220 SUSPENSION BRIDGES 
The priests get a good living out of the contributions 
of the enormous number of pilgrims who visit the 
mountain. Those living at the summit have, however, 
a hard time during the winter months, when the temper- 
ature is very low, and they are entirely cut off from 
below for about a month, during which time the road 
is rendered impassable by snow and ice. No life is 
allowed to be taken on the mountain, and I nearly got 
into serious trouble by shooting at a tragopan (Ceriornis 
temminkt) which was running across the path, and 
which I failed to bag. I was well clear of all temples, 
which occur at intervals of about five li all the way up, 
but one of my own men must have acted. as informer, 
for on reaching the summit the head priest requested 
me not to shoot again on the mountain. 
Two iron suspension bridges are passed on the way 
up, but they do not differ in construction from those 
seen further west. 
