The next business to be settled was that of crossing the river. For this we had to enlist the services of some the villagers who knew every inch of the ford, to guide us across ind carry over our stuff, I was not} all re-assured by their very vague statements, specially when they would not answer miy question, how deep it was, I did not- want to lose my baggage ora donkey. Their ussuri ance that they would "quaranteo" us 'a safe crossing did not comfort me the least. As I pointed out, their whole village was scarcely worth the price of some of the valuable instruments, I hed with me. Further lengthy argument revealing that it meant either crossing here or not at all and going back all the way we had come, there could obviously be no two thoughts about It After some keen bargaining we hired the services of three villagers to take us and our belongings safely across. for $1.50, a sum. I imagine, they had not often seen in their lives! up to then, Our. guides now made much display of some wicker baskets outzuy—used for feeding animals—fon which our luggage was to be. Moated across. The donkey-men were greatly impressed by the sight of these baskets and had pleasant visions of our belongings being ferried over safely and dry in them, 1 am not sure they did not even picture themselves sitting comfortably in the baskets and floating gently across the raging torrent. Vain imaginings. The baskets awakened no such hopes in my breast and merely excited my ridicule. Nor was my scepticism iIlfounded: the baskets were never used. The very frst one that was launched fore it was even
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.