s for a guide a fellow that doesn't know
a yard of the way. Here are we amid gulfs, of which none of us know the
depth or extent." The animals, in fact, would neither advance nor
recede; beat them as you might, there they remained immovable. The
boatman hurled maledictions at his partner: "If you did not know the way,
what did you come for? The only thing to be done now is to go back to
the hut, and tell your cousin to get on the horse; he'll be a better
guide than you."

To return for a better guide was clearly the safest course, but this was
no easy matter; the animals had got so frightened at finding themselves
surrounded with such a body of water, that they would not stir. The
young guide was at his wits end; it was in vain that he beat the horse,
and pulled the bridle this way and that; the horse struggled and splashed
up the water, and that was all; not an inch would it move, one way or the
other. The young man, no better horseman than guide, at last lost his
balance and fell into the water; he disappeared for a moment, to our
increased consternation, and then rose at a little distance, just where
he could stand and have his head above water. Samdadchiemba grew
furious, but at last, seeing no other alternative, he quietly took off
all his clothes as he sat on the camel, threw them into the boat, and
slipped down the camel's side into the stream. "Take that man into your
boat," cried he to our boatman; "I'll have nothing more to do with him.
I'll go back and find some one who can guide us properly." He then made
his way back through the water, which sometimes rose up to his neck,
leading the animals, whose confidence returned when they saw themselves
preceded by the Dchiahour.

Our hearts were filled with gratitude at observing the devotion and
courage of this young neophyte, who, for our sakes, had not hesitated to
plunge into the water which, at that season, was bitterly cold. We
anxiously followed him with our eyes until we saw him close upon the
shore. "You may now," said the boatman, "be quite at your ease; he will
find in my hut a man who will guide him, so as to avoid the least
danger."

We proceeded on our way, but the navigation was by no means so agreeable
as before; the boatman could not find again the clear path on the waters
which he was pursuing when we returned to aid Samdadchiemba; and hampered
with aquatic plants, the vessel made but very slow progress. We tried to
mend matters, by t