rb
us much.

We went on as usual, descending to the plain, and when we had got
half-way across it, I scoured the hills all round with my telescope to
see if I could discern traces of our pusillanimous foes.

"There they are," cried Chanden Sing, who had the most wonderful eyesight
of any man I have known, as he pointed at the summit of a hill where,
among the rocks, several heads could be seen peeping. We went on without
taking further notice of them, and then they came out of their
hiding-place, and we saw them descending the hill in a long line, leading
their ponies. On reaching the plain they mounted their steeds and came
full gallop towards us. They were quite a picturesque sight in their
dark-red coats or brown and yellow skin robes and their vari-coloured
caps. Some wore bright red coats with gold braiding, and Chinese caps.
These were officers. The soldiers' matchlocks, to the rests of which red
and white flags were attached, gave a touch of colour to the otherwise
dreary scenery of barren hills and snow, and the tinkling of the
horse-bells enlivened the monotony of these silent, inhospitable
regions. They dismounted some three hundred yards from us, and one old
man, throwing aside his matchlock and sword in a theatrical fashion,
walked unsteadily towards us. We received him kindly, and he afforded us
great amusement, for in his way he was a strange character.

[Illustration: THE GUNKYO LAKE]

[Illustration: "I AM ONLY A MESSENGER"]

"I am only a messenger," he hastened to state, "and therefore do not pour
your anger upon me if I speak to you. I only convey the words of my
officers, who do not dare to come for fear of being injured. News has
been received at Lhassa, from whence we have come, that a _Plenki_ (an
Englishman) with many men is in Tibet, and can be found nowhere. We have
been sent to capture him. Are you one of his advance guard?"

"No," I replied drily. "I suppose that you have taken several months to
come from Lhassa."

"Oh no! Our ponies are good," he answered; "and we have come quickly."

"_Chik, ni, sum, shi, nga, do, diu, ghieh, gu, chu, chuck chick, chuck
ni_," the Tibetan counted up to twelve, frowning and keeping his head
inclined towards the right as if to collect his thoughts, at the same
time holding up his hand, with the thumb folded against the palm, and
turning down a finger as he called each number. The thumbs are never
used in counting. "_Lum chuck ni niman!_" "Twelve days,"