As we sat sipping and chatting about the country and the people, to our great astonishment and delight he informed us that the name of the river where we had first seen his camp was no other than the Chu Ma, the very one we had been in search of. Without being aware of it at the time, we had actually discovered the source of the Chu Ma just after leaving the beautiful fresh-water lake abounding in wild yak. We had also followed its course for nearly twelve days, a distance of about 120 miles. This river is also known to the Tibetans as the Ma Chu, and to the Mongols as the Nap-chitai-ulen. He informed us that the intention of the Tibetans to oppose the entrance of foreigners into Lhassa was stronger than it had ever been before; and it was his firm belief that no one ever would reach Lhassa.
After we had made some purchases in the shape of cheese, dates, and a piece of meat, we took our departure. In the course of the visit we had presented the head merchant with a small tin of saffron, which all Tibetans value so highly. We hoped that by doing so, when he came to visit our tent in return, he would be more inclined to listen to a bargain for helping us with our baggage.
As soon as we were ready for the reception in our tent of the two merchants, we sent word to them. We had purposely got out our bottle of brandy, and hoped that, if they would take some, they would become more liberal-minded. They certainly warmed up and appreciated this valuable intoxicant, although they were most cautious in the amount they took. We produced more saffron and talked and argued for a long while in hopes of buying a pony at a reasonable price. At length they agreed to let us have an old but powerful and useful pony for Rs. 60, for which they had at first demanded Rs. 120. It was a great relief for us to be able to do something for our three mules, and having struck this bargain, we soon hinted to the merchants that it was time for bed.
Before telling further of our adventures, it will be worth while to devote a chapter in describing the merchants' camp.
CHAPTER XVIII.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TIBETAN CARAVAN—TEA WITH THE MERCHANT—SHUGATZA RIVER—FRICTION—AN ALARM.
The general management and internal economy of this wonderful caravan was sufficiently full of interest to merit a small space being devoted to its description. The head of the caravan was a very fine-looking Tibetan from Lhassa; he must have stood well over six feet and was exceedingly well-built, decidedly the biggest Tibetan I have ever seen. In the camp he was always known as the "Kushok," and all attempts to find out his real name resulted in failure; I very much doubt if more than one or two members of the caravan knew it, and they dared not disclose it. The title "Kushok" was originally applied only to living Buddhas, but latterly it has become merely a term of respect or affection, and no longer has any religious significance.
Next in importance to the Kushok came another big merchant, who lived and slept in the same tent with him; besides these two there were numerous small merchants, some of whom owned, perhaps, as few as half a dozen yak; and, lastly, a lama or priest. Altogether they made up an imposing caravan of close on 1,500 yak, as near as we could calculate. We were told that one herdsman was employed to look after every sixty yak, but I cannot help thinking that, in reality, there were rather more; every man in the party, merchants, herdsmen, as well as the cooks and servants, was mounted, so that, when on the march, they presented a striking contrast to our sadly reduced little party.
Their daily routine was somewhat as follows. About 4 a.m. the inferior of the two big merchants would wake up and call to the head cook that it was time to get up, the latter would then give a loud shout, which sounded like "Chou-chou, chou-chou, chou-chou-ou-ou!" and which was promptly echoed by men on guard all through the camp. In a few moments every one was astir, tents were being struck and yak being loaded; in an incredibly short space of time this work was completed and the ponies were being saddled, and in rather under an hour from the word to get up being given the vast caravan was on the move.
The 1,500 yak were divided into seven distinct companies and moved in column, each company superintended by the merchants to whom the animals belonged, and kept in order by the servants and herdsmen under them. These seven companies were again divided into two wings, one consisting of four, the other of the remaining three companies. Every day they marched in the same order, generally with a considerable distance between the two wings, one moving off some time before the other, but everything was managed without the slightest noise or confusion. From the time the watchmen aroused the sleeping camp till the moment of marching off scarcely a voice was heard; it might then be necessary for some one of the mounted men to scream at a refractory yak to make him fall into his proper place; but so little, even of this, was there that, after the first day or two, we slept peacefully on while our Tibetan friends passed close by our tent. I am sorry to say that we were never able to witness their arrival in camp, but we saw enough to convince us that everything must have been conducted in the same systematic manner as the morning start.