Page:Ningpo to Shanghai.djvu/94

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80
Ane-chee District.

from San-qua-lee the road takes a sharpish ascent for a for a little distance over steps cut out of the rock. San-qua-lee is a village of 150 families about 10 le from Chung-chow-chune, a hamlet in the suburbs of the district city of Ane-chee.

Ane-chee is not much larger than Haou-foong, but the walls are in better condition, and there are no such wide gaps in them as those told of. The gates are small, not over seven feet square, the houses built principally of wood. But more than half the enclosure is covered with mulberry trees and large pools of water; and the traveller feels repeatedly induced fo put the question—"What on earth can be the use of these walled cities?" Carolus dollars change for 950 cash here, and ten cash pieces are current.

On the East side, the city is skirted by the River bed, and beyond the river is a pretty little Pagoda low down among some Shrubbery. A moat runs found the city on the sides not protected by the river;—a well constructed arched Bridge by the south gate leading into the suburbs, about the best part of the place as usual. The North wall has recently been repaired, and looks quite formidable to travellers approaching in that direction. Only four villages are met between Ane-chee and Mai-chee, a distance of about eight miles, viz Kwong-heen-kong-deoZan-woo-DingShow-koon and Kow-jow-Deo.

At Zan-woo five miles from Maichee, Canals lead off from the main stream, and run up in a N.Wly direction to the Tae-hoo, or great Lake, and boats can be hired here to take the traveller on there if he wishes. Mai-chee, though called a village only, appears to be a place of considerable traffic, and two Government functionaries, one of them a Military,