30 THE PHY-DZA 
loads, the Ichang coolies being quite incapable of getting 
them up; and luckily Iwas able to engage some of the 
mountaineers, who have a totally different way of carry- 
ing from the natives of the plains. They have a deep 
conical basket, flattened on the side which is next their 
back, and springing round in a bold semicircle. At the 
top of the flat side are two large beckets through which 
the arms are passed. This is called a pey-dza, and after 
it has been filled to the brim they pile up articles on the 
top till they reach high above their heads when in the 
carrying position, and lash them securely down. They 
all carry sticks, and use them when resting to support 
their loads, one end being placed on the ground and the 
other under the bottom of the pey-dza. 
The ascent took about two hours and a half, and 
there was only one hut on the path up. Here, the owner 
being luckily at home, we were able to get some water 
and rest awhile. From this point the track trends to 
the west and is more level, and at about midday I 
arrived at two huts. The aneroid here showed that the 
altitude reached was 4,200 feet. The country was 
park-like, with detached clumps of timber, and watered 
by several small streams. Across a valley I could see a 
high range thickly wooded, and felt confident that this 
must be the virgin forest that Dr. Henry’s collector had 
informed me of. By dint of hard work I managed to 
