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.  We now incurred less of actual danger but more fatigue, and it was only after infinite trouble, owing to the rocks and tangled vegetation, that 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 anise and sow-thistle, 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 side the river, and mountains which were perfectly worthless.  But we could see the main range.  There was no mistake about this.  The glaciers were tumbling down the mountain sides like cataracts, and seemed actually to descend upon the river-bed; there could be no serious difficulty in reaching them by following up the river, which was wide and open; but it seemed rather an objectless thing to do, for the main range looked hopeless, and my curiosity about the nature of the country above the gorge was now quite satisfied; there was no money in it whatever, unless there should be minerals, of which I saw no more signs than lower down.

However, I resolved that I would follow the river up, and not return until I was compelled to do so.  I would go up every branch as far as I could, and wash well for gold.  Chowbok liked seeing me do this, but it never came to anything, for we did not even find the colour.  His dislike of the main range appeared to have worn off, and he made no objections to approaching it.  I think he thought there was no danger of my trying to cross it, and he was not afraid of anything on this side; besides, we might find gold.  But the fact was that he had made up his mind what to do if he saw me getting too near it.