ynsiderable extent is almost in ruins, the population not exceeding 500 all 
-d. On March 27th Hsi-kung-yi was reached, after a short day’s journey of 
zen miles. The country passed through was entirely of loess, and no bed 
: was seen, though the bottom of a deep cafion, up which the road lay, 
» noticed to be full of boulders, cobbles, and gravel, all of which had 
dently been brought down by water from high mountains somewhere to 
che west. 
Soon after leaving Hsi-kung-yi the caravan ascended the high loess 
atains called Ching-liang Shan, and for some time continued along ridges 
- same. In places, outcrops of rock explained the existence of the 
srs and cobbles noticed on the preceding day. Towards the end of the 
‘and after a long descent into a wide valley, a large walled town named 
. .ing Hsien was reached. This place is situated seventeen miles from 
i-kung-yi, and has a population of about 3000. During the day’s march 
.uny carts were encountered laden with waterpipe tobacco. Heavy snow was 
experienced during the forenoon, rendering the road, which was otherwise 
good, very slushy. 
On April rst the caravan left An-ting Hsien, and after travelling for 
seventeen miles over a good road through the usual loess valleys, put up at a 
small place named Ch’éng-k’ou-yi, the population of which was estimated at 
about 200. The inns being very bad, the travellers availed themselves of the 
privilege of stopping at the official rest-house. The following day the journey 
was continued; the road gradually ascending till an altitude of 8000 feet was 
reached. From this point high mountains could be seen to the south and 
scuth-west. The road then followed the top of the ridge for a distance of 
seven miles; the slopes on either side were very steep, whilst the ravine- 
ttom was judged to be a thousand feet, or more, below the road level. The 
lge was composed chiefly of very hard and compact loess, though rock 
was noticed occasionally further down the slopes and along the beds of the 
ravines. Just before reaching Kan-tsao-tien—a prosperous-looking village 
some fourteen miles from Ch’éng-k’ou-yi—the caravan made a sharp descent 
from the high loess ridges into the valley. The road traversed during the day 
was, in places, very bad, especially for cart traffic. The slopes on either side 
were all under cultivation. 
On April 4th, after crossing a low spur of loess, and travelling for some 
distance along a wide stream-bed, thickly strewn with cobbles and boulders, 
the caravan reached Hsiao-shui-tzt, a little village perched upon a rocky cliff 
on the south bank of the Yellow River. The stream, whose course had been 
59 
