UNFORTUNATE DAYS
October 20, 1906, was a bad day. The snow lay three inches deep, and all
around was dazzling white in the sunshine; only to the west blue shadows
spread over the slopes. We were to cross the pass. In the universal
whiteness the distance seemed short, but after the caravan had advanced
half way, the pass still appeared as a small, black, fixed point. The
field-mice were awake and scurried about between their holes in the
snow, which became deeper as the way became steeper. It was soon a foot
deep, and we had to keep carefully in the track of the caravan, lest we
should roll over into the snowy abyss. Spots of blood were seen; one of
the animals had hurt its foot against the sharp-edged detritus. Step by
step we mount upwards, blue-black clouds gather threateningly together
behind us, and in an instant we are enveloped in the wildest driving
snow: the dry particles, fine as flour, whirl round us, like comet
tails, with a rushing sound. They collect into drifts, the track of the
caravan is hidden, and we can no longer see how far it is still to this
deadly pass.
A dead horse lies on the way, without its eyes--the wicked ravens must
always have the eyes while they are still warm and soft. The wind had
driven the snow over his back and neck, as though to make him a nice and
comfortable couch. He lay as on a bed of state, exposed to all the winds
of heaven, with clean white pall, and the black ravens as a guard of
honour--the only thanks he got for his services.
On the pass we make the usual halt for observations; the height is
18,409 feet; it blows and snows, with 18 degrees of cold. We perceive,
however, some sign of the saddle to the south-east which Robert
reconnoitred yesterday, and which is supposed to lead down into level
country. But Muhamed Isa has taken his own way down a valley running
north-east, and that is serious for us. Far in front as he is, we must,
though much against our will, follow his track, lest we should lose one
another. It is now difficult to see whither the caravan had marched. If
we lose one another in such country, and the snow continues to fall, we
are done for.
So we follow him down the valley. The pass behind us looks weird--a
white saddle against a background of blue-black clouds, which resemble
whirling, suffocating smoke. Tsering reaches the pass with his two men
and four horses, and salutes it with a loud salaam. Treacherous frozen
rivulets are crossed, as hard as glass and as smooth as cooling grease;
our riding horses stumble and slide. It is very seldom that a small hill
of dark schist peeps out above the snow.
As the valley runs too much to the north, the caravan perceives its
mistake, turns aside to the east, and buries itself in a labyrinth of
hills where not a blade of grass grows. We ride past the shepherd with
the 16 sheep and the goats; the white puppy teases them as usual, till a
bold wether puts her to flight. The goats are remarkably hardy and get
on splendidly, and yield me a cup of milk every morning and evening.
We found the caravan behind a second saddle. The camp was formed, but in
a most unfavourable spot; there was neither grass nor _yapkak_, neither
dung nor water--absolutely nothing. The animals stood in a dark group,
standing out sharply against the white snow. Thus they had to stand,
quietly and patiently, all night long, and doubtless felt how slowly the
time passed, how hunger and thirst increased, and the cold again
diminished. They had to wait standing for the morning red, which might
perhaps fail to appear, for dark masses of cloud still covered the sky.
Robert and I took refuge in the tent of the Ladakis, where a fire
burned, which was fed with fragments of a box and antelope dung. We
could at any rate obtain water by melting snow; my dinner consisted of
parched meal, bread, and coffee, for nothing else could be cooked. In
the twilight Rabsang appeared and asked me to come outside. Two large
wild yaks stood on a neighbouring hill and gazed at our camp with
astonishment. But we left them in peace, for we did not want their
flesh, and would not add to our loads. They trotted slowly away when
they were convinced that we were not of their species. The night was
pitch dark, so that I had to inspect our weary beasts with a lantern.
We set out early from this unlucky camp, where a mule had fallen at his
post. The footprints between the tents, made in the snow the evening
before, were filled up with fresh snow, and a new set of paths had been
formed. Scarcely two minutes' walk from the camp a horse lay dead, which
had carried his load only the day before, and the black corpse-watch was
beside it. A dead wild-duck also lay in the snow. Is there a lake in the
neighbourhood? No; the ducks come long distances, and this one had
probably lost its way.
