FROM TONKIN TO INDIA 



ransom. I would any day rather pass for a real brigand than 

 for a cozener. 



We had started with what porters we could get togetner ; and 

 every one of our party was glad to be oft on this the final stage 

 of our way to India. The men marched briskly, and sang, 

 notwithstanding their heavy burdens, for throughout the first day 

 our direction lay across the plain. A few insignificant rivers 

 had to be waded, but the jungle, where it approached the paddy- 

 fields, was of no density. At intervals we passed religious 

 erections, in the shape of shrines, tombs, or posts about 5 feet 

 high, most of which were partially gilded, and shone handsomely 

 in the sun. From one villaq-e still came a demand for a emi, 

 but it sounded only as an echo of importunity, and was treated 

 with a shrug of the shoulders. As they continued to pester us, 

 Anio, the plain speaker, promised to slit their throats unless 

 they desisted ; and Fa, who harboured sanguinary notions, 

 graphically proposed to pluck out the thin hairs of their moustaches, 

 till their faces should be as bare as the outside of a copper pot. 

 So great a dislike had our men taken to the people of Khamti, 

 that their commonly expressed desire was to return with a 

 hundred well-armed men and terrorise them. 



The 26th (November) saw us into the mountains; and now 



the heavy loads began to tell. The first ridge was gained at 



4,225 feet, where, at the village of Singleng, we met with a 



hospitality from the wild hillmen which contrasted favourably 



with that of the more civilised folk of the plain. But already 



troubles were gathering on our horizon. To begin with, all 



our carriers did not get up to the night's halting-place. Further, 



we here learned that at least eighteen days would be wanted 



to reach Assam, instead of the Khamti computation, which had 



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