284 FIRST STEPS IN TIBET 



upper lip, began an anxious scrutiny of an incipient 

 moustache. These men refused to take me to Zarang, as 

 it was forbidden, but said the Panboh was the responsible 

 man, and could do what he liked. The ofticial over him 

 was the Chaprang-Zong (Chaprang, governor), and over the 

 latter a very great man called the Garh-pung, about whom 

 they had very hazy ideas indeed, like ignorant villagers 

 all the world over. I visited them in their camp in the 

 evening. Their sheep seemed semi-wild animals, and 

 difficult to manage. There was snow again at night, a very 

 heavy fall that lasted for two hours, but the morning was 

 bright and warm. Two men arrived in the evening from 

 Diinam Panbuh, with a message to say I was not to go on 

 without Anparh, and that he himself would come if he 

 could arrange his business soon. He had also given strict 

 orders to all the Jadhs going up that my advent was on no 

 account to be made known to the Chaprang-Zong. The 

 two Jadhs were to remain with me until Anparh arrived. 

 The Jadhs with the sheep went on this morning, leaving 

 a sick one behind, which the Chitki'il coolies ate. 



Anparh turned up at last, but he was very loth to go, 

 having no doubt been talked over or frightened by 

 Danam Panboh, for whom he wished to wait. I also 

 discovered that the message brought by the two Jadhs 

 was misdelivered or misunderstood. Their instructions 

 were that I was on no account to go on until the Panboh 

 arrived, and if I persisted, the messengers were to precede 

 me and send word to the Chaprang-Zong ! Anparh, no 

 doubt, had betrayed my plans ; under any circumstances, 

 concealment was hardly possible after meeting so many 

 Tibetans. My determination was, however, fixed, and I 

 kept Anparh to his promise. As soon as the messengers 

 saw me preparing to move, they started on ahead to give 

 notice. Chaprang is forty-five miles at least from Zarang, 



