o amuse our torturers,
for they laughed. In the meanwhile the day was beginning to wane,
and our jailers made us understand that our execution was merely
put off to the following day. After some time _tsamba_ (meal) and
tea, were brought in, and it was stuffed into our mouths by our
captors. We were kept out in the open without any shelter from
the pouring rain. We were sitting in one or two inches of rain
and were drenched and numbed with cold. I have already said my
hands were manacled from the back; so also were Man Sing's. But
at nightfall our captors increased our tortures by straining our
manacled arms upwards as high as they could be forced, and then
secured them to an upright pole at the back. This caused very
severe pain, straining the spine in an incredible way. Then they
tied a cord from Man Sing's neck to mine, the effect of which was
to make us maintain a most painful position. A guard encircled
us, and with them were two watch-dogs tied to pegs. The guard
were apparently so confident of our not being able to escape,
that they drew their heavy blankets over their heads and slept.
One of them left his sword lying by his side. This made me
conceive the plan to try to escape. Knowing the extremely supple
nature of my hands, I succeeded in drawing the right hand out of
my handcuffs. After an hour's anxious and stealthy work I managed
to unloose Man Sing's bonds round his feet. In his joy at feeling
partly free, Man Sing moved his legs rather clumsily, which the
vigilant watch-dogs detected and gave the alarm by barking. The
guard were aroused. They went and fetched lights and examined our
fastenings. I had succeeded in replacing my hand inside the
handcuff. They found Man Sing's bonds loose and, giving him a few
cuts with a whip, warned him that if he undid them again they
would decapitate him, and refastened them. Then they placed the
light between us and put a shelter overhead to prevent the rain
extinguishing the light. At about 6 or 7 A.M. the following day
they undid Man Sing's feet. I was kept all that day until sunset
in the same uncomfortable and painful posture. Thus I was kept
fully twenty-four hours. During the day my property had been
overhauled and sealed. One of the Lamas picked up my
Martini-Henry rifle and put a cartrid