356 SIKKIM HIMALAYA. Chap. XV. 



that fell relentlessly : my anxiety was great, and I could 

 not help censuring myself severely for exposing a party to 

 so great danger at such a season. I found comfort in the 

 belief that no idle curiosity had prompted me, and that 

 with a good motive and a strong prestige of success, one 

 can surmount a host of difficulties. Still the snow fell; 

 and my heart sank, as my fire declined, and the flakes 

 sputtered on the blackening embers ; my little puppy, who 

 had gambolled all day amongst the drifting white pellets, 

 now whined, and crouched under my thick woollen cloak ; 

 the inconstant searching wind drifted the snow into the 

 tent, whose roof so bagged in with the accumulation that 

 I had to support it with sticks, and dreaded being smoth- 

 ered, if the weight should cause it to sink upon my bed 

 during my sleep. The increasing cold drove me, how- 

 ever, to my blankets, and taking' the precaution of stretching 

 a tripod stand over my head, so as to leave a breathing 

 hole, by supporting the roof if it fell in, I slept soundly, 

 with my dog at my feet. 



At sunrise the following morning the sky was clear, with 

 a light north wind ; about two feet of snow had fallen, the 

 drifts were deep, and all trace of the path obliterated. The 

 minimum thermometer had fallen to 3° 7, the temperature 

 rose to 27° at 9 a.m., after which the wind fell, and with 

 it the thermometer to 18°. Soon, however, southerly 

 breezes set in, bringing up heavy masses of clouds. 



My light-hearted companions cheerfully prepared to leave 

 the ground; they took their appointed loads without a 

 murmur, and sought protection for their eyes from the glare 

 of the newly fallen snow, some with as much of my crape 

 veil as I could spare, others with shades of brown paper, or 

 of hair from the yaks' tails, whilst a few had spectacle- 

 shades of woven hair; and the Lepchas loosened their 



