udes, where a more insidious evil awaited the luckless corps. The
few survivors were exterminated by pleuro-pneumonia. When, on January
23, the 3rd Yak Corps reached Chumbi, it numbered 437; two months
afterwards all but 70 had died. On March 21, 80 exhausted beasts
straggled into Chumbi; they were the remainder of the 1st and 2nd Yak
Corps, which originally numbered 2,300 heads. The officers, who, bearded
and weather-beaten, deserted by many of their followers, after months of
wandering, reached our camp with the remnants of the corps, told a story
of hardship and endurance that would provide a theme for an epic.

The epic of the yaks does not comprise the whole tale of disaster.
Rinderpest carried off 77 pack-bullocks out of 500, and a whole corps
was segregated for two months with foot and mouth disease. Amongst other
casualties there were heavy losses among the Cashmere pony corps, and
the Tibet pony corps raised locally. The animals were hastily mobilized
and incompletely equipped, overworked and underfed. Cheap and inferior
saddlery was issued, which gave the animals sore backs within a week.
The transport officer was in a constant dilemma. He had to overwork his
animals or delay the provisions, fodder, and warm clothing so urgently
needed at the front. Ponies and mules had no rest, but worked till they
dropped. Of the original draft of mules that were employed on the line
to Khamba Jong, fully 50 per cent. died. It is no good trying to blink
the fact that the expedition was unpopular, and that at the start many
economical shifts were attempted which proved much more expensive in the
end. Our party system is to blame. The Opposition must be appeased,
expenses kept down, and the business is entered into half-heartedly. In
the usual case a few companies are grudgingly sent to the front, and
then, when something like a disaster falls or threatens, John Bull jumps
at the sting, scenting a national insult. A brigade follows, and
Government wakes to the necessity of grappling with the situation
seriously.

But to return to the spot where the evil effects of the system were
felt, and not merely girded at. To replace and supplement the local
drafts of animals that were dying, trained Government mule corps were
sent up from the plains, properly equipped and under experienced
officers. These did excellent work, and 2,600 mules arrived in Lhasa on
August 3 in as good condition as one could wish. Of all transport
animals, th