FROM TALI TO TSEKOU 



when they return to their homes. They have to repeat this 

 ceremony for three nights before they may settle down. This 

 custom naturally precludes any marriages during the rains. They 

 admitted in confidence that the bridegroom was generally in the 

 secret as to the direction in which he might find his party. Joseph 

 recounted a like custom as prevailing among the Lolos of Lower 

 Viinnan in the neighbourhood of the Yangtze. 



On leaving Lotsolo we at last quitted the valley of the 

 Salwen for one of its affluents, by a slippery path, which often 

 called for the services of the pick. A light rain continued to 

 fall, and I pitied the mafous, whose toil was severe. To add 

 to our discomfort at night we were tormented by clouds of 

 mosquitoes, that effectually murdered sleep. 



On the gth (July) we held on our upward course. The men, 

 accustomed to fine weather, seemed down-hearted, and scarcely 

 one of them was capable of good collar-work, so that they loaded 

 up in dejected silence, which boded ill for the harder times 

 vet in store. Some distance from our camping ground we came 

 on a really bad bit of path, where we had to scale a veritable 

 rock stair. It took three mafous to hold up each mule, and one 

 of the latter having been arduously hauled to the top, took it 

 into his head to try and re-descend. He lost his footing, and in 

 a moment was rolling head first down the declivity with his load 

 bumping at his sides. The fall looked fatal, and we made our 

 way to the bottom of the ravine, expecting to find him in pieces. 

 There he was, however, miraculously sound, save for some cuts 

 and scratches. The example seemed contagious : first one and 

 then another went down, till four had followed suit, and we 

 began to wonder if it would be our turn next : it was perilous 

 to stay in a valley where it thus rained mules. We had to turn 



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