Chapter XXII: Appendix: Itineraries

───┬────────────┬────────────────┬─────────┬──────┬────────────────────
No.│ From │ To │Distance │Stages│ Remarks.
│ │ │in Miles │ │
───┼────────────┼────────────────┼─────────┼──────┼────────────────────
1 │T’ai-yuan Fu│Sui-tê Chou │ 180│ 9│Via Fên-chou Fu
2 │Yen-an Fu │Yü-lin Fu │ 211│ 10│Via Ching-pien Hsien
3 │Yü-lin Fu │Pao-tê Chou │ 136│ 5│
4 │Pao-tê Chou │Ning-wu Fu │ 121│ 6│Via Ko-lan Chou
5 │Ning-wu Fu │T’ai-yuan Fu │ 101│ 4│Via Hsin Chou
6 │T’ai-yuan Fu│Ning-wu Fu │ 106│ 6│Via Tsing-lo Hsien
7 │Kalgan │Hsi-wan-tzŭ │ 33½│ 2│
8 │Yang-kao │K’uci-hua-ch’êng│ 127│ 6│Southern Route
│„ „ │„ „ │ 133│ 7│Northern Route
───┴────────────┴────────────────┴─────────┴──────┴────────────────────

ITINERARY No. 1.

T’ai-yuan Fu to Sui-tê Chou (via Fên-chou Fu). Distance, 180 miles; 9 stages.

There is a cart road as far as Fên-chou Fu, which is good in winter but sometimes impassable in the rainy season. From Fên-chou Fu, only mule traffic is possible.

STAGE 1. Chin-esŭ (15 miles). General direction: S.W. Traverse level
plain, crossing Fên Ho (by bridge in winter, ford or ferry
in summer) two miles S.W. of T’ai-yüan Fu. Pass through
low-lying fields to base of hills, where the road becomes
rocky. Good inn at Chin-ssŭ, and fine old temple.

STAGE 2. K’ai-shi (27 miles). General direction: S.W. Road good all
the way. Pass important town of Chiao-ch’êng Hsien (20
miles), where there are inns. Inns at K’ai-shi very bad.

STAGE 3. Fên-chou Fu (24 miles). General direction: S.W. Pass
important town of Wên-sui Hsien (10 miles). Good inns
at Fên-chou Fu. Latitude (East Gate) 37° 15′ 42″ N.,
Longitude 111° 48′ 2″. Altitude 2,600 ft.

STAGE 4. Wu-ch’eng (24 miles). General direction: West. Travel up
loess valley and crossing a pass descend into limestone
canyon at Hsiang-yang (10 miles). Follow up canyon and
cross high pass descending rough stony valley to
Wu-ch’êng. Several inns at Wu-ch’êng.

STAGE 5. Yung-ning Chou (15 miles). General direction: West. Follow
river valley along a good road. Good inns at Yung-ning
Chou.

STAGE 6. Liu-lin-chên (15 miles). General direction: S.W. Road
follows down valley, first south 5 miles and then west.
Good inns at Liu-lin-chên, which is a prosperous place.

STAGE 7. K’ang-chia-t’a (20 miles). General direction: N.W.
Continuing down the valley for about 8 miles the road hugs
the side, finally turning abruptly up a side ravine. A
very steep ascent to high loess pass, and winding descent
to bed of Yellow River. This is crossed by ferry. Road
follows along the right bank in a westerly direction for 5
miles to K’ang-chia-t’a, where there is a good inn.

STAGE 8. Yi-ho-ch’êng (20 Miles). General Direction: N.W. A stiff
climb on leaving K’ang-chia-t’a, followed by some miles
over loess tops, and then descent along winding ravine
to Yi-ho-ch’êng. Good mule track. Several good inns at
Yi-ho-ch’êng.

STAGE 9. Sui-tê Chou (20 miles). General direction: West. N.W. up
deep loess ravine, over loess pass and S.W. down second
ravine to valley of Wu-ting-Ho, up course of which 8 miles
to Sui-tê Chou, situated on the right bank. Good mule
track. Good inns in south suburb. Latitude (South Gate)
37° 29′ 51″ N., Longitude 110° 13′ 49″ E. Altitude 2,300
ft.

For Itinerary of the journey from Sui-tê Chou to Yen-an Fu, _vide_ “Through Shên-Kan,” Appendix I (a), pp. 159–161.

ITINERARY No. 2.

Yen-an Fu to Yü-lin Fu (via Ching-pien Hsien).

Distance, 211 miles; 10 stages.

Mule track all the way, though big wheeled carts could be used in the Ordos.

