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[[underline]] Chapter VIII. [[/underline]] 162.

[[underline]] Brick Ceremonial Cist. [[/underline]]
  On the same day we laid bare the first traces of another interesting feature of the site.  I had noticed extending down the middle of the southern slope of the mound a shallow depression (see contour lines, [[strikethrough]] pl. LXXIX).[[/strikethrough]] ^[[fig 36).]] Its upper end was a few feet directly south of and considerably above the sill of the stone doorway already mentioned and which occupied the center of the front of the tomb; while its foot lay nearly opposite the southern end of the pond. It might, it was true, be merely a scar left after the removal of earth used in constructing or repairing the dam. On the other hand, however, its position suggested that it might be the much silted remains of a "spirit-path" [[strikethrough]] (see page 62) [[/strikethrough]] ^[[- a [[?]] adjust of impt. Ch. tombs-]] leading to the door of the [[strikethrough]] tomb. [[/strikethrough]] ^[[ [[?]] [[?]]. ]] Toward the [[strikethrough]] latter [[/strikethrough]] ^[[mound]], therefore, we began digging a trench, working north ([[underline]] i.e. [[/underline]], uphill) as we did so.
  Just before sunset we uncovered the upper surfaces of four lines of bricks lying flat, end to end. These formed a rectangle 6 feet, 1 inch long by 2 feet, 11 inches wide (outside measurement).  Its depth we could not ascertain for the moment; for it was completely filled with earth (pl.[[strikethrough]] LXXXV), [[/strikethrough]] ^[[31, fig.9);]] but its top was 8 feet, 9 inches vertically above and 4 feet, 7 inches south of the sill of the doorway (see vertical section at right-hand side of plan, [[strikethrough]] pl. LXXXI) [[/strikethrough]] ^[[fig. 36).]]  Its southern border had been pushed in-ward somewhat, apparently by the same earth-thrust that had dislocated the eastern end of the tomb itself and which seemed to have exerted its force in a direction a little east of north.
  On returning to town that evening we learned that the local magistrate had that day sent a petition to Hsin-yang Hsien for additional soldiers, as a large band of marauders was said to be approaching from the direction of the T'ung-pai Shan. A day or two previously we had seen about the Wang Fên Wa a ragged individual quite unknown to the local