The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-10-27

to their old banks, but, after the manner
of the East, they have so varied their How
and course that the bridges often cross only
the driest and stoniest of beds. In circum-
ference the city walls enclose vast tracts OF
country, but that does not in the least i'm
ply that the cities they contain are OF any
great size or Importance. 1t is only ac-
cording to the quaint specific of Chinese
military science that for effective resistance
it is advisable to-extend your lines Of de-
fence to the greatest possible length. On
the high road of internal trade these cities
are mass of inns and stables, and a Chi
nese inn has marked peculiarities Of its own.
Entering by narrow gate over wooden
pedestal, you find yourself in the first of a
series of square yards, on two sides Of which
are rough sheds for the accommodation of
the animals, whilst on the other two are
the guest rooms, tagged with brick or
stone, and ending in platform for the
bedding of the travellers. Underneath the
platforms are the kengs, or closed stoves,
for heating the chambers, and particularly
the sleeping places; but, however cold it
may be, it must never be forgotten that to
heat the stones means also to call into abb
normal and mischievous activity the insect
population, which the winter may have
lulled into a comatose condition beneath
the felt covering. A less dangerous way
of obtaining warmth is to get hold of an
open brazier and place it in the fore part
of the room 1t is doubtful whether any
body could truthfully assert that 'life 8 best
welcome is in Chinese inn.
In the far distance, from the gate of
Pekin itself, is to be seen the range of
mountains to the northwest, which goes by
the name of Nankau, the city at the en-
trance to the Pass. Burnt and blown to
tawny color, in their sharpness, their
barrenness and their utter want of human
occupation, these mountains remind one of
the foothills of the northwest frontier Of
India by the Kaiber and Kohat Passes.
Nature could not provide nation with a
grander barrier to the incursions Of the
alien, and, without the ves.ige Of a wall, a
hundred opportunities are given for an i'm
pregnable series of defensive works. No
such road has been made to assist an in
vading army as now pierces the Mainland,
and the traditional caravan route is a mere
stony track, winding in and out, up and
down with the ramifcations of the passage.
Curses, loud and deep, in many dialects,
accompany the slithering and struggling of
countless beasts of burden going to and fro.
From Fankau City to the actual wall is, as
| have said, some fifteen miles in distance,
and along the overhanglng hills runs the
line of telegraph posts that crosses the Cobb
desert to the frontier port of Kiakta, and
so on by the Russian line of communica-
| lions.
THE SQUARE WATCH TOWERS
About third of the way up one comes
to veritable rock gate, on the sides of
which are mounted two small '.joss
houses, where travellers can make their
peace with the gods before they enter on
the perils of the Mongol road. Above
them, on the higher crags, were built ages
ago the first of the square watch towers,
which stretch in unbroken regularity to the
furthest points of the old wall, just as on
the borderland of Scotland and along the
marches of Wales beacon fires were wont
to be carried from point to point SO as to
give warning of the approach of the foe,
and a difficult task it must have been to
force passage through these fortified de-
files, even after the walls were surmounted.
Twisting about the hills are other walled
enclosures meant to be used as auxiliary
forts to the main lines. At last, after
many fancied recognition, you come in
sight of the Great Wall itself For once
in way world famous wonder is no dis
appointment The dreary yellow of the
encircling mountains, the sharp cut dis
tinction of the country's face and the wild
aridity of the desert beyond, all lend en-
chantment to the view, the enchantment
of the savage tracts which bred the con-
quering nations of the modern world.
From Molgolla came the Goth and the
Hun, the Tartar and the Turk, in fact, ac-
cording to the ethnologist, all the world s
energy and force must have been generated
upon this barren table land From the
great gate of the Great Wall you look on
to Mongolia, though it is not so called until
you pass Kalgan. and you do not marvel
that the mighty races Mongolia has bred
have the grit of pugnacity driven into their
bones. A troop of English cavalry in line
could pass along its ramparts for the whole
of its extent, and one of its bricks weighs
as much as fourteen pounds Every hills
crest carries it to its topmost point, and no
slope is too precipitous for it to descend,
whilst to make the permanent way good
going for men on the march the activities
are broken into the steps of an easy stair
case, still sound enough for all to traverse.
Once seen, the Great Wall of China can
never fade from memory