,,trans-,,himalaya ,illustration ,,macmillan ,,and ,,co41 ,,limited ,,london ,,bombay ,,calcutta ,,melbourne ,,the ,,macmillan ,,company ,,new ,,york ,,boston ,,chicago ,,atlanta ,,san ,,francisco ,,the ,,macmillan ,,co4 ,,of ,,canada1 ,,ltd4 ,,toronto ,illustration3 ,aron ,jonason ,photogr4 #ahi4 ,,sven ,,hedin4 ,frontispiece ,,trans-,,himalaya ,,discoveries ,,and ,,adventures ,,in ,,tibet ,,by ,,sven ,,hedin ,,with #chh ,,illustrations ,,from ,,photographs1 ,,water-,,colour ,,sketches1 ,,and ,,drawings ,,by ,,the ,,author ,,and #aj ,,maps ,,in ,,two ,,volumes ,,vol4 ,,ii ,,macmillan ,,and ,,co41 ,,limited ,,st4 ,,martin',s ,,street1 ,,london #aiaj ,first ,edition #aiji ,reprinted #aiaj ,,contents ,,chapter ,,xxxv ,,page ,,immured ,,monks #a ,,chapter ,,xxxvi ,,over ,,the ,,chang-,,la-,,pod-,,la #ab ,,chapter ,,xxxvii ,,targo-,,gangri ,,and ,,the ,,shuru-,,tso #be ,,chapter ,,xxxviii ,,to ,,the ,,outlet ,,of ,,the ,,chaktak-,,tsangpo ,,in ,,the ,,brahmaputra #ch ,,chapter ,,xxxix ,,muhamed ,,isa',s ,,death #eb ,,chapter ,,xl ,,along ,,byways ,,to ,,tradum #fd ,,chapter ,,xli ,a ,,peep ,,into ,,nepal #gg ,,chapter ,,xlii ,,in ,,search ,,of ,,the ,,source ,,of ,,the ,,brahmaputra #hi ,,chapter ,,xliii ,,the ,,source ,,of ,,the ,,sacred ,,river--,a ,,departure #ii ,,chapter ,,xliv ,a ,,night ,,on ,,manasarowar #aaj ,,chapter ,,xlv ,,more ,,lake ,,voyages #abb ,,chapter ,,xlvi ,a ,,stormy ,,voyage ,,over ,,the ,,holy ,,lake #acc ,,chapter ,,xlvii ,,on ,,the ,,roof ,,of ,,the ,,gossul ,,monastery #add ,,chapter ,,xlviii ,,our ,,last ,,days ,,on ,,tso-,,mavang #aed ,,chapter ,,xlix ,,adventures ,,on ,,langak-,,tso #aff ,,chapter ,l ,,the ,,source ,,of ,,the ,,sutlej #agh ,,chapter ,,li ,a ,,pilgrimage ,,round ,,kang-,,rinpoche #ahi ,,chapter ,,lii ,,om ,,mani ,,padme ,,hum #bjj ,,chapter ,,liii ,,the ,,discovery ,,of ,,the ,,source ,,of ,,the ,,indus #bjg ,,chapter ,,liv ,a ,,resolution #bae ,,chapter ,,lv ,a ,,new ,,chapter #bbf ,,chapter ,,lvi ,,up ,,to ,,the ,,heights ,,of ,,dapsang #bcg ,,chapter ,,lvii ,,on ,,the ,,roof ,,of ,,the ,,world #bdh ,,chapter ,,lviii ,,forty ,,degrees ,,below ,,zero #beh ,,chapter ,,lix ,,in ,,the ,,snow #bfg ,,chapter ,,lx ,,death ,,of ,,the ,,last ,,veteran #bgb ,,chapter ,,lxi ,,thirty ,,days ,,of ,,storm #bhb ,,chapter ,,lxii ,,adventures ,,of ,,ourselves ,,and ,,puppy ,,in ,,nagrong #bib ,,chapter ,,lxiii ,,through ,,the ,,highlands ,,of ,,bongba #cjb ,,chapter ,,lxiv ,,tsongpun ,,tashi #cac ,,chapter ,,lxv ,,buptsang-,,tsangpo1 ,,one ,,of ,,the ,,largest ,,rivers ,,of ,,the ,,heart ,,of ,,tibet #cba ,,chapter ,,lxvi ,,in ,,the ,,robbers' ,,paradise #ccb ,,chapter ,,lxvii ,,april #bd #cdc ,,chapter ,,lxviii ,,his ,,excellency ,,the ,,governor ,,of ,,saka #cec ,,chapter ,,lxix ,,kamba ,,tsenam1 ,,father ,,of ,,the ,,robbers #cfd ,,chapter ,,lxx ,,the ,,seventh ,,crossing ,,of ,,the ,,trans-,,himalaya--,,to ,,the ,,heavenly ,,lake ,,of ,,the ,,throne ,,mountain #cgd ,,chapter ,,lxxi ,,another ,,journey ,,across ,,the ,,white ,,patch #che ,,chapter ,,lxxii ,,the ,,last ,,days ,,in ,,unknown ,,country #cie ,,chapter ,,lxxiii ,,the ,,trans-,,himalaya #dja ,,chapter ,,lxxiv ,,simla #dae ,,index #dbe ,,illustrations ,,page #ahi4 ,sven ,hedin ,frontispiece #aij4 ,hermit's ,grotto near the ,chang-la-,pod-la #ab #aia4 ,robert and ,rabsang by the ,ice on the ,way to the ,chang-la-,pod-la #ah #aib4 ,a ,lhadse decked with ,mani-,stones and ,prayer-,streamers #ah #aic1 #aid4 ,nomads south of ,targo-gangri #bd #aie4 ,mendicant ,lama blowing on a ,human ,bone #bd #aif4 ,tibetan ,boy #bd #aig4 ,kubi-gangri from ,camp #bja #bf #aih4 ,targo-gangri from a ,hill near ,camp #aej #bf #aii4 ,the ,chomo-uchong ,group from the ,kinchen-la1 ,may #bc1 #aijg #bf #bjj4 ,lundup's ,squadron4 ,to the left a part of ,targo-gangri1 ,camp #aej #bh #bja4 ,lundup 7on horseback to the left7 and his ,retinue prevent me from proceeding to the ,dangra-yum-tso #cj #bjb1 #bjc1 #bjd4 ,targo-gangri from the ,south #cb #bje4 ,the ,shuru-tso1 with ,targo-gangri in the ,background #cd #bjf4 ,on the ,upper ,raga-tsangpo #cf #bjg4 ,angden-la #cf #bjh4 ,chomo-uchong from the east #cf #bji1 #baj4 ,angden-la1 a ,pass on the ,trans-,himalaya #ch #baa4 ,manis on the ,way to the ,angden-la #dj #bab4 ,chomo-uchong from ,lamlung-la #dd #bac4 ,panorama from the ,ta-la4 ,the ,brahmaputra ,valley and the ,himalayas in the ,background #dd #bad4 ,beggar at ,tashi-gembe #ej #bae4 ,young ,tibetan at the ,mouth of the ,chaktak-tsangpo #ej #baf4 ,wandering ,lama with a ,wooden ,glove in his ,hand1 such as is used to protect the ,hands in the ,prostration ,pilgrimage round the ,holy ,mountain ,kailas #ej #bag4 ,the ,corpse of ,muhamed ,isa #ed #bah4 ,muhamed ,isa's ,funeral ,procession #ef #bai1 #bbj1 #bba4 ,the ,interment of ,muhamed ,isa #eh #bbb4 ,woman at the ,mouth of the ,chaktak-tsangpo in the ,tsangpo #fd #bbc4 ,tibetan of ,saka #fd #bbd4 ,lama in ,saka-dzong #fd #bbe1 #bbf1 #bbg1 #bbh4 ,tibetan ,boys and ,girls of ,saka and ,tradum #gj #bbi4 ,woman of ,nyuku #gd #bcj4 ,two ,tibetans #gd #bca4 ,the ,gova of ,tuksum #gd #bcb4 ,girl at ,pasa-guk #gd #bcc4 ,view from the ,kore-la towards the south-west #gh #bcd4 ,gulam ,razul's ,tents in ,gartok #hb #bce4 ,landscape in ,upper ,nepal #hb #bcf4 ,a ,chhorten in ,nepal #hd #bcg4 ,group of ,tibetan ,women #hd #bch4 ,women in the ,village of ,namla #hh #bci4 ,inhabitants of the ,village of ,namla #hh #bdj4 ,lama in my ,boat #ib #bda4 ,loading the ,boat with ,boxes on crossing the ,brahmaputra #ib #bdb4 ,panorama of ,kubi-gangri and the ,langta-chen ,glacier1 with the ,source of the ,brahmaputra 7from a height of #af1dec feet1 ,july #ac1 #aijg7 #ajb #bdc1 #bdd1 #bde4 ,the ,mountains at the ,source of the ,brahmaputra #ajf #bdf4 ,tibetans on the ,bank of the ,soma-tsangpo #aaj #bdg4 ,group of ,natives of ,langmar #aaj #bdh4 ,robert in the ,boat #aah #bdi4 ,sheep-shearing at ,tugu-gompa on ,manasarowar #abd #bej4 ,the ,god of the ,lake rising from ,tso-mavang #acj #bea4 ,temple ,hall of the ,lake-,god of ,tso-mavang #acd #beb4 ,chenresi's ,image in ,tugu-gompa #acd #bec4 ,the ,lhakang ,hall in ,tugu-gompa #ach #bed4 ,lama with ,prayer-,drum #adj #bee4 ,lama before the ,temple ,door in ,tugu-gompa #adj #bef4 ,yanggo-gompa #adf #beg4 ,interior of the ,temple1 ,tugu #adf #beh4 ,a ,dreamer4 ,lama in ,yanggo-gompa on ,manasarowar #adh #bei4 ,the old ,nun in ,yanggo-gompa #aej #bfj4 ,the ,holy ,lake ,manasarowar from ,tugu-gompa1 with ,kailas in the ,background ,coloured #aeb #bfa4 ,boy on the ,upper ,tsangpo #afb #bfb4 ,the young ,prior of ,langbo-nan #afb #bfc4 ,temple ,vessels in ,chiu-gompa #aff #bfd4 ,two ,children in ,shigatse #aff #bfe4 ,kailas behind ,nyandi-gompa #agj #bff4 ,my ,pack-,sheep #agj #bfg4 ,part of ,kailas #agd #bfh4 ,kailas from ,diri-pu #ahb #bfi4 ,confluence of the ,two ,arms of the ,indus #ahb #bgj4 ,tibetan ,female ,pilgrims at ,kailas #ahh #bga4 ,the ,gova by whose help the ,source of the ,indus was discovered 7seated7 and ,tibetans at ,kailas #aid #bgb4 ,gulam ,razul beside ,bales of ,chinese ,brick-,tea #aih #bgc4 ,tibetan ,tent #bjb #bgd4 ,monastery of ,gar-gunsa #bjb #bge4 ,images at ,chushut #bjb #bgf4 ,the ,policemen from ,simla #bjf #bgg4 ,my ,boat on the ,indus #bjf #bgh4 ,ladaki ,women #bjf #bgi1 #bhj1 #bha4 ,at the ,monastery ,door in ,tashi-gang between ,gartok and ,ladak #baj #bhb4 ,dancing ,women in ,chushut1 a ,village on my ,way back to ,ladak #bab #bhc4 ,old ,woman #baf #bhd4 ,lama in ,chushut #baf #bhe4 ,on the ,way to ,tankse #bbj #bhf4 ,in the ,indus ,valley on the ,way to ,ladak #bbj #bhg4 ,the new ,horses and ,mules at ,drugub #bbj #bhh4 ,robert in ,winter ,dress #bbd #bhi4 ,abdul ,kerim1 the new ,caravan ,leader #bbf #bij1 #bia1 #bib4 ,lobsang1 ,gulam1 ,kutus--my last trusty ,followers #bbh #bic4 ,beggars #bcj #bid4 ,abdul ,kerim's new ,tent #bcj #bie4 ,my ,brown ,puppy with my ,cook1 ,tsering #bcd #bif1 #big1 #bih4 ,my ,white ,ladaki ,horse #bcd #bii4 ,panorama from ,camp #dbb1 ,bongba #bch #cjj4 ,panorama from ,camp #bgg1 ,shyok ,valley #bch #cja4 ,view from ,camp #cjg ,coloured #beh #cjb4 ,the small salt ,lake south of ,camp #cji ,coloured #beh #cjc4 ,horses going to drink at the ,lake near ,camp #caj4 ,abdul ,kerim on the left ,coloured #beh #cjd4 ,mountain north-east of ,camp #caj2 the freshwater ,lake in the ,foreground ,coloured #beh #cje4 ,storm ,clouds over the ,snowy ,mountains south of ,camp #cab ,coloured #beh #cjf4 ,camp #cjg #bfb #cjg4 ,camp #ccc4 ,the ,beginning of a ,storm #bfb #cjh4 ,camp #cce4 ,lemchung-tso1 looking east #bfb #cji4 ,camp #dja4 ,kanchung-gangri from the north #bfb #caj4 ,my ,dying ,pony #bfd #caa4 ,lost beyond ,recovery #bfh #cab4 ,if this continues a few days longer1 we are lost #bgj #cac1 #cad1 #cae1 #caf1 #cag4 ,panoramas from the ,camps #cah1 #ccc1 #cce1 #cei1 #cfj2 in the last two1 ,sha-kangsham #bhd #cah4 ,the ,author as a ,shepherd #bih #cai1 #cbj1 #cba4 ,the ,summits of ,lunpo-gangri from ,camps #cgi1 #cha1 and #chc #cbf #cbb4 ,wrestling #ccb #cbc4 ,two ,guides #ccb #cbd4 ,boy with ,hat #ccb #cbe4 ,shepherd ,boy #ccb #cbf4 ,sonam ,ngurbu1 ,chief of the ,chokchu ,province #ccd #cbg4 ,dorche ,tsuen1 ,governor of the ,saka ,province #ccd #cbh4 ,man with a singular ,cap1 in ,sonam ,ngurbu's ,escort #ccd #cbi4 ,tagla ,tsering1 the ,chief who refused to let me go to the ,dangra-yum-tso #ccd #ccj4 ,travelling ,ladaki ,merchant in ,west ,tibet #cdj #cca4 ,oang ,gye1 ,son of the ,governor of ,saka #cdj #ccb4 ,panchor1 the ,yak-slayer1 my ,guide on the ,journey to the ,teri-nam-tso #cdj #ccc4 ,woman of ,yumba-matsen #cdj #ccd4 ,tibetans with ,yaks #cdd #cce4 ,dorche ,tsuen on the ,march #cdd #ccf4 ,farewell ,entertainment for the ,tibetans on ,may #e1 #aijh #cdh #ccg1 #cch1 #cci1 #cdj4 ,the ,dancers at the ,camp-fire3 ,tubges1 ,kunchuk1 ,suen #cej #cda4 ,inner ,court of ,selipuk #ced #cdb4 ,dorche ,tsuen and ,ngavang on ,horseback #ced #cdc4 ,the ,author in ,tibetan ,dress #ceh #cdd1 #cde4 ,soldiers of the ,garrison of ,saka-dzong1 belonging to our ,escort #cfj #cdf4 ,armed ,tibetan from the ,country between the ,teri-nam-tso and the ,dangra-yum-tso #cfj #cdg4 ,boy with small ,gun on the southern ,shore of the ,teri-nam-tso #cfj #cdh4 ,trooper of the ,escort #cfd #cdi4 ,tibetan of ,teri-nam-tso #cfd #cej4 ,young ,shepherd of ,bongba #cfd #cea4 ,guests at the ,opening of my ,tent on the ,bank of the ,teri-nam-tso #cff #ceb4 ,the ,yaks fording the ,river ,soma-tsangpo #cff #cec4 ,nima ,tashi1 ,commander of the ,government ,escort on the way to the ,teri-nam-tso ,coloured #cfh #ced4 ,nuns of ,mendong ,coloured #cfh #cee4 ,a ,high ,lama of ,chokchu ,coloured #cfh #cef4 ,the ,prior of ,selipuk ,coloured #cfh #ceg4 ,two ,lamas of ,mendong #cgj #ceh4 ,my ,sheep crossing the ,river ,soma-tsangpo #cgj #cei4 ,village below ,lunkar-gompa on the ,tarok-tso ,coloured #cgd #cfj4 ,mendong ,monastery west of the ,teri-nam-tso ,coloured #cgd #cfa4 ,selipuk ,monastery south-west of the ,nganglaring-tso ,coloured #cgd #cfb4 ,holiday ,costumes and ,ornaments of ,tibetan ,women of ,kyangrang in the ,trans-,himalaya ,coloured #cgd #cfc4 ,crossing the ,kangsham ,river #cgf #cfd4 ,the ,village of ,lunkar #cgh #cfe4 ,group of ,tibetans at the ,teri-nam-tso #cgh #cff4 ,the ,village of ,lunkar from the ,temple ,hill #chb #cfg4 ,the southern ,shore of ,manasarowar with grazing ,yaks #chb #cfh4 ,lunkar-gompa #chf #cfi4 ,selipuk-gompa #chf #cgj4 ,the ,trans-,himalaya from ,abuk-la #chh #cga4 ,storm over the ,trans-,himalaya #chh #cgb4 ,sonam ,ngurbu and his ,followers on ,horseback #cib #cgc4 ,some of our ,horses on the ,way to ,kamba ,tsenam's ,tent #cib #cgd4 ,lama of ,chokchu taking leave of the ,prior of ,selipuk #cif #cge4 ,lama of ,chokchu on ,horseback #cif #cgf1 #cgg4 ,boys sitting #cih #cgh4 ,young ,lama #cih #cgi4 ,old ,woman #cih #chj4 ,colonel ,t4 ,g4 ,montgomerie #djd #cha4 ,abb ,huc #djd #chb4 ,altar ,table with ,images of ,gods in ,mangnang-gompa ,coloured #djf #chc4 ,the ,author in ,tibetan ,costume at the ,mission ,station in ,poo #djh #chd4 ,the last ,members of the last ,expedition in ,poo #dab #che4 ,my ,puppy #daf #chf4 ,takkar in his new ,home with the ,missionaries in ,poo #daf #chg4 ,simla #dah #chh4 ,the last ,members of the ,expedition at the ,entrance of the ,viceregal ,lodge in ,simla #dbj ,,maps #h4 ,the ,sources of the ,brahmaputra1 ,sutlej1 and ,indus4 #i4 ,a ,map of the ,trans-,himalaya by ,dr4 ,sven ,hedin4 #aj4 ,a ,map of ,tibet showing ,dr4 ,sven ,hedin's ,routes #aijf-aijh4 7,at end of ,volume47 ,,chapter ,,xxxv ,,immured ,,monks ,we had heard of a lama who had lived for the last three years in a cave in the valley above the monastery of ,linga1 and though ,i knew that ,i should not be allowed to see either the monk or the interior of his ghastly dwelling1 ,i would not miss the opportunity of at least gaining some slight notion of how he was housed4 ,on ,april #af1 #aijg1 eighteen months to a day after ,i had left ,stockholm1 dreary windy weather prevailed1 with thickly falling snow and dense clouds4 ,we rode up to ,linga1 past rows of fine chhortens1 left the last dormitories behind us1 saw an old tree-trunk painted white and red1 passed a small pool with crystal-clear spring water thinly frozen over1 and heaps of mani stones with streamer poles1 and then arrived at the small convent ,samde-puk1 built on the very point of a spur between two side valleys4 ,it is affiliated to the ,linga monastery1 and has only four brethren1 who all came to greet me heartily at the entrance4 ,it is a miniature copy1 outwardly and inwardly1 of those we have seen before4 ,the dukang has only three pillars and one divan for the four monks1 who read the mass together1 nine prayer-cylinders of medium size which are set in motion by leathern straps1 a drum and a gong1 two masks with diadems of skulls1 and a row of idols1 among which may be recognized several copies of ,chenresi and ,sekiya ,kongma1 the chief abbot of ,sekiya4 ,a few steps to the south-west we passed over a sheet of schist with two stone huts at its foot containing brushwood and twigs for burning4 ,in ,samde-pu-pe were two small temples with altars of mud4 ,in one of them were idols of medium size and sea shells1 and before them incense smouldered1 not in the usual form of sticks1 but in powder4 ,it was strewn in a zigzag line1 was lighted at one end1 and allowed to smoulder away to the other4 ,within was a statue of ,lovun with two lights before it1 and a shelf with writings called ,chna4 ,rain water had percolated in and formed white vertical channels in the plaster1 and under the ceiling kadakhs and draperies fluttered in the draught4 ,here the mice were less disturbed than in the ghostly castle ,pesu4 ,close at hand at the foot of the mountain is the hermitage1 dupkang1 in which a hermit spends his days and years4 ,it is built over a spring which bubbles up in the centre of the single room1 a square apartment with each side five paces long4 ,the walls are very thick1 and are in one solid mass1 unbroken by windows4 ,the doorway is very low1 and the wooden door is shut and locked2 but that is not enough1 so a wall of large blocks and smaller stones has been built before the door1 and even the smallest interstices between them have been carefully filled up with pebbles4 ,not an inch of the door can be seen4 ,but beside the entrance is a tiny tunnel through which the hermit's food can be pushed in4 ,the amount of daylight which can penetrate through the long narrow loophole must be very small2 and it does not shine in direct1 for the front of the hut is shut in by a wall1 forming a small court1 which only the monk who brings the anchorite his daily ration may enter4 ,a small chimney rises from the flat roof1 for the hermit may make himself tea every sixth day1 and for this purpose some sticks of firewood are pushed through the loophole twice in the month4 ,through the chimney1 too1 a feeble light may fall1 and by means of these two vents the air is renewed in the cell4 ,what is the name of the lama who is now walled up in this cell8 ,i asked4 ,he has no name1 and even if we knew it we durst not utter it4 ,we call him merely the ,lama ,rinpoche 7according to ,kppen1 lama means quo nemo est superior1 one who has no one over him2 and ,rinpoche means gem1 jewel1 holiness74 ,where has he come from8 ,he was born in ,ngor in ,naktsang4 ,has he relations8 ,that we do not know2 and if he has any1 they do not know that he is here4 ,how long has he lived in the darkness8 ,it is now three years since he went in4 ,and how long will he remain there8 ,until he dies4 ,may he never come out again into the daylight before his death8 ,no2 he has taken the strictest of all oaths1 namely1 the sacred vow only to leave the cell as a corpse4 ,how old is he8 ,we do not know his age1 but he looked about forty4 ,but what happens if he is ill8 ,cannot he get help8 ,no2 he may never speak to another human being4 ,if he falls ill he must wait patiently till he is better again or dies4 ,you never know1 then1 how he is8 ,not before his death4 ,a bowl of tsamba is pushed every day into the opening1 and a piece of tea and a piece of butter every sixth day2 this he takes at night1 and puts back the empty bowl to be filled for the next meal4 ,when we find the bowl untouched in the opening we know that the immured man is unwell4 ,if he has not touched the tsamba the next day our fears increase2 and if six days pass and the food is not taken1 we conclude he is dead and break open the entrance4 ,has that ever happened8 ,yes2 three years ago a lama died1 who had spent twelve years in there1 and fifteen years ago one died who had lived forty years in solitude and entered the darkness at the age of twenty4 ,no doubt the ,bombo has heard in ,tong of the lama who lived in the hermitage of the monastery ,lung-ganden-gompa for sixty-nine years1 completely shut off from the world and the light of day4 ,but is it not possible that the prisoner may speak to the monk who pushes the tsamba dish into the loophole8 ,there is no witness present to see that all is correct4 ,that could never happen and is not allowed1 answered my informant with a smile2 for the monk outside would be eternally damned were he to set his mouth to the loophole and try to talk to the recluse1 and the latter would break the charm if he spoke from within4 ,if the man in there were to speak now1 the three years he has passed there already would not be put down to his credit1 and he would not like that4 ,if1 however1 a lama in ,linga or ,samde-puk falls ill1 he may write his complaint and a request for the anchorite's intercession on a piece of paper1 which is placed in the tsamba bowl and pushed into the opening4 ,then the recluse prays for the sick man1 and if the latter has faith in the power of prayer1 and holds no unseemly conversation in the meantime1 the intercession of the ,lama ,rinpoche takes effect after two days and the patient gets well again4 ,on the other hand1 the recluse never makes any communication in writing4 ,we are now only a couple of paces from him4 ,does he not hear what we are saying1 or1 at least1 that some one is talking outside his den8 ,no1 the sound of our voices cannot reach him1 the walls are too thick2 and even if it were the case1 he would not notice it1 for he is buried in contemplation4 ,he no longer belongs to this world2 he probably crouches day and night in a corner1 repeating prayers he knows by heart1 or reading in the holy books he has with him4 ,then he must have enough light to read by8 ,yes1 a small butter lamp stands on a shelf before two images1 and its light suffices him4 ,when the lamp goes out it is pitch-dark inside4 ,filled with strange thoughts1 ,i took leave of the monk and went slowly down the path which the recluse had only passed along once in his life4 ,before us was the splendid view which might never delight his eyes4 ,when ,i had descended to the camp ,i could not look up the monastery valley without thinking of the unfortunate man sitting up there in his dark hole4 ,poor1 nameless1 unknown to any one1 he came to ,linga1 where1 he had heard1 a cave-dwelling stood vacant1 and informed the monks that he had taken the vow to enter for ever into darkness4 ,when his last day in this world of vanity dawned1 all the monks of ,linga followed him in deep silence1 with the solemnity of a funeral1 to his grave in the cave1 and the door was closed on him for the rest of his life4 ,i could picture to myself the remarkable procession1 the monks in their red frocks1 silent and grave1 bending their bodies forward and turning their eyes to the ground1 and walking slowly step by step as though they would let the victim enjoy the sun and light as long as possible4 ,were they inspired with admiration of his tremendous fortitude1 compared with which everything ,i can conceive1 even dangers infallibly leading to death1 seems to me insignificant8 ,for1 as far as ,i can judge1 less fortitude is required when a hero1 like ,hiros1 blockades the entrance of ,port ,arthur1 knowing that the batteries above will annihilate him1 than to allow oneself to be buried alive in the darkness for forty or sixty years4 ,in the former case the suffering is short1 the glory eternal2 in the latter the victim is as unknown after death as in his lifetime1 and the torture is endless1 and can only be borne by a patience of which we can have no conception4 ,no doubt the monks escorted him with the same tenderness and the same sympathy as the priest feels when he attends a criminal to execution4 ,but what can have been his own feelings during this last progress in the world4 ,we all have to pass along this road1 but we do not know when4 ,but he knew1 and he knew that the sun would never again shine warmly on his shoulders and would never produce lights and shadows on the heaven-kissing mountains around the grave that awaited him4 ,now they have reached their destination and the door of the tomb stands open4 ,they enter in1 spread a mat of interlaced strips of cloth in a corner1 set up the images of the gods1 and lay the holy books in their place2 in one corner they place a wooden frame like those go-carts in which infants learn to walk1 and which he will not use till death comes upon him4 ,they take their seats and recite prayers1 not the usual prayers for the dead1 but others which deal with the glorified light and life of ,nirvana4 ,they rise1 bid him farewell1 go out and close the door4 ,now he is alone and will never hear the sound of a human voice except his own1 and when he says his prayers no one will be there to hear him4 ,what were his thoughts when the others had gone1 and the short hollow echo had died away of the noise he heard when the door was shut for the last time1 only to be opened again when he was a corpse8 ,perhaps something like what ,frding has expressed in his verse3 ,here breaks the soul from every bond ,that fetters to this life its pinion2 ,here starts the way to the dark beyond1 ,the land of eternal oblivion4 ,he hears the brethren rolling the heavy stones to the door with levers1 piling them up one on another in several layers1 and filling up all chinks with smaller stones and fragments4 ,it is not yet quite dark1 for there are crevices in the door1 and daylight is still visible at the upper edge4 ,but the wall rises4 ,at length there is only a tiny opening through which the last beam falls into the interior of his tomb4 ,does he become desperate2 does he jump up1 thrust his hands against the door and try to catch one more glimpse of the sun1 which in another moment will vanish from his sight for ever8 ,no one knows and no one will ever know2 not even the monks who were present and helped to block up the entrance can answer this question4 ,but he is but a man and he saw how a flagstone was fitted over the hole through which a last ray of daylight fell2 and now he has darkness before him1 and wherever he turns there is impenetrable darkness4 ,he assumes that the other monks have gone down again to ,samde-puk and ,linga4 ,how shall he pass the evening4 ,he need not begin at once to read his holy books2 there is plenty of time for that1 perhaps forty years4 ,he sits on the mat and leans his head against the wall4 ,now all his reminiscences come with great distinctness into his mind4 ,he remembers the gigantic characters in the quartzite1 ,om mani padme hum1 and he murmurs half dreaming the holy syllables1 ,oh6 thou jewel in the lotus4 ,amen6 ,but only a feeble echo answers him4 ,he waits and listens1 and then hearkens to the voices of his memory4 ,he wonders whether the first night is falling1 but it cannot be darker than it is already in his prison1 his grave4 ,overcome by the travail of his soul1 he sleeps1 tired and weary1 in his corner4 ,when he awakes1 he feels hungry1 crawls to the opening and finds the bowl of tsamba in the tunnel4 ,with water from the spring he prepares his meal1 eats it1 and1 when he has finished1 puts the bowl in the loophole again4 ,then he sits cross-legged1 his rosary in his hands1 and prays4 ,one day he finds tea and butter in the bowl and some sticks beside it4 ,he feels about with his hands and finds the flint1 and steel1 and the tinder1 and kindles a small fire under the tea-can4 ,by the light of the flame he sees the interior of his den again1 lights the lamp before the images1 and begins to read his books2 but the fire goes out and six days must pass before he gets tea again4 ,the days pass and now comes autumn with its heavy rains2 he hears them not1 but the walls of his den seem to be moister than usual4 ,it seems to him a long time since he saw the sun and the daylight for the last time4 ,and years slip by and his memory grows weak and hazy4 ,he has read the books he brought with him again and again1 and he cares no more for them2 he crouches in his corner and murmurs their contents1 which he has long known by heart4 ,he lets the beads of his rosary slip through his fingers mechanically1 and stretches out his hand for the tsamba bowl unconsciously4 ,he crawls along the walls feeling the cold stones with his hands1 if haply he may find a chink through which a ray of light can pass4 ,no1 he hardly knows now what it is like outside on sunny paths4 ,how slowly time passes6 ,only in sleep does he forget his existence and escape from the hopelessness of the present4 ,and he thinks3 ,what is a short earthly life in darkness compared to the glorious light of eternity8 ,the sojourn in darkness is only a preparation4 ,through days and nights and long years of solitude the pondering monk seeks the answer to the riddle of life and the riddle of death1 and clings to the belief that he will live again in a glorified form of existence when his period of trial is over4 ,it is faith alone which can explain his inconceivable fortitude of mind4 ,it is difficult to picture to oneself the changes through which the lama passes during successive decades in the darkness of his cell4 ,his sight must become weak1 perhaps be extinguished altogether4 ,his muscles shrink1 his senses become more and more clouded4 ,longing for the light cannot pursue him as a fixed idea1 for it is in his power to write down his decision to curtail his time of trial1 and return to the light1 on one of the leaves of his books with a splinter dipped in soot4 ,he has only to place such a paper in the empty tsamba bowl4 ,but the monks had never known a case of the kind4 ,they only knew that the lama who had been walled in for sixty-nine years had wished to see the sun again before he died4 ,i had heard from monks who were in ,tong at the time that he had written down his wish to be let out4 ,he was all bent up together and as small as a child1 and his body was nothing but a light-grey parchment-like skin and bones4 ,his eyes had lost their colour1 were quite bright and blind4 ,his hair hung round his head in uncombed matted locks and was pure white4 ,his body was covered only by a rag1 for time had eaten away his clothing and he had received no new garments4 ,he had a thin unkempt beard1 and had never washed himself all the time or cut his nails4 ,of the monks who sixty-nine years before had conducted him to his cell1 not one survived4 ,he was then quite young himself1 but all his contemporaries had been removed by death1 and new generations of monks had passed through the cloisters2 he was a complete stranger to them all4 ,and he had scarcely been carried out into the sunlight when he too gave up the ghost4 ,in analysing the state of such a soul1 fancy has free play1 for we know nothing about it4 ,waddell and ,landon1 who took part in ,younghusband's expedition to ,lhasa1 and visited the hermits' caves at ,nyang-t-ki-pu1 say that the monks who have there retired into perpetual darkness first underwent shorter experiences of isolation1 the first lasting six months1 and the second three years and ninety-three days1 and that those who had passed through the second period of trial showed signs that they were intellectually inferior to other monks4 ,the cases which the two ,englishmen have described seem not to have been so severe a trial as the one ,i saw and heard about in ,linga1 for in the ,nyang-t-ki-pu caves the lama who waited on the recluse tapped on a stone slab which closed the small opening1 and at this signal the immured lama put his hand out of this door for his food2 he immediately drew the stone shutter to again1 but in this way he would at least see the light of the sun for a moment every day4 ,in the cases described by ,waddell and ,landon the immured monks had passed some twenty years in confinement4 ,waddell1 who has a thorough knowledge of ,lamaism1 believes that the custom of seclusion for life is only an imitation of the practice of pure ,indian ,buddhism1 which enjoins periodical retreats from the world for the purpose of self-examination and of acquiring greater clearness in abstruse questions4 ,in his opinion the ,tibetans have made an end of the means4 ,undoubtedly this opinion is correct1 but it is not exhaustive4 ,it may be that the future hermit has in religious delusion come to the decision to allow himself to be buried alive4 ,but does he clearly conceive what this means8 ,if he became dull and insensible like an animal in his cell1 all his energy and his power of will would be deadened1 and what seemed to him1 when he entered1 to be worth striving for1 would gradually become more and more indifferent to him4 ,but this is not the case1 for he adheres firmly to his decision1 and therefore his energy must remain unimpaired4 ,he must possess a steadfast faith1 an immovable conviction1 which is exposed to a harder trial because he is alone and death alone can visit him in his cave4 ,possibly he becomes by degrees a victim of self-delusion1 so that his longing for the last hour in the long night of his den gives place to the feeling that he is always at the moment when the hour-glass of time has run down4 ,he must have lost all idea of time1 and the darkness of the grave appears to him only as a second in eternity4 ,for the means he formerly had of marking the flight of time and impressing it on his memory no longer exist4 ,the changes from winter to summer1 from day to night1 are only made known to him by the rise or fall of the temperature in his den4 ,he remembers that several rainy seasons have passed by1 and perhaps they seem to him to follow closely on one another while his brain is clouded by monotony4 ,it is inconceivable that he does not become insane1 that he does not call out for the light1 that he does not jump up and run his head against the wall in the agony of despair1 or beat it against the sharp edges of the stones till he bleeds to death and frees himself by committing suicide4 ,but he waits patiently for death1 and death may delay its coming for ten or twenty years4 ,his remembrance of the world and life outside his cell becomes fainter and fainter2 he has long forgotten the dawn in the east and the golden clouds of sunset2 and when he looks up his dimmed eyes perceive no stars twinkling in the night1 only the black ceiling of his cave4 ,at last1 however1 after long years have passed in the darkness1 suddenly a great brilliancy flashes out--that is1 when ,death comes1 takes him by the hand1 and leads him out4 ,and ,death has not to wait1 entreat1 and coax1 for the lama has waited and longed for his welcome and only guest and deliverer4 ,if he has had his mind still clear1 he has taken the little wooden stand under his arms so that he may die in the same sacred position in which ,buddha is represented in all the thousands of statues and pictures which have come under our notice in our wanderings through the cloister temples of ,tibet4 ,when the tsamba bowl1 which has been filled daily for so many long years1 remains at last untouched and the six days have expired1 the cave is opened and the abbot of the monastery sits down beside the deceased and prays for him1 while all the other monks pray in the dukang hall for five or six days together4 ,then the body is wrapped in a white garment1 a covering called ringa is placed on his head1 and he is burned on a pyre4 ,the ashes are collected1 kneaded together with clay1 and moulded into a small pyramid1 which is deposited in a chhorten4 ,the ,linga monks said that an ordinary lama1 when he dies1 is cut in pieces and abandoned to the birds4 ,this process is performed here by five lamas1 who1 though they belong to the monastery1 attend the service in the dukang1 and drink tea with the other monks1 are still considered unclean1 and may not eat with the other brethren4 ,also when nomads die in the neighbourhood1 their services are required1 but then the relatives are bound to provide them with horses and to undertake that the property of the deceased shall pass into the possession of the monastery4 ,for days and weeks ,i could not drive away the picture ,i had formed in my mind of the ,lama ,rinpoche1 before whose cell we had stood and talked4 ,and still less could ,i forget his predecessor1 who had lived there forty years4 ,i fancied ,i could hear the conch which summoned the monks to the funeral mass of the departed4 ,i pictured to myself the scene in the cave where the lama1 crouching in rags on the floor1 stretches out his withered hands to ,death1 who1 kindly smiling like the skull masks in the temples1 gives him one hand while he holds a brightly burning lamp in the other4 ,the features of the monk are transfigured in a reflexion of ,nirvana1 and forgetting the ,om mani padme hum that for tens of years has reverberated from the walls of his den1 he raises1 as the trumpet blasts sound out from the temple roof1 a song of victory1 which calls to mind the following strophe from the myths of another people 7,frithiof's ,saga1 ,blackley's translation73 ,hail1 ye deities bright6 ,ye ,valhalla sons6 ,earth fadeth away2 to the heavenly feast ,glad trumpets invite ,me1 and blessedness crowns1 ,as fair1 as with gold helm1 your hastening guest4 ,,chapter ,,xxxvi ,,over ,,the ,,chang-,,la-,,pod-,,la ,we had stayed three days near the monastery ,linga1 when we went on north-westwards on ,april #ag up the narrow ,my-chu valley1 in which the volume of water was now considerably diminished4 ,space does not permit me to describe in detail this wonderful road and its wild beauty4 ,from the expansion of the valley at ,linga routes run eastwards and westwards into the mountains1 with branches to numerous villages1 of which ,i noted down the names and approximate positions4 ,the traffic is now much less1 but still numerous manis and other religious symbols stand beside the solitary path4 ,we ride along the steep slopes of the right bank2 below us the river forms rapids1 and the way is dangerous1 especially with a horse that is not sure on its feet4 ,robert's small bay filly stumbled and fell1 so that the rider was thrown headlong to the ground4 ,had he rolled down the slope he would have been lost2 but fortunately he fell towards the mountain4 ,we encamped in the village ,langmar1 consisting of a few scattered houses1 at the entrance of the small side valley ,langmar-pu4 ,illustration3 #aij4 ,,hermit',s ,,grotto ,,near ,,the ,,chang-,,la-,,pod-,,la4 ,we still have hired horses1 and now yaks also1 and the caravan is divided into the same detachments as before4 ,sonam ,tsering and ,guffaru command their sections4 ,tsering's party sets out last and is the last to come to rest1 and ,muhamed ,isa supervises the whole4 ,in the evening he is massaged by two men selected for the purpose1 of whom ,rehim ,ali is one4 ,there is still chang1 the harmless1 but still intoxicating1 beer4 ,among the singers at the camp-fires1 ,tsering1 as usual1 deserves the first prize4 ,he gives me no end of amusement2 he sings like a cow1 or at best like a burst temple drum4 ,his voice cracks continually1 and he loses the time and the melody without being the least put out4 ,but he considers his singing very fine1 and the others take pleasure in it2 one can tell from a distance that the tears are coming into his eyes4 ,sometimes he pauses to explain the subject of the ballad and take a drink1 and then he goes on again4 ,when all the others are asleep1 and all is so quiet in the camp that the rushing of the stream is audible and from time to time the bark of a dog1 ,tsering's rough voice trilling harshly still resounds among the mountains4 ,next day we draw near to the main crest of the ,trans-,himalaya1 for to my great surprise and delight we have been conducted in this direction4 ,granite still predominates1 and in it erosion has excavated the wild forms of the valleys2 the way is tolerably good1 but very stony2 small strips of ice lie along both banks of the stream1 within which the bright green water fills the valley with the roar of its impetuosity4 ,the dark green of a kind of juniper called pama is a relief to the eyes1 which otherwise perceive nothing but grey slopes of detritus4 ,the river here is named ,langmar-tsangpo1 but it is really only the upper course of the ,my-chu4 ,it is formed by the ,ke-tsangpo coming from the north and the ,govo-tsangpo from the west4 ,the former1 called in its upper course ,ogorung-tsangpo1 descends from the main watershed of the ,trans-,himalaya1 and must therefore be considered the main stream4 ,i was told that its source may be reached in a day and a half from the junction of the valleys4 ,on the left bank of the ,govo a thicket of pama shrubs grows1 and a safe bridge of three arches spans the river4 ,over this bridge runs the important trade route to ,tok-jalung which ,i have mentioned above4 ,herds of yaks and flocks of sheep graze on the slopes1 and circular penfolds remind us of our life in the ,chang-tang4 ,a little farther up we cross the ,govo1 which is half frozen over2 springs and brooks from the side valleys adorn the scene with cascades of ice4 ,the river is said to be here so swollen in summer that it cannot be crossed at any point4 ,to the north and south snowy mountains are visible4 ,in the village of ,govo1 consisting of seven stone houses1 barley is cultivated and yields a moderate crop2 but the inhabitants are not dependent on the harvest1 for they also possess sheep1 goats1 and yaks1 with which they migrate northwards in summer4 ,govo is the last village where agriculture is pursued1 so we here find ourselves on the boundary between tillage and grazing1 and also between stone houses and black tents 7,illust4 #ahb74 ,we have1 then1 still time to look into an ordinary ,tibetan stone hut belonging to a family in comfortable circumstances4 ,the walls are built of untrimmed bare stones1 but the crevices are stopped with earth to keep out the wind4 ,through a labyrinth of walls and over round stones where the tripping foot seldom touches the ground we come to two yards where goats and calves are kept4 ,in a third is a loom1 at which a half-naked coppery-brown woman is working1 and in a fourth sits an old man engaged in cutting up pama shrubs4 ,from this yard we entered a half-dark room1 with a floor of mud1 and two openings in the roof1 through which the smoke escapes and the daylight enters4 ,the roof consists of beams overlaid with a thatch of brushwood1 which is covered all over with soil and flat stones--it must be nice and dry when it rains4 ,there sat an elderly woman telling off her manis on a rosary of porcelain beads4 ,the next room is the kitchen1 the general living-room and the principal apartment of the house4 ,at a projecting wall stands the stone cooking-range with round black-edged holes for saucepans and teapots of baked clay4 ,a large earthen pot1 standing on the fire1 contains barley1 which is eaten parched2 a stick with a stiff piece of leather at the end is twirled round in the barley between the palms so that it may be roasted equally4 ,it tastes delicious4 ,i went about1 turned over all the household utensils and made an inventory1 and not in ,swedish only1 but also in ,tibetan4 ,there were many different vessels of iron1 clay1 and wood for all kinds of purposes1 a large wooden ladle1 a tea sieve of sheet-iron1 an iron spoon1 an ash shovel1 iron fire-tongs1 and a thing called a thagma1 an iron blade fitted into a piece of wood1 something like a closed pocket-knife1 and used to dress newly woven material4 ,a large clay jug was filled with chang4 ,a small cubical vessel divided into four by small cross pieces of wood is used to measure corn4 ,brick-tea is pulverized with a stone shaped like a cucumber in a deep wooden cup4 ,a knife-blade with a haft at either end is used in preparing and tawing hides4 ,under one of the smoke vents stood a small hearth for an open fire with an iron tripod4 ,a large leathern sack was filled with tsamba1 and two sheep's stomachs held fat and butter4 ,on a rack a quantity of sheep's trotters1 dusty and dirty1 were arranged2 when they are several months old they are used to make soup1 which is thickened with tsamba4 ,tea1 salt1 and tobacco are kept in large and small bags4 ,we saw likewise all kinds of religious objects1 votive bowls1 joss-sticks1 and small image cases2 also bales of home-woven textiles1 coloured ribands for sewing on skin coats and boots1 knives1 hatchets1 sabres and spears1 which1 we were told1 are for fighting thieves and robbers2 a pair of bellows1 two sacks of dry dung for fuel1 baskets1 hand-mills for grinding barley1 consisting of two round flat stones with a handle on the upper one2 lastly1 an oil-lamp and an oil-can1 and a cylindrical tub with iron hoops full of water4 ,in a corner lay heaps of skins and garments1 and against the wall were two sleeping-places still in disorder4 ,in another store-room there were provisions in sacks1 barley1 green fodder1 peas1 and great joints of meat4 ,here three young women and a troop of children had taken refuge2 we left them room to escape1 and they ran away screaming loudly as if all the knives in the house were at their throats4 ,in the room were balances for weighing1 consisting of a rounded staff with a stone weight at one end and a dried yak hide at the other4 ,behind a partition straw was kept4 ,there are high inconvenient thresholds between the rooms1 and the usual bundles of rods on the roof to protect the house from evil spirits4 ,after this expedition we inspected the tents of our escort1 where a fire was burning in a broken clay pot1 and a skillet stood over it on a tripod4 ,the smoke escapes through the long slit between the two halves of which the tent is composed4 ,the owners of the tent were writing their report to the authorities in ,shigatse1 informing them that we were on the right road4 ,at the same time they were eating their dinner of mutton1 a year old1 dry and hard2 it must not come near the fire4 ,one of them cut it into strips and distributed it among his comrades4 ,he had been for twenty years a lama in the monastery ,lung-ganden in ,tong1 but a few years before had been ejected from the confraternity because he had fallen in love with a woman4 ,he spoke of it himself1 so it was doubtless true4 ,robert's bay horse was reported dead on the morning of ,april #bj4 ,his late tumble now seemed to us like an omen2 though fat and sleek1 he died suddenly about midnight4 ,we now ride on again towards higher regions over uncomfortable blocks of stone1 but the valley becomes more open and the relative heights diminish4 ,though the little that is left of the stream still swirls and foams1 the ice becomes thicker1 and at last covers almost all the bed1 and the water is heard rushing and murmuring under it4 ,juicy moss skirts the banks1 the view becomes more extensive1 and the whole character of the landscape becomes alpine4 ,we saw ten men with guns in a sheepfold1 carrying gun-rests with yellow and red pennants on one of the prongs2 perhaps they were highway robbers4 ,dark clouds sweep over the ridges1 and in a minute we are in the midst of icy-cold drifting snow1 but it does not last long4 ,the last bit of road was awful1 nothing but boulders and dbris1 which we could sometimes avoid by riding over the ice of the river4 ,the camping-ground was called ,chomo-sumdo1 a valley fork in a desolate region1 but the escort had seen that some straw and barley were brought up on yaks for our horses4 ,from here we had to ride on the ice1 smooth and firm after #bg degrees of frost in the night4 ,the neighbourhood is not1 however1 uninhabited1 for yaks and sheep were seen grazing in many places1 belonging to nomads migrating northwards or merchants coming from ,tok-jalung4 ,at two black tents the people were packing up for the day's march2 they had goats1 with strips of red cloth bound round the ears4 ,a little farther up is a precipitous rock on the right side of the valley1 and two caves open their black mouths in the wall4 ,the lower one 7,illust4 #aij7 is the entrance to a passage leading to the upper1 where a famous hermit has fixed his solitary abode4 ,the upper opening has a partly natural balcony decorated with streamer-poles and ribands4 ,below the lower stand mani cairns1 long garlands of string with coloured prayer-strips1 a prayer-mast1 and a metal idol in a niche of the rock4 ,we tethered our horses at the edge of the ice and went up to the lower grotto4 ,here two young nuns from ,kirong 7on the border of ,nepal7 met us1 and two mendicant monks from ,nepal1 one of whom spoke ,hindustani1 so that ,robert could converse with him4 ,the nuns were pretty1 well-grown1 sun-burnt1 and somewhat like gypsies2 their large black eyes had the shimmer of velvet1 and their black hair was parted on the forehead and fell in luxuriant waves over their shoulders2 they were clothed in red rags and wore ,tibetan boots adorned with red ribands4 ,they spoke cheerfully and pleasantly in strikingly soft1 extremely sympathetic voices1 and were not in the least timid4 ,their simple dwelling1 which we saw1 was in the great entrance of the grotto1 under a smoke-blackened vault1 surrounded by a small wall and a palisade of pama branches1 and partly hung with cloth4 ,a sleeping-place was made of rugs of interwoven strips of cloth1 and a tea-kettle was boiling on the fire4 ,one of the men had a thick pigtail and a red lama frock2 the other wore a sheepskin1 and had not had his hair cut in the present1 twentieth1 century4 ,the dwelling proper was situated in a higher part of the cavern4 ,all four had come in autumn1 and were waiting for the warmer season to proceed to ,lhasa1 and return thence home again4 ,in the meantime they voluntarily waited on the two holy hermits sojourning in this mountain1 and thereby earned their living and gained merit1 according to the ideas of their order4 ,when they go off again on their wanderings1 other serving brethren and sisters will be found ready to take their place4 ,a winding staircase on the left1 partly natural and partly constructed of flagstones1 leads to the upper regions of the cavern4 ,at first it is dark1 but becomes lighter as we approach a loophole in the rock4 ,here and there are streamer-poles1 and the holy syllables are incised4 ,from the loophole the staircase turns steeply to the right2 if we slipped on the smooth stone we should tumble down right into the nuns' kitchen1 which from here looks like the bottom of a well4 ,the passage ends at a point where a small stone staircase goes up to a trap-door covered with a slab4 ,pushing aside the slab1 one reaches the larger grotto chamber of which we had seen the opening from the valley4 ,but the serving brothers and sisters would not take us so high4 ,in this upper grotto1 ,choma-taka1 the #ajj-years-old hermit1 ,gunsang ,ngurbu1 of high repute in all the country for his holiness1 has dwelt for seven years4 ,gunsang means hermit1 and ,ngurbu is a very common name signifying precious stone4 ,every seventh day his attendants place tsamba1 water1 tea1 and fuel on the steps under the trap-door1 and these things are taken in by the old man1 who may not speak with men1 but only with the gods4 ,through a hole under the slab ,i caught sight of a chhorten constructed of stones and mud1 and some painted pictures of gods on the wall of the grotto4 ,behind the chhorten1 and unfortunately out of sight1 the old man sat in a niche in the wall1 crouching down and saying his prayers2 now and then he blows a shell horn4 ,illustration3 #aia4 ,,robert ,,and ,,rabsang ,,by ,,the ,,ice ,,on ,,the ,,way ,,to ,,the ,,chang-,,la-,,pod-,,la4 ,illustration3 #aib4 ,a ,,lhadse ,,decked ,,with ,,mani-,,stones ,,and ,,prayer-,,streamers4 7,n4,w4 of the ,kore-la47 ,i wished to push aside the shutter and mount into the upper grotto1 but the consciences of my companions would not permit such a thing for all the money in the world4 ,it would disturb the old man in his meditations1 and interrupt the period of his seclusion1 and1 moreover1 the old man would throw stones at us4 ,the life of the hermit ,ngurbu must be idyllic compared to that of the immured ,linga monks1 for he sees the valley1 the sun1 the whirling snow1 and the stars sparkling in the sky2 but he must suffer from ennui4 ,in another grotto1 side by side with ,ngurbu's1 lives another hermit1 but the two have never met and know nothing of one another4 ,they may eat no meat1 only tsamba and tea1 and they receive these from the neighbouring nomads and the travellers passing along the road4 ,after this digression we cross the ice of the river again and pass up over the ever-present detritus4 ,before us is the flattish saddle of the ,chang-la-,pod-la4 ,we accomplish the ascent with great effort1 the icy wind blowing right in our faces4 ,i cannot commence my observations at the cairn till ,i have warmed my hands over a dung fire4 ,the view is limited1 flat1 and of little use for orientation4 ,however1 towards the way we have come1 we can see the deeply eroded valleys1 and we seem to be higher than the ridges enclosing them4 ,the height is #ah1bhd feet4 ,chang signifies north1 north country2 ,pod or ,p1 ,tibet1 i4e4 ,tibet proper1 chiefly inhabited by a settled population4 ,chang-la-,pod-la is1 then1 the pass between the northern tableland of the nomads