326 A WEARY TKAMP. 



Out on a big plateau we saw two unusually large troops 

 of kiang one of some fifty, and the other of about thirty 

 animals. The serried cavalcades would trot up towards us, 

 and suddenly halt within 150 yards or so, and after standing 

 there snorting and gazing wistfully at us for a few moments, 

 wheel about, as if by word of command, and careering round 

 in a wide circle, return again and again to perform the 

 same manoeuvre, ere galloping away for good and disappear- 

 ing over some neighbouring rise. 



Next day being Sunday, we were glad of a much-needed 

 rest, not only for our weary limbs, but for relief to my face 

 and hands, which were almost raw from the combined 

 effects of biting wind and scorching sun. When that 

 abominable blast happened not to be blowing, which was 

 seldom, the climate at this place was simply perfect in the 

 shade, although the cold at night was bitter as usual. 

 Watching the proceedings of a colony of grey marmots 

 (here called " pheea "), not far from my tent, was quite 

 an interesting pastime. 



From Dongpu we had a long and weary tramp among the 

 broken ground and deep ravines lying between it and the 

 Sutlej. The one satisfaction I derived from going there was 

 a good view of that river from the heights immediately above 

 it here a rapid flood of muddy snow-water, rolling along 

 a desolate and verdureless valley between stony undulating 

 hills. Almost directly below us I could see, spanning the 

 stream, a wooden bridge, which only made me more fully 

 realise the disappointing fact of my being debarred from so 

 easily visiting the country beyond it, where bunchowr (wild 

 yak) and other Tibetan game were said to abound. The 

 wild camel, too, is found on some of the wide plateaux 

 beyond the Kuen Lun range, farther north though, even 

 could one reach its haunts, it is not the kind of animal a 

 sportsman would care to pull trigger on. 



This was an utterly blank day. Not a living thing, 

 either biped or quadruped, was to be seen. As we toiled 



