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250 ADVENTURES IN TIBET.
creased to a buran of the first magnitude, and raged without
a moment’s cessation. Running, stamping, all were no
use : we were chilled to the bone by the icy blast, and our
hands grew swollen and devoid of feeling. Difficulties of
all sorts began to increase upon our devoted heads. The
surface was now difficult, for we had to cross at right angles
an endless inimber of low transverse ranges of hills. Our
supply of fuel was long ago exhausted ; we had not a scrap
of wood left as big as a match. All round us there was no-
thing but stone and sand. The range towards which I was
leading, and at the foot of which I was hoping to find a
spring, seemed to recede from us the farther we advanced,
until it disappeared entirely in the dust-haze raised by the
storm. That evening, therefore, our goal appeared more
unattainable than ever. Notwithstanding the forced
march, our camels carried themselves with royal dignity ;
and although we had not a blade of grass to give them to
eat, or a drop of water to give them to drink, they marched
along with tlie same solemn stride, the same lofty poise of
the head, the same philosophic calm as ever. The wild
camels’ tracks were now for the most part directed towards
the north-east ; no doubt they led to the mysterious spring
which, as we had reason to believe, we passed some days
before.
As soon as it grew dark we encamped in an open hollow,
or natural trench, without any protection whatever against
the tempest. And although we managed to get the yurt
up and covered with triple felts, we were unable to use the
stove for want of fuel. The trifling amount of warmth
diffused by my own body, the body of my faithful dog, and
the flaring candle, was dissipated by every gust of wind.
And although the men built a wall of sand round the lower
part of the yurt, its interior was as cold as a cellar in winter.
Our water, too, was nearly at an end ; all we had left were
a few splinters of ice.
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