132. ZONES OF VEGETATION 
is a small place, and we stopped the night there. Snow 
is seen just before the village is reached, high up on the 
mountains. 
On July 4 the road to Ta-tsien-lu led up a very deep 
gorge, with immense mountains on each side. A re- 
markably clear stream ran by the side, and here and 
there fell into deep blue pools. The scenery was 
magnificent, and the illustration gives but a faint idea 
of its grandeur. Views up ravines disclosed snow- 
capped mountains, below which were forests of dark 
pine, and the different zones of vegetation could be 
distinctly traced. Just below the snow, grass was 
growing, and then in rotation followed pine forests, 
rhododendrons, mixed evergreens, and then in valleys 
sub-tropical plants. I should here note that the vege- 
tation is more Tibetan in character than Chinese. On 
the road I noticed a single rope suspension bridge over 
ariver. This consisted of a bamboo cable about three 
inches in diameter, stretched across about 120 feet 
above the water, and having a free running plaited 
bamboo ring upon it. From this ring an inverted T- 
piece, with the shank about four feet long, hung, and’ 
light hauling lines were attached to it and to each bank. 
The traveller seats himself on the cross of the T, and 
then, the cable of course being in a curve, on letting go 
from the bank his own weight carries him half-way, or 
