The odour of
the medicament, which, as he had said, seemed to be very volatile, had
almost entirely disappeared. He begged me to go to bed, saying that he
would bathe and then do likewise, and I left him for the night;
speculating on the nature of this secret and precious remedy.
* * * * *
CHAPTER IX.
The Himalayan _tonga_ is a thing of delight. It is easily described, for
in principle it is the ancient Persian war-chariot, though the
accommodation is so modified as to allow four persons to sit in it back
to back; that is, three besides the driver. It is built for great
strength, the wheels being enormously heavy, and the pole of the size of
a mast. Harness the horses have none, save a single belt with a sort of
lock at the top, which fits into the iron yoke through the pole, and can
slide from it to the extremity; there is neither breeching nor trace nor
collar, and the reins run from the heavy curb bit directly through loops
on the yoke to the driver's hands. The latter, a wiry, long-bearded
Mohammedan, is armed with a long whip attached to a short thick stock,
and though he sits low, on the same level as the passenger beside him on
the front seat, he guides his half broken horses with amazing dexterity
round sharp curves and by giddy precipices, where neither parapet nor
fencing give the startled mind even a momentary impression of security.
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