FROM TONKIN TO INDIA 



humour. A couple of our men having dug up some potatoes in 

 a field, the chief of Bouniang made for them with a knife. 



Some of our folk had gone to a neighbouring village to 

 forage, and now returned at the head of a company clothed in 

 all respects like Pais, and resembling them also in face. They 

 proved to be Singphos. Their leader wore a long toga of 

 Thibetan poulou, and brought us a gift of eggs, fish, and rice. 



By the next morning sufficient supplies were collected to 

 start off a rescue party of three men under Oumbo, with enough 

 for a six days' march and back, revictualling Roiix's and layo's 

 detachments en roiitc. I felt easier when they had gone : pro- 

 vided that our comrade had succeeded in passing the col, he 

 would be out of danger. 



We ourselves proceeded across the valley of the Dapha. 

 This river rolls down from the north in many branches over 

 a pebbly bottom, and was perhaps a hundred yards from side 

 to side. Higher up it must have an imposing course ; here it 

 was easily fordable. On the farther shore we came to three long 

 buildings, each over 60 feet long, as at Melekeu. This was 

 Daphagang. We did not at first understand the meaning of 

 our cold reception ; we were prevented passing through a house, 

 and told that it was de regie to make your entry and exit by 

 the same door, and though live stock abounded there was an 

 evident disinclination to deal. The enigma, however, was soon 

 solved. The chief being rich did not want money ; what he 

 desired was a. certificate and some European object at our hands. 

 We luckily had a pair of double glasses left, and the clouds were 

 immediately dispelled. The language of these Singphos differed 

 again from previous idioms ; they were familiar with several 

 Hindustani words. 



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