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128 ADVENTURES IN TIBET.
we marched, long after it was pitch dark at night, but
without finding it, and at length we were compelled to en-
camp where we were in the wilderness. But the next
day we saw, behind a hill, a bed of yellow reeds—it was the
splendid oasis of the Sixty Springs.
Abdu Rehim, whose sight was quickened by his constant
life in the open air, at once detected a herd of wild-camels
grazing on the farther edge of the oasis, although I, even
with my field-glass to help me, could scarce distinguish
the animals. The experienced camel-hunter now took
the lead, and, followed by Chernoff and myself, hurried
towards the belt of reeds. After crossing the rivulet from
the salt spring—though it was then full of large sheets of
fresh ice—we skirted round the greater part of the little
oasis before Abdu Rehim stopped behind a couple of
tamarisk bushes.
The herd consisted of a big dark-coloured male camel
and five others of a lighter shade. The old one and one
of the young ones were eagerly grazing ;
the others lay
motionless, with their heads turned towards us ; that is to
say, away from the wind. As they were only 300 paces
distant, I had an excellent opportunity to observe their
movements when they believed themselves to be unob-
served. The two that were grazing had their heads, of
course, down on the ground, and when they got their
mouths full they would lift their heads and grind the dry
kamish (reeds) slowly and powerfully, until it crackled
between their teeth, meanwhile searching the distant
horizon with their glances. They showed not the slightest
sign of uneasiness and had no suspicion of what was about
to happen. I felt it was cowardly to steal upon these
noble animals and shoot them by treachery, and I confess
it was with a sigh of relief that I at length heard the
report of the hunter’s rifle. Meanwhile Abdu Rehim,
silent and invisible as a panther, but with his eyes
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