Colonel Kelly determined to start himself the next morning, with the
Nagar Levies and Shah Mirza, as we had managed to collect half a dozen
coolies to carry our kits. I went with Colonel Kelly, the remainder of
the Pioneers coming on as soon as the coolies from Borradaile's party
arrived; we were expecting them the next day, the 5th April.

I turned in early that night, after having covered my raw face with some
Vinolia powder that Colonel Kelly happened to have. I had not before
known that these powders were supposed to be of any use. I had a vague
sort of idea that they were used for sprinkling babies, but was unaware
of the reason of this strange rite; however, I will now give the Vinolia
Company what I believe is called an unsolicited testimonial. I stuck to
that powder till I got to Mastuj, by which time my face had become human
again. Colonel Kelly had a beard, so he didn't suffer so much. The next
morning I felt much better, had no fever, and, thanks to the Vinolia, my
face was much less painful.

We got the Levies and our kits off early, and about noon Colonel Kelly
and I started on some borrowed ponies, which we rode as far as we could
and then sent back. Having caught up the Levies, we tramped forward
along the track made by the first column, occasionally finding deserted
sledges and bits of broken spades. The snow was now somewhat firmer than
when the first party had crossed, owing to the top of the snow thawing
slightly in the sun every day and being frozen hard again every night;
all the same, the slightest divergence from the track plunged us up to
our waists in snow.

The only one of our party who could walk on the snow without difficulty
was my bull-terrier "Bill," a spotted dog of doubtful ancestry. He had
been given to me as a bull-terrier when he was only a little white rat