STAGE 1. Chou-tung (20 miles). General direction: N.W. Good mule
track following valley all the way. Pass An-sai Hsien
(15 miles), where there are inns. Cross river once or
twice without difficulty. Good inn at Chou-tung (a small
village).

STAGE 2. Hua-tzŭ-p’ing (23 miles). General direction: N.W. Road same
as stage 1; passing a few small villages. Cross river
several times. Good inn at Hua-tzŭ-p’ing.

STAGE 3. Ma-tzŭ-wan (30 miles). General direction: N.W. This journey
is made arduous by numerous fordings of the river, 68 in
number, but not hard, especially toward the end. Near head
of valley a steep and difficult ascent leads to small farm
and inn called Ma-tzŭ-wan. No other stopping place. Poor
inn.

STAGE 4. Ching-pien Hsien (18 miles). General direction: N.W. A mere
bridle-path descending into a deep valley. Ascending other
side and crossing sandy flats reaches Ching-pien Hsien,
where there are several inns.

STAGE 5. Ning-t’iao-liang (10 miles). General direction: North.
Immediately on leaving Ching-pien, a treacherous stream in
a deep ravine must be crossed. Ascending on to flat plain
the road leads straight north over sand to scattered farms
(Chinese) called Ning-t’iao-liang. No inns.

STAGE 6. Hung-tu-er Chieh (20 miles). General direction: N.E. Road
lies over sand hills crossing here and there low ridges of
harder ground. Sand very hard to walk in. Road not always
easy to discern, especially after sandstorm. Very bad
inns.

STAGE 7. Ma-ni Ho (20 miles). General direction: N.E. Road same as
stage 6. Cross a river named Chang-feng-pan Ho (15 miles).
Ma-ni Ho on a small river of same name. Poor inn.

STAGE 8. Hai-lin-t’u Ho (20 miles). General direction: N.E. Road same
as stage 6, but more sand hills. Hai-lin-t’u Ho also on
small river of same name. Poor inn.

STAGE 9. Hung-t’u-er (25 miles). General direction: N.E. Road even
more sandy than stage 8; the soft sand making very hard
going. Rather good inn.

STAGE 10. Yü-lin Fu (25 miles). General direction: N.E. Road very
sandy and going very hard, otherwise same as preceding
stages. Just before reaching Yü-lin Fu strike river bed
and turn S. 4 miles to the city.

Yü-lin Fu, Latitude (South Gate) 38° 16′ 54″. Longitude 109°
44′ 59″ (Clark).

ITINERARY No. 3.

Yü-lin Fu to Pao-tê Chou.

Distance, 136 miles; 5 stages.

Between these two places there is only a mule track. In places where this skirts deep ravines in the loess it is rather dangerous. The country is very barren and food and fodder are scarce.

STAGE 1. Tuan-ch’iang (20 miles). General direction: N. Sandy road
all day. Hard going. Midday halt at Chang-lo-pu. Deep
loess gullies make road rather dangerous towards end of
day’s journey. Tuan-ch’iang is an inn; there are no
others.

STAGE 2. Kao-chia-pu (23 miles). General direction: N.E. First part
of road dangerous owing to treacherous path along deep
loess ravines. The road crosses the Wall and makes detour
into sandy desert. Midday halt at T’uoh-nieh-tzŭ-kou. Road
follows stream from here eastward to Kao-chia-pu, inside
the Wall. Good inns.

STAGE 3. Shên-mu Hsien (33 miles). General direction: N.E. Road less
dangerous, though still sandy and tedious. It follows
stream bed, ascending hill to Pei-li-pu, descending other
side, it next turns N.N.W. up a large valley to Shên-mu
Hsien. Good inns.

STAGE 4. Chêng-hsiang-pu (27 miles). General direction: N.E. Road
follows up river bed to Yung-shing-pu, where midday halt
is made. Climb hills to Chêng-hsiang-pu. Good inns.

STAGE 5. Pao-tê Chou (23 miles). General direction: East. Descend
stream bed all the way. Stop for midday at Ku-shan-pu.
Road fairly good. Reaching Yellow River at Fu-liu Hsien,
the crossing is effected by means of ferries. Pao-tê Chou
on left bank. Good inns in suburb.

ITINERARY No. 4.

Pao-tê Chou to Ning-wu Fu.

Distance, 121 miles; 6 stages.

This is a rough journey, in which two ranges of hills are crossed. There is only a mule track.

STAGE 1. Ta-t’a-pu (15 miles). General direction: E.S.E. Crossing the
ridge on which Pao-tê Chou stands, the road descends into
a deep ravine up which it follows all the way. Midday halt
at Ch’iao-tóu. Good inn at Ta-t’a-pu.

