Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1907 edition. Excerpt: ... on the mountains We pass the Great Wall--The Italian marines leave us--At high speed over the Chinese country--Under the shadow of the Lianya-miao--An anxious moment--Mongolia comes in sight. Seen from the distance, the Great Wall, blending and fusing with the outlines of mountains like a prodigious architectural moulding on their crests and sides, does not look like the work of man: it is too vast; and yet what can be seen of it from any given point represents only about one-thousandth part of its extent! The thing seems a fantastic freak of the earth, thrown up by some great unknown natural force; the outcome of a cataclysm, not destructive, but creative. As we approached, the Great Wall became more and more completely hidden by a crowd of peaks; and we only saw it again at the last turning of the road, when we were about to enter under its heavy double gateways, covered by still available bastions. The road near to the top is now no more than a channel in the living rock, and it is increasingly steep and difficult. We had been walking for eight hours under an unbroken sheet of rain. We advanced slowly, painfully, and had to stop every minute to put stones out of the way, to make room for the wheels, to protect the car's fly-wheel from the projecting upward points on the roadway. All around us was gloomy and barren. We were coasting a deep ravine; suddenly, rising from its depth and resting on their isolators, two telegraph wires came in sight, crossing our road and the Great Wall. It was like the sight of familiar faces; these were friends to us, and would carry our news to the world outside. Poor ancient wall, the labour and pride of three royal dynasties and of some millions of men; it is not by the cannon alone that thou art...
