THE COUNTRY OF THE BHOTIAS 93 



ments. They were to be sent in to explore this unknown 

 country. 



We found it very cold at nights here, but good fires 

 were kept up in front of the tents, with a wall built of 

 loose stone, Tibet fashion, all round the fire, to keep off 

 the cold breeze. Extra clothing was also required, and 

 blankets at night. The following morning, on waking, 

 we heard the bleating of many sheep, and on looking out 

 of the tent door found a long string of the quaintest- 

 looking sheep coming down from Tibet by the Bians 

 Pass. They had long, straight horns, straight out on 

 each side of the head, similar exactly in shape to the horns 

 of the Ovis Poli, only a few being curled close to the side 

 of the head like the Ovis Ammon and Scotch horny. 

 These sheep were very tall on the leg, as big as a Lincoln 

 sheep, and had fairly fleecy wool. The quaintest sight, 

 however, to our eyes, was to come. Three objects 

 approached our tents, with little slit eyes and red cheeks 

 and broad grins on their fiat red faces — whether men or 

 women it was not easy to tell, for they had smooth faces 

 and their hair flattened on the temples, black greasy 

 pig-tails coming out from under their broad Quaker-like 

 hats. They were squat, thick figures, with a waddling 

 gait, and wore thick woollen coats, and trousers gathered 

 in at the ankle, and woollen boots, and round their 

 waists dirty kamarbands, with knives and chop-stick 

 cases stuck in them. Their coats were open in front and 

 bulged out above the waist, as if they had crammed all 

 loose property into the space. In fact, wooden cups for 

 drinking tea, neatly turned from knotted horse-chestnut, 

 which grows in Nepal, tobacco bags and others made of 

 leather, wool for spinning, and all sorts of sundries were 

 carried in these capacious breast-pockets. They wore 

 Birmingham-made goggles, and carried each a green 



