The 1st of September was a dull morning with a very biting east wind, but our two invalids2 had been cured by means of Cockle's, and all of us felt relieved when we woke up to find we were on the right side of the river. I am afraid that our two sick men would not have recovered, had we delayed the crossing of the torrent3 the evening before. During our morning's march we kept close to the river's edge, which now flowed by majestically4. In the latter half of the day the travelling was bad and toilsome, over a white, stony5 soil, abounding6 in unexpected quagmires7, and enticing8 us further on to spongy, sloping ground, sliced up by innumerable nasty ragged9 nullahs. Even in this inhospitable stretch of land Lassoo found a hope of further good tidings in the shape of a chula, or mountain fireplace, apparently10 a month or two old.
Close to the river we quite unexpectedly hit upon a beautifully grassy11 spot, sheltered by some green hillocks from the incessant12 wind. It promised at sunset to turn out a bright, clear night, so as to afford us a chance of taking some latitudes13, but clouds again began to gather around and eventually obscured every star, and produced a dim yet penetrating14 rain. This at daybreak was replaced by snow. Still we loaded up, and struggled along against the storm of 186 snow and sleet15 that blew against our faces and impeded16 our progress. Later on the sun forced a way through the unkindly clouds, and the snow was quickly melted into the soil. All our labour in drying our baggage was wasted, for everything was soaked with rain again as soon as we began our second march, over a country alternating with patches of grass and white stones. It was an impossibility to see for any distance, but we steered17 by the noise from the swollen18 river, till, just before dusk, all became clear again. Then we learnt the cause of the icy wind that had been persecuting19 us. There rose up north and north-east of us, forty or fifty miles away, some lofty, snow-capped mountains, a truly magnificent picture to gaze upon. A sunny morning was an agreeable change for us, and, added to the fine sight of the snows, compensated20 for the sterile21 and monotonous22 plains of white stones over which we continued our march.
The only life we saw was a large gathering23 of sand-grouse. So confident were we of shooting a sumptuous24 meal, that as we drew near to these birds we began to reckon how many of them our four barrels would account for. They, too, must have had their share of reckoning, for without giving us a chance, they with one accord took to wing and flew high and far away, irritating us with their well-known notes.
After proceeding25 for about four miles we came to a large heap of stones, conspicuous26 in this flat, open plain. It was an indication of man's presence at some time or other. There was no writing on any of the stones. From here we descended27 to a lower level in the bed of the river. On one of the adjacent hills I had noticed, through my glasses, actually a man with a little dog. Look as often as we might, still there was no mistaking their identity, yet we could scarcely realise the fact.
Whilst the meat was being prepared for breakfast, I went off to interview the stranger. The nearer I came the more 187 was I convinced that there really stood a man and his dog. Suddenly they disappeared from view, and fearing their escape I hastened my step, which soon brought me to within an easily recognisable distance, when, on the man with his little dog again showing themselves, I learnt that they were no other than two marmots.
After breakfast we heard what sounded like men shouting from the other side of the river. We all turned our eyes in the direction from whence it came, and, in spite of getting a good view, nothing was visible. We speculated as to what could possibly be the cause of the noise, for all had heard it, and, as is usual on these occasions, were none the wiser in the end. The only result was that there was considerable excitement amongst our little party. I have read of travellers hearing strange voices when traversing some of the deserts of Turkistan. Perhaps some of these phantoms28 who emitted those remarkable29 noises had wandered over into Tibet.
The monotonous plain we marched over in the afternoon seemed interminable, making the men wearier than the animals, for the going was firm and level. As soon as we had pitched our camp, clouds gathered around us from every quarter, and at length burst open with a violent thunderstorm. At such times we could do nothing more than lie down in our tent, and try to keep dry and look pleasant.
The day before yesterday the men had told us that they had meat left for five more days. We did not, therefore, trouble about shooting any of the kyang that happened to come and look at our camp, or to stalk any of the antelope30 we saw. After the storm had abated31, they came to inform us that the meat was finished, not an uncommon32 state of affairs with us. It shows how difficult it was to provide for such unreasonable33 men, worthy34 as they were in most other respects. 188
We were beginning to think that, as we had marched so long and so far without seeing any living being, we must be the only people in existence. To any one who is anxious to avoid the police authorities, I can strongly recommend the Chang.
