On the Li-ti-ping 31 
though it is probable, as already remarked, that I should 
have come across Lissus before finally emerging from the 
mountains. 
From the pass I descended the extremely precipitous 
road as rapidly as possible, but though the city had looked 
SO near, it was in reality some distance away, and darkness 
was coming on apace, so that I soon realised the im- 
possibility of getting in before dark. 
Now I could see the lights of the city and hear the 
howl of a pariah dog; but in the tree-girt ravine, which 
gradually widened out between the towering spurs as the 
valley was approached, it was pitch dark. 
Progress became slower; extraordinary hallucinations 
grew upon me, and I found myself continually halting to 
step carefully over large boulders which did not exist 
except in my imagination, while in doing so I blundered 
clumsily into every obstacle which the path presented, 
slipped over the bank on one side, and walked into the 
bushes on the other. Helpless birds fluttered along the 
ground in front of me, so that I stooped down on more 
than one occasion to pick one up; strange animals moved 
in the thickets ; every light visible in the city was dancing 
up and down like a will-o’-the-wisp, and some poplar trees 
along the sky-line to the right seemed to be swaying 
violently to and fro as though bending before a gale, yet 
the night was perfectly still. 
Stumbling and tripping, I moved cautiously forward 
with arms outstretched, weary, but in excellent spirits ; 
stars were winking overhead, and after the cold and wet of 
the plateau, the air felt warm; also my clothes were dry, a 
fact which greatly added to my comfort. 
Suddenly the dark outline of a house loomed up in front 
of me, and at the same moment several dogs began to bark 
furiously. 
Entering the yard I made my way to the door and 
rapped loudly, but the dogs had already drawn attention 
to me and someone was even now approaching. Next 
moment the door opened, and an old woman stood before 
me, a flaming pine torch held high above her head as she 
peered into the night. 
‘Why it’s his Excellency!” she exclaimed in astonish- 
