freely on their backs
and legs, Nattoo the Kutial receiving the largest share of blows, because
he was undoubtedly the head of the conspiracy.

On climbing to a point of vantage, I now further discovered that, besides
the guard we had to the north of us, both east and west our way was
barred by Tibetan soldiers, and although it was not possible to get on
during the day without being seen, I absolutely refused to go back south.
I held a palaver with my men, who were apparently resigned, and they
agreed to accompany me as far as the Maium Pass (on the road to Lhassa),
which we reckoned to be some fifteen or eighteen marches. They further
agreed to endeavour to obtain yaks and food for me, and I was then to
dismiss them. From the summit of the hill I had climbed, I had taken
careful bearings, and when night came, aided by my luminous compass, I
led my men high up along the mountain range at an average elevation of
1500 feet above the Gyanema-Taklakot track.

The night was dark and stormy, and we encountered much difficulty in our
journey forward owing to the slippery ground, alternated with the ever
troublesome loose _debris_ and shifting rocks. We could not see far
ahead, and though we well knew from the angle of the slope that we were
travelling along a precipice, we could not distinguish anything under us
except a peculiarly luminous streak far, far down below--undoubtedly the
river.

I could not explain this luminosity of the water, which did not seem to
come from reflection of the light of stars or the moon, because the sky
was very cloudy at the time. Moreover, the river had a curious greenish
tint quite peculiar to itself, and closely resembling the light produced
by an electric spark. In the more dangerous spots we had to proceed for
long distances on all-fours, and even then we felt hardly safe, for we
could hear the rattling of the stones rolling down the steep slope, and
by this sound we could judge that we were proceeding over a precipice of
extraordinary height. So difficult and painful was the walking, that it
took us four hours to go about three miles; and we felt so exhausted,
that from time to time we had to lie down and rest, shivering with cold,
and our hands bleeding from cuts caused by the sharp stones. I mustered
my men. Poor Mansing the leper was missing. When we last saw him he was
moaning under his load, and he constantly stumbled and fell. Two men were
sent in search, but after an hour's absenc