Now the sun burns, now a snowstorm envelops us in its fine dust, now we
are roasted, now chilled through--regular Tibetan weather, unreliable
and changeable. Another dead horse! The men had cut its throat to
shorten its sufferings; swiftly whirling snow covers the stream of blood
that congeals in the cold. We make our way up to a pass, and then follow
a ridge, but the ground is frightful. At length we ride down a flat
valley which gradually winds round to the north; on the south rises a
formidable crest. Muhamed Isa had orders to take, if possible, a
south-easterly direction, but as he was not sure of the way, he had
encamped at the bend of the road. He had gone forwards with two men to
reconnoitre. Towards four o'clock he returned, and reported that we
should reach open country within three hours. My first thought was to
set out at once, for in camp No. 46 there was no grass, and the animals
were so hungry that they bit one another's tails and the pack-saddles.
One horse had actually not a hair left on his tail, but that one had
been eaten up the night before. The old, experienced hands, however,
gave their opinion that it would be better to start in the early
morning.
I therefore gave orders to reserve as much rice as we should require for
forty days, and to give the rest, mixed with barley and maize, to the
animals. While, however, they were eating from their nose-bags, the men
changed their minds, and Muhamed Isa asked if they might make a start.
"I am quite willing, but it will be pitch dark in an hour."
"I will find the way. You have only to follow the trail in the snow."
Then began the tumult of breaking up camp, and the sound of tramping in
the snow; but there was no singing. There were 27 degrees of frost with
a boisterous wind from the west. Everything was taken except my things
and Robert's and the cooking utensils. A mule, which refused to move,
remained with us. No fires lighted up the dark procession led by the
horses and closed by the sheep. It moved off slowly, and the shouts of
the men reached us more and more feebly till at length the caravan
disappeared in the pale moonlight. I entered my tent stiff with cold. A
quarter of an hour later a man came back with another mule which could
not get on any further. So we had two dying animals with us.
And then came the night. The air was clear and calm, the stars twinkled
like diamonds in the brightness of electric light, and the cold settled
keenly round our tent. Outside, Tsering, Rabsang, Rehim Ali, and Bolu
had rolled themselves together into a heap under all their belongings.
As long as I was awake I heard the irrepressible Tsering telling his
tales in the depth of his cave of furs, and the others occasionally
giving vent to a subterranean giggle. Curious fellows, these Ladakis! No
amount of cold seems to affect them, while I, in my tent, can only sleep
a minute at a time.
An awful, terrible night in the lonely mountains of Tibet. The
temperature sank to -17°, and that was too much for the two mules which
had been left behind. One expired about midnight; he was the animal
which Sonam Tsering had wished on the first day to send back to Leh as
useless. We tried then to exchange him for a horse, but as no one would
have him, he had to come with us after all. He was accustomed to travel
with horses, and later on always went with them. To the astonishment of
all he became strong and led the van--a good example for the horses. Now
he lay cold and hard as iron, with his legs stretched out; if he had
been lifted on to his feet he would have remained standing. Sonam
Tsering wept when he heard that the animal was gone.
The other mule was heard moving about in the night and nibbling at the
yak grass, which is too short for other animals except the yak; the
tongue of the yak is provided with horny barbs which pluck up the fine
velvety grass. Early in the morning I heard the mule squeal, and was
glad that one at least still survived. But when the sun rose his
strength too was spent, and when Tsering woke me he said that the animal
was dying. He looked healthy and well nourished, but we tried in vain to
raise him up and feed him with maize, and he was sacrificed to the gods
of this valley of death. He did not move a limb or twitch an eyelid as
the blood spurted out on to the snow; he seemed only to experience a
welcome sense of peace and resignation, while his eyes were turned full
on the sun.
As we were on the point of leaving this horrible camp, there came fresh
tidings of misfortune. Tundup Sonam appeared to show us the way, and
reported that the horse caravan had wandered off too far to the left,
while the mules under Muhamed Isa had taken the opposite direction.
Muhamed Isa, as soon as he found out his mistake, had descended into the
first valley he could find, to wait there for the dawn. As for the flock
of sheep, Tundup Sonam could only say that it had at first followed the
track of the horses, but had afterwards turned away. The greatest
confusion reigned everywhere, but the worst news Tundup Sonam kept to
the last: four more mules had died during the night.
Our situation was desperate. We could not go on much longer; we were
coming to a crisis. The ground, the weather, and the cold were all
against us, the horses died wholesale, and it might be a hopeless
distance to the nearest nomads. What did it matter whether the Tibetans
would be friendly or hostile? Now the only question was: should we be
able to drag ourselves along to inhabited districts? For, if these
losses continued a few days longer, we should soon be compelled to
abandon all the baggage and continue our journey on foot. But could we
carry ourselves enough provisions to last us through this uninhabited
country? Should we perish one after another in these icy deserts of the
Tibetan Alps? And if at length, in a wretched, half-dead condition, we
met with Tibetans, they could do what they liked with us. At any rate we
could not force our way through to Shigatse and the unknown country to
the north of the Tsangpo, the goal of all my most cherished dreams.
