 
took it fora hill. A large grove of cypress trees, planted near the town in 
memory of the same monarch, was also observed. 
The country immediately to the south of Chung-pu Hsien was unin- 
habited, and very wild. As in the case of the deserted area south of Yen-an, 
this district was well wooded, and large flocks of pheasants were seen. The 
travellers amused themselves by shooting at these with their revolvers; so 
much good shooting had been enjoyed that it needed something more than a 
pheasant to draw anything but a few revolver shots. It snowed heavily half 
the day, and in consequence much difficulty was experienced in negotiating 
the heavy gradients of the road. It was fortunate for Clark that he was riding 
a particularly sagacious and careful pony, for he was, of course, unable to 
dismount at difficult places, as the others did. Even as it was, poor Blacky, 
as the pony was called, slipped once, and rolling over, threatened to crush his 
rider. Sowerby and the groom left their ponies and rushed to the rescue, 
helping Clark up on to his sound foot. At this juncture all three ponies took 
it into their heads to bolt, and were soon lost to view round a bend in the 
road. Things looked decidedly bad, as the mules were a considerable distance 
away, and the nearest village was ten miles off. The ponies did not go far, 
however, and, stopping to feed on the stubble by the roadside, allowed them- 
selves to be caught. Later on, one of the mules went down a steep slope, and 
as it frantically struggled to regain its feet, was momentarily within an ace of 
destruction by falling over the edge of the deep ravine. From this terrible 
predicament it was only rescued with the greatest difficulty. A halt was made 
that night at a small town named Yi-chiin Hsien, seventy /: from Chung-pu 
Hsien. 
The following day we passed through a splendid game country, where the 
beauty of the scenery seemed emphasised and enhanced by its covering of 
new-fallen snow. The road for the first eight miles led along the top of a long 
ridge of high shale mountains. Many deer were seen from the road, and in 
one place a huge wild boar was chased right across our path by a pack of 
hounds, followed shortly by their master. Unfortunately the necessity for 
haste on this journey prevented us from joining in the chase. The last two- 
thirds of the day’s march were along a deep, rocky, and very beautiful ravine, 
which widened out into a fine valley towards the end of the day. In the 
ravine we saw, besides many other birds, a large number of handsome blue 
magpies. Here, for the first time in North Shensi, was any faultiness noticed 
37 