On the 4th of September we learnt from our own observations that we were actually at a lower altitude than Niagzu is, where we had last seen brushwood. We had unmistakably been descending ever since the great disaster befell our animals. After we had made our midday meal off the scrapings of a yak35's tail we had carried for some days, and the carcass of a hare, we moved on again, still traversing the same kind of country.
Towards evening we found an old chula close by the river side, and, at no great distance from here, the ground whereon only a few months previously36 there must have been a fairly large encampment of nomads37 or merchants. From traces we found round and about, it was evident the caravan38 had consisted of camels and ponies39; there were even the remains40 of a dead pony41 close by. We found the single horn of an antelope stuck into the ground, which was a convincing proof that the owners had possessed42 firearms. We saw also some pieces of string and odds43 and ends, which our men, of course, picked up. The caravan had evidently marched along the river we were following, for further on we found more camel droppings, but as to who they were and whence they had come from and where they were going, it was impossible to say. They benefited our little party by putting every one in the most hopeful and cheery frame of mind. Here were we at inhabitable altitudes, and we had seen unmistakable signs that told us that other people, too, had travelled in this part of the land.
There was much rain during the night. After loading up, Malcolm and I, separating, went ahead to do our 189 best to shoot some meat. Malcolm luckily wounded a kyang, and drove the animal to the spot where we had halted. His heart was soon cut out and hissing44 with the onions in the frying pan, and all fared sumptuously45. We carried away sufficient donkey flesh to last our party three days, and proceeded over the same monotonous plain, which later on was relieved by some sandy hillocks. The men's spirits were kept from falling through the discovery of some more chulas. This encouraged them to weather the storm that enveloped46 us.
During the night at Camp 107 our mules48 had strayed, so that on the morning of the 6th of September all idea of making a double march had to be abandoned, especially as there was a steady downfall of rain. It was, in fact, 11 o'clock before we were able to make a start, and at that hour a cold wind was blowing from the northern snows, and the day was altogether dull, heavy, and depressing; it awakened49 us to the realisation of our actual feelings. We became aware that we needed some little luxury, such as flour and salt. We seemed to be having rather a surfeit50 of our finds of wild donkey's flesh.
More than four months had elapsed since we had gaily51 cantered out of Leh post-haste. We longed to find somebody, and we would willingly have given a large sum for a loaf of bread. We wondered how it was that while our four men had of late been always nagging52 and quarrelling with one another over every little trifle, we ourselves had never disagreed for a minute. Our only solution was that there was nothing at all we could have argued about, for both our minds were bent53 heart and soul on the same object, namely, the accomplishment54 of what we had undertaken to do.
As we had seen signs of mankind, we began to talk over plans. We decided55 that when we reached a locality abounding in game, to leave three men and one mule47 190 there, and ourselves, with the other man and two mules, lightly loaded, to make enormous marches, and find people and bring back assistance with the greatest possible expedition. Thus, filled with these thoughts, both of the past and of the future, we continued our march in silence, so gloomy was the day. The daily practice of exploring on ahead had made the work of always keeping a sharp look out in front, to right and left of our route, habitual56 to us all.
Suddenly, in the dull light, I noticed far down the river, on the stretch of pasture lands that extended to the hills on the other side, something of whitish appearance. This at first, by means of our glasses, we made out to be a number of stone houses. Yet the idea seemed so ridiculous to us that we declared it was only some irregularities of the ground, such as we had often seen before, and conjured57 up into no end of impossible resemblances.
The dull, gloomy day had doubtless made us less sanguine58 of help than we usually were. Nevertheless, we still kept our eyes on the thing, and halted every three or four hundred yards to inspect again with our glasses, but only to repeat once more, "Merely irregularities of the ground." At length we reached a piece of rising ground, where another inspection59 produced the words, "Merely irregularities," and, "Stop a moment! Some one else have a look," I called, as I held out my glasses for the nearest man to take, stating, "I think it must be something else than 'merely irregularities of the ground.'"
