(seq. 15)

June 15th. A star-light night and a cloudless morning
followed the rain of yesterday. It was my intention of
remaining at Mu-shui-shan. [?] the rest of the day but
as the distance was only 13 li and the morning was so fine I
determined on pushing on but I little dreamt we should
reach Che-tsze-Ku in a day. But so it happened.
My men found a road which made the distance only
two li more than going by the old road to Hung-shih-Kao
for the night. This has [really?] saved us a day - a fine
[?] in such a sparsely populated country.

The bit of main road was full of interest and in
particular noted fine trees of [?]. Fraxinus phytypya
Betula utilis and the trembling Poplar. A fine Elm and a [good?]
[line?] of the new Poplar (akin to lasiocarpa [?] smaller) was
observed. The Ceridyphyllum [?] at Che-tsze Kao are
still forming strings but the wind was too strong for a
photograph today. During the day the camera
was busy and I took a full dozen photos. The Crataegus
was in full flower and in the early morning [canna?] Wilsoniana
were a fine sight. For real beauty however the [wild?] [rose?]
[take?] the palm. Rosa multiflora (white and pink) and Rosa m[?]
were very fine. Lonicera proprecia abounds and its sweet
fragrance is pleasant to the nostril. Deutzia discolor
major was common here and then in full flower.

The afternoon was more or less cloudy and at least one
sharp squall overtook us. At its height I was photo
the two fine trees of Maackia the largest I know of.
Before [tiffin?] note and photo a magnificent specimen of
Hovenia dulcis a hundred feet high and twenty feet in
girth.

The house at Che-tsze-Kou is so the more dilapidated
than three years ago and during the interim no foreigner
has visited Dr. Henry and [ourselves?] (3 and I) the only ones. Altitude 5,800 feet, 45li.