followed most of the day, joins the river close to this village, after forcing its 
way through a thick layer of rock. At this point too, the Yellow River itself 
cuts deeply through the thick layer of igneous rock—its course being very 
tortuous, and the current swift. Immediately on leaving Hsiao-shui-tzti it 
turns northwards, continuing its way through a series of much contorted hills 
of igneous and water-formed rock. This day’s march was found to be twenty- 
six-and-half miles. 
The following day Lan-chou Fu was reached after a journey of fifteen 
miles along dusty roads, lying for the most part over loess and sandstone hills. 
Three miles from Lan-chou, the road descends into a wide valley through 
which flows the Yellow River. The country here looked very deserted, the 
high loess hills on either side of the valley being bare of vegetation, whilst the 
valley itself presented the appearance of a sandy waste, thickly covered with 
graves. Notwithstanding the desolate appearance of the place, the travellers 
were heartily glad to have reached the end of their long overland journey. It 
was difficult to find quarters, all the inns being wretchedly small and dirty. 
Visits were made to many places, including a beautiful temple situated a little 
to the east of the city at Lien-hua-ch’ih (Lotus Flower Pool); and eventually 
the summer residence of a wealthy native family was engaged. In the 
pavilions of its lovely garden ample room was found for all the members of 
the expedition, and they settled down to await the arrival of Clark and 
Sowerby, with the supplies and extra outfit necessary for the intended 
extension of work along the Tibetan border. 
The city of Lan-chou Fu is of considerable size and importance. It is 
situated on the right (south) bank of the Huang Ho, at the point where the 
great high road into Chinese Turkestan crosses that river. Its population has 
been estimated at half-a-million, several sections having been built on to the 
western wall to take in and protect the buildings forming an overflow outside 
the main city. The streets, which at the time of our visit were being 
macadamized, are narrow; the houses well-built and very closely packed. 
The walls and gate-towers are in excellent repair, though several salients 
guarding the western approaches of the city have been allowed to sink into 
disrepair. The chief industries carried on are the manufacture of waterpipe 
tobacco, for which Lan-chou is famous all over China, and the curing of furs 
brought in from the west. Gold and silversmiths and jade-merchants do a 
good trade, whilst curio shops are very numerous. 
The valley in which Lan-chou is situated is of comparative fertility, due 
mainly to the supply of water readily obtainable from the Yellow River. For 
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