The wolf was first sighted crossing the road some
distance ahead, but as it was moving at a trot and
showed no inclination to stop, Bailey was forced to take
a running shot. The bullet, however, was placed too
far back to kill the beast outright, for, though hard
hit and rolled over, it quickly recovered and took to
the hills to the north. A long and stubborn chase now
commenced, Bailey’s good old one-eyed pony travelling
for all he was worth. At times only a few feet
separated pursued and pursuer, and then the former
would put on a sudden spurt and leave the pony almost
standing. The pace soon began to tell on both, and
the wolf, exhausted by its efforts and weakened
by loss of blood, finally turned to bay. On
Bailey dismounting, the animal made no attempt to
come to close quarters, but sat on its haunches a few
feet distant, snarling and snapping, until a bullet
through the chest quickly put an end to its wicked
existence. The day was too far advanced to start the
operation of skinning on the spot, so the carcase had to
be placed on the saddle in front of the rider and carried
into camp, by no means an easy job.
Tok-chen turned out to be a very pleasant spot, and
had we visited it earlier in the year, should have halted
at any rate for one day, in order to explore the country.
A fine stream, now entirely frozen over, flowed down the
centre of the valley, but water was easily obtainable on
breaking the ice. The people declare that it never
freezes solid, so possibly it has its source in a warm
spring some little distance up the valley. The grazing
is excellent, and fuel, in the form of prickly shrub,
plentiful.
At dinner that night, Ka Sang brought in bowls of
junket, very similar to, but slightly sourer than the
English dish. When sweetened with sugar it is most
palatable, and so much was it appreciated that we were
given it every night afterwards as far as Gartok, after
which place the supply of milk failed.
A few miles beyond Tok-chen the first view of
Manasarowar Lake burst upon us. This sheet of water
had been eagerly expected for several days by everyone
in the party, but particularly by the Hindus and
Buddhists, for it meant much to them, and even a sight
of the holy lake was sufficient to wash away countless
sins. Le-gya Camp was not over two miles from the
shore, but such is the effect of continual marching that
none felt inclined to go to the lake itself and bathe in,
drink, or even examine the water ; but this did not
prevent us from finding out many interesting facts
connected with it.
Kailas Parbat, or Peak, situated a few miles to tne
north-west, and Manasarowar are two of the most
interesting spots in Tibet, and will in time become
to Hindus as important a place of pilgrimage as
Mecca is to Mahomedans. Both deserve a fuller
description than I can possibly give, for we were
only able to reach the lake once, and to examine
the mountain from the road, but even then much
of interest was revealed. Manasarowar, for so it is
known to the natives of India, is called simply Tso
Rimpoché (Sacred Lake) by the Tibetans. Within a
radius of a few miles rise four of the greatest rivers of
India—the Indus, the Brahmaputra, the Sutlej, and the
Ganges, the two former of which almost girdle India.
Manasarowar has an area of about 100 square miles,
is nearly square in shape, and presents a very regular
outline. The water is fresh, and in it are many
varieties of weeds, and, as is to be expected, innumerable
fish. It is fed by numerous small streams running
from the Mémo and Kailas Peak ranges, but by no river