and the country to the south having drainage to the sea4 ,it is this property of a boundary between these two regions which renders the ,trans-,himalaya of such prime importance1 and therefore there are many passes called ,chang-la-,pod-la4 ,often and often ,i was told that a pass1 whatever might be its especial name1 was a ,chang-la-,pod-la when it lay on the watershed between the inland drainage of the north and the river basin of the ,tsangpo in the south4 ,i had then crossed the ,trans-,himalaya a second time by a pass lying #dd miles to the west of the ,sela-la1 and had been able to ascertain that the huge range of the ,nien-chen-tang-la extends thus far4 ,it was still more my earnest desire to follow it step by step to the west4 ,after we had encamped on the pass1 where the thermometer fell at night to -#i1 we rode on ,april #bb slowly down the valley of the ,shak-chu river1 which gradually becomes broader1 and is begirt by flat rounded mountains1 in which rock in situ seldom occurs4 ,we have passed from the maze of mountains intersected by the affluents of the ,my-chu1 abundantly fed by the rains1 on to the wide plains of the plateau country1 and notice again that the ,trans-,himalaya is also an extraordinarily important climatological boundary4 ,the ,lapsen-,tari is a heap of clods with a sheaf of rods stuck in the middle1 from which streamer strings are carried to other rods4 ,from this point there is a fine view over the plateau and its wreath of mountains4 ,to the north1 #ee west1 we see the ,targo-gangri again1 but more majestic1 more isolated1 and more dominant than from the ,ngangtse-tso1 where1 shrouded in clouds and surrounded by other mountains1 it was less conspicuous4 ,just at the mound we passed the last corner which obscured the view1 and suddenly the whole grand mountain appeared in its dazzling whiteness1 shining like a lighthouse over the sea of the plateau1 in a mantle of firn fields and blue glistening ice1 and rising bold and sharply against the sky of purest azure blue4 ,the mound is therefore placed where the traveller coming from ,shigatse first comes in sight of the holy mountain4 ,our guides bared their heads and murmured prayers4 ,two pilgrims1 whom we had seen at the grotto of the hermits1 lighted a fire and threw into it a scented powder1 an offering of incense to the gods of ,targo-gangri4 ,south and south-west runs a lofty range1 of uniform height1 with patches of snow glittering in the sun on its brownish-purple summit--another part of the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,as we sat here a trading caravan came along the road to ,penla-buk1 which lies on the west side of the ,dangra-yum-tso1 and is a rendezvous for gold-prospectors and wool-dealers4 ,our tents formed a little village on the ,kyangdam plain1 where wild asses abound1 and some sixty nomads of the neighbourhood encamped around it4 ,in the evening the escort from ,ghe presented themselves to inform me that as we were now in the ,largep district1 subject to the ,labrang1 they would return home and consign us to a new guard4 ,the latter consisted of five men far advanced in life4 ,their leader was a small grey-headed man with trembling hands and very indistinct enunciation4 ,when the ,ghe men1 who longed to return to their warmer villages1 had gone off next morning in spite of a violent storm1 ,i had a serious talk with the new men4 ,they intended to lead us over the pass ,sha-la 7,trans-,himalaya7 in the south-west1 where the ,targo-tsangpo rises1 on the banks of which we had passed the day4 ,according to ,nain ,sing's map this river flows round the east side of ,targo-gangri1 and then enters the ,dangra-tso1 as the holy lake is called here4 ,but ,nain ,sing was never there1 and ,i wished to gain an insight into the geography of the country4 ,so we came to an agreement that we should travel north-westwards2 and ,i pointed out to the men that ,raga-tasam was put down in our passport as the next place2 that two roads led thither1 one over the ,sha-la1 the other deviating northwards to the ,targo-gangri1 and that ,i had chosen the latter4 ,the passport prohibited us from visiting ,lhasa1 ,gyangtse1 and the monastery ,sekiya-gompa1 but contained not a single word about the road to the ,dangra-yum-tso4 ,they ought then to comply with my wishes4 ,the old man hesitated1 pondered awhile1 and summoned his followers to a council4 ,his tent was soon full of black1 bare-headed men in grey sheepskins4 ,then the consultation was adjourned to ,muhamed ,isa's tent4 ,after some consideration they agreed to my proposals1 on the condition that ,i should pay them a whole tenga per day for each yak instead of half a tenga4 ,i rejoiced at the hope of seeing the holy mountain coming closer and closer1 and its finer details becoming more conspicuous1 of beholding it in cloud and sunshine1 disappearing behind the hills and peeping out again like a man-of-war in a rough sea with high white waves round the bow1 or1 more correctly1 like a ship under full sail on the sea of the plateau4 ,of course ,i exposed myself to annoyances by ignoring the passport1 but geographical discoveries were concerned and all considerations must be set aside4 ,on ,vega day1 ,april #bd1 we had a strong wind in our faces1 it was cold1 and ,targo-gangri partly disappeared behind the clouds4 ,escorted by the old gentleman and four horsemen who were as much alike as if they had been cast in the same mould1 and who had all matchlocks on their backs1 ,i rode along the bank of the ,targo-tsangpo in the contracting valley which slopes with an extremely gentle gradient1 imperceptible to the eye1 to the lake4 ,at last the valley becomes so narrow that the ice fills all its bottom4 ,the road therefore leaves the river on the left1 and passes over flat hills1 among which we cross a succession of small affluents4 ,black tents1 tame yaks grazing1 stone folds for sheep1 wild asses1 and millions of field mice recall to mind the ,chang-tang4 ,the wild yak1 however1 does not occur in this country4 ,the feathered kingdom is represented by ravens1 wild ducks1 and occasionally a small bird4 ,when we came to the ,bumnak-chu1 a right-hand tributary of the ,targo-tsangpo1 a large number of men came to meet us1 saluting with the tongue1 and gazing at us cheerfully and good-temperedly with their long black unkempt hair1 their small grey skins1 and their torn boots4 ,on ,april #be we rode over the ,ting-la pass2 at its foot is a mani in good preservation1 with a yak skull as ornament1 a form of prayer being incised in the frontal bone between the horns4 ,from the top of the pass ,targo-gangri is seen expanded into a row of peaks covered with snow4 ,the whole region is like a sea with a strong swell on1 and the ,targo-gangri is as white foaming surf on the coast4 ,a little later the summits of the mass stood clearly out white on a background of bluish-black clouds2 the highest two1 twin peaks1 had the form of a ,tibetan tent on two poles4 ,our camp in the ,kokbo valley contained not fewer than eleven tents1 for now we had about forty companions of all ages1 and at least a hundred yaks4 ,the loads were transferred to other yaks on the march to spare the animals4 ,when the caravan moves over the rounded hills it is like a nomad tribe on the march4 ,most of our ,tibetans ride yaks or horses4 ,we had made a short march1 and plenty of time was left for me to go about1 make a visit to each tent1 and see how the men were getting on4 ,they were all drinking tea and eating tsamba1 their greatest pleasure in life4 ,the dung fire burns in the middle1 and the form of the tent certainly is the cause of the draught which prevents smoke from collecting inside4 ,round about stand kettles1 teapots1 and wooden cups4 ,a huge quantity of provisions lies at the sides4 ,saddles and harness are deposited in a row before the tent4 ,when ,i enter1 all rise1 but ,i beg them to sit down again and go on eating1 while ,i take a seat on a barley sack at the door of the tent4 ,all have the right arm bare1 and many both arms2 when they let their sheepskins fall down their backs the whole body is naked down to the waist4 ,they are copper-brown and covered with a layer of dirt1 but well-grown1 powerful1 manly1 and in good proportion4 ,the cook of the tent community pours out tea for all1 and then each one brings out his own bag and takes out a pinch of tsamba to sprinkle into his tea4 ,they eat meat either raw or boiled in a pot4 ,they are all quiet and orderly1 no angry words are heard1 no quarrelling and shouting1 they are all the best of friends1 and make themselves comfortable after their day's march1 talking and laughing together4 ,their wigs are dust-traps and make them look like ,indians4 ,most of them wear a pigtail1 consisting mostly of plaited threads with white bone rings and small silver image boxes which have a couple of turquoises inlaid in the lid4 ,some have the pigtail wound round the head1 forming a singular crown1 the diadem of the wilderness4 ,in another tent the dinner was finished and the covers were empty4 ,there a man sat with an awl1 cobbling a torn boot2 another sewed the girths of his saddle on firmly2 and a third lay on his back1 with legs crossed and an arm supporting his head1 and took his after-dinner nap4 ,seen from above he makes a very absurd figure with his huge nostrils1 into which mice might easily walk in mistake for their holes4 ,a smirking youth is smoking his pipe1 while his neighbour busily and carefully searches for suspected lodgers in his sheepskin4 ,i drew several of them without exciting the least uneasiness2 on the contrary1 they made a joke of the sitting1 and laughed heartily when they saw their counterfeits1 which they embellished with prints of their buttery fingers on the margin4 ,they asked me why ,i drew them1 and for what purpose ,i wished to know their names and ages4 ,they were all sympathetic1 polite1 and friendly1 and ,i enjoyed their society 7,illusts4 #aic1 #aid74 ,a begging lama1 too1 looked in2 he was on the way to ,kailas1 and was quickly sketched1 to the intense amusement of the other men4 ,he bore a lance with a black tassel and red strips1 a timbrel1 an antelope horn to protect himself against snappy dogs1 and a trombone of human bone1 which he set in a corner of his mouth when he blew it4 ,it caused him much amusement to be the object of universal attention1 and he took advantage of it to make acquaintance with the nomads with a view to an appeal to their liberality 7,illust4 #aie74 ,illustration3 #aic1 #aid4 ,,nomads ,,south ,,of ,,targo-,,gangri4 ,illustration3 #aie4 ,,mendicant ,,lama ,,blowing ,,on ,a ,,human ,,bone4 ,illustration3 #aif4 ,,tibetan ,,boy4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,,chapter ,,xxxvii ,,targo-,,gangri ,,and ,,the ,,shuru-,,tso ,hitherto we had experienced no difficulties1 but at ,kokbo the state of affairs seemed disquieting4 ,our old man informed me that he had sent a message to the nomads at the ,targo-gangri mountain1 asking them to hold yaks in readiness4 ,they had answered that they could not think of serving a ,european without express orders1 and that they would resort to force if our present guards led us to the lake4 ,the old man1 however1 was not put out1 but believed that he could soon bring them to their senses4 ,on ,april #bf we march north-westwards in a sharp wind over the pass ,tarbung-la4 ,the sacred mountain exhibits all the beauty of its sixteen peaks1 and north1 #cc west1 is seen the gap where we expect to find the ,dangra-yum-tso4 ,the view is of immense extent4 ,the valley widens out and passes into that of the ,targo-tsangpo4 ,four antelopes spring lightly over the slopes2 black tents are not to be seen4 ,when we again reach more open ground1 one of the most magnificent views ,i have seen in this part of ,tibet opens out to the west-south-west1 a gigantic range of uniform height1 with snow-covered pinnacles and short glaciers between1 which is scarcely inferior to ,targo-gangri in imposing beauty and massiveness4 ,the chain is bluish black below the snowy points2 at its foot lies a lake unknown to us1 the ,shuru-tso4 ,the journey to the ,ngangtse-tso north-north-east by the way of the ,shangbuk-la pass is reckoned as only three days' march4 ,on the eastern flank of ,targo-gangri five glaciers are deeply embedded1 while to the east of the mountain the flat open valley of the ,targo-tsangpo comes into sight1 which we gradually approach1 passing over five clearly defined terraces1 relics of a time when the ,dangra-yum-tso was much larger than now4 ,two wolves make off in front of us1 and the old man gallops after them1 but turns back when they stop as if to wait for him4 ,if ,i had had a knife or a gun1 he says1 ,i would have killed them both4 ,at length we descend to the valley of the ,targo-tsangpo down a bold terrace with two ledges1 and here the river is divided into several arms1 and wild ducks and geese swarm4 ,brushwood grows on the banks4 ,on the right bank lies our camp1 ,no4 #aej1 not far from the foot of the majestic ,targo-gangri 7,illust4 #aih74 ,thus far we were to come1 but no farther4 ,here a troop of twenty horsemen armed to the teeth awaited us1 who had been sent by the ,governor of ,naktsang from ,shansa-dzong1 with orders to stop us in case we should attempt to advance to the holy lake4 ,this time they had kept a sharper watch1 and had anticipated that ,i would take all kinds of liberties4 ,they had left ,shansa-dzong fifteen days before1 and had been camping here three days1 awaiting our arrival4 ,if we had hurried we should have been before them again4 ,one of the two leaders was the same ,lundup ,tsering who1 as he told me himself1 had stopped ,dutreuil de ,rhins and ,grenard1 and had been in ,january with ,hlaje ,tsering at the ,ngangste-tso4 ,he informed me that ,hlaje ,tsering was still in office1 but had had much trouble because of us1 and had been obliged to pay a fine of sixty yambaus 7about #fge7 to the ,devashung4 ,when ,i remarked that ,hlaje ,tsering had told me himself that he was so poor that he had nothing left to lose1 ,lundup answered that he had extorted the money from his subordinates4 ,all1 too1 who had sold us yaks and served us as guides had been heavily fined4 ,the next ,european who attempted to get through without a passport would have no end of difficulties to contend with 7,illust4 #bjj74 ,illustration3 #aig4 ,,kubi-,,gangri ,,from ,,camp #bja4 ,s4 #ai ,e41 ,ngomo-dingding 7#a71 with the ,ngomo-dingding ,glacier below4 ,s4 #b ,w41 ,absi 7#b71 with the ,absi ,glacier1 ,s4 #ba-ce ,w41 the ,massive of ,mukchung-simo 7#c74 ,illustration3 #aih4 ,,targo-,,gangri ,,from ,a ,,hill ,,near ,,camp #aej4 ,n4 #cb ,w41 ,sershik-gompa 7#d74 ,n4 #bf-ac ,w41 the ,dangra-yum-tso 7#e7 in the distance4 ,illustration3 #aii4 ,,the ,,chomo-,,uchong ,,group ,,from ,,the ,,kinchen-,,la1 ,,may #bc1 #aijg 7cf4 ,illustration #bab74 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,lundup pointed to a red granite promontory1 #bjj yards north of our camp1 and said3 ,there is the boundary between the ,labrang 7,tashi-lunpo7 and ,naktsang 7,lhasa74 ,so far we can let you go1 but not a step farther2 if you attempt it1 we have orders to fire on you4 ,they read the passport from ,shigatse1 and affirmed that the words therein1 on the direct way to ,ladak1 did not mean that we had permission to make all sorts of detours1 and1 above all1 we might not go to the ,dangra-yum-tso1 which is holy and is in the territory of ,lhasa4 ,gaw ,daloi had given orders that he should be informed daily which way we were travelling4 ,if they did not obey this order they would lose their heads4 ,it was evident1 then1 that ,i should have to give up the ,dangra-yum-tso for the third time1 and just when ,i was only two short days' march from it4 ,the outline of the mountain stood out sharp and white in the moonshine against the blue-black starry sky4 ,the next day there was a storm1 and not even the foot of ,targo-gangri was visible1 much less the icy-cold heights where the winds sing their heavenly choruses among the firn fields4 ,in the evening1 however1 when the weather had cleared1 the whole mass stood clearly out1 covered with freshly fallen snow4 ,again we held a long palaver with the horsemen from ,naktsang4 ,i told them that ,i would not leave this camp till ,i had at least seen the lake from a distance4 ,to my delight they replied that though they were obliged1 much against their inclination1 to cause me the disappointment of not visiting the lake1 they would not prevent me from seeing it from a distance1 but that they would keep a good watch lest ,i should ride off behind yonder red mountain to the north4 ,they had scarcely gone when our old ,kyangdam guide came to complain that the horsemen from ,naktsang had threatened his life because he had brought me here4 ,i sent for the ,naktsang men again and impressed on them strongly that they had no cause of complaint against my escort1 for it was entirely my fault that we were here4 ,they promised that they would not again treat the ,kyangdam men harshly1 as they had most fortunately caught me just at the right moment4 ,the ,kyangdam men could not thank me enough for restoring peace1 and their joy was still greater when ,i presented the whole party with money to supplement their scanty store of provisions4 ,they gave vent to their delight by performing games1 dances1 and wrestling bouts in front of my tent1 and their happy laughter and shouts were echoed till late in the night from the mountains4 ,then came twelve more soldiers from ,naktsang with fresh orders that we were under no circumstances to be allowed to proceed farther northwards4 ,but all were friendly and polite2 we joked and laughed together1 and were the best of friends4 ,it is singular that they never lose their patience1 though ,i am always causing them worry1 perplexity1 and troublesome journeys4 ,the chief of ,largep was more unyielding than our old friends the ,naktsang gentlemen4 ,he would not let me climb the red mountain1 but insisted that we should leave the district next day and travel straight to ,raga-tasam4 ,however1 ,i snubbed him1 demanding how he1 a small chieftain in the mountains1 could dare to speak so peremptorily4 ,even the ,chinese in ,lhasa1 ,i said1 had treated us pleasantly and had left us the fullest freedom4 ,i would not leave the spot until ,i had seen the lake4 ,i threatened to tear the ,shigatse passport in pieces1 and send off at once a courier to ,tang ,darin and ,lien ,darin1 and wait for their answer at the foot of ,targo-gangri4 ,then the chief became embarrassed1 got up in silence1 and went away with the others4 ,but they were with me again in the evening1 and with a humble smile they said that ,i might ride up the red mountain if ,i would promise not to go to the shore of the lake4 ,a thin veil of mist lay over the country all day long4 ,but when the sun set1 the western sky glowed with purple flames1 and the cold glaciers and snowfields were thrown up by a background of fire4 ,illustration3 #bjj4 ,,lundup',s ,,squadron4 ,,to ,,the ,,left ,a ,,part ,,of ,,targo-,,gangri4 ,,camp #aej4 ,at last1 on ,april #bi1 we take to the road and ride up the affluent ,chuma1 flowing down from the right and called in its upper course ,nagma-tsangpo4 ,we climb higher and higher up regularly curved lake terraces2 the view widens out the nearer we approach the summit1 where the ,ladakis are waiting for us with a fire4 ,the southern basin of the ,dangra-yum-tso was clearly visible as a bluish sabre-blade1 and the valley of the ,targo-tsangpo widens out like a trumpet to the broad plain beside the shore4 ,it was the easier to trace the course of the river to the neighbourhood of the lake because it was marked all along by white glistening ice flakes and dark spots where bushes grow4 ,at the end of ,july the river is said to rise so high that it cannot be crossed4 ,so when letters have to be delivered to nomads on the eastern foot of the mountain they are weighted with a stone and thrown across a narrow part of the stream4 ,the water of the lake is said to be as salt as that of the ,ngangtse-tso1 and is not fit for drinking2 but nevertheless pilgrims drink it1 because it is holy4 ,at this time the winter ice was breaking up1 and long sheets of ice lay only at the shore4 ,in contrast to most other lakes of ,tibet1 the ,dangra-yum-tso runs north and south1 and it narrows in the middle1 just as ,nain ,sing has drawn it on his map2 but he has made the lake a little too large1 and has especially exaggerated the dimensions of the southern basin4 ,a horseman can travel round the lake in five ordinary or seven short days' journey2 the pilgrim road closely follows the lake shore4 ,the pilgrims always make the circuit of the lake in the direction of the hands of a watch1 if they are orthodox2 but if they belong to the ,pembo sect1 like the monks of the ,sershik-gompa1 they begin their march in the opposite direction4 ,most of them come in late summer or autumn4 ,i was told that the pilgrimage round the lake1 which of course must be made on foot1 was in honour of ,padma ,sambhava1 the saint who came to ,tibet in the year #gdg1 became the founder of ,lamaism1 and enjoys almost as great a reputation as ,buddha himself4 ,he is called in ,tibet ,lopn ,rinpoche1 and his image is generally found in the temples4 ,sershik-gompa1 of which we had frequently heard1 and which ,nain ,sing names ,sasik ,gombas on his map1 stands on an even slope at the eastern foot of the mountain4 ,the monastery is under the ,devashung1 and has twenty ,pembo brethren and an abbot named ,tibha4 ,some of the monks are said to be well off1 but on the whole the convent is not rich2 it is supported by nomads in ,naktsang1 ,largep1 and ,sershik4 ,the monastery is constructed chiefly of stone1 but it also contains timber transported hither from the ,shang valley4 ,there is a dukang and a number of small images of gods4 ,the ,targo-gangri massive can also be travelled round1 and only one pass has to be crossed1 namely the ,barong-la 7or ,parung71 which lies between ,targo-gangri and the mighty range on the west of the ,shuru-tso4 ,the short1 lofty1 meridional range which is called ,targo-gangri1 and is rather to be considered an isolated massive1 ends in the north not far from the lake1 the flanks of the last peak descending gently to its flat plain4 ,nain ,sing calls the massive ,targot-la ,snowy ,peaks1 and the district to the south of the mountain ,trgot ,lhgeb 7,largep74 ,the river is marked ,targot ,sangpo on his map4 ,his ,siru ,cho to the east of the lake is known to no one here1 and his ,mun ,cho ,lakes marked to the south of it actually lie to the west of the lake4 ,his representation of the mountains to the south of the lake is confused and fanciful4 ,some nomads named the holy mountain ,chang-targo-ri4 ,on the way back ,i took levels1 assisted by ,robert1 and found that the highest recognizable terrace lay #bib feet above the level of the river4 ,the ,targo-tsangpo is here certainly not more than #f feet higher than the surface of the lake4 ,as the ,dangra-yum-tso is surrounded1 particularly on the south1 by rather low1 flat land1 the lake must formerly have been of very large extent4 ,at that time the ,targo-gangri skirted the western shore as a peninsula4 ,in the night there was a noise like an avalanche falling2 it became feebler and died away4 ,the horses and yaks of the ,tibetans1 frightened by something or other1 had stormed the detritus slope of the terrace4 ,half an hour later ,i heard whistling and shouting2 the men were coming back with the runaways4 ,illustration3 #bja4 ,,lundup 7on horseback to the left7 ,,and ,,his ,,retinue ,,prevent ,,me ,,from ,,proceeding ,,to ,,the ,,dangra-,,yum-,,tso4 ,targo-gangri and the river ,targo-tsangpo in the background4 ,before we took leave of our troublesome friends they were photographed on horseback 7,illust4 #bja74 ,they all wore roomy1 dark cerise-coloured mantles1 and1 unlike the bare-headed ,largep men1 a bandage round the head1 in many cases drawn through silver rings like bangles4 ,one had a tall white hat like a truncated cone1 with a flat brim1 a head-covering ,i remembered seeing in ,nakchu4 ,their guns1 with the military pennants on the forks1 they had slung over their shoulders1 and their sabres stuck out horizontally from their girdles in silver-bound scabbards decorated with three pieces of imitation coral4 ,over the left shoulder some carried a whole bandolier of gao cases with glass fronts1 through which were visible the little innocent gods which bring their wearers good fortune on their journey4 ,their fat little horses stamped and snorted1 longing for their old well-known pastures on the shores of the ,kyaring-tso4 ,they also were decked with needlessly heavy but dainty ornaments4 ,the white horses with red riders on their backs made a particularly striking picture4 ,it was a varied scene in the blazing sunshine1 with the snowy summits of ,targo-gangri as a background and ,nain ,sing's lake to the north4 ,i begged them to greet ,hlaje ,tsering heartily from me1 and tell him that ,i hoped to see him again4 ,and then they struck their heels into their horses1 drew together into close order1 and trotted gaily up to the level surfaces of the river terraces4 ,captivated by the appearance of the departing troop ,i ran after it1 and watched the dark column grow smaller at the red spur1 where the old shore lines seemed to run together4 ,singular people6 ,they rise like goblins from the depths of their valleys1 they come one knows not whence1 they1 like us1 visit for a few short days the foot of the snowy mountain1 and then they vanish again like a whirlwind in the dust of the horses' hoofs and beyond the mysterious horizon4 ,we1 too1 set out1 and ,i left the ,dangra-yum-tso to its fate1 the dark-blue waters to the blustering storm and the song of the rising waves1 and the eternal snowfields to the whisper of the winds4 ,may the changing colours of the seasons1 the beauty of atmospheric effects of light and shade1 gold1 purple1 and grey1 pass over ,padma ,sambhava's lake amidst rain and sunshine1 as already for untold thousands of years1 and the steps of believing1 yearning pilgrims draw a chain around its shores4 ,accompanied by ,robert and our aged guide1 ,i rode across the river1 which carries about #adj cubic feet of water1 and up to a spur of ,targo-gangri in order to procure a rock specimen4 ,one glacier tongue after another of the long series on the east side of the mountain passes out of sight1 and now the gap disappears through which we had seen a corner of the lake1 and far away to the north on its other side the outlines of light-blue mountains4 ,six hundred sheep were grazing on a slope without shepherds4 ,now and then a hare was started in the thick tufts of steppe grass4 ,from the screes on our right was heard the pleasant chirp of partridges4 ,when we were far away two shepherds came up out of a gorge and drove the sheep down to the river4 ,at the lower end of the moraine of a glacier stood a solitary tent4 ,i asked our old man what the spot was called1 but he swore by three different gods that he had no notion4 ,the most southern outskirt of ,targo-gangri hid the rest of the range1 but before we reached camp ,no4 #aea it appeared again foreshortened4 ,this camp stood on the left bank of the river4 ,illustration3 #bjb1 #bjc1 #bjd4 ,,targo-,,gangri ,,from ,,the ,,south4 ,may #a4 ,spring is come2 we have1 indeed1 had as much as #bi degrees of frost during the preceding nights1 but the days are fine and clear1 and it is never as trying as in the ,chang-tang1 even riding against the wind4 ,at camp ,no4 #aej we had been at a height of #ae1ddf feet2 now we go slowly down1 following the river at first1 but leaving it on the left when we see it emerge from the mountains as through a gate4 ,over a singularly uniform and continuous plain without fissures or undulations we now approach in a south-westerly direction the threshold which separates the ,shuru-tso from the ,dangra-yum-tso4 ,on the south-west side of ,tangro-gangri appear six glaciers1 much smaller than those on the north and east1 and rather to be regarded as spurs and corners of the ice mantle which covers the higher regions of the massive4 ,the ,shuru-tso is seen as a fine blue line4 ,we approach its shore and find that the lake is completely frozen over4 ,we make a halt to photograph and to draw a panorama4 ,our old man smokes a pipe1 and ,robert and ,tashi try which can snore loudest4 ,when ,i am ready we sneak off quietly from the two sleepers4 ,tashi is the first to awake1 understands the joke1 and also sneaks off4 ,at last ,robert awakes and finds himself alone1 but he soon overtakes us on his mule4 ,now we have the lake close on our right4 ,to the south rise grand mountains1 one of the loftiest chains of the ,trans-,himalaya1 raven black beneath the sun1 but the firn-fields glitter with a metallic lustre4 ,considerable terraces skirt the bank1 and the valleys running down from the east to the lake cut through them1 forming hollow ways in which a solitary tent stands here and there guarded by a savage dog4 ,we encamp on the terrace above the ,parva valley1 our eight black tents contrasting strongly with the yellow soil 7#ae1eid feet74 ,our old ,tibetans from ,kyangdam now bid us farewell and receive double payment as a present4 ,in front of us are the congealed waters of the ,shuru-tso1 longing to be released by the warm spring winds2 to the south rises the ,do-tsengkan1 a mighty elevation clothed in eternal snow2 in the south-west the sun sinks behind the huge crest of the mountains and the shadows pass silently across the ice4 ,soon the evening red lingers only on the peaks of ,targo-gangri and ,do-tsengkan1 and then another night falls over the earth4 ,it is a pity that the ,tibetans do not understand the relations of the sun and the planets1 for they might regard the solar system as a unique immeasurable prayer-mill revolving in space to the glory of the gods4 ,in the darkness the lofty mountains to the north-west are misty and indistinct1 but when the moon rises they and the lake are illuminated alike and seem to be connected4 ,from our terrace we seem to have a bottomless abyss below us4 ,on ,may #b we ride southwards along the shore 7,illust4 #bje74 ,like the ,dangra-yum-tso1 the ,shuru-tso runs almost north and south1 lying in a longitudinal valley which has this direction1 so unusual in ,tibet4 ,there is open water along the bank1 and the waves splash against the edge of the porous ice1 on which wild ducks sit1 often in long rows4 ,owing to the swell the water on the bank is black with decayed alg and rotting water-weeds1 in which wild geese cackle and scream4 ,as we come to the regularly curved southern shore of the lake1 with its bank of sand1 we see the well-known signs of a storm on the plain before us1 white dust swirls1 stirred up in spirals from the ground by the wind1 like the smoke of a shot4 ,after a time we find ourselves in the path of the storm--it will not need many such storms to break up the whole lake and drive its loosened ice-sheets to the eastern bank4 ,we ride across the river ,kyangdam-tsangpo1 which comes from the ,trans-,himalaya1 and bivouac on its western terrace 7#ae1edh feet74 ,here we have the whole lake in front of us to the north1 and behind it ,targo-gangri1 now smaller again4 ,here our attendants were changed4 ,the ,largep chief1 who had been so overbearing at first1 was as meek as a lamb at the moment of parting1 and gave me a kadakh1 a sheep1 and four skins of butter4 ,every morning when the caravan sets out ,ishe comes to my tent to fetch my two puppies2 ,muhamed ,isa has the third1 which he means to train up to be a wonderful animal1 and the fourth has been consigned to ,sonam ,tsering4 ,they have grown a deal already1 and howl and bite each other on the march1 when they ride in a basket on the back of a mule4 ,they are graceful and playful1 and give me great amusement with their tricks4 ,from the little pass ,dunka-la we had a grand and instructive view over the great ,shuru-tso1 which is of a somewhat elongated form and is convex to the west4 ,next day we crossed the pass ,ben-la in a south-westerly storm4 ,it raged and blew day and night1 but the air remained quite clear4 ,on the #fth we rode up a steep path to the ,angden-la4 ,in the rather deep snow and the tiring rubbish the horses can get on only a step at a time1 and have often to stop and rest4 ,tsering rides past us with his yak caravan1 and four ,ladakis have stayed behind in the valley suffering from acute headache4 ,at the top of the pass 7#ah1ead feet7 stands a huge cairn with strings and streamers1 their prayers rising to the dwellings of the gods on the wings of the wind 7,illusts4 #bjg1 #bji1 #baj74 ,illustration3 #bje4 ,,the ,,shuru-,,tso1 ,,with ,,targo-,,gangri ,,in ,,the ,,background4 ,no words can describe the panorama around us4 ,we stand above a sea of mountains with here and there a predominant peak4 ,to the south we see the ,himalayas clearer and sharper than before1 and can perceive where the valley of the ,brahmaputra runs on this side of the white ridge4 ,to the north the ,shuru-tso is much foreshortened1 and the ,dangra-yum-tso is hidden by ,targo-gangri1 which is sharply defined1 though we are six days' journey from it4 ,nay1 even the contours of the mighty mountains on the north-east shore of the lake1 which we saw in winter from the north1 are distinguishable1 and they lie fully ten days' journey from here4 ,i sit at the fire1 drawing and making observations1 as on all the passes4 ,i am again on the ,trans-,himalaya1 #ec miles from the ,chang-la-,pod-la1 and now cross it for the third time4 ,northwards the water drains to the ,shuru-tso1 southwards to the ,raga-tsangpo4 ,my feet stand on the oceanic watershed1 my eyes roam over this huge system1 which ,i love as my own possession4 ,for the part where ,i now stand was unknown and waited millions of years for my coming1 lashed by innumerable storms1 washed by autumn rains1 and wrapped in snow in winter4 ,with every new pass on the watershed of the gigantic rivers of ,india which ,i have the good fortune to cross1 my desire and hope become ever greater to follow its winding line westwards to regions already known1 and to fill up on the map the great white blank north of the ,tsangpo4 ,i know very well that generations of explorers will be necessary to examine this mighty intricate mountain land1 but my ambition will be satisfied if ,i succeed in making the first reconnaissance4 ,we leave the cairn and the fire1 its smoke covering the summit of the pass as with a torn veil1 and follow the brook1 of which the water will some day reach the warm sea after a thousand experiences4 ,i turn a page and begin a new chapter in my life as an explorer2 the desolate ,chang-tang remains behind me1 and ,targo-gangri sinks below the horizon--shall ,i ever see its majestic peaks again8 ,we descend rapidly with the wind in our faces4 ,large blocks of ice fill the valley bottom between walls of black schists and porphyry4 ,several large side valleys open into ours1 and deserted hearths are signs of the visits of nomads in summer4 ,our valley unites with the large ,kyam-chu valley1 which is #f miles broad and descends from the ,sha-la1 the pass of the ,trans-,himalaya over which our ,tibetans had wished to guide us4 ,the land round the nomad tents of ,kyam is flat and open4 ,on ,may #g we march on in a terrible wind with the blue mirror of the ,amchok-tso on the south4 ,the ground is flat and hard4 ,a hare runs like the wind1 as if his life were in danger1 over this flat1 where he cannot find the slightest cover4 ,eight sprightly antelopes show us their graceful profiles as they spring lightly along1 rising from the horizon against a background of sky4 ,robert has drawn his fur over his head1 and sits in the saddle like a lady1 with both his legs dangling on the sheltered side1 while ,tashi leads his mule4 ,but as the wind still blows through him1 he lays himself on his stomach across the saddle4 ,my horse sways when the wind catches the broad breast of its rider4 ,the wind howls and moans in my ears1 it whines and whistles as it used to do in the ,chang-tang1 a whole host of indignant spirits of the air seem to complain of all the misery they have seen in the world4 ,the plain is called ,amchok-tang1 and we march over it1 following the main stream4 ,amchok-yung is a village of five tents1 where are some fine manis bedecked with yak skulls1 antelope horns1 and slabs of sandstone1 one of them1 of a regular rectangular form1 measuring #dj inches4 ,the inhabitants of the village disappeared as if by magic2 only an old man gave us his company as we inspected two of the tents4 ,but when we had ridden on1 the people crept out again from behind dung heaps1 hillocks1 and grass tufts1 where they had hidden themselves4 ,the wind bores thick yellow sand out of the ground into a spout1 which is so dense that it looks black on the shady side4 ,it winds up in cyclonic spirals like the smoke of a tremendous explosion and1 like a strange ghost1 dances across the plain1 and does not fall to pieces till it reaches the foot of the eastern mountains4 ,illustration3 #bjf4 ,,on ,,the ,,upper ,,raga-,,tsangpo4 ,illustration3 #bjg4 ,,angden-,,la4 ,illustration3 #bjh4 ,,chomo-,,uchong ,,from ,,the ,,east4 ,in our camp of this day1 situated on the north-west shore of the ,amchok-tso1 we heard ,chinese and ,tibetan officials spoken of who were shortly to ride through the country in all directions1 counting the tents1 people1 and herds4 ,it was thought that this inspection was connected with the new taxation which the ,chinese intend to introduce4 ,my boat lay ready on the strand1 for ,may #h was to be devoted to an excursion on the ,amchok-tso4 ,,chapter ,,xxxviii ,,to ,,the ,,outlet ,,of ,,the ,,chaktak-,,tsangpo ,,in ,,the ,,brahmaputra ,the lake was free from ice1 and only on the northern shore some blocks rocked on the surf4 ,a south-west wind swept constantly over the country1 and there was no prospect of good weather4 ,a dozen ,tibetans followed me at a respectful distance4 ,i begged them to come nearer and see us start4 ,the boat was brought down to the water1 ,rehim ,ali and ,shukkur took their places1 and ,lama carried me to the boat through the slowly deepening water4 ,a promontory to the south1 #cd ,e41 was fixed as our goal1 and the oarsmen began their struggle with the waves4 ,for the first hour the lake was so shallow that the oars struck the bottom and stirred up inky-black mud4 ,shukkur cries out in time with the oars1 ,shubasa1 ya aferin1 bismillah1 ya barkadiallah--to cite only a few words of his inexhaustible repertoire4 ,rehim ,ali's oar gives me a splash as it dips in1 but ,i am soon dry again in the wind4 ,the swell stirs up the mud from the bottom1 and the water is so shallow that the waves show a tendency to break even out in the middle of the lake4 ,illustration3 #bji1 #baj4 ,,angden-,,la1 ,a ,,pass ,,on ,,the ,,trans-,,himalaya4 ,now the sandspouts begin their threatening dance on the western shore1 and in that direction the water gleams white4 ,the storm sweeps over the ,amchok-tso1 and the two ,mohammedans must put forth all their strength to force the boat forward against wind and water4 ,the swell grows heavier1 the depth is #g4i feet1 and the water assumes a greener hue4 ,shukkur ,ali1 our old fisherman1 puts out his line1 but nothing but floating alg will bite4 ,in several places are seen wild ducks1 gulls1 and wild geese4 ,nomads have just arrived and are putting up their tents in a gorge on the eastern shore4 ,at length we reach the promontory1 having sounded a maximum depth of only #ab feet4 ,after observations have been taken1 a panorama sketched1 and dinner eaten1 we again set off in a northerly direction1 and the boat dances before the brisk wind lightly as a wild duck over the waves4 ,we sail past three more tents1 sound #aj4b feet1 and approach the northern shore1 where the water is only #bj inches deep1 and is a muddy soup4 ,we run aground at a distance of #ajj yards from the bank4 ,rabsang comes up running1 leading my horse by the bridle1 and some other ,ladakis follow him4 ,they help us to land1 and light a much needed fire at the foot of the sand terrace which here rises from the bank4 ,the river ,kyam-chu enters the ,amchok-tso on the north side1 and only #a miles to the west of its muddy delta the ,dongmo-chu flows out of the lake towards its confluence with the ,raga-tsangpo in the east4 ,properly speaking1 the ,dongmo is only the continuation of the ,kyam-chu1 with the lake hanging like a bag on its right bank4 ,after the boat has been folded up1 ,muhamed ,isa has to show us the way on horseback over the grass-grown sandhills4 ,he guides me across the twenty shallow and treacherously swampy delta arms of the ,kyam-chu4 ,it is dark1 but a beacon fire has been lighted in the camp1 and the cakes of dung are heated to whiteness in the strong wind1 and shine like electric light4 ,next day ,i was up before the sun1 in order to take an observation4 ,the thermometer had sunk in the night to #j4c1 and the wind blew regularly as a trade-wind4 ,it is pleasant to see the day dawn in the east1 and life begin anew among the tents4 ,the hired yaks have lain tethered during the night1 and now they are allowed to wander freely over the pasture4 ,sleepy yawns are heard in the tents1 and men come out and make up the fires2 the jug bubbles in which the morning tea is stirred up with butter1 and kettles are set on three stones over the fire4 ,the puppies play in the open1 and are glad that they have not to roll about to-day in a basket4 ,the days and months fly by to a chorus of storms1 and spring still delays its coming4 ,in the evening songs of the ,ladakis ,i fancy ,i hear an undertone of home-sickness1 and they rejoice at every day's march which brings us a little further westwards4 ,when we woke next morning1 it blew as fresh as ever1 and ,robert had made himself a mask with ,tibetan spectacles sewed into the eye-holes2 he looked very comical in this contrivance1 which was very appropriate in this land of religious masquerades4 ,the road1 ascending the broad valley of the ,pu-chu1 led over open1 slightly undulating ground to ,serme-lartsa4 ,here old ,guffaru was reported sick2 he suffered from colic1 and was well nursed4 ,but late at night ,robert came breathless to my tent to tell me the old man was dying4 ,when ,i came to the tent the son1 whose duty it was to keep the shroud ready1 sat weeping beside his father1 while the other men warmed their caps over the fire and applied them to the body of the patient4 ,i ordered him a cold compress1 but he asked me1 to the intense amusement of others1 just to go back to my tent again4 ,muhamed ,isa laughed till he rolled over4 ,guffaru sat upright on his bed1 moaned and groaned1 and begged me to go away4 ,i gave him a strong dose of opium1 and next morning he was so brisk that he walked all the way1 though a horse was at his disposal4 ,the remains of ,burroughs and ,wellcome's medicine chest had saved his life2 he was thankful and pleased that his shroud was not required this time4 ,illustration3 #baa4 ,,manis ,,on ,,the ,,way ,,to ,,the ,,angden-,,la4 ,on ,may #aa we mounted to the pass ,lungring 7#ag1fig feet7 in a bitterly cold snowstorm1 and descended the valley of the same name to the bank of the upper ,raga-tsangpo4 ,on the #abth we marched upstream2 the valley is broad1 and is bounded on the north by great mountains4 ,the thermometer had sunk to -#j4h1 and the storm was dead against us4 ,occasionally it abated so much that we could hear the footfalls of the horses on the detritus1 but we were benumbed when we came to the camp4 ,thick snow fell all the afternoon4 ,my puppies sat together in the tent door and growled at the falling flakes1 but when they saw it was no use1 they snapped at the flakes as though they were flies and pawed at them4 ,then they went back into the tent1 lay on the frieze blanket in the corner1 and let it snow on4 ,on the next day's march we passed ,kamba-sumdo1 where the two head sources of the ,raga-tsangpo unite2 the one1 coming from the west1 is named ,chang-shung1 the other1 from the south-west1 ,lo-shung1 i4e4 ,northern and ,southern ,valley4 ,the ,chang-shung is the larger4 ,the ,lo-shung we had to cross twice1 and found the bed full of stones connected by slippery ice4 ,in the west a large snow-covered ridge appeared1 the ,chomo-uchong1 or ,high ,nun1 which was discovered by ,nain ,sing4 ,ryder measured it and produced an exact map of it4 ,belts of snow descend from the white summits down the dark flanks4 ,other ,tibetans called it ,choor-jong 7,illust4 #bab74 ,still marching south-westwards we approached at an acute angle the great main road between ,lhasa and ,ladak1 the so-called tasam4 ,as though to show its importance a caravan was just at the time travelling westwards in three columns4 ,it moved so slowly through the landscape that we had to watch the mountain spur behind to convince ourselves that the small black lines were moving at all4 ,soon afterwards we pitched our tents in ,raga-tasam 7#af1bcd feet71 a station on the great high-road1 where we came in contact with the route of the ,english expedition under ,ryder and ,rawling for the first time since leaving ,shigatse4 ,whatever the immediate future had in store for me1 it was above all things my desire to avoid this route as much as possible4 ,for the map which ,ryder and ,wood had executed is the best that has been surveyed of any part of ,tibet2 ,i could add nothing new to it with my modest equipment4 ,but if ,i passed to the north or south of their line of march1 ,i could supplement their map with my own explorations4 ,in this ,i actually so far succeeded that out of eighty-three days' marches to ,tokchen on the ,manasarowar only two-and-a-half days' march ran along their route4 ,as ,i now perceived that we should have to travel on the road which ,nain ,sing in the year #ahfe1 and ,ryder and ,rawling and their comrades in #aijd1 had passed along1 ,i wrote1 after consultation with ,robert and ,muhamed ,isa1 to ,tang ,darin and ,lien ,darin in ,lhasa4 ,i represented in an urgent appeal to the former1 the ,high ,commissioner1 that it could not clash with any treaty if ,i1 being already in ,tibet1 travelled to ,ladak by one road or another1 provided that ,i actually did go thither1 and that ,i therefore begged permission to take the following route3 ,i wished to take my homeward way past the lake ,tedenam-tso1 of which ,nain ,sing had heard1 then to visit the ,dangra-yum-tso1 and thence to proceed to ,tradum and to the ,ghalaring-tso1 the holy mountain ,kailas1 the ,manasarowar lake1 the sources of the ,indus and the ,brahmaputra1 and lastly ,gartok4 ,to the other1 the ,amban of ,lhasa1 ,i also wrote about the way ,i desired to take1 and promised to send him a report about it from ,gartok4 ,i told both that ,i wished for a speedy answer1 and would wait for it in ,raga-tasam4 ,as soon as ,i had come to a decision1 ,i called ,tundup ,sonam and ,tashi1 and told them to get their sleep over by midnight4 ,then ,i wrote the above-mentioned letters and letters to my parents and to ,major ,o',connor4 ,when my correspondence was ready1 it was past midnight4 ,the camp had lain several hours in sleep when ,i made the night watchman waken the two messengers and ,muhamed ,isa4 ,their orders were such as they had never received before4 ,they were to travel day and night along the #bbj miles to ,shigatse and hand over my letters to ,ma4 ,they need not wait for an answer1 for ,i had asked the ,mandarins to send me special couriers4 ,provisions they need not take1 for they would be able to get everything on the great high-road1 and ,i gave them money to hire the horses they required4 ,they would be able to reach their journey's end in ten days1 and in a month we ought to have an answer4 ,if they did not find us in ,raga-tasam on their return1 they were to follow in our track4 ,tundup ,sonam and ,tashi were in good spirits and full of hope when ,muhamed ,isa and ,i accompanied them outside the camp1 and watched them disappear into the dark night4 ,they made a detour to avoid the twelve black tents standing here1 lest the numerous dogs of the village should bark4 ,it was not far to the great high-road1 and at the next tasam1 as the stations are called1 they could hire horses at daybreak4 ,muhamed ,isa and ,i sat a while in my tent in lively conversation about our prospects4 ,not till ,i had crept into bed after a tiring day did it occur to me that it was perhaps cruel to let the two men ride alone day and night through ,tibet4 ,but it was too late1 they must now fulfil their mission4 ,there was no hurry now4 ,we stayed here seven days4 ,westwards the way was open1 but not the way ,i wished to take1 and therefore we were prisoners in our own tents4 ,patience1 whispered the ceaseless winds4 ,the unknown land lay to the north2 ,i could not give it up till all my efforts had proved fruitless4 ,we had cold unpleasant weather1 with frequently more than #cf degrees of frost1 and on the night of ,may #ae as much as #df4d degrees4 ,the ,tibetans said that this neighbourhood is always cold1 even when spring reigns all around4 ,i lay on my bed and read ,david ,copperfield1 ,dombey and ,son1 and ,the ,newcomes1 for ,i had now a whole library to read through1 the gift of the obliging ,major ,o',connor4 ,robert gave me lessons in ,hindustani1 and ,i drew types of the people4 ,a puppy of the same age as our own warily came up to my tent and got a breakfast4 ,mamma ,puppy was by no means pleased with this wayside guest1 who looked comical1 as shy and quiet as a mouse2 he sat by the hour together at the fire and looked at me1 at length falling asleep and turning on his side4 ,when he appeared again at dinner1 he was thoroughly worried by ,puppy1 but nevertheless went calmly to the family mat and laid himself down4 ,puppy was furious1 but so dumbfoundered at this unexpected impudence that she laid herself down on the ground beside the mat4 ,tibetans came every day to my tent and implored us to make a start4 ,when this proved useless1 they declared at length1 that they could no longer supply us with provisions1 for no more were to be had in the neighbourhood4 ,i asked them1 as an experiment1 whether they would forward two letters to the ,mandarins in ,lhasa1 but they replied that they had no authority to do this4 ,they were much astonished when they heard that ,i had sent off letters five days previously4 ,for two days ,i lay in bed1 for ,i was quite at an end of my strength1 and made ,robert read to me4 ,on ,whitsunday1 ,may #ai1 we had another long palaver4 ,the ,tibetans read to me the instructions they had received from ,lhasa1 which were dated on the tenth day of the second month in the year of the fiery