All We Could Do Was To Ascend A High Peak Of
Mountain, In Hopes That The Breakfast Would Ascend Another, And That
We Could Then Exchange Signals Of Distress And Obtain Relief.
However,
after reaching our look-out station, which took us some climbing,
we could discern nothing around us bearing the slightest resemblance
to a coolie, and our hopes began to descend below zero.
It was now about twelve o'clock, and taking advantage of the produce
of the country, I made a light breakfast off two stalks of rhubarb,
and tying a handkerchief to the top of my pole as a signal, lay down
in the very minute portion of shade procurable under a midday sun,
and indulged in the pleasures of imagination, conjured up by absent
chicken legs and cold chupatties. After a long wait, I came to the
conclusion that the two pieces of rhubarb were entirely insufficient
to continue the day's work upon, so I reluctantly gave the order to
retreat upon our camp, and turned from thoughts of breakfast to those
of dinner. My grass shoes were by this time completely worn out by the
pointed rocks and flinty ground we had traversed, and my spare ones
were in the society of the cold chicken and the chupatties, so that
I was soon walking in nothing but socks. Before long, this portion of
my property was also run through, and I was finally obliged to borrow
the sportsman's pointed slippers, in which I managed to get along over
the ruggedest piece of creation I ever traversed, and reached our camp
about three P.M. Tired, hungry, and burnt by the sun, a bathe in the
rushing torrent and a visit to the kitchen were soon accomplished,
and I then learnt that the coolie, being stopped by the rock, had
come back at once, and, having been again immediately packed off by
F. to search for us, had not been since heard of.
AUGUST 19. - Found the Q.M.G. to-day laid up with fever and influenza,
and administered some quinine pills to him, besides ordering a steed
to carry him on to Ladak to-morrow.
Explored the Lama's habitations and temples, and saw some very curious
carvings and paintings on stones, some of them not altogether in the
Church order of design.
Some of the ceilings were beautifully decorated, and must have cost
a good deal of money in their day, but they were now rapidly falling
into decay.
During the day we had a good opportunity of seeing the Lamas go through
their private devotions. The operation appeared simple enough. Each
as he entered the court and passed along the rows of wheels, by
simply stretching out his arm set the whole of them in motion,
at the same time repeating "Um mani panee" in a dolorous voice to
himself. Coming then to the large wheel with painted characters,
he gave it an extra energetic spin, which sufficed to keep it in
motion for several minutes, and having thus expended his energies
for the time being, he again disappeared as he had come.
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