It was to carry me ten miles for fourpence.

It was small, rat-like and wiry, and was steered by the "mafoo" using the tail like a tiller.
Mounted then on this small beast, which carried me without wincing, I jogged along over the stone-flagged pathway, down hill and along valley, scaling and descending the long flights of steps which lead over the mountains.

The bells of the pony jingled merrily; the day was fine and the sun shone behind the clouds.

My two coolies sublet their contracts, and had their loads borne for a fraction of a farthing per mile by coolies returning empty-handed to Suifu.
[Illustration: ON THE MAIN ROAD TO SUIFU.] Fu-to-kuan four miles from Chungking is a powerful hill-fort that guards the isthmus where the Yangtse and the Little River come nearly together before encircling Chungking.

Set in the face of the cliff is a gigantic image of Buddha.