1064 
THROUGH ASIA 
the Pamirs in the year 1895. But his powers were now 
exhausted : he was unable to go any farther. I took 
Emin Mirza’s horse, whilst he led mine at a gentle pace. 
Then I went on by myself, following the caravan through 
the blinding snow. But I was destined to ill-luck with 
my horses that day. Emin Mirza’s beast came down with 
me, though without throwing me out of the saddle. I 
therefore walked into camp, leading him by the bridle. 
I was very glad to get under the shelter of my tent ; but 
it was a good hour before my frozen hands were 
sufficiently warm lor me to be able to use them. 
All the afternoon a full-fledged hurricane blew out of the 
north. My tent was securely fastened down, the side 
felts being tucked well in under the travelling-boxes ; 
nevertheless it was blown down, and would certainly have 
been carried clean away, if I had not laid hold of one of the 
tent-poles and held fast till the men came to my help, and 
lashed the tent even more securely with extra ropes on the 
windward side. 
Only five camels turned up at camp. The one with 
the stockings of khulan-skin had succumbed, and been 
killed. The men brought the best pieces of the flesh 
with them, a welcome addition to our larder. Here 
again we were obliged to give the exhausted animals 
another day’s rest. 
The first object my eyes fell upon when I stepped 
outside my tent in the morning was my riding-horse 
lying dead on the ground. I had ridden him sixteen 
months, in all sorts of weather, and he had never once 
stumbled or fallen, in this respect being excellently suited 
for my mapping work. At Khotan he had a rest of four 
months in Liu Darin’s stable, and when he came out of 
it he looked as sleek and fit as an English thorough- 
bred. During the past week or two he had grown thin, 
and put on a starveling look ; his coat had become rough, 
and his strength failed. The dogs feasted upon the 
carcass. From this time I rode a little black horse which 
I bought in Korla, and which had been with me in my 
Lop-nor expedition. 
