be when they are
disposed to show a hostile spirit to foreigners. Just as I had laid up
for dinner the din stopped, we breathed gunpowder smoke instead of air,
everyone from the head-bumping ceremony came around me, and there
lingered in silent admiration. My boy came and whispered, quite aloud
enough for all to hear, that in that part of the town cooked rice could
not be bought, and that I was going to be left to look after the horses
and the loads whilst the men went away to feed. He advised the assembled
crowd that if they valued sound physique they had better keep their
hands off my gear and depart. My friendly host shut the doors and
windows, with the exception of that through which I watched our
impedimenta, and at once commenced good-natured inquiry into my past,
and concerning vicissitudes of life in general. Luckily, I was able to
give the old man good reason for congratulating me upon my ancestral
line, my own great age, the number of my wives and offshoots--mostly
"little puppies"--and as each curious caller dropped in to sip tea, so
did one after another of the patriarchal dignitaries who were
responsible for the human product then entertaining the crowd come
vividly before the imagination of the company, and they were graced with
every token of age and honor. (Chinese speak of sons as "little
puppies.")]

[Footnote AO: In crossing a river here I slipped, and from ray pocket
there rolled a box of photographic films, and in reaching over to
re-capture it, I let my loaded camera fall into the water. I was
disappointed, as most of my best pictures were thus (as I imagined)
spoilt. But when I developed at Bhamo, I found not a single film damaged
by water, and every picture was a success from both the roll in the tin
and the roll in the camera. It is a tribute to the Eastman-Kodak Company
Ltd. that their non-curling films will stand being dipped into rivers
and remain unaffected. The films in question should have been developed
six months prior to the date of my exposure.--E.J.D.]

CHAPTER XVIII.

_Stampede of frightened women_. _To the Eagle Nest_. _An acrobatic
performance, and some retaliation at the author's expense_. _Over the
mountains to Pu-peng A magnificent storm, and a description_. _In a
"rock of ages." Hardiness of my comrades_. _Early morning routine and
some impressions_. _Unspeakable filth of the Chinese_. _Lolo people of
the district_. _Physique of the women_. _Aspirations towards Chinese