A journey straight across Tibet looks pleasant and easy on the map. In
reality it is a serious and difficult undertaking, costing suffering,
excitement, and tears. The meandering line is drawn in red on the map,
for it is really marked with blood. We set out under the guidance of
Tundup Sonam, and it soon became evident that we should never have found
the way without him. Up and down, over hills and through valleys we
threaded this intricate maze, where the deep snow smoothed down the
inequalities and quite misled us in estimating the heights of the steep
declivities. We left the track of the horses on our left; there a load
of maize was left, but Tundup Sonam assured me it would be fetched. To
the right appeared the high ground where the mules had wandered in the
night trying their strength uselessly. An icy south-west wind blew over
the bitterly cold snowfields. From time to time Tundup Sonam reared up a
slab of schist to show the way to Tsering, who was coming behind without
a guide.
Now we cross the trail of the mules and see the valley where they have
passed the night. "Yonder, on the slope, lies a mule," says Tundup
Sonam, "and two behind the hill, and a little farther on a fourth." We
could not see them from where we were, but the ravens resting here,
sleepy and satiated, confirmed his words.
At last we reached the pass, whence we caught sight of the plain and a
small lake to the south-east. The height was 18,048 feet. At one o'clock
there were 18 degrees of frost, the wind was high, and it snowed so
thickly that the view disappeared again. We did not stay a minute longer
than was necessary for observations, and then rode down a steep descent.
We rested at the first grass we came to; the horses were almost mad with
delight when they saw it--their stomachs were so empty.
Now we saw five men on a height. They were Muhamed Isa and four
companions, who had come out to look for the missing men and animals--14
horses, 8 men, 16 sheep, and 2 dogs. We were able to inform them that
their track ran north-eastwards, and after they had given directions how
to find the camping-ground of the mules they vanished again in the snow.
After searching in vain for the track and looking out for the smoke of
the camp-fire, we came to a halt on a smooth plateau, where the grazing
was good, and collected dung for a fire--it was high time, for Robert
and I were half dead with cold.
We were in a terribly sad plight. We did not know where the mules were
encamping, and had not the slightest notion where the horses had gone.
The sheep, in this country swarming with wolves, were probably lost.
Tsering had remained behind, and might easily miss our track in the
snowstorm. We could do nothing but thaw our clothes. After we had been
sitting an hour, and had somewhat recovered in the heat of the fire, the
"Lama" came over the plain bringing with him Sonam Tsering, who had been
camping with the mules behind some hills. The good fellow wept bitterly
at our losses; Muhamed Isa had proved a bad pilot this time, he
complained. Nine mules had perished within a few hours in these
frightful mountains, which were probably the western prolongation of the
system called by the Mongols, dwelling farther to the east, Buka-magna,
or the "Head of the Wild Yak." Twenty mules still remained, but two of
them had received their death-warrant. Of the twenty-three surviving
horses one was left behind with his pack-saddle in a hollow, and was
probably dead by this time. At a late hour of the night only one of the
missing ones, namely, Tsering, had put in an appearance.
Under these circumstances it was a matter of course that we should have
a day's rest in camp No. 47. When day broke, I was awakened by the
bleating of sheep. The shepherd had at first followed the track of the
horses, but soon abandoned it when he noticed that the mules were not
there, and he began to look for the track of the latter. In the darkness
he got completely lost, and in a pass one of the sheep had refused to go
any farther. He had carried it awhile, but as he soon felt that it had
become cold and stiff he threw it away as dead. Frightened of the
darkness and the wolves, he had taken refuge in a gorge, tied together
the sheep and goats in a circle, and set himself in the middle to keep
himself warm and look out for the wolves. However, they had not ventured
to attack him. In the morning twilight he had found one of the many
tracks leading to camp No. 47.
Two of the missing men turned up in the forenoon, carrying boxes. A
horse had been left behind. Islam Ahun, who had led the horse caravan,
had cleverly conducted them down by the shortest way to the lake, and
had encamped there beside good pasture. Muhamed Isa and his companions
had lost themselves in the night, and had slept beside a fire, with
nothing to eat or drink but snow. But they, too, found their way to us
again, and so the remnants of the caravan were gathered together to one
place.
