SINO-MONGOLIAN FRONTIER 



it was only with the greatest difficulty that they 

 were induced to proceed at all. Presently we 

 reached the mountains, and entering a deep and 

 winding valley followed it up for about ten miles, 

 when, as darkness was descending, we were obliged 

 to put up for the night at a small village named 

 Wu-lan-pan. 



Continuing up the valley the following day, we 

 crossed the divide at its head, and entered a second, 

 much larger valley, up which we travelled as far 

 as a tiny hamlet called Ssii-he-tien, where we had 

 lunch. Leaving this place, we entered a deep side 

 ravine, the winding boulder-strewn course of which 

 we followed as far as the cart could go. At this 

 point we stopped and pitched camp. 



We were now in the very heart of a region of 

 high, rugged and precipitous mountains, the deep 

 gorges and ravines of which were filled with small 

 timber. This extended up the steep slopes in 

 many places, while away down in the shadowy 

 ravine bottoms sparkling brooks, now only partially 

 ice-bound, gurgled and plashed over the rounded 

 pebbles and polished boulders. Here and there 

 deep pools temptingly invited a plunge, but the 

 little fringe of ice acted as a gentle reminder of 

 the still frigid temperature. In these pools shoals 

 of small fish might be seen darting in and out of 

 the dark caves beneath the overhanging rocks. 

 On the mountain sides the tender green of the 

 sprouting poplars and hazels contrasted strangely 



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