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232 ADVENTURES IN TIBET.
when you go to bed dressed, and the thermometer drops to
7^° Fahr. below zero, it is literally impossible to keep your-
self warm.
When we awoke and crept out of our dens before day-
break, we were half frozen and made haste to get the kettle
boiled. I had to take some of my clothing off, and massage
my limbs well to make the blood circulate ; but after such
a night you remain chilled to the marrow all day, and don’t
get warm until you return to your usual comfortable
quarters. The thermometer was down to 2j° below zero
when we pushed off to recross the lake, this time towards
the north-west ; for I had ordered the caravan to proceed
farther in that direction and wait for us, building up a huge
fire to serve as a beacon for our guidance. Whilst still a
very long way from our goal, we thought we could make out
the tent, the yurt, and the caravan animals, but when we
got near enough to see them distinctly through the glass,
the former turned out to be a couple of hills and the latter
a troop of kulans. However, we landed to make sure that
the caravan had gone past. But the only signs we saw were
the footprints of two bears, which had lately lumbered past
in the opposite direction, bent on disturbing the marmots
in their deep winter sleep.
We had no choice but to row along the shore in search
of the caravan. Once more we were deceived by a cloud
of smoke under the sinking sun, for it turned out to be
nothing more than dust raised by a crowd of galloping
kulans. I was stiff with cold ; but Tokta Akhun kept him-
self warm with rowing, singing as he rowed a mournful
ditty of the huts of Abdal.
At length a gleam of fire pierced through the darkness.
For three hours we held steadily on towards the light, and
then it disappeared. Nevertheless we still pushed on, and
finally our shouts were answered by the barking of dogs.
Thereupon the fire leapt up again ; we were quite close to
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