SHOWN THE WRONG DIRECTION. 49
would agree to none of our proposals, and all we could obtain was a promise that some of them would return next morning. We recognised that we had made a mistake in visiting the nomads instead of sending Ramzan and a few Ladakis, who would have been able to allay suspicion. We got neither guides nor transports, but had to content ourselves with information concerning the best route to the large encampment at Gerge. For the sum of five rupees, paid by my own hand, one of the nomads pointed out to Leno and Ramzan the general direction which, he said, should be taken. This, as It was subsequently pointed out to me by Leno from a neighbouring hill-top, was by no means in accordance with my ideas of the best natural line to follow, but the Tibetan alleged that by this route alone water would be found.
On the morning of the third day from our arrival here,-we resumed our journey. Pike started early and, several hours afterwards, when the mules and ponies had returned from watering at the nomad camp and Ramzan had reported all present, I set out alone. Going in a straight line to strike the route which had been pointed out to me, I reached, in about five hours, a pool of muddy water which I supposed indicated the spot intended by the Tibetan for our camping-ground. After a light repast of bread and meat with muddy. water, I set out to climb the adjacent mountain, hoping to obtain a good view from the top ; but here the prospect was interrupted by other hills, and it was not till I had climbed another and then a third summit that I could survey the region. Through the clear mountain air I could see in the far distance kyang and antelopes, but neither near nor far off was there any signs of mules or ponies. Water, as I understood, could be found only on the proper route. There was abundance of water at the spot where I had
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