Yesterday a barbarian soldier reported General Hsiao T'ien-tso was at Nine Dragons Flying Tiger Valley and had fought a battle at T'ien-men.

This is described in more detail in Brown’s book on the subject (q.v.).

There's no use trying to tell him; he won't listen.

They are some of the finest old stumpified staring trees I ever saw, with a small waterfall, rocks of all shapes &c &c.