melting of the recent heavy snows, the Chien-tsai Ho, up the right bank of 

 which the caravan travelled all day, was slightly in flood, and the current was 

 rapid, flowing at about six miles an hour. 



On March 3rd Liu-chia-hua was reached, a village situated another 

 eighteen miles up the same valley. The road, though good, was very winding 

 in its course, whilst the country was prosperous-looking and well cultivated. 

 Leaving Liu-chia-hua on March 5th, the caravan continued up the valley for 

 fifteen miles, finally reaching a small village named J6n-sa-ho. From here a 

 high range of mountains could be discerned stretching away to the south. 

 The following day a loess pass of some 7600 feet was crossed, and a descent 

 made into Ku-yiian Chou. This large and prosperous town is situated close 

 to the hills, and at the commencement of a somewhat extensive plain. Away 

 to the south can be seen the massive peaks and ridges of the Liu-p'an Shan, 

 whilst to the north and west the country rises very gradually into loess hills. 

 The population of this town must be close upon 5000, and it is the distributing 

 centre of a large area ; its prosperity being due to the large number of 

 Mohammedans, both in the town itself and in the surrounding district. The 

 expedition rested here till March i6th, comfortable quarters having been found 

 in the suburb outside the south gate. The town is about fourteen miles from 

 Jen-sa-ho and has an altitude of about 6300 feet. 



On leaving Ku-yiian, the travellers encountered country which differed 

 considerably from anything they had yet traversed, either in Shensi or Kansu. 

 The road for the first few miles lay in a south-westerly direction, slowly 

 ascending to the foot of a rocky ridge. Crossing this ridge, the caravan 

 descended into a narrow valley running in a southerly direction between two 

 other high and rocky ridges. For some miles the road slowly ascended the 

 valley, which grew steadily narrower, ending finally in a low pass. The sides 

 of the valley were very precipitous, ascending to the height of some thousand 

 feet above the road. There was a certain amount of vegetation, but for the 

 most part the highest slopes were covered with grass only. After crossing the 

 pass the caravan followed a ravine, which extended in a south-westerly 

 direction. The sides of this ravine were lower than those of that previously 

 ascended, whilst rich, red earth took the place of the limestone hitherto 

 encountered. To the east could be seen a chain of high, rugged and snow- 

 covered mountains extending in a south-easterly direction. There was now 

 more vegetation along the roadside, and the slopes of the red-earth hills were 

 under cultivation. At last the ravine widened out, and a small village situated 

 within and below the remains of an old garrison town was reached. This was 



57 



