not a dribblet is met until after he has passed the third Ding.
Experienced Geologists will decide, perhaps, that the Eastern Teen-muh and adjacent mountains are of primary, secondary and tertiary formations The strata, at the base, in layers slightly removed from a dead level, is composed of blue black slatey shale. At the height of Ding No. 2 the rocks resemble a brown sand stone, quite distinct from the black strata on the opposite side of the glen of similar elevation; that strata bearing, in places, a pitch of 15, in others 50 and even 70 degrees. Between the 3d and 4th Dings another species of formation is met with;—and over it tea is cultivated in patches with maize,—firs growing to great heights and of considerable girth. On the oppos ite mountain, bamboo is the cherished tree; not growing wildly, but regularly planted; each plot or grove bearing marks, painted with indian ink, to distinguish it from a neighbour's stock. Chareoal burners do a large business in these regions, the weights carried by them being far in excess of what would be borne by labourers of western lands. Provided with an iron shod staff to serve two purposes, one to help them up ascents, the other to rest one end of their shoulder stave on without placing both packs on the ground, Chekiang land carriers go over immense distances, and up trying heights, for small remuneration.
Passing Ding No. 4 through a grove of Fir, Cypress and Bamboo trees of splendid growth and exuberance, and still ascending, the traveller reaches the Monastery called Chaou-Ming-Sze, an establishment of 50 priests, and containing some fine idols; the three principal ones being lofty god desses on lotus leaves, concealed, until the hours for worship, by yellow silk hangings. There is a
