the duty of remaining in camp for the defence of the property which still remained to us. At Camp 31 we had left some baggage, -and, • for= the recovery of this, Leno, Rarnzan, Sanman, and two caravan men with sixteen animals set out to accompany Pike as far as our old quarters. There was some ground for thinking that our movements were being watched by the Chukpas, who, not improbably, would make another inroad when our number was reduced. I did not wish any such intention on their part to be frustrated, and as the route between the two camps was not difficult, I instructed Leno not to return till after dark. The fighting strength remaining with me was thus reduced to Tara Singh (an old Sikh), and Dass, the Hindu cook. I next ordered look-out sentries to take up a position close to the camp, where the mules and ponies had been tied up, and sent out two men, one to keep the loose ponies from straying and to bring them back in the evening, the other to look after the sheep. These two men performed their work satisfactorily, but the sentry on duty at night could not keep awake. About half-past two in the morning I strolled round to see how things looked, and finding that the tied-up mules and ponies had been allowed to break loose, I had to despatch other men in search of the animals, and to undertake in person the work of sentry.
At daybreak I was relieved from my post by Tara Singh, whom I stationed on a neighbouring hill, whence he could see our camp and also the track to Camp 31. The old man's head, formerly black, had recently assumed its natural grey colour, being deprived of the dye which had supplied the lustre of youth. Having some hope of a visit from the Chukpas, I ordered all the men except the sentry, the shepherd, and the man with the loose ponies, to remain in their tents, but my hope was disappointed; and in the afternoon Tara Singh announced
IIIF Color HighRes
