300 IN THE VISION OF GOD
Early one morning the party commenced the ascent of
the hill. The sannyasi guide took them along the proper path
which, being spiral, was easy to climb. They had to coyer
a distance of seven miles which they did by midday. Now
they came to a small stream of water which they crossed
by the help of a wooden bridge and reached a place shaded
by the spreading branches of a cluster of giant forest trees,
in the middle of which stood the small mandir of Nilkant
and two dharmasbalas. The party alighted at one of the
dharmashalas.
Here a dinner was prepared for all, and by two
o'clock they finished their meals. Ramdas and Ram-
charandas proposed to spend some days on the hill. The
sannyasis and the Maharashtra sadhn left the hill top for
the plains.
Ramdas was now for discovering the edible roots on
the hill. So he and Ramcharandas began to dig for them
at several places on the hill. It being summer the ground
was hard and the hill-folk advised them not to try for
the roots as they were deep down in the earth and that it
was not the season to dig for them. So they gave up the
arduous task.
Ramdas then suggested to Ramcharandas that they
should give up the dharmashala and seek a solitary nook on
the hill for spending their days. The evening was drawing
near. They started inspecting the hill for a secluded and
suitable spot. The sun set. They wore near a tiny stream
in the small valley of a sloping hill. Ramdas climbed up
the slope which was covered with a thick growth of short
trees. In the midst of a group of trees Ramdas sat clown.
"We shall remain here to-night and, after clearing the
ground? we shall have between us a small pit in which
we shall make a fire to keep us warm in the night,'1 said
Ramdas.
Then they set about collecting the dry twigs and
branches of trees. Soon a fire was lit; the ground was