no longer passable. Our old friend the lama had disappeared
at Noh, but two others of the same kind had
taken his place; they paid no attention to our movements,
but with bland, innocent smiles on their faces
kept wandering among our baggage, picking up unconsidered
trifles, which found a resting-place in their
baggy garments. Now, rich with pilfered goods, they
came to bid farewell. The last to go was the merchant,
who had done very well out of us ; he brought a present
of flour and rice, but asked for “ a chit,” or letter
of recommendation, and when questioned as to what
possible use it would be to him, naively replied, “ One
never knows.”
Little more need be said, for the route followed
from here has been traversed and described before.
Seven monotonous marches along barren nullahs and
over stony passes brought us over the Marsi mik La
into our old camp at Chorkangma.
As the hired yaks from Noh were found sufficient
to carry the whole of our now reduced baggage, the
ponies were relieved of everything except their
blankets, and, in this manner, completed their marches
without any trouble.
It was, however, with the greatest difficulty that
my original riding-pony was urged along; but he was
such a charming little fellow, and had served us so well,
that I was determined to save him. Every day he was
started off before the other animals, with two tiny bags
of grain on his back; from these he had a small feed
every hour, and by this means just managed to keep
going. He finally reached Tankse safely, and was there
given to Soonam Tilney.
The evening at bleak Chorkangma was a pleasant
one; we were safely back on British territory, and the