ADVENTURES IN TIBET 285 



mules and ponies were still missing, a condition of 

 things which we erroneously ascribed to the desire of 

 the caravan men to retard our advance. Having 1 left 

 Ramzan and two men to look for the mules, we went 

 on with as much baggage as could be carried, and 

 camped on the other side of a low pass to the south 

 of the lake close to Camp 31, hoping that this plan 

 would act as an incentive to Ramzan and his two 

 companions to recover the mules speedily. During this 

 march we followed for most of the way a freshly used 

 trail, but whether ponies or kyang had last used it 

 we could not be certain, nor were the caravan men 

 able to enlighten us owing to the common belief that 

 the natives of this country could not afford the luxury 

 of shoes for their ponies. 



We were not left long in doubt of the presence of 

 inhabitants, for early in the morning of the second 

 day after we had left Camp 3 1 Nurdin arrived with 

 the news that the day after our departure a few Chukpas 

 had suddenly visited camp, and, having seized and bound 

 the two men, had looted the bag'gage. Fortunately, 

 photographic films, packed in hermetically sealed tins, 

 containing half a gross each, were not considered of 

 much value, matches, rice, and suttoo being more prized 

 by the Chukpas. I have but little doubt that the 

 guards left behind were far too frightened when the 

 robbers appeared to offer any resistance, for only two 

 visitors were seen and no mention was made of any 

 attempt on the part of Ramzan or Nurdin to protect 

 the baggage. As there was still no news of the eleven 

 mules, we now very naturally considered that the 

 Chukpas were in possession of them, and we promptly 

 held a council of war to settle the best plan of opera- 



