attempted to snatch Chanden Sing's rifle out of his
hand, received from him a battering that they were unlikely soon to
forget, and after this we were fortunately left alone for the remainder
of the day. In the evening, Chanden Sing fired at a black wolf which came
close to camp, and I discovered, about one hundred feet above lake-level,
imbedded in the mountain side, a stratum of gigantic fossils, which,
owing to their size and weight, I regretted to be unable to dig out and
carry away.

Feeling almost certain that we were being spied upon all the time by the
numerous Jogpas we had met, we attempted to dodge them by pretending to
encamp before sunset. However, we only lighted a fine fire, and then
after dark escaped, walking and stumbling for several miles, until we
found a spot high on the hillside where we considered ourselves safe.
Snow fell heavily during the night, and, as usual, we woke up with
icicles hanging from our moustaches, eyelashes and hair, notwithstanding
which we really were quite happy and well.

It was my good fortune to make quite sure from many points that, as can
be seen from the illustration reproduced in these pages, the ridge
between the Rakas and Mansarowar Lakes is continuous, and no
communication between the two lakes exists. With the exception of a small
depression about half-way across, the ridge has an average height of
1000 feet all along, a fact which ought in itself to dispose of the
theory that the two lakes are one. I also further ascertained from the
natives that there is no communication whatever between them, though the
depression in the ridge makes it probable that at a very remote period
some connection existed. The lowest point in this depression is over 300
feet above the level of the lake.

[Illustration: A DACOIT]

CHAPTER XL

More robbers--The friends of Tibetan authorities--A snap-shot--A
meek lot--Prepossessing female and her curious ways--The purchase
of two yaks.

JUST before leaving the shores of the Rakstal I had a great slice of
luck. It happened thus. We had been detected by another band of dacoits
who were trying their hardest to overtake us. I had been spying them with
my telescope as they rode in our direction. They were driving some twenty
yaks in front of them at an unusually fast pace. The dacoits rode ponies.
We were about a mile and a half ahead of them now, and close to the edge
of the Devil's Lake. We saw them coming down th