A Shensi Hut 



chase of that description, and vowing that the game 

 is not worth the candle. It does not last long, 

 however, and the first glimpse of sunshine is more 

 than sufficient to dispel that mood. 



My orderly, after reconnoitring the country 

 all round, announced his discovery of a group 

 of Shensi huts, where I promptly proceeded to 

 avail myself of whatever shelter they could pro- 

 vide. The old woman offered me a stool to 

 sit on. These stools or native chairs are carved 

 out of logs, in the shape of a cotton reel, turned 

 up on one end and a hollow carved in the other 

 to sit down upon. To a European, they are 

 somewhat wanting in comfort, not having anything 

 behind for his back to lean against. They are 

 extremely portable and naturally cheap. The in- 

 terior of this circular brushwood hut was full of 

 dense smoke from the log fire, for which the only 

 outlets available were by the entrance by which we 

 had just come in, and through the roof, which was 

 covered with dry elephant grass. I accordingly 

 took up my position as near the doorway as 

 possible, whilst my orderly sat behind me. As for 

 the inmates, they crouched down as far away as 

 the limited space would allow them, and proceeded 

 to stare at me as if their eyes were about to fall out 

 of their sockets. 



Just as I was attempting to enter into con- 

 versation with the aged woman, we were inter- 

 rupted by a fearful noise. This emanated from 

 two huge yellow Shensi hounds, who were inside 



249 



