THE LAND OF THE HUNS 113 



quite friendly and jocose, laughing freely and putting 

 out their tongues. They were curious to know about 

 railways and telegraphs, and asked after the Queen of 

 England. We inquired why they were so anxious to 

 prevent British subjects from visiting their country. 

 They replied that it was the order of their Government 

 in Lhasa, and that the jungle was infested by bad people 

 called Khampa log, who robbed and murdered any travellers 

 they could meet. The distance to Lhasa was about 

 thirty marches for men on horseback, but double that 

 for jhobus, and the roads very bad. It could not be less 

 than 600 miles. Before parting, the Zung-pun presented 

 us with little gifts. I still possess a brass tassel with 

 horsehair, used for hanging to a horse's bridle. 



The garrison of the fort was said to be about 300 men, of 

 whom 100 were horse-soldiers, so called, and the authorit}' 

 of the Zung-pun extended over a considerable area. 

 They spent the summer in tents, herding their sheep, 

 goats, and jhobus all over the vast plains, moving higher 

 as the sun got stronger and the grass grew. In the winter 

 it became deadly cold, and the shepherds moved down 

 from the higher plateaux into valleys further north and 

 east, and into houses. It did not snow much, but the 

 winds were so cold and frost so intense that no one could 

 live out in the jungle in the cold season. The wool of 

 the white goat was carried on jhobus to Kashmir for 

 making shawls, and the pashm from goats and sheep 

 was also traded for flour and rice, which would 

 not grow in Hundes. Such information was freely 

 given us. Our interpreters did not recommend our 

 entering the town or fort of Taklakhar, which, from the 

 size of the buildings on top of the hill, must be a consider- 

 able place. They could not answer for our being civilly 

 received ; indeed they seemed to have a dislike of 



8 



