Pleasant Journey Along Well Laid Thoroughfare Frost " Comesronsent A scenic route, seemingly as yet little known to the public, is the recently completed motor road from Wenchow to Ningpo. Japan will indeed have to look to her laurels, for much of the scenery equals or exceeds what she has to offer. Leaving Wenchow early in the morning, after crossing the river, this well motor road skirts the bay and gradually climbs into the mountains, everywhere giving an entrancing view of hill and vale, the mosaic of the cultivated plots and terraces adding much to the every changing picture which never grows tiresome.
There are some straight stretches where speed MIGHT be attempted, but the careful drivers rarely went above thirty miles an hour, and, of course, often it was ten and fifteen the engineering skill of the Chinese engineers who have carved this use ful artery from south to north. The maximum grade seems to be not over seven per cent, and the motors are kept in ood condition, so that no motor trouble of any Kind was experienced during the two day trip. Surfacing material is handy, and well made use of, so the roads are not affected by rains to any extent, At this time of the year, with the grain fields a golden yellow, and with harvesting going on here and there, it was doubly interesting to have thie opportunity to study the country and its people and products.
The passenger has to be. ferried across several stream, and in two instances crosses on pontoon bridges, but the connections at the other side fare immediate and no time is lost.
For this trip my party used seven buses, one after the other, and all of them were most satisfactory. Further, it is important to note that the cost of the trip is very reasonable, the fare amounting to nine dollars, Wenchow to Ningpo, and the actual travel time being under fifteen hours. The middle of the first afternoon we arrived at Ling Hai, where we were able to secure quite satisfactory quarters in a Chinese inn. For those who do not use Chinese food, other provisions should be carried. Our party spoke mandarin, fand managed quite well, though not understanding the seemingly dificult Ningpo and Wenchow dialects At Pa Mao it is possible to arrange to go to Hangchow if the passenger desires, instead of continuing to Ningpo. The improvements along various lines at Ch'i K'ou, especially landscaping, are well worth seeing, these being carried on by General Chiang, in his ancestral home town, and yet rugged nature all along the way affords ample opportunity for the sight-seer. The rice fields everywhere seemed in good condition, assuring a yield much greater than last year. Looking down the moun-fain at one vantage point the passenger's view intersects the road he has just traversed five times, so wind. ing is the road, withal splendidly done from the engineering viewpoint. Old and picturesque bridges are seen here and there, as well as nestling mountain hamlets and villages.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.