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[[underlined]] Chapter XIV. [[/underlined]]   297.

chilled. As we did so, we noted, far below us to the east, a superb view over the broad valley of the Chên-ch'uan Ho, with t^[[u]]mbled masses of snow-powdered hills beyond it; across these curved the line of the Great Wall until lost in the cold blue distance.
    Kuang-lien, Mr. Tung's brother, had remained at Hsi Ssŭ-erh Ts'un, to watch over our surveying kit and other items of equipment that Mr. Wenley had left there pending the outcome of our negotiations with the local people in regard to our excavating on the Fang Shan. He had not expected us to ride out from Ta T'ung in such weather, but was at his post nevertheless. He helped us get settled in a detached building belonging to the temple-complex and used as the village schoolroom, and then prepared a lunch, of eggs, noodles, boiled cabbage, pickled radish, and hot tea, that greatly revived us.

[[underlined]] Discussion with the Village Elders. [[/underlined]]
    While having our lunch, we sent for the village elders to come and state their objections to our digging on the Fang Shan. They soon appeared, in a body; and I was again struck with the uniformity in physical type exhibited by the local population. The headman was an excellent example. Of medium stature and spare though erect figure, he had high, well-moulded features, grayish-brown eyes, and a rather heavier beard and moustache than one ordinarily sees in most parts of China. Simply but neatly clad in white jacket and blue trousers, both of cotton, he wore the gray brimless felt cap usual hereabout. His bearing, polite, straightforward, and not at all boorish, impressed me favorably, though his expression was troubled and anxious. 
     We had a long talk with our visitors, who stated their position quite frankly. They evidently found themselves faced with a dilemma. They fully understood that Gov. Yen Hsi-shan had given us verbal permis-