It turned out that the ox-cart in use that day was a very weak one and gave out entirely, breaking down half way up the mountain. Another had to be brought from a distance, and long delays ensued, where the average speed is a snail’s pace, in spite of the experience with the lively animal the day before. Fortunately by this time we had obtained more coolies for the young ladies, so that our party were all together; the little son having become such a walker that he seldom patronized either chair or cart, and often walked twenty miles a day. One of the helpers, Mr. Shin, said, as he came up with the loads, supperless and quite tired out, at twelve o’clock that night, that had it not been that he was determined the pastor’s wife must not go without her bed and pillows, the cart would not have arrived at all. So tenderly do the people care for the needs of their teachers. [Illustration: MRS. KIM OF SORAI AND HER FAMILY. PAGE 244] We found the mountains more beautiful, if possible, than ever. It was October, and hills that in the previous spring were rosy with rhododendrons and peach blossoms, were now scarlet, gold and purple with the magnificence of autumn foliage, asters and golden-rod. There was displayed on all sides some of the most brilliant coloring I ever saw. There were quantities of bitter-sweet wreathing all over trees and rocks, berries of many varieties, and bushes reminding me of that which Moses saw in Horeb, burning but not consumed. And though in a different way, still I too felt that the ground was holy with the unseen but felt presence, and that it would be well to remove one’s worldly shoes, which figuratively I did. A few days later we crossed a mountain pass at over two thousand feet elevation, where we found the scenery more and more beautiful and wild. The gallant and unwearied “Captain” almost carried the rheumatic partner of his travels up the last steep ascent. The alternative was to sit in a chair and trust one’s self to a couple of tired coolies, who might stumble and dash one to atoms; or with chipangi (alpenstock) in hand, slowly drag one’s self up and then down over the rocks and steep slippery road. Arriving at the foot on the other side, we were once again in dear Sorai, where a good hot floor soon took out all the pain and weariness.