YAKUB COLLAPSES 281 



and the wind became colder and stronger at every step. 

 It took us fully two hours to reach the point from which 

 I was to have my shot; and then, on looking over, not an 

 animal was to be seen ! This was a horrible disappoint- 

 ment. In going up we had made a couple of mistakes, 

 and had shown ourselves each time ; the wild sheep had 

 not been so sound asleep as we thought them to be, and 

 had seen us. Perhaps if Anparh had been with us we 

 would have been more successful, as he had perfect know- 

 ledge of the ground. We had taken the shortest way — 

 there was another and a longer one, which it doubtless 

 would have been more prudent to follow. Y;ikub collapsed 

 at the end, and came down suffering from pains in his 

 chest and head. We got down to the tent at four o'clock, 

 very fagged, but hot tea soon set us both up again. 



While at breakfast, I saw three men going along the 

 path up the valley ; they turned out to be Jadhs on their 

 way to Zarang, sent by Danam Panboh about his sheep. 

 This was not a good sign for my trip ; doubtless, word 

 had also been sent about my intention. I tried to keep my 

 arrangements as secret as possible, but Anparh was such 

 a coward, it was hardly likely he had held his tongue. On 

 the other hand, I flattered myself that I had made a good 

 impression on the Tibetans, and that my lucky interference 

 in their favour, when the Garhwalis were carrying them 

 off, would ensure some grateful return on their part. 

 Shortly after the three Tibetans went up, eleven more 

 came down the valley. The three men who had escaped 

 from the Garhwalis got back to their village in three days, 

 and this party of eleven had at once started in pursuit. 

 They were a wild and very dirty lot ; two of them were 

 only boys, and three of them Lamas. These latter had 

 their hair cut very short, and all three were clothed in 

 very dirty red chogas (long coats). 