sheep4 ,i was there called ,hedin ,sahib1 and the orders contained the following clauses3 ,send him out of the country4 ,let him not turn aside from the tasam1 and guide him neither to the right nor to the left4 ,supply him with horses1 yaks1 servants1 fuel1 grass1 and everything he wants4 ,the prices he must pay are the usual prices fixed by the ,government4 ,give him at once anything he asks for and refuse him nothing4 ,but if he will not conform to the directions on his passport1 but says he will take other routes independently1 give him no provisions1 but keep firm hold of him and send off messengers at once to the ,devashung4 ,do not venture to think for yourselves1 but obey4 ,any one in the provinces who does not obey will be beaten2 so run the regulations you have to conform to4 ,if he gives no trouble1 see that the nomads serve him well and do him no harm on the way to ,gartok4 ,then it will be the business of the ,garpuns 7the two ,viceroys7 to take him under their protection4 ,and yet ,i was not satisfied4 ,i told them that ,i could not think of conforming to my passport1 which was contrary to my religion1 and that ,i must go northwards from the ,chomo-uchong to ,saka-dzong4 ,they were quite at liberty to send messengers to the ,devashung4 ,we would wait4 ,then they held a council1 and at length agreed to let us take the northern route1 but we must set out on ,may #ba4 ,illustration3 #bab4 ,,chomo-,,uchong ,,from ,,lamlung-,,la4 ,illustration3 #bac4 ,,panorama ,,from ,,the ,,ta-,,la4 7,the ,brahmaputra ,valley and the ,himalayas in the background47 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,i lay on my bed and dreamed of the tramp of horses coming both from the east and the west1 of the roads open to me to the mysterious mountain system in the north1 round which my plans and my dreams circled continually like young eagles4 ,so we set out on ,may #ba1 north-westwards1 and saw the summits of the ,chomo-uchong disappear behind its outskirts4 ,from the camp we could see several valleys in the north-west drained by the source streams of the ,raga-tsangpo4 ,just beyond ,raga-tasam we again left the route of the ,english expedition1 and on the #bbnd climbed up to the pass ,ravak-la1 which lies on a low ridge between two of the source streams of the ,raga-tsangpo4 ,on the #bcrd we crossed four passes4 ,the ,kichung-la is the watershed between the ,raga-loshung and the ,chungsang1 a river which takes an independent course to the ,tsangpo4 ,the ascent to the fourth pass1 the ,kanglung-la1 was very tiresome1 the ground consisting of wet alluvium1 wherein the horses sank so deep that we preferred to go on foot and splash through the mud4 ,we were now on the heights whence the water flows down to three of the northern tributaries of the ,brahmaputra2 the third flows to the ,chaktak-tsangpo1 which runs to the west of ,saka-dzong4 ,here and there the snow1 owing to wind1 melting and freezing again1 has assumed the form of upright blades1 two feet high and sharp as a knife4 ,far to the south appear parts of the ,himalayas1 and we are here in a grand landscape of wild and fantastic relief4 ,now and then the view is obscured by dense showers of hail4 ,on the morning of the #bdth all the country was hidden by thickly falling snow1 and the weather at the end of ,may was more winterly than on the ,chang-tang in ,december4 ,we ride between steep cliffs down a deeply eroded valley1 and side valleys run in with narrow deep openings4 ,in one of them is a frozen waterfall4 ,we often cross the clear water of the river which rushes along on its way to ,saka-dzong and the ,chaktak-tsangpo4 ,violent gusts of snow sweep through the valley from time to time1 and then we can hardly see our hands1 and the ground and the mountains become white4 ,in the beautiful junction of valleys called ,pangsetak our tents and those of the ,tibetans were heavily weighted with snow4 ,on the #beth we go down further4 ,nomad tents are as rare as on the preceding days1 for people come here only in summer4 ,the path runs frequently up along the left terrace1 high above the valley bottom1 where the river has formed two large basins of dark-green water4 ,we amused ourselves with rolling stones down the steep slope2 they knocked against other boulders1 dashed with a thundering noise into the valley1 tearing up sand and dust1 bounced up from the ground1 and finally plunged into the basin1 raising a cloud of spray4 ,it was childish but very diverting4 ,the valley passes into a plain1 in the southern part of which runs the great high-road between ,raga-tasam and ,saka-dzong4 ,the river we had followed down is the ,kanglung-bupchu1 but in ,saka it is called ,sa-chu-tsangpo4 ,we pitched our camp in the mouth of the valley ,basang on the north side of the plain4 ,from here to ,saka-dzong is a short day's journey4 ,but1 instead of travelling along this road1 which ,ryder has already laid down on his map1 ,i wished to see the place where the ,chaktak-tsangpo unites with the upper ,brahmaputra4 ,that would involve a long detour of four days' journey1 and to this our friends from ,raga would not consent without the permission of the ,governor of ,saka4 ,we therefore stayed a day in the ,basang valley1 while a messenger was sent to him4 ,when the answer came it was1 to our surprise1 in the affirmative1 but under the condition that the main part of the caravan should proceed straight to ,saka-dzong4 ,i even received a local passport for the excursion4 ,among other natives who at this time sat for me as models was a youth of twenty years1 named ,ugyu1 who had lived some years before with his mother and sisters in a valley to the north1 where their tent was attacked and pillaged by robbers4 ,they had defended themselves bravely with sabres and knives1 but the robber band had had firearms1 and ,ugyu had been struck by a bullet1 which had passed through his shoulder-blade and lung1 and had come out at his breast4 ,large scars showed the course of the bullet4 ,when one remembers that the leaden bullets of the ,tibetans are as large as hazel-nuts1 one is astonished that the boy did not die of internal hmorrhage4 ,he appeared1 on the contrary1 extraordinarily healthy and blooming1 and had an amiable1 sympathetic disposition4 ,i sat on a barley sack before ,muhamed ,isa's tent and sketched4 ,meanwhile1 the baggage and provisions were made ready for the excursion4 ,my excellent caravan leader stood1 tall and straight as a pole1 watching the others filling the sacks we were to take with us4 ,he had the boat also and everything we wanted for river measurements packed up4 ,in the evening he arranged a farewell ball for ,tsering1 ,shukkur ,ali1 ,rabsang1 ,islam ,ahun1 and ,ishe1 who were to accompany ,robert and me to the ,tsangpo4 ,he had bought in ,shigatse a large fine guitar1 on which he played himself in his tent4 ,this evening the dancing and singing went off more gaily and merrily than ever4 ,we expected good news from ,lhasa1 and were glad that the people in ,saka had granted the permission ,i had asked for4 ,on the morning of ,may #bg the weather was really fine after a minimum of only #bc2 had the spring come at last8 ,the main caravan had already gone off westwards to ,saka1 and my party was ready when ,muhamed ,isa came to say farewell4 ,he was ordered to remain in ,saka till ,i returned1 and to try by all means to gain the confidence of the officials by friendliness and prudent conduct4 ,my small caravan was on the road to the south1 and we stood alone on the deserted camping-ground4 ,after he had received his instructions we mounted into our saddles at the same time and ,i rode after my men4 ,i turned once more in the saddle and saw ,muhamed ,isa's stately form upright on his grey horse1 his pipe in his mouth1 his green velvet cap on his head1 and the black sheepskin loose on his shoulder1 trotting quickly in the track of the caravan4 ,it was the last time ,i saw him thus4 ,soon we cross the great high-road1 the tasam1 and ride slowly up to the pass ,gyebuk-la 7#ae1hdf feet71 marked by four manis1 which are covered with green flags of schist with incised ,buddha images4 ,the well-worn path1 and three caravans of yaks which are just coming over the pass on the way to ,saka-dzong1 show us that this is an important trade-route4 ,two of the caravans came from the great town ,tsongka-dzong1 which lies five days' journey southwards1 not far from the frontier of ,nepal4 ,from ,saka the caravans go over the ,gyebuk-la1 cross the ,brahmaputra1 ascend the ,samderling valley1 and by the ,sukpu-la and ,negu-la passes reach ,tsongka-dzong1 which supplies the nomads living in the north with barley4 ,from ,gyebuk-la there is a grand view over the sharp peaks and the glacier tongues of the ,chomo-uchong4 ,on the southern slopes of the pass there are pama bushes almost everywhere1 and it is pleasant to see their fresh green needles again4 ,the road runs down the ,kyerkye valley4 ,on a smooth wall of rock ,om mani padme hum is hewn in characters a yard high4 ,at camp ,no4 #afg the ,tibetans of the neighbourhood came kindly to meet me and bid me welcome1 and two of them led my horse by the bridle to my tent1 as is the custom in this country4 ,next day we march down the valley with fresh guides1 and see several ruins telling of happier times now gone by4 ,terraced structures for irrigating the fields indicate that barley is grown in the district4 ,in front of us is now the broad valley of the ,brahmaputra1 and we come to an arm of the river where a ferry is established to transport caravans and goods on the way between ,tsongka-dzong and ,saka-dzong from one side of the river to the other4 ,camp ,no4 #afh was pitched at the extremity of the tongue of gravel between the two rivers4 ,the ,chaktak-tsangpo had here a breadth of #ib4b feet1 a maximum depth of #b4d feet1 an average velocity of #d4ef feet1 and a discharge of #ffd cubic feet per second4 ,its water was almost quite clear1 and in consequence of its greater velocity forced its way far into the muddy water of the ,brahmaputra4 ,the latter had at mid-day a temperature of #dh4i1 while the water of the tributary was a little warmer1 namely1 #di4h4 ,our companions told us that all who come to the great river drink of the water1 because it comes from the holy mountain ,kailas1 or ,kang-rinpoche1 in the far west4 ,shukkur ,ali sat with his ground line at a deep bay with slow eddies and pulled out of the water ten fine fish1 a species of sheat with four soft barbs4 ,he had raw meat as bait on his five hooks2 at one end of the line a stone was tied1 so that it could be thrown far out into deep water1 and the other end was made fast to a peg driven in to the bank1 and a stone was laid on the line so lightly in the fork of the peg that it fell when a fish bit4 ,the fisherman can then occupy himself meanwhile with some manual work1 such as mending shoes4 ,he puts his fish in a small enclosed basin4 ,the fish had white flesh1 and were delicate4 ,on ,may #bi we measured the main river at a place where a low island divides it into two channels #age4e and #ahj4d feet broad respectively1 with a maximum depth of #c4h feet4 ,here the ,brahmaputra carries #becb cubic feet of water1 and #caif after receiving the ,chaktak-tsangpo4 ,at the confluence of the ,dok-chu we had found only #biff cubic feet1 but the measurement was made a month and a half earlier4 ,the ratio of the ,brahmaputra to the ,dok-chu was #e3b1 and of the ,brahmaputra to the ,chaktak-tsangpo #g3b4 ,the ,dok-chu is therefore considerably larger than the ,chaktak-tsangpo4 ,on ,may #cj we followed the broad valley of the ,chaktak-tsangpo towards the north-west and west-north-west till we came to a district named ,takbur1 whence we intended to ride next day over the ,takbur-la to ,saka-dzong4 ,but it did not come off2 for before ,i was awakened1 came a chief with five attendants and made a horrible disturbance with my men and our ,tibetans from ,kyerkye4 ,the latter he beat with the flat of his sword1 and he took away from the former the milk and butter they had bought the evening before1 saying that no one had permission to sell us provisions4 ,he told ,robert that he had orders not to let us pass through to ,saka-dzong1 and that he would make us stay here three months4 ,we might not hire yaks also--which was very inconvenient1 as we had only a horse and a mule after all the hired animals had gone4 ,we might not buy provisions2 but this was not of much consequence1 for ,robert had shot four wild-geese and found a large quantity of eggs1 and the river was full of fish4 ,i accordingly sent ,islam ,ahun and ,ishe to ,saka with a message that ,muhamed ,isa should send us five horses immediately4 ,then ,i summoned the supercilious chief to my tent1 where he confirmed the accounts of my men4 ,he declared that ,i had no right to deviate a single step from the great high-road1 and that the district in which we were was under him1 not under ,saka-dzong1 and therefore the local passport was worthless4 ,he intended to carry out the orders he had received1 as he valued his head4 ,when ,i told him that ,i should report his uncivil behaviour to the ,mandarins in ,lhasa1 he jumped up and drew his sword threateningly1 but when he saw that my composure could not be shaken he quieted down4 ,in the evening he came to tell us that we might cross the ,takbur-la1 and brought us both yaks and provisions4 ,who he was we could never discover1 for in ,saka no one would acknowledge that he knew him4 ,perhaps it was only a childish attempt to cure me of further deviations from the main road4 ,however1 it was a pity that we had lost a day here4 ,when the morning of ,june #a dawned1 ,islam ,ahun and ,ishe came with our horses1 which we did not now need1 and brought me greetings from ,muhamed ,isa1 who sent word that all was well with the caravan2 they were on friendly terms with the authorities1 and were permitted to buy all they required4 ,we set off again northwards and marched through the ,takbur valley1 where there was abundance of game--hares1 pheasants1 and partridges--some of which ,tsering shot1 and foxes1 marmots1 and field-mice4 ,in the distance we saw a grey prowling animal which we took for a lynx4 ,there were also kiangs1 which seemed very unconcerned4 ,north-west1 north1 and north-east huge snowy mountains were seen from the ,takbur-la 7#af1fba feet71 of which ,ryder and ,wood had taken bearings4 ,like those ,englishmen1 ,i considered it certain that these peaks lay on the watershed of the ,tsangpo1 and belonged to the crest of the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,i had afterwards an opportunity of proving that this was a mistake4 ,from the pass a river runs down to join the ,sachu-tsangpo4 ,here we saw a number of yaks in the luxuriant grass1 and a nearly tame kulan kept them company4 ,illustration3 #bad4 ,,beggar ,,at ,,tashi-,,gembe4 ,illustration3 #bae4 ,,young ,,tibetan ,,at ,,the ,,mouth ,,of ,,the ,,chaktak-,,tsangpo4 ,illustration3 #baf4 ,,wandering ,,lama ,,with ,a ,,wooden ,,glove ,,in ,,his ,,hand1 ,,such ,,as ,,is ,,used ,,to ,,protect ,,the ,,hands ,,in ,,the ,,prostration ,,pilgrimage ,,round ,,the ,,holy ,,mountain ,,kailas4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,where the river emerges into the ,saka plain1 we passed on its left side over a last small spur of the mountain on which the pass is situated1 and here ,i rested for an hour with ,robert1 to draw a panorama of the interesting country4 ,tsering marched on with his men1 and disappeared as a speck on the great plain4 ,to the east-north-east the white houses of ,saka-dzong could be seen in the distance1 and with the glass we could make out the camp1 two black tents and a white1 the latter ,muhamed ,isa's4 ,then we too passed across the plain4 ,on the left stood four tents1 where the sheep were being driven into the fold for the night4 ,at one place the road divides2 travellers who have nothing to do in ,saka-dzong take the southern road4 ,we cross the ,sa-chu river and the overflow of a spring2 there is a strong wind from the west1 and we long for the tents and the warmth of the camp-fires4 ,at last we are there4 ,guffaru comes to greet us1 and all the others call out to us ,salaam6 and ,ju6 ,i look in vain for ,muhamed ,isa's stalwart figure1 and inquire for him4 ,he is lying in bed and has been ill all day1 they answer4 ,i suppose that he has his usual headache again1 go to the brazier in my tent1 and let ,robert1 as usual1 unpack the things ,i require for my evening work4 ,we were tired and chilled through and longed for our supper4 ,,chapter ,,xxxix ,,muhamed ,,isa',s ,,death ,we had not been sitting long when ,rabsang came to say that ,muhamed ,isa had lost consciousness1 and did not answer when he was spoken to4 ,i now perceived that he had had an apoplectic fit1 and hurried off with ,robert to his tent1 which stood close beside mine4 ,an oil-lamp was burning beside the head of his bed1 where his brother ,tsering sat weeping4 ,the sick man lay on his back1 tall1 strong1 and straight4 ,the mouth was a little drawn on the left side1 and the pupil of the left eye seemed very small1 while that of the right eye was normal4 ,the pulse was regular and strong1 beating #gb4 ,i at once ordered hot bottles to be laid at his feet1 and a bag of ice on his head4 ,his clothes were loosened2 he breathed deeply and regularly4 ,the eyes were half open1 but were lustreless4 ,i called his name loudly1 but he gave little sign2 he tried to turn his head and move his right arm1 uttered a low groan1 and then remained still again4 ,robert was shocked when ,i told him that ,muhamed ,isa would not see the sun rise again4 ,while we were sitting beside his bed ,i inquired the circumstances from ,rehim ,ali and ,guffaru1 who had been with him all day long4 ,during the four days they had waited for us here1 he had been quite well1 and had never complained of headache4 ,he had tried1 in accordance with the last instructions ,i had given him at the camp in the ,basang valley1 to win the friendship and confidence of the authorities4 ,the day before he had been still in excellent spirits1 had drunk tea with his most intimate friends in the caravan1 and had sung to the accompaniment of the guitar4 ,on this day1 ,june #a1 he had got up with the sun1 drunk tea1 and had had a stormy interview with two ,tibetans from the dzong4 ,they had refused to supply the caravan with provisions1 and then insisted that the caravan should leave the place at once4 ,he had answered that the ,sahib would soon be back1 and that it would go badly with them if they did not obey him4 ,they had gone away in anger1 and then ,muhamed ,isa had breakfasted about ten o'clock1 and had slept an hour4 ,when he rose1 he had complained of headache4 ,when the sun had reached its noonday height he had gone to look out for us1 and had then had a violent attack of sickness1 fallen on his left side and lain senseless4 ,the other men hurried up1 carried him to his tent1 and massaged his body4 ,he was restored thereby to consciousness1 and spoke much but indistinctly1 and chiefly with the god of ,islam3 ,i was a ,lamaist but went over to ,islam2 help me now1 ,o ,allah1 out of this severe illness2 let me recover2 forgive me my sins and all the wrong ,i have done to others2 let me live1 ,o ,allah1 and ,i will always keep thy commandments and will never omit my prayers4 ,then he had admonished the others to do their duty as heretofore1 and thanked them that they had so patiently assisted him in his misfortune4 ,now and then he had asked for cold water4 ,he had felt his left arm with his right hand1 and asked whose arm it was1 and had also said that he did not feel the shoe on his left foot4 ,the whole left side was quite paralysed4 ,sitting upright1 and supported by cushions1 he had made the following request to ,guffaru3 ,thou1 who art old1 and keepest the commandments of religion1 wilt not pollute thy hands if thou takest a knife and cuttest my neck2 cut deep down to the spine1 for that will relieve my infernal headache4 ,in his fearful suffering he struck his right hand against a box4 ,about an hour later another stroke deprived him of speech1 and after that he had only made a sign with his right hand1 as though in despair at the approach of death4 ,towards four o'clock ,tsering had come and thrown himself over him1 weeping loudly4 ,muhamed ,isa had also wept1 and pointed to his lips to intimate that he could not speak4 ,when we entered his tent about five o'clock his consciousness was almost gone4 ,he remained in the same condition for an hour and a half1 breathing quietly1 with his mouth closed4 ,i went therefore to my dinner1 which ,adul had prepared for me4 ,robert and ,i studied ,burroughs and ,wellcome's medical handbook1 to see that nothing had been omitted4 ,about eight o'clock we returned to the sick-bed4 ,muhamed ,isa was now breathing with his mouth open--a bad sign1 showing that the muscles of the jaws were relaxed2 the pulse beat #ajh1 and was very weak4 ,the despair of old ,tsering when ,i told him all hope was gone1 was heart-rending4 ,half an hour later the breathing became slower and weaker1 and about nine o'clock the death-rattle commenced1 and the struggle of the muscles of the chest to supply the lungs with sufficient air4 ,about every fortieth respiration was deep1 and then there was a pause before the next came4 ,they were followed by moans4 ,his feet grew cold in spite of the hot bottles1 which were frequently changed4 ,at a quarter-past nine the breathing became still slower and the intervals longer4 ,a death spasm shook his body and slightly raised his shoulders2 it was followed by another4 ,the ,mohammedans whispered to ,tsering that he should leave his place at the head1 for a ,mohammedan must hold the lower jaw and close the mouth after the last breath4 ,but the sorrowing brother could only be brought to leave his place by force4 ,a third and last spasm shook the dying man1 produced by the cold of death4 ,after a deep respiration he lay still for #bj seconds4 ,we thought that life had flown1 but he breathed again1 and after another minute came the last feeble breath1 and then old ,guffaru bound a cloth under the chin and covered the face with a white kerchief4 ,then all was still1 and1 deeply moved1 ,i bared my head before the awful majesty of ,death4 ,illustration3 #bag4 ,,the ,,corpse ,,of ,,muhamed ,,isa4 ,horrified and dismayed1 the ,mohammedans poured into the tent1 and the ,lamaists after them1 and ,i heard them from time to time call out in low tones1 ,la illaha il ,allah6 ,tsering was beside himself3 he knelt by the dead1 beat his forehead with his hands1 wept aloud1 nay1 howled and bellowed1 while large tears rolled down his furrowed sunburnt face4 ,i patted him on the shoulder1 and begged him to try and compose himself1 go into his tent1 drink tea1 and lie down and rest4 ,but he neither heard nor saw1 and the others had to carry him to his tent1 and ,i heard him wailing in the night as long as ,i lay awake4 ,yes1 ,death is an awful guest4 ,we could hardly realize that he had so suddenly entered our peaceful camp4 ,i had a long conversation with ,robert in my tent1 and old ,guffaru was sent for to receive my orders for the funeral4 ,the ,mohammedans were to watch in turn beside the body through the night4 ,early next morning the permission of the authorities would be obtained for the choice of a burying-place1 and then the interment would take place4 ,at midnight ,i paid a last visit to my excellent1 faithful caravan leader1 who had fallen at his post in the prime of life4 ,he lay long and straight1 swathed in a shroud and a frieze rug1 in the middle of his tent4 ,at his head burned his oil-lamp1 slightly flickering in the draught4 ,the dead watch of five men sat mute and motionless1 but rose when ,i entered4 ,we uncovered his face2 it was calm and dignified1 and a slight smile played round the lips2 the colour was pale1 but slightly bronzed from the effect of wind and sun 7,illust4 #bag74 ,arched over him was the half-dark bell of the tent--the tent which had fluttered in all the winds of heaven on the way through the ,chang-tang1 and from which ,muhamed ,isa's merry jests had so often been heard in quiet cold ,tibetan nights amidst the sound of flutes and guitars4 ,now depressing silence reigned around2 only the stars sparkled with electric brilliancy4 ,how empty and dreary everything seemed when ,i woke on ,sunday1 ,june #b1 the day of ,muhamed ,isa's funeral6 ,i went out and looked at the grave2 it lay about #cjj yards to the south-west of the camp4 ,the ,mohammedans had been early in the village to borrow a door1 and had washed the body on it4 ,then they had wrapped it in ,guffaru's shroud1 which was of thin linen1 but quite white and clean4 ,muhamed ,isa and ,i had often laughed together over the old man's singular fancy of taking this death garment on the journey4 ,over the shroud 7kafan7 they had wrapped a grey frieze rug4 ,the body lay now in the bright sunshine before the tent1 on a bier consisting of the bottom of the two halves of the boat fastened together1 and provided with four cross-poles for the bearers4 ,when all was ready the eight ,mohammedans raised the bier on to their shoulders1 and carried their chieftain and leader1 royally tall1 straight and cold1 to his last resting-place4 ,i walked immediately behind the bier1 and then came ,robert and some ,lamaists2 the rest were occupied at the grave1 and only two remained in the camp1 which could not be left unguarded4 ,from ,tsering's tent a despairing wailing could still be heard4 ,he had been persuaded not to come to the grave4 ,he was heart and soul a ,lamaist1 and now he was troubled at the thought that he would never see his brother again1 who had looked forward to the paradise of the ,mohammedans4 ,some ,tibetans stood at a distance4 ,slowly1 solemnly1 and mournfully the procession set itself in motion 7,illust4 #bah74 ,no ringing of bells1 no strewn fir-branches1 no chants spoke of an awakening beyond the valley of the shadow of death4 ,but above us the turquoise-blue sky stretched its vault1 and around us the lofty1 desolate mountains held watch4 ,in deep mournful voice the bearers sang1 ,la illaha il ,allah1 in time with their heavy steps4 ,they staggered under their burden1 and had to change it frequently to the other shoulder1 for ,muhamed ,isa was big1 corpulent1 and heavy4 ,illustration3 #bah4 ,,muhamed ,,isa',s ,,funeral ,,procession4 ,at length we ascended a gravel terrace between two source streams4 ,the bier was placed at the edge of the grave1 which was not quite ready 7,illusts4 #bai1 #bbj1 #bba74 ,it was deep1 lay north and south1 and had a cutting or niche on the left side1 under which the body was to be laid1 so that the earth might not press on it when the grave was filled in4 ,four men stood in the grave and received the body1 and placed it1 wrapped only in the white shroud1 under the arch1 arranging it so that the face was turned towards ,mecca1 where the hopes of all true believing pilgrims are centred4 ,scarcely was all set in order when a painful incident occurred1 an evil omen3 the overhanging vault of loose1 dry gravel fell in1 burying the corpse completely1 and partly covering the four men4 ,there was silence1 and the men looked at one another irresolute4 ,shukkur ,ali broke the oppressive silence1 jumped into the grave1 out of which the others clambered1 dug out the body again1 and removed the gravel from the shroud as well as he could4 ,a wall was then erected of sods cut from the bank of the brook so as to protect the body1 the outer space was filled in with sand and stones1 and finally a mound a yard high was thrown up over the grave1 two stone slabs being placed at the head and foot4 ,when all was done the ,lamaists went home1 but the ,mohammedans remained at the grave to pray for the deceased1 sometimes kneeling1 sometimes standing up with their palms before their face4 ,shukkur ,ali1 who had been ,muhamed ,isa's old friend and comrade on many of his journeys in ,asia1 broke out into violent weeping and wailing1 but the others mourned more quietly4 ,finally1 ,i said a few words in ,turki4 ,during all my journeys ,i had never had a more efficient1 experienced1 and faithful caravan leader2 he had maintained discipline in the caravan1 been a father to the men1 and taken the best care of the animals2 he had been an excellent interpreter1 and had treated the natives with prudence and tact4 ,by his happy1 humorous disposition he had kept all the others in good temper4 ,in difficult situations he had always found the right way out4 ,in unknown country he had climbed passes and summits to look for the best route--he had always gone himself and not sent others4 ,his memory would always be cherished and honoured among us1 and he had also earned a great name in the exploration of ,asia1 for during thirty years he had served many other ,sahibs as faithfully and honestly as myself4 ,we went silently home after our day's work4 ,in the lectionary of this ,sunday occurred the ,bible text1 ,thou fool1 this night thy soul shall be required of thee4 ,muhamed ,isa had travelled far1 and was highly respected in ,asia4 ,he had been in ,saka-dzong before1 in the year #aijd1 as ,rawling and ,ryder's caravan leader4 ,he little thought then that he would return once more1 and here set up his tent for the last time after his long wanderings4 ,in the ,geographical ,journal of ,april #aiji1 p4 #dbb1 ,rawling refers to him as follows3-- ,having mentioned ,saka ,dzong1 let me break off one moment to pay a token of respect to the memory of that faithful servant of ,sven ,hedin who died here4 ,mohamed ,isa was one of the finest characters it has been my fortune to be thrown with4 ,trustworthy and indomitable in his work1 his knowledge of ,asia was unequalled by any native1 for he had accompanied ,younghusband in his famous journey from ,china1 he was with ,carey1 with ,dalgleish who was afterwards murdered1 and with ,dutreuil de ,rhins1 when he was a helpless witness of his master's violent death at the hands of the ,tibetans4 ,he acted as my caravan bashi in the ,gartok expedition1 accompanied ,sven ,hedin during his recent journey1 and died1 after thirty years of faithful service1 at this desolate spot4 ,from letters ,i subsequently received from ,younghusband1 ,o',connor1 and ,ryder1 ,i learned that they also deeply mourned his loss4 ,the grave terrace rose close to the great high-road between ,ladak and ,lhasa on its northern side4 ,the mound was next day covered with cut sods arranged in steps1 and a small flagstone was set in the ground at the head of the grave1 whereon passing ,mohammedans could spread out a carpet and pray for the repose of the deceased4 ,on a slab of slate1 smoothed down with a chisel1 ,i scratched the following inscription in ,english and in ,roman letters3 ,,muhamed ,,isa ,,caravan ,,leader ,,under ,,carey1 ,,dalgleish1 ,,de ,,rhins1 ,,younghusband ,,rawling1 ,,ryder ,,and ,,others ,,died ,,in ,,the ,,service ,,of ,,sven ,,hedin ,,at ,,saka-,,dzong1 ,,on ,,june #a1 #aijg ,,at ,,the ,,age ,,of #ec ,,years4 ,illustration3 #bai1 #bbj1 #bba4 ,,the ,,interment ,,of ,,muhamed ,,isa4 ,the writing was then cut in the stone by ,islam ,ahun4 ,the name was also engraved in ,arabic1 and at the top the formula1 ,om mani padme hum1 in ,tibetan characters1 that the people of the country might respect the grave4 ,future travellers will find the stone in its place--if the ,tibetans have not taken it away4 ,in the afternoon of ,june #c ,i sent for ,tsering to my tent4 ,he was now calm and resigned4 ,he was to be my cook and body-servant as before1 but his pay would be raised to #bj rupees a month1 and this rise was to date back to our departure from ,leh4 ,he was allowed to keep the watch ,i had given to his brother4 ,guffaru1 the oldest of the men1 was ,muhamed ,isa's successor as caravan bashi1 received the same increase of pay as ,tsering1 and was allowed to use ,muhamed ,isa's grey horse and saddle4 ,in future he would live with two other men in the tent of the deceased4 ,as ,i foresaw that the discipline would not be what it was in ,muhamed ,isa's time1 ,i spoke seriously to the men1 telling them that they must obey ,guffaru as blindly as they had his predecessor1 that they ought to hold together as before and continue to serve me faithfully4 ,if any one began to quarrel and was disobedient1 he would at once be handed the pay due to him and be sent off to go where he liked4 ,now that we travelled with hired yaks ,i could very well spare half the men1 and therefore it was their interest to conduct themselves so that they might be retained4 ,rabsang and ,namgyal answered in the name of all1 that they would hold together1 serve me faithfully1 and follow me anywhere4 ,then ,robert was commissioned to look through the property of the deceased in the presence of ,tsering1 ,guffaru1 ,shukkur ,ali1 ,rehim ,ali1 and the ,hajji1 and after he had made an inventory1 to pack it in separate boxes1 which were ultimately to be delivered to his wife in ,leh together with his outstanding pay4 ,among his things were some articles of value which he had bought in ,shigatse--carpets1 tea-cups with metal saucers and covers1 ornaments1 and woven materials4 ,he had left behind only #aj rupees in ready money1 a proof that he had been thoroughly honest in his management of the business of the caravan4 ,after all relating to the interment had been carried out1 the ,mohammedans came to ask for a few rupees to enable them to hold a memorial feast in the evening in honour of the deceased4 ,they would make a pudding1 called halva1 of flour1 butter1 and sugar1 drink tea1 and kill a sheep4 ,the heathen also1 as the ,mohammedans called their ,lamaist comrades1 were to be present4 ,they sang1 ate1 and drank1 and probably hardly thought of the departed4 ,two gentlemen from the dzong had been with me on ,june #b4 ,the ,governor himself was absent1 travelling in his province to number the tents under his administration and to draw up a list of all the inhabited valleys--all by order of the ,chinese4 ,pemba ,tsering1 the second in command1 was very agreeable and polite1 but regretted that he could not supply us with provisions any longer1 as he must be prepared to furnish necessaries to the men who were constantly passing to and fro between ,gartok and ,lhasa4 ,to confirm his words he called up the five ,govas or district inspectors of the country1 who declared that the poor country could not supply all the tsamba and barley we required4 ,i intimated to them that we should still remain a few days awaiting the answer from ,lhasa2 then they rose1 protesting that ,i might stay here as long as ,i liked1 but that they would not provide me with provisions4 ,on the same day a large white-and-blue tent was set up by our camp1 but it was not till ,june #d that the occupants1 the ,govas of ,tradum and ,nyuku1 paid me a visit4 ,they had heard of our long stay1 and wished to find out the state of affairs for themselves4 ,the ,nyuku ,gova began the conversation3 ,saka and ,tradum are put down on your passport1 but not ,nyuku4 ,should you1 nevertheless1 go thither1 ,i will allow you to stay one night1 but not longer1 for it is stated in the passport that you must travel straight to ,tradum4 ,my dear friend1 ,i replied1 when once ,i am in your place we shall become such good friends that you will ask me to stay a whole month to consolidate our friendship4 ,should you afterwards visit me in ,india1 your visit will be the more agreeable the longer it lasts4 ,he nodded with a roguish smile1 and no doubt considered me a wag1 but added that he must obey the orders he had received from the ,devashung4 ,when ,i am in correspondence with the ,mandarins in ,lhasa1 and am waiting for their answer1 the ,devashung has no right to interfere4 ,very well1 then it will be best for you to remain here and not come to ,tradum or ,nyuku2 provisions are still scarcer there4 ,afterwards ,pemba ,tsering came again1 bringing two sacks of barley and a sheep4 ,he had become much more compliant since he had talked with the other officials1 and promised he would try to procure what we needed4 ,we had still two poor horses and a mule from ,shigatse1 and he was to have one of the animals as a reward4 ,after some consideration he chose the mule4 ,the two horses we sold for a mere trifle to a stranger4 ,now we longed to get away from this miserable ,saka-dzong and its sad associations4 ,out in ,god's open1 glorious ,nature the winds blow away sorrow4 ,we daily calculated1 ,robert and ,i1 how long it would be before ,tundup ,sonam and ,tashi returned4 ,if the answer were sent by the so-called ,chinese flying post1 it might arrive any moment4 ,but the days passed and there was no news4 ,one day some horsemen rode past our camp on the way to the west1 and reported that they had seen my two messengers in ,kung ,gushuk's garden in ,shigatse1 but they knew nothing of their further intentions4 ,patience1 whispered the west wind again4 ,in the maze of difficulties in which we became ever more involved1 my hopes rested on the answer of the ,chinamen4 ,i had told the officials here that ,i would set off at once if they would allow us to take a more northern route to ,nyuku1 but1 as they would not hear of it1 we remained where we were4 ,when ,i looked out of my tent my eyes were attracted to the dark grave on its hill4 ,it seemed as if the grave held us fast1 though we longed to get away from it4 ,all was dreary and dismal2 we missed ,muhamed ,isa1 and his absence caused a great blank4 ,but life goes on as usual4 ,when the sun rises1 the women of the village stroll about collecting dung into baskets1 while the men drive the yaks and horse to pasture4 ,they sing and whistle1 children scream and dogs bark4 ,blue smoke rises from the chimneys of the village or from the black tents standing within walls among the houses4 ,from the roof of the ,saka-gompa with a statue of ,padma ,sambhava the single lama of the monastery blows his conch4 ,ravens and bluish-grey pigeons pick up all kinds of morsels among the tents1 and the wolves which have come down in the night retire again to the mountains4 ,riders and caravans pass eastwards to a better land1 where poplars1 willows1 and fruit trees are clothed in their finest summer dress4 ,but we are prisoners in this desolate country1 with ,muhamed ,isa's grave as a focus4 ,i soon perceived what a depressing effect the loss of the big powerful caravan leader had on my men3 they became home-sick4 ,they talked of the warmth of their own firesides1 and they took to crocheting and knotting shoes for their children and acquaintances4 ,they gathered round the evening fire and talked of the pleasant life in the villages of ,ladak4 ,robert remarked how dreary and disagreeable ,tibet was1 and how warm and delightful it was in ,india2 he was pining for his mother and his young wife4 ,i should like to know whether any one was more eager to be off than myself1 who had so much before me which must be accomplished4 ,yes1 ,i saw only too plainly that ,i could not achieve all ,i was striving for with my present caravan2 it was worn out and used up1 which was really not to be wondered at after all it had gone through4 ,my fate was driving me back to ,ladak4 ,but ,i must endeavour to make the most of my chances on the way4 ,and then8 ,all was dark to me4 ,but ,i knew that ,i would never give in1 and would not leave ,tibet till ,i had done all that lay in my power to conquer the unknown land on the north of the upper ,brahmaputra4 ,on the morning of the #eth came our old friend the ,gova of ,raga-tasam4 ,he had heard that we were in difficulties1 and offered to speak a good word on our behalf to ,pemba ,tsering4 ,afterwards the two came to my tent and informed me that ,i might take the northern route to ,nyuku4 ,the ,gova received one of our best horses for his trouble4 ,now we had six left of our own horses1 among them three veterans from ,leh1 two other horses and a mule4 ,next evening ,guffaru came for the first time to receive instructions1 and on ,june #g we set out early4 ,i stopped a moment at the grave4 ,it was striking and imposing in all its simplicity4 ,in its dark chamber the weary one slumbers till the end of time4 ,he listens to the howling of the western storms and the wolves1 he freezes in the cold of winter1 but he does not see the summer sun1 and with longing for the well-remembered past he hears the horses stamping on the hard pebbles4 ,i thought of the ,lama ,rinpoche in his dark den at ,linga4 ,farewell1 and grateful thanks6 ,,chapter ,,xl ,,along ,,byways ,,to ,,tradum ,the day was brilliant2 it was not spring1 it was summer4 ,flies1 wasps1 and gadflies buzzed in the air1 and worms of all kinds crept out of the ground to enjoy the warm season1 all too short here4 ,it was hot1 #gj4b at one o'clock4 ,the sun seemed to be as scorching as in ,india4 ,the ,sa-chu valley widens out westwards2 wild-geese1 herons1 and ducks sit on the banks of the river1 and choughs croak on the mountain which we skirt on the right side of the valley4 ,the fresh grass has sprouted out of the earth in its green summer garb1 but it will not really thrive till after the warm rains4 ,we meet a caravan of #bjj yaks in five sections1 each with two whistling drivers4 ,whence have you come8 ,i ask4 ,from ,tabie-tsaka1 where we have been to fetch salt4 ,where does the lake lie8 ,to the north1 in ,bongba1 thirty days' journey from here4 ,does the road cross over high passes8 ,yes1 there is a high pass twelve days to the north4 ,and then they passed on with their light-stepping yaks towards ,saka-dzong4 ,it was the first time ,i had heard this important lake mentioned1 and ,i envied the men of the salt caravan who had traversed this way through the ,trans-,himalaya quite unknown to ,europeans4 ,illustration3 #bbb4 ,,woman ,,at ,,the ,,mouth ,,of ,,the ,,chaktak-,,tsangpo ,,in ,,the ,,tsangpo4 ,illustration3 #bbc4 ,,tibetan ,,of ,,saka4 ,illustration3 #bbd4 ,,lama ,,in ,,saka-,,dzong4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,we left the tasam on our left2 we turned aside north-westwards straight to the ,targyaling-gompa standing with its red lhakang1 its small white buildings1 and its large chhorten on a terrace immediately above the spot where ,guffaru has pitched the camp4 ,twenty lamas came down to find out whether we were thieves and robbers who intended to attack the convent4 ,certainly not1 ,guffaru answered1 we are peaceful travellers passing the night here4 ,we will not allow it1 they replied2 you must remain on the high-road4 ,i now sent ,rabsang up1 and he was surrounded at the gate by thirty monks4 ,he was told the same2 a ,european had never been here1 and none should ever enter the monastery4 ,if the gentlemen of the dzong attempted to get us in1 they should pay the penalty with their lives4 ,charming ecclesiastics6 ,even ,rabsang1 who was a ,lamaist and wore several gaos on his neck1 was not allowed in4 ,he was in the service of a ,european4 ,so inimically disposed were these monks that they stopped up the channel we drew our water from4 ,the ,devashung1 they said1 had nothing to do with them4 ,we had heard in ,saka-dzong that these monks were bellicose and independent2 there they had said that the free-booter who had stopped us on ,may #ca must have been a disguised monk4 ,but we could do without them and their monastery1 which seemed small and unimportant4 ,here our four puppies fell ill of a peculiar complaint3 they ran about restlessly1 snuffed and sneezed1 had matter in their eyes1 and no appetite4 ,at night ,i heard one of my tent companions whine and howl1 and next morning he lay dead on his rug4 ,leaving ,rawling's and ,ryder's route to the left1 we proceeded to the bank of the ,chaktak-tsangpo and then northwards along the river4 ,it has a swift current1 but does not form rapids2 to the south is seen the portal through which it emerges from the mountains4 ,at the village ,pasa-guk1 which is larger than ,saka-dzong1 we bivouacked on the right bank4 ,the river here was #ada feet broad1 #b ft4 #g in4 deep at most1 and carried #fbi cubic feet of water4 ,on ,may #bh it carried #ffd cubic feet1 but it receives the ,sa-chu and other tributaries below the village ,pasa-guk4 ,in the middle of the village is a serai with a large store of salt in bags4 ,here a market is held from time to time1 salt being the medium of exchange4 ,i tried to obtain further information about the country in the north1 but when ,i compared the different data together1 the result was a hopeless muddle4 ,for instance1 ,i asked travellers who came from ,tabie-tsaka1 how far they marched each day1 and where they passed lakes1 rivers1 and passes2 and when ,i added the distances together and laid down the direction on the map1 the line reached to ,kashgar1 all through ,tibet and ,eastern ,turkestan6 ,it was impossible to obtain useful data about the country to the north4 ,i must see it with my own eyes4 ,but how would that be possible8 ,the ,hajji came to me1 angry and excited1 to complain that ,guffaru had struck him4 ,i sat in judgment and heard evidence4 ,the ,hajji had refused to watch the horses when his turn came1 and the caravan bashi had therefore thrashed him4 ,the sentence was1 that the ,hajji should receive his discharge in ,nyuku4 ,robert and ,i sat on the velvety grass on the bank and gazed with longing eyes at the half-clear water dancing merrily on to its destination at the coast4 ,an old man and a youth joined us1 and entertained us with dance and song4 ,the old man danced and stamped on the ground in a three-cornered mask of goat leather with red strips and bells1 and the youth sang this unintelligible song3 ,hail1 ,o ,god1 god of the pass6 ,many stars sparkle in the night4 ,to-day is a fine day4 ,would that rain might come6 ,give me a bit of tea or a small coin4 ,o1 ,cook1 give me a pinch of meal and a radish4 ,such is the mask that is worn in the ,chang-tang4 ,at the right ear a curl1 neither large nor small1 ,at the left a pin1 neither large nor small2 ,neither shade nor sun4 ,there is a father's pin and a mother's pin4 ,everywhere we have pins with branches1 ,for they guard us from all dangers4 ,the horse holds his head high1 ,and the rider holds his head high4 ,the gods are high1 the earth is low4 ,you have gold and silver galore4 ,may your cattle multiply1 your flocks and your property increase6 ,may your family increase6 ,the ,king of ,ladak sits between a golden and a silver king4 ,now is the song ended4 ,on ,june the #ajth ,i left the ,chaktak-tsangpo to the right1 unfortunately without having learnt whence it comes4 ,we ascended a side valley named ,rock1 in a north-westerly direction4 ,we had previously passed two towers which had formerly been the fort of a rebellious lama4 ,he was at feud with ,saka-dzong1 but was defeated4 ,in the camp at the pool ,churu the evening seemed to me fearfully long4 ,home-sickness had become infectious4 ,the ,ladakis sang no more1 but made shoes for their children1 and thereby turned their thoughts more intently to their home4 ,i too found no rest after the day's work4 ,if we only knew what answer the ,mandarins would send1 but our messenger did not return4 ,we seemed to have stumbled into a morass and to be stamping in it without moving on4 ,oh1 thou dreary1 awful ,tibet1 thou black1 poor superstitious folk6 ,in the stillness of the night the step of the camp watchman was pleasant company4 ,after a night temperature of #ad4d we rode on westwards over a very flat pass1 a watershed between the ,chaktak-tsangpo and ,nyuku1 along a road which had once been a tasam2 numerous ruins and manis were memorials of that time4 ,the district was thickly peopled by nomads1 and black tents were often seen where sheep bleated and dogs barked2 women and boys guarded the flocks1 and yaks grazed on the slopes4 ,the country calls to mind the summer pastures on the ,pamir4 ,a second puppy died in the night1 and was almost eaten up by ravens before morning4 ,on ,june #ab we came again to the tasam at ,nyuku where we set up our camp4 ,the ,gova of ,nyuku1 whose friendship ,i had gained at ,saka-dzong1 was very obliging1 and said that ,i was quite at liberty to make another detour to the north1 as ,i seemed to dislike the high-road4 ,it would take me up to a pass1 where almost all the mountains of the world could be seen1 especially ,lumbo-gangri immediately to the north4 ,here we should come in contact with people of the province of ,bongba1 who perhaps would sell us all necessaries4 ,in ,nyuku the third puppy died4 ,the ,tibetans said that it suffered from a throat complaint called gakpa1 which is very common in the country4 ,mamma ,puppy gave herself no trouble about her little ones when they were ill1 but seemed rather to avoid them4 ,we washed them with warm water1 and tended them to the best of our power1 and did everything we could think of to save the last4 ,the ,tibetans could not understand how we could make such a fuss about a dog4 ,bluish-white flashes quivered over the mountains all the evening1 and their outlines stood out sharp and dark in the lightning4 ,that is a sign of the setting in of the monsoon rains on the southern flank of the ,himalayas1 and all look forward to them4 ,when rain falls up here1 the grass grows up in a couple of days1 the cattle become fat and sleek1 the milk is thick and yellow2 at the present time it is thin and white1 and produces little butter4 ,the existence of the nomads1 and indeed the prosperity of the whole country1 depends on the monsoon4 ,it is the summer pasture which helps the herds to endure the scarcity of the rest of the year4 ,if the rains fail1 the stock languish and die4 ,the night is silent4 ,only occasionally is heard the hearty laugh of a girl or the bark of a dog4 ,the camp watchman hums an air to keep himself awake4 ,the #acth was a lazy day2 we had to wait for ,tundup ,sonam and ,tashi4 ,i always shave myself on rest days--it is pleasant to feel clean1 even when there is no one to smarten oneself up for4 ,robert shot three wild-geese1 and caught two yellow goslings which walked into his tent and made hay there4 ,we put them in the crystal-clear ,men-chu river1 hoping that some kindly goose-mamma would take to them4 ,from here it is said to be only four days' journey to a district in ,nepal1 where there are fir-woods4 ,just fancy3 fir-wood as in ,sweden and in ,simla6 ,but we must remain in this dreary land4 ,just as we were starting on the following day the ,hajji1 ,islam ,ahun1 and ,gaffar came to me1 and demanded exemption from night duty and separate rations if they were to stay with me4 ,i called all the other men together1 and asked if any one else would join them now that they were to be dismissed4 ,but no one wished to4 ,our ,hajji1 the only one of the ,mohammedans who had been in ,mecca--had indeed been twice there--was the only rascal in the caravan4 ,he had instigated the others4 ,in my experience ,mecca pilgrims are always scoundrels4 ,the ,hajji declared that he preferred robbers and tramps on the road to ,guffaru and the other ,ladakis4 ,the three men vanished from sight as we marched north-westwards up the valley of the ,men-chu4 ,in camp ,no4 #agg1 on ,june #ae1 ,i held a grand reception1 for some chiefs from the direction of ,bongba came to visit me1 and our old friend1 the ,gova of ,tradum1 arrived4 ,they decided that ,i might ride a short distance to the north1 but only on condition that ,i came back the same day4 ,so on the #afth we rode on fresh hired horses up to the ,kilung-la1 where the view was instructive and showed the lie of the land4 ,before us was the dark ,lumbo-gangri with its deep wild valleys and steep cliffs1 its small glacier tongues and caps of eternal snow4 ,the men of the district said that the mountain was holy1 and was a kind of portal or forecourt to the ,kang-rinpoche1 the celebrated pilgrimage mountain near the sources of the ,indus4 ,behind ,lumbo-gangri are the valley and river of the ,rukyok-tsangpo1 which flows to the ,chaktak-tsangpo4 ,it was now clear to me that these summits1 of which bearings were taken by ,ryder and ,wood1 could not lie on the watershed of the rivers flowing to the ocean4 ,but no one knew the true aspect of the country farther north1 and the ,bongba men had been ordered to stop us if we tried to force our way in that direction4 ,i could not by entreaties or threats obtain more than the view from the ,kilung-la4 ,the further we proceeded westwards the more of the blank space on the map was left behind us4 ,that was exceedingly annoying1 but my hopes were still fixed on the ,chinese letters from ,lhasa4 ,on the morning of the #agth all the mountains were covered with snow1 but the day was warm and fine as we rode up to the ,serchung-la1 and saw to the south-west the northernmost crest of the ,himalayas and the broad valley of the ,brahmaputra4 ,the valley descending from the pass is full of brushwood and drifting sand1 which is piled up in dunes to a height of nearly #bj feet4 ,after an interesting and successful march we came to the valley junction ,dambak-rong4 ,but the day was not yet over4 ,we heard that ,nazer ,shah's son had arrived the day before at ,tradum on his way to ,ladak with twenty-two mules4 ,a messenger was therefore despatched to ask him to wait for us1 and give us tidings of ,tundup ,sonam and ,tashi4 ,the ,gova of ,tradum also rode home to get all in order against our arrival4 ,a short time passed by1 and then a horseman came up at a smart trot from the ,serchung valley4 ,he had evidently followed our track2 he rode straight to my tent1 dismounted1 and handed me a letter with a large seal1 bearing the words1 ,imperial ,chinese ,mission1 ,tibet1 and the same in ,chinese characters4 ,now our fate would be settled4 ,the ,ladakis crowded round my tent4 ,i perceived that they hoped we should be obliged to return by the direct road to ,ladak4 ,they longed for home1 and were not inspired by the same interests as myself4 ,the tension was extreme as ,i opened the letter4 ,it was dated at ,lhasa on ,june #c1 and had been fourteen days on the way4 ,it was written in faultless ,english by ,ho ,tsao ,hsing1 first secretary to ,h4 ,e4 ,chang 7,tang ,darin71 and ran as follows3 ,,dear ,,dr4 ,,hedin--,your letter to ,his ,excellency ,chang dated the #adth ,may was duly received4 ,knowing that you have arrived at ,raka-tatsang1 that ,devashung hindered you to proceed forward4 ,his ,excellency is very sorry to hear such occurrence2 and he instructed me to write you the following3-- ,that in ,his ,excellency's last letter to you he wrote you to return by the way you came2 and now he does not understand why you are taking another road contrary to what he wrote you1 consequently1 you have met with such inconveniences1 to which ,his ,excellency regrets very much indeed4 ,his ,excellency has1 now1 again ordered ,devashung and officials along the way to give you all possible protection and comfort1 but he sincerely wishing you not to change your direction to the ,n4,w41 where both the country and people are wild ,i wonder how he could know that1 and that accidents might happen1 which ,his ,excellency can hardly bear any responsibility4 ,therefore1 ,his ,excellency wishes you only to return by the way as you came1 not to venture in other directions4 ,his ,excellency gives his best regards to you and wishing you a happy and safe return4--,i am yours very truly1 ,,ho ,,tsao ,,hsing4 ,illustration3 #bbe1 #bbf1 #bbg1 #bbh4 ,,tibetan ,,boys ,,and ,,girls ,,of ,,saka ,,and ,,tradum4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,that was all ,i got by the stratagem which had cost us so much loss of time4 ,a positive prohibition to proceed north-westwards to the land of my dreams4 ,now the ,devashung would issue fresh orders1 and we should be watched more closely than ever4 ,now the iron gates would be closed again from the south1 and the way to the forbidden land barred4 ,tang ,darin was as immovable as the ,state ,secretary for ,india1 ,lord ,morley4 ,but he stimulated my ambition1 and for that ,i have to thank him4 ,to begin with1 we seized the copy of our passport1 which was to be transferred from ,gova to ,gova all along the road4 ,but not yet had this fateful day come to a close4 ,at sunset came ,tundup ,sonam and ,tashi1 dusty and ragged1 with their bundles on their backs4 ,welcome and well done1 #bj rupees each and new suits of clothes is your reward4 ,what news8 ,no letters1 but only a note from ,ma that he had forwarded my letters to ,lhasa1 and sent a letter from ,gulam ,kadir to ,muhamed ,isa4 ,they had reached ,shigatse in eleven days1 and had rested there three days4 ,then they had set out from ,tashi-lunpo directly westwards4 ,they made a fast and long march on the first day1 and climbed up to the pass ,ta-la at sunset1 where nine highwaymen1 two with guns and the others with swords1 fell upon them and threw them to the ground4 ,the two guns were set on their rests and the barrels pointed to the men's heads1 the seven swords were drawn1 and one of the robbers said3 ,if you value your lives1 hand out everything of value you have4 ,frightened out of their wits1 the two ,ladakis begged them to take all they wanted if they would only spare their lives4 ,the nine robbers then opened their bundles and thoroughly plundered them1 taking even their little gaos and images1 as well as their cooking utensils and #ah rupees in silver4 ,they were allowed to keep the clothes they had on their backs4 ,by pure chance the robbers had overlooked a small packet of #cj tengas1 which ,tundup ,sonam had put at the back of his girdle4 ,the robbers cleared them out in a minute1 and then disappeared into the mountains4 ,our two defeated heroes remained weeping on the battle-field till dark1 and then they went off very slowly at first1 turning round frequently and fancying they saw a robber in every shadow1 but afterwards they quickened their pace almost to a run4 ,deadly tired1 they crept under two boulders by the wayside1 and next morning came to three black tents1 where they got food1 and were told that a lama had been robbed and stripped naked on the ,ta-la two days before4 ,but now they were safe1 and it was touching to see how delighted they were to be with us again4 ,they had seen ,muhamed ,isa's grave1 and the conversation about it reminded ,tsering of his sorrow4 ,on ,june #ah we travel across open country to ,tradum1 our route following the northern side of the valley while the tasam runs along the southern4 ,the ground was sandy4 ,small irritating horseflies buzz in the nostrils of the horses and drive them frantic4 ,they walk with their noses on the ground like the wild asses to escape the flies4 ,to the right is the ,tuto-pukpa1 a mountain to which corpses are carried on yaks from ,tradum to be cut up4 ,we ride between pools where wild-geese are plentiful with their pretty yellow goslings4 ,at a projecting rock1 cairns and streamer poles are set up2 the wall of rock is black1 but all the side facing the road is painted red--,ah1 this is blood on ,balder's sacrificial stone4 ,here the village of ,tradum can be seen1 its temple and its chhorten on a hill4 ,to the south-west the dark snow-crowned rampart of the ,himalayas appears1 wild1 grand1 and precipitous4 ,to the south-east lies the tasam1 a light winding riband1 and our path runs into it2 it is #dj feet broad between grass-grown terraces of sand2 it is the great trunk-road of ,tibet4 ,we had scarcely set up our camp when the discharged ,hajji and his two companions came up and salaamed4 ,but ,i was angry1 and drove them away4 ,i afterwards heard that they wept1 and ,i was heartily sorry that ,i had been so unkind4 ,but it was too late1 for they were seen tramping out wearily into the steppe when the shades of evening fell4 ,the monastery ,tradum-gompa is subject to ,tashi-lunpo1 and its five monks live on the produce of their sheep and yaks1 and carry on trade with ,nepal4 ,round the temple are eight chhortens1 and in the lhakang1 the hall of the gods1 the immortal son of ,sakya is enthroned between the eleven-headed1 six-armed ,avalokitesvara and other deities4 ,on a small hill of schist above the convent is a hermit's dwelling1 where there is a splendid view over the ,brahmaputra valley and the ,tsa-chu-tsangpo as it emerges from the mountains4 ,here died our fourth puppy1 which ,i had hoped to keep as a remembrance of ,shigatse4 ,mamma ,puppy had now her mat to herself1 and outside the tents lay the two black dogs from ,ngangtse-tso4 ,the ,gova of ,tradum was an excellent1 genial rogue1 and had a thorough contempt for the ,devashung4 ,he would not let me follow up the ,tsa-chu valley1 but made no objection to an excursion to the ,kore-la pass1 two days' journey off to the south-west1 and belonging to the ,himalayan range which is the watershed between the ,ganges and the ,brahmaputra4 ,he also let us hire six horses1 and gave us two guides for the journey1 which was to be commenced on the morning of ,june #bj4 ,the first night we were to encamp at the spot where the ,tsa-chu-tsangpo enters the upper ,brahmaputra4 ,i rode south-south-west with my usual retinue over grassy steppe and sand-dunes4 ,in front of us were three wanderers with bundles on their backs and staves in their hands4 ,when we overtook them they stopped1 came forward1 and laid their foreheads on the ground at my feet4 ,it was the ,hajji and the two other men4 ,i was glad of the opportunity of taking them into favour again4 ,for the future they were to follow our yaks4 ,the camp was pitched on the right bank of the river1 at the foot of the hill crowned by the ruins of the old ,liktse monastery4 ,here an important trade-road crosses the river and a ferry maintains communication between the banks4 ,the ,tsa-chu river had here a breadth of #ce yards1 and a depth of barely #dj inches1 while the ,brahmaputra was #abj yards broad by #e feet deep1 and was much more imposing than farther down4 ,the absolute height was #ad1igg feet4 ,it was not easy to carry the rope across the stream1 for a strong south-west gale was blowing and the waves were high4 ,robert rowed out from the right bank with the rope1 and from the left some ,ladakis waded out as far as they could in the shallow1 slowly deepening1 water to catch the end thrown to them and secure it on shore4 ,when at last we had stretched the rope across1 it broke with the pressure of the wind and the waves1 and the work had to be done again4 ,we noted a temperature of #ec4f in the air and of #ei4g in the water1 but the men were so chilled by the wind that they had to make a good fire4 ,it also rained heavily--the first rain we had had since we left ,ladak--and thunder rolled among the mountains4 ,for the first time the minimum temperature in the night1 #cg4h1 was above freezing-point1 and the morning was beautiful after the storm3 the sky was only half covered with bright summer clouds1 not a breath of air stirred1 and the surface of the river was smooth as a mirror1 only slightly broken by slowly moving whirlpools4 ,the ferry was already plying across with passengers and goods4 ,the ferryman is paid a tenga for each passage1 and he crosses over twice in the hour4 ,our horses and yaks were made to swim over the river after they had grazed at night on the steppes on the left bank4 ,illustration3 #bbi4 ,,woman ,,of ,,nyuku4 ,illustration3 #bcj4 ,,two ,,tibetans4 ,illustration3 #bca4 ,,the ,,gova ,,of ,,tuksum4 ,illustration3 #bcb4 ,,girl ,,at ,,pasa-,,guk4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,we rode #ba miles on the #bast1 but first paid a visit to the little ,liktse-gompa monastery1 which stands on the inner side of the hill1 and therefore has not the fine view obtained from the old ruined monastery on the summit4 ,from its window-openings the monks could watch the oscillating life of the river during the various seasons of the year3 its slow fall in spring2 its rise during summer1 when volumes of turbid water come down from melting snowfields and glaciers2 its decline in autumn1 and the freezing of the river in the cold of winter4 ,and they could see the breaking-up of the ice in spring1 and the great clattering slabs dancing down the current4 ,but now the prospect before the eyes of the ten monks is only a wretched loamy valley between barren hills1 for their convent lies apart from all roads4 ,liktse-gompa is a dependency of ,sera1 but receives no support from it1 and possesses no herds4 ,the profits from the ferry are the only revenue of the monks4 ,the abbot1 ,punjun ,dung1 with a red turban and a grey beard1 showed me the gods in the lhakang1 ,buddha1 ,padma ,sambhava1 etc4 ,among the usual sacred objects on the altar were two human skulls converted into drinking vessels1 one of them lined with silver4 ,in the courtyard the holy dog was chained up4 ,then we mounted and rode off quickly4 ,we perceived at once that this road is much frequented4 ,on the steppe and in open soft valley bottoms it is less clearly marked1 for there every one marches where he likes2 but over passes and on spurs with hard stone the tracks converge from all sides1 and there the road has been trodden down and worn in the course of centuries4 ,on the small pass ,tsasa-la we met a large caravan laden with barley4 ,where have you come from8 ,i ask4 ,from ,mundang in the country of ,lo ,gapu4 ,mundang is marked on the ,english maps of ,nepal1 but who was ,lo ,gapu1 the ,king of the ,southern ,land8 ,it sounded so grand4 ,the next pass is called ,dorab-la1 and from the top we see the ,chockar-shung-chu1 a broad valley with a brook draining partly from the ,kore-la1 and flowing to the ,brahmaputra4 ,while we are resting1 ,guffaru passes with his black baggage-train in close order1 a troop of laden yaks1 whistling and singing ,tibetans1 and some ,ladakis with our own horses as a rearguard4 ,they soon disappear in the dust of the road1 two of our men resting a while in a cleft to take a puff or two from their weather-worn narghils4 ,from this point they march westwards to the rendezvous1 while we continue southwards4 ,in the valley leading up to the ,ngurkung-la a large salt caravan on the way to ,nepal was encamped4 ,the twelve leaders had piled up a fine shelter of sacks of salt against the violent wind4 ,we then came to the very broad valley which ascends to the saddle of the pass visible in the south4 ,we rode up for hours1 though the ascent was not noticeable1 but the wind was dead against us4 ,to the right is the water-parting chain of the ,himalayas which we had seen from ,tradum4 ,a curious1 sharply outlined cloud1 like a white torpedo1 covered it1 and from the northern extremity small fleecy flakes parted from time to time and floated away4 ,we camped near some black tents in a side valley close to the extraordinarily flat pass4 ,,chapter ,,xli ,a ,,peep ,,into ,,nepal ,it was on ,june #bb that ,i stood on the platform of the ,kore-la pass and gave a stolen glance into ,nepal1 and tried to get a glimpse of ,dhaulagiri peak1 #bf1fgj feet high4 ,but the morning was dull1 heavy clouds lay like pillows on the earth1 and nothing could be seen of the surrounding mountains4 ,we must wait till it clears1 was the only order ,i could give4 ,but just then a milk-girl came from a camp of #bj tents which was near at hand4 ,the people were ,nepalese subjects1 but were camping on the ,tibetan side4 ,the girl said that it was only a short day's journey to the nearest permanent dwellings and gardens1 and two days' journey to ,lo ,gapu's summer residence4 ,then we thought3 ,we may as well ride down the southern side of the pass as stay up here in the wind4 ,no sooner said than done6 ,the tents are folded up1 the animals laden1 we mount and ride along the eastern side of the valley up to the ,kore-la1 which from the ,tibetan side little resembles a pass1 for to the eye the grass-grown on unfruitful loose ground seems quite level4 ,of the snowy mountains on the western side of the valley only the dark base is visible2 layers of clouds lie close above the earth2 one feels as though one could push one's head against the roof4 ,a ruined house1 where perhaps a frontier guard once dwelt1 a couple of long manis1 and loose blocks of conglomerate stand on the top4 ,a caravan comes up from ,nebuk in the bottom of the valley4 ,we look round in vain for the actual watershed1 and find it only by noticing rivulets running together and flowing southwards4 ,here we light a fire and take observations4 ,the view is marvellous1 at any rate a relief such as we have not seen for a long time4 ,the mighty snowy mountains to the south1 which yesterday broke through the clouds1 are1 indeed1 obscured1 but our valleys fall steeply and unite into a large valley1 in the depths of which grassy plots and fields shine in deep spring verdure amid the everlasting grey1 yellow1 and red landscape4 ,down below the sun is shining1 and behind us the sky is clear above the ,brahmaputra valley1 while here and round all the snowy mountains float opaque clouds4 ,from the saddle lying west of our point of vantage innumerable valleys radiate out2 the surface of the ridges between them is nearly level1 or dips gently to the south-east1 while the valleys are deeply cut in like caons1 and the promontories at the meeting of the valleys are broken short off4 ,perhaps some of the nearest peaks of the ,himalayas rise like islands above the sea of clouds1 for here and there a reflexion from sun-lighted firn-fields seems to be trying to break through the veil of clouds 7,illust4 #bcc74 ,illustration3 #bcc4 ,,view ,,from ,,the ,,kore-,,la ,,towards ,,the ,,south-,,west4 ,we stand on the frontier between ,tibet and ,nepal4 ,behind us to the north we have the flat1 level land on the southern bank of the ,tsangpo4 ,we have mounted only #cae feet from the river to the ,kore-la1 where the height is #ae1bib feet4 ,and from the pass there is a headlong descent to the ,kali ,gandak1 an affluent of the ,ganges4 ,by means of a canal cut through the ,kore-la the ,brahmaputra might be turned into the ,ganges4 ,northern ,india needs water for irrigation1 but the gain would perhaps be small1 for the ,brahmaputra in ,assam would be as much diminished as the ,ganges was increased4 ,tibet would lose by the change1 and a number of villages on the ,kali ,gandak would be swept away4 ,a new road would be opened for the invasion of ,india from the north1 and therefore on the whole it is perhaps best for all parties concerned to leave things as they are4 ,but the changes here indicated will some time come to pass without artificial aid1 for the tentacles of the ,kali ,gandak are eating back northwards into the mountains much more quickly than the ,tsangpo is eroding its valley4 ,some time or other1 perhaps in a hundred thousand years1 the ,ganges system will have extended its tentacles to the bank of the ,tsangpo1 and then will be formed a bifurcation which1 in the course of time1 will bring about a total revolution in the proportions of the two rivers and their drainage areas4 ,now we are in ,nepal and go on foot down the declivities4 ,here little has been done to improve the road4 ,occasionally an awkward block of granite has been rolled away1 leaving a gap in the breastwork2 in other respects the caravan traffic has done most for the road1 wearing it down4 ,it is easy and pleasant to go down southwards towards denser air2 it becomes warmer1 and we breathe more easily2 the verdure increases1 and flowers of different colours make the grass gay4 ,we try to forget that we must toil up all these slopes again2 let us go down1 down1 to enjoy a summer life1 if only for twenty-four hours1 and forget dreary ,tibet4 ,an hour ago the wind blew icy cold on the pass1 and now we feel the soft zephyrs gently caressing the heights4 ,robert takes in deep draughts of the tepid air and fancies he hears a whispered welcome to ,india2 ,tsering and ,rabsang become lively and contented1 and ,i muse over a visit to the ,king of the ,southland4 ,three horsemen rode slowly up the ascent4 ,two of them were turning their prayer-mills4 ,they looked astonished4 ,we asked whence they came and whither they were going4 ,they were going to the tent village on the plateau4 ,when they were told who we were1 in answer to their question1 they dismounted and begged pardon for not greeting us at first4 ,i readily forgave them1 for ,i looked like a ragged tramp4 ,they advised us to pass the night in one of the houses of ,lo ,gapu1 and invited us to visit them in their tent village on our way back4 ,the gradient becomes less steep1 and we come to an expansion where three valleys meet1 the ,kungchuk-kong1 which we have followed1 in the middle1 the ,pama on the east1 and the ,damm on the west4 ,from the ,damm valley only comes a small gushing brook4 ,we pass along the right side of the united valley4 ,on the same side a very large valley opens1 the ,yamchuk-pu1 with an irrigation channel running down from its brook to the villages and fields below4 ,in the village ,yamchuk we come to the first houses and trees4 ,on the left side of the valley lies a large monastery with avenues of trees and long rows of manis2 it is called ,gubuk-gompa4 ,fields1 grassy patches1 and bushes become more numerous4 ,then comes a succession of villages on the left side of the valley1 which is barely #b furlongs broad4 ,below the side valley ,gurkang-pu1 on the left1 pebble beds stand in perpendicular walls with numerous caves and grottos4 ,these are apparently used as dwellings1 for they are connected with the houses and walls in front of them4 ,lower down we come to the village ,nebuk1 among gardens4 ,the architecture is of the usual ,tibetan style1 white and red masonry1 flat roofs1 and decorations of streamer poles4 ,the vegetation becomes more luxuriant and the fields larger4 ,we frequently pass ruined walls and towers1 perhaps relics of the time when ,nepal was at feud with ,tibet4 ,now the densely peopled and well-tilled valley has a peaceful aspect1 and no frontier guards hinder our advance4 ,the usual manis lie along the road1 and a large red chhorten or stupa has a touch of the ,indian style4 ,below three villages lying close together the valley contracts slightly4 ,near a lonely house we encamped in a lovely garden1 with fine green trees1 among waving cornfields4 ,a woman told us that this place1 called ,nama-shu1 belonged to ,lo ,gapu1 and that no one might stay in the garden without his permission4 ,however1 we established ourselves there1 and inhaled with delight the mild dense air1 and heard the wind rustling through the tree-tops4 ,soon two men appeared1 who were in the service of ,lo ,gapu1 asking for information about us4 ,they said that we were in the district ,tso1 and that the river was called ,tso-kharki-tsangpo4 ,a village we can see just below our camp was named ,nyanyo1 and from there ,mentang1 the residence of ,lo ,gapu1 could be reached by crossing only two spurs of the mountains1 ,he1 they said1 was a frontier chief1 who paid no tribute to the ,maharaja of ,nepal1 but was obliged to pay a visit to ,his ,highness every fifth year4 ,he had #ejj subjects4 ,the people for three days farther south were ,lamaists and spoke a ,tibetan dialect1 in which1 however1 many ,indian and ,persian words were incorporated4 ,when one of the men had obtained all the information he desired1 he rode down the valley to make his report to the frontier chief4 ,meanwhile we held a consultation4 ,i had only ,robert1 ,tsering1 ,rabsang1 and two ,tibetans with me1 and our funds consisted of only #bd rupees4 ,the temptation was great to wander a few days more southwards through the wild deep valleys of the ,himalayas4 ,here1 in the ,nama-shu camp1 we were at a height of #ab1dhg feet1 and therefore #bhje feet lower than the ,kore-la4 ,every day's journey southwards would bring us into a denser atmosphere1 and even now we were not far from shady coniferous woods4 ,but would it be prudent to advance further into ,nepal8 ,we were much puzzled1 and considered the matter from all sides4 ,our money would not last more than two days4 ,our horses belonged to the ,gova of ,tradum1 and we had agreed with him that we would only take a look into ,nepal from the ,kore-la1 and now we had crossed the boundary and descended into a land where our position was less secure than in ,tibet4 ,we might fall into a trap before we were aware of it4 ,lo ,gapu might arrest us and ask for orders from ,khatmandu4 ,the greatest danger1 however1 was that the ,tibetans might close the frontier and render our return impossible1 and then say that now we had left their country we might not enter again4 ,and then we should be cut off from the main caravan1 and all the results of my journey would be endangered4 ,i therefore decided to turn back early next morning before ,lo ,gapu's men had time to come up and arrest us4 ,the evening was fine and long1 and we enjoyed it thoroughly under the rustling of the thickly foliaged trees4 ,i felt perfectly comfortable and breathed freely3 the heart had not to labour so heavily as on the ,chang-tang2 it worked for hours together without an effort2 our feet were warm1 and we slept as we had seldom done4 ,for in the ,chang-tang if one sleeps even eight hours one does not feel rested and refreshed on rising2 one does not derive the proper benefit from sleep4 ,here we experienced a thoroughly comfortable feeling after our night's rest1 and our only disappointment came from the clouds1 which concealed the summits of the ,himalayas to the south and south-south-west4 ,only now and then the peaks looked forth for a minute4 ,on ,june #bc we mounted our horses again4 ,we had heard no word of ,lo ,gapu4 ,when the messenger had left us he was convinced that we should continue our way down the valley1 and the little potentate was perhaps now expecting our arrival4 ,he might wait6 ,we rode slowly up to the ,kore-la1 left our old road to the right1 and camped at ,kung-muga4 ,i was sitting at my drawing when a horseman came clanking up4 ,he held in his hand a green flag1 a messenger's badge among the ,chinese and ,tibetans4 ,i felt sure that he had some connection with strict measures against us1 but found that he was only the bearer of a proclamation from ,lhasa to all the stations as far as ,gartok1 that horses and baggage animals should be supplied to two ,chinamen who had been despatched to find me out and talk with me1 and convey to me a letter from ,his ,excellency1 ,lien ,darin4 ,they might be expected any moment4 ,midsummer ,day was as dull as possible4 ,the whole country was buried in impenetrable fog1 and even the adjoining tents were invisible4 ,and when it had cleared a little1 the mountains were still concealed4 ,we rode north-westwards on an excellent road1 and were astonished at the numerous manis with their close1 fine1 raised inscriptions on purple and dark-green schist2 other prayer stones had characters #a4b or #a4f inches high1 while the largest characters were nearly #h inches high1 so that there was only room for one character on each slab4 ,then six slabs were placed in a row to spell out the sacred formula1 ,om mani padme hum4 ,on some votive stones the characters were red1 cut out in round pieces of granite with a white underlayer4 ,the largest mani was #bfb feet long4 ,illustration3 #bcd4 ,,gulam ,,razul',s ,,tents ,,in ,,gartok4 ,illustration3 #bce4 ,,landscape ,,in ,,upper ,,nepal4 ,view looking ,south from ,camp #ahb1 ,nepal4 ,we passed encampments with large herds2 wild asses grazed along with tame yaks4 ,all the men we met halted and saluted us4 ,the ,gova of ,tradum came to meet us2 he pulled a very solemn face1 and wondered whether ,lo ,gapu would be angry at our visit to ,nepal4 ,we reached ,bando1 near the small lake ,tsotot-karpo1 over the small saddle ,tasang-la1 and found ,guffaru waiting for us with the caravan4 ,on the #beth we made a short march up to ,chikum1 whence the ,tsotot-karpo is still visible4 ,we had only provisions for one day1 but the ,gova of ,tradum offered to procure more if we would pay well for the horses we had to hire4 ,he had no fear1 he said1 of the ,chinese who were coming2 if they scolded him for allowing us to travel on the south bank of the ,tsangpo1 he would reply that it was easier to supply us with provisions there than on the north side4 ,he had formerly been a lama in ,tashi-gembe1 but had lost his heart to a lady4 ,to hush up the affair he had started on a pilgrimage to ,kang-rinpoche1 but was caught and forbidden to return4 ,then he had gradually worked his way up1 and was now chief of ,tradum1 and was just as great a rascal in secular life as he had been in the religious life4 ,however1 he rendered us good service4 ,the view from our elevated camp was magnificent4 ,when the full moon had risen up in the sky the small lake shone like a silver blade4 ,the sun had left only an afterglow on the western horizon1 but the whole plain of the ,brahmaputra and the mountains of ,chang-tang in the north were clearly defined in dull clear shades1 which left all the finer details indistinguishable4 ,a cloud with bright1 silvery1 white margins floated before the moon4 ,a little to the right another cloud caught a reflexion of the sun1 and showed golden margins4 ,they were the angels of night and day fighting for supremacy4 ,soon night had won the victory1 and now the moon cast a bright path over the lake1 while all around was involved in a general mist4 ,when day had resumed its sway we rode in the morning air through swarms of flies1 stinging gnats1 and horseflies up over the ,tagu-la and down the ,tambak valley4 ,to the west the most northerly chain of the ,himalayas made a magnificent display1 and to the north-west lay the broad open valley of the ,brahmaputra1 the river winding along the middle like a blue riband4 ,this evening1 too1 the return of night called forth a brilliant play of colours and tone-effects4 ,light1 restless1 motionless to the eye1 but riven by the upper winds like old prayer-streamers on a pass1 the clouds sailed at sunset in the vault of heaven4 ,the moon1 the friend of all nocturnal wanderers and sleepers in the open air1 illumines the surroundings of our tents1 among which the blue smoke of the camp-fires lies like a veil over the ground4 ,the yaks stand still as shadows1 and now and then their teeth are heard grinding against the cartilaginous process of the upper jaw4 ,the ,tradum ,gova and his servants hum their evening prayer and rattle their prayer-mills4 ,in the morning comes a quickly passing shower and another before noon4 ,we notice all the signs of the sky1 and wish for rain as much as the ,tibetans1 not on our own account1 but for the light-footed antelopes1 the wild asses1 and the mountain sheep4 ,the clouds are blue-black over the mountains to the south1 and from them hang down elegantly curved fringes and draperies heavy with rain4 ,one can hear in imagination the drops splashing on the stones1 and new-born torrents rushing down the valleys4 ,the trifling rain that has fallen in our neighbourhood can only moisten the ground for a short time4 ,the drops made a pleasant sound as they pelted on the ,tradum ,gova's umbrella and on my ,curzon hat4 ,thunder rolled heavily and solemnly round about in the mountains1 like an echo of the trumpet of the last judgment4 ,illustration3 #bcf4 ,a ,,chhorten ,,in ,,nepal4 ,illustration3 #bcg4 ,,group ,,of ,,tibetan ,,women4 ,then we cross the ,nerung-tsangpo1 come out into the great valley plain of the ,brahmaputra1 and encamp in a country inhabited by numbers of nomads4 ,the ,gova of ,nagor was a tall1 agreeable man1 who procured us tsamba1 chang1 and goose eggs--a pleasant change from our perpetual diet of mutton4 ,robert and ,shukkur ,ali caught fish4 ,the ,gova told me that his parents1 who belonged to ,kham1 had made a pilgrimage to the ,kang-rinpoche and had left their little son behind1 either by mistake or on purpose4 ,the youngster had grown up in the tents of the wild nomads1 and now1 though a stranger1 had become the chief of the district4 ,on the morning of the #bhth we rode up to ,namla-gompa1 on a rocky prominence1 where the view was extensive and instructive4 ,at the eastern foot of the projecting mountain lies the village ,namla1 a few poor stone cabins1 and here the river ,pung-chu1 flowing out of the lake ,ujam-tso1 enters the plain4 ,the monastery contains some images of gilded bronze1 and seven monks1 of whom one1 a man of sixty-six1 has lived fifty years within its walls4 ,they are poor and have to beg1 but they receive freewill offerings from the nomads living in the neighbourhood4 ,across a plain of cracked loamy soil1 which is flooded at high water1 we gain our camp on the bank of the ,tsangpo2 the river looks like a lake1 and that this is also the case in late autumn is shown in ,ryder's remarkably conscientiously drawn and accurate map4 ,the breadth here is #igc yards broad1 and the maximum depth only #b4d feet4 ,it may1 therefore1 be easily waded1 and the yak caravan marches quietly through the water4 ,how different it is farther east1 where the river1 hemmed in between steep mountains1 is deep and tumultuous6 ,in late summer it cannot be waded here1 and even a boat dare not venture over because of the treacherous1 shifting sand-banks4 ,during our measurements the ,ladakis went across the river1 measuring the breadth with poles and ropes1 and held the boat still while ,i investigated the velocity of the current4 ,when the work was finished1 ,rehim ,ali began to carry ,robert to the bank1 but he slipped on the smooth1 clayey bottom1 and both took an involuntary bath1 causing all the rest of us to laugh heartily4 ,next day the fragile baggage was conveyed across in a boat1 and the rest on hired yaks1 which tramped through the turbid dirty-grey water4 ,on the northern bank we ride through peculiar country4 ,here are lakes and swamps1 caused by arms of the river1 and lying amid a collection of sandhills as much as #bf feet high4 ,we try all directions to avoid sandhills and deep creeks1 and frequently ride straight through basins with yielding ground2 in some there is a slight current1 while others are stagnant4 ,here and there islets of sand rise out of the water1 some barren1 others with grass and stalks4 ,it is a thoroughly disintegrated country1 but full of pleasing variety4 ,gnats pursue us in regular clouds4 ,some men go in front to pilot us4 ,we often get into deep water and have to turn back4 ,the high water washes away the greater part of the driftsand1 and deposits it on the banks of the ,brahmaputra lower down4 ,but when the river falls1 fresh sand accumulates and forms new dunes4 ,the driftsand therefore finds a resting-place here on its way to the east4 ,we encamped by the last lagoon1 and heard the fishes splashing in the water4 ,the whole country reminds me of ,lob1 the swampy region in ,eastern ,turkestan1 and the continual struggle there between driftsand and flowing water4 ,the district is named ,dongbo1 and here the ,gova of ,tuksum and other chiefs awaited us4 ,the first-named had heard that the ,chinamen1 of whose coming we had been informed1 had left ,saka-dzong and were on their way hither4 ,he expected that they would arrive before evening4 ,on ,june #cj we made most of our march along the tasam1 on which ,nain ,sing and the ,english expedition had travelled2 for ,i durst not pass round ,tuksum1 which was mentioned on my passport4 ,the greater part of the way runs among fine1 regular1 crescent-shaped dunes1 which move eastwards over the plain before the prevailing wind4 ,they are ephemeral phenomena3 they live and die1 but are always replaced by others4 ,the horns of the crescent protrude far in the direction of the wind1 and the slope is very steep on the windward side1 as much as #ag degrees1 while on the sheltered side it is as steep as the falling sand will allow4 ,ganju-gompa stands on an isolated hill to the west of the ,ganju-la4 ,it is subordinate to the ,brebung monastery1 and has a lhakang with twelve pillars and four rows of divans1 as well as four large drums4 ,the statues of the gods look down with gentle smiles on the homage paid to them by nomads and travellers4 ,only five monks and as many dogs live in ,ganju4 ,the whole population of ,tuksum came out to meet us before their village4 ,it was agreed with the ,gova that ,guffaru and the main caravan should proceed to ,shamsang1 while ,i with a couple of attendants travelled by forbidden roads on the south side of the river4 ,in the evening a deputation of ,ladakis came to wait on me with the request that they should be allowed to give a feast in honour of ,muhamed ,isa1 to be paid for out of his outstanding pay4 ,but ,i thought this a little too cool1 seeing that the money belonged to the widow of the deceased4 ,they might have a feast1 however1 at my own expense1 but there would be nothing but mutton1 chang1 and tea4 ,on the morning of ,july #a ,i had another application1 this time from five young beggar girls1 ragged and black1 with bundles in frames of wood on their backs1 and large pilgrims' staves in their hands4 ,they had been1 like so many others1 at the ,kang-rinpoche1 and reckoned it a year's journey to their home in ,kham4 ,they beg their way from tent to tent4 ,it must be a serious burden to the nomads to maintain the numerous pilgrims that pass along this road4 ,we said good-bye to ,guffaru and his followers on ,july #b1 and riding in a south-westerly direction over the plain1 set up our camp #aia on the left bank of the ,brahmaputra1 which here carried down #aigh cubic feet of water4 ,next morning the baggage was taken over1 and we had also the honour of helping over the river a high lama1 whose acquaintance ,i had made in ,tashi-lunpo4 ,he wore a yellow robe with a red mantle1 and had a small yellow wooden hat as bright as metal4 ,his servants were armed with guns and swords1 and took all their baggage over the river on yaks4 ,but1 unfortunately1 the yaks got into deep water and began to swim1 so that1 of course1 all their baggage was thoroughly soaked4 ,we also helped a shepherd with some lambs over to the other side1 and if we had waited longer we might have done a ferryman's work all day with our boat 7,illusts4 #bdj1 #bda74 ,then we crossed over two other arms1 and the total discharge of the ,brahmaputra at this place proved to be #cbdi cubic feet4 ,the figures1 however1 obtained on gauging the river so near its source1 are of inferior value1 especially when the melting of the snow has quite set in1 partly because the source streams rise towards evening1 carrying the water from the day's thaw down to the main valley1 partly because the volume of water depends to a great extent on the weather4 ,at the first downpour of rain the rivers are little affected1 for the water is absorbed by the dry soil2 but when this is soaked through1 the water runs off1 and the rivers swell enormously after a single rainy day4 ,when the sky is overcast without rain they fall1 but in quite clear weather the sun thaws the snow and causes the rivers to rise again4 ,it was a long day's journey1 for in many of the tents the people refused to give us the help we wanted1 and therefore we passed on to the great tributary ,gyang-chu1 which comes from the south and receives many streams from the northernmost range of the ,himalayas4 ,i have no time to give an account of the geography of this region on the south side of the ,brahmaputra4 ,i will only say that during the following days we were cut off from the main river by low mountains1 and that we did not encamp again on its bank till ,july #f1 when we came to the ,cherok district4 ,we had left several tributaries behind us1 and the main stream carried only #aeed cubic feet of water4 ,after another short day's march we rejoined ,guffaru's party in ,shamsang 7#ae1daj feet7 on the great high-road1 where twenty-one tents were now standing4 ,the chiefs of the neighbourhood were very attentive1 and did not say a word against my proposal to go up to ,kubi-gangri1 which shows its snowy peaks to the south-west1 and in which the sources of the ,brahmaputra were said to lie4 ,they procured us provisions for twelve days1 and we had not had so free a hand for some time4 ,here nothing had been heard of ,chinese or ,tibetan pursuers from ,lhasa4 ,illustration3 #bch4 ,,women ,,in ,,the ,,village ,,of ,,namla4 ,illustration3 #bci4 ,,inhabitants ,,of ,,the ,,village ,,of ,,namla4 ,,chapter ,,xlii ,,in ,,search ,,of ,,the ,,source ,,of ,,the ,,brahmaputra ,now we were already far to the west2 the force of circumstances had forced us to leave behind us step by step ever larger areas of unknown country to the north4 ,i was vexed1 but ,i would1 at any rate1 endeavour to do all that was possible in my hampered condition4 ,at ,shamsang1 ,ryder's ,lahtsang1 we were at the place where the actual source streams of the ,brahmaputra converged from various directions4 ,i had long determined to push on to the unknown source1 unless the ,tibetans placed unsurmountable obstacles in my way4 ,the learned and clear-sighted ,colonel ,montgomerie had sent ,nain ,sing in the year #ahfe up the valley of the upper ,brahmaputra 7,illust4 #chj74 ,from our ,shamsang the ,pundit crossed the ,marium-la1 and said in his report that the sources of the river were certainly in the huge chain seen in the south1 and were fed by its glaciers4 ,he did not1 however1 go to look for the actual sources1 but continued his journey westwards4 ,the next year1 #ahff1 ,thomas ,webber made an excursion into ,tibetan territory1 and his route lay a little to the south of ,nain ,sing's4 ,on his sketch-map it may be seen that he crossed some of the source streams of the ,tsangpo1 but of the tract in which the sources are situated he gives no further indication than ,snowy ranges unexplored4 ,and when he says in his text that here are the sources of the great ,brahmaputra1 which have their origin in the ,gurla glaciers1 the confusion is hopeless2 for the sources of the river lie #fj miles from ,gurla1 a mountain which has nothing whatever to do with the ,brahmaputra4 ,the political expedition which1 under the command of ,rawling in the close of the year #aijd1 had ,gartok for its destination1 and the chief result of which was the admirable map of the upper ,brahmaputra valley surveyed by ,ryder and his assistants 7,map #g71 travelled from ,shamsang over the ,marium-la and north of the ,gunchu-tso to ,manasarowar4 ,it was therefore of the greatest importance to me to travel to the south of their route through country they had not touched on4 ,they travelled by the same road as ,nain ,sing1 and left the source of the river at a distance of #dj miles to the south4 ,from ,ryder's report it might be supposed that he considered the ,marium-la to be the cradle of the ,brahmaputra2 but in a letter ,i have recently received from him1 he states that such is not the case1 but that he always recognized that the actual source must lie among the mountains in the south-west1 which he has set down on his map from bearings taken of their peaks4 ,ryder also remarks in his report that the principal headwaters come from there4 ,instead of entering into a diffuse discussion of the problem1 ,i introduce in this book small sketches of the maps of my three predecessors1 ,nain ,sing1 ,webber1 and ,ryder4 ,no other traveller had ever been in this region1 and ,i would on no account miss the opportunity of penetrating to the actual source of the ,brahmaputra and fixing its position definitely4 ,how was this to be done8 ,at ,shamsang the source streams meet1 and below this point the united river bears the name ,martsang-tsangpo4 ,first of all1 ,i must1 of course1 gauge the quantities of water in the source streams1 and1 if they were nearly equal1 we must be content to say that the ,brahmaputra has several sources4 ,with ten men1 the boat1 and the necessary measuring apparatus1 ,i betook myself first1 on ,july #h1 to the point on the southern side of the valley where two streams run together1 the ,kubi-tsangpo from the south-west and the ,chema-yundung from the west4 ,a short day's march farther west the ,chema-yundung receives the ,marium-chu1 which comes from the ,marium-la4 ,first the united stream was gauged1 and found to discharge #aeed cubic feet of water per second1 and immediately after the ,chema-yundung1 which discharged almost #cec cubic feet4 ,subtracting this from the volume of the united river1 we get #abja cubic feet as the discharge of the ,kubi-tsangpo4 ,this river is then three and a half times as large as the ,chema1 and it should be remembered that the ,chema also receives the water of the ,marium-chu1 so that its #cec cubic feet represent the united volumes of two tributaries4 ,when we encamped in the evening with the main caravan in the ,umbo district 7#ae1dbg feet71 where the ,chema-yundung and the ,marium-chu unite1 the rivers were very considerably swollen1 and the water1 which had been clear in the morning1 had become turbid4 ,therefore only the two measurements taken at the same time were directly comparable1 and ,i will pass over all the subsequent measurements4 ,to arrive at the source we had only to know that the ,kubi-tsangpo is far larger than the two others1 so we had to follow its course up into the mountains1 which none of my predecessors had done4 ,the ,tibetans also said that the ,kubi was the upper course of the ,martsang-tsangpo4 ,on ,july #i we parted from ,guffaru and the main caravan1 which was to keep to the great high-road and cross the ,marium-la to ,tokchen1 while ,robert and ,i with three ,ladakis and three armed ,tibetans followed the ,kubi-tsangpo up to its source4 ,our way ran west-south-west4 ,where we crossed the ,chema-yundung1 a good distance above the last delta arms of the ,marium-chu1 the river carried little more than #adj cubic feet of water1 and therefore the ,kubi-tsangpo1 flowing to the south-east of it1 is here fully eight times as large4 ,at the ford our ,tibetans drove a peg with a white rag into the edge of the bank1 and when ,i asked why1 they answered3 ,that the river may not become tired of carrying its water down the valleys4 ,at ,tok-jonsung1 where we bivouacked among some black tents1 the ,chema looked very large1 but its water ran very slowly4 ,the nomads of the district go up to the ,chang-tang in winter4 ,here also we heard1 as on many former occasions1 that smallpox was raging frightfully in ,purang1 and that all the roads leading thither were closed4 ,no country lies so high that the angel of death cannot reach it4 ,in the night the thermometer fell to #ae4d1 but we were at a height of #ae1iia feet4 ,the snowy mountains in front of us to the south-west became more distinct4 ,the ,chema river meandered with a slow fall1 and we left it on the right before we came to our camp in ,sheryak4 ,illustration3 #bdj4 ,,lama ,,in ,,my ,,boat4 ,illustration3 #bda4 ,,loading ,,the ,,boat ,,with ,,boxes ,,on ,,crossing ,,the ,,brahmaputra4 ,we ride on ,july #aa on to the south-west in a strong wind1 passing already porous1 melting snowdrifts4 ,solid rock is not to be seen1 but all the detritus consists of granite and green schist4 ,we follow a clearly marked nomad path1 leading up to the small pass ,tso-niti-kargang on the ridge which forms a watershed between the ,chema-yundung and the ,kubi-tsangpo4 ,the large valley of the latter is below us to the south4 ,the water of the ,kubi-tsangpo is very muddy1 but on the right bank is a perfectly clear moraine lake4 ,from the south-east the affluent ,lung-yung flows out of its deeply cut valley4 ,the view is grand on all sides4 ,from north-west to north-east extends a confused sea of mountains1 the crests and ramifications of the ,trans-,himalaya1 intersected by the northern tributaries of the upper ,tsangpo4 ,to the south we have a panorama magnificent and overpowering in its fascinating wildness and whiteness1 an irregular chain of huge peaks1 sharp1 black1 and fissured1 sometimes pointed like pyramids1 sometimes broad and rounded1 and behind them we see firn-fields from which the snow slides down to form glaciers among the dark rocks4 ,prominent in the south is the elevation ,ngomo-dingding1 and from its glaciers the ,kubi-tsangpo derives a considerable part of its water4 ,to the west-south-west lies the ,dongdong1 another mass with glaciers equally extensive1 and to the right of it are heights called ,chema-yundung-pu1 from which the river of the same name takes its rise1 and flows down circuitously to the confluence at ,shamsang4 ,to the south-east the position of the ,nangsa-la is pointed out to me beyond the nearest mountains1 where the river ,gyang-chu1 which we came across a few days before1 has its source4 ,we go down among moraines1 granite detritus1 and boulders4 ,here three small clear moraine pools1 called ,tso-niti1 lie at different heights4 ,the ground becomes more level1 and we pass a mani1 a rivulet trickling among the rubbish1 and a small pond1 before we reach camp #bjj in ,lhayak1 on the bank of the ,kubi-tsangpo1 where the pasturage is excellent and we find numerous traces of nomad camps4 ,in several places we come across large sheets of fine thin birch bark1 which have been detached by storms and carried by the wind over the mountains from the south4 ,our three musketeers told us that all the nomads now sojourning in the ,shamsang district would come up here in a few weeks to stay a month and a half1 till the snow drove them away again4 ,in winter the snow lies #e feet deep1 and many men and animals perish in the snowdrifts1 when the herds go too high up the mountains and are surprised by early heavy falls of snow4 ,the autumn before1 ,i was told1 #bc yaks were grazing up at the foot of ,ngomo-dingding when it began to snow furiously4 ,several herdsmen hurried up to drive the animals down to lower ground1 but the snow was heaped