1/23 That night it froze sharply, so that had it not been for the yak's hide and the other rugs and garments, which fortunately we were wearing when the snow-slide began, it would, I think, have gone hard with us. As it was, we suffered a great deal. If we have to die, I would rather do so moving; but I don't believe that we shall die." "Very well," I said, "let us start. If the snow won't bear us now, it never will." So we tied up our rugs and the yak's hide in two bundles and, having cut off some more of the frozen meat, began our descent. |