Tachienlu

At Tachienlu I reached the western limit of my wanderings; not the western boundary of China, nor yet of my desire, but my time was nearly spent; in less than four months I had to be back in England; moreover, late summer was not a favourable season for descending the Yangtse.

A Wayfarer in China Impressions of a trip across West China and Mongolia Elizabeth Kimball Kendall

In Tachienlu, my supply of biscuits having given out, I had my cook buy some of these; split open and toasted, they were not at all bad.

A Wayfarer in China Impressions of a trip across West China and Mongolia Elizabeth Kimball Kendall

Some twelve monks took part; one, the abbot, was a large, fine-looking man, and all had rather agreeable faces, quite unlike the brutal, vicious look of the lamas of Tachienlu.

A Wayfarer in China Impressions of a trip across West China and Mongolia Elizabeth Kimball Kendall

My old men had expressed a wish to go on with me, but in the end only one did so, the others disliking the détour to Tachienlu which they knew I had in mind.

A Wayfarer in China Impressions of a trip across West China and Mongolia Elizabeth Kimball Kendall

The Szechuan tea for the most part does not rank very high, little being exported from the province save to Tibet, and for that market even the poorest is reckoned too good, as the so-called tea carried by the thousands of coolies whom we met bound for Tachienlu is everything save genuine tea leaves, being a mixture of which the leaves and twigs of scrub oak and other trees form the largest part.

A Wayfarer in China Impressions of a trip across West China and Mongolia Elizabeth Kimball Kendall

But usually a seventh-day rest is very acceptable to them; so we were all glad for a little breathing-space in Tachienlu.

A Wayfarer in China Impressions of a trip across West China and Mongolia Elizabeth Kimball Kendall

Never have I seen men of more vicious expression than some I met in my strolls about Tachienlu, and I could well believe the stories told of the ferocity shown by the lamas along the frontier.

A Wayfarer in China Impressions of a trip across West China and Mongolia Elizabeth Kimball Kendall

Practically all the traffic between China and its great western dependency passes through Tachienlu, and the little town is full of bustle and stir.

A Wayfarer in China Impressions of a trip across West China and Mongolia Elizabeth Kimball Kendall

Riding was of course out of the question, and I had long since left my chair-coolies behind; but one of the Tachienlu men, a strong, active fellow with bits of coral adorning his black queue, was very alert in looking out for me, always waiting at a difficult place with a helping hand.

A Wayfarer in China Impressions of a trip across West China and Mongolia Elizabeth Kimball Kendall

Between Tachienlu and Lhasa lie many hundred miles of barren, windswept plateaus and perilous mountain passes.

A Wayfarer in China Impressions of a trip across West China and Mongolia Elizabeth Kimball Kendall