class="center">CH’UNG-K’ING TO THE CAPITAL OF KUEI-CHOW.

My overland caravan—Harvesting opium—Field-fishing—Wood-oil—The manufacture of paper—Salt carriers—Silkworms and their food—Rice or Pith paper, and its manufacture—The Kuei-chow frontier—Minerals—First meeting with Miao-tzŭ—Poetical description of Chinese inns—T’ung-tzŭ, its poppy valley and tunnelling—Ingenious bamboo water-wheels—Scant population amid ruins of fine houses—Coal-dust as fuel—The Wu Chiang River—Destruction of the iron suspension bridge—Northern Kuei-chow, a Miao-tzŭ graveyard—Opium-sodden inhabitants—The capital of the Province—An interview with the Governor of Kuei-chow 14 Chapter III. WESTWARD TO YÜN-NAN. White wax insects—Terrific hailstorm and its effects—Miao-tzŭ houses and women—An-shun Fu—Limestone cave—Pai-shui waterfall—Reception at Lang-t’ai T’ing—Lang-wang Mountain and the “Cave of the Spirits”—Caught in a thunderstorm—The pebbly strand of the Mao-k’ou River—Pack-animals and their treatment—The Yün-nan frontier—A cart at last—Exploring a cave—Underground rivers—Exceptional courtesy—Goître—Breeding ground of the Yün-nan pony—Trade route to Tonquin—Marching knee-deep in mud and water—Poverty of inhabitants—Queen’s Birthday dinner in a back yard—Chinese inquisitiveness—The Sung-ming Lake—A local escort—A glorious view—Yün-nan Fu. 35 Chapter IV. THROUGH NORTH-EASTERN YÜN-NAN TO THE YANG-TSZE. The city of Yün-nan Fu—P’u-êrh tea—Opium-smoking, chair-bearers, and personal care—Exposure of robbers’ heads—Chinese school—Rainbow superstition—Entertainment at Tung-ch’uan Fu—A successful ruse—Stopped by a mountain torrent—Lodged in a byre—On the banks of the Niu-lan River—The Chao-t’ung plain and its lakes—Stories of Lolo bloodshed—Down from the plain—Narrow escape of a porter—Back to Ssŭ-ch’uan—Descent of the Nan-kuang River—Down the Yang-tsze to Ch’ung-k’ing 54 Chapter V. FROM CH’UNG-K’ING TO THE CAPITAL OF SSŬ-CH’UAN. Fu-t’ou-kuan—The country and its products—Chinese New Year—Charcoal from bracken—Ramie fibre and grass-cloth—Down a tributary of the T’o—The T’o and its commercial importance—The salt wells of Tzu-liu-ching—Sugar and safflower—The Ch’êng-tu plain—Beggars—The capital of Ssŭ-ch’uan 70 Chapter VI. THROUGH LOLODOM AND THE VALLEY OF CHIEN-CH’ANG. A Tibetan criminal in a cage—The armed ruffians of Chiung Chou—A floating bamboo bridge—Brick tea for Tibet—Fraternizing with Tibetan pilgrims on the summit of the Flying Dragon Pass—Chinese originality—Over the Ta Hsiang Ling Pass—A non-Chinese race—Across the Ta-tu River under Sifan protection—In the country of the Lolos—Lolo language—Sifan language—Asbestos cloth—A dangerous country—Lolo rogues—Over the Hsiao Hsiang Ling Pass—Lolo women—The valley of Chien-ch’ang—Ning-yuan Fu 88 Chapter VII. THROUGH CAINDU TO CARAJAN. Earthquakes—The reception of foreigners at Ning-yuan—The fertility of the Ning-yuan plain—Goître and the salt supply—Historical hailstorm—A Tibetan caravan—Crossing the Ya-lung River—A riot at Hang-chou—Reception at Yen-yuan and increased protection—Brine wells of Pai-yen-ching—Driven back by mountain barriers—The Yün-nan frontier—A sight of the Yang-tsze—Results of the Mohammedan rebellion—The Lake of the Black Mist—On the banks of the Golden River—A deserted town—The plague—First glimpse of the snow-capped Tsang-shan—A magnificent view—On the shores of the Erh Hai—Ta-li Fu at last. 112 Chapter VIII. TA-LI FU TO YÜN-NAN FU. A view from the walls of Ta-li—The Mohammedan rebellion—A dying patriot’s prayer—Tibetan dogs—Amherst pheasants—A visit to the marble quarries—False musk—Min-chia maidens—The Ta-li plain—Playful gusts from the Tsang-shan—Good-bye Ta-li—A folklore hunting ground—The Erh Hai and the Mekong—Trade with Upper Burmah—Canton peddlers—Hsia-kuan, or the “Lower Fortress”—Ruined cities—Wretched roads—Half-starved—The foreigner and the camel—Marked courtesy at Ch’u-hsiung Fu—Yün-nan salt wells—A sackful of mails—A roadside trial—Across the Yün-nan lake—Three days in Yün-nan Fu—Trade with Western China and the introduction of railways. 131 Chapter IX. THROUGH THE WEST OF KUEI-CHOW TO THE YANG-TSZE. The advantages of scholars en route to Examination—Highroad converted into a reservoir—Quartered in a chimney—Intolerable inquisitiveness—Travellers, beware of T’ang-t’ang!—The Yün-nan-Kuei-chow border—Lakes and their drainage—Again among the Miao-tzŭ—The valley of the Ch’i-hsing River—Bark paper—“Heaven’s Bridge” and its mining catastrophe—The copper traffic—Across the Ch’ih-shui River into Ssŭ-ch’uan—Over the Hsüeh-shan Pass—A child of nature—A refractory roadside deity—Down the Yung-ning River—A narrow escape—Down the Yang-tsze to Ch’ung-k’ing 147 Chapter X. TO THE WHITE WAX COUNTRY, THE SACRED MOUNT O-MEI, AND THE HIGHEST NAVIGABLE POINT ON THE YANG-TSZE. An unfortunate start—North to Ho Chou—Chinese soy—Varnish and its collection—Young trees from the old—Light-hearted peasants—The garden of Ssŭ-ch’uan—Otter fishing—Man-tzŭ caves—A great sugar country—Glimpse of O-mei—Chief silk country in Western China—Ascent of O-mei—Sweet tea of O-mei—The Golden Summit—The Glory of Buddha—Pilgrims and their devotions—O-mei beggars—A difficult descent—Official