282 THE RETURN. 



on and bivouacked on the hill above the Bhoot goatherds' 

 encampment, a spot producing a fair supply of grass. At 

 Abdoolah's suggestion I had engaged three of the yaks 

 to relieve my tottering horses and carry the baggage, the 

 horses coming on unloaded, by which plan I hope to save 

 their lives. 



We intend to go through to Chanloong to-morrow a 

 stiff journey, with the tremendous mountain to get over, 

 which, however, is not so bad from this side. We are all 

 elated at the near prospects of a better land and a better 

 climate than we have recently sojourned in. I hear a 

 deal of good-natured banter going on around, and feel 

 very ' koosh ' myself, and have been congratulating 

 everybody upon our having bid an eternal farewell to the 

 Karakorum and Sassar horrors. 



The Bokhara man sent for some corn. He lost three 

 horses yesterday. Two or three of mine look as though 

 they would not survive, poor wretches ! in spite of being 

 freed from their burdens. 



15th September. Still bitterly cold, my camp being 

 close to enormous glaciers, in addition to the snow on the 

 mountains. I led off at a round pace down to the 

 shepherds' huts, and saw donkeys there loaded, which 

 turned out to be an additional supply convoyed by the 

 faithful Kamal who had been detained by a sore foot. I 

 renewed the well-remembered horrors of this vale of 

 stones and bones, to the latter of which there were now 

 many additions. The air breathed on the mountain- side 

 was quite pestiferous from the many rotting carcases. 



It was a terrible long drag up. Having reached the 

 top, I ordered a general dismount, or Phuttoo and 

 Mooktoo would have assuredly bestridden their poor 

 jaded beasts all the way down. We stopped a few 

 minutes at a fine clear spring to refresh ; and then on to 



