number, they took away the five animals, promising to
bring them again in the morning together with three
yaks—then they finally appeared with eight yaks !
For the last time observations were taken with the
theodolite ; quite a small crowd of people watched the
proceedings, but no one seemed to object in the least.
They were immensely taken with our camera and most
anxious to have their photographs taken, roaring with
laughter on seeing their friends’ faces in the viewfinder.
On the following day we set out once more, with
the eight hired yaks, and accompanied for the first
march by a party of villagers. The track skirted the
shores of Tso Nyak and two smaller lakes, over the
softest grass, broken at intervals by patches of sand.
The waters of the lakes were as still as glass, and
myriads of shrimps and trout fry were seen amongst
the weeds, while on the surface and along the shores
wild duck abounded. The natives declared that Tso
Nyak contained trout of immense size, and I see no
reason to doubt this statement, as the water is fresh
and food plentiful.
Tso Mo Gnalari consists of a string of five lakes,
120 miles in length, and of an average width of 4
miles. All are fresh, with the exception of Pangong,
the most northerly, and connected by narrow, deep
channels with muddy, weedy beds, along which the
water moves at the rate of one mile an hour. I t is
said that for four months of the year these lakes
(including the salt Pangong) are entirely frozen over,
and to a sufficient depth to allow a laden caravan to
traverse them from end to end; in this manner Dr.
Sven Hedin returned to Ladak.
At Pal we parted from our escort and struck into
the mountains again, for the path skirting the lake was
A S o l d ie r o f R u d o k .
SERVANT. SOLDIER. MERCHANT. PONYMAN.
M e n o f R u d o k s e n t t o a s s is t u s .