of stately kopek and clumps of the hardier bamboos. We
added a few snow cocks to our larder--although they were
out of their habitat, flying down into the gorge from their
peaks and table-lands for some choice tidbit.

All that day we marched on, and when at night we
made camp, sleep came to us quickly and overmastering.
An hour after dawn we were on our way. A brief stop we
made for lunch; pressed forward.

It was close to two when we caught the first sight of the
ruins.

The soaring, verdure-clad walls of the canyon had long
been steadily marching closer. Above, between their rims
the wide ribbon of sky was like a fantastically shored
river, shimmering, dazzling; every cove and headland
edged with an opalescent glimmering as of shining pearly
beaches.

And as though we were sinking in that sky stream's
depths its light kept lessening, darkening imperceptibly
with luminous shadows of ghostly beryl, drifting veils of
pellucid aquamarine, limpid mists of glaucous chrysolite.

Fainter, more crepuscular became the light, yet never
losing its crystalline quality. Now the high overhead river
was but a brook; became a thread. Abruptly it vanished.

We passed into a tunnel, fern walled, fern roofed, garlanded