welcome mail arrived as promised, carried in three
sacks—two on a pony and one on the back of a coolie.
We sat up late that night reading our letters and
skimming through the news—a never-to-be-forgotten
pleasure, in which so much is compressed in so short a
time. For us, this was a truly memorable camp, being
our hundreth halting-ground since entering Tibet,
during which time we had completed a round of 1000
miles over the frontier.
On the following day we moved to Phobrang, and
were welcomed by the dirty inhabitants; these were
the people who had deserted us, but we had lately
learnt of Khalik’s villainy from the Argoon drivers, who
had at last thrown off the yoke of their bullying overseer.
The faces of the men at Phobrang were wreathed
in smiles, but this was possibly due to nervousness as
to how we should deal with them after their desertion ;
knowing, however, how badly they had been treated
by Khalik and how he had deceived them, we naturally
did nothing.
Then on to Tankse, where again we received a
warm welcome, the people turning out in force to
meet us, bringing fresh trout, apricots, turnips, milk,
etc., as presents. We were once more back in civilisation
and amongst friends.
The first day was spent in recounting adventures, and
we found that during September a report had been
current to the effect that the whole expedition had
been annihilated by the Tibetans; one family so far
believed it as to go into mourning for its breadwinner.
The second day we settled up all accounts for grain
and hire of animals, and paid the Tankse drivers; our
own ponies, now reduced to fifteen were either given
away to the Ladakis or sold for a nominal sum.
Presents and a little extra pay were given to all the
men, for they had stood by us loyally through many
trials: we were sincerely sorry to part with the greatei
number of them, and they openly showed their regret
at leaving our service. A few days later they all
came to Leh to bid us good-bye.
With new transport and the last and fittest of our
ponies Leh was quickly reached. We spent a pleasant
two days here, cordially welcomed by the missionaries,
and then set out for Srinagar, where we arrived on
the 2nd of November.
TrTia.liV was left in jail, where he was placed by the
British Joint Commissioner, to await his trial for extortion
and ill-treatment of the natives. At Nuria the
faithful Soonam Sirring and his brother left us
taking with them the best and only remaining pony.
Sub-surveyor Ram Singh carried the maps himself to
Dehra Dun, where we soon afterwards heard that he
had been made a Rai Sahib as a reward for the good
work done.
In the Sind Valley Hargreaves hurried on ahead
to catch his steamer for England, to enjoy a little
well-earned leave before joining the Depot. I returned
to Peshawar, little thinking that within two months I
should again be in Tibet, attached to Colonel Young-
husband’s Mission, and with other journeys in front
of me.
Though at the beginning of the expedition fortune
had seemed to be against us, yet, owing to the plucky
way in which our followers had worked and their
doggedness in overcoming apparently insuperable
obstacles, the expedition had been a complete success.
It resulted in the correct mapping of 35,000 square
miles of hitherto unknown and unexplored country.