Page:Siam and Laos, as seen by our American missionaries (1884).pdf/113

 were off, leaving the others to follow us soon in a buffalo-cart. It was too dark for any but a practiced eye to see the road, and in less than half an hour our driver contrived to lose the way, so that until daylight we groped on through the jungle, not knowing into what pit the beast might fall or when it might brush against a tree and throw us off. Committing ourselves to the great Care-taker, we watched for the first rays of morning light to guide us on our course, and when some time after sunrise we struck upon the beaten path we were happy and grateful indeed. Now I could see where I was, and found myself seated in a howdah, or covered saddle, made of strong wood. The top was a kind of basket-*work lined with leaves, and so arranged as to protect us from sun and rain and from branches of trees as we passed. The elephant was about nine feet high, and the seat was raised at least a foot above his back. To novices the elephant-ride is apt to be rather alarming.

Our road much of the way lay through a beautiful piece of woods, the trees sometimes forming an arch over our heads. We passed multitudes of pilgrims going or returning, some riding on elephants, some in buffalo-carts and some on foot; also groups of natives seated by the way-*side with kowlan (rice cooked in joints of bamboo), palm-tree sugar, wild honey in the comb, etc., to sell to passers-by. I enjoyed the ride