ICIANS]

This time they behaved very decently, the oldest of them showing us every
civility, and professing great admiration for our courage in persevering
against such heavy odds. The old gentleman did all he could to make us
comfortable, and even called up two strolling musicians for our
amusement. One man wore a peculiar four-cornered head-dress made of skin.
He played with a bow on a two-stringed instrument, while his companion, a
child, danced and went through certain clumsy contortions, going round
every few minutes with his tongue thrust out to beg for _tsamba_ from the
audience. The Tibetans are very charitable towards beggars, and not only
on this, but on other occasions, I noticed that they seldom refused, no
matter however small their donations might be, to give _tsamba_ or pieces
of butter or _chura_ to the mendicants. The older musician had a square
club passed through his girdle, and at intervals he laid down his
instrument, and, using the club as a sword, gave an imitation of a
martial dance, exactly like the one I have described as performed by the
Shokas. Every now and then, too, he applied it to the boy's back and
head, to inspire him with fresh vigour, and this generally drew roars of
laughter from the audience.

[Illustration: AN OLD BEGGAR]

CHAPTER XCVI

Towards Mansarowar--Mansing's vision--Bathing in Mansarowar.

THE next day, amidst repeated good-byes and professions of friendship on
the part of our hosts and jailers, we departed towards Mansarowar, and
late in the afternoon reached the Tucker village and Gomba, where we put
up at the same _serai_ in which I had slept on my way out. All our bonds
were here removed for good, and we enjoyed comparative freedom, though
four men walked by my side wherever I went, and an equal number looked
after Chanden Sing and Mansing. Naturally we were not allowed to go far
from the _serai_, but we could prowl about in the village. I took this
opportunity to have a swim in the Mansarowar Lake, and Chanden Sing and
Mansing again paid fresh salaams to the gods and plunged in the sacred
water.

The Lamas, who had been so friendly during my former visit, were now
extremely sulky and rude; and, after having witnessed our arrival, they
all withdrew into the monastery, banging the gate after them. All the
villagers, too, hastily retired to their respective houses. The place was
deserted with the exception of the soldiers round us.

Poor Mansing, who