of famine, make the lights and shadows of life on the road. There are other methods of travel besides those of horseback, on foot, and sedan chair, for oxen are often straddled by the men, and poor women travel on an ox, in a sort of improvised palanquin having four poles recurved to centre and covered with robe or cloak. In winter, among the mountains not only in the north, but even in Chulla, the people go on racquettes or snow-shoes. These are in shape like a battledore, and are several feet long. At regular distances are yek, or relays or offices, at which sit clerks or managers under government auspices, with hereditary slaves or serfs, porters, guides, mail-couriers, and pack-horses. These await the service of the traveller, especially of official couriers, the finer beasts being reserved for journeying dignitaries. All these throughout a certain district, of which there are several in each province, are under the direction of the Tsal-peng, or Director of Posts. Kiung-sang, the province having the greatest number of roads, has also the best equipment in the way of post-officers, relays, and horses. The following table from Dallet shows the equipment of the eight provinces: -------------+----------------------+---------+-------- |Post Superintendents. | Relays. | Horses. -------------+----------------------+---------+-------- Kiung-Kei | 6 | 47 | 449 Chung-chong | 5 | 62 | 761 Chulla | 6 | 53 | 506 Kiung-sang | 11 | 115 | 1,700 Kang-wen | 4 | 78 | 447 Wang hei | 3 | 28 | 396 Ham-kiung | 3 | 58 | 792 Ping-an | 2 | 30 | 311 | -- | ---- | ----- | 40 | 471 | 5,362 -------------+----------------------+---------+--------