up in such large quantities that they had to turn back lest they should perish themselves4 ,in the spring they went up1 and found the skeletons and hides of the unfortunate animals4 ,the ,shamsang ,gova had lately lost some horses in the same way4 ,even the wild asses cannot escape from the spring snow4 ,they cannot run when the snow is deep1 and after trying in vain to reach bare ground1 they die of starvation and are frozen in the snowdrifts4 ,our three guides1 who themselves pass the summer up here1 assured me that the wild asses are frozen in an upright position1 and often stand on all fours when the summer sun has thawed the snow4 ,they had seen dead wild asses standing in herds as though they were alive4 ,the snow1 which falls in winter on the source region of the ,brahmaputra1 melts in spring1 and together with the river ice produces a flood of far larger volume1 it is said1 than the summer flood produced by rain4 ,this is probably true of the uppermost course of the ,tsangpo1 but lower down the rain-flood is certainly the greater4 ,in general1 the variations in the water-level are more marked in the higher lands1 and the further the water flows downstream the more the fluctuations tend to disappear4 ,is not our country hard and terrible to live in8 ,is not the ,bombo ,chimbo's country 7,india7 better8 asked my ,tibetans4 ,i cannot say that2 in ,india there are tigers1 snakes1 poisonous insects1 heat1 fever1 and plague to contend with1 which are not met with up here in the fresh air4 ,yes1 but that is better than the continual wind1 the sharp cold1 and the fruitless waiting for rain4 ,this year we have only had a couple of light showers1 and we shall lose our herds if more rain does not come4 ,well1 the summer in ,tibet is very pleasant when it rains1 while in ,india it is suffocating2 on the other hand1 the winter in ,tibet is severe and cruel1 but comfortable in ,india4 ,tell us1 ,bombo ,chimbo1 is it you1 with your glass and measuring instruments1 that is keeping back the rain this year8 ,at this season it usually rains heavily1 but you perhaps prefer clear weather1 to be able to see the country and that the roads may not be soft4 ,no1 ,i long for rain as much as you1 for my animals are getting thin1 and cannot eat their fill of this poor grass1 which has stood here since last summer4 ,only the gods can control the weather1 and the sons of men must take the rain and sunshine as they are sent to them from above4 ,they looked at one another doubtfully4 ,it was not the first time that they had ascribed to me powers as great as those of their own gods1 and it would have been difficult to have convinced them of their error4 ,at midnight the men heard a one-year-old child crying and calling for help on the bank of the ,kubi-tsangpo4 ,they woke one another in astonishment1 and ,rabsang and two ,tibetans went off with a gun1 thinking that it was a ghost4 ,when they came near they heard the child weeping quite distinctly1 and our heroes were so frightened that they thought it safest to make all haste back again4 ,when ,i asked them how they knew that it was a year-old child1 they answered1 that from the sound it could not have been younger or older4 ,when ,i suggested that it might have been a wolf cub1 as there were no human beings in the neighbourhood1 they declared that it must have been an uneasy spirit wandering about the bank4 ,there must have been something supernatural about1 for ,i dreamed in the night that all the fragments of birch bark which we had seen on our day's ride were letters of invitation from the ,maharaja of ,nepal1 that ,i had accepted the invitation1 and was lying half asleep on a soft carpet of grass and listening to the rustle of the warm wind among the cedars of the ,himalayas4 ,the dream was so vivid that ,i could not think all day long of anything else but the warm beautiful land behind the mountains4 ,even in camp ,no4 #bjj ,i perceived fairly clearly how the land lay1 but we were not yet at the actual source1 and therefore we continued our march south-westwards on ,july #ab4 ,the foot of the snowy mountains seemed quite near4 ,the river is broad1 and divided by islands of mud into several arms4 ,on the left side of the valley1 where we march1 are a couple of walls of green and black schist1 but elsewhere old moraines extend on all sides4 ,we cross a stream flowing from the country below ,dongdong to join the ,kubi-tsangpo4 ,the ,tsechung-tso is a small moraine lake4 ,the valley bottom rises slowly1 and consists of loose material sparsely covered with grass4 ,occasionally a small erratic block of grey granite is seen4 ,rags1 dung1 and fragments of bone lie on the summer camping-grounds4 ,at length the river becomes as broad as a small lake1 enclosed in morainic rubbish and driftsand4 ,we camped at the stone wall of ,shapka1 one of the headquarters of the nomads4 ,here1 on the right bank of the ,kubi-tsangpo1 stands a dark purple ridge of medium height with patches of snow1 which melt in the course of the summer4 ,the land at the foot of this colossal mountain is remarkably flat1 and instead of a cone of detritus there is a stream expanded into a lake4 ,the water from the melting snow has washed away all solid matter4 ,as we came to camp ,no4 #bja1 at a height of #ae1hhc feet1 the peaks disappeared in clouds1 but just before sunset the sky cleared and the last clouds floated away like light white steam over the glaciers of ,ngomo-dingding1 which clearly displayed their grand structure1 with high lateral moraines and concentric rings of grey lumpy terminal moraines4 ,the surface1 except where here and there blue crevasses yawned in the ice1 was white with snow and the porous melting crust4 ,when the sun had set1 nine peaks in a line from south-east to south-west stood out with remarkable sharpness4 ,raven-black pinnacles1 cliffs and ridges rise out of the white snowfields1 and the glaciers emerge from colossal portals4 ,a whole village of tents rising to heaven6 ,the source of the ,brahmaputra could not be embellished with a grander and more magnificent background4 ,holy and thrice holy are these mountains1 which from their cold lap give birth and sustenance to the river celebrated from time immemorial in legend and song1 the river of ,tibet and ,assam1 the river par excellence1 the son of ,brahma4 ,one generation after another of black ,tibetans has in the course of thousands of years listened to its roar between the two loftiest mountain systems of the world1 the ,himalaya and the ,trans-,himalaya1 and one generation after another of the various tribes of ,assam has watered its fields with its life-giving floods and drunk of its blessed water4 ,but where the source lay no one knew4 ,three expeditions had determined its position approximately1 but none had been there4 ,no geography had been able to tell us anything of the country round the source of the ,brahmaputra4 ,only a small number of nomads repair thither yearly to spend a couple of short summer months4 ,here it is1 here in the front of three glacier tongues1 that the river so revered by the ,hindu tribes begins its course of some #ahjj miles through the grandest elevations of the world1 from which its turbid volumes of water roll first to the east1 then southwards1 cutting a wild valley through the ,himalayas1 and finally flowing south-westwards over the plains of ,assam4 ,the upper ,brahmaputra1 the ,tsangpo1 is truly the chief artery of ,tibet1 for within its drainage basin is concentrated the great mass of its population1 while its lower course is surrounded by the most fruitful and populous provinces of ,assam4 ,the ,brahmaputra is therefore one of the noblest rivers of the world1 and few waterways have a more illustrious descent and a more varied and more glorious career1 for nations have grown up on its banks and have lived there1 and their history and culture have been intimately connected with it since the earliest times of human records4 ,busied with such thoughts1 ,i went out again in the evening to gaze at the cliffs of the nine peaks which showed like dim misty shadows1 while the ice and snowfields below1 of the same colour as the sky1 were not perceptible in the night4 ,then a flash of lightning blazed up behind ,kubi-gangri1 as the whole massive is called1 and the crest crowned with eternal snow stood suddenly out in sharp pitch-black contours4 ,singular1 entrancing land1 where spirit voices are heard in the night and the sky blazes up in bluish light4 ,i listened for a long time to the brook ,shapka-chu1 gently trickling down its stony bed to the bank of the ,kubi-tsangpo4 ,we had still some way to go before we came to the actual source1 and ,i could not conscientiously leave ,kubi-gangri without determining the absolute height of the source by the boiling-point thermometer4 ,our ,tibetans were exceedingly friendly1 and seemed to take an interest in showing us this point1 of which ,i had spoken so often during the past days and about which ,i had put so many questions4 ,i was really thankful for1 and overjoyed at1 this unexpected favourable opportunity of fixing the position of the source1 though ,i knew that my excursion to ,kubi-gangri could only be a very cursory and defective reconnaissance4 ,a thorough exploration of this neighbourhood would require several years1 for the summer up here is short and the time for work is over in two months4 ,but though ,i succeeded in learning only the chief outlines of the physical geography1 ,i can count this excursion as one of the most important events of my last journey in ,tibet4 ,accordingly1 we decided to ride up to the source next day1 ,july #ac4 ,only ,rabsang1 ,robert1 and a ,tibetan were to accompany me4 ,the rest were to wait for our return under the command of ,tsering4 ,,chapter ,,xliii ,,the ,,source ,,of ,,the ,,sacred ,,river--,a ,,departure ,we started off in beautiful weather1 not a cloud hanging over the summits of ,kubi-gangri4 ,we followed the left bank of the ,kubi-tsangpo1 and rode along the foot of the huge moraines1 which here rise fully #dgj feet above the valley bottom1 and which were formerly thrown up on the left or western side of the gigantic glacier1 whence proceeded all the glacier tongues now remaining only in short lengths4 ,the morainic character is plainly recognizable1 sometimes in curved ridges and walls falling steeply on both sides1 sometimes in rounded hillocks rising one above another4 ,the surface is often covered with fine pebbles1 grass1 and lovely alpine flowers trying to make the most of the short summer4 ,here and there a landslip has taken place1 and then it can be seen that the rock shows no trace of stratification4 ,occasionally we pass granite boulders1 but they are small1 the largest not more than #bhj cubic feet4 ,on the valley bottom are swamps with rank grass1 and wild-geese are enjoying the summer in the ponds4 ,we twice met with fresh spoor of small herds of wild yaks which had moved off to the right bank of the ,kubi-tsangpo4 ,the horses' hoofs splashed in the swampy ground1 seldom varied by small patches of boulder clay4 ,numerous rivulets descend from the moraines4 ,they are fed by the melting snowfields1 and therefore1 in contrast to the glacier brooks1 are crystal clear4 ,they have eroded deep valleys in the moraines1 and one of them has deposited a great dejection cone at the mouth1 over which the brook falls in ten channels1 carrying #ajf cubic feet of water4 ,a very considerable proportion of the upper ,brahmaputra's water is derived from melted snow4 ,rivulets rushed and spurted all about in the rubbish1 and all came from the snowfields1 which struggled in vain against the heat of the spring sun4 ,now we have right in front of us the immense glacier which descends from an extensive firn basin on the western foot of the ,mukchung-simo massive4 ,between its terminal moraines and the older moraines we have skirted1 a rather voluminous stream has eroded its valley4 ,its water is tolerably clear and green1 so that it proceeds from snowfields4 ,a little below the terminal moraine it unites with the numerous arms of the muddy glacier stream1 of which the largest is the one which flows nearest to the foot of the ,mukchung massive4 ,even #bjj yards below the confluence the green water can be clearly distinguished from the brown1 but afterwards the cold currents intermingle4 ,where the river1 still divided into a number of meandering arms1 turns past camp #bja to the north-east1 it receives considerable additions from the glaciers lying further east1 and thus the ,kubi-tsangpo is formed4 ,then we ride up1 zigzagging among boulders and pebble beds1 over ridges1 banks1 and erosion furrows1 over brooks and treacherous bog1 over grass and clumps of brushwood1 to a commanding point of view on the top of the old moraine 7#af1dec feet74 ,before us is a chaos of huge1 precipitous1 fissured1 black1 bare rocks1 summits1 pyramids1 columns1 domes1 and ridges1 moraines1 tongues of ice1 snow and firn fields--a scene hard to beat for wild grandeur4 ,here we made a halt1 and ,i drew the panorama while the horses grazed on the slopes4 ,the largest glacier1 which comes from the ,kubi-gangri proper1 is entirely below us1 and we have a bird's-eye view of it4 ,it is fed by three different firn-fields1 and has two distinct medial moraines1 which here and there rise into ridges where the ice has been thrust aside4 ,the right lateral moraine is well defined1 and is still partially covered with snow4 ,the left is broad in its upper part but narrow below1 where the green stream washes its base4 ,up above1 a glacier from the west runs into the main glacier1 and where the two join the side glacier is thrown up into a mighty wall1 which merges into the left lateral moraine of the other4 ,all the bottom of the glacier front is buried in rubbish1 and the ice peeps out only here and there4 ,here are several small sheets of water1 some of an intensely blue colour1 others brown1 with finely pulverized matter1 showing that they are connected with the water of the ground moraine4 ,two of these small pools have vertical sides of blue ice like entrances to marvellous fairy grottos4 ,a series of marginal crevasses are still partly covered with snow4 ,the terminal moraine is a chaos of mounds1 pebbles1 and boulders1 with patches of snow on the shady side4 ,in a hollow between these hillocks flows the middle glacier stream1 after passing two pools4 ,the terminal moraine does not increase in size1 for its material is slowly disintegrated and washed away by the stream1 which winds in several arms over the even bed of the valley bottom just below in the most capricious curves4 ,an excursion over the surface of the glacier would not be difficult when one was once up on it4 ,there are many dangerous crevasses concealed under the snow which may be avoided by keeping to the rubbish heaps of the medial moraines4 ,the mass of the ,kubi-gangri1 which from our point of view lies farthest to the right1 to the west-north-west1 is called ,gave-ting2 from it descends the great side glacier4 ,the front of the main glacier1 where the largest of all the glacier streams of the ,kubi-gangri rises1 is the actual source of the ,brahmaputra4 ,the other streams which enter it south-east of camp #bja are smaller and shorter4 ,we could not get to them1 for the horses sank too deep in the sand and mud of the main stream4 ,on our return we made a halt at the place where the principal branch of the ,kubi-tsangpo comes out from under the ice1 and ,i found that the source of the ,brahmaputra lies at an altitude of #ae1ieh feet above sea-level4 ,i must leave details for the scientific report of this journey1 which will be published in due time4 ,on ,july #ad it seemed very hot in my tent1 for even at seven o'clock in the morning the temperature was #de4a2 in the night there had been nearly #ad degrees of frost4 ,the sky was perfectly clear1 and therefore ,i could not refrain from seeking another point of view to investigate the beautiful glaciers of the ,kubi-gangri4 ,after arranging with ,tsering that he should meet us in the valley of the ,dongdong river1 we rode up the banks and ridges of the old moraine1 through its hollows and over its terraces of barren soil1 which was now soft and treacherous from the melting of the snow1 past pools of clear1 green water1 and to the highest point of its ridge1 where there was nothing to hide the view4 ,i first took nine photographs1 forming a consecutive series4 ,then a cloak was thrown over the stand to make a shelter against the strong wind1 and in this sentry-box ,i sat for nearly four hours drawing a panorama which embraced the whole horizon4 ,meanwhile my companions lay down and snored1 and ,i was glad to sit alone face to face with these royal mountain giants4 ,the whole architecture is fantastically wild1 and the only law which is strictly observed is that each glacier is confined between two huge black crests of rock4 ,illustration3 #bdb4 ,,panorama ,,of ,,kubi-,,gangri ,,and ,,the ,,langta-,,chen ,,glacier1 ,,with ,,the ,,source ,,of ,,the ,,brahmaputra 7,,from ,a ,,height ,,of #af1dec ,,feet1 ,,july #ac1 #aijg74 ,sketch by the ,author4 ,in order to give the reader a notion of the scene ,i here reproduce a part of the panorama embracing the ,kubi-gangri 7,illust4 #bdb74 ,to the south1 #bg ,e41 is a tetrahedral peak1 which our guide called ,ngoma-dingding4 ,to the south1 #aa ,e41 rises another summit1 of almost precisely the same form1 which is called ,absi4 ,on the east of it lies the ,ngoma-dingding glacier1 and on the west the ,absi glacier4 ,west of this stands the lumpy ,mukchung-simo group1 with its culminating point lying south1 #bd ,w4 ,the northern side resembles a stable with straight short stalls1 each containing a small hanging glacier4 ,to the south-west rise two sharp pinnacles1 and in the south1 #eg ,w41 a couple of dome-shaped summits consisting only of ice and snow2 they belong to the ,langta-chen massive1 and their firns feed to a great extent the glacier in the front of which the ,brahmaputra takes its rise4 ,so the glacier may be called the ,langta-chen4 ,to the south1 #gj ,w41 #hh ,w41 and north1 #hc ,w41 rise the summits of the ,gave-ting group4 ,to the north1 #ee ,w41 three peaks of the ,dongdong appear1 from which one of the sources of the ,brahmaputra takes its rise1 quite insignificant compared to the ,kubi-tsangpo4 ,towards the north-east the sharply defined valley of the ,kubi-tsangpo runs downwards1 and in the distance are seen the mountains of ,chang-tang1 pyramidal peaks of singular uniformity1 and crowded together in great numbers1 which form a finely jagged horizon1 and in consequence of the great distance merge into the pink tint of the insignificant snowfields4 ,the ,trans-,himalaya seems on this side to widen out and become flatter than in the east4 ,it was late when we rode down the steep path to the camp on the ,dongdong4 ,and now we had to hurry westwards and make as many discoveries and collect as much information as possible on forbidden paths1 in spite of the ,mandarins and the ,devashung4 ,on ,july #ae we left our former route to the right and directed our steps northwards over intricate moraines1 seeing the snowy peaks of ,dongdong and ,chema-yundung still more clearly from the pass ,kargan-la4 ,on the #afth the sky was overcast1 a couple of hail showers fell1 and the hills around us changed to white4 ,we rode north-westwards past two small lakes1 and again fell in with solid rock--green and black schist4 ,from the ,tugri-la we had a fine view over a world of mountains1 the names of which ,i have no time to record4 ,we crossed another saddle1 ,sen-kamba-la1 to reach the broad open valley of the ,chema-yundung river1 which descends from a very extensive glacier in the south belonging to the ,chema-yundung-pu massive4 ,here were several nomad tents1 and seven tents inhabited by pilgrims from ,bongba stood on a rise4 ,they were on their way with kith and kin to ,kang-rinpoche to make the pilgrimage round the holy mountain4 ,most of the pilgrims from the far east take this southern route and return over the ,marium-la4 ,july #ag4 ,it was very hot in the saddle with a temperature of #ej and quite calm air4 ,the brown puppy was very tired of travelling1 and drops fell from her hanging tongue1 but she could not leave the antelopes and hares in peace4 ,she darted after them full speed1 but never caught them1 and came back to me disappointed1 but began again the useless pursuit4 ,the ,ronggak-chu is an affluent of the ,chema1 and comes from the north-west4 ,we left the little double lake ,kuru-chok in the south4 ,to the west-south-west is the place where the ,chema-yundung receives the ,angsi-chu1 the most westerly of all the headwaters of the ,brahmaputra4 ,in the valley of the ,tynchung we encamped beside some accommodating nomads1 who quickly procured me fresh yaks1 for the three musketeers turned back here to ,shamsang1 after doing their work well4 ,the whole excursion to the sources of the ,brahmaputra had cost #aaj rupees1 and it was well worth more4 ,the natives said that ten robbers had recently made the neighbourhood unsafe1 but immediately it was reported that a ,european caravan was approaching ,tynchung1 they had entirely disappeared1 and therefore we were regarded as deliverers1 and the people could not do too much for us4 ,a ,hindu merchant from ,almora was camping here1 buying sheep's wool and salt from the nomads1 and selling them frieze rugs and textiles from ,agra and ,amritsar4 ,next day we crossed the ,marnyak-la 7#ag1cie feet7 and had the ,angsi-chu immediately below us1 and on the #aith we left the river behind and followed its small tributary1 the ,loang-gonga1 up to its source at the very low pass ,tamlung or ,tag-la1 which is nothing more than a rise in an open longitudinal valley4 ,but this pass is exceedingly important1 for it is the watershed between the ,brahmaputra and ,manasarowar4 ,its height is #ag1chb feet4 ,to the south is spread out a succession of snowy peaks1 and to the west-south-west is seen ,gurla ,mandatta or ,memo-nani1 a majestic and imposing group which belongs to the same ,himalayan range as ,kubi-gangri4 ,the pass is situated among old moraines1 where is the little insignificant lake ,tamlung-tso1 from which the ,loang-gonga flows out4 ,at some distance to the south is seen the low watershed between the ,angsi-chu and the ,gang-lung1 a stream that comes from a massive of the same name1 and1 as the ,tage-tsangpo1 falls into ,manasarowar4 ,the very latest maps of western ,tibet give a very incorrect representation of this country1 which has never been visited by a ,european before4 ,instead of a clearly marked meridional range we found an open1 hilly1 longitudinal valley with the watershed running among its moraines4 ,here we took leave of the ,brahmaputra1 after passing half a year in its basin since crossing the ,sela-la4 ,we encamped at a place where the ,gang-lung river breaks through a rampart of moraines1 forming foaming cascades4 ,during the following day's journey it flows through granitic moraines1 drift sand1 and morasses1 and becomes a considerable stream1 receiving numerous affluents from the south4 ,a caravan of #ej yaks1 and eight men from ,purang1 armed with guns1 and clad in blue with fur-lined cloaks1 were on the way to the fair in ,gyanima4 ,in the district ,tagramoche1 where we bivouacked1 were many nomads and beggars with staves and bundles on the way to the holy mountain4 ,we also met six merchants from ,ladak1 who were carrying dried peaches for sale on #de asses4 ,they had left home a month and a half previously4 ,on ,july #ba we rode down the ,tage-bup valley among savage cliffs4 ,on its bottom flows the ,tage-tsangpo1 changing its colour from light green over sandy ground to bluish-purple over dark detritus4 ,langchen-kamba is a small side-valley on the right1 from which robbers are wont to sally forth against defenceless travellers4 ,just below the valley a spring bubbles forth with crystal-clear water at a temperature of #ch4 ,it is considered holy1 and is marked by a pole bedecked with rags and streamers like a scare-crow4 ,this spring is also called ,langchen-kamba4 ,a little farther down the spring ,chakko stands on a steep slope on the right bank1 and its water 7#dj4c7 is collected in a round pit #c feet deep4 ,a wall is erected about it1 covered with flat stones1 on which figures of ,buddha and holy texts are carved4 ,leaves from the holy scriptures are thrust between the stones of the wall1 and streamers and rags fly from a pole4 ,through the water1 clear as a mirror1 could be seen blue and red beads1 two inferior turquoises1 some shells1 and other trash1 thrown in as offerings by pious pilgrims4 ,the water is supposed to have miraculous powers4 ,murmuring prayers1 our guide filled a wooden bowl with water and poured it over the head and mane of his horse to protect it from wolves4 ,with the same object he tied a rag from the pole on to his horse's forelock4 ,he drank himself a good draught to render him invulnerable to the bullets of robbers4 ,if a sheep or other animal is ill it is only necessary to sprinkle it with the holy water to make it well again4 ,when a traveller or pilgrim stands at the well and pours water with both hands over his head1 it guards him against falling into the hands of footpads1 and from other misfortunes4 ,and if he sits and meditates1 drinks1 and washes his head1 hands1 and legs1 and has sufficient faith1 then he finds gold coins and precious stones at the bottom of the well4 ,the sick man who bathes his whole body in the miraculous water becomes strong again4 ,it is a ,lourdes in miniature4 ,while my men were engaged in their ablutions ,i sat at the edge of the well and listened to the mystical music of the fluttering prayer-streamers1 and found this fascinating ,tibet more enigmatical at every step4 ,then we rode over the ,tage-tsangpo1 where its valley opens into the flat basin of ,manasarowar--a new chapter in the chronicles of our journey4 ,again ,gurla ,mandatta showed itself in all its glory1 and in the north-west ,kang-rinpoche or ,kailas1 the holy mountain1 like a great chhorten on a lama's grave1 rose above the jagged ridge which forms the horizon in that direction4 ,on seeing it all our men suddenly jumped out of their saddles and threw themselves down with their foreheads on the ground4 ,only ,rabsang1 a confirmed heathen1 remained seated on his horse1 and was afterwards well scolded by ,tsering4 ,illustration3 #bdc1 #bdd1 #bde4 ,,the ,,mountains ,,at ,,the ,,source ,,of ,,the ,,brahmaputra4 ,we are now out on open hilly ground1 and see a glimpse of the holy lake ,tso-mavang or ,manasarowar4 ,we encamp by a small lake called ,tso-nyak1 whither come ,islam ,ahun and ,shukkur ,ali1 sent by ,guffaru1 who is become uneasy at our long absence4 ,we send them back again to ,tokchen with orders to ,guffaru to proceed to the monastery ,serolung-gompa on the holy lake1 where we will meet him4 ,on ,july #bb we rode over the ,tage-tsangpo1 which here carried #bia cubic feet of water1 where ,rabsang got a thorough wetting in consequence of his horse coming a cropper among the boulders in the bed4 ,tsering said that he deserved a dip because he had not saluted ,kang-rinpoche4 ,camp #baj was set up in the broad valley ,namarding1 where a clear brook flows to the ,tage-tsangpo4 ,the wind blew strongly1 and the ,tibetans said that the waves on ,tso-mavang were as high and dark as nomad tents4 ,should we venture in our little canvas boat on the lake1 exposed to all the winds8 ,it must be very rough before ,i consented to give up the trip1 for the lake had long been the subject of my dreams4 ,next morning ,tundup ,sonam appeared with the news that the ,gova of ,tokchen would not let his yaks on hire for the journey to ,serolung4 ,i had therefore to ride to ,tokchen by a road over the pass ,karbu-la1 and down the river ,samo-tsangpo2 it is full of fish1 but we were asked not to disturb them1 for they came up from the holy lake4 ,we were all together again in ,tokchen1 and ,i found the ,gova a decent fellow1 who welcomed me with a large kadakh and a bowl of tsamba4 ,now an hour of parting was come1 for ,i sent from ,tokchen thirteen of my men home to ,ladak4 ,i had several reasons for this4 ,i did not need so many men in western ,tibet2 twelve were enough1 and a small1 light caravan accomplishes more and does not excite so much notice4 ,the men were to travel along the great highway to ,gartok under the experienced leadership of ,guffaru1 and there deposit all the baggage ,i could spare with the ,british agent1 ,thakur ,jai ,chand4 ,i also sent to him a letter packet of three hundred pages to my parents1 beside other correspondence4 ,of particular importance was a letter to ,colonel ,dunlop ,smith1 in which ,i asked for #fjjj rupees1 provisions1 books1 revolvers and ammunition1 and things suitable for presents1 such as gold and silver watches1 as well as all the letters which must have accumulated at the ,viceregal ,lodge4 ,on the first evening1 when ,i called together all the twenty-five men and told them my decision to send away thirteen1 and asked which of them wished to go home1 no one answered4 ,they declared that they would follow me until ,i was tired of ,tibet4 ,then ,i picked out thirteen and retained the best twelve men4 ,among these was ,tashi1 who with ,tundup ,sonam had accomplished the adventurous journey to ,shigatse4 ,but when he saw that ,i was in earnest about the dividing of the caravan1 he begged me to let him go home1 so he was exchanged for another man4 ,we stayed here two days to put everything in order4 ,after the baggage was re-arranged ,i had only four boxes left1 and the rest were to be carried away by ,guffaru4 ,robert sat in my tent like a money-changer and piled up sovereigns and rupees in small heaps1 the pay1 gratuities1 and travelling expenses of the men who were going home4 ,our treasury was relieved of #baah rupees all at once4 ,the important correspondence was enclosed in a case1 which ,guffaru carried in his belt4 ,the men with him were allowed to keep two of our five guns4 ,late in the evening ,guffaru came to my tent to receive his last instructions4 ,honest old ,guffaru1 he had in the autumn of his life performed wonders in the winter in ,chang-tang1 always composed and contented1 always doing his duty in the smallest particular4 ,now he sat1 with the tears falling on to his white beard1 and thanked me for all ,i had done for him during the past year4 ,i bade him weep no more1 but rejoice that the hard time was over for him1 and that he could return safe and sound to his people with #djj rupees in his purse4 ,when we left ,leh he was as poor as a church mouse1 and now he was a rich man for his position1 and he had not needed his shroud4 ,i told him that ,i should miss him very much1 but that ,i could not entrust the valuable baggage and important letters to any other hands but his4 ,when ,i came out of my tent early on the morning of the #bfth the #ac yaks were laden and the thirteen men were ready to march off with their ,tibetan guides4 ,i thanked them for their faithfulness and patience during the time when they were exposed to so many dangers in my service1 begged them to remember that they were responsible for the caravan on the way home1 and told them that they must obey ,guffaru1 and that their character would suffer if they did not bear with one another on the way4 ,if they were as conscientious on this journey as in my service1 it would be well for them in the future1 and perhaps our paths might cross again4 ,then old ,guffaru came forward1 and fell on his knees before me1 weeping loudly1 and all the others in turn followed his example amid sobs and tears2 ,i clapped them all on the shoulder and hoped that this bitter hour would soon be over4 ,then they took leave of their comrades1 who1 deeply moved1 sent greetings to their parents1 wives1 and children in ,ladak1 and they marched off on foot1 as they had travelled so many hundred miles1 silent1 drooping1 and downcast1 and soon disappeared behind the hills4 ,,chapter ,,xliv ,a ,,night ,,on ,,manasarowar ,after ,guffaru had set out with his men1 the small caravan was organized which was to accompany me4 ,it was led by ,tsering1 and the other men left were ,bulu1 ,tundup ,sonam1 ,rabsang1 ,rehim ,ali1 ,shukkur ,ali1 ,namgyal1 ,adul1 ,ishe1 ,lama1 ,galsang1 and ,rub ,das4 ,the ,gova of ,tokchen was given a ,kashmir shawl1 a turban1 and some rupees for the services he had rendered us1 and all the other ,tibetans who had been friendly and helpful received presents4 ,the dividing of the caravan had also the advantage that the ,tibetans supposed that we were all making for the same destination by different routes1 and that ,i should join ,guffaru in ,gartok and continue my journey to ,ladak1 as directed on the passport4 ,illustration3 #bdf4 ,,tibetans ,,on ,,the ,,bank ,,of ,,the ,,soma-,,tsangpo4 ,illustration3 #bdg4 ,,group ,,of ,,natives ,,of ,,langmar4 ,with ,robert1 ,rabsang1 and two ,tibetans ,i now ride down the ,tokchen valley and up over the hills to the south-west4 ,to the right of our route the turquoise-blue surface of the holy lake is displayed2 how beautiful1 how fascinating is the scene6 ,one seems to breathe more freely and easily1 one feels a pleasure in life1 one longs to voyage over the blue depths and the sacred waves4 ,for ,manasarowar is the holiest and most famous of all the lakes of the world1 the goal of the pilgrimage of innumerable pious ,hindus1 a lake celebrated in the most ancient religious hymns and songs1 and in its clear waters the ashes of ,hindus find a grave as desirable and honoured as in the turbid waters of the ,ganges4 ,during my stay in ,india ,i received letters from ,hindus in which they asked me to explore the revered lake and the holy mountain ,kailas1 which lifts its summit in the north under a cupola of eternal snow1 where ,siva1 one of the ,indian ,trinity1 dwells in her paradise among a host of other deities2 and they told me that if ,i could give them an exact description of the lake and river1 they would remember me in their prayers and their gods would bless me4 ,but that was not why ,i longed to be there4 ,the lake had never been sounded--,i would sink my lead to the bottom and make a map of its bed2 ,i would follow its periphery and calculate how much water pours into its bosom on a summer day2 ,i would investigate its hydrographic relation to the adjacent lake on the west1 the ,rakas-tal1 a problem which various travellers in this region1 from ,moorcroft and ,strachey to ,ryder and ,rawling1 have explained differently2 ,i would learn something of the monasteries and the life of ,hindu and ,tibetan pilgrims1 for the lake is sacred in the eyes of ,lamaists also1 who call it ,tso-mavang or ,tso-rinpoche1 the ,holy ,lake4 ,how can ,manasarowar and ,kailas be the objects of divine honours from two religions so different as ,hinduism and ,lamaism unless it is that their overpowering beauty has appealed to and deeply impressed the human mind1 and that they seemed to belong rather to heaven than to earth8 ,even the first view from the hills on the shore caused us to burst into tears of joy at the wonderful1 magnificent landscape and its surpassing beauty4 ,the oval lake1 somewhat narrower in the south than the north1 and with a diameter of about #ae miles1 lies like an enormous turquoise embedded between two of the finest and most famous mountain giants of the world1 the ,kailas in the north and ,gurla ,mandatta in the south1 and between huge ranges1 above which the two mountains uplift their crowns of bright white eternal snow4 ,yes1 already ,i felt the strong fascination which held me fettered to the banks of ,manasarowar1 and ,i knew that ,i would not willingly leave the lake before ,i had listened1 until ,i was weary1 to the song of its waves4 ,we sat an hour and enjoyed the incomparable beauty of the scene4 ,a slight ripple ruffled the surface of the water1 but in the middle the lake was as smooth as if oil had been poured on it4 ,the ,tibetans said that it was always smooth in the middle except when a storm raged4 ,to the south-south-west and south-west are seen the two summits of ,gurla ,mandatta1 the western very flat1 and reminding me of the ,mustag-ata in the eastern ,pamir4 ,the ,tibetans called the mountain sometimes ,namo1 sometimes ,memo-nani4 ,south1 #fj ,w41 a row of snowy heights rise behind the ,purang valley4 ,to the west-north-west is seen the small pyramidal hill where ,chiu-gompa stands on the bank of the water channel which once ran into ,rakas-tal4 ,to the north-west a couple of lagoons lie on the shore of ,manasarowar1 and behind them rise chains and ramifications belonging to the ,trans-,himalaya1 and among them ,kailas or ,kang-rinpoche1 the ,holy ,mountain1 called also ,gangri or the ,ice ,mountain1 dominates the horizon unless its summit is veiled in clouds4 ,and lastly1 to the north1 #bj ,w41 we see the double-peaked ,pundi1 not far from the shore1 and in the north the two valleys ,pachen and ,pachung1 with roads which lead over the watershed of the ,trans-,himalaya to ,chang-tang4 ,when ,i asked our guides what they thought of a boat trip across the lake1 they answered unhesitatingly that it was impossible2 mortals who ventured on the lake1 which was the home of the gods1 must perish4 ,also in the middle ,tso-mavang was not level as on the shore1 but formed a transparent dome1 and up its round arch no boat could mount2 and even if we succeeded in getting the boat up1 it would shoot down the other side with such velocity that it must capsize1 and we should perish in the waves because we had excited the wrath of the god of the lake4 ,we mounted again and rode south-south-west over the hills to ,serolung1 the golden valley1 where the monastery ,serolung-gompa is hidden in the hollow4 ,there ,i stayed four hours1 making sketches and notes4 ,serolung1 which contains thirty monks1 most of whom were away wandering among the villages1 is one of the eight convents which are set like precious stones in the chain which the pilgrims stretch round the lake1 in the hope of acquiring merit in a future form of existence1 of being freed from the burden of sin and the tortures of purgatorial fires1 nay1 perhaps1 of sitting at the feet of the gods and eating tsamba out of golden bowls4 ,our camp ,no4 #bab was pitched immediately south of the mouth of the ,serolung valley at the water's edge4 ,the strip of ground on the bank is quite narrow1 and on the hills rising to the east of it are visible six horizontal strand lines1 the highest lying #afb feet above the present level of the lake1 which is #ae1jih feet above the sea4 ,on ,july #bg ,i had a good sleep1 and spent the rest of the day in making preparations for the first line of soundings1 which was to cross the lake in a direction south1 #ei ,w41 where a gap appeared in the hills framing the lake4 ,we waited for good weather1 but the wind blew violently and the surf beat and foamed against the shore4 ,i therefore resolved to wait till night1 for of late the nights had been calmer than the days4 ,on a trial trip we had found a depth of #acj feet not far from the shore1 so we made ready a sounding line #dij feet long4 ,perhaps even this would not be long enough1 for a lake lying among such high mountains is sure to be deep4 ,shukkur ,ali was to go with me1 and he accepted his fate with his usual composure1 but ,rehim ,ali1 the other victim1 was frightened2 it was all very well in the day1 he said1 but in the dark gloomy night on such a great lake6 ,we should certainly have the same trouble as on ,lake ,lighten1 he thought4 ,when the sun set the wind increased in strength1 and heavy clouds spread up from the south-west4 ,at seven o'clock it was pitch dark all round1 not a star shone out1 not a trace was visible of the outline of the shore and of the snowy mountains1 and the sea was buried in the shades of night4 ,but an hour later the wind fell1 the air became quite calm1 but the waves beat in a monotonous rhythm on the bank4 ,the smoke of the camp fires rose straight up into the air4 ,then ,i gave orders to set out4 ,the baggage was stowed and the mast stepped to be ready if we had a favourable wind4 ,provisions for two days were put in the boat4 ,i wore a leathern vest1 ,kashmir boots1 and an ,indian helmet1 and sat on a cushion and a folded fur coat on the lee side of the rudder1 on the other side of which the sounding-line with its knots lay ready on the gunwale4 ,the log1 ,lyth's current meter1 was attached to the boat to register the whole length of the course1 and compass1 watch1 note-book1 and map sheets all lay close beside me1 lighted by a ,chinese paper lantern1 which could be covered with a towel when we did not want the light4 ,i used the towel after every sounding to dry my hands4 ,rehim ,ali took his seat forward1 ,shukkur ,ali in the stern half of the boat1 where we were cramped for room and had to take care that we did not get entangled in the sounding-line4 ,tsering took a sceptical view of the whole adventure4 ,he said that the lake was full of wonders1 and at the best we should be driven back by mysterious powers when we had rowed a little way out4 ,and a ,tibetan agreed with him1 saying that we should never reach the western shore though we rowed with all our might1 for the lake god would hold our boat fast1 and while we thought that it was advancing it would really remain on the same spot1 and finally the angry god would draw it down to the bottom4 ,robert had orders to wait at camp ,no4 #bab for our return1 and when we put off from the bank at nine o'clock all bade us farewell in as warm and gentle a tone as though they thought that they had seen the last of us4 ,their spirits were not raised by the lightning which flashed in the south and might portend a storm4 ,the darkness1 however1 was not so intense1 for the moon was coming up1 though it was still covered by the hills rising behind our camp4 ,but its light threw a weird gleam over the lake1 and in the south ,gurla ,mandatta rose like a ghost enveloped in a sheet of moonshine1 snowfields1 and glaciers4 ,at my command1 the boatmen took a firm grip of the oars and the boat glided out from the beach1 where our men stood in a silent thoughtful group4 ,our fires were seen for a while1 but soon disappeared1 for they were burning almost on a level with the water4 ,robert told me afterwards that the little boat sailing out into the darkness was a curious sight2 owing to the lantern and the reflexion of the light on the mast the boat was visible at first1 but when it reached the moon-lighted part of the lake it appeared only as a small black spot1 which soon vanished4 ,the great lake was dark and mysterious in the night1 and unknown depths lurked beneath us4 ,the contours of the hills on the shore were still visible behind us1 but we had not gone far before they were swallowed up by higher mountains farther off1 which gradually came into view4 ,after twenty minutes' rowing we stopped and let down the line1 sounding #ace feet4 ,the roar of the surf on the beach was the only sound in the silence of night1 except the splash of the oars and the voices of the oarsmen singing in time with their strokes4 ,at the next sounding the depth was #ada feet4 ,if the bottom did not fall more rapidly our line would be long enough4 ,every hour ,i recorded the temperatures of the air and the water4 ,now the god of sleep paid us a visit2 ,shukkur ,ali yawned at every ninth stroke1 and every yawn was so long that it lasted three strokes4 ,the air is quite still4 ,a long1 smooth swell causes the boat to rock slightly4 ,all is quiet1 and ,i ask myself involuntarily if other beings are listening to the splash of the oars as well as ourselves4 ,it is warm1 with a temperature of #df4i at eleven o'clock4 ,the next two depths are #adc and #afd feet4 ,my oarsmen follow the soundings with deep interest1 and look forward to the point where the depth will begin to decrease4 ,they think it awful and uncanny to glide over such great depths in the dark night4 ,again blue lightning flashes behind ,gurla ,mandatta1 which stands forth in a pitch black outline1 after appearing just before in a white robe of moon-lighted snowfields4 ,a little later all the southern sky flames up like a sea of fire2 the flashes quickly follow one after the other1 and shoot up to the zenith1 seeming to stay a moment behind the mountains1 and it becomes light as day1 but when the glow dies out the darkness is more intense1 and the sublime1 poetic solemnity of the night is enhanced4 ,by the light of the flashes ,i can see the faces of the two men1 who are startled and uneasy1 and do not dare to disturb the awful stillness by their singing4 ,when ,i let down the line at the fifth point1 the two men asked permission to light their water-pipes4 ,the depth was #aha feet4 ,a slight south-westerly breeze rippled the surface4 ,the cry of a water-bird broke shrilly on the silence of the night1 and made us feel less lonely4 ,a slight hiss of the surf breaking on the south-eastern shore was audible4 ,in the south the clouds gathered round the summit of ,gurla ,mandatta1 the breeze fell4 ,we glided slowly over the inky black water1 and between the wave crests the path of moonlight wound in bright sinuosities2 the depth increased slowly #ahc4d feet1 #ahi4c1 #aib and #bab4f4 ,the temperature was still #de4i1 and ,i did not want my fur coat4 ,the queen of night1 with diamonds in her dark hair1 looks down upon the holy lake4 ,the midnight hour is passed1 and the early morning hours creep slowly on4 ,we sound #bjc1 #bjj1 #ahd1 #ahd1 #ahj1 and #aij feet1 and it seems therefore as if we had passed the deepest depression4 ,leaning on the gunwale ,i enjoy the voyage to the full1 for nothing ,i remember in my long wanderings in ,asia can compare with the overpowering beauty of this nocturnal sail4 ,i seem to hear the gentle but powerful beat of the great heart of ,nature1 its pulsation growing weaker in the arms of night1 and gaining fresh vigour in the glow of the morning red4 ,the scene1 gradually changing as the hours go by1 seems to belong not to earth but to the outermost boundary of unattainable space1 as though it lay much nearer heaven1 the misty fairyland of dreams and imagination1 of hope and yearning1 than to the earth with its mortals1 its cares1 its sins1 and its vanity4 ,the moon describes its arch in the sky1 its restless reflexion quivering on the water1 and broken by the wake of the boat4 ,the queen of night and her robe become paler4 ,the dark sky passes into light blue1 and the morn draws nigh from the east4 ,there is a faint dawn over the eastern mountains1 and soon their outlines stand out sharply1 as though cut out on black paper4 ,the clouds1 but now floating white over the lake1 assume a faint rosy hue1 which gradually grows stronger1 and is reflected on the smooth water1 calling forth a garden of fresh roses4 ,we row among floating rose-beds1 there is an odour of morning and pure water in the air1 it grows lighter1 the landscape regains its colour1 and the new day1 ,july #bh1 begins its triumphal progress over the earth4 ,only an inspired pencil and magic colours could depict the scene that met my eyes when the whole country lay in shadow1 and only the highest peaks of ,gurla ,mandatta caught the first gleam of the rising sun4 ,in the growing light of dawn the mountain1 with its snowfields and glaciers1 had shown silvery white and cold2 but now6 ,in a moment the extreme points of the summit began to glow with purple like liquid gold4 ,and the brilliant illumination crept slowly like a mantle down the flanks of the mountain1 and the thin white morning clouds1 which hovered over the lower slopes and formed a girdle round a well-defined zone1 floating freely like ,saturn's ring1 and like it throwing a shadow on the fields of eternal snow1 these too assumed a tinge of gold and purple1 such as no mortal can describe4 ,the colours1 at first as light and fleeting as those of a young maiden in her ball-dress1 became more pronounced1 light concentrated itself on the eastern mountains1 and over their sharp outlines a sheaf of bright rays fell from the upper limb of the sun upon the lake4 ,and now day has won the victory1 and ,i try dreamily to decide which spectacle has made the greater impression on me1 the quiet moonlight1 or the sunrise with its warm1 rosy gleam on the eternal snow4 ,phenomena like these are fleeting guests on the earth2 they come and go in the early morning hours1 they are only seen once in a lifetime1 they are like a greeting from a better world1 a flash from the island of the phoenix4 ,thousands and thousands of pilgrims have wandered round the lake in the course of centuries1 and have seen the dawn and sunset1 but have never witnessed the display which we gazed upon from the middle of the holy lake on this memorable night4 ,but soon the magical effects of light and colour1 which have quickly followed one another and held me entranced1 fade away4 ,the country assumes its usual aspect1 and is overshadowed by dense clouds4 ,kailas and ,gurla ,mandatta vanish entirely1 and only a snowy crest far away to the north-west is still dyed a deep carmine1 only yonder a sheaf of sunbeams penetrates through an opening in the clouds4 ,in that direction the mirror of the lake is tinged blue1 but to the south green4 ,the wild-geese have waked up1 and they are heard cackling on their joyous flights1 and now and then a gull or tern screams4 ,bundles of seaweed float about4 ,the sky is threatening1 but the air is calm1 and only gentle swells1 smooth as polished metal1 disturb the water1 which looks like the clearest curao4 ,the boat moves with weary slowness to its destination1 for now1 at six o'clock in the morning1 my oarsmen are tired and sleepy and quite at an end of their strength4 ,they sleep and row alternately4 ,hem-mala-hm calls out ,shukkur ,ali1 accenting the last syllable1 when he energetically grasps his oar1 but he goes to sleep between1 and the oar hovers in the air2 his own voice wakes him up1 he dips the oar in and goes to sleep again4 ,illustration3 #bdh4 ,,robert ,,in ,,the ,,boat4 ,the hours pass by1 but there is no sign that we are nearing our destination4 ,we cannot decide which bank is nearest1 and we seem to be in the centre of this boundless lake4 ,in the midst of ,gurla ,mandatta is seen a huge deeply eroded ravine1 its entrance standing out picturesquely below the dense mantle of clouds4 ,for a moment1 when all around lay buried in shadow1 the interior was lighted up by the sun1 and it presented a fantastic appearance1 resembling a portal into a hall of the gigantic dome lighted up by innumerable candles4 ,the valleys and erosion channels between the different spurs of the massive are sharply defined1 and wind down to the lake among flat cones of detritus1 the outer margins of which cause