"How much does he want, Aling, to carry us over?"
"He say ten cash can do."
As this sum (one cent) was not an unreasonable ferriage, we nodded; and
the buffalo being led into the water near the bank, I mounted first,
then came Charley with his arms around me, then Aling, who had climbed
up behind. When we were half-way over, Charley laughed so heartily at
the ridiculous figure we made that the buffalo gave another snort, and
threatened to roll us off, into the muddy water, but we landed safely,
and giving the man his ten cash, went on again. The rest of the walk
was without adventure, and we finally arrived at the river-bank just as
the boat was coming around the point below us.
That evening we left the main river and tracked up a tributary stream
until we came to a broad canal, which Akong informed us led direct to
our destination.
[Illustration: SORTING THE TEA.]
Turning out of our beds the next morning we found the boat moored to
the bank of the canal, opposite a long, rambling, one-storied building,
which proved to be the "hong" of the tea-merchant to whom the
neighboring plantations belonged.
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