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Updated: June 6, 2025
The valley enclosed between these two parallel ranges was the most thickly populated part of Tibet. Grass was abundant, and fuel easily obtainable. Thousands of yaks, sheep, and goats could be seen grazing near the many Tibetan camps along the Brahmaputra and its principal tributaries. The trade route of caravans from Ladak to Lhassa followed this valley.
When they reached the wagon, after the glowing camp fire had been discovered, John hurriedly gave his views: "The band is in our immediate vicinity. If we hurry up we can catch up with them before night. I have trailed them now for three hours. I will continue the pursuit as fast as possible, and it would be well to follow me as fast as the yaks can be driven through the brush.
My tent was a picture of grotesque discomfort. The big stones had not been picked out from the gravel, the bed stood in puddles, the thick horse blanket was draining over the one chair, the servant's spare clothing and stores were on the table, the yaks' loads of wet hay and the soaked grain sack filled up most of the space; a wet candle sputtered and went out, wet clothes dripped from the tent hook, and every now and then Hassan Khan looked in with one eye, gasping out, 'Mem Sahib, I can no light the fire! Perseverance succeeds eventually, and cups of a strong stimulant made of Burroughes and Wellcome's vigorous 'valoid' tincture of ginger and hot water, revived the men all round.
On our arrival, we found that a party of buxom, good-natured looking girls who were tending yaks, were occupying the hut, which, however, they cheerfully gave up to my people, spreading a black tent close by for themselves; and next morning they set off with all their effects packed upon the yaks.
"In the first place, the fact that our articles were scattered along the path before they reached the tree; and, secondly, the wagon pole and the wheel were strong enough to hold the yaks against the tree if they had been moving along at their usual gait." "Well, I am thankful that we have the wagon, even though the yaks are gone," said George, as he crawled into it.
"I am glad to go," was Harry's immediate response, "because when we come back next time we'll have something that will give the whole lot a better argument than we offered them this time." The yaks started for the north, and the chief's eyes gave a warning look, which they did not heed at that time. They afterwards remembered how portentous that look was.
Lower hill ranges were not more than three miles from camp. The river we had just crossed flowed into the Brahmaputra. We were at an elevation of 15,700 feet. We saw plainly at sunset a number of black tents before us. We counted about sixty, and we calculated them to be two miles distant. Near them were hundreds of black yaks.
No track was visible except here and there, where the footmarks of the last nomads, with their sheep, ponies, and yaks, had destroyed the grass. Half a mile on the other side of the river was an encampment of some fifty or sixty tents, with hundreds of yaks and sheep grazing near it.
Thanks to the ice steps our yaks took us over in four hours without a false step, and from the summit, a sharp ridge 17,500 feet in altitude, we looked our last on grimness, blackness, and snow, and southward for many a weary mile to the Indus valley lying in sunshine and summer. Fully two dozen caresses of horses newly dead lay in cavities of the glacier.
They succeeded in capturing yaks, a bovine species of animals, some of which were trained like oxen; wagons were built; a shop constructed; a water wheel installed; a primitive sawmill put up; a primary battery made; articles of clothing woven; felt made; and numerous things of this character originated from material which nature had furnished in its crude state.
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