10 The Call of the Red Gods 
snow which flecked the high peaks of the black ridge 
between the Shweli and Salween rivers glittered in the 
sunshine. The rolling hills of the plateau still looked bare 
and brown in spite of early spring rains, but riding slowly 
over them, one found brilliant gentians peeping up from 
the grass, purple orchids and white dog-roses in the lanes, 
hedges of scarlet Cydonia japonica broken here and there by 
masses of pink peach-blossom, and everywhere green leaves 
unfurling. In short, a joyous note of spring was already in 
copse and spinney when I finally set out on my journey. 
