This little skirmish amused the camp, but many of the Shokas and Hunyas in my service were still scared out of their wits. It was quite sufficient for them to see a Tibetan to crumble into nothing.
CHAPTER XXXI
An attempt that failed—A resolution—A smart Shoka lad—The plucky Chanden Sing proposes to accompany me—Mansing the leper becomes my servant's servant.
The hour fixed for my flight was 9 p.m. Five men had been induced to follow me by the offer of a handsome reward.
At the hour appointed no single one of them had put in an appearance. I went in search of them. One man had purposely injured his feet and was disabled, another pretended to be dying, the others positively refused to come. They were shivering with fright and cold.
"Kill us, sahib, if you like," they implored of me, "but we will not follow you."
At 3 a.m. all attempts to get even one man to carry a load had proved futile. I had to abandon the idea of starting.
My prospects became more gloomy than ever. Another march back towards the cold and dreary pass by which I had entered Tibet!