YA-CHOW-FU 211 
roads during the day had been rough, but shady in many 
places, and just before the halting-place was arrived 
at, two small suspension bridges were passed over. 
July 27.—Arrived at Shih-chia-chiao, a small village 
seventy li from Ya-chow-fu. The mosquitoes were very 
troublesome here. 
July 28.—Starting at daylight, the road commenced 
almost immediately to descend. Many coolies were 
passed, those going westward being loaded with tea in 
paos or slabs, tobacco, coarse cloth, small china basins, 
grass sandals, salt, rice and several kinds of paper. 
Those we overtook going east were carrying iron 
utensils, probably from Yung-chine-hsien, medicines and 
coal of apparently good quality. A ridge 3,750 feet 
above the sea was crossed during the day and Ya-chow- 
fu reached at 6.30 P.M. 
July 29.—This morning I was visited by a custom- 
house official, who brought a host of underlings with 
him. His business was to inform me that orders had 
been received from Cheng-tu directing that I was to 
travel by Hung-ya-hsien. After changing coolies, dis- 
missing those from Ta-tsien-lu and hiring fresh ones, I 
found that the loads had to be altered to suit a different 
system of carrying. 
A start was made at 11.30 a.m. and a tributary of 
the Ya was crossed by myself and a few coolies when a 
P2 
