Page:Through China with a camera.pdf/434

 is made up of charcoal, so that persons sleeping there are apt to be poisoned by the fumes. Such a calamity indeed at times will occur. In other respects those who are used to a brick bed and a billet of wood for a pillow may sleep comfortably enough; unless by chance the bricks become red-hot, and then one is apt to be done brown. We left Nankow at six o'clock in the morning, and followed the old Mongol road formed by blocks of prophyry and marble. Through the pass our convey- ances were litters slung between two mules, one in front and the other behind. Although there is here a great traffic between Thibet, Mongolia, Russia and China, the road in many places was all but impassable, not to say extremely dangerous, skirting as it does precipitous rocks where the slip of a hoof on the part of either mule might end in a fatal accident. We were constantly falling in with long trains of camels, mules and donkeys, all heavily laden, some with brick-tea for the Mongolian and Russian markets, while others bore produce to the capital from the outer dependencies of China. At Kew-yung-kwan, an inner spur of the Great Wall sweeps across the pass; and here, too, is the old arch which has been rendered famous by Mr. Wylie's successful labours in translating the Buddhist prayer inscribed in six different languages on its inner wall. On this arch, too, we find bas-reliefs representing the Kings of the Devas in Buddhist mythology. The structure is supposed to have been erected during the Yuen dynasty, and is said originally to have carried a pagoda on its summit; but this was afterwards taken down by the Mings, to propitiate the Mongol tribes. I have on an- other page drawn attention to the Indian mythological figures with which this arch is adorned, and Mr. Wylie's notice of the inscription will be found in the *' Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society," Vol. V., Part i, pp. 14 ^^q^