FROM TONKIN TO INDIA 



terror of tigers, which even invaded their hovels, and had recently 

 carried off two men : we ourselves met many traces of these animals 

 for several days. Our surroundings, however, improved by the 

 19th (March), when we were on the descent into the valley of 

 the La-niou-ho, an affluent of the Lysiang-kiang, or Black River ; 

 within five miles of which gold was said to be found. The fog 



cleared off; instead of forest, 

 we had rice or poppy fields, 

 terraced villages amid Indian 

 fig-trees festooned with orieantic 

 creepers or covered with hairy 

 orchids, and open tracts of 

 moss - ^rrown rocks and fern. 

 The air was scented with 

 orange blossom and alive with 

 sethyopiga of brilliant hue ; 

 through such scenery, typical 

 of Upper Tonkin, we made 

 the stage to Ngapa. One 

 could not but be struck with 

 the degradation of the women 

 of this district : with scarcely a 

 rag to cover them, they were 

 here, as in Thibet, little better 

 than beasts of burden, the hewers of wood and drawers of water. 

 A cotton caravan met us here, coming from a region beyond 

 the tea plantations, eighteen days distant. The cotton is bought 

 at eight taels the pecuV and sold for fourteen. This commodity 

 might with advantage be sent by us from Tonkin. 



^ Pecul = about 133 lbs. 

 64 



Woman at Ngapa. 



