directly on the
northern side of it, for my men's feet were in such a condition that they
could bear the pain no longer. The minimum temperature was but 12 deg., and
as we had no tent there was only a blanket between us and heaven. When we
woke in the morning, we found the thermometer had risen to 30 deg., but we
were enveloped in a thick mist which chilled us to our very marrow. I had
icicles hanging down my moustache, eyelashes and hair, and my cheeks and
nose were covered with a thin layer of ice caused by the respiration
settling and congealing on my face.

CHAPTER XXXVIII

Night marching--The Lafan and Mafan Lakes--Tize, the sacred
Kelas--Rhubarb--Butterflies--A hermit Lama--More
Dacoits--Surrounded by them--Routed.

DURING our night marches, up and down mountain ranges of considerable
height, we naturally had adventures and escapes far too numerous to
relate here in exact detail, and I shall not give a full description of
each march on account of the unavoidable monotony of such a narrative. In
constant storms of grit and snow we crossed range after range, travelling
during the night and hiding by day, camping at very great altitudes and
undergoing considerable privations. I steered my men towards the
Rakstal[21] Lake, and one day, having risen to 17,550 feet, we obtained a
magnificent view of the two great sheets of water, the Lafan-cho and
Mafan-cho, or Rakstal and Mansarowar Lakes, by which latter names they
are more commonly known to non-Tibetans.

To the N. of the lakes stood the magnificent Tize, the sacred Kelas
mountain, overtopping by some two thousand feet all the other snowy peaks
of the Gangri chain, which extended roughly from N.W. to S.E. From this
spot we could see more distinctly than from Lama Chokden the band round
the base of the mountain, which, according to legend, was formed by the
rope of the Rakas (devil) trying to tear down this throne of the gods.

Tize, the great sacred peak, is of fascinating interest, owing to its
peculiar shape. It resembles, as I have said, the giant roof of a temple,
but to my mind it lacks the gracefulness of sweeping curves such as are
found in Fujiama of Japan, the Most artistically beautiful mountain I
have ever seen. Tize is angular, uncomfortably angular, if I may be
allowed the expression, and although its height, the vivid colour of its
base, and the masses of snow that cover its slopes, give it a peculiar
attraction, it neverthe