KHAMTI TO INDIA 



five or six small bamboo altars with a few propitiatory grains of 

 rice for the genius of the mountain. Before quitting the spot next 

 morning, we left a line of encouragement for Roux to find when 

 he came along. This was a terrible day in all respects. We made 

 a late start in shivering cold, which was not improved in my own 

 case by an involuntary bath in an icy torrent. Fever, too, laid 

 hold of Joseph. At a little over 7,000 feet we came into the region 

 of conifers, which we had not seen lately, and shortly after reached 

 the snow. It was only ankle deep, but the shoulders of the great 

 chain to our left were spread with flawless folds. From the pass 

 we were on we could see behind us the Nam Phungan vallej-, the 

 wide depression where Khamti lay, and in the background a 

 tumbled mass of mountains, to the right of which a white line 

 marked the dividing range between the Salwen and the Kiou-kiang; 

 it had not its winter coat when we traversed it. Before us the 

 valley of the Dapha burrowed into the hills, and on our right 

 loomed the dim outline of big Daphaboum. From this point the 

 downward streams we should cross would be bound for the Brahma- 

 l)utra. We had done with the basin of the Irawadi, and our feet 

 were now in India, — India the rich, India the wonderful, a name 

 to conjure with, and a land to conquer from the days of Alexander 

 to Napoleon. I could hardly believe that our object was so nearly 

 attained, that we had achieved our design in its entirety ; explored 

 the Chinese Mekono-, fixed the sources of the great English 

 Irawadi, and debouched on India; that it had been reserved for 

 us to fulfil the dream of so many Englishmen, by finding the 

 shortest route from China into India. 



But imagination outstripped reality. Soon after passing the 

 col, word was brought that Joseph, far in rear, was prostrated by 

 fever. To forsake him there was certain death, to send back a 

 Y ro7 



