Below us rolls the turbulent little stream, small at present, but in time of flood doing no small damage. Above us, on the left, tower the mountains ; and across the valley are more mountains, but there is a change on that side, for along it is being built the Peking-Kalgan Railway, and, as far as we could judge, built well.
At the time of our visit Nankow was the limit for passenger traffic, and I was glad indeed that we could see this wonderful road in all the glory of its mixed traffic. I should doubt if the world has another such road. Up and down this road for centuries this mountain-pass has been the trunk-way between China and Mongolia. Of old, down this pass must have come the invading hosts of the savage and warlike Northerners and now, to-day, it can be traversed by rail, and all too soon the glory of the road will be gone. The camel and the mule and the ox and the willing little donkey, Peking cart, mule litter, and Sedan-chair will very soon be mere tradition, gone for ever. This makes me glad that I saw it in full swing as it has been through all these centuries. Even now the railway has reached the Great Wall at the head of the Pass, and soon the iron rails will take command here as elsewhere, and gone will be the wonderful medley of traffic on this old-world way. It will sink into the silence of a country road, and the tourist will flash by in a train, and catch but a glimpse of the grandeur of the Pass, and none of its present and past character. The big flat paving-stones have deep ruts worn in them by the con stant traffic of rough wheels. Some are torn up altogether, leaving holes which the wheels make deeper and deeper, and, according to the weather, are filled with dust or mud.
Great rocks seem to have scattered themselves on the surface and how the drivers navigate the carts round and over them is a mystery. I have seen one wheel come right on a big stone of from twelve to eighteen inches high ; it stops a moment, and as the mule feels the cart pull round, he gives an extra pull and over it goes, bump down on the other side. The camels step along with their stately stride, their expression saint-like, as if asking you to notice what a burden is theirs ; they carefully steer round all obstructions, as do the clever little donkeys.
Soon we come to a roadside drinking-place, surrounded by animals of all kinds, waiting their turn to get a refreshing drink ; beside it, a sort of meadow where camels and other tired beasts of burden are resting.
Looking back, we have a grand view down the Pass. Down the rough mountain-side comes a spur of the Great Wall, with a tower-like watch-house set, sentinel-fashion, on an eminence. Under this can be seen a bit of the town of Nankow. In the valley below can be traced the course of the river, winding its way to that vast plain which has a never-ending distance merging in the sky. The road winds along, twisting and turning on the hill side, and the groups of animals and of people can be seen away far off. A great landscape is this, worthy of
a great brush.
On we go, finding fresh interest at every turn, and come to an unique gateway with five-sided archway. How the men of old seemed to enjoy carrying out little architectural problems of this kind ! In the archway with flat top, the bricks must be keyed together ; but this can not be seen, and the spectator wonders why they do not fall out. There is some wonderful carving on the face of the stones of this arch, and inside the arch innum erable Buddhas and other figures are though at the time of our visit we could not see it all, as work men were engaged on some repairs and working under a screen. This is, I believe, another work of the time of the Ming Dynasty.
All along this Pass are spurs of the Great Wall, as if at this point the builders were determined that, even if invaders did get through one barrier, it would only be to face another.
About fourteen or fifteen miles from Nankow, we reached the top of the Pass and came on the outer part of the Great Wall, with its great gate through which this wonderful old road is carried ; this is on the summit, and we passed through, and gazed with longing eyes away down the winding road leading into the mysteries of Mongolia. I wished I might ride on and on, and explore more of the beauties of this land. I turned and watched for a time the passage through this hole in the wall, which admits the vast merchandise from one country to another. There it stands, as it has stood for many centuries, and through it there seems to pass an endless stream of life. In one direction go the products of the north—wool, sheep, goats, furs, ponies ; in the other come the manufactured goods of all kinds, some from Man chester, some from Southern China, from America— indeed, from all the world.
I could spend days watching that procession ; but I have to rejoin my friends and ride fifteen miles before night, and it is now late afternoon, and on this road no one travels fast with impunity. A good general view can be had here, but not quite so extensive, I consider, as can be seen at Shan-hai-kwan described in another chapter. Once more we mount and retrace our way, having seen one more world's wonder.
I meant to return to this part and spend some time trying to paint the scenery, but was prevented, and all I have as a memento is the small drawing of the gateway.
Our return journey was uneventful ; but as we ap proached the lower end of the Pass, and the light was fading, the scene was, if possible, more beautiful in the uncertain light than in the brilliant sun of the early day. Thirty miles a day on donkey-back makes one wish for comfortable quarters and good bed, and we fully appre ciated them. One of our party was a lady, who did not flinch from those two days' long journey on donkey-back. Early next morning we took the train for Peking, and I again took up the burden of my work in the capital.