STAGE 2. Shih-tzŭ-yieh (27 miles). General direction: E.S.E. The road
continues up the same ravine. Midday halt at Sui-yü-kuan.
At the end of ravine a steep ascent brings one to the
crest of a high ridge, where Shih-tzü-yieh (a farm) is
situated. Lack of water in this country.

STAGE 3. K’o-lan Chou (10 miles). General direction: S.E. This stage
is a short one, the road following down a deep and stony
ravine to K’o-lan Chou. Good inns.

STAGE 4. Wu-tsai Hsien (24 miles). General direction: N.E. Cart road
ascends dry stream bed to its source. A low ridge is
crossed, and the road enters Wu-tsai plain. Road rather
stony. Good inns at Wu-tsai.

STAGE 5. Ch’ên-ch’eh Hsien (24 miles). General direction: N.E. Road
less stony; good for carts. Very low ridge is crossed not
far from Wu-tsai. Inn accommodation poor at Ch’êng-ch’eh.

STAGE 6. Ning-wu Fu (10 miles). General direction: S.E. The road, a
mere mule track, leads over a high ridge. Both ascent and
descent are very steep. Good inns at Ning-wu Fu.

ITINERARY No. 5.

Ning-wu Fu to T’ai-yuan Fu (via Hsin Chou).

Distance, 101 miles: 4 stages.

An easy journey. The last three stages are good for cart traffic, though rather bad in very wet weather.

STAGE 1. Tai-niu-tien (27 miles). General direction: S.E. Road, a mule
track, follows up canyon, crossing pass at top. Then descent
is made into a long valley, which narrows down into a deep
gorge just before it comes out on to the Hsin Chou plain. No
inn at Tai-niu-tien.

STAGE 2. Hsin Chou (35 miles). General direction: S.S.E. This is not the
usual stage, but it can be made in summer by making an early
start. Several small villages passed. The whole journey is
along a cart road over the plain.

STAGE 3. Huang-t’u-tsai (24 miles), General direction: South. After
traversing plain for three miles (cross muddy river bed), an
ascent is made and a low pass crossed. Subsequently road
follows through Loess country sunken roads to Huang-t’u-tsai.
Heavy cart traffic and many inns along the road.

STAGE 4. T’ai-yuan Fu (15 miles), General direction: S. The cart road
continues down the dry stream bed, finally reaching the
T’ai-yuan Fu plain. Road good except in rainy season.

ITINERARY No. 6.

T’ai-yuan Fu to Ning-wu Fu (via Tsing-lo Hsien).

Distance, 106 miles; 6 stages.

STAGE 1. Pei-pan (12 miles). General direction: N.W. Cart road lies
over the plain to this village. Good all the year except
in the rainy season. Two or three inns at this village.

STAGE 2. Pei-hsiao-tein-tzŭ (20 miles). General direction: N.W. Road
follows up stony river bed to Kuan-k’ou (3 miles), then
enters deep gorge in mountain. There is a path up side and
along the top of the gorge. This is easier going than
the gorge bottom. 10 miles further to Ling-ching, the
midday halt. Still continue up gorge, now more open, to
Pei-hsiao-tien. Good inns.

STAGE 3. Tsing-lo Hsien (27 miles). General direction: N.W. Shortly
after leaving Pei-hsiao-tein two high passes must be
crossed. The road then descends down stony river bed to
K’ang-chia-hui (12 miles). Continue westward down valley
all the way to Tsing-lo Hsien on the Fên Ho.

STAGE 4. Niu-hua-ch’êng (20 miles). General direction: N.N.E. Follow
up Fên Ho valley all the way. Going good. No cart road.
Midday halt at Yuang-an-chêng (9 miles). Poor inn.

STAGE 5. Tung-tsai (12 miles). General direction: N.N.E. Still
continue up Fên Ho valley. Road same as day before.
Hua-pei-t’ung (5 miles). No inn at Tung-tsai.

STAGE 6. Ning-wu Fu (15 miles). General direction: N.N.E. Cart road
(very rough) follows stony valley up to its head. A very
rough but not steep pass is crossed at Fên-sui-ling (5
miles). Descent into Hua Ho valley. Stony road all the way
to Ning-wu Fu.

ITINERARY No. 7.

Kalgan to Hsi-wan-tzŭ.

Distance, 33½ miles; 2 stages.

A very short, but at times difficult journey. The road prepared for cart traffic is very rough and in spring when the ice is melting, or in the rainy season it is very difficult. It could be done in one day, but is a bit long for that.

