of lignite is obtainable ; this is mined at An-ting Hsien, another small town 

 about twenty miles higher up the valley, to the west. 



One day was spent at Ch'ing-chien, and on December i6th, after a march 

 of nearly twenty-two miles, we put up at a miserable village named Ma-chia- 

 k'ou. The road for the first two-thirds of the way followed down the same 

 valley as before, but just before reaching the dilapidated and almost deserted 

 town of Yen-ch'uan Hsien, it turned to the west up another ravine. The 

 same geological formation was noticed, and nothing worthy of note occurred. 

 The whole country from Yii-lin Fu to this point was remarkably bare of 

 vegetation, and almost equally devoid of game ; only a few small coveys of 

 partridges, and some large flocks of rock-doves being sighted. Adhering to 

 the decision made at Mi-chih Hsien, we halted here for a day to enable Hazrat 

 Ali to keep pace with us. Only very poor coal is obtainable in the place. 



Next day a distance of twenty-four miles was accomplished ; a high pass 

 — about 3600 feet — being surmounted without difficulty, thanks to the good 

 quality of the road ; and after following down a wide valley for some miles, 

 we entered that of the Yen Shui, a short distance up which lay Kan-ku-yii. 

 This day's journey was somewhat more interesting. Pheasants were seen in 

 considerable numbers, whilst a flock of several hundred pigeons came in for 

 its fair share of attention. Out of this flock thirteen birds were bagged at one 

 shot. There was considerably more vegetation in the valleys, which were 

 themselves broader than any met with since the Yii-lin Ho had been left 

 behind. This night we had thirty-eight degrees of frost. Kan-ku-yu must 

 have been at one time an important town, as indicated by the remains of a 

 high and well built wall. At present it contains but one small street of very 

 poor houses and inns. It is probable that, but for its being a regular stopping 

 place for travellers passing between Sui-te Chou and Yen-an Fu, the place 

 would be utterly deserted, The country generally was under cultivation, 

 though very thinly populated. 



On December 19th a start was made with the intention of covering not 

 more than ten miles, but no suitable quarters being found anywhere on the 

 road it became necessary to push on to Yen-an Fu, which place we reached 

 late in the evening. All along the valley, which was fully a mile wide in 

 places, the patches of scrub yielded any number of pheasants, so that we 

 managed to enjoy the best shooting yet secured on the expedition. Only very 

 small hamlets had been passed^ during the day, and but little traffic was 

 noticed. The Yen Shui was frozen over to a depth of several inches. Really 



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