In May last, on our way up here for a there was indeed every indication that we were on the Imperial highway. Daily, high officials with escorts would be seen passing down the river. Trade in Funcheng flourished, and had the Court continued the old-time. prosperity. "and. com-their stay even at Hsian, a great deal of
mercial importance would have re~ tuned to this place. The heavy transport of rice, etc., from the Yangtze Valley crowded the river with shipping, while from Honan there was a continuous stream of camels, escorts and mule-carts to take the grain the long over land journey to Hsian, There was even some talk of the Imperial Commissioner of Grain moving his post to Hsiangyang. But suddenly plans were reversed, the lively traffic was stopped, and large quantities of rice sold here at cost What an argument for railways, by the way, that one picul of rice, worth six thousand cash market value, had to pay sixteen thousand cash for carriage between Fancheng and Hsian.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.