Hazrat Ali and his compatriot, and the remaining two by the personal 

 servants. The muleteers and grooms found quarters for themselves and their 

 animals in the village, and, during the time that tents were used, camping- 

 grounds were always chosen to be within easy reach of some suitable village. 



On September 29th an early start was made. Just before camp was 

 struck we received a farewell visit from Mr. and Mrs. McCoy, who, with Miss 

 Sowerby, had ridden over from T'ai-yiian Fu to see the last of the expedition. 



For the first five miles our road gradually ascended the dry boulder-strewn 

 bed of a mountain stream. It then entered a deep, narrow gorge, and up this 

 we travelled for several miles, and after a sharp ascent reached the village of 

 Hsieh-tao-ts'un. From this point we obtained a last view of T'ai-yiian as-it 

 lay in the plain, a thousand feet below us, with its gate-towers and sweeping 

 city walls. 



From Hsieh-tao to Sheng-yi, where camp was pitched, the road lay along 

 the tops of shale ridges ; in places it was very rough, but no great difficulty 

 was experienced by the sure-footed mules. The country along this part of the 

 road was wild and covered with scrub, whilst the slopes surrounding Sheng-yi 

 were clothed in conifers. This district is full of small game and wild pig, and 

 in consequence is frequently visited by residents of T'ai-yiian Fu during the 

 shooting season. The natives we found to be very poor, sufficient crops to 

 last them through the winter being raised only with the greatest difficulty. 

 Several coal mines were noticed near Hsieh-tao ; but the low price of coal in 

 T'ai-yiian affords the miner but a poor return for his labour. The coal, after 

 being carried for fifteen miles on mules, is delivered to the consumer at the 

 rate of two and a half cash per catty, which works out at about eight 

 shillings a ton. 



From the figures recorded on the road-wheel, Sheng-yi was estimated to 

 be sixteen miles from T'ai-yiian Fu, and almost due west of it. On 

 September 30th the caravan left Sheng-yi, and continued its route over the 

 mountains, still in a westerly direction, patches of scrub, pine spinneys and 

 small spaces of cultivated ground being met with. By climbing a peak to the 

 left of the bridle-path, which served as a road, an extended view of the 

 surrounding country could be obtained. Ahead of us some eighty miles 

 towered the Chiao-ch'6ng Shan, and so clear was the air that in every 

 direction the peaks stood out sharply defined, as though viewed through some 

 powerful telescope. 



Throughout the march a sharp look-out for game was kept by the more 

 enthusiastic sportsmen of the partj'. Clark and Grant found abundance of 



