1848.] Narrative of a Journey to Clio Lagan, fyc. 153 



the Lhassan authorities, I resolved first to secure the north-west point 

 of Rakas Tal, said to communicate with the Sutlej, and thence return by 

 Manasarowar along the isthmus between the two Lakes. My orders 

 were accordingly for the Nikds (outlet) of Rakas Tal ; all the Bhotias 

 seemed well acquainted with it, and saving the presence of the enemy, 

 Rechu promised to bring us to the spot by evening. 



Finding no harm to have come from yesterday's dangers, the Bhotias 

 had screwed up their courage a peg or two this morning, and allowed 

 me to lie in bed till daylight, though we had to begin our march by 

 crossing the Tol. We started at sunrise, course about north of east, 

 descending, crossed the stream, the same that we had passed yesterday 

 afternoon, which runs into Rakas Tal, and ascended rising ground at 

 the foot of lofty hills on the other side. The shepherds of the Tol were 

 asleep in their tents, I suppose, for I saw none of them. We were now 

 again on a frequented road, leading from Gangri to the large Tols near 

 our last encampment and thence on to Pruang, and a. Rak-gir (traveller) 

 suddenly made his appearance over one of the ridges of high ground ; 

 he was horsed and armed, and the Bhotias in great alarm declared that 

 he must be either a Khampa, come to rob us, or a Government messen- 

 ger to arrest us. As we were edging off to the right to avoid the man, 

 he seemed to be doing much the same on his part, apparently in equal 

 apprehension of us, which emboldened the Bhotias to accost him, and he 

 turned out to be a humble shepherd coming from his master's house at 

 Gangri to one of the Tols, where he had flocks at graze ; he possibly 

 took us for Khampa and was glad to pass us so quietly. We now came 

 in sight of a corner of Rakas Tal, a mile or two south-east, and apparent- 

 ly an inlet advancing further west than the body of the lake towards 

 the low ground of the Tol, and thence receiving the rivulet before no- 

 ticed. The view of the lake enlarged and improved as we proceeded. At 

 10 a. m., we reached a point that seemed to lie about the middle of the 

 eastern side, a mile from the shore, and well elevated above it, whence 

 the lake swept before us in a long irregular crescent some seven miles 

 wide, east and west, and twenty long, north and south. The snowy mass 

 of Momonangli, was again conspicuous to the south-east, and from the 

 base of the mountain a lofty range of hills, partially tipped with snow, 

 stretched north-westward, separating the lake from the head val- 

 ley of the Karnali, and forming its south-western banks nearly par- 



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