SPOKT AND SCIENCE ON THE 



staiuling upon a series of stone terraces running 

 up tlie steep hillsitle. A long lliglit of stairs ex- 

 tends from the base to the topmost shrine, while 

 in thi' extensive grounds are artificial lakes, filled 

 with carp. Old and stately trees stand here and 

 there, the most interesting of which arc two huge 

 Maidenhair trees {(lin^ko biloha), 



\Ve reached Fen-chow Fu two days later, 

 passing on our way the important towns of Chiao- 

 ch'eng Hsien and Wen-sui Hsien. The country 

 between these two places is noted as being the 

 finest grape producing district in China. The 

 grapes grown are mostly purple, but some white 

 varieties occur. In the season these fruits sell at 

 less than one halfpenny per pound. 



Fen-ehou Fu itself is a large business town with 

 an extensive floating population. It has nothing 

 of particular interest to recommend it to the 

 traveller, who is only too anxious to get away 

 from its dirt and smells. 



On leaving this town we took a westerly course, 

 and following a deep and narrow gorge in the 

 limestone formation, crossed a high divide at its 

 head. 



We spent the night at a large village named 

 Wu-ch'eng. From here we turned southward, and 

 after travelling fifteen miles, stopped at a place 

 named Shi-shi-ling, situated in a mountainous and 

 well-wooded district. Here we remained for some 

 days hunting and collecting. 



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