Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-06-19
AN INTERESTING CELESTIAL PROVINCE

We have several times referred to the
valuable work as explorers done by the
agents of the China Inland mission. One
of these, G. f. Easton, has recently been
journeying to the remote province of Kan
sub, on the northwest border of China, a
region most OF which has hitherto been I'M
explored. Mr.. Easton's headquarters are
at the city of Tsin-Chan, and from that
place he writes in April and July last, Civ
ing some account of what he saw during
his travels Away near the western border
of the province is the new city of Tao
Chan, on the approach TO which things
begin to put on an aspect different
from that presented in China proper.
The houses have fiat roofs and many of
them an upper story. The women are very
coarse, though healthy stalwart, with red
faces and large feet, wearing coarse gar.
ment coming little way below the knees.
The hair is parted in the center little
way and then divided into two partings
over the side OF the head like the letter Y,
the hair hanging loosely over the ears like
that of many European women, that of the
girls often hanging over the eyes as well.
The women seem to do most of the work.
Of all the desoiate and ruined cities that
Mr.. Easton has seen in China, none equal,
he says, Tao-Chan, new city. Inside the
walls, containing an immense Enclosure,
there is nothing but an immense heap OF
ruins on every hand not a street i'll
the city. The city was built within
the last twenty years, and it is said
to have had large population
OF " Fan-tss," but it was destroyed by the
Mohammedans some sixteen or seventeen
years ago. These Fan-ts as the bor-
der tribes are called. give the Chinese
authorities much trouble. They are al
lowed to appoint one of their own number
to act as their immediate Governor, and in
the city of Tao-Chan the sub-prefect is
called the project of the Fan-tsz." Later
on Mr.. Easton came into close contact
with these Fans, and found therR exceed
of the Welsh, and cannot enjoy their food
without milk. Mr.. Easton's last journey
was to Si-ning-Fur and other cities. This
lies beyond Shun-hwaTing, on the banks
of the Yellow river. After remaining
ten days at Shining Fur, Mr.. Easton
returned by way of Menu eh, Ian
Chan, Tin-tao Chan, and Kong
Chang Fur. Some of these cities
and others referred to by Mr.. Easton
do not occur ON any European map
English, French, Russian, or German but
they are placed in the Chinese maps pub
lished in book form in Wu-Chung. In the
neighborhood of the Yellow river Mr..
Easton found himself among the Saba.
In appearance and habits they differ little
from the Chinese, but they have distinct
language of their own which bears no
affinity to the Chinese. They are entirely
Mohammedan. He also met with few
Tu-ren, called the Tu-li tribe by Euro
peans; they, too, are entirely Moham-
medan their language Ia a distinct ore,
but there ID often strong resemblance
between it and Sah-la, or between it and
Chinese. At Shining Mr.. Easton met
Count Szechenzi, the Hungarian noble
man, who was determined to force
his way into Thibet ON the track of
Col. Prejewalsky, who was compelled to
turn aside and proceed to Burmah, and
who is now at Calcutta. With the Count
were two men of science as his assistants
Mr. Easton states that Cameron, the Afri-
can traveller, was also expected on an ex-
ploring journey The altitude of Shining
Fur is 5000 feet, and of TsliDg- hal (Koko
MOTT iV0UV Ieeb. rive NeFmaHS arrived
in Ian Chan to commence wooden and
cloth works, but the enterprise seems to
have been failure, one of them having
committed suicide. The wool is bad and
it is difficult to get machinery up. There
is Roman Catholic bishop at Ian Chan
who has been there for fourteen years.
There are other priests about the district,
who all wear the Chinese dress and form
society by themselves.-[ London Times.