DESERT. 
75 
able circumstance that altliough every load of bag- 
gage bad arrived in safety, none of the yaks carrying 
the grain had as yet turned up. Messengers were 
sent back to the Wazir, urging him to forward the 
grain ; but with the exception of five loads which 
came up next day, we never again saw the remainder. 
It was afterwards proved that the Wazir was aware 
that our grain was being kept back ; in fact, instead 
of sending us help, he hurried back to Le, and 
when our letters ultimately reached him he excused 
bimself from rendering assistance on account of the 
distance. We were now placed in a dilemma ; we 
could not halt even for a day at Grnischu for want of 
fuel and fodder, the small supply of fuel we had 
brought with us was almost all consumed the first 
evening in cooking our dinner, and there was barely 
sufficient remaining in the morning to heat water for 
our tea. 
To retrace our steps was to give up the expedition, 
our baggage animals being already almost exhausted, 
and three had actually died before morning from the 
combined effects of starvation and cold, the thermo- 
meter during the night having fallen to 10° F. If 
we proceeded we should have one day without grass, 
but at the end of the second day we hoped to find 
grass, if no fall of snow should occur to conceal it. 
It was therefore decided to push on. 
Gnischu was the highest point at which we en- 
camped for a night, the mercurial barometer being at 
15-23, and water boiling at 180° ¥. ; showing that the 
altitude above the sea is about 18,850 feet. The 
temperature of radiation at night was 10° F., and in 
my tent 32° F. Our servants found it impossible to 
