with a quantity of
berries. Some water was poured over them, in an earthenware pot,
and placed over the fire and, in half an hour, a thick scum of oil
gathered on the surface. Meinik skimmed it off, as fast as it
formed and, as it cooled, it solidified into a tenacious mass,
somewhat resembling cobblers' wax. The six locks of hair had
already been cut off, and the ends were smeared with the wax, and
worked in among Stanley's own hair; then a little of the hot wax
was rubbed in, and the men all declared that no one would notice
anything peculiar in his appearance. The long tresses were curled
round, at the top of the head, and a ring of muslin tied round. The
Burmans were immensely amused at the transformation that had been
wrought in Stanley's appearance; and followed him through the wood,
to the temple, without any signs of nervousness.

The ruins were extensive. A considerable portion of the building
had been hewn out of the face of a precipitous rock, in the manner
of some Hindoo temples; and it was evident that it had been the
work of a people more closely allied to the Indian race than to the
Tartar or Chinese people, from whom the Burmese sprung. Uncouth
figures were sculptured on the walls. At these the Burmese looked
with some awe but, as Stanley laughed and joked over them, they
soon recovered their usual demeanour.

"I am a great deal more afraid of tigers than of ghosts," Stanley
said; "a deserted place like this is just the sort of spot they
would be likely to be in. At any rate, if these caves do not go any
further into the hill--and there are no signs of their doing so--it
may be hoped that the tigers have their superstitions about it,
too. At any rate, it will be a good thing to pile a great quantity
of firewood at the entrance; and I think one of you had better stay
here, with the boys. They and the horses would be a great deal
safer here, with a fire burning; than they would be in the woods,
where a tiger might pounce upon them, at any moment. As to this
folly about spirits, it is only old women's chatter."

The Burmese talked among themselves, and one of the men finally
agreed to stay with the boys. An hour was spent in gathering a pile
of brushwood and logs, and the man said that he and the two boys
would gather plenty more, during the day. They were, at four
o'clock, to take the horses down to the river, a mile distant, and
let them drink their fill. They had brought with them a large bag
of gra