STAGE 1. Hsin-yin-tzŭ (13½ miles). General direction: W.N.W. Road as
stated above. First 4 miles northward, then due west to
Hsin-yin-tzŭ. Halfway halt at Kao-chia-yin-tzŭ. Suitable
inns at both places.

STAGE 2. Hsi-wan-tzŭ (20 miles). General direction: N.W. Road as
above; follows stony valley all the way. Poor inns at
Hsi-wan-tzŭ. Catholic Mission has a large establishment.

ITINERARY No. 8.

Yang-kao to K’uei-hua-ch’êng.

Distance, Southern route, 127 miles; 6 stages; Northern route, 133 miles; 7 stages.

This journey is a comparatively easy one. There is a cart road all the way. From T’ien-ch’êng-ts’uen there are two routes; one south and one north of the Tai Hai. The northern is perhaps the easiest.

STAGE 1. Kuan-t’ung-pu (20 miles). General direction: West. The road
first crosses three miles of plain (northward). It then
enters a winding stony gorge going westward, and crossing
low ridge at its head follows a wide valley. Crossing a
low loess plateau in N.W. direction it finally reaches
Kuang-t’ung-pu. Good inn.

STAGE 2. Fên-chêng (12 miles). General direction: W.N.W. Leaving
Kuan-t’ung-pu the road climbs on to a broad plateau, which
it traverses for 8 miles, passing some scattered villages
the largest of which is called He-ke-ta-wan-tzŭ. The
western descent from the plateau is very steep and rough.
4 miles up the valley to Fên-chêng, which is an important
place with good inns.

STAGE 3. T’ien-ch’êng-ts’uen (18 miles). General direction: W.N.W.
The road first crosses a small flat plain, somewhat
swampy, for 3 miles. It then crosses a ridge and reaches
Ma-ts’ang-liang (5 miles). Following a valley up its
course it finally reaches T’ien-ch’êng-ts’uen, passing
Ma-wang-miao (5 miles). Good inns.

_SOUTHERN ROUTE._

STAGE 4. Hsiang-huo-ti (21 miles). General direction: West.
Leaving T’ien-ch’êng-ts’uen the road takes a westerly
course for 5 miles, when it reaches the T’ai Hai plain
at Fang-huo-chêng. It then crosses plain, keeping
south of the lake, and reaches Hsiang-hua-ti, a
catholic village with a church and mission buildings.
Poor inns.

STAGE 5. Yang-p’o-yao-tzŭ (24 miles). General direction: West. Road
goes westward, and, crossing a low pass into valley,
reaches Ning-yuan-ting, passing several small villages on
the way. Next it follows up a stony valley at whose head a
steep pass is crossed. Descent down through stony valley,
which gets very narrow and rough near Yang-p’o-yao-tzŭ.
Two good inns.

STAGE 6. K’uei-hua-ch’êng (32 miles). General direction: N.W. This
is a long stage, and if necessary can be divided into
two, a halt being made at Yang-ke-pa-er (8 miles from
K’uei-hua-ch’êng). The first 6 miles down stony valley, at
whose mouth Hsi-k’ou-men is situated. Subsequently the
road crosses the plain, the first 5 miles to Sha-pu-na (or
Nor) being very sandy is hard going. Other villages from
here on are He-t’an-wan (1½ miles), Pi-chien-fang (1½
miles), Yang-ke-pa-er (3 miles), Ta-pu-na (or Nor) (5
miles), and Ta-he-he (5 miles).

_NORTHERN ROUTE._

STAGE 4. Su-chi (20 miles). General direction North. On leaving
T’ien-ch’êng-ts’uen the road bends to the north-west up a
gradual ascent to a pass in a bluff on the edge of the
T’ai Hai basin, then descends to Pa-ti-hsiah (inns) (5
miles), subsequently turning northward, skirting the
eastern shore of the lake. It passes Ma-liu-t’ung (inns)
(6 miles), Sha-tai-kou (6 miles), when it enters mountain
valley and reaches Su-chi, which place is composed of one
large inn.

STAGE 5. Sui-mo-chien (25 miles). General direction: W.N.W. The
road turns westward up a side valley and crosses a steep
pass (6 miles), descends into another valley passing
Hao-ch’ien-shan (4 miles), and Wu-li-pa (2 miles;
several inns). It then crosses another low pass and
descends valley to Sui-mo-chien, passing Ta-la-pu-la (2
miles, pop. 1,000; several inns), Hung-sha-pa (3 miles),
Ta-yu-ssŭ (3 miles, pop. 500; several inns).

STAGE 6. Mei-tê-erh (18 miles). General direction: W.N.W. Road
follows down valley and is easy going. It passes
Ming-k’ou-mên (3 miles), Lang-tiao-tze (1½ miles),
Ku-li-shih (1½ miles), Ku-chia-wan-tzŭ (3 miles),
Shih-jên-wan (3 miles; good inn). Mei-tê-erh is just
outside the mouth of the valley.

