AFTERNOON TEA WITH THE TARTARS. 453 



escort here bade me farewell, and took their way homeward 

 mounted on their bovine chargers, trusting to my good be- 

 haviour during the remainder of my short sojourn in their 

 territory. They departed rejoicing greatly in a " bucksheesh " 

 with which I presented them ; and being Lamas, let us hope 

 they gave their little prayer-wheels an extra twirl on my 

 behalf, as a parting benediction. 



The following morning broke with rain, which was still 

 drizzling when we packed up and started about noon. It 

 had been our intention to cross the pass that day, but it 

 was now too late to attempt to get farther than its foot. In 

 a bed of black-looking soil we passed on our way I found 

 numerous fossils ammonites and belemnites which my 

 Bhotia companions called " shalgram " stones. About a mile 

 short of the spot where we proposed passing the night we 

 took shelter from the rain, until the jooboos came up, in a 

 blanket -tent the douane of the pass. Two of its five or 

 six occupants were squatted on the ground throwing dice, 

 whilst the rest were lolling lazily about, either dozing or 

 smoking their little brass -bowled pipes. The manners of 

 these Tartar excisemen were bluff and independent, but quite 

 civil. On our entering the tent, a small wooden cup was 

 ladled full of tea from a dirty metal pot on the fire, and 

 offered to each of us in turn. The tea l was made, as is the 

 custom in Tibet, with butter and salt. It was greasy un- 

 inviting stuff, but I swallowed a cup of it in good-fellowship. 

 This rite of Tibetan hospitality being over, the play was 

 resumed. The ostensible stakes were pebbles, though they 

 doubtless represented something more valuable. The dice 

 were cast from the little wooden cups of the players, each 

 time with a short exclamation like " put." Although I 

 watched the game intently for some time, I failed to follow 

 the intricate score. On rising to leave the tent I was 



1 The Tibetans import their tea from China in the form of solid lumps 

 known as "brick-tea." 



