132
...
34
Singanfu to Hankow, and reach Shanghae in a month. An Englishman residing at Singanfu is at present in charge of the district. Unfortunately, there is too little business at Ninghsiafu to make the post-office pay its own way, and this argument is used as a reason against the opening of new offices.
Few foreigners visit the town; among these few an occasional Russian merchant from Alashan may be seen. He finds a sale for cottons (coloured and plain), hardware, and cutlery. Except for some English cottons, the only goods not of Chinese manufac- ture which I noticed were Japanese-cheap looking-glasses, combs, coloured photos of singing girls, photo frames, matches, and towels. All supplies in the town are dear, and the inns even charge for the use of water for cooking and washing purposes.
Unlike the country outside the walls, the city has never recovered from the Mabommedan rebellions, and much of the area inside the walls is either unbuilt on or covered with ruins. There are a few fine trees, and some of the streets have narrow streams of water flowing through them. The poverty of the town is probably entirely due to the universal opium smoking. The population is said to be under 5,000.
The chief trades are carpet and felt-making, for which Ninghsia has been famous for centuries. Wood shops are very numerous, and coffins, kang tables, and pails are turned out in great quantities. There is also a large straw hat industry. The oil used for lighting purposes is of local manufacture and growth (bean oil). The local tobacco is not good for cigarettes, and is only used for pipes, millions of cigarettes being imported from the coast to meet the growing demand for them. I was told that the Russian Agent from the Alashan shop sold 1,000 taels' (1501) worth of goods this year in Ninghsia. The Chinese expressed a strong dislike of him, Coal is used for firing but is not plentiful. It is mixed in the Alashan range, and is expensive, costing 5 cents a catty, as against 1 cent. in Tatungfu. The native banks in Ninghsia are good and reliable.
The Taotai is a kindly man and very courteous to foreigners. He has, however, little strength of character, and stands in considerable awe of the large Mahommedan population. Ninghsia is also the residence of a Chentai, or General, who is said to have 800 soldiers of the old "brave" standard under him. The large number of these probably exist only on paper.
May 25.-Arriving in Ninghsia in almost a penniless condition, I was obliged to take the humiliating step of appealing to the Taotai for assistance, which was readily given. I explained the full circumstances and the rascality of the camelman. The Taotai begged that I would not mention what he had done for me, as he did not wish to be obliged to do the same for every traveller, but I said I should not fail to bring his courteous action to the notice of His Majesty's Minister. A small official subsequently accompanied me on my return to Kweihuacheng, and the loan (97.), 60 taels, was repaid there; as the state of the country is too unsettled to allow an official to travel with so large a sum with safety to himself, this officer, on the Taotai's instructions, bought carpets and other goods at Kweihuacheng to the amount of the loan.
Ninghsia to Alashan.
Ilearing in Ninghsiafu that a number of Russians had recently arrived in Alashan I considered it advisable to pay a rapid visit to the capital of the Prince of the country,
The Chinese official at Ninghsia insisted on sending a small escort-a captain and three soldiers--with me.
As there were said to be inns along the road the tents and most of the baggage were left behind at Ninghsia.
Leaving the town by the west gate we maintained a westerly course across the plain toward the Alashian range. The number of farms is even greater if possible this side of the city than between the river and the town and one and all are surrounded by fine trees and richly cultivated fields. Not only were no ruins visible but many new farm-houses were being built besides several femples. The road is deflected by the many small irrigation canals which are eventually crossed by wooden bridges in a fairly good state of repair. After travelling some 6 miles we reached Hsincheng the annex to Ninghsiafu which corresponded to Hsincheng the annex to Kweihuacheng. This town, which is walled and has four gates, is reserved for Manchu residence. Five hundred soldiers are said to be quartered here and to be of the new type. The Manchu governor lives in the centre of the town; the population is small and the area inside the walls is by no means all built on. Entering by the east gate we left again by the north
"
new town,
35
gate and continued in a north-westerly direction passing half a-mile later a delightful garden where the high official has a summer retreat. Shortly afterwards the belt of trees abruptly comes to an end and the road runs straight across an uncultivated uninhabited country with no trees or scrub growing anywhere.
