said he, "have
we been on the road. We have orders not to return till we have captured
the _Plenki_. And you?" asked he inquisitively, "how long have you taken
to come from Ladak?"

He said that he could see by my face that I was a Kashmeree, I being
probably so burnt and dirty that it was hard to distinguish me from a
native. The old man cross-examined me to find out whether I was a
_pundit_ sent by the Indian Government to survey the country, and asked
me why I had discarded my native clothes for _Plenki_ (European) ones. He
over and over again inquired whether I was not one of the _Plenki's_
party.

"_Keran ga naddo ung?_" ("Where are you going?") he queried.

"_Nhgarang no koroun Lama jehlhuong._" ("I am a pilgrim," I replied,
"going to visit monasteries.")

"_Keran mi japodu._" ("You are a good man.")

He offered to show me the way to the Gunkyo Lake, and was so pressing
that I accepted. However, when I saw the 200 soldiers mount and follow
us, I remonstrated with him, saying that if we were to be friends we did
not need an army to escort us.

"If you are our friend, you can come alone, and we will not injure you,"
I gave him to understand; "but if you are our enemy we will fight you and
your army here at once, and we will save you the trouble of coming on."

The Tibetan, confused and hesitating, went to confabulate with his men,
and returned some time after with eight of them, while the bulk of his
force galloped away in the opposite direction.

We went across the plain to 355 deg. (b.m.), until we came to a hill range,
which we crossed over a pass 17,450 feet high. Then, altering our course
to 56 deg. 30', we descended and ascended several hills, and at last found
ourselves in the grassy sheltered valley of the large Gunkyo Lake,
extending from South-East to North-West. With a temperature of 68 deg.
(Fahr.) the water in hypsometrical apparatus boiled at 183 deg. 31/2' at 8.30
in the evening. The lake was of extraordinary beauty, with the high snowy
Gangri mountains rising almost sheer from its waters, and on the southern
side lofty hills forming a background wild and picturesque, but barren
and desolate beyond all words. At the other end of the lake, to the
North-West, were lower mountains skirting the water.

We encamped at 16,455 feet, and the soldiers pitched their tent some
fifty yards away.

CHAPTER LIX

In pleasant company--Unpopularity of the Lamas--Soldiers--Towards
the Maium