Chap. XVII. FREQUENT STOKMS. 301 



Hoo to look after the luggage and broken chair, I went 

 on towards the pass, examining the botany of this re- 

 markable district by the way. I met again with the 

 pretty Spircea which I had first seen on the western 

 ranges of the Bohea mountains. Here also it had 

 chosen its home at a high elevation, and was never met 

 with in the valleys, or on the lower sides of the hills. 



When I reached the top of the pass I observed my 

 chairmen and coolies far below. They had evi- 

 dently got everything right again, and were coming 

 onward as fast as they could. I waited for them on 

 the top of the mountain. They said they had been 

 obliged to pay the sum of 200 cash for a pair of new 

 bamboos, a sum which I told them should be repaid 

 to them at the end of their journey. They seemed 

 very much pleased, and afterwards showed their 

 gratitude in many little ways. 



The day was now far advanced, and we had still a 

 considerable distance to go before reaching the town 

 in which we intended to spend the night. Almost 

 every evening we had had a terrific thunder-storm 

 amongst these mountains, and several hours of heavy 

 rain. The clouds were already threatening, so we 

 pressed on as fast as we could. 



The town came at last into view, beautifully situ- 

 ated in the bosom of the hills. It is called Er-she- 

 pa-tu. Just as we entered it the storm came on, the 

 thunder sounded nearer and nearer, large drops of 

 rain began to fall, and there was no time to lose in 

 seeking an inn. We soon found a comfortable one, 

 and spent the night agreeably enough. 