The first man gazed intently, removed the glasses from his eyes, and passed them to another, still keeping his eyes fixed60 on these "irregularities of the ground." Thus we all looked and gazed, and all were astounded61, for some could even discern smoke rising from the spot. We moved on quickly another few hundred yards, full of excitement, and suggesting a thousand problems in a very short time. Once more we 191 halted and repeated our observations. Now the smoke was as clear as a pike-staff, and, what was still more astounding62, we could actually solve the question of the "irregularities of the ground." These, indeed, we made out to be tents, and if there was a doubt it was soon dispelled63 by our noticing a short distance from the tents an immense number of animals, which we conjectured64 to be yak. We put two and two together and agreed with ourselves that the tents formed a large encampment, and the animals dotted about were the transport.
But our next question was, "By whom could they be inhabited? " The tents were certainly white, and we knew the tents of ordinary nomads were black. Was it an encampment of the Golok, or other robber tribes? Surely, we said, they have black tents too? Was it a Russian caravan travelling from Turkistan? Could it by any possible chance be some other travellers' camp, like ourselves, but on a much larger scale? Were they a body of Turkistan merchants? Then, again, we reflected that their tents would probably be black. We could not help thinking there must be some European dwelling65 in them. Whatever they might turn out to be, we decided to waste no more time in useless speculation66, but to resort to action.
We decided on the following plan:—We sent Esau, because he could speak Tibetan well, with Shukr Ali, because he was of least use to us, armed with rifles, to cross the river and reconnoitre the camp, find out who they might be, and, if possible, bring back food and help. We ourselves, with Shahzad Mir and Lassoo, continued the march along the river till opposite the encampment, which lay a mile or so back from it. We then selected a hollow, surrounded by high rocks, and with good grass around, to pitch our camp on, completely out of sight of those on the other side of the river.
Thus we were thoroughly67 prepared for any emergency 192 that might occur. From our position we could take note of their every movement without being seen ourselves. While each of us watched in turn from the summit of the rocks, which we called our battlements, the rest were busy with the usual duties connected with pitching a camp or bivouac. We saw that our two men had safely crossed the river, and watched them getting nearer and nearer to the camp, till darkness hid them from our view.
As the night was dark and our two men had been explicitly68 told where they would find us, and as it was highly probable that the strangers opposite had no idea at all of our existence, we saw no reason why we should keep watch throughout the night. We certainly kept awake a later hour than usual, chiefly, I think, in the expectation of Esau turning up with a loaf of bread or some other food—for Esau is a shrewd, cunning fellow—whilst our conversation consisted merely of repeating our conjectures69 as to who these people might be, and what might be happening to our two men. With a gnawing70 feeling at the pit of our stomachs, which we thought might have been satisfied, we fell asleep.
Snow was on the ground when we anxiously rose the next morning, glasses in hand, to mount the battlements and watch. We found the previous day that with glasses we could just distinguish and count the tents, and with difficulty make out men. At first I could distinguish nothing of the strange camp, and merely put this down to the fact that it was not yet full daylight. Still I kept on straining and straining my eyes as the day grew brighter, yet I could see nothing.
So remarkable did it seem to me that I called Malcolm. Neither could he distinguish any signs of the camp up or down the river. We stood astounded, and somewhat crestfallen71. What could have happened to the tents, and where were our two men, we asked over and over again? All our 193 hopes, raised so high, of seeing people once again, and of getting food, were all of a sudden cruelly shattered. Yet surely, we argued, if there had been no tents, and our certainty, after all, was only an illusion, what could have happened to our two men? Had they been swept away in trying to recross the river, or were they lying ill behind some rock? It was impossible for us to know, and we resolved to wait and watch for them the whole day, and then, if there were no signs of them, to continue our march down the river bank, for we could not say how many more or how few days we might hold out without getting any help.
