pine forest on the side of the mtn, about 10,000 feet altitude . The weather was cold but not frosty, (19) The troops I set about camp contained Microties & coral gardens only. We broke camp at day- lights & descended this pine clad mountain side to the Yangtze at Taku. The pine forest was on dry rocky soil with some large leaved Rhodo dendron trees & other oaks. Stream, & mud size were not often, a few of the Rhododendrons were in blossom breaks no doubt held over from the spring. We reached Taku village at 12 the ford 4PM P.M. The Yangtze river here is a wide oval the mountains bordering both alluvial plains of fine whitish soils. The river has a deep channel for a portal down the pleasant breaks then the Suan Water runs in a deep gorge where it as enters the valley immediately below Taku, it enters another deep rocky gorge.