the variations in the depth of the bottom4 ,this now increases again to #bjj1 #bjc1 #bac1 and #bdj feet4 ,at fourteen points1 these included1 the bottom temperature is observed4 ,the sounding occupies a considerable time4 ,the line must first be paid out to the #bcj feet1 and then be held still till the thermometer has assumed the bottom temperature1 and then it must be drawn up again1 the depth must be noted1 the thermometer read1 the temperature of the surface water and the air must be ascertained1 and the log-reading taken4 ,five furlongs to the north the smooth swell shows a curious fiery yellow colour1 and ,i cannot make out the origin of this singular reflexion4 ,the clouds gather in the south-west1 and a breeze sweeps over the lake1 producing waves which retard still more the progress of the boat4 ,rehim ,ali cannot keep himself awake any longer1 and ,shukkur ,ali is very comical in his overpowering sleepiness4 ,the old man looks like a weather-beaten sea-dog in a south-wester--his ,ladaki cap with its spreading flaps4 ,he snoozes innocently with his oars up1 and rows again and again in the air1 still calling out his constant ,shu-ba-la-la4 ,he talks in his sleep4 ,rehim ,ali wakes up and asks him what is the matter1 and no one knows what it is all about4 ,towards seven o'clock the dustman pays me a visit1 but is not admitted4 ,only for a moment ,i see red wild asses running over the water1 hear harps playing sweetly in the air1 and behold the great black head of a sea-serpent rise above the waves and then sink down again2 green dolphins and small whales arch their backs among the waves--but no1 ,i must keep awake1 for a storm may come down upon us any moment4 ,i give my boatmen a good douche with the hollow of my hand1 wash my own hands and face1 and order breakfast--a hard-boiled goose egg1 a piece of bread1 and a bowl of milk1 and then ,i light my pipe and am as lively again as a lark4 ,at the twentieth sounding-place1 #bei feet deep1 the other two follow my example4 ,at nine o'clock1 when we have been exactly twelve hours on the water1 we sound a depth of #bfh4d feet1 but the south-western shore seems to our eyes as far off as ever4 ,rehim ,ali thinks it is awful to have so much water under the keel4 ,the clouds on ,gurla lift a little1 and we see deeper into the recesses of the great valley the more we come opposite its mouth4 ,the lower points of the snowfields come into sight below the clouds4 ,west of them is seen a broad erosion channel1 grey with detritus and dotted with dark brushwood4 ,the water reflects the forms of the mountains like a mirror2 it turns blue when the sky is clear1 but green again as soon as the clouds gather4 ,a shoal of fishes plays in the water and splashes on the surface4 ,and again the hours of the day pass by4 ,we glide slowly forwards1 now over calm rising swell1 whispering gently as spirit voices1 now over small pyramidal waves produced by the meeting of two systems of undulations from different directions4 ,four small squalls from different quarters threaten us1 but we catch only a flip of their tails1 which cannot stir up the waves to a dangerous height4 ,the last1 from the south-east1 is the strongest1 and then the sail is hoisted4 ,but still the shore seems far distant2 perhaps ,tsering was right with his ,lamaistic wisdom4 ,all details1 however1 become sharper and clearer4 ,gurla turns three mighty gables towards the lake1 and between them huge fans of detritus and erosion channels come to view4 ,the fans become flatter towards the shore1 and extend under the water down to the greatest depths of the lake2 on the north shore1 where a wide plain lies1 the lake bottom might be expected to sink more slowly4 ,gurla is a splendid background to the holy lake--no artist in the world could conceive anything more magnificent and interesting4 ,then we sounded #bec1 #bdc1 #bec1 #bbc1 #aij1 #agg1 and #hb feet1 and perceived at length that the shore was near1 for yaks and sheep were visible on the hills4 ,the sea was now fairly high1 and we had to bale the boat twice1 and my fur coat on the bottom was wet4 ,the two tired and sleepy men laboured painfully at the oars4 ,we talked of how pleasant it would be to land1 kindle a fire1 and take our tea and food1 but the shore still retired before us1 and the hours of the afternoon slipped past4 ,gurla seemed to rise in the south directly from the water1 its level skirts and low slopes being much foreshortened4 ,the monks of the monastery here do not depend for water on the brooks1 but drink the holy water of the lake1 which has in reality the taste of the purest1 most wholesome1 spring water4 ,its crystal purity and dark greenish-blue colour are as beautiful as the flavour1 and to pilgrims from a distance the water of ,manasarowar is preferable to sparkling champagne4 ,at last we were released from imprisonment in the boat4 ,we saw the bottom through the clear water1 and a few strokes of the oar brought the boat to a wall of clay and decaying weeds1 which the winter ice had pushed up on the bank4 ,inside the wall lies a longish lagoon1 with mud in which one sinks to the knee4 ,the time was half-past one1 so we had been #af hours on the lake4 ,but when we had reached the shore we found it impossible to get on land4 ,after ,i had thought over the matter1 while the men looked about them1 we rowed northwards1 and after an hour and a half discovered a place where the boat could be drawn ashore4 ,then we had been eighteen hours on the water4 ,a herdsman was seen1 but he made off quickly4 ,fuel was collected and a fire lighted4 ,tea was infused and mutton fried1 and when the three of us had eaten our dinner a temporary tent was constructed of the oars1 mast1 and sail1 in which ,i lay down to sleep towards seven o'clock1 wrapped in my fur1 and with the life-buoys for a pillow4 ,i had toiled for thirty-one hours continuously1 so ,i went to sleep at once1 and knew nothing of the storm which raged all night1 or of the twenty-five pilgrims who passed by at dawn on their circuit of the holy lake4 ,,chapter ,,xlv ,,more ,,lake ,,voyages ,i was awakened at six o'clock1 having felt no cold in the night1 for the minimum temperature was #dj4 ,the morning was fine1 only too warm2 the pilgrims had gone away2 we ate our breakfast1 pushed the boat into the water1 and rowed about #ij yards from the shore towards the north-north-east and north-north-west1 describing a slight bend to camp ,no4 #bad4 ,on our left hand was a row of pebble mounds1 gradually rising to the top of the promontory which separates ,manasarowar from ,rakas-tal4 ,soon the monastery ,gossul-gompa was seen on its pebble terrace1 nearly #acj feet high1 like a swallow's nest hanging over the lake4 ,a group of lamas stood silently watching the boat2 they had never in their lives seen such a contrivance on the holy lake4 ,when we drew near they vanished like rats into their holes1 and only an old man remained sitting by a balustrade4 ,i asked him the name of the monastery1 and he said ,gossul-gompa4 ,the next point shut out the convent4 ,the shore lagoons continue1 though the margin below the hills is only #cj to #fj feet broad4 ,the clay in which the lagoons are embedded is impermeable to water1 but the lake has only to rise a couple of feet to find an outlet over the sandbank behind into the ,rakas-tal1 or ,langak-tso1 on the west4 ,and when the channel at the north-west corner is silted up1 as it is now1 the ,manasarowar has a subterranean outlet to the neighbouring lake1 and its water consequently remains perfectly fresh4 ,i now intended to camp a little to the north at some suitable spot1 and thence row the following day over the lake to our headquarters near ,serolung-gompa4 ,we took bearings of a cinnabar-red hill lying on the north side of a slightly indented bay of the western shore4 ,a fresh southerly breeze was blowing1 we hoisted the sail1 and flew whizzing over the lake4 ,the pilgrims watched our voyage with the greatest astonishment1 and the monks of ,gossul cautiously followed us on the hills1 no doubt wondering how such sacrilege would end4 ,the wild-geese swam with their young ones out into the lake1 while other swimming birds took themselves off some #ajj yards inland1 perhaps taking the boat for a curious water-bird of unusual size4 ,we went ashore at the red promontory1 and while fuel was being collected and the camp arranged1 ,i reconnoitred the neighbourhood from the heights above the landing-place4 ,on the inner side of the shallow bay ,i found a hollow with its bottom lower than the surface of the lake1 and filled with salt water1 and on the west side of this swamp lies the lowest dip in the isthmus separating the twin lakes4 ,up there runs the pilgrim road1 worn down by hundreds of thousands of weary feet4 ,three armed horsemen rode along the way4 ,they came up without dismounting1 and evidently did not know what to make of me4 ,they could easily have taken me prisoner now that ,i was separated from my men1 but they did not think of it1 and rode on4 ,a furious storm swept over the lake1 its surface was wildly agitated1 and covered with white horses4 ,the farther1 eastern part was of a deep green colour1 while on our western shore it was lighter4 ,the water of the shore lagoons was dark purple from the reflexion of the dense clouds4 ,towards four o'clock the air became oppressively still1 then the wind sprang up1 and an equally violent north-west storm came down raging and roaring4 ,the wild south-easterly waves were suppressed by it1 and the undulations remained uncertain till the new wave system was established4 ,there was rain in many places round the lake1 but we felt only a few drops4 ,about six o'clock the sky looked threatening1 with pitch-dark clouds all around1 and not a trace could be seen of the eastern shore2 we seemed to stand on the coast of the ocean4 ,soon after the wind veered round to the east-south-east1 and then the surf beat all the evening against our beach4 ,how fortunate that the weather had not been like this the evening before6 ,we sat two hours by the fire and talked4 ,its flames flickered and darted in all directions1 so that they singed ,shukkur ,ali's goat's beard4 ,the weather was still so threatening that we made a shelter of the boat1 in which ,i lay down early to sleep4 ,before dozing off ,i listened to the roar of the waves1 and thought ,i heard all kinds of mysterious sounds in the night1 but it was only the cry of water-birds and the howling of the wind among the hills4 ,the men had orders to call me before sunrise1 for we must hasten if we wished to reach camp ,no4 #bab before darkness set in4 ,it was scarcely light when ,i came out of my shelter4 ,the last provisions were consumed by the morning fire1 and then we put off about half-past four in dull1 disagreeable weather4 ,the strong west wind carried us rapidly away from the shore--indeed1 it was really too strong for our sail and mast1 but it took us on and doubled our pace4 ,we had been sheltered under the hills1 but when we were a few minutes from the beach the lake became uncomfortably rough4 ,but it was of little consequence1 for we sailed with the waves and took in no water4 ,the men1 too1 were more alive than on the first nocturnal voyage4 ,they had evidently made up their minds to reach their destination before night1 and they rowed like galley-slaves with the whip hanging over them2 they seemed to run a race with the west wind1 and try to get away before the waves rose too madly4 ,the water hissed and foamed round the boat1 and bubbled in the wake as when butter is browned in a pan1 and beneath us the lake boiled up4 ,it was a fine voyage as we rocked1 spinning rapidly over the holy waves4 ,illustration3 #bdi4 ,,sheep-,,shearing ,,at ,,tugu-,,gompa ,,on ,,manasarowar4 ,shukkur ,ali's refrain to the strokes of the oars is now ,ya pat1 parvardigar ,rabel1 alehmin or ,illallah1 while ,rehim ,ali responds to the cry of his comrade with ,haap--the p jerked out quickly and loudly like an explosion--and with the refrain ,illallah1 or ,svalallah4 ,the ,arabic words are1 as usual in ,ladak1 much corrupted1 but they lighten the work1 and after ,shukkur ,ali had yelled them out thirty-five times in a minute for nine hours as loudly as his vocal cords would let him1 he was dreadfully hoarse in the evening4 ,then the soundings were #aca1 #aga1 #aga1 #agg1 #agg1 #ahe1 #ahg1 and #agg4 ,out beyond the abrasion terrace and its rather steep escarpment1 the lake bottom is practically level4 ,hanging cloud fringes show that rain is pouring down in torrents on most sides1 but we escape it4 ,my excellent boatmen row twice as fast as on the first night1 but it is impossible to induce them to row in time4 ,if ,i loose the rudder a moment1 my boat falls off to the north or south instead of making east1 where camp ,no4 #bab lies4 ,if it is dark before we reach the shore1 our men are to light a pile of wood to guide us4 ,the day draws to an end1 the wind sweeps away the clouds1 and they seem to gather round the mountains1 which form a grand wreath around this pearl of lakes4 ,the wind dies quite away1 the sun scorches my weather-beaten face1 and it is trying to the eyes when the sparkling gold of the sunbeams falls straight upon them4 ,their blinding light makes it difficult to distinguish our goal1 but ,i hold the compass in my hand4 ,the waves sink and become more languid1 and the sea is again smooth as glass4 ,now we move more slowly1 for the wind no longer pushes behind1 but the men are unwearied2 their boat-song dies away over the water1 awaking no echo4 ,the hills of the eastern shore show no perceptible difference in size between one sounding-point and the next4 ,i sit dreaming1 the rhythmical song and the splashing of the oars exercising a soporific effect4 ,i seem to hear the tramp of a horse which bears a rider in silver harness over the granite mountains of the ,trans-,himalaya through an unknown land1 and in the dream ,i perceive that the features of the rider are my own4 ,then ,i am sad1 for the dream is false4 ,i have certainly crossed the ,trans-,himalaya by three passes1 but the most important part of the exploration has not been accomplished4 ,that ,i have done my utmost in dealing both with the ,tibetans and the ,chinese to gain access to the country north of the ,tsangpo is no consolation to me4 ,if one can storm the opposing bulwark of ,nature1 one should be able to overcome the obstinacy of man4 ,up yonder in the north1 behind ,kailas1 the ,trans-,himalaya extends its granite ramparts1 and ,i must go there though it cost me my life4 ,i must go there1 if ,i clothe myself in the rags of a mendicant lama and beg my way from one black tent to another4 ,but we are still on the holy lake2 it is a day of rest and a summer's day4 ,i feel the skin of my face cracked by the burning of the sun4 ,the hours crawl so slowly over the lake2 patience1 patience4 ,the clouds display wonderful tone-effects2 white and grey1 sharply defined1 they lie in different stages before the mountains1 and behind them dark blue and purple curtains seem to hang down4 ,we might be gliding over the bright floor of a temple hall1 its walls richly decorated with flags and standards1 which hang down from golden hooks on the ceiling of the sky1 and touch the dust of earth with their fringes4 ,the genii of ,siva's paradise seem to hover round us4 ,now ,shukkur ,ali has taken to a new cry3 ,ya aferin adtt1 to which he adds ,ya1 ,allah1 as he lifts his oar1 and ,rehim ,ali chimes in with ,shupp4 ,the depth still remains about #ahj feet4 ,to the south-east curious clouds are reflected in the lake1 and a mist seems to be creeping over the water4 ,all the tones are so light1 airy1 and grey that the landscape1 which surrounds us like a ring where the water ends1 seems hardly real4 ,the twin summits of ,pundi on the north-east are dark and solemn1 and equally dark and solemn is the mirror of the lake4 ,silver beads drop from the oars and glitter like diamonds in the sun4 ,i could live and die on this heavenly lake without ever growing weary of the wonderful spectacle always presenting fresh surprises4 ,meanwhile a light south-easterly breeze disturbs again all the reflexions4 ,the valleys ,pachen and ,pachung open their doors wider and wider1 and allow us to see deeper into the recesses of the mountain4 ,we recognize the hills above camp ,no4 #bab1 but the tents are not visible4 ,but we see a white spot on the northern shore which we take for a gompa4 ,the depth is somewhat over #aig feet2 ,ya bismillah hum6 is ,shukkur ,ali's exclamation4 ,at the sixteenth point the depth has again decreased1 the south-easterly breeze has ceased1 and the lake is again a sheet of glass4 ,now the tents can be seen as tiny specks1 and we hope to complete this line also without a storm4 ,a long1 low1 smooth swell of closely following waves1 like the wake of a distant steamer1 comes to meet us4 ,how has it been produced1 since the lake is quite peaceful8 ,perhaps by a slight convulsion of the earth's crust1 which has disturbed the shore4 ,the undulations on this round lake are very peculiar4 ,at point ,no4 #bj the depth is only #abh feet1 and now we have not far to go4 ,crack6 ,shukkur ,ali's oar broke off in the middle with a bang1 and the boat drew rapidly away from the blade end1 which had to be picked up4 ,the good man was so dumbfoundered and bewildered that he stammered1 ,that does not matter1 and went on rowing with the shaft in the air4 ,now1 when the tents were so near1 he had developed too much strength4 ,it is well that the old man does not burst himself1 ,i thought4 ,we tied the parts together with a piece of string4 ,there was a stir on the shore when we landed4 ,the waiting men showed by word and gesture how glad they were to have us back again after giving way to all kinds of dismal forebodings about our sad fate4 ,just as they caught sight of the boat out on the lake1 ,robert was about to send out patrols up and down the shore4 ,all was well in the camp1 except that the ,tibetans were troubled because their provisions were at an end4 ,i gave them money to buy tsamba at the monastery4 ,in the evening ,i discussed with ,robert a plan of rowing southwards to investigate the lake bit by bit4 ,we bought a plank and two staves in ,serolung1 and on the first leisure day ,shukkur ,ali cut out with an axe two excellent oars1 after a pattern ,i had cut for him from the lid of a cigarette box4 ,on the next day1 the anniversary of my arrival in ,leh1 a new month began4 ,every time ,i write in my diary the first1 ,i wonder what the new month holds in its lap--new discoveries or new disappointments8 ,but ,i hope always1 and believe that all will come right at last4 ,rabsang and ,tundup ,sonam rowed1 and ,robert steered along the three-feet line about #ee yards from the land1 while ,i sat in the bow1 compass in hand1 and drew a map of the shore-line1 the hills and valleys1 and all the details that are characteristic of a lake4 ,charles ,a4 ,sherring states in his book on western ,tibet that ,mr4 ,drummond1 ,commissioner of ,bareilly1 sailed in #ahee in a boat on ,manasarowar1 but no result has come to my knowledge2 on the contrary1 ,i find that the very latest map of the lake needs a thorough correction4 ,soundings had never been taken before1 and the object of my boating expeditions was to collect material for a detailed isobathic map4 ,when we left behind us the basin of the ,brahmaputra at the pass ,tamlung1 ,i had already suspected that ,manasarowar was a member of the hydrographic system of the ,sutlej1 and ,i wished to try if ,i could not make a contribution towards the solution of this problem4 ,i knew that my investigations could only be inadequate1 but they yielded a number of facts hitherto unknown4 ,among these are the systematic sounding of the bed1 by means of which conclusions may be drawn as to the origin and formation of the lake4 ,i soon convinced myself that the lake depression had been excavated by old glaciers from the southern mountains1 as ,i at first conjectured1 and was not dammed up by moraine walls across the broad valley4 ,but want of space forbids me to enter fully into a discussion of this interesting question4 ,we glide in a flat curve to the south-west1 and have to increase our distance from the shore that we may not run aground on the sandy bottom4 ,the water at this season of the year has a fairly constant temperature of about #ej4 ,then we approach the mouth of the ,tage-tsangpo4 ,for about two-thirds of a mile the river flows parallel to the shore of the lake1 being separated from it by an embankment #ac feet high1 which has been cast up by the waves and the pressure of the ice4 ,here we encamped among driftsand and bushes1 and measured the ,tage-tsangpo4 ,its breadth was #ef4h feet1 its maximum depth #c4d feet1 and its discharge #cig4f cubic feet a second1 or #ajf cubic feet more than where we last gauged it above the ,na-marden affluent4 ,i have already related how we first came in contact with this river at the pass ,tam-lung-la2 its source stream1 the ,gang-lung-chu or water of the ice valley1 comes from the ,gang-lung mountain in the south1 and so there is a glacier or ice valley in this mountain which is the origin of the ,tage-tsangpo4 ,it is seen from the ,tam-lung-la1 and is the glacier which ,i venture to call the ,sutlej's genetic source or the real original source4 ,we shall return to this attractive problem4 ,from every camp on the lake ,robert rowed out with two men at right angles to the beach1 sounding the depth every five minutes4 ,by means of these radiating lines we discovered the saucer-shaped form of the lake1 for1 as ,i have already remarked1 the lake bottom is on the whole very even4 ,now1 from camp ,no4 #bae1 ,robert rowed out to a depth of #aba feet4 ,on ,august #b we continued our boating excursion1 while the caravan marched along the shore4 ,all went excellently well1 we heard not a word of any officials in pursuit of us1 and the ,tibetans placed yaks and mules at our disposal with the greatest willingness4 ,a couple of showers fell1 loud thunder rolled in ,gurla ,mandatta1 and a violent south-westerly breeze forced us to come to a halt and wait at a place on the shore where the brook from the ,nima-pendi valley debouches1 forming a delta within a broken mole4 ,fish are plentiful in the brook1 but here also the ,tibetans asked us not to catch them1 and we respected their wishes--only stupid and uncouth men wound the religious feelings of others4 ,by this brook the lake receives a tribute of #di4d cubic feet per second1 while the ,richung-chu entering farther to the west-south-west contributes #fc4f cubic feet4 ,we passed ,yanggo-gompa under sail at a rather short distance1 and steered straight for ,tugu-gompa1 picturesquely situated on a strand terrace4 ,here begin the long lagoons and mud embankment we had seen from the western beach1 and we were carried comfortably ashore and greeted politely by a band of ,hindus consisting of pilgrims and traders4 ,a number of ,tibetan shepherds from the north were staying here1 where a not unimportant wool market is held every summer4 ,a group of monks stood on the roof4 ,our camp was pitched close to the foot of the monastery1 on the shore road1 and had a fine view over the lake and ,kailas behind it4 ,at the southern wall of the convent is a yard enclosed by a stone wall1 where #ejj sheep were packed like herrings in a barrel1 to be shorn in turn by ,hindus and ,botias who come from ,almora and the border country in the south4 ,the nomads receive eight annas 7#h;d47 for every sheep1 good interest on their live capital4 ,the wool from #ejj sheep is said to amount to #af yak-loads 7,illust4 #bdi74 ,illustration3 #bej4 ,,the ,,god ,,of ,,the ,,lake ,,rising ,,from ,,tso-,,mavang4 ,sketch by the ,author4 ,we paid at once a visit to the monastery1 where the thirteen monks and their abbot1 ,tabga ,rinchen1 received us with the greatest kindness and politeness1 showed us everything1 and explained to us the various temple halls4 ,they had heard of my voyages on the lake1 and had now seen with their own eyes my boat sailing before a favourable wind1 and they expressed their sincere conviction that ,i must possess occult powers to defy with impunity the god of the holy lake4 ,but they understood that this was owing to my friendship with the ,tashi ,lama1 who had given me his holy blessing4 ,the monastery ,tugu-gompa is a dependency of ,shibeling-gompa in ,purang1 and most of the monks come from there to spend three years on the lake4 ,they own herds in ,chang-tang1 trade1 and seem to be in good circumstances2 at any rate1 they help the poor pilgrims who have nothing to eat on their wanderings round ,tso-mavang4 ,they receive gifts from well-to-do pilgrims4 ,the temple halls are picturesque1 handsome and in very good order4 ,you enter from an upper balcony into an outer hall with wall paintings1 among which is a picture of ,tso-mavang with the fish-god1 ,mad ,gemo1 rising from the waves 7,illust4 #bej74 ,he has seven water-snakes in his hair1 and the lower part of his body is like a green dolphin4 ,the lake is as deep as it is broad1 and concentric rings encircle the rising god4 ,the abbot said that the fish-god comes up to greet the god of ,tso-mavang1 ,hlabsen ,dorche ,barva1 who gallops in a cloud of grey fiery tongues and smoke on a pink horse1 and is armed with spear1 bow and quiver4 ,in the background stands ,kang-rinpoche1 the holy mountain4 ,the whole picture is wanting in perspective and proportion1 but it is curious and interesting1 and the ,lamaist artist has done his best to idealize the holy lake by his drawing and colouring4 ,i made a copy of this work of art1 which has some relationship with our old country paintings4 ,from the entrance hall a small door gives access to the holiest shrine in all ,tugu-gompa1 namely1 the hall of the lake god4 ,he is represented only as a mask1 surrounded by kadakhs1 and seems to peep out from between curtains4 ,a couple of flames burn before him and the usual bowls are placed on a stool table4 ,no man but the monks themselves may enter this little alcove1 but ,i obtained permission to sit on the threshold and draw a sketch of it 7,illust4 #bea74 ,i regarded this unknown ,hlabsen ,dorche ,barva almost with reverence1 for he ruled over my beloved lake and had been so gracious to me4 ,but the finest sight of all was the view from the monastery roof4 ,the highest parts of ,gurla ,mandatta1 here called ,mama-nani or ,mamo-nani1 were concealed by the lower flanks1 for we were too near to it1 but the surface of the lake stretched out northwards to an immense distance4 ,a lama1 who had served at several different times in the convent1 asserted that the lake rose #bd to #bh inches in rainy summers1 and declared that eighteen years before the water had reached to the foot of the red faade of the monastery4 ,this seemed improbable1 for the distance between the lake and the monastery was #cbc feet1 and the foot of the convent faade 7the right corner looking from the strand7 lay #bj4fg feet above the level of the lake4 ,i quote these figures to enable a future explorer to determine whether the lake has risen or fallen since ,august #b1 #aijg4 ,i passed the next days in the monastery1 sketched the lamas at their various temple services1 and fell in love with this pleasant1 handsome ,tugu-gompa4 ,punso ,lama1 a young monk1 was my particular friend1 and showed me everything with the inexhaustible knowledge of a trained museum attendant4 ,three officials of the ,devashung had established themselves in the entrance hall in the company of the four ghostly kings1 and mattresses1 bundles1 tables1 swords and guns lay or stood in profane disorder at the entrance to the dwelling of the high gods 7,illusts4 #beb1 #bec1 #beg74 ,meanwhile ,robert rowed out from the southern shore1 and sounded the depths down to the contour of #bjg feet4 ,on ,august #e1 we paid a visit to ,yanggo-gompa1 which contains ten monks and a nun4 ,they told me that they came from the ,hor country in the north of central ,tibet1 and therefore call themselves ,horpa1 but also ,dokpa2 the ,changpa are the nomads of ,chang-tang4 ,the abbot is from ,sekiya-gompa4 ,in the monastery's gunkang1 a dark subterranean crypt1 hang masks1 kadakhs1 drums1 spears and guns4 ,i asked for what purpose the monks wanted the firearms1 as one of their fundamental dogmas forbids them to extinguish the light of life1 and they answered that with these guns many wild yaks had been killed1 whose flesh had been used for human food1 and that therefore the guns had been installed in a place of honour in the monastery4 ,yamba ,tsering1 a monk twenty-two years old1 sat with his head against a wooden pillar1 and gazed in silence at the dim light which fell into the crypt through an impluvium2 he looked like a dreamer1 a searcher after hidden truth 7,illust4 #bef74 ,beside him sat the wrinkled nun4 ,both found their way into my sketch-book 7,illusts4 #beh1 #bei74 ,the foot of the monastery faade lies exactly #ad feet above the level of the lake1 and the river ,richen-chu1 entering the lake behind the convent1 discharges #fb4ae cubic feet of water4 ,yanggo-gompa was the third of the eight monasteries of the holy lake which ,i had visited1 and ,i wished to see them all without exception4 ,and ,i also wished to gauge all the streams falling into the lake4 ,it fluctuates from day to day1 according as there is rain or sunshine1 but only by exact measurements could ,i arrive at the volume which is poured into the clear basin of ,tso-mavang during a day of summer4 ,,chapter ,,xlvi ,a ,,stormy ,,voyage ,,over ,,the ,,holy ,,lake ,on ,august #f we stayed at ,tugu-gompa1 one of the most interesting monasteries ,i have seen in ,tibet4 ,i was engaged all day long1 with ,robert and ,rabsang to assist me1 in measuring with a tape the dimensions of the three storeys1 and drawing plans of them4 ,the third1 however1 is little more than a roof balcony4 ,i have no space to give the results here4 ,as we were on the roof1 eight monks were sitting in the inner court counting their receipts1 which were duly entered in a cash-book4 ,their rupees and tengas lay in heaps on a short-legged table4 ,i gave a handful of rupees1 throwing them among the piles1 and disturbing the calculations of the monks4 ,however1 they were very thankful for this unexpected contribution1 which seemed to fall from heaven4 ,about thirty ,hindu pilgrims set up their shabby tents near us4 ,in the evening they lighted a fire on a flat metal dish1 which was pushed out on to the water1 and shone like a beacon fire by the bank4 ,this floating pyre was meant as a homage to the lake4 ,on ,august #g ,i was awakened early when the sun was pouring fresh gold over the blue lake1 and a lama on the convent roof was blowing long-drawn heavy notes from his shell horn over the surface4 ,i hastened to the shore where the boat lay ready with its usual equipment1 ,shukkur ,ali and ,tundup ,sonam put the sounding-line in order and stowed our baggage4 ,the ,hindus lined the bank like the wild-geese1 left their clothing on land1 and waded1 with only a cloth round their loins1 to bathe in the holy beatifying water of the lake4 ,it must be very refreshing to people from the close jungles of ,india to wash in such a cool morning in water at only a few degrees above freezing-point4 ,most of them1 however1 go in no farther than up to their knees4 ,there they squat down1 or scoop up the water in their joined hands1 and throw it over them4 ,they make symbolical signs1 fill their mouth with water and send it out in a stream1 hold their hands flat against their faces and look at the rising sun1 and perform all kinds of absurd1 complicated manipulations1 which ,i remember seeing at the ghts of ,benares4 ,they are sunburnt1 thin and miserable1 and they are too thinly clad--,i did not see a single sheepskin--and they complain of the severity of the climate1 catch chills1 and come to my tent for medicine4 ,some stood about an hour in the water before they returned to the beach to put on their clothing1 and then they sat in groups talking4 ,but they return to the valleys of ,india convinced that they have performed an action well-pleasing to the gods1 and they take with them small metal-bottles filled with holy water from ,manasarowar to give to their relations4 ,they believe that one of the ways of salvation runs past ,manasarowar4 ,they are always hopeful1 and that is a fine thing for poor pilgrims on the face of the earth4 ,illustration3 #bea4 ,,temple ,,hall ,,of ,,the ,,lake-,,god ,,of ,,tso-,,mavang4 ,illustration3 #beb4 ,,chenresi',s ,,image ,,in ,,tugu-,,gompa4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,they stared with astonishment at our boat1 which was driven out from the shore by powerful strokes1 perhaps with envious eyes1 for many asked me afterwards to let them go with me1 that they might for the rest of their lives look back to the time when they floated on the sacred waves4 ,the lake lay smooth and still1 but at the first sounding-station 7#aae feet71 the lake god shook himself1 a north-westerly breeze sprang up1 and the waves splashed and danced briskly against our bow1 for our third line of soundings was carried north1 #bg ,w41 towards camp ,no4 #bad4 ,we sounded #agd1 #bjg1 #bbf1 #bcf1 #bcf1 #bdf1 and #bec feet1 while the waves increased1 and the boat rode well but with diminished speed4 ,gurla ,mandatta was almost clear1 but ,kailas was buried in clouds4 ,the wind fell and the sun glowed1 and everything foretold a fine day4 ,at the ninth point the depth was less1 #bdf feet2 we had passed the line of soundings made in the night and its great depths4 ,afterwards the depths were #bbc1 #aig1 #ahg1 #aid1 and #bjj feet4 ,the north-westerly breeze began to blow again1 and at mid-day clouds gathered in the north4 ,a heavy bluish-grey layer of clouds sank down slowly on the mountain flanks1 and from its under side rain fringes hung down1 greyish-purple on a compact dark background4 ,all the mountains and the whole strand disappeared1 and the masses of cloud seemed as though they would fall on the lake4 ,we passed the fifteenth station1 which showed a depth of #bjj feet1 and kept a steady course towards the red promontory4 ,the rowers put forth all their strength when ,i had pointed out to them that we were drawing near to the shelter of the bank1 and that the waves were becoming smaller the farther we advanced4 ,we had left ,gossul-gompa a good distance to the left2 ,i could not see the monastery myself1 but the men saw it as a small white speck in the distance4 ,just before one o'clock yellow swirls of dust and sand appeared near the landspit which we were making for4 ,they became denser and larger1 and looked yellow and dismal on the dark purple background of gathering clouds4 ,it was not the first time ,i had seen such storm warnings4 ,we are in for a storm1 ,i said quietly4 ,god is with us1 replied ,shukkur ,ali quite as calmly4 ,row on and we shall get in before the waves are high4 ,if we turn straight to the shore1 it will be nearer1 suggested ,shukkur ,ali4 ,no1 we will not alter the course1 we will make straight for our goal1 and we shall soon be in the shelter of the hills on the shore2 there are only three soundings to be taken1 and they can be left for another time4 ,the wind fell again1 and it began to rain in a few large drops1 which on reaching the surface of the water remained an instant as separate round beads1 as though they were covered with a film of oil4 ,then followed an extremely heavy shower of hail which lashed the water as it streamed down1 enveloped us in semi-darkness1 caused the lake to leap up in millions of tiny fountains1 and in two minutes made the inside of the boat white4 ,nothing was visible but ourselves and the boat1 only water and hail1 which scourged the lake like rods and produced a hissing gurgle4 ,now and then the clouds were lighted up by quivering lightning1 and the thunder growled heavily and threateningly in the north4 ,then the men turned round1 but could see nothing in the mist2 they were uneasy and we all felt that there was danger ahead4 ,the hail was followed by pelting rain1 a downpour of such furious impetuosity that ,i could not imagine any more tremendous4 ,it fell in such quantities and with such force that we were bowed down by it4 ,i had on three shirts and a leather vest1 but after a short time ,i felt that the water was streaming down my bare skin1 which had this advantage that all the future douches that awaited us could make no further impression4 ,i had my fur coat on my knees with the skin side up1 and in all its hollows the water collected in small pools4 ,a quantity of water fell into the boat and washed about with the stroke of the oars4 ,the shore was not visible1 and ,i steered by the compass4 ,row on1 we have not much farther to go4 ,at length the rain became finer1 but at four minutes after one o'clock1 we heard a deafening roar in the north-east1 a sound such as only a storm of the greatest violence can produce4 ,hail and rain were nothing to it2 now that the heavy sheets of water were withdrawn the storm had a free course and swept suddenly and furiously over the lake4 ,why had we not started an hour earlier1 instead of watching the religious ablutions of the ,hindus8 ,no1 the god of ,tso-mavang was angry and would teach us once for all not to treat so lightly the lake which splashes his dolphin's tail with its green water4 ,how we envied the monks in ,gossul-gompa1 and our men down in the south under the peaceful walls of the ,tugu monastery6 ,what would they say1 what would they do1 if we were drowned like cats in this raging lake8 ,for a minute we struggled frantically to keep our course in spite of the waves which swept upon us from the right4 ,they swelled up with astonishing rapidity1 and every wave which dashed against the taut canvas of the boat and dissolved into spray1 made a cracking sound as though the little vessel were about to burst4 ,the next was still larger2 ,i warded it off with my ,indian helmet1 and ,tundup ,sonam received a cold buffet which disconcerted him for a moment4 ,after the third1 which threw its foaming crest over the gunwale1 the water stood #d inches deep in the boat1 the little nutshell with the weight of three men lay far too deep in the water1 and the water we had shipped gurgled1 lapped1 and splashed hither and thither with the roll of the boat4 ,now ,i perceived that the attempt to hold our course was hopeless4 ,we must fall off with the wind and waves4 ,we had ,gossul-gompa to the south1 #ej ,w41 and the storm was from the north-east2 we could find refuge in the monastery1 if we could get so far4 ,the difficulty was to turn at right angles without capsizing4 ,twice ,i failed1 and we shipped more water1 but the third time ,i succeeded1 and now1 if we had any care for our lives we must prevent the boat from veering up into the wind2 the storm came a little from the right4 ,tundup ,sonam1 who rowed the starboard oar in the bow1 had all the work1 while ,shukkur ,ali had only to dip in his oar occasionally at my command1 but though outwardly calm he was too excited and eager1 and when my voice could not be heard amid the howling of the storm1 ,i put my hand on his knuckles to make him leave the oar alone4 ,now began a voyage such as ,i had never experienced in all my journeys in ,tibet4 ,the storm increased to a hurricane1 and under its pressure the waves became as high as the billows of the ,baltic in stormy weather2 a steamer would have rolled in such a sea1 and we in the little canvas boat had to negotiate the unexpected cross rolls following one another4 ,lashed1 hunted1 and persecuted by the raging force of the wind1 we swept over the lake4 ,every new wave that lifted us up seemed bigger than the last4 ,some had sharp smooth crests1 as though moulded out of mountain crystal1 and reflected the dark clouds in the north4 ,it seemed as though a bottomless1 watery grave yawned in front of us which might at any moment swallow up our boat4 ,others came rolling up foam-capped1 hissing and thundering behind us1 and we shuddered at the thought that they might fill the boat in an instant and send it to the bottom1 but it rose bravely over the crests4 ,the view was open on all sides1 the sun was visible in the south1 ,gurla ,mandatta was clear and sharp1 to the south1 #ej ,w41 even the terrace on which ,gossul-gompa stands could be seen1 and it was black and threatening only in the north4 ,during the second when the boat was balanced quivering on the crest of the wave1 we might fancy ourselves transplanted to a lofty pass in ,chang-tang with a world of mountain ranges all round us1 while the foam of the waves had an illusive resemblance to the fields of eternal snow4 ,but this wave also passes on and the boat sinks into a hollow1 we fall into a water grotto1 the nearest waves conceal the view1 the walls of the grotto are of the purest malachite behind us and like emerald in front4 ,now we are lifted up again--,at it1 ,tundup ,sonam1 or the huge foaming crest will thrust us down6--he puts forth all his strength and the wave passes us4 ,it is irregular and reminds us of the pyramidal summit of ,kubi-gangri2 two such crests tower up in front of us1 and their edges are shattered into spray by the wind4 ,they are as transparent as glass1 and through one of them the image of ,gurla ,mandatta's bright white snowfields is refracted as in a magnifying glass4 ,we have a watery portal in front of us and the tips of the waves are gilded with the faint reflexion of the sun in the south4 ,illustration3 #bec4 ,,the ,,lhakang ,,hall ,,in ,,tugu-,,gompa4 ,sketch by the ,author4 ,we struggle bravely and ,i sit on the bottom of the boat pushing the rudder with all my strength to keep the boat in the right direction1 while the spray1 lashed by the wind1 spurts over us as from a fire-hose4 ,frequently a broken crest slips over the gunwale1 but we have not a hand free to bale out the water4 ,we see the boat filling slowly--shall we reach the bank before it sinks8 ,the mast and sail lie with two reserve oars tied fast across the middle of the boat4 ,if we could set a sail the boat would be easier to handle1 but it is not to be thought of now1 when we can hardly keep our balance sitting down and stiffening ourselves with our feet1 with the heavy blows and the unexpected positions the boat assumes according to the form of the waves1 their slopes1 curves and curls4 ,and1 besides1 in such a storm the mast would break like glass4 ,we had turned at right angles to our line of soundings for now we thought only of saving our lives1 if that were possible--to reach the land before the boat sank4 ,then1 in the most critical moment1 when an irregular wave threatened the boat1 ,i called on ,tundup ,sonam to put forth all his strength1 and he did it too well1 so that the oar broke with a crack4 ,now all hung by a hair1 we could not manage the boat and it must inevitably capsize and be swamped under this foaming crest4 ,but ,tundup ,sonam realized the danger1 and with a quick grasp tore loose a reserve oar1 while ,shukkur ,ali backed with the leeward oar2 after another douche we trimmed the boat again4 ,the longer the storm lasts and the larger the expanse of lake left behind us in the north-east1 the higher rise the waves2 we are swept forwards1 we rock up and down on the lumpy lake1 and fresh cold douches are constantly poured over us from the crests as they split into spray like plumes of feathers4 ,how small and helpless we feel in the presence of these roused infuriated forces of ,nature1 how imposing and awful1 and yet how grand and splendid is this spectacle6 ,the two men had never in their lives seen anything to equal it4 ,i sit with my back to the pursuing billows1 but the men have them before their faces1 and ,i know when large waves are approaching by their muttered ,ya ,allah6 ,tundup is as pale as he can be with a sun-tanned skin2 ,shukkur ,ali seems composed1 but he does not sing to-day as he dips in his oar4 ,tundup afterwards confided to me that he was quite convinced that we should perish4 ,it is impossible to keep my eye-glasses dry and clear1 and ,i have not for a long time had a dry thread on me4 ,shukkur ,ali turns round and says that the monastery is in sight1 but it is too far for my eyes4 ,look at the wave yonder1 ,i call out4 ,is it not beautiful8 ,he smiles and murmurs his ,ya ,allah4 ,its crest breaks close to us like a waterfall1 and1 air being forced into the water1 it rises again in bubbling foam and the lake seems to boil and seethe4 ,hitherto there has been drizzling rain1 but now the air is clear4 ,the lake assumes a different hue1 the waves are dark and bright1 close to us black as ink1 but lighter towards their tips1 and the horizon of the lake is often seen through the next wave as through a sheet of ice4 ,thus we are driven on1 and the time seems endless4 ,for five quarters of an hour we have striven with the freaks of the lake god1 and every minute has seemed to us an hour4 ,at last the monastery ,gossul appears and grows larger1 the details becoming distinguishable1 and ,i see the white faade with its upper border of red1 its windows and roof streamers1 and some monks behind a balustrade with their eyes fixed on the boat4 ,and below the cloister terrace there is wild foaming surf4 ,how we are to land ,i cannot imagine2 ,i have experienced such adventures before1 but never anything as furious as to-day4 ,we envy the monks up above with firm ground under their feet1 and should like to be beside them4 ,the log has been out all the time1 and now ,i draw it in with a quick pull and call out to the men to be ready to jump overboard when ,i give the sign4 ,i place the note-book and the map ,i have sketched to-day1 all dripping with water1 into the front of my leather vest1 that at any rate ,i may not lose the figures ,i have obtained4 ,illustration3 #bed4 ,,lama ,,with ,,prayer-,,drum4 ,illustration3 #bee4 ,,lama ,,before ,,the ,,temple ,,door ,,in ,,tugu-,,gompa4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,we have only a few minutes more4 ,with the help of ,shukkur ,ali ,i manage to get out of my heavy soaked boots1 and have scarcely done so when the boat is pitched violently into the breakers on the shore4 ,here the water is as brown as oatmeal1 and the undertow sucks out the boat again4 ,now ,tundup ,sonam wishes to jump out of the boat but ,i advise him to try first with the oar if he can reach the bottom2 he feels no ground and has to wait patiently4 ,the boat receives a blow from behind and threatens to capsize2 the oarsmen work as if they were possessed to fight against the undertow1 and before ,i am aware ,tundup has jumped out1 and1 up to his breast in water1 draws the boat shorewards with all his might4 ,now we two follow his example1 and with our united strength succeed at last in drawing the boat up the beach before the raging surf can dash it to pieces4 ,one more hard pull and we have drawn it up over the mud embankment into the lagoon1 which the waves cannot reach4 ,now we had had enough1 and we threw ourselves down on the sand1 quite tired out4 ,the fearful excitement and tension of body and mind during an hour and a half was followed by stupor and weariness2 we had nothing to say to one another1 and ,i gave no orders for the night4 ,we were shipwrecked men1 and had every reason to be pleased and thankful that we had firm ground under our feet again1 and had escaped safely from the green graves which had yawned below us1 threatening to engulf us if we had not been on the alert in critical moments4 ,we had only dozed a few minutes when two monks and three young novices came gently over the sand and approached us cautiously1 as if they were not quite certain whether we were alive or dead4 ,when we got up they greeted us kindly1 and inquired how we were and whether we needed help4 ,they were deeply interested1 and told us how they had seen from their balcony the boat tossing on the waves1 and had been convinced that it must founder in the unusually violent storm that had swept over the lake4 ,they had been frightened to death1 and said that it was fearful to see the boat sink in the trough of the waves1 and every moment they expected that it would not appear again4 ,on landing we were immediately below them1 and the sight was too terrible4 ,were we hurt at all1 and would we come up into the monastery and spend the night in their warm rooms8 ,but ,i thanked them for their kind offers and preferred to sleep as usual in the open air4 ,if they could get us fuel and food we should be much obliged4 ,they bowed and disappeared in their maze of staircases1 and presently came back with sacks full of dung1 brushwood1 and billets1 and soon a grand fire was burning on the terrace4 ,they kindled it themselves1 for our matches and tinder were quite useless4 ,then they went off to fetch some eatables1 for the contents of our packet of provisions were turned into paste by the water4 ,meanwhile we made ourselves comfortable on the narrow strip of ground below the monastery4 ,two large caves opened into the terrace1 their vaults black with smoke1 for pilgrims and herdsmen spend the night in them4 ,they would have sheltered us from the wind1 but they were so dirty that we preferred to pitch our camp at the edge of the bank4 ,it was wet with rain1 but we scraped out dry sand with our hands4 ,the boat was taken to pieces and emptied--it was half full of water--and then it was set up by the fire as a screen4 ,when the fire had burned up and was glowing hot1 we stripped ourselves stark naked1 wrung out one garment after another1 and crouched by the fire to dry our under-clothing and ourselves4 ,each had to look after himself1 for we were all in the same plight4 ,i spread out my things as near as possible to the fire and hung them over the oars and life-buoys to expose them to the wind and heat4 ,meanwhile ,i dried my woollen vest bit by bit1 turned it inside out1 held it to the fire on this side and that1 out and inside1 and when it was quite dry put it on again4 ,then came the turn of my unmentionables1 then of my stockings1 and so on4 ,nothing could be done with the leather waistcoat and the fur coat2 they would not be dry by night1 but what did it matter8 ,it was at any rate better here than in the crystal halls of the lake king4 ,it is still broad daylight1 but the storm rages1 ,gurla ,mandatta and all the country to the south has disappeared1 for the gale is passing off in that direction4 ,there is fine close rain again4 ,falcons scream in the holes of the pebbly slopes--dangerous neighbours for the bluish-grey pigeons cooing on the rocks4 ,the monks came down again with sweet and sour milk and tsamba1 tea we had ourselves1 and the simple dinner tasted delicious4 ,then we sat a couple of hours by the fire while the storm continued4 ,i dried my diary and entered the notes which