170 THE ^GOLDEN SUMMIT' 



in places with snow and ice. The summit was reached 

 at 2.45 P.M., and it was bitterly cold; but this was 

 not to be wondered at, for it is elevated 11,100 feet 

 above the sea-level. Just before reaching the top the 

 road passed through gloomy pine forests, and the views 

 down the ravines to the lower spurs were very fine 

 when the clouds below admitted. 



The " Golden Summit,' as it is called by the Chinese, 

 has once had a magnificent temple erected on it, but 

 this is now a mass of ruins, having been destroyed by 

 lightning. This temple must have been constructed 

 entirely of bronze, as there are a large number of slabs, 

 pillars, and pieces of architraves lying about in a con- 

 fused mass, all being made of that metal. In the wooden 

 temple which has been erected close by, a few of the 

 bronze panels have been used by being let into the 

 walls and gilded, but all those outside seem to have no 

 care bestowed upon them, and are left to perish. All 

 these slabs are ornamented with the figure of Buddha, 

 as may be seen in the illustration. There is a bronze 

 pagoda about fifteen feet high erected on a wooden 

 platform close to the edge of probably the highest pre- 

 cipice in the world. It is not much out of the perpen- 

 dicular, and at least a mile in depth. The edge is 

 guarded by rails and chains which no one is allowed 

 to touch, but it is easy to see down. In the temple 



