Frost-bitten, 



were hard and yielded no sign of life when pinched. The 

 crucial moment was at hand, a moment in one's hfe when disaster 

 seems inevitable, and no line of escape presents itself. It is then 

 one becomes desperate and strikes out against the danger fast 

 folding one in its sinister embrace. Not a minute was to be 

 lost ! Shelter must be reached, for without it none would live to 

 tell the tale of that terrible march. 



It was only with the most strenuous exertions that progress 

 could be maintained, struggling against odds which no words could 

 ever portray. At last, towards 6 o'clock, we reached a hut 

 inhabited by some Chinese brickmakers, who said there was a 

 Kazak encampment close by on the other side of the river which 

 ran near the hut, so we crossed it and gained the shelter of the 

 friendly auls. 



Glad indeed we were to reach such a haven of refuge, for our 

 plight, after several hours at the mercy of a pitiless blizzard, was 

 really lamentable. 



The settlement in question consisted of two auls and a small 

 log hut, and there I had time to survey the scene and note what 

 had happened. The cases of frost bite included frozen ears, 

 noses, cheeks and hands, a ring of distressed humanity, all 

 apparently looking to me as a panacea for every ill and a 

 sure cure for frost bite, such is the faith of the Oriental in 

 the powers of the European. Whilst thus engaged Rasul came 

 in and informed me that Giyani's hands were in a bad state, 

 so I at once examined them. He appeared looking very 

 despondent and shamefaced, and in reply to my questions said 

 he had been trying to warm his hands over the fire as they were 

 quite numb and possessed no hfe or feehng, but that the warmth 

 had not affected them and they seemed worse rather than better ! ! 

 It was then too late to attempt any massage, for the moment 

 I touched them the skin peeled off his fingers, I therefore 

 bandaged them as well as possible, and made up a bed for him 

 in my hut, too sick at heart to censure him for not obeying my 

 instructions to report at once in the first instance, I had 



385 2 c 



