296 IN THE VISION OF GOD
" No, maharaj, we should not give up the attempt so
soon," contended Ramdas. "Let us climb higher up and
find out what there is at the top of this side of the hill."
The Nepali sadhu demurred, while the other was silent.
He never asserted himself in anything. He had cast his lot
with Ramdas1 and he was willing to abide by his decision.
The Nepali sadhu was prevailed upon to agree with
Ramdas. So, again, they commenced their climb. All
through, Ramdas cut almost a direct upward path. He
had no patience with winding ways. The Nepali, who had
a long stick which he used to good effect, was trudging
behind, gasping for breath. On ascending about a mile they
reached the bottom of a steep cliff, a solid, nigged and
perpendicular rock over a hundred feet high. It. became
clear that if one could climb up the cliff, one would reach
the summit of the hill.
The sadhus rested at the base of the cliff. The Nepali
now with a breath of relief said:
"Swami, now at least we can return since further pro-
gress in this direction is impossible."
Ramdas without giving him any reply stood up and gave
forth a shrill and long cry of 'Hari Om'. The jungle and
the sides of the majestic hills resounded with the thrilling
utterance, but in the rolling reverberations of the sounds
was also heard distinctly a corresponding call of a human
voice proceeding from the top of the hill.
"Now there is somebody at the top; Ramdas will go up,"
he said.
"Madness!" replied the Nepali. "There is no way to
mount up. How can you go?"
"Of course, by climbing the cliff," Ramdas observed,
"Swami, do you want to commit suicide? Be advised;
don't make your life so cheap and throw it away."
Ramdas heeded not. He directly bounded towards the
threatening rock. He began crawling up on all fours like
an ape, making the sharp frail slaty edges of the rough