ifi THE UPPER BASPA 



Di'inti. This was a very trying trudge indeed, and, 

 though it was ten o'clock when we stopped, water had 

 not yet begun to flow, everything being still frozen hard. 

 We must have been at least 17,000 feet up. The last 

 part of the ascent was distressing for the lungs : I coughed 

 much, but had no other disagreeable symptoms. My 

 appetite, however, did not suffer, and I made a good break- 

 fast. Only four of us remained up — myself, Yakiib, Anparh, 

 and a coolie ; I sent the other men back to the main 

 camp. The sun after a couple of hours was blazing hot ; no 

 shelter of any kind could be had, but when a breeze sprang 

 up it was cool enough. We went out at three o'clock, 

 in the direction of and above Si'iancho. After noon the 

 wind had begun to rise, and by the time we started it was 

 blowing a gale up the valley, frightfully cold and penetrat- 

 ing. I had on an overcoat, a cap well over my ears, and 

 thick, warm gloves, yet I felt miserable. Anparh and the 

 coolie were much worse off, but they held out manfully. 

 We carefully searched all likely places, but saw nothing. 

 We were just above the spot where the five rams had 

 been sleeping a few days ago, but all the hillsides below 

 us now were empty — and for a good reason, I afterwards 

 reflected : I had fired eleven shots down there only a few 

 days before. Siiancho did not seem very far off, and, in 

 fact, looking from above, the extent of country seemed 

 very small. Looking up from below, I was under the 

 impression that there was no end of shooting ground, but 

 reversing the view gave an idea just the reverse. The 

 piercing wind at last drove us back to camp, though we 

 could not have been away more than an hour, nor have 

 gone more than half a mile. I took refuge at the fire, 

 where Yakiib was cooking the cakes for dinner, and stayed 

 there. The pungent smoke was at last too much for me ; 

 but I shrank from going to bed because of the cold. 



