252 Back to Burma 
While I was engaged in bargaining with my friends for 
bracelets, each of us in a different language which however 
did not hinder negotiations in the least, who should sud- 
denly walk into the compound but my faithful man Kin! 
He related how after the dog incident he had overtaken 
the mules during their mid-day halt, which had been un- 
duly prolonged on my account, and how, seeing no signs of 
me, the caravan had continued on its way till nightfall, 
eventually stopping some miles short of Nantien, where 
they arrived at twelve o'clock on the second day, three 
hours after my departure. Here however they had news 
of me, and arranging for the mules to follow as quickly as 
possible, Kin snatched up a few miscellaneous articles with 
which to succour me in case of necessity and hurried ahead, 
reaching Kan-ngai the same evening, where he obtained 
further news of me, and would indeed have found me had 
I not been denied admission to the inns. Leaving early 
in the morning of the third day, he had found me as I 
have related. 
I had felt rather vexed at the mishap, since I had 
anticipated a perfectly quiet journey to Bhamo, surrounded 
by the comforts and conveniences which I possessed. Yet, 
such is the perverseness of human nature, now that my 
caravan was within easy reach, I had no desire to rejoin 
it, and deliberately elected to continue the journey as it 
had begun. There were reasons of course. In the first 
place, Kin was not certain where the caravan was, but 
it was at least half a stage behind, and waiting for it was 
likely to prove irksome; secondly I had, under the ban of 
adversity, reconstructed my plans, and did not feel inclined 
to alter them again now that I had adapted myself to the 
conditions of a rapid journey to Bhamo. AA little bedding 
would have been a comfort certainly, but to await the 
advent of the mules was to waste half the day, so I 
horrified Kin by announcing my intention of going straight 
on; and having arranged where to meet him in Bhamo, I 
gave the friendly Shans solid proof of my appreciation for 
their kindness, and rode away. That day we covered two 
stages without much effort, for the road was good and the 
distances not great. Towards evening I shot two pigeons 
for the pot, and plucking them as I rode along, gave them 