form the contents of this chapter4 ,between whiles ,shukkur ,ali entertained me with stories of his adventures during his travels in the service of ,younghusband and ,wellby4 ,now that he had escaped death by the skin of his teeth1 the past returned more vividly to his memory1 and when once he was started on his reminiscences he could not be stopped1 good old ,shukkur ,ali4 ,i listened with one ear and wrote with the other--,i had almost said--not to appear uninterested2 and1 after all1 the chief thing to ,shukkur ,ali was that he could prattle4 ,at last the northern sky becomes clear1 and all the mountains are white with snow2 before only ,kailas and its next neighbours were distinguished by white caps1 but now all is white4 ,we are certainly past the early days of ,august1 but is it possible that autumn is already beginning8 ,the summer has been so short that we have hardly had time to get accustomed to it4 ,another night falls on the earth4 ,impenetrable darkness surrounds us1 and only in the zenith a few stars sparkle4 ,the swell still roars against the strand1 but ,tso-mavang is gently falling asleep4 ,above us towers the monastery on its steep wall like a fortress1 and the monks have retired to rest4 ,the falcons are heard no more1 and the pigeons have sought their nests4 ,,chapter ,,xlvii ,,on ,,the ,,roof ,,of ,,the ,,gossul ,,monastery ,in the middle of the night ,i was awaked by a terrible row2 a dog from the monastery had crept under my men's half of the boat to see what it could find1 but chanced to fall into the hands of ,shukkur ,ali1 and got a good thrashing4 ,the temperature fell to #cg4d4 ,rabsang came riding up at sunrise4 ,the men had feared that we must have perished in the waves4 ,he brought provisions and a packet of letters from ,thakur ,jai ,chand1 the ,british commercial agent in ,gartok1 who was at the time in ,gyanima1 where the fair was being held4 ,he wrote that ,colonel ,dunlop ,smith had directed him on ,june #bg to try to obtain news of me4 ,guffaru had performed his task satisfactorily1 and all my baggage was safely deposited in ,gartok1 and my voluminous correspondence had been forwarded to ,simla4 ,from ,mr4 ,sherring1 who had made a journey to ,manasarowar some years previously1 ,i received a very kind letter2 he had also had the kindness to send me his interesting book on western ,tibet1 while his wife had added a whole packet of ,english and ,french newspapers1 literature the more acceptable that the extensive library presented to me by ,o',connor had long been read through and dispersed to the four winds of heaven4 ,it was a singular coincidence that where ,i had suffered shipwreck ,i was so unexpectedly brought again into contact with the outer world4 ,i was deeply moved by ,rabsang's information that the monks in ,tugu-gompa1 when they saw the storm burst over our frail boat1 had burnt incense before the images of the lake-god and implored him to deliver us from the waves4 ,they had done it of their own accord1 and not at the request of any one4 ,they said it would be deplorable if we were lost2 they had a heart1 and were not so unfeeling as might be supposed4 ,few proofs of sympathy have touched me like this4 ,accompanied by ,rabsang1 ,i ascended in the early morning the winding path up to the monastery4 ,at the turns and projections stand cubical chhortens and votive cairns1 and here and there a streamer flutters on a mast4 ,a samkang1 a hermit's dwelling1 hangs over a cavern produced by the fall of a huge mass from the slope of the pebble terrace eleven years ago4 ,i told the monks that they should not put too much confidence in the ground on which their monastery stands4 ,they reckon millions of years for the soul's wanderings1 but their earthly dwellings are not built for eternity4 ,they answered calmly that the monastery had already stood for one hundred years1 and that it would certainly stand as long as they were living there2 for in general the monks are changed every three years1 and they come here from the monastery ,shibeling in ,purang1 by which they are maintained4 ,there are only three of them1 but ,i saw also four novices1 seven1 nine1 ten1 and eleven years old respectively1 running about as actively as mice1 and waiting on the monks4 ,their mother1 a nun from ,purang1 also lives in the monastery4 ,she had been married before she took the veil1 and when her husband died she dedicated herself and all her children to the ,church4 ,i afterwards learned that one of the boys was a girl2 they were so like one another that ,i could not distinguish between them4 ,at first they were shy and timid1 but after ,i had given them a few silver coins they were soon at ease with me4 ,they appeared small and stunted for their age1 but the abbot told me that they had mourned so much at the death of their father that their growth was checked4 ,almost all the day they were bringing water from the lake in clay jugs1 which they carried in a basket suspended by a strap round their forehead2 they carry therefore with the muscles of the head and neck1 which are consequently so much developed that they seem too large for the body4 ,but they also receive instruction and take their first uncertain steps in the domain of wisdom2 the eldest is said to have already acquired considerable knowledge4 ,i went into the temple and studied it thoroughly4 ,i remained there twelve hours1 drew1 took measurements1 made all kinds of inquiries1 and took notes4 ,every part is handsome1 interesting1 and well-kept4 ,the lhakang is like an old armoury1 a museum of fine1 rare articles1 which show great artistic skill1 and have been designed1 carved1 modelled1 and painted with unwearied patience and real taste4 ,the hall1 supported by eight pillars1 has two red divans2 a statue of ,buddha in gilded bronze1 and a number of other idols2 drums hanging in stands1 lacquered tables with the usual religious objects1 and a large quantity of votive bowls in the brightest brass and of uncommon1 tasteful forms4 ,on both sides of the pillars hang tankas in four rows1 which are as long as standards and triumphal banners1 and are so arranged that they do not prevent the light from playing on the faces of the gods4 ,in a corner surely waves a ,swedish flag8 ,ah1 it is only a blue and yellow tanka1 but it reminds me of the golden period of our fame and victories4 ,the lhakang of ,gossul is not built on the usual plan2 the skylight is wanting1 and instead there are three windows in the faade facing the lake4 ,but the gods do not see the lake1 for the windows are pasted over with paper on a trellis-work of laths4 ,why is the beautiful view concealed and the daylight excluded8 ,to enhance the mystical gloom within and excite the greater wonder and reverence in the minds of the pilgrims who come in half-blinded from the daylight1 and that they may not see that the gold is only gilded brass1 and that the marks of the brush and the chisel may not be too profanely evident4 ,the poorer a monastery1 the darker are its temple halls2 the darkness hides their poverty and helps the monks to impose on the faithful4 ,illustration3 #bef4 ,,yanggo-,,gompa4 ,illustration3 #beg4 ,,interior ,,of ,,the ,,temple1 ,,tugu4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,somchung is the name of a small compartment no larger than a cabin4 ,on its divan are cushions and pieces of cloth arranged in circles to form two nests1 in which two monks sit during the night service4 ,on the altar table before ,sakya-muni's image stand forty bowls filled with water1 and on another table some peacock's feathers in a silver vase1 with which the gods are sprinkled with holy water to the cry ,om a hum4 ,in former times robbers and footpads harboured here1 and had their hiding-places in the caves below the monastery4 ,from these they fell upon the pilgrims and killed many of them4 ,then the god of ,tso-mavang appeared to ,jimpa ,ngurbu1 a noble lama1 and ordered him to build the monastery1 that it might be a sure stronghold for the protection of pilgrims1 and for the honour of the gods4 ,even now the country is not safe4 ,last year two scoundrels1 who had plundered the nomads1 were taken and executed2 and we ourselves saw ten ,gurkhas1 armed with guns1 who rode past us in search of a robber band which had stolen their horses and sheep4 ,the monks said that the lake usually freezes in ,january2 in stormy weather the ice breaks up1 but when the weather is calm and the frost is sharp1 the whole lake freezes over in a single day1 and breaks up again in a single day when it is stormy4 ,unfortunately the statements made about the level of the water and the discharge are contradictory and untrustworthy4 ,a lama1 thirty-five years of age1 now staying here1 had lived on ,tso-mavang as a child4 ,he said that he well remembered the time when the water flowed out of the lake to ,rakas-tal in such quantities that a horseman could not cross the channel1 which is called ,ganga1 without danger4 ,but now this channel had ceased to carry water for nine years4 ,i was shown where the shore line ran last autumn1 five fathoms farther inland1 so that the lake must then have been #bb inches higher4 ,i was also shown a yellow block of stone1 to which the water was said to have reached twelve years ago1 and this point lay #aj-a_/c feet above the present level of the lake4 ,such a rate of fall is improbable1 though this statement accorded fairly well with the information ,i had received at ,tugu-gompa4 ,the threshold of the one cave lay now #bb4eg feet1 and that of the other #abj4d feet from the shore1 #ah4hf feet above the water4 ,i was told that when the monastery was built1 one hundred years ago1 the lake had reached both these caves1 and that only a small path was left along the strand by which the caves could be approached4 ,however1 the dates of the ,tibetans are exceedingly uncertain1 and to arrive at safe conclusions we must resort to the statements of ,european travellers4 ,i will make a few remarks on them later4 ,when ,i asked one of the monks what became of all the water poured into ,tso-mavang by all the rivers and brooks1 he replied3 ,however much it rains1 and though all the tributaries are full to overflowing1 no change is noticeable in the lake1 for as much water is evaporated as flows in4 ,in our holy books it is written that if all the tributaries failed1 the lake would not sink and disappear1 for it is eternal and is the abode of high gods4 ,but now we see with our own eyes that it is always falling1 and we do not know what this means4 ,the following records may be useful to future explorers3 the lower edge of the massive threshold of the main gateway in the faade of ,gossul-gompa lay on ,august #h1 #aijg1 exactly #abb4g feet above the surface of the lake1 as ,i ascertained by the help of a reflecting level4 ,illustration3 #beh4 ,a ,,dreamer4 ,,lama ,,in ,,yanggo-,,gompa ,,on ,,manasarowar4 ,drawn by ,t4 ,macfarlane from a ,sketch by the ,author4 ,we ascended to the roof of ,gossul-gompa4 ,it is flat1 as usual1 with a chimney1 parapet1 and streamers4 ,no language on earth contains words forcible enough to describe the view from it over the lake4 ,it was1 indeed1 much the same as we had seen from various points on the shore1 but the light and shade was so enchanting and the colouring so wonderful that ,i was amazed1 and felt my heart beat more strongly than usual as ,i stepped out of the dark temple halls on to the open platform4 ,tundup ,sonam said in his simple way that the lake with its encircling mountains seemed like the sky with its light clouds4 ,i1 too1 was the victim of an illusion which almost made me catch at the parapet for support4 ,i wondered whether it was a fit of giddiness4 ,i took1 to wit1 the border of mountains on the eastern shore for a belt of light clouds1 and the surface of the sea for part of the sky4 ,the day was perfectly calm and the lake like a mirror1 in which the sky was reflected2 both looked exactly the same1 and were of the same colour1 and the mountains1 which in consequence of the distance were all blended into a dark shadow1 were like a girdle of clouds4 ,the air was not clear1 everything was of a dull subdued tone1 there was no colour to speak of1 but all was grey--sky1 land1 and water1 with a tinge of blue1 a fairy scene of glass1 with decorations of white gauze seen through a thin blue veil of incense rising from the altar of the mighty god of the lake4 ,what has become of the earth1 if all is sky and clouds8 ,we are not totally bewitched1 for we are standing on the roof of the monastery leaning against the parapet4 ,a dream-picture in the most ethereal transitory tones floats before us4 ,we seem to stand on a promontory jutting out into endless space1 which yawns around us and in front4 ,and where is now the holy lake1 which yesterday nearly robbed us of life1 and on which the storm was so furious that ,i still seem to feel the ground quaking under my feet8 ,has the ,gossul monastery been changed by some whim of the gods into an air-ship which is bearing us away to another planet8 ,its streamers hang motionless on their poles1 and nothing can be seen of the mountains1 country1 and ground4 ,oh yes1 if you lean a little over the parapet1 says a monk1 smiling4 ,true6 ,then the illusion vanishes1 to my great chagrin4 ,i should have liked to remain a while under its enchantment4 ,just below us runs the narrow margin on the bank1 with its black dam of clay and water-weeds1 and its elongated lagoons4 ,through the crystal-clear water we see the yellowish-grey mud on the lake bottom1 the dark fringe of weeds1 and the dark depths beyond4 ,it is like a huge aquarium covered with plate-glass4 ,two flocks of geese are swimming on the water1 producing diverging ripples4 ,all is so indescribably quiet2 so ethereal1 transparent1 and transitory1 so subtile and sensitive1 that ,i scarcely dare breathe4 ,never has a church service1 a wedding march1 a hymn of victory1 or a funeral made a more powerful impression on me4 ,did fate compel me to pass my life in a monastery in ,tibet1 ,i would without hesitation choose ,gossul-gompa4 ,there ,i would observe the fluctuations of the lake and the annual curves of the temperature4 ,i would sit up there like a watchman1 gaze over the lake1 and watch how its aspect changed every hour during the twelve months of the year4 ,i would listen to the howling of the autumn storms1 and would notice on calm ,november days how the belt of ice along the shore broadened from day to day1 if only to melt again in the course of a day4 ,the ring of ice would creep on ever nearer to the middle of the lake1 be destroyed again and again by new gales1 and then begin again to enchain the waters4 ,and at length1 on a day in ,january1 when the layers of water were cooled through and through and no wind disturbed the air1 ,i should see the god of ,tso-mavang stretch a ringing roof of glass over his green palace1 and the winter storms bestrew it with white powder and drive the whirling snow in dense clouds over the ice1 with its smooth1 dark-green surface peeping out here and there4 ,and on calm days the lake would lie a white plain1 lifeless and lonely under its white shroud1 and ,i should sit by the bier of my friend longing for the spring4 ,in vain would the first storms of spring contend with the solidity of the ice and its brave resistance1 but at last the sun would come to help the wind1 and would make the ice brittle and rotten4 ,leads and fissures would start up in all directions1 and the next storm that swept over the ice would overcome all resistance1 flinging about the ice blocks and piling them up one on another1 driving them to the shore1 and sweeping breakers over them so that they would be crushed1 splintered1 pulverized1 and melted in the rolling surf4 ,then ,i should rejoice at the victory of the storm1 the release of ,tso-mavang and its restoration to life1 and would listen to the song of the waves and the screaming of the wild geese4 ,illustration3 #bei4 ,,the ,,old ,,nun ,,in ,,yanggo-,,gompa4 ,sketch by the ,author4 ,perhaps an hour such as ,i spent at the parapet of ,gossul comes only once a year4 ,the effect is the result of a certain temperature1 a certain percentage of humidity1 calm air1 preceded by rain and a north-easterly storm4 ,how seldom are all these conditions fulfilled8 ,at most once a year1 and just at this hour1 this hour of all hours1 ,i stood on the roof and saw the blue lake at rest after its play4 ,wonderful1 attractive1 enchanting lake6 ,theme of story and legend1 playground of storms and changes of colour1 apple of the eye of gods and men1 goal of weary1 yearning pilgrims1 holiest of the holiest of all the lakes of the world1 art thou1 ,tso-mavang1 lake of all lakes4 ,navel of old ,asia1 where four of the most famous rivers of the world1 the ,brahmaputra1 the ,indus1 the ,sutlej1 and the ,ganges1 rise among gigantic peaks1 surrounded by a world of mountains1 among which is ,kailas1 the most famous in the world2 for it is sacred in the eyes of hundreds of millions of ,hindus1 and is the centre of a wreath of monasteries where every morning blasts of conches sound out from the roofs over the lake4 ,axle and hub of the wheel1 which is an image of life1 and round which the pilgrims wander along the way of salvation towards the land of perfection4 ,that is ,manasarowar1 the pearl of all the lakes of the world4 ,hoary with age when the books of the ,veda were written1 its blue billows have in the course of centuries seen innumerable troops of faithful ,hindus and ,tibetans arrive at its banks1 there to drink1 bathe1 and find rest for their souls4 ,there are certainly more beautiful lakes in the world4 ,its western neighbour1 for instance1 ,langak-tso1 is more picturesque4 ,but there is none which unites with natural beauty such an influence on the faith and souls of men4 ,that is why the roar of its waves is so attractive1 and a sojourn on its shore so fascinating4 ,standing up on the convent roof1 while silence reigns around1 one fancies one hears innumerable wanderers approaching1 and the echo of their stumbling feet on the holy path around the lake4 ,and one casts a glance into the night of past centuries1 which have left no trace of their aspirations and vain search after an imaginary blessedness4 ,but ,tso-mavang remains the same as it was then1 and its azure-blue eye sees new generations treading in the footsteps of the old4 ,after such an hour everything else seems commonplace4 ,not till the blush of evening flooded the lake with a purple tinge could ,i tear myself away and go down to my camp on the shore4 ,once more ,i turned to ,tso-mavang and called out a loud prolonged ,om a hum4 ,rabsang said nothing1 but ,i could see that he was wondering whether ,i had become the latest convert of the ,lamaistic church1 and with the more reason because ,i had insisted on travelling round the lake in the orthodox direction--southwards by the east bank and northwards by the west bank4 ,the tracks of #abj yaks were discernible in the sand1 which had passed northwards in the morning laden with brick tea4 ,an old ,hindu1 who was performing the circuit of the lake in the same direction as the ,tibetans1 begged to be allowed to camp beside us1 because he was afraid of robbers2 we regaled him with tea1 bread1 and tobacco1 and he asked us to accept a handful of rice4 ,it is singular that the ,hindu pilgrims seem to hold the ,lamaistic monasteries in veneration2 at least ,i saw them bow before the ,lamaistic gods in ,tugu-gompa1 and place a handful of rice in the bowl which a monk held out to them4 ,after a temperature of #dc4i in the night the morning air seemed quite warm4 ,a fresh easterly breeze ruffled the surface of the lake1 and the foam-tipped waves shone in the sun1 but the day was beautiful and ,i was full of life1 and eager to go out upon the lake4 ,the old ,hindu said that he had resolved to postpone his pilgrimage and go with us in the boat1 but ,i assured him that we would take no unnecessary ballast4 ,but he followed us on the bank as we rowed through the surf to ,camp ,no4 #bac1 easily recognizable by its old fire-place1 and when we steered thence seawards straight towards ,tugu-gompa1 visible as a white speck in the south-east1 he was so eager to go with us that he ran into the water and did not turn back till it reached to his middle4 ,he was certainly a little silly2 he had talked nonsense all the evening1 though no one had listened to him4 ,illustration3 #bfj4 ,the ,holy ,lake ,manasarowar from ,tugu-gompa1 with ,kailas in the background4 ,water-colour ,sketch by the ,author4 ,the new line of soundings was marked ,no4 #d on my map of the lake4 ,its greatest depth was #bdi feet4 ,at the ninth sounding-station the red metal disc of the current-meter became entangled in the sounding-line4 ,it was torn away from its screws and twisted like a boomerang in mad gyrations down through the crystal-clear water to a depth of #bjg feet1 there to sleep in the mud of ,tso-mavang till the day of judgment4 ,fortunately it could easily be replaced4 ,when we landed at the monastery1 all our men1 and the monks and the pilgrims on the shore1 were there to receive us4 ,the first we caught sight of was the old crazy ,hindu4 ,his fellow-countrymen had taken it for granted that we must have perished in the storm1 and therefore were very astonished to see us come back alive4 ,but as ,i was now here again1 they thought that they might take advantage of it1 and asked me to present them one and all with new trousers1 a request that ,i considered very importunate4 ,on ,august #aj ,i sat in my tent door and painted ,kailas in different lights 7,illust4 #bfj74 ,its white summit stood out cold and bare against a bright blue cloudless sky1 and the lake was of a deep1 dazzling ultramarine4 ,when a breeze swept over the surface it was in the distance like clear green malachite4 ,after sunset the sky was orange-coloured1 and the lake1 of just the same colour1 reflected the outlines of the mountains in quivering serpentine lines4 ,the evening before1 the whole western horizon had glowed with bright red flames4 ,,chapter ,,xlviii ,,our ,,last ,,days ,,on ,,tso-,,mavang ,at this time ,robert had perfected himself more than ,i in the ,tibetan language1 and he talked it almost fluently4 ,therefore1 while my whole time was taken up with other work1 he was able to obtain information about the country and people1 and perform certain tasks ,i set him4 ,on the left1 shorter wall of the vestibule of ,tugu-gompa was an inscription for the enlightenment of pilgrims1 and this ,robert now translated into ,hindustani and ,english4 ,freely rendered it runs as follows3 ,tso-mavang is the holiest place in the world4 ,in its centre dwells a god in human form1 who inhabits a tent composed of turquoise and all kinds of precious stones4 ,in the midst of it grows a tree with a thousand branches1 and every branch contains a thousand cells in which a thousand lamas live4 ,the lake tree has a double crown1 one rising like a sunshade and shading ,kang-rinpoche1 the other overshadowing the whole world4 ,each of the #ajbb branches bears an image of a god1 and all these images turn their faces towards ,gossul-gompa1 and in former times all the gods gathered together here4 ,once golden water was fetched from the lake1 and with it the face of ,hlobun ,rinpoche in ,chiu-gompa was gilded1 and what was left was used to gild the temple roofs of ,tashi-lunpo4 ,in old times the water of the lake flowed over a pass named ,pakchu-la to the ,ganga-chimbo4 ,water flows into the lake from all sides1 cold1 warm1 hot1 and cool4 ,water passes from the lake to the ,ganga-shei and comes back again4 ,vapour rises annually from the lake and hovers over it once in the year1 and then sinks down into the centre1 and the next year the process is repeated4 ,if any one brings up clay from the middle of the lake1 that clay is really gold4 ,the lake is the property of the lake-god4 ,the lake is the central point of the whole world4 ,sambu ,tashi grew out of the lake tree4 ,sochim ,pema ,dabge is of very holy1 clear1 and pure water4 ,the ,gyagar ,shilki chhorten stands in the lake4 ,the palace of the lake-god is in the lake4 ,all the lamas there recite their prayers with one voice4 ,all the gods assemble together in the lake and sit there among chhortens of all kinds1 embellished with gold and precious stones4 ,the spirit king of the southern land resides here in a golden house1 and is not angry when any one comes to wash and purify himself4 ,if we pray to the spirit king of the southern land1 we shall be very wealthy and fortunate4 ,four large rivers and four small flow out of the lake by underground channels4 ,the four large ones are one warm1 one cold1 one hot1 and one cool4 7,the ,karnali1 ,brahmaputra1 ,indus1 and ,sutlej47 ,if any one washes in the lake he is cleansed from sin and all impurities4 ,if any one washes once in the lake1 the sins of his forefathers are forgiven1 and their souls are relieved from purgatorial fires4 ,datping ,ngacha came with #ejj pilgrims from ,kang-rinpoche to wash in the lake4 ,lo ,mato ,gyamo met him and begged him to come to ,tso-mavang4 ,dachung ,ngacha and the pilgrims came with heaps of flowers and strewed them in the lake4 ,dachung ,ngacha went three times round the lake and then ascended into heaven4 ,of particular interest is the suggestion made here that the four large rivers stream out of ,tso-mavang by subterranean passages4 ,as regards the ,sutlej this belief is1 in my opinion1 quite correct4 ,i was told that the fifth ,tashi ,lama1 whose mausoleum we had seen in ,tashi-lunpo1 once made the pilgrimage to ,tso-mavang and went down to the shore at ,tugu-gompa to offer a kadakh to the lake-god4 ,the kadakh remained suspended in the air1 that is1 it was actually hanging on one of the branches of the holy tree1 but as the tree is only visible to ,rinpoches and genuine incarnations1 the kadakh seemed to ordinary mortals to hang alone in the air4 ,on ,august #aa we bade a long farewell to the amiable monks of ,tugu-gompa1 and gave them liberal presents4 ,they accompanied us down to the shore1 when we put off on our voyage westwards4 ,into a large lagoon of the shore1 brown and dirty owing to the numerous gulls and wild geese which here wallow in the mud1 a brook from ,gurla ,mandatta runs1 and now discharges #cg4h cubic feet of water in a second4 ,all the way along runs a rubbish heap1 the continuation of the pebble terrace on which ,tugu-gompa stands4 ,the lake bed consists sometimes of sand1 sometimes of detritus--offshoots of the detritus cone of ,gurla ,mandatta4 ,large collections of weeds form dark patches4 ,up above1 at the mouths of two valleys of ,gurla1 are seen foaming streams1 and it is strange that they do not debouch into the lake4 ,but the explanation is easy4 ,twenty to fifty yards from the bank numerous small holes in the sand of the lake bed open and close like the valves of an artery1 and the surface of the lake above them bubbles4 ,these are springs4 ,the streams disappear in the detritus cone1 and the water runs below over impermeable layers of glacial clay4 ,at the edge of the cone the water comes up again under the surface of the lake4 ,i perceived1 then1 that ,i must gauge the rivers at the points where they emerge from the mountain valleys1 if ,i would ascertain the exact amount of the tribute ,tso-mavang receives4 ,near camp #bah1 quite close to the shore1 a spring came to the surface1 and where it welled up it had a temperature of #ch4a1 and therefore brought down the cold of the glaciers to the lake4 ,as the melted water of the ,gurla glaciers retains its low temperature on its subterranean course1 it probably assists in keeping the water of the lake cool during the summer4 ,whole shoals of fish sported at the surface of the water1 and snapped at plumed gnats1 which were gathered in thick clouds4 ,on ,august #ab ,i rode with ,rabsang and a ,tibetan up to the foot of ,gurla ,mandatta4 ,we crossed the great highway between ,tugu-gompa and ,purang4 ,a wolf took to flight2 occasionally a hare leapt up out of the steppe grass1 and locusts flew about noisily4 ,we rode into the mouth of the ,namreldi valley1 a resort of robbers1 and its crystal stream1 between walls of solid rock1 carried #aja cubic feet of water1 as compared to the #cg4h cubic feet at the place where it enters the lake4 ,the rest of the water1 therefore1 pours into the lake under the detritus4 ,a few miles farther west we halted at the mouth of the ,selung-urdu valley1 which has a glacier in its upper part4 ,at half-past nine o'clock the bed was dry1 but at half-past one a river with rapids and waterfalls poured down a volume of #fc4i cubic feet of exceedingly muddy water1 which reached the lake in the subterranean springs4 ,the view from this elevated spot is magnificent4 ,we have a bird's-eye view of ,tso-mavang1 and in the west gleams the bright blue ,langak-tso4 ,the survey we can here take of the country is very instructive4 ,the denudation cones of ,gurla ,mandatta1 consisting of sand1 rubbish1 and boulders1 extend northwards like inverted spoons2 their extremities dip under the surface of the lake1 and cause the fluctuating depths sounded on lines #a and #b4 ,from camp #bah ,robert executed a line of soundings at right angles to the bank down to a depth of #aij feet4 ,every day with its observations brought me nearer to the solution of the problem ,i had proposed to myself4 ,as we rode northwards on the #acth along the western shore we dug wells at some places #aj yards from the bank4 ,the ground consisted of alternate layers of sand and clay3 on the top1 sand2 then a layer of decaying vegetable remains2 then a foot and a half of sand which rested on clay4 ,a pit #b feet deep slowly filled with water up to the same level as the surface of the lake4 ,the water permeates the sand and rests on the clay4 ,if this layer of clay stretches1 as seems likely1 across the narrow isthmus to the shore of ,langak-tso1 it is evident that the water of ,tso-mavang filters through the beds of sand and pebbles to the western lake4 ,i was already convinced that even now when the old canal has ceased to act1 an underground connection must exist between the two lakes4 ,but the fact that the water of ,tso-mavang is quite sweet is no proof that the lake has an outlet1 seeing that it is only a few years since the canal was silted up4 ,again we encamped below the hospitable monastery ,gossul4 ,on ,august #ae ,i rode with ,rabsang and a ,tibetan across the hilly isthmus between the two lakes in order to get a look at the country on this side also4 ,we ascended sharply to the highest point of the ridge1 where there is a fine view over ,langak-tso with its picturesque rocky shores and projecting points and capes1 its bays and islands1 and its frame of steep mountains4 ,in form it is very different from its neighbour1 which is round and has no islands4 ,we stood at a height of #af1jcc feet1 and therefore were #ice feet above the surface of ,manasarowar4 ,then we rode down a valley clothed with brushwood1 which emerges on to the flat1 irregularly curved shore belt4 ,here are old1 very plainly marked1 shore lines1 the highest #fg4i feet above the level of the lake4 ,when the ,langak-tso stood so high it had an outlet to the ,sutlej1 and the old bed of this river may be seen leading off from the north-eastern corner of the lake4 ,a strong south wind blew1 and rolled the waves to the shore1 where ,i sat a good hour1 drawing and making observations4 ,then we rode again over the isthmus1 at its lowest 7#ae1bhi feet7 and broadest place4 ,a salt swamp1 begirt by hills1 lies on its eastern half1 quite close to the shore of ,tso-mavang1 with its surface #g4g feet above that of the lake4 ,in the sand and rubbish between the two are abundant streams of water1 passing from the lake to the swamp4 ,the swamp lies in a flat hollow of clay1 in which the water evaporates1 and the trifling quantities of salt contained in the lake water accumulate4 ,at this place1 then1 the water of the eastern lake is prevented from seeping through to the western4 ,the following day we sailed with a favourable wind to the north-western corner of ,tso-mavang1 where ,chiu-gompa stands on a pyramid of rock4 ,this spot1 camp ,no4 #bai1 was to be our headquarters for several days4 ,the outline of ,tso-mavang is like that of a skull seen from the front1 and we had now to explore the very top4 ,a day of rest was devoted to a preliminary investigation of the channel where several cold and hot springs rise up2 two of the latter had temperatures of #aag and #abb respectively1 while in testing the third a thermometer graduated up to #aej did not suffice1 and the tube burst4 ,a spring of #aag in a walled basin is said to be used as a medical bath1 but one must be a ,tibetan to stew in water so hot4 ,a small stone cabin beside it serves as a dressing-room4 ,a little farther down the channel is spanned by a bridge constructed of four beams resting on two stone piers2 it is in extraordinarily good condition1 and is another proof that the canal contained water not so very long ago4 ,on the piers of the bridge watermarks are still conspicuous #ah inches above the present stagnant pools1 smelling of sulphur and full of slimy weeds1 which are fed by springs4 ,young wild-geese were swimming in one of them1 and had great difficulty in protecting themselves from the brown puppy4 ,chiu-gompa1 the fifth of the eight monasteries of the lake which ,i visited1 is small1 and contains fifteen lamas who enter it for life1 while the abbot is changed every three years4 ,it owns some yaks1 #ejj goats1 and #ajj sheep1 which are employed in transporting salt to ,purang1 where the monks barter it for barley4 ,one monk1 a youth twenty years of age1 named ,tsering ,tundup1 is one of the ,tibetans whom ,i think of with particularly kind and warm feeling4 ,his mother also lived in the monastery1 and looked after the sheep and goats when they were driven in the evening into the penfolds4 ,he was unusually handsome1 refined1 amiable and obliging1 and showed me everything with full explanations4 ,from his small bare cell he could dream and gaze at the holy lake in the east1 and could see on the west ,langak-tso1 despised by the gods2 but yet he was melancholy1 and on that account we were sympathetic4 ,he acknowledged openly that he was weary of the monotonous life in ,chiu-gompa2 every day was like the last1 and the monks had hard work to procure a scanty subsistence1 and must always be prepared for the attacks of robbers4 ,it must be pleasanter to live as we did1 and roam about freely among the mountains4 ,he asked me if he might come with us1 and ,i replied that ,i would willingly take him to ,ladak4 ,then his face brightened1 but he begged to be allowed to think over the matter until ,i returned from my next trip on the lake4 ,it rained all night1 and in the morning everything was wet--even the things in my wind-beaten and torn tent1 where little puddles had been formed4 ,but ,tsering came with the linen1 so ,i was not so badly off4 ,we had a long voyage before us1 to camp ,no4 #bab1 the first place we had encamped at on the holy lake4 ,the programme of the excursion also included visits to the three other monasteries1 the gauging of the volumes of water in the streams from the north1 and the drawing of a map of the northern shore4 ,we therefore took provisions for four days1 which ,rabsang and ,adul were to transport along the bank on horses' backs4 ,we were to meet them at the entrance to the valley ,serolung1 at ,serolung-gompa4 ,this last voyage was to complete my investigation of the lake1 but precisely because it was the last it was looked forward to with fear by my men4 ,they thought that ,i had so long defied the god of the lake that now my time was come1 and that he would avenge himself and keep me for ever4 ,but the morning was beautiful1 and when at half-past five we rowed out over the smooth lake1 the temperature was #dh4f4 ,the cloud cap of ,gurla extended down to the water1 and nothing could be seen of the country to the south4 ,the ,pundi mountain was covered with snow and had a wintry appearance4 ,at the first sounding-station 7#ff feet7 the tents were seen as white specks hovering above the lake4 ,chiu-gompa stands proudly on its rocky point1 and is a landmark visible from all parts of the lake shore except from the west4 ,at the second station the sounding was more than #acj feet4 ,shukkur ,ali and ,tundup ,sonam row like galley-slaves1 for they hope to finish this line1 and then the work will be at an end4 ,sometimes the boat passes through belts of foam and weed4 ,at the fifth station 7#afa feet7 the tents can still be seen with the glass1 but after that they disappear4 ,gossul's memorable monastery can also be dimly descried on its rock4 ,now we have traversed a third of the way1 ,i said4 ,thank ,god6 replied ,shukkur ,ali4 ,i hope the weather will hold up to-day4 ,a large fish floated on the water1 belly up2 fish washed ashore are used by the people as medicine4 ,the depths remain the same2 the lake bed is very even4 ,but at the thirteenth point we found #ajh feet1 and at the fourteenth #ahj feet1 which indicated a ridge in the lake bed or a cone of detritus from the foot of the northern mountains4 ,at about an hour's sail from the eastern shore we saw ,rabsang and ,adul coming up1 and they waited for us at the rendezvous4 ,they proposed we should pass the night in a stone cabin at the right side of the mouth of the ,serolung valley1 but ,i refused1 for pilgrims and tramps are wont to harbour there4 ,six monks from the convent1 old friends of ours1 paid me a visit1 and four happy1 laughing women1 black and dirty1 came rushing like a whirlwind down the slopes with baskets of fuel on their backs4 ,puppy had followed ,rabsang1 and had found at a monastery on the way an elegant little cavalier with a red collar and bells4 ,with a feeling of satisfaction at having completed this last line of soundings1 ,i went to sleep on the sandy shore under the light of the everlasting stars4 ,next day ,i rode with ,rabsang #ag miles to the north1 in order to measure the volumes of water in the ,pachen and ,pachung valleys4 ,we arranged to meet the others on the northern shore1 whither they were to row with the baggage4 ,were we long away they were to light a beacon fire on a hill for our guidance4 ,we followed for a time the shore with its banks of mud1 small projections1 and lagoons1 and then we rode through the ,samo-tsangpo from the ,tokchen valley1 and passed on the left hand two small lakes in the midst of rich pasturage1 where a number of kiangs grazed1 glared at us1 pricked up their ears1 and ran away at a slow gallop2 then we crossed the tasam1 or the great trunk-road1 and rode up the sharply sculptured ,pachen valley1 with a foaming river carrying #fi4i cubic feet of water4 ,then we rode westwards1 up and down hills1 and enjoyed a new view of the holy lake with ,gurla ,mandatta in the background4 ,the ,pachung river carried #hc4c cubic feet of water4 ,when our work was done we rode south-westwards4 ,wild asses were on the meadows2 they are nearly tame1 for no one puts an end to life on the shores of the holy lake4 ,thirty mares stood on a mound guarded by a stallion2 the sun was sinking1 and perhaps this is how these animals prepare for the dangers of the night4 ,now and again a mare left the group and made a circuit about her sisters1 but the stallion ran after her immediately and forced her to return to the others4 ,this game was frequently repeated1 and it seemed to me that the mares were making sport of the stallion4 ,we ride over swampy meadows and small sandhills2 nothing can be seen of the lake2 we should like to hear its waves roaring under the south-west breeze1 but new hills always crop up in front of us4 ,at last we catch sight of the smoke of the camp-fire4 ,adul had caught a kiang foal four months old1 which was ill and kept always turning round4 ,the mother came to look after it in the night1 but gave it up for lost1 and it died soon after4 ,august #bj was spent in surveying a map of a part of the northern shore which is very slightly curved1 and in a sounding excursion on the lake out to a depth of #aed feet4 ,while the surface water had a temperature #ee4f everywhere1 with an air temperature about constant1 the temperature at the bottom sank from #ef4a to #df at the depth of #aed feet4 ,we gradually began to suffer want4 ,the collops which ,adul tried to pass off on me on the morning of the #bast were decidedly bad1 and therefore landed in ,puppy's stomach4 ,as ,rabsang and ,i rode northwards to ,pundi-gompa1 the temperature was #ef and really too warm1 so that a shower of rain was not unpleasant4 ,pundi lies on a rocky ledge in a ravine2 its abbot is eighty years old1 and has eight monks under him4 ,one was a ,chinaman from ,pekin1 who had lived forty years in the convent and had become a thorough ,tibetan1 though he had not forgotten his mother tongue4 ,from there1 too1 there is a splendid view over the lake4 ,as we were about to ride down to camp ,no4 #bbb on the shore1 a messenger came from ,robert with the news that the authorities in ,parka had refused to provide us with transport animals or assist us in any way1 for they had never heard that we were permitted to spend a whole month on the lake4 ,he also said that our ,ladakis were much frightened by all kinds of stories of robbers which were current in the neighbourhood1 so that every one was anxious for my presence4 ,illustration3 #bfa4 ,,boy ,,on ,,the ,,upper ,,tsangpo4 ,illustration3 #bfb4 ,,the ,,young ,,prior ,,of ,,langbo-,,nan4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,the camp was quite close to the monastery ,langbo-nan1 at the mouth of the ,gyuma-chu4 ,after we had measured this river and ascertained that it discharged #gc4h cubic feet of water1 we had tracked up all the waters pouring into ,manasarowar on the surface1 and we found that the whole volume was #ajid4h cubic feet in a second1 or #id1eij1jjj cubic feet in twenty-four hours1 which would make a cube measuring nearly #def feet each way4 ,but how much water flows to the lake by underground passages which we could not measure8 ,probably a volume considerably in excess of the surface water2 for ,manasarowar lies in a trough between huge mountains which are constantly feeding the subterranean springs4 ,at any rate the surplus water1 so far as it is not lost by evaporation1 filtrates through subterranean passages to the ,langak-tso1 which lies lower4 ,on the #bbnd we again rowed straight out from the bank into the lake till we reached a place where the depth was #ace feet1 and then sailed back with a favourable wind to the starting-point4 ,it was the last time that ,i sank my lead in the holy water1 and ,i was quite convinced that ,i should never do it again1 for ,i had now #ach soundings1 evenly distributed over the lake and affording ample material for the construction of an isobathic map4 ,it was comical to hear ,shukkur ,ali when ,i remarked to him that this was our last voyage on ,tso-mavang4 ,he held his hands before his face as if he were about to pray1 and said solemnly that in spite of all dangers we had had the good fortune to bring our work to a successful conclusion by the favour of ,allah1 the favour of the ,sahib1 the favour of the papa and the mamma of the ,sahib1 and the favour of all his relations4 ,i ventured to remark that he had forgotten the favour of the lake god1 but he dismissed the suggestion with a wave of the hand1 and said he had no more faith in the god4 ,afterwards ,i rode with ,rabsang up to the monastery ,langbo-nan1 while the others went on to ,chiu-gompa4 ,i shall omit here a description of this convent1 where the most remarkable sight was the twelve-year-old abbot ,tsering1 an intelligent1 frank1 and lively boy1 with sharp bright eyes1 white teeth1 a fresh1 healthy complexion1 and an attractive appearance 7,illust4 #bfb74 ,he sat on a divan before a lacquered table in his library1 called tsemchung1 and showed a great interest in all my plans1 glanced into my sketch-book1 tried my field-glass1 and asked me for a couple of pencils4 ,during the hour ,i spent in his cell we became good friends1 and when at length ,i bade him farewell we little thought that we should meet again only a year later4 ,as we made the round of the monastery we came in the gallery of the court upon a poor fellow who lay ill and seemed to be suffering4 ,i asked him how he was1 and he told me that on ,august #ah1 the day when ,rabsang and ,adul came to meet us1 he was taking eleven mules and two horses laden with tsamba and barley to ,parka1 the ,gova of which was the owner of the caravan4 ,where the ,pachung river enters the eastern lagoon he was attacked at eleven o'clock in the morning by twelve robbers1 who rushed down from the direction of the ,pachung valley4 ,they were all mounted1 and armed with guns1 swords1 and spears1 had two spare horses for provisions1 and wore masks on their faces4 ,they dismounted in a moment1 threw a mantle over his head1 tied his hands behind his back1 and cleared him out1 taking among other things #djj rupees1 and then they rode off again to the ,pachung valley1 which ,rabsang and ,i had hurriedly visited the next day4 ,he then summoned help by shouting1 and in a very pitiable condition found refuge in ,langbo-nan4 ,he showed us some deep stabs in his legs1 his skin coat1 and the saddle1 which had suffered severely when he made a desperate attempt to defend himself4 ,this was the incident which had so alarmed our ,ladakis4 ,the way from here to ,chiu-gompa is charming4 ,perpendicular1 sometimes overhanging rocks of green and red schist fall to the shore1 which here has a shingly beach only #bj yards broad4 ,two gigantic boulders stand like monuments on the shore1 and on the rocky walls we see black caves and hermits' dwellings1 and we often pass the usual three stones on which tea-kettles of pilgrims have boiled4 ,farther to the west the projections form a series of recesses in lighter tones2 at one of these cliffs a new and fascinating view is displayed4 ,a water mark lying #e feet above the present level of the lake is very easily recognized4 ,on the rocky pinnacles eagles sit motionless as statues1 watching for prey4 ,chergip-gompa is built on a terrace in the broad mouth of a valley4 ,it is a small1 poor monastery1 but it has its lhakang and its vestibule with a large bronze bell1 in which the six holy characters are cast4 ,when the bell is rung at morning and evening the unfathomable truth is borne on the waves of sound over the lake1 which1 with its blue surface and its background of the snowfields of ,gurla ,mandatta1 forms a charming landscape as seen from the court of the monastery4 ,but its sound is heard by no one but ,chergip's single monk4 ,poor man1 what must be his feelings in winter evenings when storms sweep the drifting snow over the ice of ,tso-mavang6 ,i remained with him fully two hours1 for he had much to tell4 ,he had travelled far1 had been at ,selipuk and the ,nganglaring-tso1 and offered to conduct me thence in twenty days to the ,dangra-yum-tso2 he had no suspicion that ,i was roaming about in the forbidden land under a political ban4 ,but he revived my desire to visit the great unknown country to the north of the holy river4 ,i was full of thoughts1 full of plans1 and full of an insatiable desiderium incogniti which never left me in peace1 when at length ,i departed from the eighth and last monastery of ,tso-mavang as the evening spread its dark veil over the lake ,i had conquered4 ,we had still a long way to go to the camp4 ,at the last mountain spur stands a chhorten1 from which our fire was visible4 ,soon we sat again among our companions4 ,late at night two horsemen rode past our camp2 the watchmen called out ,who's there8 but they made no answer4 ,then ,rabsang awoke and thoughtlessly sent a bullet after the unknown men1 being convinced that they were robbers4 ,my men had reached such a pitch of nervousness that they saw robbers everywhere4 ,this was our last night on the shore of the ,tso-rinpoche1 the holy lake1 and ,i listened sadly to the song of the surf dying away as the wind fell4 ,,chapter ,,xlix ,,adventures ,,on ,,langak-,,tso ,i have not interrupted the description of my life on the revered lake with notices of our political troubles4 ,suffice it to say that we succeeded in staying there a whole month4 ,mounted and other messengers often came to make complaints1 and then my men simply replied3 ,the ,sahib is out on the lake1 catch him if you can2 he is a friend of the lake god1 and can stay as long as he likes among the branches of the holy tree4 ,and when ,i came back again they had gone off4 ,in consequence of the boat trips they could not control my movements1 but when we encamped by ,chiu-gompa they became more energetic4 ,during my absence came messenger after messenger with orders that ,i must at once betake myself to ,parka and continue my journey thence to ,ladak4 ,on ,august #bc ,i sent ,robert and ,rabsang to ,parka to make terms with the authorities1 but they would not under any circumstances allow me to visit ,langak-tso1 my next stage4 ,if ,i liked to stay a month or a year at ,chiu-gompa it was nothing to them1 for the monastery was not in their district1 but the western lake was in their jurisdiction4 ,they advised that ,i should come as soon as possible to ,parka for my own sake1 and would send in the morning fifteen yaks to carry my luggage4 ,illustration3 #bfc4 ,,temple ,,vessels ,,in ,,chiu-,,gompa4 ,illustration3 #bfd4 ,,two ,,children ,,in ,,shigatse4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,but ,i wished to see ,langak-tso at any cost4 ,so when the fifteen yaks arrived next morning1 ,i quickly made up my mind to send ,tsering1 ,rabsang1 and four men with the baggage to ,parka1 while ,robert and the other six men would go with me to ,langak-tso4 ,our own six horses and the last mule from ,poonch could easily carry the boat and our bit of luggage4 ,the yaks were laden and my men disappeared behind the hills4 ,my own small caravan had orders to camp on the shore of ,langak-tso where the old channel enters4 ,i went with ,robert and two men on foot and executed a series of exact levellings over the isthmus separating the two lakes4 ,at the same time ,i drew a map of the course of the channel4 ,the measuring tape was nailed fast to an oar which ,robert carried2 the theodolite ,i carried myself4 ,the distance between the pole and the instrument amounted to #ee yards1 and was measured with tapes by our two assistants4 ,the pole was placed on an iron dish that it might not sink into the soft ground4 ,the lakes were visited in #ahab by ,moorcroft1 who found no connecting channel4 ,in ,october #ahdf ,henry ,strachey found there an arm of the lake #ajj feet broad and #c feet deep4 ,landor declared that