oes
not become unbearable until after several days' absolute want of food.
That is to say, if you are accustomed, as we were, to long intervals
between one meal and the next. When we got to our third day's fasting we
were keen enough for a meal. Perceiving black tents close to the
mountain-side, about four miles out of our course, we made for them with
famished haste. We purchased two bucketfuls of yak's milk, one of which
I drank there and then myself, the second being equally divided between
my two servants. That was all we could get. They would sell us nothing
else.

After this we moved forward again, making steady, and, if one allows for
the great elevation, comparatively rapid progress. We held our own
against all comers. We encountered pleasant people and unpleasant ones,
but, whether their manner was courteous or the reverse, we could nowhere
obtain food for love or money.

Poor Mansing and Chanden Sing, not having the same interest that I had
in my work to keep up their spirits, were now in a dreadful condition.
Cold, tired, and starved, the poor wretches had hardly strength left to
stand on their feet, the soles of which were badly cut and sore. It
really made my heart bleed to see these two brave men suffer as they did
for my sake. No word of complaint came from them; not once did their
lips utter a reproach.

"Never mind if we suffer or even die," said the poor fellows, when I
expressed my sympathy with them, "we will follow you as long as we have
strength to move. We will stand by you, no matter what happens."

I had to relieve Chanden Sing of his rifle, as he was no longer able to
carry it. I, too, felt languid as the days went by, and we got scarcely
any food. I cannot say that I experienced severe physical pain. This was
due, I think, to the fact that my exhaustion brought on fever. I had a
peculiar feeling in my head, as if my intellect, never too bright, had
now been altogether dulled. My hearing, too, became less acute. I felt
my strength slowly dying down like the flame of a lamp with no more oil
in it. The nervous excitement and strain alone kept me alive. I went on
walking mechanically.

We reached an encampment of some eighty black tents and a mud
guard-house. We were positively in a starved condition. It was utterly
impossible to proceed farther, owing to the wretched condition of my two
men. They begged to be given ponies to ride. Their feet were so sore
that, notwithstanding their anxiety