CHAPTER III 



SSUMAO TO TALI 



Stay at Ssumao — Civility of the Mandarin — Troubles with our Men— We start for the 

 West— Mules Stolen— Among the Pais— The Mekong— The Lochais— Dayakeu- 

 Theft of Roux's Baggage— Disappearance of Nam— Lolo Dances — Roux's Digression 

 on the Mekong Right Bank— Crossing of the S^-kiang— The Pou Mas— Linguen, a 

 Pretty \'alley— Near the Sahven Basin— Stop at Mienning — Ruse of our Followers— 

 The Makotou Stabbed— Chinese Character— Mong-Ma— Dismissal of Francois— A 

 Mutiny Averted— Yunchou— Elephants— Chunning-Fou— Bridge over the Mekong- 

 Valley of the Vang-pi— Plain of Meng-hua-ting— Lake of Tali (Er'hai)— Arrival at 

 Tali-Fou. 



We remained at Ssumao four days, undergoing rather than 

 enjoying a well-earned rest for man and beast, in about as in- 

 different a lodging as was possible. It was a kind of caravanserai 

 composed of a series of courts round a centre block containing 

 a number of cells all on the ground floor. The first night I 

 occupied a corner one, the walls of which were literally crenelated 

 by rats, who performed such a saraband and squeaking concert 

 over and around my body that I was fairly driven to take refuge 

 with Roux, who had only a few rovers, and those of more respect- 

 ful manners. Yet this was the best hostelry in the town ; and, 

 by a curious coincidence, two other Europeans had, we were told, 

 only left it the day previous. These were a couple of Englishmen, 

 one an officer : from all the information we could gather they 

 seemed to have travelled from Burmah, and to be returning as 



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