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422 ADVENTURES IN TIBET.
they came, dashing through the river, galloping past us,
riding in and out through our tents as though, like an
avalanche, they intended to sweep us before them, and as
they rode they shouted and yehed and brandished their
spears, but without taking the slightest notice of us—in fact,
they appeared not to see us at all. With their decorated
saddles, with the red and white bannerets that fluttered
from the antelope-horns on which they rested their muskets,
and with the silver scabbards of their swords, they pre-
sented a picture a battle painter would have given his eyes
to paint.
Then followed a remarkable scene. Having encamped
a few hundred yards beyond us, they gathered in small
companies round their officers, who proceeded to teach them
how to handle their weapons, and every now and again
they would all unite in uttering a strange wild shout.
Finally, they placed their muskets in position in a long
line, with the muzzles pointing towards us. Their camp
was placed on a httle hill entirely commanding our camp,
and the Cossacks wondered whether they intended to open
fire upon us during the night. As soon as it was dark, I
went to the chieftain’s tent, accompanied by Shagdur and
the Lama. In a moment the tent was crowded with
Tibetan officers. After spending a pleasant evening with
him, I promised that I would remain where I was on the
bank of the Yagyu-rapga over the morrow, on condition
that the Tibetans brought a fish to my tent at daybreak.
For they had declared that the river was full of fish, and I
could not resist the temptation of a change in our mono-
tonous bill of fare. Some of my men were fishers from the
Lower Tarim, and had brought two or three nets with them
from Abdal ;
but I knew that the Tibetans detest fish, for
they say you might just as well eat snakes and worms.
Well, next morning, almost before the sun rose, some of
the Tibetans appeared in triumph at my tent, bringing with
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