THE LAND OF THE CROSSBOW 



133 



THREE LISSOO GIRLS OE TA-CHU-PA 



liad to bend almost double. It was, 

 however, unique in being surrounded 

 by a stockade of alder logs, most of 

 which had taken root, forming a dense 

 liedge. Probably the reason of this 

 unusual possession was the position it 

 held, being situated at the base of one 

 of the passes leading over the divide into 

 Burmese territory, and therefore liable 

 to raids by the natives of that region. 



The head-man of Ta-chu-pa soon found 

 us a sufficient number of men to act as 

 porters, and a day was spent apportion- 

 ing loads to be carried on the back, con- 



sisting of a reserve supply of rice, done 

 up in rawhide bags — a most important 

 item in the baggage, as we could not 

 count on buying food of any descrip- 

 tion or in any quantity in the country 

 to the north of us. A Lissoo can carry 

 on his back for full stages of 6 to 8 

 hours, in difficult and mountainous coun- 

 try, about 70 pounds weight, but he daily 

 consumes i pound 7 ounces of dry rice. 

 All preparations for a move forward 

 having been made, our bad luck began. 

 The southwest monsoon returned, and 

 for twelve davs an almost continuous 



