THE COUNTRY OF THE BHOTIAS 95 



stores, consisting of flour, rice, and sattu (parched wheat), 

 sufficient for a stay of one month, also to supply sixty 

 carriers from the Bhotia villages, each man to carry food 

 for himself for a month beside his load. They agreed to 

 come with us and act as guides and interpreters. We 

 also hired jhobus, or tame yaks, to carry tents and other 

 loads, and ponies to ride. I purchased one very nice 

 strong gray pony, and hired another for myself, a very 

 plucky little bay. We engaged also shikaris, excellent 

 men who were first-class mountaineers, good stalkers and 

 trackers, and ver^^ keen to make a good bag. It was now 

 July, and the rains were almost breaking on the lower 

 hills and plains of India. We were anxious to get across 

 to the other side, which has a comparatively rainless 

 climate, as soon as possible. The pudhan informed us 

 that he had been given notice by messengers that the 

 sahibs were on no account to attempt to cross into Tibet, 

 as it was contrary to the orders of the Chinese authorities. 

 This is, however, the usual custom. 



While things were getting ready we determined to have 

 a try for burrhel, or wild sheep, in some vaUeys close by, in 

 Nepal. We gave out we were going there to shoot. It 

 was, however, our intention to cross over the Tinkar 

 Pass in Nepal, which would get us close to Taklakhar and 

 take the Hunias unawares. 



Our light camp was pitched on sloping ground in a 

 considerable valley in Nepal, east of the Kali, on the south 

 bank of a rushing torrent which drained the extensive 

 slopes of the lofty peak of Api. Above the tents was a 

 snow slope coming down close to the camp, which was on 

 gravel with some scant vegetation, and slanting down to 

 the river some 500 feet below. In places this valley was 

 filled up level with snow, forming a convenient bridge to 

 cross from the south to the north side, which was beauti- 



