Gordon, Thomas Edward: The roof of the world: being the narrative of a journey over the high plateau of Tibet to the Russian frontier and the Oxus sources on Pamir (Edinburgh, 1876)

CHAPTER I.

ARRIVAL AT LEH, ON THE INDUS—PREPARATIONS FOR THE ONWARD JOURNEY—HEMIS
MONASTERY—MASQUERADE AND BURLESQUE BY THE LAMAS—BUDHIST PRIEST-
HOOD—POLO—DANCING MEN AND WOMEN—CORDIAL CO-OPERATION OP KASHMIR
AUTHORITIES—DEPARTURE PROM LEH—BAGGAGE AND RIDING YAKS—EUROPEAN
GOVERNORS OF LADAK—CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TARTARS — SHYOK AND
NUBRA VALLEYS—PACK-HORSES ON KARAKORAM JOURNEY—DRAS AND KURGIL
PONIES—YAKS AND “ZOS”—POTATO CULTIVATION IN SHYOK VALLEY.

The retnrn Mission from tlie
Viceroy of Inclia to tlre Amir of
Kashgliar, reached Leh, on tlie
Inclus, the capital of Western
Tibet, on the 20th of Septem-
ber 1873. An advanced party,
uncler the leaclership of Captain
Biddulph, had previously passecl
on, taking the eastern route by the Pangong Lake, ancl over the
Lingzi Thang plains, with instructions to join the Mission heacl-
quarters at Shahidulla, on the frontier of Yarkancl.

The final arrangements for the long journey to the almost
unknown lancl of Eastern Turkistan were made at Leh. Here
the camp-followers were again inspectecl, ancl the horses, ponies,
and travelling ecpiipments finally examined as to fitness for
continued severe work and exposure. The departure of the
Mission had been unavoidably delayed considerably beyond the
favourable time originally fixed, ancl provision had to be made
for meeting the greater colcl of the later season. Full-length

B