if I was to find the same custom here.
But it turned out to be the lullaby with which two men were tooling ten
black pigs over the pass. Again, a little way down on the other side, my
path was suddenly barred by a man frantically gesticulating. I thought
at first that he was mad, but it was merely that he feared Jack would
attach a flock of geese that he was driving in the wake of the pigs, and
when I picked the dog up, the man prostrated himself at my feet in
gratitude.

[Illustration: A WAYSIDE REST HOUSE]

[Illustration: A FORTIFIED POST]

We ought to have had a fine view from the pass over the trackless
mountain tangle to the north, some of the peaks towering almost eighteen
thousand feet into the sky, but again the clouds and mist veiled
everything from sight. All the rest of the day we were making our way
down the steep east side, picking our steps laboriously along the wet
rocky trail. Our path led through a precipitous narrow gorge, its walls
draped with wonderful vegetation, and as we descended it, it grew wetter
and greener, and the thousand little brooks leaping down the sides of
the ravine rapidly swelled the main stream to an impassable torrent.
Now we crouched under overhanging ledges, now we slipped and sprawled
down a rough rock staircase, constantly crossing the stream from side to
side on planks placed from boulder to boulder, or on slippery logs with
insecure handrails or none at all. I found the descent far more tiring
than the climb on the other side. The soldier and the gallant coolie
fortunately kept always with me, one in front and one behind, and I was
often glad of a helping hand. At one time the path led straight into the
torrent, but while I was wondering as to the depth of the water and the
strength of the current, the coolie, hastily depositing his load,
motioned to me to get on his back, and the sturdy fellow carried me
safely around the projecting cliff. Still another time we were forced to
take to the river, and as I could get no wetter than I was, I proposed
to wade in, but again the man was at hand, insisting that I should ride,
and the strength and agility with which he made his way over the
slippery rocks, the swirling water rising above his knees, were really
wonderful; but then my weight was less than one hundred and thirty
pounds, while the ordinary load of the tea-carrier is two hundred. At
our heels came the soldier carrying Jack, whose short legs could hardly
have made headw