152 Narrative of a Journey to Cho Lagan, fyc. [Aug. 



from the Jwaris I afterwards learned that it is called Jungbwa- 

 Tol. 



In the middle of the night one of the ponies amused himself by walk- 

 ing over the ropes of my tent, which brought the whole concern down 

 upon me : but as it was not very onerous, consisting of two blankets, 

 and I still found breathing room, I thought it better to lie still and let 

 matters rest as they were till morning, rather than turn out into the 

 miserable cold of the night air, till I could rouse my companions and 

 so get the hut set up again. 



4th October. — Thermometer at 6 a, m. 20°. Up to this time I had 

 been somewhat in the dark as to the true position of the Lakes, and 

 my best route for a good inspection of them, depending on the map, 

 which was uncertain, and the clumsy accounts of Bhotia and other in- 

 formants equally vague and doubtful ; nor had I much confidence in 

 the guidance of Rechu : but I now began to understand the anxiety he 

 had shown at the Dakhna to take me by Mankshang instead of Lank- 

 pya-Dhura, for the great easting we had now made from Lankpya, 

 without attaining Rakas Tal, proved the Map to be wrong in bringing 

 that Lake too far westward, and Rechu to have been right in asserting 

 that the direct route to the nearest point of the Tal was by Mank- 

 shang, and his object was evidently to cut the expedition as short as 

 possible. I had determined to begin with Rakas Tal,* because it was 

 less known than Manasarowar, though geographically more interesting, 

 as being suspected of communication with the Sutlej ; being no resort 

 either for pilgrimage or for Bhotia traffic, the western Lake has been 

 less observed by Hindustani visitors, and from its intricate outline less 

 easily comprehended and described by them ; nor did Moorcroft's im- 

 perfect view and accounts of it add much to our information. Rechu 

 now affirmed that we were close upon the south-western quarter of 

 the Tal, and a debate arose as to which way we should proceed so as 

 to have a good view of both the Lakes and of the channels connecting 

 the two together and Rakas Tal with the Sutlej, all of which I insisted 

 on as essential. The Bhotias were rather inclined to make for Mana- 

 sarowar along the southern bank of Rakas Tal, but as I had little con- 

 fidence in their intentions, and there was constant risk of an untimely 

 end to our expedition, should we be detected, by the intervention of 

 * Rawanhrad of Moorcroft. 



