Ch At hii 
A-TUN-TSI 
IT was now necessary to take the Tsu-kou mules across 
the Mekong, but the Tibetans made no difficulty about 
this, though the passage of the river occupied nearly three 
hours. 
First the rope was tightened, for it is imperative that 
the mules should slide right across and land on the opposite 
bank, they being quite helpless until they feel ground 
beneath them again. The rope of course, after being used 
for a time, begins to get slack and sag as already described, 
and the great weight of the animals naturally causes it to 
sag a good deal further, so that unless it is braced up as 
taut as it will go, there is every chance of a mule sticking 
when little more than half-way across. 
Several men therefore twisted leather thongs round the 
rope while another man slackened the coils round the post ; 
and at a given signal they all heaved together, the slack so 
pulled up being quickly slipped round the post and the 
loose end made fast. The rope now stretched practically in 
a straight line from bank to bank. 
Next, some of the men went across, slapping lumps of 
grease on to the rope at both ends, and as quickly as 
possible the boxes were slung over the river and safely 
landed. 
Now came the turn of the animals. Each was led on 
to the platform beneath the rope and slung from a single 
slider by two loops, one passing under the belly the other 
under the chest, the thongs being fastened together across 
the back of the animal and secured by a stick thrust 
through the knot; meanwhile two men held back the slider 
to prevent it starting prematurely which it was now quite 
prepared to do. 
