nd punished by
me only a few days before for wasting several cartridges on _kiang_
(wild horse) three miles distant. Ordinary work, however, such as doing
his own cooking, or keeping my things tidy, was distasteful to him, and
was invariably passed on to others.

Mansing the leper, being unfortunately of the same caste as Chanden Sing,
became my servant's servant. The two Hindoos constantly quarrelled and
fought, but at heart they were the best of friends. The bearer, by means
of promises, mingled at intervals with blows, eventually succeeded in
inducing his _protege_ to join in our new plan, and face with us the
unknown dangers ahead.

CHAPTER XXXII

"Devil's Camp"--A fierce snowstorm--Abandoning our tents--Dangers
and perils in prospect--Collecting the men--One load too
many!--Another man wanted and found--A propitious night--Good-bye
to Wilson--The escape--Brigands.

BY eight o'clock in the evening I had collected all the men who had
promised to follow me. They comprised my bearer, Kachi and six coolies.

[Illustration: "AT NIGHT I LED MY MEN UP THE MOUNTAIN IN A FIERCE
SNOWSTORM"]

We named this camp "Devil's Camp," for diabolical indeed was the wind
that shook our tents, not to speak of the snow blown into our shelters by
the raging storm. During the night the wind grew in fury. Neither wood,
dung, nor lichen for fuel was to be found. Our tents were pitched at
16,900 feet above sea-level, and to ascend to the summit of the range
would mean a further climb of two thousand feet. In such weather the
difficulties of the ascent were increased tenfold, though for evading the
vigilance of the Tibetan watchmen, who spied upon our movements, we could
have no better chance than a dirty night like this. I arranged with the
doctor that he was to take back to Garbyang all the baggage I had
discarded and the men who had declined to follow me. He must display all
our tents until late in the afternoon of the next day, so as to let the
Tibetans suppose that we were all under them, and give me time to make a
long forced march before they could get on our track. Hard as it would be
for us going forward, we would take no tent except the small _tente
d'abri_, weighing about four pounds. We should anyhow be unable to pitch
one for several days, for fear of being detected by the Tibetans, who
would be soon seen abroad in search of us. We should have to march long
distances at night, keeping mostly on th