278 



THE RETURN. 



river-bed, ascended the rugged mountain- side to a great 

 height, and re-descended. There being now no water, I 

 thought we might go straight on, but Abdool would not 

 hear of the horse going. He said, "man might go, but no 

 horse could ;" so Mooktoo and I, followed by Lussoo, 

 breakfast-bearer, entered the defile which delighted us at 

 first by its easy, accessible ingress. We soon, however, 

 learned to respect Abdool' s opinion, at which and his 

 experience we had been scoffing. We found ourselves 

 entangled in a confusion of rocks which at last quite 

 blocked up the passage. There was nothing for it, then, 

 but to retrace our steps, or climb the steep on either side. 

 I set to work at one point, Mooktoo at another. Making 

 slow progress, and slipping back often for I had no 

 staff to support me, and my boots were ill fitted for 

 climbing I gained the ledge with much exertion, and, 

 after clambering along some" hundred yards, found I must 

 re-descend into the bed of the torrent, all further pro- 

 gress being cut off by a yawning precipice. Nerving 

 myself for the attempt, I succeeded in getting down, 

 showers of loose stones accompanying me. I could not 

 pause for observation, but fixing my eyes on certain 

 points apparently firm I dashed at them, and off again 

 before my weight had detached them, leaving them to 

 fall with awful resounding crashes into the depths below. 

 I got down all right, not a little pleased and relieved 

 thereat, and found the way now practicable. Looking 

 up, there were Mooktoo and Lussoo craning over the 

 chasm. I hailed them to try another place, and then 

 went on, and heard stones and rocks thundering down 

 the steep. Reaching the point where Abdool and horse 

 should cross, they were not yet in sight, but soon ap- 

 peared, and in due time joined me. Half an hour had 

 elapsed since I left the other two in difficulties, and, 



