Across the Roof of the World. 



below. It was then too late to visit any of the trouble on he who 



had committed us to this desperate country, doubtless out of 

 ignorance, so I merely contented myself with bringing down my 

 invective on the author of our impending misfortunes. All that 

 remained to be done was to find a way out of the difficulty and 

 endeavour to reach the foot of the pass in safety if possible. 



To add to our embarrassments the cold wind increased, turning 

 everything into a state of frozen rigidity, so that the fleeting 

 moments became of vital importance. It was impossible for the 

 laden yaks to maintain a hold, some slipping thirty feet or more 

 on the glassy surface, only recovering themselves when a friendly 

 rock intervened to break the force of their descent and afford 

 them a chance to regain a footing. Yaks are fine moun- 

 taineers but it seemed as though one were asking too much of 

 them in the descent of the Qotchkor. 



We had brought the animals down about fifty feet when 

 one of them slipped again, and although desperate efforts 

 were made to save him, it was useless on a slope continuing 

 for full 2,000 feet. I was a little distance below endeavouring 

 to hack a path in the icy surface so as to alleviate ni 

 some measure the difficulties of getting the transport down. 

 As the yak shd backwards I hoped against hope he would be able 

 to pull himself up, since he carried my most important kit, 

 negatives, uniform, and presents destined for Chinese officials 

 in Turkistan. One of the yak men was holding on to the halter 

 rope and it looked as though he too would be dragged to certain 

 death, but having gone about seventy feet at a tremendous 

 speed , he let go and saved himself by cannoning into a rock, 

 somewhat bruised but otherwise safe. The yak, however, con- 

 tinued his headlong flight, and by the time he had slid the first 

 150 feet was gathering a terrific impetus that nothing could check. 

 I reahsed there was no chance of his saving himself on that 

 glacial surface, so resigned myself to the inevitable. It was 

 indeed a bitter moment to stand there and listen to the crash 

 of my boxes being literally smashed to matchwood, coupled 



