I was at last at the end of my wearisome journey over the main road from Ssŭch'uan and the Upper Yang-tsze to the capital of Yün-nan—a journey which had occupied a period of twenty-six days, out of which I had actually been marching twenty-five, and which had taken me over a route which may undoubtedly claim the distinction of being the most difficult and the most inhospitable of all the routes which serve as the main lines of communication in this part of China. Until the mineral wealth which it possesses is properly and systematically developed, this portion of Yün-nan can be of no commercial value, nor can I imagine any line of country less likely to excite the enthusiasm of the railway engineer. Indeed, such lines as have been suggested avoid altogether that part of the route over which I travelled which lies between Chao-t'ung Fu and Yün-nan Fu, a more feasible though still very difficult alignment between the two places lying east by Chu-tsing, Süan Wei, and Wei-ning Chou. The most buoyant report of which I have knowledge is that of an Italian engineer, who talks of a line of 650 kilometres, with a gradient, except
