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234 ADVENTURES IN TIBET.
it, and were met on the water’s edge by a man with a
torch.
After various hardships and difficulties we at length
reached Temirlik, where the cold was intense, the ther-
mometer sinking to i6|^° below zero. Before starting again
I decided to take six days’ holiday, but spent them in
making preparations for my next long excursion across the
desert. An Andijan merchant, who of his own accord had
come to my camp to do business, was seized with the usual
mountain sickness, and died and was buried with appropriate
solemnities. One day Togdasin was carried out into the
open air, and all the Mussulmans gathered round him, and
endeavoured by every sort of prayer and exorcism they
could think of to banish the evil spirits which had taken
possession of his body. They also offered a he-goat to
Allah, thinking to soften his heart.
On the 1 2th December I left Temirlik for the last time,
leaving orders to Cherdon, Islam, Turdu Bai, and six other
men to move the head-quarters camp down to Charkhlik,
and there await my return four months hence. Amongst
the men I took with me were Shagdur, my right-hand man,
Faisullah, Tokta Akhun, Mollah from Abdal, Khodai
Kullu, Khodai Vardi, Ahmed, and Li Loyeh, the second
of the two hunters we found on the mountains. The
last named spoke, in addition to Turki, his mother tongue,
also Chinese and Mongolian ; he had stolen horses at
Bokalik and was a little bit " dotty." Our baggage was
carried by eleven camels, while eleven horses were used for
riding. The canine escort consisted of Yoldash, Malenki,
and Malchik, the last two now big shaggy caravan dogs.
All the animals were thoroughly rested ; some of the
camels, indeed, had done no work for an entire year. For
the first two days, therefore, they were skittish and playful,
and had to be carefully led to prevent them from flinging
off their burdens. I selected two of the quietest of them
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