Evening star., 1926-04-04

"Right," retorted. I'm game
come on, lets go lets GO
IN A few minutes our restive ponies
were sadded, our bedding was
rolled up. and the meager personal
impediments Of both Of us were
strapped on the backs Of the native
porters. Our farewells to the kindly
old Chinese were more hurried than
polite. and though | was wet to the
skin before had even frightened my
ponys gir,h | was glad enough to
be on my way anywhere to get clear
OF the ahominable hovel which had
given us such unplea mt shelter for
so long.
But my, what weather,
Our way led down steep and
hazardous incline to raging torrent
OF a river. the roar of which could bt
heard above the wind as we laborious
IL descended. Our Chinese pants
were rolled up 10 our middles: We
were barefoot: the wonderful 36-inch
brim Chinese straw hats which we
wore tended to protect our heads
from the binding storm.
/ Arrived at the rivers edge. our
horses plunged into the stream. with
ourselves on their backs. and success
fully forded. The men then threw
us rope, holding one end while We
held the other. each man tunfortu
nately dr"nChing the load on his bach
Photograph films, geographical rec
ords. and all other memoranda of tbs
journey pulling himself across han6
over hand. the last fellow tying the
rope round his middle and being
h,.c1 u laScltr ha1.ln1
And now" said Prescott to me. as
soon as the last man had climbed W
the river bank. ride as hard as YOU
can. II you value your life. ride. Ride
as YOU have never ridden before. II
YOUR pony drops dead at the end Of thu
ride and YOU are safe. ii will be worth
it. If they get vOu ! will look after
your affairs and see that you are de
Gently buried. If they get me. ride
back to the mission headquarters anf
report. All my affairs are in order
He stopped speaking, suddenly be
coming enGrossed with some object
on the ground. lost in a day dream
"Well?" | 81 id.
We'll. | was thinking that IL II
would not he too much trouble would
like to he buried at Shihmenkan if
if anything happens. And If neither
Of us should get back. will have a
Chinese tell our friends.55
AS | stood there listening wet and
rold. facing n hard ride in wet sad
die to | did not know where. the pros
pect began to strike me as by nc
means alluring. though I could not
help but feel that Prescott was exag
gerating the danger. AS a matter oi
fact, was little impatient.
But. my dear fellow - | began
"Lampier. don't argue" came my
companion's swapping retort. Ride a:
hard as YOU can--dont argue. please.
His manner was SO emphatic that
felt I had nothing else to do but tt
climb back into my wet saddle, lis
tening to Prescott as he gave final in
structions to our men to follow by an
other route.
And ride we did. In country where
!! there are no roads nor semblance ol
roads. over a loose ooZe literally The
color of blood and as Shiny in wet
! weather as the back of an eel, speedy
movement is not easy. First over on'
range, clear to the crest OF the Peat
of Slippery Death, then sheer down
for possibly 900 feet. across shall
low riverbed and through broken
precipitous gorge where the ponie:
only with difficulty could keep a foot
ing and where progress was painfully
slow against the drenching. binding
rain of a thunderstorm, then up again
when we are AT the top OF tina