Page:A wandering student in the Far East vol.1 - Zetland.djvu/303

Rh of a caravan of twenty mules, bound from Tali Fu with a consignment of opium for the capital.

North-west of Hūnghai the road ascends a range of mountains, and passing through a gap at no very great altitude, drops by a gradual descent to another plain, in which stands the town of Ch'ao-chou. A heavy crop of beans stood in the valley, and poppy was also growing in large quantities. From here a walk of thirty li over level ground brought us on the morning of February 10th to Hsia-kuan, a distributing centre of considerable importance occupying a fine strategic position at the mouth of the rich valley of Tali Fu. Few retail shops are to be seen, but large warehouses and offices tell of its commercial importance. The Hsia-kuan river, which drains the vast lake running south and north along the Tali valley, flows languidly through the town prior to entering a gorge a mile or so to the west, down which it rushes with all the force and fury of a mountain torrent. Crossing it by a fine stone bridge, we ascended the long, steep, stone-paved street which leads