SPORT IN THE TEKKES; WAPITI 83 



supplies, had been stolen near Mintaka. This was 

 not to be endured, so we had the head men assem- 

 bled there and required redress, threatening to 

 report the whole business to the Chinese authorities 

 in Kuldja. Now, as the head men are responsible 

 for the good behaviour of their respective tribes, 

 this threat had a great effect, the more so because 

 Chinese justice is apt to be rather indiscriminate, 

 and a theft from travellers like ourselves would be 

 sure to be severely punished. Of course, we did 

 not really want to report the matter at all, but at 

 the same time were not willing to let it pass un- 

 noticed, which would probably encourage a repe- 

 tition of the performance. So we agreed to take 

 six ponies in place of our three lost ones, and say 

 no more about it. As local custom entitled us to 

 demand six ponies for each of ours, this arrange- 

 ment was very satisfactory for the natives. As for 

 ourselves, we wanted no more animals, so could 

 afford to be magnanimous. What became of the 

 lost ones we never found out; probably they were 

 taken into the forest and there killed and eaten. A 

 tough dinner they must have made, too, after march- 

 ing all the way from Ladak. 



Next day, October 5th, we returned to our main 

 camp at the entrance of the Kukturuk Valley. I 

 was naturally much disgusted at not having got a 

 really good head, but there was no help for it, and 

 the only chance left seemed to be to have another 



