Finding That There Was No News Of Caravans, Or Probability Of Their Arriving, We Determined Upon Striking Our Camp, And Retiring Again Towards Cashmere, Having Attained The Furthermost Point Which The Limits Of Our Leave Allowed.

A Retreat to the Valley.

AUGUST 21. - Left Ladak about four P.M. and halted for the night on the confines of the desert-plain at Pitok. On the road I succeeded - much to my astonishment - in getting a necklace of bits of amber, and a turquoise, from an old lady, whom I found at her cottage-door weaving goat's-hair cloth. She took two rupees for the family jewels, and, when the bargain was struck, seemed in a desperate fright at what she had done, looking about in every direction to see that no avaricious old Lama was near, nor any of her gossiping acquaintance, who would be likely to tell THE MINISTER of what she had done.

For the first time during our travels, the retainers turned a little rusty to-day. The scarcity of the tobacco supply and dislike to quit the amusements of city life were the chief causes, and the consequence was that the cook, who was sent off at two o'clock to have dinner ready for us on arrival, made his appearance about sunset and gave us dinner at nine P.M. The Q.M.G. and the Sipahee sauntered in afterwards at their leisure, having left the coolies and ourselves to pitch the camp how and where we liked.

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