During the night my men were extremely good to me. We did not sleep for fear of being surprised by the Tibetan soldiers, and we passed hour after hour listening to Shoka stories of brigands and Tibetan tortures, terrible enough not only to keep us awake, but to make every hair on our heads stand on end. Early in the morning, when it grew light, we gathered a quantity of nettles, which were to be found in profusion at this camp, and having boiled them in different fashions, we made of them a hearty if not an appetising meal. They did not seem very unpalatable at the time, only it was unfortunate that we had no more salt, for that would have added to the digestibility of our prickly diet. We supplied the deficiency by mixing with them a double quantity of pepper, and it was a relief to know that, while nettles existed near our camp, we should at least not die of starvation. [18] Nari Khorsum--name of that province. [19] Takla-khar or Taklak t = _Takla_ fort. CHAPTER XXXV All that remained of my men's provisions--The plan to enter the fort--Appearance of yaks--A band of brigands--Erecting fortifications--Changes in the temperature--Soldiers in search of us! THE food supply for my men was now reduced in all to four pounds of flour, two pounds of rice, and two pounds of _sato_. This we gave to the four men who were to attempt to enter Taklakot, for their road would be long and fatiguing. For us, there were plenty of nettles to fall back upon. [Illustration: BEHIND OUR BULWARKS]