THE KHOTAN-DARIA SHEPHERDS 625 
for ourselves, a pair of boots for Islam, who had gone 
barefoot ever since we left the Camp of Death, a pinch 
of tea, a kungan (iron pitcher), and two or three procelain 
cups — all for sixty -five tengeh (less than 30^.). This made 
us independent of help from Khotan ; with the horses and 
the white camel we might now try to save the loads of the 
two camels which were the last to give up. 
In the evening we had a visit from two young hunters. 
They were armed with long guns, which they supported 
on a rest when they fired them. They had only just come 
to the forests of Buksem in pursuit of deer ; they wanted 
the antlers to sell to the Chinese, who gave a good 
price for them for medicinal purposes. As the young 
men were intimately acquainted with all that region, I 
instantly engaged them to accompany Islam and Kasim 
in quest of the Camp of Death. 
I. -40 
