254 THE YAK. 



with, a little well-diluted eau-de-vie, there being no fire, 

 no tea. I rose up once or twice, and looked around on 

 the imposing mountain scenery which the moon lit up 

 with her softly bright clear beams ; and again dived into 

 the woolly comforts of my blankets. But ere the night 

 was half spent, a change came over it. I awoke feeling 

 that something unusual was taking place, and lo ! the 

 surface of the earth was sheeted with snow, and I was 

 fast disappearing under its fleecy mantle. I luckily had 

 a long felt namba which extended beyond my pillow, 

 covering my head, and I drew the blankets over and 

 round my shoulders, and quite closed myself in. The 

 snow drifting pressed upon me, and kept me warm. But 

 I got too hot from the confinement of my breath, and 

 was forced to stir myself, and open a hole for ventilation ; 

 when unluckily moving the namba over my pillow, down 

 came an avalanche of cold snow about my shoulders. 

 Clearing this away as well as I could, I made a hole on 

 one side at which to place my mouth, and once more 

 resigned myself to await events not, perhaps, thoroughly 

 comfortable, yet enjoying the novelty of the situation. I 

 gave many an anxious thought to my poor attendants 

 whose voices reached me occasionally. Perceiving dawn 

 approaching, through my peep-hole, 



August 31st, I at once disencumbered myself of 

 namba and snow, and proceeded to survey the surrounding 

 scene. Everything was buried. My followers looked 

 miserable enough, poor fellows ! but there was no real 

 suffering. All was soon recovered, and in marching trim, 

 and we set off for our hunting ground. It was very bad 

 travelling, the natural difficulties being much increased 

 by the melting snow. The wind blew downwards, and 

 we augured favourably of our day's chances. But hardly 

 had we gained the long ravine, where we hoped to find 



