194 WILD FRUITS 



being a])oiit the size of tlie ordinary black currant and 

 having a fair fia\'our. They were Ijorne thinly on the 

 bunches, and the whole plant had the peculiar odour of 

 the common kind. 



A species of dwarf rul)us, about six inches high and 

 bearing a single yellow berry of excellent flavour, was 

 common, the fruit being often eaten by my coolies and 

 myself when on the march. They are also gathered 

 by the Tibetan women and sold at Ta-tsien-lu. Wild 

 strawberries and small wild gooseberries of no value 

 were also common. 



While at Pu-tzu-fong I heard that all sorts of 

 rumours were abroad about my presence Ijeing the 

 cause of the severe weather, and that the inhabitants 

 of Mo-si-mien were so excited on the subject, and so 

 furious with me, that it would be unsafe to visit the 

 place. I had therefore reluctantly to abandon my 

 project of seeing it, and the next day I returned to 

 Celestial Cottage, as I called ray hut on the hills. 



Before making the trip just mentioned, I had sent 

 two collectors down to Pu-tzu-fong, one being a capital 

 man whom I thought I could trust. He was pilot of my 

 boat, and had the year before done very well indeed, 

 <-ollecting at Chin-kou-ho. After ten days' stay, how- 

 ever, they came back, saying that the natives would 

 not allow them to collect, but that they knew of a place 



