I50 THE JOURNEY TO LADAKH 



next morning, as the third mule was coming over, one of 

 the boards fell through, and the poor animal nearly followed. 

 The board was carried away by the river, and the rest of 

 the caravan had to ford the stream above the bridge — a 

 very cold and disagreeable job in the early morning. The 

 road as far as Zingzingbar (11 miles) was good and level: 

 we were now on the left bank of the stream. This place 

 is a collection of stone walls and a few roofless houses a 

 little distance above the river, and just under some striking 

 rocky peaks partly covered with snow. We halted here 

 till 4 P.M., as the weather looked threatening. The road 

 ascended to Choten-rong-jeiin with a gentle slope ; we 

 crossed by a bridge to the right bank again, and reached 

 the above place at 5.30 p.m. ; distance about three miles. 

 This is considered the foot of the pass, that is to say, the 

 highest point where camp can be made, for the snow from 

 here is continuous to the foot of the pass on the other 

 side. We had no protection of any kind, neither rocks, 

 walls, nor anything else, and no tents were pitched, as I 

 wished to make an early start before the sun softened the 

 snow. I slept in the open, under the lee of the grass 

 bundles that were brought up for the animals ; my 

 quarters were rather cold, but no fire could be made, as fuel 

 was precious and had to be husbanded carefully. The 

 thermometer marked about 40° at sundown, 34° shortly 

 after, and 32° before it got too dark to read it; then 

 everything began to freeze, and I turned in. Our troubles 

 began now — the biggest disaster that befell me on this 

 trip. When we started in the morning from Patsio, the 

 sun shone, and we were all light-hearted enough, notwitli- 

 standing the cold dip in the river ; but before we had 

 finished half the journey the clouds gathered, and bad 

 weather omens met us at every turn. The Lahoulis, who 

 knew what was coming, began to murmur ; they first 



