identify the exact place.

Fortunately, at last, after I had shouted for some considerable time,
Chanden Sing heard me. By the sound of his voice, I found my way back.
In the morning we noticed a large encampment about a mile off, on the
opposite bank of the Brahmaputra. The stream was too rapid for us to
cross, or we might have gone over to try and obtain provisions from the
natives. Moreover, on further examination, we saw black tents in every
direction on our side of the water, and therefore there was no reason to
go to the extra trouble and danger of crossing the stream.

Much to our delight, we succeeded in purchasing a goat from some passing
Tibetans, who drove before them a flock of several thousand. We could
not find sufficient dry fuel to make a fire, so we intrusted Mansing
with the animal as far as our next camp, where we proposed to indulge in
a feast.

The Brahmaputra had here several ramifications, mostly ending in
lakelets, and rendering the plain a regular swamp. The larger arm of the
river was wide and deep, and we preferred following it to crossing it,
notwithstanding that we had to deviate somewhat from the course which
otherwise I should have followed. For several miles we sank in mud and
slush up to our knees, or waded through water. There were small patches
of soft earth with tufts of grass which rose above the water, but they
collapsed on our attempting to stand upon them.

The whole of the northern part of the plain was extremely marshy. Our
yaks gave us no end of trouble. When they sank unexpectedly in soft
mud-holes, they became alarmed, and, in their struggle to save
themselves, once or twice shook off their pack-saddles and loads, which
we had not been able to fasten properly for want of proper ropes.
Chanden Sing and I managed to keep up with the restless animals. At
last, on nearing the hills, the ground showed undulations, and was
rather drier. We saw columns of smoke rising from near the foot of the
range to the north of us. We went on another two miles, exhausted and
dirty, our clothes, on which we had spent so much soap and time in
washing, filthy again with splashes of mud.

"Where are Mansing and the goat?" I asked the Hindoo.

"He remained behind at the beginning of the swamp. He was too exhausted
to drag along the goat you purchased."

I was much concerned, on scouring from a hillock the country all round
with my telescope, to perceive no sign whatever of the poor fellow. I