STAGE 7. K’uei-hua-ch’êng (20 miles). General direction: W.N.W. The
road crosses the plain and is easy going. It passes Wu-lu
(5 miles), Pa-tzŭ (4 miles), Tao-ho-lung (2 miles),
Chia-hsiang-yin-tzŭ (3 miles) and Tai-sung (3 miles).
K’uei-hua-ch’êng: pop. 50,000; good inns. Important
commercial centre.

I refrain from giving itineraries of our journey in Inner Mongolia, as unless the main high roads are followed there can be no certainty about the stages and halting places. The Mongols shift their camps, as it suits them, and the traveller perforce pitches his own camp at the end of a day’s run, wherever he can find a supply of water. We did not follow the main high road to Lama-Miao, so cannot give the stages.

_Printed in Great Britain by_ Butler & Tanner, _Frome and London_.

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Footnote 1:

In north China, excepting in Kansu, the best bread is steamed, and
goes by the name of “Chêng mo.”

Footnote 2:

In the winter of 1911, the writer again visited this district, as
leader of the Shensi Relief Expedition.

The effects of the Revolution, which has been described as being
“synonymous with anarchy in Shensi,” were only too painfully evident.
The year’s crops were still standing. Many villages along the high
road were deserted, such of the inhabitants as had escaped death
having betaken themselves to hastily built stockades in the highest
loess hills, while the towns were continually menaced by robber hordes
and lawless bands of the dreaded Ko Lao Hui (Elder Brother Society).

Since that date no word of the prevailing conditions in North Shensi
has reached the outside world, but it is highly probable that the
already scanty population has been still further reduced by sword and
famine, and that large stretches of country under cultivation at the
time of the writer’s first visit to this district, now lie a
wilderness—a refuge for the increasing coveys of game, and a hiding
place for robber bands.—A. DE C. S.

Footnote 3:

In November, 1913, the author, accompanied by Captain T. Holcomb of
the U.S. Marines, visited some mountains in the Kuci-hua-Ch’êng
district, said to contain wapiti. This information turned out to be
correct, and they had splendid sport, securing five wapiti bucks, and
several gorals.

One of the wapiti, shot by the Captain, had a really magnificent pair
of horns, with twelve points, six and six, and measuring:—length along
curve, right 41 inches, left 39½ inches; length, tip to base, right 34
inches, left 31½ inches; widest spread 29½ inches; basal
circumference, right 9½ inches, left 9 inches.

As is usually the case the deer were confined to a comparatively small
area and frequented certain ravines and valleys almost exclusively. To
exactly what species this deer belongs, it is impossible to say. It
may turn out to be an intermediate form between the Manchurian wapiti
(_Cervus xanthopygus_) and the Kansu wapiti (_Cervus kansuensis_).—A.
de C. S.

Footnote 4:

Owing to this town being the temporary terminus of the newly-opened
Chang-sui Extension Line, an extensive trade in grain had sprung up,
to carry on which the merchants had large sums of ready money in
hand.—A. de C. S.

Footnote 5:

This menace no longer exists.

Footnote 6:

Mr. Larson subsequently held for a time the position of adviser on
Mongolian Affairs to the Chinese Government on account of his intimate
knowledge of the country and its people. He now holds rank in Mongolia
equivalent to that of a Prince.

Footnote 7:

Probably overestimated.

Footnote 8:

Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Vol. 60, No. 28.

Footnote 9:

A similar epidemic has taken place this winter (1913–14), so that the
pigs have decreased again.—A. de C. S.

Footnote 10:

This limestone occurs also in the Wu-t’ai Hsien district of Shansi,
besides forming a large mass of the mountains at the famous Nan-k’ou
pass north of Peking, at which point it was described and named
“Untersinisch” by Richthofen. This was subsequently divided from the
Sinian system by the members of the Carnegie Expedition, 1904, who
discovered the unconformity between the two systems.

Footnote 11:

This company was formed by the gentry of the province to exploit the
mineral resources (chiefly coal and iron) after the redemption of the
mining rights from the Pekin Syndicate, by the payment, it is said, of
Tls. 2,250,000. The concession was first obtained by the Pekin
Syndicate in 1898, and was finally relinquished in 1907. Since that
time the Chinese have really done very little to develop these vast
mineral resources.

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TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

● Fixed typos; non-standard spelling and dialect retained. ● Renumbered footnotes and moved them all to the end of the final chapter. ● Enclosed italics font in _underscores_.