A LONG MARCH i6i 



lost his shoes, his feet had become very tender. As I was 

 lying on the bank, encouraging the kettle to boil, two 

 kiangs (wild horses) came running down the valley — 

 evidently attracted by the ponies. They trotted round in 

 a circle, stood about a hundred yards off, had a good look 

 at me, and then raced back neck and neck, kicking up 

 their heels, and disappeared in the distance — a very pretty 

 sight. They were the size of small donkeys, and looked 

 very much like them. 



The next stage brought us to Eokchen, a long and 

 wearing march. We started at 6 A.U., having been some- 

 what delayed by the disappearance of Chamiirti and another 

 pony, who had wandered away during the night in search 

 of tirass. We had to encounter at once the stiff ascent 

 from Pang camp to the level above, which landed us at 

 last on the Eiipshu plateau. Kiangs were everywhere and 

 marmots were plentiful, but both these animals are un- 

 commonly wide-awake, and kept at a respectful distance, 

 while they indulged their irrepressible curiosity by staring 

 at us (out of rifle-range) as we passed along. The road 

 is along a broad open valley, with extensive plains on 

 either hand and level all the way, winding about the turns 

 of the hills, first on the right and afterwards on the left 

 slope. We did not get into Eokchen till 4 p.m. — a ten 

 hours' journey. The distance must be twenty miles. The 

 truant ponies caught us up some hours after starting. 

 They had gone up the valley some distance, and were 

 comfortably grazing about among kiangs ; the men had 

 some difticulty in persuading them into the right path. 

 There were about thirty-five black tents, of all sizes, 

 scattered about the level ground near the camp, and close 

 to a small stream, which comes down from the snow-topped 

 hills on the left ; the water is evidently the attraction which 

 makes this valley a favourite camping-place for the people 

 II 



