CHAPTEE XI 



THE JOURNEY TO LADAKH {continued) 



We force the pass at last — Yakub in a bad way— Height of Tibetan passes 

 — A frozen lake — A grand snowy panorama — Water-parting of the 

 Indus and Chinab — Nasman-Nisnian camp — Saichu camp — Meet the 

 first Tibetan traders to Patsio — Their sheep — Salt trade — Kiam camp — 

 Enter Kashmir territory — Siimdo camp — More sheep — Ldchalang Pass 

 crossed — Effect of rarefied atmosphere — First game animal seen — 

 Pangta camp — Two young kiangs take stock of us — Ponies stray- 

 Reach Rupshii plains — A long march— Rokchen camp— Examine a 

 sportsman's bag— Picked-up heads — Test of made-up trophies — Great 

 cold at Rokchen — Coolies paid up — Yaks engaged — Plateau of Rupshu 

 — Meet a sportsman from Calcutta — Leave Rokchen — Tso-kar salt-lake 

 — Sheldrakes — Their nests — Polokonka Pass — Tibetan cairns adorned 

 with horns— The Puga valley — Raldong camp— Varying temperatures — 

 Reach the river Indus — Delay in crossing — Yaha-Jaha camp — Lamas' 

 encamimient— Shoot a black wolf— Description of liim— First hunt after 

 nyan — The valley of frozen lakes — Get on the wrong side of the pass — 

 A Tibetan beggar — See some nyan — Reach the Mirpa-tso — Three impres- 

 sions of Ladakh — Cross the Thaota-la — Reach Shushal at last. 



On the 16 th of June at five o'clock we were at last able to 

 face the pass, after lying at its foot, in the worst possible 

 weather, for nearly three days — an experience to which the 

 Tibetan traveller must accustom himself. In such circum- 

 stances he should follow the example of the aborigines, 

 whose marvellous capacity for surviving such misfortunes 

 proves them the hardiest of mountaineers. He must have 

 patience and endure the monotony of inaction, remembering 

 that with fuel, food, and warm clothing no harm can come. 

 As we started, a man with twenty sheep came up from 



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