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small stream came into it from a tributary valley. Further progress up the main river was impossible, for the cliffs descended like walls; so we went up the side stream, Chowbok seeming to think that here must be the pass of which reports existed among his people. I have so much to tell that I must condense this part of my story. Suffice it that after infinite trouble owing to the rocks and tangled vegetation, we got ourselves and our horses upon the saddle from which this small stream descended; by that time clouds had descended upon us, and it was raining heavily. Moreover, it was six o’clock, and we were tired out, having made perhaps six miles in twelve hours.
On the saddle there was some coarse grass which was in full seed, and therefore very nourishing for the horses; also abundance of annise and sowthistle, of which they are extravagantly fond, so we turned them loose, and prepared to camp. Everything was soaking wet, and we were half-perished with cold; indeed, we were very uncomfortable. There was brushwood about, but we could get no fire till we had shaved off the wet outside of some dead branches, and filled our pockets with the dry inside chips. Having done this we managed to start a fire, nor did we allow it to go out when we had once started it; we pitched the tent, and by nine o’clock were comparatively warm and dry. Next morning it was fine; we broke camp, and after advancing a short distance, we found that, by descending over ground less difficult than yesterday’s, we should come again upon the river-bed, which had opened out above the gorge; but it was plain, at a glance, that there was no available sheep country, nothing but a few flats covered with scrub on either