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Topography of Shansı
Nov.
Wall and east of the Yellow river, extending nearly half across the province from east to west. The names of its four districts, when translated, will perhaps in some measure indicate the character of the country. The first has the same name as the department, viz., 'Quiet and martial;" the second is named the "Divine Pool;" the third, the "Inclined Pass;" the fourth, the " Five Encampments.”
IX. The department of Sóhping lies due west from that of Tá- tung, between the two branches of the Great Wall; it embraces one district, Ningyuen ting, situated on the north side of the wall. Near its southern border is a small lake, called the "Fountain of the Sangkau."
X. The department of Pingting borders on Chili, having the extreme southern part of a spur of the Great Wall for its eastern boundary. On the north it is bounded by the department of Tái; on the west by those of Hin and Taiyuen; and on the south by that of Liau. The department is small and mountainous, and two or three small streams of water take their rise in it.
XI. The department of Hin is bounded by Ningwú on the north; by Tai on the east; and by Pingting and Táiyuen on the south and
Its general features are like those of Pingting.
west.
XII.
The department of Túi lies due north of Pingting, having
a spur
of the Wall above named on the east, and the southern branch of the Wall for its northern boundary. It is exceedingly mountainous. The river Hátóh, rising near the point where the spur leaves the main Wall, runs several miles westward nearly parallel with it, and then trending to the south, makes a broad sweep and flows east- ward into the province of Chilí, making on the south and southwest the line of demarkation between Tái and the departments of Ping- ting and Hin.
XIII. The department of Páute, having but a single district, lies on the east of the Yellow river, between the departments of Ningwú and Táiyuen. A portion of the Great Wall here runs parallel with the Yellow river, close to its eastern margin.
XIV. The department of Kiái stretches over a small region of country on the northern bank of the Yellow river, directly east of and contiguous to the department of Púchau, which it greatly resem- bles in its geographical features.
XV. The department of Kiang includes a narrow belt of coun- try lying northerly and easterly from the departments of Púchau and Kiát, having a short portion of the Yellow river at the two extremes
the belt