170 COOGTN RROWN : MINES & MINERAL RESOURCES OF YUNNAN. 



done in dwelling houses, the pans being arranged in batteries of 

 14. I estimate that there are about 30 batteries in Yun-lung 

 Chou. The salt is of poor quality and is sold by the government 

 at the rate of S'6 taels per 100 catties. 



The small town of Shih-men-ching lies six miles to the north- 

 east of Yun-lung Chou, a good mule- track 

 jhil,men.chin S brine ^^^ the tw0 places . After crossing the 



Route from Yun-lung r i V er, there is a steep ascent up the east bank 

 Chou * as far as Shan-ting- tzu, whence a gradual 



descent brings the road almost down to the level of the water 

 again at mile 2. On the opposite bank near this place a large hot 

 spring issues from beneath a precipitous cliff of sandstone. Chinese 

 and aborigines come from far and near to bathe in the waters, 

 which are alleged to have curative properties in the treatment of 

 skin diseases. After crossing a tributary stream by a substantial 

 wooden bridge at mile 3, the road ascends and descends and in 

 places is actually built up above the river-bed. The strike of 

 the massive red sandstone veers round to the east and west and 

 there is a dip of 17° to the north. The valley widens out where 

 it receives a tributary coming from the east, the main stream 

 continuing north. Shih-men-ching, a village of about 120 houses, 

 is situated about half a mile up this tributary valley. Imme- 

 diately to the north, stretching for at least 100 miles, is a large 

 area of unsurveyed country which has never been seen by a 

 European. There is not much land suitable for cultivation 

 around Shih-men-ching, and the prosperity of the place has 

 evidently declined in recent years. Numerous rock inscriptions, 

 temples and memorial stones proclaim to the traveller that the 

 village was the birthplace of a Chinese who rose to be governor 

 of the province of Shan-si. This fact is blazoned forth on all 

 sides, and in the eyes of the natives elevates their homestead far 

 above the depressing level of the ordinary \ r unnanese village. 



The Shih-men-ching brine-well is at the eastern end of the 

 village ; it is best described as a twin well as there are two shafts 

 close together. At the time of my visit only one was giving 

 brme ; sweet water was being pumped from the other. There are 

 numerous shrines of patron deities around the well and storage 

 tauks. Brine has been met with here without digging a shaft- 

 so that only a shallow drift is needed and the familiar windlass 

 and untanned skin brine-carrier are absent, the salt water being 



