174 THE JOURNEY TO LADAKH 



rather disappointed, but said he would still make the 

 attempt — at anyrate, this was his way back. He had uot 

 had much luck in Chang-chen-mo, having bagged only ten 

 Tibetan antelope ; there were four sportsmen still there. 

 The information he gave me proved again what thorough- 

 going liars these Tibetans are. I made every inquiry in 

 the Phia-lung regarding game, and whether the country 

 had been shot over lately, and had been met by denials on 

 every side : there was no game, no Sahib had been here, 

 no nyan had been shot at, etc. It seems a rooted conviction 

 in the minds of these people that a consistent course of 

 denials, when questioned on any subject, is the easiest way 

 out of all difficulties. The traveller or sportsman must 

 bear this constantly in mind. Had I known that this bit 

 of country had been shot over, of course I should not have 

 wasted a week knocking about those desolate and frozen 

 valleys. 



