GURLA MANDHATA 131 



are, of course, suitable to the cold climate, very thick and 

 hairy, and their horns are slightly lyre-shaped, but not 

 spiral. We also met the goa, or Tibet gazelle, very fre- 

 quently. This beautiful little animal is found singly or 

 in pairs, and is very difficult to shoot, being very small 

 and almost impossible to stalk. It frequents flat places, 

 and will not let one approach nearer than two or three 

 hundred yards. Its horns are like the Indian chinkara's, 

 but more slender. Mr. Drummond had met Ovis A mmon, 

 and shot two good rams. The Bhotia carriers having 

 now nearly run short of flour and rice, and being anxious 

 to return to their homes, we started again westward, and 

 by long and rapid marches returned by the pass of Dak 

 Eo to Taklakhar, bringing our trophies of the chase, and 

 without any mishap, except that we nearly lost a man 

 on the pass. Our last camp before crossing was very 

 high up in the same place where we had camped going 

 over. 



In the night it came on to snow, and the small tents 

 under which we slept were almost weighed down, and 

 required constant thumping from inside to shake off the 

 snow. In the morning, on looking out, the scene was a 

 desolate one, snow still drifting, and nothing to be seen 

 but white. The snow had fallen 10 inches deep, and the 

 men, who slept on the ground covered with their blankets, 

 were completely buried. There were mounds where they 

 lay, like graves. Luckily the snow suddenly ceased, and a 

 general resurrection occurred. We got the loads packed 

 with difficulty and terrible cold hands. Sheep-skin coats 

 were the fashion, and cold victuals. However, after much 

 struggling and arguments among the carriers as to whose 

 load was the heaviest, no one being in too good a temper, 

 we got under way and floundered on in the soft snow. 

 The yaks were, of course, sent ahead to cut a path, which 



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