Here everything was sorted out that could be spared: sacks, bags, ropes,
horse-shoes, tools, and cooking utensils. Boxes were burned after their
contents had been transferred to others; no one was allowed to burden
the caravan with unnecessary articles. The rejected goods formed a large
heap, and we thus got rid of two horse loads. Then we took stock, and
found that we had still 32 loads including the boat. We had 20 mules, of
which 2 were on their last legs, and 21 horses also, including 2 ready
to drop, or 37 serviceable animals in all. Only Robert and I were
allowed to ride, so that we had 3 spare horses; but in the evening the
loads were so distributed that all the animals carried something, except
the sickly ones. Four animals were to be laden with maize and barley,
the rice made seven loads more, the meal five, the bread one, and the
butter, which the Ladakis took in their tea, only half a load. We
estimated that the meal would last a month longer; five loads of rice
were to be given up to the animals, and I directed all the men to take
the greatest care of the veterans. Tundup Sonam shot three antelopes
just when our meat was finished. Some of the Ladakis had to cut them up,
and at even when they returned with the spoil they intoned the
antiphonal song they sing when they carry a _dandy_, or an ordinary
load, at home in Ladak. One of the antelopes, however, was all devoured
by the wolves before they found it.
We decided to rest a couple of days at the next camp, and Tundup Sonam
undertook to conduct us to a small lake lying to the east, where the
grass was particularly good.
In the night of October 24 a horse and two mules died, so we had 38
animals. "The strongest are still living," said Muhamed Isa as usual.
To the north rose the lofty mountain system which had caused us so much
suffering, and its crests were seen stretching to the east. We advanced
over even ground, and after a short march reached a small round lake
firmly frozen over, and surrounded by yellow grassland. Water was
supplied by a spring which filled a small frozen basin; the animals
drank as much as they would from a hole cut through the ice; they had
had no water for three days. The sandy soil was frozen so hard that the
iron tent-pegs bent when they were driven into the ground. The sky was
overcast, and there was a strong wind, but the ground to the
east-south-east seemed favourable. The four tents stood in a row, mine
to windward, that I might not be annoyed by the smoke of the other
fires.
At ten o'clock at night a flock of wild geese passed over our camp in
the brilliant, silvery-white moonshine. They flew very low, and quacked
the whole time. Probably they intended to settle at the spring, but went
on when they found the place occupied. "There is plenty of light, and in
a short time we shall be at the next spring." Such, we may suppose, was
the gist of the conversation between the leading goose and the others.
No doubt it had given its orders at sunset, remarking: "To-night we will
stay at the spring on the shore of the small lake, where we rested last
spring." All were agreed, and the flock, flying in a wedge, had
gradually dipped lower towards the ground. But when they had passed over
the hills which concealed the spot from view, and saw the frozen lake
glancing like a mirror in the moonshine, the leading goose called out,
"Men! we cannot stay so near to tents and fires. Up again, and onwards."
And all the flock answered: "We can rest at the next spring in the
valley behind the hills to the south." That was the conversation I heard
above my tent when all was quiet in the camp. Perhaps the lively chatter
was about something else, but I think that I interpreted the wild geese
correctly. For it is quite certain that they hold consultations on their
long journeys, and discuss their plans. And why should they not be
endowed with intelligence? Why should they speed away at random like
soulless flying-machines? They are just as dependent as ourselves on the
earth and winds. If they can cover 120 miles on a clear, calm day, they
must take a longer time over the same distance when storm and contrary
winds prevail. Therefore they cannot every year pass the nights at the
same springs, but must adapt their arrangements to circumstances. But
the wild geese know every spring along the course they follow twice a
year, and when they are tired they settle at the first they come to. On
my travels in various parts of Tibet I have come to the conclusion that
the same parties or tribes of wild geese, which have for generations
bred at the same watercourses, follow always the same routes through
Tibet. The geese which we saw on this occasion came, let us say, from
one of the lakes along the Tarim river below Shah-yar, and intended to
spend the winter in the neighbourhood of Khatmandu, the capital of
Nepal. In spring they return to the Tarim lakes, and follow exactly the
same course as in autumn, and so on from year to year. The young ones,
which are born on the Tarim, make the journey over the mountains for the
first time in autumn, but they remember the way in the following autumn,
and afterwards the time comes when they in turn teach their young ones
the position of the sources. Thus the knowledge of the route is never
lost in the family, and the leading geese would never dream of trying
any other course. We had already on several occasions seen wild geese
flying southwards, but they had certainly taken other roads, come from
other breeding-places, and had other destinations. They belonged to
other tribes. If it were possible to draw on a map of Tibet all the
tracks of the various tribes of geese, they would form a whole system of
lines running more or less in a meridional direction. Perhaps many of
these lines would in parts merge into one another like the fine ripples
on the surface of a sand-dune. Perhaps now and then a line runs in sharp
zigzags. It may then be taken for granted that it was thus drawn in the
most remote antiquity when the patriarchs of each tribe first sought out
the way from one spring to another. Each tribe is divided into a number
of communities, and each of these into families. Probably all the geese
of one community are closely related to one another. Each community
remains together on the journey, but how do they choose a leader? It may
be supposed that the oldest goose flies at the head of the flock, for it
must be the most experienced, and if it dies the next oldest is its
natural successor. I am fond of the wild geese, and admire their
intelligence and their wonderful bump of locality; we shall hereafter
come into closer contact with them.
