CONTENTS.
| Chapter I. | |
| UP THE YANG-TSZE TO WESTERN CHINA. | |
| PAGE | |
| Western China and the interest attaching to it—The way thither—An unsuccessful attempt to reach Ichang—Ichang at last—Difficulties of navigation—Commercial importance of Ichang—My native passenger-boat, opium-smoking skipper, and crew—The navigability of the Upper Yang-tsze by steamers—Dangers and difficulties of the Ching T’an Rapid—Up and down the rapid—The poppy—Ch’ung-k’ing. | [1] |
| Chapter II. | |
| CH’UNG-K’ING TO THE CAPITAL OF KUEI-CHOW. | |
| My overland caravan—Harvesting opium—Field-fishing—Wood-oil—The manufacture of paper—Salt carriers—Silkworms and their food—Rice or Pith paper, and its manufacture—The Kuei-chow frontier—Minerals—First meeting with Miao-tzŭ—Poetical description of Chinese inns—T’ung-tzŭ, its poppy valley and tunnelling—Ingenious bamboo water-wheels—Scant population amid ruins of fine houses—Coal-dust as fuel—The Wu Chiang River—Destruction of the iron suspension bridge—Northern Kuei-chow, a Miao-tzŭ graveyard—Opium-sodden inhabitants—The capital of the Province—An interview with the Governor of Kuei-chow | [14] |
| Chapter III. | |
| WESTWARD TO YÜN-NAN. | |
| White wax insects—Terrific hailstorm and its effects—Miao-tzŭ houses and women—An-shun Fu—Limestone cave—Pai-shui waterfall—Reception at Lang-t’ai T’ing—Lang-wang Mountain and the “Cave of the Spirits”—Caught in a thunderstorm—The pebbly strand of the Mao-k’ou River—Pack-animals and their treatment—The Yün-nan frontier—A cart at last—Exploring a cave—Underground rivers—Exceptional courtesy—Goître—Breeding ground of the Yün-nan pony—Trade route to Tonquin—Marching knee-deep in mud and water—Poverty of inhabitants—Queen’s Birthday dinner in a back yard—Chinese inquisitiveness—The Sung-ming Lake—A local escort—A glorious view—Yün-nan Fu. | [35] |
| Chapter IV. | |
| THROUGH NORTH-EASTERN YÜN-NAN TO THE YANG-TSZE. | |
| The city of Yün-nan Fu—P’u-êrh tea—Opium-smoking, chair-bearers, and personal care—Exposure of robbers’ heads—Chinese school—Rainbow superstition—Entertainment at Tung-ch’uan Fu—A successful ruse—Stopped by a mountain torrent—Lodged in a byre—On the banks of the Niu-lan River—The Chao-t’ung plain and its lakes—Stories of Lolo bloodshed—Down from the plain—Narrow escape of a porter—Back to Ssŭ-ch’uan—Descent of the Nan-kuang River—Down the Yang-tsze to Ch’ung-k’ing | [54] |
| Chapter V. | |
| FROM CH’UNG-K’ING TO THE CAPITAL OF SSŬ-CH’UAN. | |
| Fu-t’ou-kuan—The country and its products—Chinese New Year—Charcoal from bracken—Ramie fibre and grass-cloth—Down a tributary of the T’o—The T’o and its commercial importance—The salt wells of Tzu-liu-ching—Sugar and safflower—The Ch’êng-tu plain—Beggars—The capital of Ssŭ-ch’uan | [70] |
| Chapter VI. | |
| THROUGH LOLODOM AND THE VALLEY OF CHIEN-CH’ANG. | |
| A Tibetan criminal in a cage—The armed ruffians of Chiung Chou—A floating bamboo bridge—Brick tea for Tibet—Fraternizing with Tibetan pilgrims on the summit of the Flying Dragon Pass—Chinese originality—Over the Ta Hsiang Ling Pass—A non-Chinese race—Across the Ta-tu River under Sifan protection—In the country of the Lolos—Lolo language—Sifan language—Asbestos cloth—A dangerous country—Lolo rogues—Over the Hsiao Hsiang Ling Pass—Lolo women—The valley of Chien-ch’ang—Ning-yuan Fu | [88] |
| Chapter VII. | |
| THROUGH CAINDU TO CARAJAN. | |
| Earthquakes—The reception of foreigners at Ning-yuan—The fertility of the Ning-yuan plain—Goître and the salt supply—Historical hailstorm—A Tibetan caravan—Crossing the Ya-lung River—A riot at Hang-chou—Reception at Yen-yuan and increased protection—Brine wells of Pai-yen-ching—Driven back by mountain barriers—The Yün-nan frontier—A sight of the Yang-tsze—Results of the Mohammedan rebellion—The Lake of the Black Mist—On the banks of the Golden River—A deserted town—The plague—First glimpse of the snow-capped Tsang-shan—A magnificent view—On the shores of the Erh Hai—Ta-li Fu at last. | [112] |
