376 IN THE VISION OF GOD
eatables, and they both did hearty just ice to the hard-earned
tiffin. They rested for about half-an-hour. Shambunath
now suggested that they should make haste for their return
journey since they had to reach down before dark. It was
proposed that they should descend by a different way,
especially by a slope which looked tempting, as it appeared
to be one which could take them to thfc bottom easily and
in a short time.
They then quickly descended the incline and came to
the brink of a precipice which shut off their further pro-
gress downwards. They turned to another adjoining slope
of the mountain and climbed down only to meet with a
similar precipice. They turned to a third direction where
they helped themselves down by holding on to the
branches of trees that grew densely. Still their path was
cut off by yet another vertical cliff. Here Ramdas, seeing
some roots projecting out on the wall of the cliff, attempt-
ed to go down by their aid, when Shambunath intervened
and said:
"Swamiji, T cannot follow you that way. Do give up
the path."
Ramdas had to abandon the attempt. By this time, the
evening was fast approaching beckoning the night, clothed
in her dark mantle. Ramdas and the friend restod for some
minutes beneath the trees.
"Swamiji, suppose we can't find the way down the hill,
what are we to do?" questioned Shambunath.
"Why, of course, we shall stop here for the night,"
replied Ramdas.
"Ohl" he exclaimed, "I cannot do that in this horrible
place. I am afraid of wild animals. It is time for them to
come out of their lairs. Swamiji, let us try to find out the
old way by which we came up.*'
But the way by which they had ascended was also lost.
They ^were caught in the perplexing undulations of the vast
chain of ra*rantain*L They roamed up and down in search