Easier times--Large encampments--Suffocating a goat--A Tarjum's
encampment--Tokchim--Old friends--Musicians--Charity.
WE now proceeded in a North-westerly direction, and, once clear of the
sacred Yutzang province, our guard behaved with rather less cruelty. With
the little money the Pombo had permitted me to keep we were allowed to
purchase food enough to provide us with more frequent meals, and, while
we ate, the soldiers removed our handcuffs, which they temporarily placed
round our ankles. Thus, with utensils lent us by our guard, we were able
to cook some food; and, although we had to serve it on flat stones
instead of dishes, it seemed indeed delicious.
We crossed over our former track, and then followed it almost in a
parallel line, but some miles North of it, along an undulating, clayey
plateau, thus avoiding the marshy plain which we had found so troublesome
to cross on our journey out. We found large numbers of black tents here
and there, and one night, when we were encamped by some small lakes, we
were permitted to purchase a goat. A soldier, a good fellow who had been
very friendly to us, selected a fine fat one for us, and we were looking
forward with pleasure to a solid meal, when we found to our dismay that
we had no means of despatching the animal. We could not behead it, as the
Tibetans would not trust us with a knife or sword, and the Tibetans
themselves refused to kill the animal for us in any other way. Eventually
our soldier friend allowed his scruples to be overcome by the payment of
a rupee, and proceeded to kill the animal in a most cruel fashion. He
tied its legs together, and, having stuffed the nostrils with mud, he
held the poor beast's mouth closed with one hand until it was suffocated.
The soldier during the performance revolved his prayer-wheel with his
free hand, praying fervently all the while.
[Illustration: SOLDIER SUFFOCATING GOAT]
We found ourselves at last in the plain, where a Tarjum's encampment of
some two hundred tents was to be seen, and here we remained one night.
There was a large assemblage of Lamas and soldiers. In the middle of the
night we were suddenly and roughly roused from sleep, and made to move
our camp about a mile or so from the settlement; and, early in the
morning, having crossed the large stream, we proceeded in a
South-westerly direction, reaching the encampment of the Tokchim Tarjum
the same night. Here we were met by the officers who had on a previous
occasion brought us gifts, and whom we had routed with all their soldiers
when they threatened us.
[Illustration: STROLLING MUSICIANS]
This time they behaved very decently, the oldest of them showing us every
civility, and professing great admiration for our courage in persevering
against such heavy odds. The old gentleman did all he could to make us
comfortable, and even called up two strolling musicians for our
amusement. One man wore a peculiar four-cornered head-dress made of skin.
He played with a bow on a two-stringed instrument, while his companion, a
child, danced and went through certain clumsy contortions, going round
every few minutes with his tongue thrust out to beg for _tsamba_ from the
audience. The Tibetans are very charitable towards beggars, and not only
on this, but on other occasions, I noticed that they seldom refused, no
matter however small their donations might be, to give _tsamba_ or pieces
of butter or _chura_ to the mendicants. The older musician had a square
club passed through his girdle, and at intervals he laid down his
instrument, and, using the club as a sword, gave an imitation of a
martial dance, exactly like the one I have described as performed by the
Shokas. Every now and then, too, he applied it to the boy's back and
head, to inspire him with fresh vigour, and this generally drew roars of
laughter from the audience.
[Illustration: AN OLD BEGGAR]