| Chapter VIII. | |
| TA-LI FU TO YÜN-NAN FU. | |
| A view from the walls of Ta-li—The Mohammedan rebellion—A dying patriot’s prayer—Tibetan dogs—Amherst pheasants—A visit to the marble quarries—False musk—Min-chia maidens—The Ta-li plain—Playful gusts from the Tsang-shan—Good-bye Ta-li—A folklore hunting ground—The Erh Hai and the Mekong—Trade with Upper Burmah—Canton peddlers—Hsia-kuan, or the “Lower Fortress”—Ruined cities—Wretched roads—Half-starved—The foreigner and the camel—Marked courtesy at Ch’u-hsiung Fu—Yün-nan salt wells—A sackful of mails—A roadside trial—Across the Yün-nan lake—Three days in Yün-nan Fu—Trade with Western China and the introduction of railways. | [131] |
| Chapter IX. | |
| THROUGH THE WEST OF KUEI-CHOW TO THE YANG-TSZE. | |
| The advantages of scholars en route to Examination—Highroad converted into a reservoir—Quartered in a chimney—Intolerable inquisitiveness—Travellers, beware of T’ang-t’ang!—The Yün-nan-Kuei-chow border—Lakes and their drainage—Again among the Miao-tzŭ—The valley of the Ch’i-hsing River—Bark paper—“Heaven’s Bridge” and its mining catastrophe—The copper traffic—Across the Ch’ih-shui River into Ssŭ-ch’uan—Over the Hsüeh-shan Pass—A child of nature—A refractory roadside deity—Down the Yung-ning River—A narrow escape—Down the Yang-tsze to Ch’ung-k’ing | [147] |
| Chapter X. | |
| TO THE WHITE WAX COUNTRY, THE SACRED MOUNT O-MEI, AND THE HIGHEST NAVIGABLE POINT ON THE YANG-TSZE. | |
| An unfortunate start—North to Ho Chou—Chinese soy—Varnish and its collection—Young trees from the old—Light-hearted peasants—The garden of Ssŭ-ch’uan—Otter fishing—Man-tzŭ caves—A great sugar country—Glimpse of O-mei—Chief silk country in Western China—Ascent of O-mei—Sweet tea of O-mei—The Golden Summit—The Glory of Buddha—Pilgrims and their devotions—O-mei beggars—A difficult descent—Official obstruction—Sick followers—On the banks of the Ta-tu—Man-tzŭ raids—Down with fever—Guerilla warfare—Hard-up for food—An exhausting march—The welcome Yang-tsze—Its highest navigable point—Down the upper rapids—Death of my horse-boy—Back to Ch’ung-k’ing | [161] |
| Chapter XI. | |
| CHINESE INSECT WHITE WAX. | |
| References to Insect White Wax in Europe and China—Area of production—Chief wax insect producing country—The insect tree—The insect “buffalo” beetle, or parasite—The insect scales—The transport of insects to the wax producing districts—Method of transport—The wax tree—How insects are placed on the wax trees—Wax production—Collection of the wax—An ignominious ending—Insect metamorphosis—Uses of the wax—Quantity and value | [189] |
| Chapter XII. | |
| THE TRADE OF WESTERN AND SOUTH-WESTERN CHINA. | |
| The waterways, trade-routes, condition, and commercial prospects of Yün-nan—Trade-routes to Kuei-chow and the mineral wealth of the province—The waterways of Ssŭ-ch’uan—General trade of Ssŭ-ch’uan—Foreign trade of Ssŭ-ch’uan and how it is conducted—The defects in the present system and the remedy—The rapids and the difficulties they present—Advantages to be gained from the opening of Ch’ung-k’ing—The Yang-tsze the only route—Trade bound to the Yang-tsze | [202] |
| Chapter XIII. | |
| THE PHÖ. | |
| Non-Chinese races of Western and South-Western China—Imperfect knowledge regarding them—A traveller’s difficulties—Phö language approaching extinction—The Miao-tzŭ rebellion—Relationship of the Miao-tzŭ tribes—Art among the Phö—Music and dancing—Characteristics of the Phö language—English-Phö Exercises and Vocabulary | [224] |
| Note on Opium Cultivation in China and India | [287] |
THREE YEARS IN WESTERN CHINA.