Spying our movements--Disguised sepoys--A gloomy
look-out--Troublesome followers--Another march back--An amusing
incident.
WE reached the summit of the hill and crossed to the other side. My men
went on down the slope, but I remained, screened by a large stone, to
observe with my telescope the folks at Gyanema. No sooner had my last man
disappeared on the other side of the pass, than the cavalrymen jumped
into their saddles and, raising clouds of dust, galloped after us. This
was what I had expected. I hastened to rejoin my men. When down in the
plain, I again took my telescope, and watched the sky-line of the hill we
had just descended. Some thirty heads could be seen peeping over the
rocks from among the boulders. The soldiers had evidently dismounted, and
were spying our movements. I felt annoyed that they did not openly follow
us, if they so wished, instead of watching us from a distance, so I
sighted my rifle to eight hundred yards, lay down flat, and took aim at a
figure I could see more plainly than the others.
The doctor snatched the rifle from my shoulder.
"You must not shoot," said he, with his usual calmness; "you might kill
somebody."
"I only wish to teach these cowards a lesson."
"That is all very well. But every man in Tibet is so cowardly that the
lesson would have to be constantly repeated," answered Wilson with his
perpetual wisdom.
I slung my rifle over my shoulder and made up my mind to start some other
time on the cyclopean task I had then so nearly begun.
When we had covered a mile or so of the plain, our phantomlike escort
crossed the pass, and came full gallop down the hill. I gave orders to
my men to halt, seeing which, the soldiers also came to a dead stop. I
watched them through the telescope. They seemed to be holding a
discussion. At last five men rode full speed northwards, probably to
guard the track in that direction. Three men remained where they were,
and the remainder, as if seized by panic, galloped frantically up the
hill again, and disappeared over the summit.
We resumed our march. The three horsemen followed a course one mile south
of ours, close against the foot of the hills, and lying low upon their
ponies' heads, they probably imagined that they were passing us
unperceived. Seeing that our bearings were for our old camp at Lama
Chokden, they left our line and rode ahead of us.
When in the evening we reached Lama Chokden, two shepherds came to greet
us. Then another appeared.
"Our sheep are far away," said they. "We are hungry. We are poor. Can we
stop near your camp and pick up the food that you will throw away?"
"Certainly," I replied. "But mind you do not pick up anything else."
These simple folk, thinking I should not know them, had left their ponies
at the Lama Chokden guard-house, and, disguised as shepherds, they were
now trying to ingratiate themselves with us, with the object of
discovering our movements and plans. They were, of course, no other than
the three sepoys from Gyanema.
At each step in our retreat towards the Himahlyas my heart became heavier
and my spirits more depressed. I was full of stratagems, but to think out
plans and to carry them into effect were two different things.
How many times had not my schemes been upset? How often had I not had to
begin afresh when all seemed ready and in perfect working order?--that,
too, when I had plenty of good material at my disposal to work upon. Now
things had changed altogether for the worse. My chances of success,
notwithstanding my incessant struggle, were getting smaller and smaller
every day. I could not but feel that there must be an end eventually to
the capability and endurance of my followers and myself. It is hard
enough to start on a difficult task, but when you are well started, and
have already overcome many difficulties, to have to come back and begin
again is more than galling.
The outlook was dark and gloomy; I stood face to face with apparent
failure, and I was uncertain of the loyalty of my own men.
At this camp, for instance, the Daku (brigand), who had changed his
disguise several times since coming in contact with the Tibetans,
announced his immediate departure. The doctor, with his usual kindness,
had already entreated him to remain, but without avail. We well knew that
in this region, infested by dacoits, this man was only leaving us to
recommence his late marauding habits. He would, in all probability, join
some band, and without much doubt we might soon expect a visit during the
darkest hours of the night. The Daku knew that I carried a large sum of
money, and during the last two days his behaviour had been more than
strange. Had he come across some of his mates? or had he heard from the
sepoys that they were in the neighbourhood?
The Daku had a bundle of his blankets strapped on his back in readiness
for immediate departure. My men, distressed at this new danger, came to
report it to me. I immediately sent for him. Speaking bluntly, and
keeping his eyes fixed on the ground, he said: "I am going, sahib."
"Where?" I inquired.
"I have friends near here, and I am going to them."
"Very good, go," I replied, calmly taking up my rifle.
His load was off his shoulder in less time than it takes to describe the
event. He resumed his work as usual. One or two other riotous coolies
were brought back to reason by similar menaces.
I heard later that a band of brigands attacked a party near the frontier
only two days after this occurred.
Another march back! How painful it was to me! Yet it was advisable. We
went a few miles and encamped on the bank of a rapid stream, the
Shirlangdu. From this point, with some difficulty and danger, it would be
possible to climb over the mountain range during the night, and attempt
to elude the spies and watchmen, by crossing the jungle to Mansarowar. I
made up my mind to attempt this. It seemed to add to the risk to have so
large a following as my thirty men, so I decided that only four or five
should accompany me. Going alone was impracticable, because of the
difficulty of carrying sufficient food, or I would have by far preferred
it. Nevertheless, if the worst came to the worst, I resolved to attempt
this latter mode of travelling, and rely on the chance of obtaining food
from Tibetans.
All the loads were made ready. Articles of clothing and comfort, niceties
in the way of food, and extras in the way of medicines, were left behind
to make room for my scientific instruments.
Each pound in weight more that I dedicated to science meant a pound less
food to take us to Lhassa. Everything that was not of absolute necessity
had to be left.
Two Tibetan spies came to camp in the afternoon, in the disguise, as
usual, of beggars. They asked for food, and exacted it. Their manner was
unbearably insulting. This was a little too much for us, and Bijesing the
Johari, and Rubso the Christian cook, were the first to enter into an
open fight with them! They punched and kicked them, driving them down a
steep ravine leading to a river, then, assisted by other men in camp,
showered stones upon them. The unfortunate intruders, unable to wade
quickly across the rapid stream, received as fine a reception as they
deserved.
This little skirmish amused the camp, but many of the Shokas and Hunyas
in my service were still scared out of their wits. It was quite
sufficient for them to see a Tibetan to crumble into nothing.