194 WILD FRUITS 
being about the size of the ordinary black currant and 
‘having a fair flavour. They were borne thinly on the 
bunches, and the whole plant had the peculiar odour of 
the common kind. 
A species of dwarf rubus, 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 1 heard that all sorts of 
‘rumours were abroad about my presence being 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 my 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 | thought I could trust. He was pilot of my 
boat, and had the year before done very well indeed, 
collecting 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 
