Page:Across Thibet Vol. 2.djvu/49

 water flows on the top of the ice. Whilst crossing it some of us have an unexpected foot-bath, a thing to which we have for a long time been strangers.

We proceeded to set up our tents not far from the pass which crosses the Ningling Tangla, on the east of which are some magnificent peaks, the highest two of which we christened Hue and Gabet, in memory of the courageous missionaries who penetrated to Lhassa.

On the other side of the ice we were awaited by some of the horsemen whom we had seen, and amongst their number was one who spoke a little Mongolian. He was in the midst of a group of men whose costume, which was comparatively clean, showed them to be chiefs. All round us were scattered, at a respectful distance, numerous small bands, making several hundred men in all, so that we closed up our ranks and grasped our rifles. The first use we made of the interpreter, who approached to present his superiors to us, was to ask him to inform his compatriots that we should fire on any horsemen who approached us, and that consequently they would do well to keep their distance until we had seen the "great chiefs" with whom we wished to speak, and from whom we should learn whether we were in a friendly or hostile country. We added that, according to the custom of our own country, it would be becoming to wait until we had pitched our tents before conversing, and at the same time, with our whips, we scattered several who had come too close.

When we had pitched our tents on a slight elevation to the left of the road, the ambassadors came up and were received by Dedeken and Abdullah at the fire of the Dungan. Their first business was to hand us, as presents, some packets of rancid butter and a stone bottle, of European manufacture, containing a spirit made from barley, and not unpalatable. They then informed us, through Akoun, that they had been sent from Lhassa to ask us who we were. During the conversation we