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hideous with their howls. Many deserted sheep-pens
dotted about the valley showed that it was a popular
place for shepherds during some months of the year.
On the third day after reaching this pleasant spot,
while Ram Singh was plane-tabling from a high
mountain to the south and Hargreaves was on the
look-out for game, I suddenly came upon an old man
moving amongst the bushes. He declared that he was
searching for a strayed pony, but as we were not far
distant from the village of Noh, and were anxious to
visit that place, we deemed it wise to prevent him carrying
news of our advance, and consequently induced
him to stay with us, first by means of food and kindness,
and as these methods were only partially effectual,
he was politely informed that he must make himself at
home and remain with us for the time being. Great
scorn was expressed by Khalik at the idea that the
man had been watching us, but he received rather a
shock that same afternoon, when two heads were seen
peering at us over a ridge. There was now obviously
nothing to be gained by keeping our prisoner any
longer, so we let him go, and he hurriedly departed.
On advancing next day, we came across a small
camp of Tibetans, who were living in three tents of the
usual pattern but of a rather larger size, whilst herds
of yak, sheep and goats, evidently belonging to them,
were dotted over the plain. A few yaks were hired for
our baggage, and we were very glad to be able to do so,
as two more of our ponies succumbed from exhaustion.
Now that our presence in the neighbourhood was
well known, we thought it best to alter our tactics and
take the bull by the horns; two letters were accordingly
written that evening, one to the headman of
Noh village and the other to the dzongpon of Rudok,
stating that we were peaceful travellers, who only