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 boat at Kompong Luong, and the same evening reached Pnom Penh after a dangerous and toilsome journcy ex- tending over twenty seven days.

Pnom Penh was occupied by French troops, and the precious mails were found at last. Most of the private letters, and all the scientific instruments destined for the explorers, had been wantonly left behind at Saigon ; but the Chinese passports were forthcoming, and Garnier contrived to procure the loan of a barometer. Judging rightly that safety lay in speed, and in starting upon his return journey before word of his project could reach the rebels, he allowed himself only two days' sojourn at Pnom Penh, and left that post again on February 8th. Once more he successfully ran the gauntlet of the rebel war-parties, and on the sixth day reached Siamrcap. From this point he struck out for Ubon, taking as direct a line as possible. Leaving Angkor Wat, he crossed a desert plain, passed over the Pnom Kulen range,-upon one of the highest peaks of which he discovered some new Khmer ruins, and so entered the Pre Saa, or " Mag- nificent Forcst," through which he had great difficulty in taking his bullock-carts. After traversing thirty miles of uninhabited country, he abandoned his carts at the first village, and thereafter was handed on from place to place by relays of porters. In some villages the men were busy with the harvest, and only girls were procurable for the transport of his baggage. Woman, as a beast of burden, he discovered, left much to be desired, for the damsels treated him and his business as an immense joke. When he entreated them to hasten and not to tarry by the way,