Page:Life in Java Volume 1.djvu/311

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STRUGGLES IN THE MUD.
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was so muddy that my pony had considerable trouble in extricating each foot from the compact mass into which it sunk. My wife, however, was less fortunate. When nearly across, her horse sank up to his haunches, and for some seconds struggled and plunged, apparently quite helpless, in the mud; but before I could render any assistance, the persevering animal, having succeeded in getting his forefeet on the bank, made a dart, leaped forward, and escaped with his rider uninjured.

"When the mandoer and Drahman came up, they managed to scramble on foot across the broken bridge. After we had ridden for some distance further, we dismounted, leaving our horses in the care of a man who had followed us. We were met at the same time by the jurn coonchee, or keeper of the keys, belonging to the temple of Salomanglain, whither we were bound.

Our path now lay between wild trees and shrubs. One of these, the Jarah, has a berry from which