FAIRLY IN THE WILDS 143 



of the swollen river, moreover, tearing along 

 underneath, caught the eye and produced 

 giddiness, and there was of course nothing 

 in the shape of a handrail to help. Crossing 

 was not much of a difficulty to me or the 

 shikaris, who had got used to most things 

 by this time ; nor to the coolies, who had 

 been born and bred among the hills ; but 

 it completely floored my bearer, who had 

 lived in security in the tents below, and I 

 was really afraid we should never get him 

 over at all. He could not make up his 

 mind to have a try, but stood trembling on 

 the brink, wringing his hands ; so I went 

 back, and told him to go over on all fours, 

 but he simply dared not. Then a coolie 

 offered to carry him over, but he struggled 

 off his back at the last moment, and I 

 began to think we were a fixture on the 

 banks of the Zaig. However, finally our 

 efforts were crowned by success ; we 

 blindfolded him and tied him on to a 

 coolie's back ! When he found that it was 

 useless to struggle he gave in, and went 



