After, climbing. the "Hundred Feet Chasm," the path becomes easier, though there are still some awkward bits hidden under poetical names, such as "Bridge of the Two Fairies," "Black 'Tiger Cavern," and "Old Mr. L's Ditch." Finally we arrived at our destination, the temple of the North-fern Peak,' thirsty and drenched in perspiration but otherwise none the worse for the climb which was ard 1 ous but nothing like as dim cult as T had been led to expect from the pierce. From hero we emerged hair-raising stories 1 had been told. through a hole in the rock on to a After lunch and a short rest I narrow platform where there is a started out to do the other peaks in Small shrine. The hole can be closed & single tour.
Tt took me about Pleasant Bathing Poot The whole ascent takes about Ave hours. The first half ts ensy going, a picturesque narrow valley through which runs a stream forming waterfalls end many a pleasant poot for bathing. Before one towers the mighty bastion of the Western Peak.
sheer drop of rock of several thousand fect. From the steep hills enclosing the valley on either side, waterfalls come rushing down, while perched high up on the face of pre~ eipitous cliffs can be seen small shrines and caves, where at times hermits fare said to dwell and which can only be reached by steps cut in the face of the rock. As we ascended the valley we passed through numerous small temples placed at regular inter~ vals, At each one the porters stopped to drink tea, and we were called on to make the usual disbursements. In about two and a half hours we rived at the halfway house, a temple going by the curious name of "Green Axe-handle Plateau" (Chingkoping). Not that there is much plateau about the place, as it is perched on the edge of @ cliff and looks straight down into the valley through which we had come.
"weaker Spirits Turn Back"
From here starts the real ascent.
The path turns east and after a short distance climbs steeply up the face: of a precipice by stone steps cut in the rock. At the beginning of this ascent is an inscription, carved in ths Took, reading "Huihsinshih." Two! different explanations were given me for this inscription, One, translated
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.