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ESCORTED BACK.—A FRESH ATTEMPT. 413
but all the same when our dogs attacked them they
defended themselves so valiantly with beak and claw
that the assailants were forced to beat a retreat.
At length from the summit of a pass which we crossed
on the ist September we had the welcome sight for which
we had been looking so long—a flat open country, stretching
several days to the south. The grazing also was good,
in fact the earth assumed a verdant tinge, so that we
stopped at the first spring we came to.
That afternoon the camp was all excitement. We saw
what we at first took to be a herd of wild yaks, but upon
a closer inspection through the telescope we found that
they were horses. The Cossacks rode out to reconnoitre,
but failed to detect any people with them. Next morning,
however, we saw on some distant hills a flock of probably
1,000 sheep, and the Lama, Shagdur and Sirkin at once
went towards them. At the end of some hours the first-
named came back, bringing with him a domha (bowl) of
milk. At the end of another hour the two Cossacks turned
up, driving before them three Tibetans on foot, leading
their horses and a sheep. The Cossacks had discovered
a tent inhabited by a dozen people, who when they saw
the strangers approaching took to their heels ; but as
they went off without their horses they were easily over-
taken and caught. But although they were in a state of
abject terror, they stubbornly refused to sell us any eat-
ables, because they had been commanded by the Bombo
or governor not to help us in any way. But after Shagdur
gave one of the old men a taste of his riding-whip they
proved more amenable to reason, and brought forward
a sheep and a bowl of milk. They informed us that they
belonged to the district of Jansung, and were subject to
Banshing Bogdo of Tashi-lumpo, and had nothing to do
directly with the authorities at Lassa.
We entertained them with tea, bread and tobacco, paid
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