CHAPTER XIX
Heavy rain—Fresh animals—Hard work —Death of Kasim—Snowstorms—Driving sheep—Loss of baggage—Bleak bivouac--Saroz Kul—Ponies strayed—False alarm—Amban's " kind " ordersSickness—Meeting Islam with camels—Camp 110—Rani Singh still unable to work—Imperative to abandon journey—" Caching " —.Return to Ladak—Meeting Europeans again—Green fieldsLeh—Disposal of caravan—Pleasant march—Srinagar—SimlaHospital—Kind visitors—Homewards.
AS it. would be impossible to get all the animals past the worst parts in one day, I sent Niaz Akun with his section of the caravan, and the two shepherds Nurbu and Stanzin with the sheep a day's march in advance. Then I received the last visit of the Sia, who finally refused to carry out the agreement which I have already described. The Sia *went so far as to say that it was Macartney's wish that I should remain at Polu till the road was repaired. What the repairing might mean I did not then understand, but it seemed to me that the effrontery which could attribute tô Macartney the wish to detain me would stick at nothing, and, turning to go, I tdld the man plainly that he was a liar, a statement which did not in the least ruffle his temper, for when I left him his countenance- wore the bland smile peculiar to the Celestiàls.
On June 13th I set out with the men and animals which had not already gone forward. The caravan,
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