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330 ADVENTURES IN TIBET.
were approaching inhabited regions, perhaps hostile regions ;
but it was absolutely necessary, and I left Chernoff’s party
as well armed as we were.
Accordingly, on the morning of loth July our division set
off alone. For the last two days it had rained and hailed
and snowed without intermission. This made the loads
heavier, the ground soft, and the animals evil-smelling.
The camp we were turning our backs upon looked inex-
pressibly wretched in the wet and mire, with the eleven
camels lying about amongst the hills, actually despising the
scanty wretched grass. But Chernoff and his men would, I
knew, do their best. But should we ever see them again ?
I did not doubt that they would reach our new head-
quarters camp ; but when they did reach it, they would
not find me and the other two Lassa pilgrims, and it was
more than doubtful whether we should return from the
adventure we were now about to embark upon.
We started in the pouring rain, and the camp with its
damp smoky fires soon disappeared behind an intervening
ridge. I and the Lama rode on ahead. At length the rain
stopped, and the sun came out, but before we got thoroughly
dry we received another drenching. After going a little
more than fourteen miles we found a suitable spot for the
camp and waited. Whilst waiting we got a third wetting
to the skin, although I wrapped myself in a camel-hair
cloak, which I always carried rolled up behind my Hun-
garian military saddle. The Lama just sat still, indifferent
to the rain, and let the io8 beads of his rosary glide rest-
lessly through his fingers as he murmured the holy formula,
" On maneh padmeh hum," meaning, " Oh, jewel of the
Lotus Flower !
"
The grazing at this camp consisted of moss and wild
garlic, although it was rather scanty. The last-named was
greatly relished by us all ; with it I seasoned my soup and
my everlasting cutlets ; the Mussulmans ate it raw ; while
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