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66 ADVENTURES IN TIBET.
grow decidedly cool. The navigators on the after-deck kept
up a brisker fire than before, and there they sat in turns
and warmed themselves. Meanwhile, Kader read aloud to
them stories of the adventurous doings of the old Moham-
medan missionaries in East Turkestan centuries ago.
But soon they had something else to do. The velocity
of the stream increased very considerably, and every man
had to be alert and ready at his post. The immense masses
of water rolled swiftly on from one river-bend to another,
and we had to keep a very sharp look-out, so as to be
able to head off our vessel in time. On one occasion all our
efforts were of no avail ; our heavy craft ran full tilt against
the perpendicular bank, and swung sharply round. But,
fortunately, no misfortune happened—a couple of somer-
saults on board and a basketful or two of earth on the bow,
that was all.
But the river grew wilder, more impetuous, and more
uncontrollable, contracting to a narrow sharp-cut passage-
way, its banks being 15 or 16 feet high, but perfectly barren
and destitute of vegetation.
It was getting exciting. I expected a mishap every
moment. Our floating domicile shot at a giddy pace
through the weirdly moving ravine. It was as though we
were being sucked helplessly into a whirlpool ; but of this
we had little time to think, for all our energies were required
to avoid a collision.
Kasim, as usual, was leading the way in the provision-
boat. All at once we heard him shout :
" Stop ! stop !
stop !
" in a tone of desperate anxiety. A poplar tree
was grounded in the middle of the stream, which was here
only 60 to 70 feet wide, and around it had gathered a quan-
tity of driftwood and rubbish, making an awkward island
amid-stream, around which the water was foaming and
chafing itself white. At once the greatest excitement arose
on board ; everybody shouted and screamed at the same
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