It touched ground at about two hundred and fifty
feet below this point, and then rolled out of sight. My men exhibited no
concern, and laughed me down because I did. It was, as they said, merely
diseased, and the muleteers went on their way, leaving horse and loads
to Providence. This sort of thing is not uncommon.--E.J.D.]
CHAPTER XXI.
_The mountains of Yuen-nan_. _Wonderful scenery_. _Among the
Mohammedans_. _Sorry scene at Ch'u-tung_. _A hero of a horrid past_.
_Infinite depth of Chinese character_. _Mule falls one hundred and fifty
yards, and escapes unhurt_. _Advice to future travelers_. _To Shayung_.
_We meet Tibetans on the mountains_. _Chinese cruelty_. _Opium smoker as
a companion_. _Opium refugees_. _One opinion only on the subject_.
_Mission work among smokers and eaters._
Mere words are a feeble means to employ to describe the mountains of
Yuen-nan.
As I start from Hwan-lien-p'u this morning, to the left high hills are
picturesquely darkened in the soft and unruffled solemnity of their own
still unbroken shade. Opposite, rising in pretty wavy undulation, with
occasional abruptions of jagged rock and sunken hollow, the steep
hill-sides are brought out in the brightest coloring of delicate light
and shade by the golden orb of early morn; towering majestically
sunwards, sheer up in front of me, high above all else, still more
sombre heights stand out powerfully in solemn contrast against the pale
blue of the spring sky, the effect in the distance being antithetical
and weird, with the magnificent Ts'ang Shan[AY] standing up as a
beautiful background of perpendicular white, from whence range upon
range of dark lines loom out in the hazy atmosphere.
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