Four days we thus used in this passage of Kansu.

The few Chinese peasants we did encounter were peaceful appearing and most hospitable.

A marked sympathetic interest surrounded the Kalmuck, who could speak a bit of Chinese, and my box of medicines.

Everywhere we found many ill people, chiefly afflicted with eye troubles, rheumatism and skin diseases.
As we were approaching Nan Shan, the northeast branch of the Altyn Tag (which is in turn the east branch of the Pamir and Karakhorum system), we overhauled a large caravan of Chinese merchants going to Tibet and joined them.

For three days we were winding through the endless ravine-like valleys of these mountains and ascending the high passes.
But we noticed that the Chinese knew how to pick the easiest routes for caravans over all these difficult places.