CH. XXV RETURN TO THE LIVING 299
distributed. The new ' finds ' needed careful packing in rapidly-made-up cases and, with the exception of precious Kharoshthi tablets, despatch to my Khotan depot for safe keeping. In addition to all this, there arrived opportunely in the evening my faithful Dak carrier Turdi with the mails from Khotan, three bags full. Small wonder that the attempt to cope with these postal accumulations kept me busy writing till about 3 A.M. An icy east wind had sprung up that evening, and the bitter cold in my little tent made me realize that winter was already upon us.