352 A CHINESE OUTPOST. 



being at the head of this wild glen a confluence of two fine 

 glaciers, from the base of which the Hanle stream issued, and 

 thence flowed in a broken, tortuous torrent, between banks of 

 bright green turf, down through the otherwise almost ver- 

 dureless valley. Our pass, however, led over a depression at 

 the top of a high stony acclivity on the left of the glen, where 

 the steep mountain-slopes on either side approached each 

 other more closely, five or six miles short of the glaciers. 



Among some broken raviny ground in the valley I found a 

 herd of several goa, and farther on a solitary doe. The for- 

 mer made off without giving me a chance ; the latter, although 

 offering an easy shot, I did not molest, for which she after- 

 wards served me a good turn in a rather singular manner. 



On nearing the top of the pass I observed several men sit- 

 ting behind the shelter of a big stone. These, my Tartar 

 companions (one of whom was our interpreter Kurreem) in- 

 formed me, were " Cheen log " (Chinese people), who were 

 keeping watch and ward there, having probably heard that 

 two Europeans were encamped in the vicinity. As we ap- 

 proached, they retired out of sight; but on arriving at the 

 summit, one of them suddenly reappeared and squatted him- 

 self on the ground some distance from us. On getting up to 

 him, a rather animated conversation was commenced between 

 him and my men, who informed me that he was remonstra- 

 ting against our proceeding any farther. On it being ex- 

 plained to him that we had no intention of invading his 

 country, he seemed satisfied; but on my moving forward a 

 short distance down the gently sloping Chinese side of the 

 pass, in order to obtain a better view of the country beyond 

 it, I fancy his suspicions were aroused, for, although he of- 

 fered no further remonstrance, he proceeded to tell us, with a 

 view to intimidation I suppose, that some more men would 

 soon be up to join him. 



I now sat down to wait until the Major should arrive. A 

 quarter of an hour had scarcely elapsed when the clatter of 



