THE PILGRIMAGE TO AMARNATH 355
When Ramdas returned to the camp he found that many
new friends had joined the party, including some vakils and
professors. Dr. Amarnath came to know that Bamdas had
given away a cloth, and he took Ramdas roundly, to task
for what he considered a foolish act. He undertook the
charge of Ramdas' spare clothes. Ramdas scarcely used the
long gown, the gift of the doctor's relation. Particularly
this cloak the doctor packed covertly in his kit. Whenever
Ramdas put it on, a guard was kept on him so that he might
not give it away.
At noon he met a "white missionary who became very
friendly with him. Ramdas spoke to him of G-od, Love
and Christ. He was immensely pleased and proposed to
arrange for a sermon by Ramdas in their church on his
return from Amarnath.
(ii) Ramdas rapt in the vision
As far as Phelgaon the road was level. From Phelgaon
commenced the uphill path. The winding path made the
ascent easy, and Ramdas with the friends walked at a brisk
pace and reached Chandanwadi long before sunset. The
landscapes of Chandanwadi possessed their own unique
charm. The scenes were most inspiring. Here the river
rushed down-hill at a rapid speed. At Chandanwadi the
pilgrims halted for a night. Ramdas was so well taken care
of by the doctor that, at night, he would particularly see
that Ramdas was covered with two blankets. The other
friends also loved him with great zeal. But Ramcharandas
did not get on amicably with the pandits and so he kept
away from the tent and threw in his lot with the sadhus in
the open air.
Next day the party moved onwards. Ramdas was
furnished by the first pandit, with whom he had come as fai*
as Mattan, with a pair of canvas shoes, which he put on for
about thirty miles, but finding them an encumbrance threw
them away. He was now going bare-footed. Except the
45*