TSEKOU TO KHAMTI 



and, notwithstanding the lateness of the season, was still able to 

 obtain twenty-six specimens of mountain flora. The yaks had gone 

 early on to the pasture. There they showed, black dots between 

 the rocks, conspicuous among the other cattle from their bison-like 

 humps. One large male stood sentinel apart, and gazed on us 

 with wonder. 



Before leaving we bought the watch-dog of the herdsmen, an 

 animal of the line Thibetan breed, black and tan, with short 

 muzzle and massive head, adorned with a regular mane. He was 

 named "Diamai" ("red"), and would be a chum for the small 

 terrier " Boursica," given us by the Fathers. The same evening, 

 after a downward climb to bivouac among dripping rhododendrons, 

 Diamai, an elderly carrier, and one of the sheep, failed to answer 

 the roll-call. The two following days we kept on through damp 

 forests, mostly in drenching rain. All were now on foot ; in my 

 case luckily, since my mule had a nasty fall in one spot. On the 

 third morning we came upon our stragglers, the old porter seated 

 by some half-burnt logs, smoking his pipe, between the dog and the 

 sheep. They had lost the way, and so got ahead of us in the dark. 

 We could not sufficiently praise our men, who, without a dry stitch 

 upon them, performed their arduous toil, which now combined that 

 of mafou and carrier, without a murmur, and generally ended up 

 the day with songs and laughter round the fire. As for ourselves, 

 we had now got our walking legs, and were fit for anything. But 

 for the eternal rain, it would have been delightful. 



On the 1 8th (September) we emerged from the woods and 

 came into the region of dwellings again, passing presently the 

 hamlets of Feu-la and Meuradon on an affluent of the Salwen. 

 Wretched collections of huts upon piles they were. The in- 

 habitants were Loutse. By Loutses were no longer meant, as 



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