away on either side; and thus along the sharp edge we made our way upwards to the summit of the hill. It was with no feelings of ease that I kept looking back upon our baggage- bearers (six strong Pepohoans from Baksa), who, had they slipped would have been precipitated several hundred feet on whatever side they chanced to fall. At last we reached the summit safely, and were rewarded with a view of a splendid valley sur- rounded by a circle of hills, while the central mountain ranges of the island could be descried towering heavenwards in the distance beyond. The little settlement of Kamana could just be made out at the eastern extremity of a long glen. Resting for a short time in a Pepohoan hut, where the people were glad to see us and where we had a refreshing draught of spring water, we then pushed on to Kamana, and were there met by a sturdy old native helper named Tong, a man of good Chinese education, who had formerly held a post in a yamen. He was a fine-looking fellow, and had suffered a good deal of persecu- tion for having embraced the Christian faith. At about one o'clock, under the guidance of Tong, we left this station and commenced another toilsome ascent, beneath a blazing sun and without a breath of wind to temper the intense heat. At length, after surmounting the first range, we fell in with a buffalo herd, and found an old man living in a rude shed in the centre of a parched wilderness. He received us kindly and gladly shared with us his supply of water, which he held in a bamboo tube. Our arrival evidently afforded him great pleasure, and he was anxious we should remain for a smoke and a chat. Off again to climb another hill, or rather to scramble up deep fissures in one, over a broken stratum of clay and slate. Once on the top we flung ourselves down beneath the scant shade of some shrubs in a rocky cleft, at the same time dislodging from the
