Then over and between barren
hills, passing a small lake and plain with the considerable town of
Yuen-nan-hsien ten li to the right, I continued in a narrow valley and
over mountains in the same uncultivated condition to Hungay, situated in
a swampy valley. Having crossed this valley, another rough climb brings
the traveler to the top of the next pass, Ting-chi-ling, whence the road
descends, and leads by a well-cultivated valley to Chao-chow. After an
easy thirty li we reached Hsiakwan,[AD] one of the largest commercial
cities in the province, lying at the foot of the most magnificent
mountain range in Yuen-nan, and by the side of the most famous lake. A
paved road takes one in to his destination at Tali-fu, where I was
welcomed by Dr. and Mrs. Clark, of the China Inland Mission, and
hospitably entertained for a couple of days.
The roads in general from Yuen-nan-fu to Tali-fu were worse than any I
have met from Chung-king onwards, partly owing to the mountainous
condition of the country, and partly to neglect of maintenance.
Where the road is paved, it is in most places worse than if it had not
been paved at all, as neither skill nor common sense seems to have been
exercised in the work.
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