Then we were off again. We did it for three days.

But our stumping tour of the south wasn't all misery. Crossing the 4000 -- foot width of the Mekong at Champassak, on a raft with an outboard motor, we took off our dusty shirts and enjoyed a veritable ocean breeze. Then we hung overboard in the water.

Briefly we rolled over a paved road up to Pak Song, on the cool Bolovens Plateau. The Prince visited the hospital of Operation Brotherhood, supported by the Junior Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, and fed rice to two pet elephants he kept at his residence at Pak Song.

In the village of Soukhouma, which means ``Peaceful,'' we had a baci. This is the most endearing of Lao ceremonies. It takes place in the household, a rite of well wishing for myriad occasions -- for the traveler, a wedding, a newborn child, the sick, the New Year, for any good purpose.

The preparations were elaborate: flowers, candles, incense sticks, rice wine, dozens of delicacies, and pieces of white cotton string. The strings were draped around flowers in tall silver bowls (page 261).

The candles were lighted, and we sat on split bamboo mats among the village notables. I was careful to keep my feet, the seat of the least worthy spirits, from pointing at anyone's head, where the worthiest spirits reside. Now a distinguished old man called on nine divinities to come and join us.

Next he addressed himself to our souls. A man has 32 souls, one for each part of the body. Those souls like to wander off, and must be called back.