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2i6 ADVENTURES IN TIBET.
for they slept as they walked, just as though they were
suffering from sleeplessness.
At critical times I always make it a practice to go round
the camp, and inspect it and the animals after supper.
On this occasion the camels lay side by side, thin and
worn, the horses were all tied up, and the men asleep,
wearied by the fatigues of the day. That night we had
another snow-storm, and next morning the country was
draped with white. Before we started, Kutchuk went
back to fetch the white horse, for it was still living when
it was left behind. However, the poor beast had not
strength enough even to reach the camp, but fell down
dead soon after Kutchuk started with him.
From these high regions we were now to make our way
down into a broad open valley, in the middle of which
was a large salt lake, though when we first looked down
upon it, it and the whole valley were shrouded in thick
white mist. As we went down we were assailed by a
hurricane from the west, blowing at the rate of 56 miles
an hour. We had to sit tight to prevent ourselves from
being blown out of the saddle. Tails, manes and cloak-
ends streamed out to leeward ; while the entire caravan
leaned over in the opposite direction, the camels
almost seeming actually to lie upon the wind as they
staggered along. Upon reaching camp, our little she-mule
was taken seriously ill. She must have eaten some noxious
herbs, for she swelled up to an enormous size and lay
writhing on the ground. Cherdon treated her in Buriat
fashion, that is to say, he drove a gimlet into her side
right up to the head. This let out the gases, but not a
drop of blood came. Next she was forced to get up on
her feet, and a rope was slung round her hind-quarters,
one man holding it at each end. Then, while a third
man pulled at her bridle, a fourth whacked her with a
thick stick. Every time the mule kicked out behind,
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