In camp 48 we remained fully three days inactive, and the south wind
howled continuously: "Patience! Patience!" To us the days seemed very
long, but the animals must have rest. On the first morning horse No. 39
lay dead on the ground, and was entered with the same number in the list
of the dead.
The wolves were impudent, and howled just outside our camp, but they
were more polite after Tundup had shot a brute, which ran off on to the
ice, and lay down to die in the middle of the lake. The scoundrel soon
had as companion a raven, which had taken into his head to peck the
manes of the living horses and disturb them while grazing. At nine
o'clock in the evening the thermometer indicated -6°, and in the night
-18½°.
In the morning Muhamed Isa reported that the dung-gatherers had
discovered something which they described as ruins of stone houses.
Robert and I went at once to look at them. We found that there actually
were three quadrangular walls constructed of slabs of schist, probably
of very ancient date. They rose but just above the ground, and on
digging we discovered that they went down fully 3 feet. Probably they
had been constructed only as foundations and wind screens for permanent
tents, for such walls were afterwards met with on several occasions.
There was no trace of a hearth. The Ladakis, who had travelled much in
west Tibet, thought that the place had once been the permanent abode of
some Changpas who had wished to avoid paying taxes to the Devashung, or
the Government in Lhasa.
At any rate this discovery had a very encouraging effect on us. We had
not seen men for 65 days, and now we found the first sign indicating
their proximity. We felt invigorated, and the tale-teller in Muhamed
Isa's tent in the evening was longer winded than ever. He sang a song,
all joining in the chorus. Now we must keep a sharp look-out in the
country before us, for this first sign of man must surely be succeeded
by others.
The caravan moved on towards the east-south-east on October 28 in a very
violent south-west storm. A mule had died in the night, and so we had 36
baggage animals, but since the last inspection the provisions had
diminished by nearly three loads. In this camp, also, superfluous
articles were left behind. I threw away _Sonja_, by Blicher-Clausen.
Robert and I sat at the morning fire, while the men saddled the horses,
and I amused myself by tearing out one leaf of the book after another
and throwing the whole collection into the air, where the wind swept the
flying leaves with tremendous velocity to the north-east. The ten
ravens puzzled their heads as to what new species of flying creatures
they could be, but made little effort to get out of their way, and the
dogs soon gave up the attempt to pursue the leaves; but one of Tsering's
pack-horses was so alarmed that it shied, broke loose, and rushed up the
hills, and was not caught again for a good half hour. Meanwhile Sonja
swept on, fluttering over mountain and valley, much to my satisfaction,
for I had felt annoyed the evening before because she left her
good-hearted husband. When and where would these leaves come to rest
after flying over endless stretches of unknown country? Certainly a book
has seldom had so wide a distribution.
We follow the track of the caravan in an open, flat valley between low
mountains. After riding some hours we were so perished that we had to
make a halt in a hollow way and light a fire. My small white Ladak horse
was in excellent condition; he treated the cold and other disagreeable
incidents with philosophical calmness. The tall dapple-grey which I had
ridden from Leh was usually off duty, for he showed symptoms of
exhaustion. At this day's camp there was no water, only snow in a cleft
of the mountain. Yet we were in very high spirits, for the men had seen
fireplaces built of three stones laid crossways, which were intended to
hold a kettle. It must have been a long time, however, since they were
used, for neither ash nor soot was seen among them. An iron ladle, too,
was found, such as the Tibetans use to melt lead for bullets. So either
robbers or hunters must have halted here sometime or other.
[Illustration: 83. THE AUTHOR, ROBERT, AND REHIM ALI ATTACKED BY A
WOUNDED YAK.]