110 COGG1N BHOWN : MINES & MINK HAT, RESOUBCES OF YUNNAN. 



western shores of Lake £rh Hai and the slopes of the steep moun- 

 tains which bound it on the west. The alluvial ground around 

 the lake is one of the most fertile spots in the province and the 

 numerous clusters of prosperous villages bear witness to the 

 large population which the land supports. At Shang-kuan the 

 main northerly route is left and the Yung-pei Ting route continues 

 around the head of the lake for about six miles, as far as the village 

 of Hai-oh'a-ho, whence it strikes north-east, and after crossing the 

 low ridge separating the drainage of Lake firh Hai, (which lies in 

 the watershed of the Mekong), from the Yangtze basin, the second 

 stage of Ta-wang-miao is reached at 29 miles. A short descent 

 from this village leads the road into the valley of a small tributary 

 of the Yangtze flowing north-east to meet its parent stream. For 

 one and a half more days this valley is followed passing through the 

 village of Sin-chen, forming the third stage at 15 miles from Ta- 

 wang-miao, and 44 miles from Ta-li Fu. After meeting the 

 Yangtze itself near T'ien-tzu-miao, the road continues along the 

 south bank of the river until it reaches the ferry at Chin-chiang- 

 kai, stage four, 63 miles from Ta-li Fu, There is a gradual descent 

 of over 2,300 feet between Ta-wang-miao and the river. Here the 

 Yangtze is a large river, over 600 feet broad, with a swift current 

 strangled between bare mountain ranges whose rocky slopes form 

 the outstanding features of the landscape of this most desolate 

 region. There is an almost entire absence of trees here and 

 the inhabitants are a miserable mixed breed of Chinese, Lisu and 

 Pai-i, living in small, isolated village communities. Brigands do 

 not hesitate to attack the solitary traveller, and as in other parts 

 of Yunnan off the main routes, wayfarers took advantage of the 

 protection afforded by a large caravan and journeyed with me from 

 place to place. Chin-chiang-kai is a small, partly walled village 

 of 40 or 50 houses. It owes its importance to its situation at the 

 ferry by which the roads from Ta-li Fu and Kn-ch'uan Chou cross 

 the Yangtze. Another cross road leads to lio-ch*ing Chou and 

 Li-chiang Fu. 



Yung-pei T'ing lies 43 miles to the north of Chin-chiang-kai, 

 a distance which can be traversed easily in three days. The road 

 is in good condition and quite passable for laden animals. It 

 starts along the north bank of the Yangtze from Chin-chiang-kai, 

 and then turns north up a tributary valley ; after gradually ascend- 

 ing it arrives at the village of Alan-kuan at 13.1 miles. The next 



