t to give in, I became almost
delirious. With my teeth chattering and my temperature at its highest, I
saw all my troubles assume an exaggerated form, and failure seemed
inevitable. The more I ransacked my brain the more hopeless seemed our
position, until, when I was almost in despair, an expedient suddenly
flashed across my mind; an idea more adapted for romance perhaps than
real life, yet not, I hoped, impossible to be carried into execution.
Four of my men should go disguised, two as traders and two as beggars,
into the Takla[19] fort, and purchase food from my enemies. We remaining
in camp would, in the meantime, keep well hidden until they returned. I
spoke to my followers, and after some easily conceivable reluctance, four
Shokas undertook to perform, the daring duty. Discovery would mean to
them the loss of their heads, probably preceded by cruel tortures of all
kinds; so, though they eventually betrayed me, I cannot help giving them
credit for the pluck and fidelity they displayed in the present
emergency.

During the night my men were extremely good to me. We did not sleep for
fear of being surprised by the Tibetan soldiers, and we passed hour after
hour listening to Shoka stories of brigands and Tibetan tortures,
terrible enough not only to keep us awake, but to make every hair on our
heads stand on end. Early in the morning, when it grew light, we gathered
a quantity of nettles, which were to be found in profusion at this camp,
and having boiled them in different fashions, we made of them a hearty if
not an appetising meal. They did not seem very unpalatable at the time,
only it was unfortunate that we had no more salt, for that would have
added to the digestibility of our prickly diet. We supplied the
deficiency by mixing with them a double quantity of pepper, and it was a
relief to know that, while nettles existed near our camp, we should at
least not die of starvation.

[18] Nari Khorsum--name of that province.

[19] Takla-khar or Taklak t = _Takla_ fort.

CHAPTER XXXV

All that remained of my men's provisions--The plan to enter the
fort--Appearance of yaks--A band of brigands--Erecting
fortifications--Changes in the temperature--Soldiers in search of
us!

THE food supply for my men was now reduced in all to four pounds of
flour, two pounds of rice, and two pounds of _sato_. This we gave to the
four men who were to attempt to enter Taklakot, for their road would be
lo