42 IN TIBET AND CHINESE TURKESTAN.
though we were obliged to abandon these things, we were by no means disposed to make them over to the Chukpas, to whose malpractices the necessity for parting with them was largely due. We therefore regretfully consigned them to destruction. Whatever would burn we reduced to ashes, and of the costly pile soon . nothing remained but unattached metal fittings and half-consumed leather.
During the twelve days we were compelled to remain at camp I carried out some geodetic measurements, and Leno, besides assisting me, executed much useful topographic work. To my regret, it was impossible during this period to obtain our longitude from observations of the moon and stars culminating near it. For a time the moon was too young, and, when it became sufficiently mature, clouds intervened, so that my preliminary computations and preparation for transit work were useless.
Though it was now the middle of August, snow fell frequently, and sometimes the ground was white till noon.
Our circumstances, on the whole, were depressing, and we were glad when any incident occurred tending to restore the` cheerfulness of the company. There were antelopes in considerable numbers . near the camp, and we easily obtained fresh meat. During most of the time the animals killed were perfectly lean, but at length a fat one was brought in, and at Pike's suggestion Rassoula set about the construction of an apple dumpling. Indian cooks love spices, while Ladaki cooks, under the influence of Turcoman taste, dispense onions with a liberal hand.
The preparation set before us by Rassoula in the guise of apple dumpling consisted in fact of a mixture of onions
and apples with a superabundance of spices ; but hungry travellers are not over-critical, and we enjoyed the dump-
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