A Journey to the Salween 69 
expanding hood, like a cobra’s, and a big water-snake, the 
only two I recollect seeing in the year, though lizards were 
common enough on the dry rocks of the arid region. 
At mid-day Gan-ton came along with his six Tibetan 
porters, and after lunch we started up the mountain in the 
rain. Fate was on our side, for the small military official 
posted at Tsu-chung was away, and there was no one to 
hinder us. 
Our party consisted of Gan-ton, who was guide and 
interpreter, Kin, six porters, my watch dog Ah-poh, and 
myself. Ah-poh was a Tibetan mastiff, and he became 
much attached to me, though the most I ever taught him 
was to come when I called. Ascending the barrier range 
through pine-woods, we reached the last village, situated 
among steep stony slopes, from which a thin crop of barley 
is extracted, and at the topmost hut stopped for the night. 
We were not far below the pass over the spur, and perhaps 
2000 feet above the Mekong. 
Throughout the night it rained steadily. I had pitched 
my tent on the flat roof of one of the huts, but unfortu- 
nately it was not flat at all, but sloped in towards the 
centre, and when I awoke next morning the inside of the 
tent was a lake, into which I inadvertently stepped from 
my bed. 
It continued to rain all the morning, and the porters 
declared that it was quite impossible to proceed under 
these circumstances, for the path was steep and slippery ; 
so I endured the delay with what patience I could, and 
spent the time draining my tent. After lunch the rain 
held off for a bit and we started again, crossing the spur 
(g000 feet) and descending into the dense rhododendron 
forest. Towards the summit, clumps of Cypripedium 
luteum were prominent, with a very large white-flowered 
Viola, a Rodgersia, an Osmunda, and other shade plants. 
A steep and slippery path led down from the pass towards 
the bed of the torrent, and then began the long pull up 
the valley, tripping over roots and creepers, clambering 
over logs, and slipping this way and that in the mud. 
I have already compared the dry, pine-clad slopes of 
the barrier range fronting the Mekong valley with the 
richer vegetation of the gullies, and the deep valley behind 