The day had been burning hot with no mitigating breeze and it was a pleasure to stroll over the iris strewn ground and enjoy the evening air heavy with the scent of fragrant trees and flowers which was wafted right across the plain from the belt of cultivation. It was a pleasure which Chinese etiquette did not allow me to enjoy long for so long as I walked the escort had to do the same and a petition was soon sent me to ride again.
Passing the ruins of an old Chinese town, the capital of a former kingdom, the lines of the mud walls of which can still be traced with some difficulty we reached-18 miles from Ninghsiafu, the small village of Changpeipo with a moderate inn. The inhabitants were all enjoying their evening opium after the long day's work and were mostly stupefied with it, the inn resembling indeed an opium den.
Changpeipo is a small inud walled village resembling a fort and the ruins of another hard by show that there have always been people here probably to protect the entrance to the pass over the Alashan range. A sergeant and four men form a garrison.
May 27.-The sergeant conceived it his duty to send an extra man to show the road into the mountains.
Leaving in a west-north-westerly direction we kept over bleak barren ground level at first but then gradually sloping up to the magnificent range. The road is good for carts until it approaches the mountains when it becomes excessively stony especially where two dry torrent beds are crossed. There are no trees or habitations on the plain but occasional temples may be sighted nestling among a few trees at the very foot of the mountains, Three hours' marching brought us to the small miserable hamlet of Schníkon situated among trees in the entrance to the pass. Here a small brook issues from the mountains and though only one and a-half feet wide has abundance of water
in it.
The Captain who is in charge of the escort gets as pay 6) taels (19s. 6d.) a-month; of this sum practically nothing is squeezed. He has to provide everything himself, including clothes, uniformn, and boots, and gets uo rations. A Captain at a place like Huamachi, which we passed some days ago, gets some 100 taels (15%) a-month, but then he has a yamên and can "make" money. A plain soldier here gets 1 tael (38.) a-month and miserable rations. On joining, a rifle and a pony are provided for him.
The rifles are old German pattern, marked "Spandau," and are single cartridges. There is never any inspection of arms, and these are in consequence as dirty as they can possibly be.
I was assured that all the soldiers at Ninghsia are supplied with the some pattern of rifle. The ammunition is kept in a large open case from which anybody can take as much as they like when they care to do so. They never have any rifle practice. For the journey to Alashan and back the Captain carried eighty rounds wrapped up in his bedding.
Chinese administration ends at the foot of the mountains, and we now entered the kingdom of Alashan.
Ascending the pass for some 4 miles, we halted for the night at Changsze, a solitary inn in the gully.
The pass is stony and strewn with boulders. It is impassable for carts, and even camels find great difficulty in making their way along. The gully is never more than 100 yards wide, and rarely, indeed, more than 80 yards. Steep, rugged mountain close it in on either side; these are almost unscalable; they are inexpressibly grand, and at times assume wonderful shapes. The pass winds a good deal, but the general direction is west-north-west. There is no traffic down it with the exception of an occasional pedlar and a few donkeys labouring down with long fir logs bumping down fastened to their sides.
A little vegetation grows on the mountains, but there are no trees or shrubs except in the gully; here yellow roses, white hawthorn, and a yellow gorse grew to no great height, while the ground is dotted with a small prickly plant which grows a few inches high and bears small pink and white bell-shaped flowers. Irises and the flower of the wild bean are also to be seen. There are few birds in the gully, but the voice of the cuckoo may be heard at times and the ubiquitous magpie sighted. At Changsze the hills become for a short distance a little less impregnable. The inn accommodation is of the scantiest and there are no supplies.
May 28.-Continuing north-west up the stony path the ascent becomes gradually