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370 ADVENTURES IN TIBET.
disappear. With the water in that condition it was im-
possible to form an idea of the depth ; as a matter of fact,
we found that in two or three places it exceeded three feet.
At length we managed to struggle across ten of the arms,
and then stopped to rest on a mud-bank, where the water
was only about one foot deep. There we were then in the
middle of the tossing, rushing flood, which came sweeping
down the valley without let or hindrance, and so swiftly
that the entire scene began to spin round before our eyes.
There was not a glimpse of the banks to be seen, nothing
but water whichever way we looked. After the heav}^
rains the stream had swollen tremendously.
\\^ithout a word the Lama dug his spurs into his mule
and plunged once more into the torrent. Down, down he
went, until the water reached to his stirrups—to the mule’s
crupper. Her rider drew up his knees to prevent the water
from getting into his boots. At the same moment a second
mule that he was leading, and which carried our leather-
covered boxes, began to struggle alarmingly. The boxes,
acting like floats, were lifting her off her feet. She spun half-
round and was swept down by the stream. She is lost, she
is lost ! But no, wonderful to relate, she recovered her
feet, regained her balance, and scrambled up the opposite
bank, with both boxes safe and sound.
At the moment that the baggage-mule was caught by
the current we shouted loudly and excitedly to the Lama
to turn back ; but he did not hear us for the thunder of the
water racing past him. But calmly and collectedly he con-
tinued to rise higher and higher in his saddle, until at last
it was entirely under water. Is the man mad, for we knew
he could not swim ? In a moment I had my belt unfastened
and was preparing to fling off my overcoat, when I saw the
little priest would pull through all right, for his mule was
beginning to rise out of the water, and in a moment or two
I saw that our Lama was safely out of danger.
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