We were more surprised than ever to see two men, about 10 o'clock, trudging72 along up stream on the same side of the river as ourselves, and before very long were glad to recognise them. To judge from the way they were walking, we guessed they had good news for us, and such proved to be the case. We were all soon eagerly listening to their adventures.
Esau related how this encampment proved to be a joint73 one of Tibetan merchants on their way from Lhassa to China, and how he had been taken to the tent of the head merchant, where he had received hospitality, and slept the night. Esau had been primed with a story to tell that we were a merchant and a doctor on our way to China. The merchant had at once recognised Esau as coming from Ladakh, and, on hearing his story, he remarked they must be either English or Russians, for, he said, men of no other nations could accomplish such a journey. Then Esau related the whole truth, detailing how matters stood with us. At the mention of rupees the merchant pricked74 up his ears, and expressed his desire to see us and do a little business by selling us food. In order to gain his friendship Esau had told him we had nothing else but bags of rupees, while as a matter of fact we had only something like four 194 hundred. Esau also accounted for the miraculous75 vanishing of the entire encampment. He said that before daybreak they had marched off along the river, which they had crossed lower down, and thence were going to travel on to Barong and Tankar on the Chinese border. The merchant had sent his salaam76, and advised us to follow in his tracks and catch up his caravan, for he said he was most anxious to make our acquaintance. This plan suited us admirably, for we, like the merchant, were steering77 for Barong and Tankar. We pictured to ourselves the friendship and hospitality that awaited us, and anticipated overtaking the caravan that same evening, and the enjoyment78 of a cosy79 tent and a good supper, for Esau had told us he carried all kinds of supplies.
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1
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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invalids
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| 病人，残疾者( invalid的名词复数 ) | |
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torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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majestically
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| 雄伟地； 庄重地； 威严地； 崇高地 | |
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stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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abounding
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| adj.丰富的，大量的v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的现在分词 ) | |
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quagmires
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| n.沼泽地，泥潭( quagmire的名词复数 ) | |
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enticing
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| adj.迷人的；诱人的 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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incessant
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| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
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latitudes
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| 纬度 | |
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penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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sleet
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| n.雨雪；v.下雨雪，下冰雹 | |
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impeded
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| 阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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steered
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| v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
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swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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persecuting
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| （尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的现在分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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compensated
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| 补偿，报酬( compensate的过去式和过去分词 )； 给（某人）赔偿（或赔款） | |
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sterile
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| adj.不毛的，不孕的，无菌的，枯燥的，贫瘠的 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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sumptuous
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| adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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phantoms
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| n.鬼怪，幽灵( phantom的名词复数 ) | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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antelope
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| n.羚羊；羚羊皮 | |
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abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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unreasonable
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| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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yak
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| n.牦牛 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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nomads
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| n.游牧部落的一员( nomad的名词复数 )；流浪者；游牧生活；流浪生活 | |
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caravan
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| n.大蓬车；活动房屋 | |
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ponies
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| 矮种马，小型马( pony的名词复数 )； ￡25 25 英镑 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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sumptuously
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| 奢侈地，豪华地 | |
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enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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49
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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surfeit
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| v.使饮食过度；n.(食物)过量，过度 | |
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51
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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52
nagging
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| adj.唠叨的，挑剔的；使人不得安宁的v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的现在分词 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责 | |
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53
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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accomplishment
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| n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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56
habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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conjured
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| 用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现 | |
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sanguine
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| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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astounded
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| v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶 | |
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astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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63
dispelled
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| v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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conjectured
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| 推测，猜测，猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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speculation
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| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
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67
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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68
explicitly
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| ad.明确地，显然地 | |
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69
conjectures
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| 推测，猜想( conjecture的名词复数 ) | |
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70
gnawing
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| a.痛苦的，折磨人的 | |
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71
crestfallen
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| adj. 挫败的，失望的，沮丧的 | |
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72
trudging
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| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的现在分词形式） | |
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73
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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74
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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76
salaam
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| n.额手之礼，问安，敬礼；v.行额手礼 | |
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77
steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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78
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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cosy
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| adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的 | |
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