which is situated Hsi-an Fu, one of the ancient capitals of China. That night 

 we put up at a miserable inn in the large, busy and populous city of San-yiian 

 Hsien, Though only a " Hsien " {i.e., sub-prefecture), San-yiian is larger 

 than any of the prefectural cities in the province north of this point. An 

 immense ravine has been eroded by water since the city was built, and is now 

 spanned by a large and well-constructed bridge. The sides of this bridge are 

 built over with shops, after the fashion of old European bridges, so that, but 

 for a glimpse he gets as he approaches it, the traveller would not suspect that 

 he is crossing a ravine of considerable width and depth. Many industries are 

 carried on in the southern, and by far busiest, portion of the town. Brass- 

 work of all descriptions forms the most important of these ; but there is also 

 a considerable amount of carpentry and bamboo-work. It may be noted that 

 there are not more than 400,000 inhabitants in the province north of this. 



The change from the mountainous to the flat country was also accom- 

 panied by a decided difference in the character and appearance of the people. 

 Not only do these stamp them as being of a southern type, but their manners 

 and customs are also markedly distinct from those in the country just left. 

 A great difference was noticeable in the food, and method of eating. It seemed 

 as if everybody ate their meals in the street, purchasing them from stall- 

 keepers, who prepare them on the spot. And not food only, but boiling water 

 as well, for it is only the more wealthy citizens who keep fires in their houses. 

 There was something not at all displeasing in this mode of taking meals, 

 extreme sociability being the keynote. Numerous tables, on either side of the 

 street, and sheltered by light mat roofs from sun or rain, afforded accom- 

 modation to scores of merry diners. Travellers from all parts of the Empire 

 freely mixed and chatted with the citizens of the town, and everybody seemed 

 thoroughly happy, and perfectly contented with the prevailing conditions. 

 A distinctly southern touch was added to the streets by the huge bamboo 

 baskets of oranges, pommeloes, and sugar-cane — delicacies never seen in 

 towns of the northern interior. The streets, paved with huge stones and 

 crowded to suffocation, formed a marked contrast to the wide and dusty 

 streets of the towns recently passed through. San-yiian Hsien may be 

 considered in some respects a rival of Hsi-an Fu itself. It is situated eighty 

 It from Yao Chou. 



Being anxious to reach Hsi-an in good time, we made an unusually early 

 start on February 5th. Our intention was to ride hard so as to arrive in time 

 for lunch, knowing as we did full well the hospitality of the missionaries whom 

 we were likely to meet. It was still dark as we rode clear of the suburbs of 



39 



