In the channel itself rises a hot spring; the warmth
given off had been sufficiently grateful and comforting
to induce six mallard to discontinue their journey to
the plains of India. Their dilatory tactics proved
rather an unfortunate matter, for two were bagged
for our evening meal, the remainder rapidly continuing
their road to the south. A little lower down the
stream, great quantities of fish, torpid with the cold,
could be seen through the ice, which, however, was
of too great a thickness to be broken, and we were
consequently deprived of still another dish.
Ram Singh accompanied Ryder in this excursion, and
combined business with pleasure by bringing back to
camp six bottles of the sacred lake water. This, in due
time, found its way to Dehra Dun, and was without
doubt doled out in small quantities to his admiring and
envious relations. This success made the Hindu cooks
so extremely jealous that a little of the water had to be
given to them also, and this they carefully sealed up in
small medicine bottles, afterwards hiding it away in
the secret recesses of their bedding; altogether the
expedition proved most satisfactory to all concerned.
The last view of Manasarowar Lake was obtained
from a prominent rock, situated at the northern end of
the isthmus, and close by the camping-ground of Nak-
luk-ru. From this point of vantage, the country far to
the south could be distinctly seen. Between the
southern shore of Manasarowar and the Himalayas lies
the great triangular plain of Pu-rang, and here the
Karnali River, a tributary of the Ganges, has its
source. Much as we wished to visit the town of
Pu-rang (known to the natives of India as Taklakot),
yet it was impossible to do so, for the Tibetans declared
that snow might commence to fall heavily any day
now, and that if it once started in earnest, then goodK
a il a s P a r b a t , t h e S a c r e d M o u n t a in .