SPORT AND SCIENCE 



finding that they could not break loose stood 

 trembling under the shelter of the arch. So 

 severe was this particular storm that the train, 

 which had passed but a few minutes before, was 

 held up at the next station, as the engineer feared 

 that it would be derailed if it caught the full force 

 of the gale when crossing the high bridges of the 

 Tung and Hsi-yang Ho. At last the storm passed, 

 and the sun, before it dipped behind the western 

 peaks, shone through the mists, and bathed every- 

 thing in gold. The purple shadows lengthened 

 and the chill of night descended, as we sought 

 shelter at the nearest station inn. 



Next day, as the river was still in flood, we 

 continued along the embankment, noting the 

 devastation wrought by yesterday's storms. For 

 miles the telegraph poles were down, while hun- 

 dreds of fine trees had been laid low and already 

 were being stripped of their branches and sawn 

 up into logs. In one place a landslide, bringing 

 down with it three mighty elms, effectually barred 

 our path, necessitating a perilous detour into the 

 swirling w^aters and sinking sands of the river bed. 



At last we reached Kalgan, having accom- 

 phshed our task, and I at once proceeded to 

 Tientsin with my specimens. These I shipped to 

 America before the end of the month, and having 

 worked up the results of oiir observations, returned 

 to Kalgan on July 10 ready to start a journey 

 into Mongolia. 



136 



