of the range, from which we had a lovely
view of the surrounding country; the hills were just tipped by the
setting sun; but this fact, while it added to the beauty of the scene,
materially detracted from our enjoyment of it. In a few moments more we
should be benighted, and we had still two hours' walk to the village for
which we were bound. Accordingly, we had scarcely commenced the descent
when it became so dark that it was no longer possible to distinguish the
path; and having a vivid recollection of the precipices I had already
passed, I felt no inclination to risk a fall of a few hundred feet. After
making some little progress by feeling our way with sticks, we found it
hopeless, and fairly gave in, having no alternative but to make the
narrow path we were on our resting-place for the remainder of the night.
This was a most disagreeable prospect, and we regretted that we had
allowed Jung and his suite to ride on. The minister had recommended us
to follow in cots, as he thought the road was too bad for men accustomed
to level country to ride along. It was vain to tell him that we could
ride where he could, or that we had seen hills before we came to Nepaul;
he insisted that he was responsible for our safety, and would not hear of
our riding. As we had little anticipated so arduous a march at starting,
we had not thought it worth while further to contest the point with one
who knew the country so well; and now, when it was too late, we sincerely
wished ourselves comfortably lodged in his camp.

I had already walked for six consecutive hours over roads exceeding in
danger and difficulty most of the mountain passes in Switzerland, and
began to feel fatigued and not a little hungry, seeing that I had not
touched a morsel of food since daybreak, with the exception of a crust of
bread that I had found in my pocket. Thus the prospect of stretching
myself out on a slippery path, with a stone for my pillow, and the
contemplation of my miseries for my supper, was anything but agreeable.

As we were in this humour it was not to be wondered at that an
intelligent soldier, whom we had for a guide, came in for a certain
amount of our indignation when he informed us that it was still four coss
(eight miles) to Pheer Phing, the place to which we were bound. Base
deceiver!--he had told us at starting that it was not quite four coss,
and now, after walking hard for six hours, we had got rather farther from
it than we were a