HANOI TO MONGTSE 



desire to see more of them, by taking a different route to 

 Ssumao on the ri^ht bank of the Red River. To the questions 

 we put at Manhao, the reply was that there was no road but 

 that followed by the caravans through Mongtse and Yuen-chiang. 

 The telegraph clerk, however, mentioned to me that he had 

 heard of a path on the right bank, though a very bad one. 

 Here, at any rate, was a clue. Roux and I discovered this path 

 on foot, saw that it continued in the distance, and was fit for 

 mules. While reconnoitring, we passed through the pretty little 

 village of Lao-Manhao, opposite which was a wood of mimosa, 

 tamarisk, and other trees, covering the base of the hill. I have 

 rarely found a spot of equal fragrance, and interest for the 

 ornithologist ; small birds in great variety fluttered in it, and I 

 secured some good specimens. 



The mode of employing our time in Manhao was pleasant 

 enough, but it was not getting on at all. So that it was with 

 pleasure that we saw one part of our effects start under the care 

 of M. Dupont's factor, who was to convoy them as far as 

 Mongtse. We made a bargain for some mules, at the rate of 

 nine "tens" apiece to Mongtse, which was one "ten" more than 

 the ordinary tariff. They carried thirty-eight of our packages. 



On the 14th (February) eighteen pack animals, sent to us from 



Mongtse, came in. We were now able to depart. At the last 



moment another delay arose in the disposal of the loads, which 



were too heavy. The Yiinnan method of loading the animals 



was to place a pad upon a wooden saddle, with two side pieces 



fitting close to the shoulder. There was no girth ; the' saddle 



was simply kept in position by breast and crupper straps. Either 



flap had on the outer side a small wooden peg, sole support 



of a light and capacious frame, to which the baggage was secured 

 B 17 