any connection was inconceivable1 for1 according to him1 the isthmus was #cjj feet high at its lowest part4 ,ryder found in the late autumn of #aijd no water running out of ,manasarowar1 but he heard from the natives that a little water passed through the channel during the rainy season4 ,sherring also saw no running water1 but he thought it probable that the lake overflowed after rainy summers4 ,as for me1 ,i followed the bed of the channel from one lake to the other and found that in the year #aijg no water flowed from the eastern into the western lake1 and in #aijh the condition was the same1 though both my visits occurred in the rainy season4 ,there must be very heavy falls of rain before ,manasarowar can overflow1 for the highest point of the channel bed lies more than #f feet above the level of the eastern lake4 ,the circumstance that different travellers in different years have given different accounts is1 however1 very easily explained4 ,all depends on the precipitation3 if it is abundant1 the surface of ,manasarowar rises2 if it is very abundant its water drains off to the ,langak-tso 7,rakas-tal74 ,if the summer is dry1 as in the year #aijg1 the ,langak-tso receives no water through the channel1 but certainly by subterranean passages4 ,on the whole1 both these lakes are falling like the other lakes of ,tibet1 and the time is approaching when the subterranean outlet will be cut off and both lakes will be salt4 ,as we deliberately measured the channel and came to its highest point from which its bed dips towards the west1 ,i threw a farewell glance at ,tso-mavang1 and experienced a feeling of bereavement at the thought that ,i must now leave its shores1 and in all probability for ever4 ,for ,i had known this gem of lakes in the light of the morning red and in the purple of sunset1 in storms1 in howling hurricanes when the waves rose mountain high1 in fresh southerly breezes when the waves sparkled like emeralds1 in full sunshine when the lake was smooth as a mirror1 in the silver beams of the moon when the mountains stood out like white spectres after the dull yellow light of evening was extinguished1 and in peaceful nights when the stars twinkled as clearly on the smooth surface of the lake as above in the vault of heaven4 ,i had passed a memorable month of my life on this lake1 and had made friends with the waves and become intimately acquainted with its depths4 ,to this day ,i can hear the melodious splash of the raging surf1 and still ,tso-mavang lingers in my memory like a fairy tale1 a legend1 a song4 ,we went on westwards along narrow creeks and pools of stagnant water1 but when the evening had become so dusky that ,i could no longer read the figures on the measuring pole1 we gave up work1 marked the last fixed point1 and made for the camp1 which we reached in complete darkness4 ,in the morning the work was continued4 ,we had had a minimum of #bb4f in the night1 and a violent south-west storm rendered it difficult to read the instruments4 ,the hundred-and-fourth point was fixed at length at the edge of the water of ,langak-tso4 ,i have no space here to analyse the results4 ,the channel runs west-north-west1 and the line measured is #aj1bdc yards long1 or twice as long as represented on the most recent maps4 ,the surface of ,langak-tso lay #dd feet below that of ,tso-mavang1 which agrees very well with the difference of height on ,ryder's map1 namely #ej feet4 ,there is no water beyond the ninety-fourth fixed point in the bed1 ,the ,tibetans related a legend concerning the origin of the channel4 ,two large fishes in ,tso-mavang were deadly enemies and chased each other4 ,one was beaten1 and in order to escape he darted right through the isthmus1 and the windings of the channel bed show the course of the flying fish4 ,the morning of ,august #bf was dull1 damp1 and cold4 ,heavy clouds floated over the earth1 heralds of the monsoon rains1 and ,langak-tso looked anything but inviting for a sail4 ,but we had the whole day before us1 and any moment horsemen might come from ,parka1 take us by the neck and lead us back1 whether we liked it or not1 to the path of duty4 ,langak-tso has a very irregular outline4 ,its chief basin in the south is begirt by rocks1 in the north there is a smaller expansion1 and between the two runs a contracted channel4 ,all we could venture to do was to row over the small basin westwards and then to the south-east1 to a place on the eastern shore whither our camp could be moved4 ,it could be done in a few hours1 so we took nothing but the mast and sail4 ,tundup ,sonam and ,ishe were my boatmen1 and we set out at half-past five o'clock4 ,we were at first in the lee of a promontory1 but when we had passed it the whole lake came down upon us with rolling1 foaming billows1 showers of spray1 and threatening surge4 ,the waves were crowded together in the narrows to leeward1 and assumed curious irregular forms4 ,among them tossed masses of water-weed2 the water was bright green and as clear and sweet as that of ,tso-mavang4 ,we are a little beyond the promontory2 would it not be better to turn back8 ,no2 never turn back1 never give in2 still forwards6 ,we were wet1 but we kept our equilibrium and parried the cunning assaults of the rolling waves4 ,row hard and we shall soon get into the shelter of the great point on the western shore4 ,i even managed to take soundings1 and found that the greatest depth was #ed feet2 the lake bottom was almost level4 ,we had fought with the waves for four hours before we landed on the north side of the promontory1 where we were sheltered from the wind4 ,here we draw the boat to land and reconnoitre4 ,the cape runs north-eastwards1 and is covered with driftsand which is in constant motion4 ,on the shore plain to the south-west yellow sandspouts move about1 whirling like corkscrews in the direction of the wind1 and our promontory receives its share of this load of sand4 ,on the north the dune is very steep2 from time to time fresh sand falls down the slope and slips into the lake1 where the waves sweep it away4 ,from the sharp ridge of the dune the driftsand is blown like a dense plume to the lake1 and the water is tinged with yellow for quite #bjj yards in the direction of the wind by myriads of grains of sand1 which fall to the bottom and build up a foundation under water on which the promontory can extend out into the lake4 ,the wind has been strong1 and now we have a storm4 ,patience6 ,we cannot go back4 ,the driftsand now floats so thickly over the lake that the eastern and northern shores are invisible2 we might be sitting on a dune in the heart of the ,takla-makan desert4 ,we slipped down to the sheltered side of the dune1 but here1 out of the wind1 it was still worse4 ,we were enveloped in clouds of sand which penetrated everywhere1 into our eyes1 ears1 and noses1 and irritated the skin where it came into contact with the body4 ,the moaning howl of the storm was heard above and around us4 ,my oarsmen slept or strolled about1 but their footprints were at once obliterated by the wind4 ,i played with the sand like a child--let it roll down the lee-side1 built a small peninsula1 which was immediately destroyed by the waves1 and a harbour mole1 which the sea beat over and broke up--and watched how new layers and clumps of dead seaweed appeared on the sand slope1 and how the dry sand formed falls and cascades as it rolled down4 ,but the storm did not abate4 ,illustration3 #bfe4 ,,kailas ,,behind ,,nyandi-,,gompa4 ,illustration3 #bff4 ,,my ,,pack-,,sheep4 ,we lay waiting there for four hours4 ,on the eastern shore our men had moved the camp a little farther south4 ,we saw the tents quite plainly4 ,should we venture to creep along the shore southwards so as to reach a point opposite the camp8 ,out beyond the promontory the dark-green lake ran uncomfortably high1 but we were a match for the waves--the men had only to put their weight on to the oars4 ,so we crept along the shore1 where we got some shelter1 but we had to be careful that we were not carried out into the heavy seas4 ,after rowing round two points we landed on the lee-side of a third1 where the boat was drawn ashore again4 ,heavy seas with thundering1 towering waves dashed against the southern side of the point1 so that we could go no farther1 for no pilot would encounter such billows in a canvas boat4 ,i stood on the top of the promontory and enjoyed the fine spectacle4 ,robert's tent shone brightly in the setting sun4 ,we saw the men1 the horses grazing on the bank1 and the smoke of the camp-fire beaten down by the storm4 ,the crossing would barely take an hour1 but between us and them yawned the dark-green abyss of tyrannical1 all-conquering waves4 ,the sun sets and we still sit and wait1 confused by the rush of the spirits of the air and water4 ,this time they have played us a pretty trick1 and we have been caught4 ,to the north rises ,kang-rinpoche1 lofty and bright as a royal crown4 ,its summit is like a chhorten on the grave of a ,grand ,lama4 ,snow and ice with vertical and slightly inclined fissures and ledges form a network like the white web of a gigantic spider on the black cliffs4 ,and the day1 a long day of waiting1 neared its inevitable close4 ,shadows lengthened out over the foaming waves1 the sun set1 and the ,pundi mountain1 our old friend of ,tso-mavang1 glowed like fire in the sunset4 ,clouds of a deep blood-red colour1 with edges of orange1 and tinted above with reddest gold1 hovered over its summit4 ,it was as though the earth had opened and volcanic forces had burst forth4 ,the hours passed by1 the glow died out1 the outlines of ,pundi became indistinct and were at length swallowed up in the darkness4 ,we were in the dark while the camp-fire blazed on the eastern shore4 ,our hopes were now centred on the night and the moon4 ,the storm had raged thrice twenty-four hours1 and it must end some time2 but it was just as strong4 ,and as it was useless to wait1 and ,i could not appease my gnawing hunger with a piece of bread and a cup of tea1 ,i wrapped myself in the sail1 burrowed into the sand1 and fell into a sound sleep4 ,the rain pelting down on the sail woke me twice1 and about four o'clock in the morning the cold thoroughly roused me4 ,a dreary1 grey1 rainy outlook4 ,but ,ishe proposed that we should try to get over1 for the storm had slightly abated in consequence of the rain4 ,we first made sure that the tackle was in good order1 and then stepped into the boat and rowed out along the sheltered side of the promontory4 ,but scarcely had the nose of the boat passed beyond the point when it received a shock that made all its joints crack4 ,row1 row as hard as you can1 ,i yelled through the howling storm2 we shall get over before the boat is full4 ,it is better to be wet than suck our thumbs for twenty-four hours more4 ,to the south1 #eb ,e41 the tent canvas shone white in the morning grey4 ,we strayed far out of our course1 but cut the waves cleanly1 and steered towards the surf4 ,we just managed to get over4 ,we were received on the other side by our men1 who helped us to draw the boat ashore and had fire and breakfast ready for us4 ,namgyal had returned from ,parka and brought news that the ,gova threatened to drive away my men in order to force me to leave ,langak-tso4 ,bluff1 however1 has no effect on me4 ,a more serious matter was that ,puppy had not been seen for forty-eight hours1 and that ,shukkur ,ali1 who had gone the morning before to ,chiu-gompa in search of her1 had not been heard of since4 ,puppy at length found her way into camp herself1 and then it was ,shukkur ,ali who was missing4 ,on the #bhth the storm continued4 ,we afterwards heard from ,tibetans that stormy weather frequently prevails on ,langak-tso1 and the lake is agitated1 when ,tso-mavang is smooth and calm4 ,tundup ,sonam concluded that ,tso-mavang was a pet of the gods1 while demons and devils ruled over ,langak-tso4 ,we had heard a tale in ,gossul-gompa that the preceding winter five ,tibetans1 armed with swords and guns1 had crossed the ice to reach ,parka by a shorter way1 but in the middle of the lake the ice had given way1 and all five were dragged down by the weight of their weapons to the bottom4 ,i wished for fine weather that ,i might be able to cross over the lake to the islands4 ,as1 however1 we were obliged to give up all thoughts of a voyage1 ,i determined to pass round the lake and at any rate draw an outline map of it4 ,we commenced1 then1 with the eastern shore1 which makes a regular curve towards the east4 ,the white mule from ,poonch carried the boat4 ,some ,ovis ,ammons were seen on the rocks1 which ,tundup ,sonam stalked unsuccessfully4 ,shukkur ,ali turned up again as cool as a cucumber1 having searched in vain for ,puppy1 which was snoring in my tent in most excellent condition4 ,august #bi4 ,we go to sleep amidst the roaring of the waves and the howling of the storm1 and awake again to the same uproar4 ,it is always in our ears as we ride along the shore4 ,we might be at the foot of a waterfall4 ,now we follow the south shore westwards4 ,here the cliffs are almost everywhere precipitous1 and the rocks are porphyry1 granite1 and schist2 the shore strip is extremely narrow and steep1 and is divided into sharply marked terraces4 ,it descends right down to great depths1 and shallow1 gradually sloping places are not to be found4 ,a human skull lay in a bay bobbing up and down in the waves1 and not far off were other parts of a skeleton4 ,was it one of the men who had been drowned in the winter8 ,at this discovery my men conceived a still greater aversion to ,langak-tso1 which even took human life4 ,i perceived that they were wondering what further foolhardiness ,i might indulge in4 ,a sharp-pointed peninsula running north-westwards delayed us4 ,on the bay beyond a caravan was camping1 and we were glad to meet ,tibetans again when all others had withdrawn from us2 and they were glad to meet a ,european who had been at the ,luma-ring-tso1 their home4 ,but they could not understand why we passed round all projections and went right round all the bays1 instead of following the direct road running a little farther to the south4 ,one of them held out his hands towards me with the fingers spread out1 and said that the south shore of the lake had as many indentations4 ,when ,i told him that ,i wished to draw a map of the lake1 he said that it was of no consequence what the shore was like1 as only egg-gatherers came there4 ,when we had passed two projecting points we encamped at the extremity of the cape which lies in a line with the southernmost island4 ,it was stormy1 but here we found shelter under a cliff with a streamer pole on the top4 ,stone walls1 rags1 and eggshells were evidence of the visits of men4 ,on the east and west of the cape were open bays with heavy seas1 and to the north1 #ai ,e41 we saw the southern point of the island--a dark precipitous rock1 rising like a huge roll of bread from the waves4 ,we had already heard of this island1 ,lache-to1 on which the wild-geese lay their eggs in ,may1 and are robbed of them by men from ,parka who come over the ice4 ,i could not therefore omit to visit it4 ,the island lay quite near4 ,we would return immediately1 and ,adul might begin to roast the wild-goose which ,tundup had shot on the march4 ,we wanted no provisions1 but ,robert advised ,ishe to take a bag of tsamba with him1 lest he should have to wait too long for his dinner4 ,illustration3 #bfg4 ,,part ,,of ,,kailas4 ,sketch by the ,author4 ,these two men took the oars when we put off4 ,the shelter of the cape was deceptive4 ,two minutes from the bank ,i tried to take a sounding1 but the line made a great curve before it reached the bottom1 for the storm drove the boat northwards4 ,then we fell upon another device3 the boatmen had only to hold their oars in the air and let the wind carry the boat along4 ,but a little farther out we could not sail so easily1 for the wave system of the eastern open part of the lake came into collision with that from the west4 ,here the waves rose into hillocks and pyramids1 and had to be negotiated with the oars4 ,we rapidly drew near to the island1 and its rocks became higher and looked threateningly dark and dangerous4 ,when we were close to the southern point ,i perceived that it was impossible to land there4 ,the bank of rubbish and blocks was very steep1 and we and the boat would have been dashed in pieces in the foaming breakers4 ,the situation was critical4 ,robert wished to land on the lee-side of the northern point1 but that would have been risky1 for the storm swept unchecked along the sides of the island1 and if we did not get under the land at the right moment we should be driven out into the open lake at a distance of two days' voyage from the northern shore4 ,we rocked up and down on soft green crystal4 ,i steered close to the eastern bank1 where the waves were just as high4 ,here we had no choice4 ,i turned the bow towards the land1 and the men rowed for all they were worth4 ,a nasty billow threw us ashore4 ,robert jumped out1 slipped1 and got a ducking4 ,ishe hurried up to help him4 ,three billows broke over me before ,i got to land4 ,we were all three drenched1 but we were glad to have firm ground under our feet1 and to have reached the island safely in spite of the treacherous storm which might have driven us past this open roadstead4 ,then ,robert and ,i went round the island while ,ishe collected fuel4 ,though we could only walk slowly over the detritus1 we took but twenty-five minutes to go round the island and ascertain its form by compass bearings4 ,it is longish1 runs from north to south1 and consists of a single rock falling on all sides steeply to the water4 ,during our walk the wind dried us4 ,then ,i drew a panorama of ,gurla ,mandatta1 and after that the spot of earth to which fate had led us prisoners was subjected to a closer investigation4 ,at the north-eastern foot of the elevation is a rather flat pebbly plateau4 ,here the wild-geese breed in spring1 and here lay still several thousand eggs1 in twos1 threes1 or fours1 in a nest of stones and sand4 ,that was a discovery4 ,ishe had a bag of tsamba1 but that was all4 ,there was every probability that we should have to stay the night here1 and now we had a quite unexpected store of provisions to last for months4 ,and some time this persistent wind must cease4 ,we played at ,robinson ,crusoe1 and found our situation very advantageous4 ,but the egg-collecting was the most interesting4 ,the eggs were pretty and appetizing as they lay half embedded in the sand1 and ,i pictured to myself the happy cackling that must go on in the spring when the goose mothers sit with expectant hearts on the hard nests1 and the sun floods ,gurla ,mandatta with a sea of light4 ,we broke two4 ,they were rotten4 ,we tried others which lay in the shade and deeper in the sand4 ,they gave out a horrible stench when the shell broke with a crack on a stone4 ,but of about #bjj eggs we broke1 we found eight which were edible1 and we did not want more4 ,we helped ,ishe to collect dry plants lying on the slopes1 and at sunset we had a huge heap which we had piled within a small ring fence4 ,in the middle the fire was lighted1 and we sat leaning against the wall which sheltered us from the wind4 ,we were warm and comfortable1 and our satisfaction reached its height when ,ishe's store of tsamba was divided into three equal portions1 and was eaten out of a wooden bowl with the hand in place of a spoon4 ,the greatest inconvenience was that we had no other vessel but ,ishe's small wooden bowl1 and therefore whenever one of us wanted a drink he had to tramp down to the shore4 ,the storm still howled over the rock and through the holes and crannies of the wall4 ,then the thought shot through my mind3 ,is the boat moored securely8 ,if it should be carried away6 ,then we are lost4 ,ah1 but it may be cast ashore on the northern bank1 and our men may fetch it and come across to the island4 ,no1 it will be filled with water1 and be sunk by the weight of the zinc plates of the centre-boards4 ,but then we can mount in the morning to the southern point and make our people understand by signs that we want provisions4 ,we have drifted to the island in eighteen minutes4 ,they can make a raft with the tent poles and stays1 load it with provisions1 and let it drift with the wind to the island4 ,and we may find more fresh eggs4 ,such were the thoughts that ,robert and ,i exchanged while ,ishe was feeling about in total darkness at the landing-place4 ,what if we have to stay here till the lake freezes over1 four months hence8 ,i said4 ,but at this moment we heard ,ishe's steps in the sand1 and he calmed us with the assurance that both the boat and the oars were safe4 ,then we talked together again and kept up the fire4 ,the storm had abated1 but sudden gusts came down from all quarters4 ,we inspected the water1 and found that we could make for the mainland without danger4 ,but first we took all the remaining fuel and piled it up into a blazing bonfire1 which shone like a huge beacon over the lake4 ,if any ,tibetan saw it1 he must have thought that an enchanted fire was burning on the desolate island4 ,the moon was high when we put off and the lake was still rough4 ,but soon the black cape where our camp stood was seen on the southern shore against the dim background of mountains4 ,in the middle of the sound the depth was #aac feet4 ,we shouted with all our might1 and were soon answered by a fire on the point1 to which our people had come down4 ,and the roasted wild-goose1 which had waited so long for us1 and a cup of hot tea tasted delicious in the early hours of morn4 ,and still more delightful was it to creep into bed after our short visit to the goose island1 which raised its dark1 mysterious1 dolphin-like ridge in the moonlight4 ,never again would my foot tread its peaceful strand4 ,,chapter ,l ,,the ,,source ,,of ,,the ,,sutlej ,we had scarcely dressed in the morning before the storm raged again4 ,galsan and a gova from ,parka overtook us here4 ,the former brought provisions1 the latter had strict orders from his chief1 ,parka ,tasam1 to tell me that if ,i did not at once betake myself to ,parka1 he would send off all my baggage to ,langak-tso1 and force me to move on to ,purang4 ,but the gova himself was a jovial old fellow1 and he received my answer that if ,parka ,tasam ventured to meddle with my boxes1 he should be immediately deposed4 ,if he kept quiet a couple of days1 ,i would come to ,parka1 and the rather that ,i found it impossible to navigate the lake at this season of the year4 ,then we marched on westwards1 in and out of the bays and round all the projections produced by a mountain elevation north of ,gurla1 which prolongs its ramifications to the lake4 ,the constantly changing views1 as we wind in and out and wander between land and water1 are indescribably beautiful and charming4 ,the two large islands lying far out in the lake we see wherever we may be4 ,one is named ,dopserma2 other water-birds breed there1 but no geese4 ,in winter yaks and sheep are driven over the ice to the island1 where there is good pasturage4 ,when cattle disease rages in the country the animals on ,dopserma do not suffer4 ,we passed round the sharp-pointed westernmost bay in a furious storm and blinding clouds of sand1 and encamped on the shore again4 ,the same agreeable weather continued also on the last day of ,august as we travelled north-eastwards and saw the ,langak-tso in a new and beautiful aspect4 ,the air was now clear1 ,kang-rinpoche and ,gurla ,mandatta were unclouded1 and stood as sentinels above the lakes4 ,we passed the point where ,tundup ,sonam1 ,ishe1 and ,i had waited so long1 and by the sand-dune where we had lain four hours4 ,at the north-western bay we cross the old bed of the ,sutlej1 consisting of treacherous1 quaking bog or dry1 hard clay2 it is broad1 has no terraces1 and has been much degraded and smoothed down by deflation and driftsand in later times4 ,two springs rise up in the middle1 and flow in the direction of the lake4 ,westwards the bed seems quite level1 but actually it rises slowly and evenly to a flat culmination1 on the other side of which it dips down towards the ,indus4 ,now it had become dark1 and we rode hour after hour among low hills and dunes and over meadows and water channels4 ,i thought we had lost our way1 when the bells of grazing cattle were heard1 a fire appeared1 and ,rabsang came to meet us with a lantern in order to lead us to the village ,parka1 where my tent was set up in a courtyard4 ,during the much-needed day of rest we allowed ourselves in ,parka1 ,i negotiated now and then with the govas of the neighbourhood4 ,they asked me to set off definitely for the west next day1 and ,i promised to do so1 but on the condition that ,i might stay three days in ,khaleb1 half a day's journey to the west4 ,they consented without inquiring into my further intentions4 ,i wished1 be it known1 to pass round the holy mountain by the pilgrim road1 but saw that the authorities would never grant their permission4 ,it could be done only by stratagem4 ,here ,i received a second very kind letter from ,mr4 ,cassels1 who happened to be in ,gyanima on official business4 ,unfortunately the force of circumstances prevented us meeting4 ,he gave me a pleasant surprise with three packets of tea1 which were the more welcome as ,i had latterly had to put up with brick-tea4 ,here also the truth of the report that had so long followed us1 that six ,chinese and ,tibetan officials from ,lhasa had been sent to bring me to reason1 was at length made clear4 ,the report was certainly true1 but when the gentlemen on reaching ,saka-dzong heard that ,i had marched on westwards some time before1 they simply turned back again4 ,i obtained all kinds of information about the two lakes and their periodical outlets1 from ,tibetans who had long lived in the country4 ,four years before some water had flowed from ,tso-mavang to ,langak-tso1 which confirms ,ryder's statement4 ,twelve years ago the outflow had been so abundant that the channel could not be passed except by the bridge4 ,the channel is sometimes called ,ngangga1 sometimes ,ganga4 ,the water of ,langak-tso is said to drain off underground1 and to appear again at a place in the old bed called ,langchen-kamba1 and this water is said to be the true source of the ,sutlej1 and to find its way to the large streams which form this river1 called in ,tibetan ,langchen-kamba4 ,twelve years and forty-eight years ago the spring in the old bed is said to have emitted much more water than now4 ,sherring collected similar data in #aije4 ,langak-tso is said to have been so poisonous in former times that any one who drank of its water died1 but since the holy fish broke through the isthmus and passed into the lake1 the water has been sweet4 ,langak-tso freezes in the beginning of ,december1 half a month sooner than its eastern neighbour1 and the freezing proceeds slowly and in patches1 whereas ,tso-mavang freezes over in an hour4 ,langak-tso also breaks up half a month before ,tso-mavang4 ,both have ice #c feet thick4 ,in winter the surface of ,tso-mavang falls #bj inches beneath the ice1 which consequently is cracked and fissured1 and dips from the shore2 but ,langak-tso sinks only one or two thirds of an inch4 ,this shows that it receives water constantly from the eastern lake1 but only parts with a trifling quantity in winter4 ,with regard to the goose island1 ,i was told that three men are commissioned by the ,devashung to settle on the island as soon as the wild-geese arrive1 to protect them from wolves and foxes4 ,they receive #h rupees1 a sheep1 and a lump of butter as wages4 ,at this time1 in ,may1 the ice is still two feet thick1 but the egg-gatherers must take care that they are not cut off from the mainland by a storm4 ,some years ago it happened that two watchmen were isolated on the island in this way4 ,they lived there eight months1 subsisting on eggs and green food1 and returned over the ice next winter as soon as the lake was frozen over4 ,but one of them was so enfeebled that he died on reaching ,parka4 ,after a lively feast held by the ,ladakis in the evening1 we rode on ,september #b north-westwards1 accompanied by an old grey-headed gova1 who had become a particular friend of mine4 ,the weather was fine1 but we now felt biting cold in the morning1 much as at home on the islets off the coast when the yellow leaves have fallen and a thin sheet of ice has spread over the inlets4 ,all ,parka was on foot to witness our departure4 ,with us set out a high lama whom ,i had known in ,leh4 ,his retinue looked well in their yellow dresses against the grey and green ground4 ,he had been in ,shigatse1 and had lately made the circuit of the holy mountain4 ,during the march we waded through the rivers ,dam-chu1 ,sung-chu1 ,la-chu1 and ,khaleb1 which together carried about #cej cubic feet of water per second to ,langak-tso4 ,the nearer we came to the holy mountain1 the less imposing it appeared2 it was finest from ,langak-tso4 ,in form it resembles a tetrahedron set on a prism4 ,from the middle of its white top a belt of ice falls precipitously down1 and below it stands a stalagmite of ice1 on to which a thick stream of water pours from above4 ,the stream splits up into glittering drops of spray and thin sheets of water--a grand spectacle1 which one could watch with pleasure for hours4 ,our camp on the ,khaleb moor had the advantage of being far from the haunts of men--a very necessary condition1 for here ,i contrived to make three excursions without permission4 ,the second of these took a whole day1 ,september #f1 and its aim was the old bed of the ,sutlej4 ,where we reached it1 the bed seemed to contain stagnant water both to the east and west1 and the ground was quite level4 ,at the place which seemed highest1 we tested it with the boiling-point thermometer and found that it stood about #cj feet above the lake4 ,following the bed westwards we come first to a large pool of sweet water with large quantities of ducks and water-weeds1 then to a series of freshwater swamps connected by channels1 and at length to a brook1 which flows slowly south-westwards4 ,the brook pours into a large freshwater pool1 ,no4 #b1 which has no visible outlet4 ,but when we proceed farther west to the point where the bed is contracted between walls of solid rock1 we come upon two springs forming a new brook1 which flows through a clearly marked valley to the south-west4 ,i am convinced that this water filtrates underground from ,langak-tso4 ,a year later ,i followed the old bed a day's march farther west1 and found at ,dlchu-gompa permanent springs of abundant water1 which likewise well up on the bottom of the bed4 ,from here and all along its course through the ,himalayas the ,tibetans call the ,sutlej ,langchen-kamba1 the ,elephant river2 the hill on which the convent ,dlchu-gompa is built is supposed to bear some resemblance to an elephant1 and hence the name4 ,the spring at ,dlchu is called ,langchen-kabab1 or the mouth out of which the ,elephant river comes1 just as the ,brahmaputra source is the ,tamchok-kabab1 or the mouth out of which the ,horse river comes1 and the ,indus source is the ,singi-kabab1 or the mouth from which the ,lion river comes4 ,the fourth in the series is the ,mapchu-kamba1 the ,peacock river or ,karnali4 ,the ,tibetans assert that the source of the ,sutlej is at the monastery ,dlchu1 not in the ,himalayas or the ,trans-,himalaya1 from which1 however1 it receives very voluminous tributaries4 ,they are also convinced that the source water of the ,langchen-kamba originates from ,langak-tso4 ,and ,i would draw particular attention to the fact that the first of the two holy springs which pour their water into the ,tage-tsangpo is also called ,langchen-kamba 7see p4 #aje71 a proof that in old times the source was supposed to lie to the east of ,tso-mavang4 ,illustration3 #bfh4 ,,kailas ,,from ,,diri-,,pu4 ,illustration3 #bfi4 ,,confluence ,,of ,,the ,,two ,,arms ,,of ,,the ,,indus4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,now ,i advise any one who takes no interest in the source of the ,sutlej to skip the following quotation4 ,during my stay in ,kioto in ,december #aijh1 ,mr4 ,ogawa1 ,professor of ,geography in the ,university there1 showed me a collection of ,chinese books4 ,one of them1 ,shui-tao-ti-kang1 or ,the ,elements of ,hydrography1 is a compilation of the author ,chi ,chao ,nan in the #bfth year of the ,emperor ,kien ,lung1 that is1 the year #agfb1 and in this work1 ,book #bb1 is the following communication concerning the source of the ,sutlej1 which ,professor ,ogawa was kind enough to translate for me literally3#a ,the ,kang-ka-kiang comes out from ,kang-ti-ssu-shan1 on the south-east of which there stands ,lang-chuan-ka-pa-pu-shan 7 ,langchen-kabab71 magnificent like an elephant4 ,the relief is gradually accentuated more and more towards the south-western frontiers1 and culminates at ,kang-ti-ssu-shan 7 ,kailas74 ,the mountain has a circumference of more than #adj li4 ,on all sides the mountain forms precipitous walls more than #ajjj feet high above the surrounding mountains1 and accumulated snow seems as if hung on cliffs4 ,hundreds of springs pour down from the top1 but flow under the ground on the foot of the mountain4 ,it is situated in the extreme west of the ,tsang region1 #caj li north-east of ,ta-ko-la-cheng in ,a-li1 more than #eeij li south-west of ,si-ning-fu in ,shensi province4 ,its longitude is #cf #d' ,w41 and its latitude #cj #e' ,n4 ,in olden times the place was unknown1 but can be doubtfully identified with ,a-nok-ta-shan in the annotation of ,shui-ching4 ,in the neighbourhood there are four high mountains1 of which the southern is called ,lang-chuan-ka-pa-pu-shan1 lying #bej li south-by-east of ,kang-ti-ssu-shan1 and #bgj li east of ,ta-kola-cheng4 ,the natives call it so1 because the form of the mountain resembles an elephant4 ,on the east of this mountain there stands ,ta-mu-chu-ko-ka-pa-pu-shan 7 ,tamchok-kabab71 which is the source of the ,ya-lu-tsang-pu river 7 ,yere-tsangpo or ,brahmaputra74 ,springs come out from the northern foot of the mountain1 and accumulate into a lake 7#ce #e' ,w41 and #bi #a' ,n474 ,the water flows north-westwards for #gj li1 and receives a stream coming from the north-east4 ,the stream lies in the mountains #hj li north-east of ,lang-chuan-ka-pa-pu4 ,two streams flow westwards from the mountain and turn north-westwards after their junction4 ,it now takes a sinuous course for #fj li1 turns south-westwards1 and joins the main river4 ,this is a source4 ,the river flows further to the west-by-north for #dj li1 then to the north-east1 to be met by the water of lake ,kung-sheng 7 ,gunchu-tso71 which sinks under the ground of the lake basin1 but which1 after reappearing1 and after receiving three northern affluents1 runs south-westwards to the river4 ,the lake of ,kung-sheng-o-mo has two sources--one coming from the north-east1 from ,ta-ko-la-kung-ma-shan1 and flowing #aej-afj li2 the other from the east1 from the western foot of ,ma-erh-yo-mu-ling 7 ,marium-la7 in the western frontiers of ,cho-shu-t4 ,this last-mentioned mountain forms the eastern boundary of ,a-li1 and is the chief range going south-eastwards from ,kang-ti-ssu4 ,the water 7of the lake ,kung-sheng7 flows westwards for more than #ej li1 and forms another lake1 #hj li wide1 and without an outlet4 ,however1 more than #aj li farther to the west there is a third lake with a subterranean source and with a length of #cj li4 ,a stream comes from the north to the lake4 ,the river now flows south-westwards for #fj li1 and receives a stream coming from the north-east4 #dj li farther south-westwards it receives a stream coming from the northern mountains2 farther south-westwards the river meets the water from ,lang-chuan-ka-pa-pu-shan4 ,the water forms the lake ,ma-piu-mu-ta-lai 7 ,tso-mavang74 ,from south to north it is #aej li long1 from east to west #hj or #ajj li wide1 and has a circumference of more than #bjj li4 ,on the northern side of the lake there are two streams coming from the north4 ,the lake is situated #abj li to the south of ,kang-ti-ssu4 ,the water flows out from the west of the lake into the lake ,lang-ka 7 ,lan-gak-tso7 at a distance of #fj li4 ,the latter lake receives a stream coming from the north-east4 ,lake ,lang-ka has a narrow rectangular shape1 pointed and elongated1 the length from south to north being #agj li1 and the width from east to west #ajj li4 ,its northern pointed corner has the stream coming from north-east4 ,there are three sources on the southern foot at a distance of #gj li from a southern branch of ,kang-ti-ssu2 they flow southwards1 unite into one stream1 which takes a south-westerly course for #aej-afj li before entering the lake4 ,the lake is the same in circumference and area1 but different in outline4 ,the water 7of lake ,lang-ka7 flows out from the west1 and after running westwards for more than #ajj li it turns to the south-west1 and is now called the ,lang-chu-ho1 and takes a sinuous course for more than #bjj li4 ,then it receives the ,chu-ka-la-ho coming from the north-east4 ,this description of the position of the source of the ,sutlej is of such extraordinary interest that ,i do not like to reserve it for my scientific work1 and the less so that it supports the theory ,i expressed when in ,india1 that the ,tage-tsangpo is nothing but the uppermost section of the course of the ,sutlej1 or1 in other words1 that the source of the ,tage-tsangpo is also that of the ,sutlej4 ,many quotations have been looked up during the discussion that has arisen on this problem1 but they cannot compare in importance with the one just cited1 which1 moreover1 is sixty years older than the oldest of the others1 namely1 ,gerard's opinion that the ,gunchu-tso is the source of the ,sutlej4 ,the description in ,chi ,chao ,nan's ,hydrography is distinguished by the same careful conformity with the truth and conscientiousness as all other ,chinese geographical descriptions4 ,compare the description of ,kailas 7,kang-rinpoche7 with what ,i have already said about it4 ,lang-chuan-ka-pa-pu is the ,chinese translation of the ,tibetan ,langchen-kabab1 which literally means the ,source of the ,sutlej4 ,when the ,chinese author informs us that east of ,langchen-kabab lies ,tamchok-kabab1 which is the source of the river ,yere-tsangpo 7,brahmaputra71 we must admit that his description is quite in accordance with the truth1 as ,i1 the first ,european to visit this country1 have myself discovered2 for on the ,tamlung-la ,i stood on the pass which parts the water between the ,brahmaputra and ,sutlej1 and immediately to the south of the pass ,i saw ,gang-lung-gangri and the glacier from which the ,tage-tsangpo takes its rise1 and in which the source of the ,sutlej lies4 ,it is further said that the lake ,gunchu-tso has two source streams--one from the north-east1 from the mountain ,ta-ko-la-kung-ma1 which is evidently identical with ,d',anville's ,tacra-concla2 the other from the west side of the pass ,marium-la3 an account which agrees with ,ryder's map in all particulars4 ,at present the ,gunchu-tso is completely cut off and is salt2 it therefore is no longer connected with the ,sutlej system4 ,but #adg years ago it had an outlet which ran partly underground1 and then1 rising up again1 joined the ,langchen-kamba or ,tage-tsangpo4 ,and that the ,tage-tsangpo was at one time considered by the ,tibetans to be the headwater of the ,sutlej is apparent from the fact that its name1 ,langchen-kamba1 is still applied to the upper of the two sacred source streams in the valley of the ,tage-tsangpo4 ,and1 again1 it is said3 ,this water1 that is1 the water of the ,langchen-kabab1 or the headwater of the ,sutlej1 forms the lake ,ma-piu-mu-ta-lai1 the ,tso-mavang or ,tso-mavam1 as the name is also pronounced2 on ,d',anville's map 7,map #b7 it is written ,ma-pama ,talai1 and ,d',anville explains that ,talai signifies lake4 ,he might have added that it is the same word as in ,dalai ,lama1 the priest1 whose wisdom is as unfathomable as the ocean2 for the ,chinese word ,talai or ,dalai means ocean4 ,by the use of this word the ,chinese author wished to imply that ,tso-mavang is much larger than the other lakes mentioned in his text4 ,the surplus water1 as there is every reason to assume1 flowed in the year #agfb from ,tso-mavang through the channel to ,langak-tso4 ,the length of the channel was #fj li1 which corresponds to my #e miles4 ,all the northern tributaries which flow into the two lakes from the valleys of the ,trans-,himalaya are correctly noted4 ,the lake ,langak is called ,lang-ka4 ,on ,d',anville's map1 the material for which was supplied by the ,jesuits who lived in ,pekin in the time of the ,emperor ,kang ,hi 7at the beginning of the eighteenth century71 the lake is named ,lanken4 ,on the same map the river flowing thence westwards is called ,lanc-tchou 7,sutlej71 but it is suggested1 absurdly enough1 that it is the upper course of the ,ganges4 ,d',anville names the mountains south of ,tso-mavang ,lantchia-,kepou1 which is ,langchen-kabab1 and the mountains lying to the south-east of them ,tam-tchou1 that is1 ,tamchok1 in which he quite correctly places the origin of the ,yarou ,tsanpou1 the ,brahmaputra4 ,the material for the map of the whole ,chinese ,empire1 which the ,jesuits presented to the ,emperor ,kang ,hi in the year #agah1 was collected between the years #agjh and #agaf1 and the ,emperor procured information about ,tibet through natives1 who were prepared for their work by the ,jesuits1 just as in later times ,english topographers have trained ,indian pundits4 ,from ,d',anville's map we learn that #bjj years ago the ,sutlej flowed out of ,langak-tso through the bed ,i have already described4 ,professor ,ogawa's translation of the ,chinese text shows us that even in the year #agfb1 or perhaps some years before1 the river still emerged from the ,langak-tso4 ,and it is expressly said that the river ,chu-ka-la-ho 7,chu-kar1 which1 however1 is said to descend from the north-east instead of the south-east7 is only a tributary4 ,in the year #ahdf ,henry ,strachey found no visible outlet1 but he says that there is one underground1 and considers it probable that the channel also may carry water when the lake has risen after heavy rains4 ,on ,july #cj1 #aijh1 ,i heard from the chief lama of the monastery ,dlchu-gompa1 who was born in the neighbourhood and was then fifty-five years old1 that when he was quite young1 water occasionally flowed out of the lake4 ,but when he was ten years old1 that would be in the year #ahfc1 this water had failed1 and since then no more had been seen4 ,on the other hand1 the springs in the bed are constant both in winter and in summer1 and are independent of the precipitation4 ,the monks believe that the water comes from ,langak-tso1 but nevertheless they call it the ,langchen-kabab1 the river which flows out of the mouth of the elephant4 ,my investigations on the spot1 as well as the ,chinese quotation1 prove that ,colonel ,s4 ,g4 ,burrard is quite right in his masterly description of the rivers of the ,himalayas and ,tibet 7,calcutta1 #aijg71 when he includes ,tso-mavang and ,langak-tso and all their affluents in the drainage basin of the ,sutlej1 and therefore ,i will here cite two sentences of ,colonel ,burrard3 ,the connection between the two lakes may be taken as established1 but that between the western lake and the ,sutlej basin is still open to question4 ,if the water from ,rakas-tal flows into the ,sutlej once a century1 and then only for such a short period as to be observed by no one1 we shall still be justified in including the lakes in the catchment area of the river4 ,and in this connection ,i would point out that the water-level of ,tibetan rivers and lakes is subject to periodical fluctuations1 dependent on the precipitation1 of the same kind as the ,brckner periods4 ,the level in the two lakes varies from year to year4 ,at the present time they are very low1 but there is nothing to prevent them rising gradually in a more or less distant future4 ,tso-mavang may rise so that its water may again flow through the channel to ,langak-tso1 and this lake at length may discharge its surplus water1 as formerly1 through the dry bed of the ,sutlej4 ,it is more probable1 however1 that ,langak-tso is approaching a time when it will lose its subterranean outlet also1 and be quite isolated1 like ,gunchu-tso and ,panggong-tso1 and consequently become salt in time4 ,but after it has lost its outlet it may be a long time1 as ,professor ,brckner informs me1 before the lake becomes noticeably salt4 ,the next step in the development will be that ,tso-mavang will be cut off from ,langak-tso and likewise become salt4 ,however1 we need not plunge into speculations and prognostications of the future1 which may have surprises in store about which we can form only more or less probable conjectures4 ,it is our duty to rely solely on fact and observation4 ,and now that we are agreed that the two lakes belong to the drainage area of the ,sutlej1 the question is3 ,which of the rivers debouching into ,tso-mavang is the headwater of the ,sutlej8 ,naturally1 the longest and the one which carries most water4 ,the river which once flowed out of ,gunchu-tso has no claim to this honour1 and the ,gunchu-tso must be rejected as the source of the ,sutlej4 ,the ,tage-tsangpo discharged #chh cubic feet of water per second1 while all the other streams entering ,tso-mavang carried at most #ajj cubic feet each4 ,the source of the ,tage-tsangpo in the front of the ,gang-lung glacier is therefore the source of the ,sutlej4 ,illustration3 #bgj4 ,,tibetan ,,female ,,pilgrims ,,at ,,kailas4 ,,footnote3 #a ,i have only omitted a couple of sentences1 which have no immediate connection with the problem4 ,,chapter ,,li ,a ,,pilgrimage ,,round ,,kang-,,rinpoche ,we are again on the ,khaleb moor and the day is ,september #c1 on which we are to begin the circuit of the holy mountain4 ,the head ,gova of ,parka is with us to hold me in check1 but ,i take very good care not to betray my plans4 ,tsering1 ,rabsang1 ,namgyal1 and ,ishe are to go with me2 they are ,lamaists1 and are glad of the opportunity to come nearer the gates of salvation by wandering round the holy mountain4 ,we take provisions for three days1 the absolutely necessary instruments1 sketch- and note-books4 ,the stand of the large camera and one of the boat's tarpaulins are to serve as a tent4 ,the whole baggage is only a light load for a horse4 ,i ride my small grey ,ladaki and the four men march on foot1 for no one may ride round the holy mountain unless he is a heathen1 like myself4 ,the rest of the caravan is to wait for us in ,khaleb1 and my tent is to be left untouched that the ,tibetans may think that ,i am expected back in the evening4 ,tsering1 ,namgyal1 and ,ishe start early1 and ,rabsang and ,i a little later4 ,the ,gova and his men come to ask what it all means and whither ,i am going1 but ,i answer only1 ,i shall soon be back again1 and ride off to the north1 #cj ,e41 to the mouth of the ,dunglung valley4 ,the others wait for us among the first moraines1 and then we proceed in close column up and down among old moraines which have been thrust down by vanished glaciers4 ,a party of pilgrims from ,kham in the distant east are resting on the bank of the ,dunglung river4 ,they have pitched their tents1 and their horses are grazing on the fresh grass4 ,from the top of the moraine is seen the northern part of our stormy ,langak-tso4 ,we ride up the valley and soon have on both sides solid rock of hard green and violet conglomerate1 with huge cones of detritus at the foot of the slopes4 ,enormous boulders of conglomerate have fallen down here4 ,on the left bank of the river1 where the road comes up from ,tarchen1 stand a small cubical house and several manis and chhortens in long rows3 it is a sacred road1 the road of pilgrims round ,kang-rinpoche4 ,the cliffs assume ever wilder forms1 falling perpendicularly to terraces and pebble screes1 forming steps and ledges1 fortifications1 battlements and towers1 as though built by human hands4 ,they consist of sandstone and conglomerate1 and the strata dip #aj to the south1 and to the eye appear horizontal4 ,a small bridge spans the river4 ,a party of pilgrims behind us is just crossing it4 ,but we are on the right bank1 and above us ,nyandi-gompa is perched on its terrace4 ,above it rises the vertical wall of a huge mountain mass1 a dangerous background for the monastery4 ,up on a ledge dwells a hermit1 and quite at the top stands a streamer pole named ,nyandi-kong4 ,five years ago a huge block fell down upon the monastery and laid half of it in ruins4 ,the block still lies in the inner court4 ,it was early in the morning after long-continuous rain2 no one was hurt1 but the monastery had to be rebuilt4 ,two monks1 two old women1 and a boy received us kindly1 and said it was the first time they had seen a ,european in ,nyandi4 ,the monastery1 as well as the three others on ,kailas1 is under ,tarchen-labrang1 which is situated on the southern foot of the mountain1 where the pilgrims begin and end their circuit4 ,curiously enough1 these monasteries belong to ,tongsa ,penlop1 the ,raja of ,bhotan4 ,the preceding year1 #aijf1 was a year of the fire horse1 and the year #aiah will be a year of the earth horse2 every twelfth year is a horse year1 in which wood1 fire1 earth1 iron or water is prefixed to the name horse2 the ,tibetan cycle 7the period of time which is the base of the reckoning7 extends over sixty years with the names of twelve different animals4 ,every horse year1 and accordingly every twelfth year1 crowds of pilgrims come to ,kailas4 ,the monks said that they cannot be counted1 but they knew that in the year #aijg more than #ejjj pilgrims had been at ,nyandi1 of whom the greater part came from ,ladak4 ,the lhakang1 or hall of the gods1 is very original4 ,four pillars support the roof4 ,the altar1 like a ,chinese kiosque of wood painted in colours1 stands alone and in deep shadow1 but so many votive lights are placed in front that they seem like a festival illumination4 ,an especial lamp hangs before the image of ,sakya-muni1 which stands against a wall4 ,in front of the altar is a huge copper vessel with a cover1 which is called ,tosungjn4 ,it is said to have flown in old times from ,india through the air4 ,in winter it is filled with butter1 in summer with chang4 ,a lama with a brass ladle poured the consecrated beverage into the bowls of my men1 and out of the silver bowls with peacocks' feathers he poured holy water into the hollow of their hands2 they drank of it and besmeared their faces with the rest4 ,all1 except ,rabsang1 paid due reverence to the statues and prayed1 and ,tsering had murmured his prayers all the way along and let the beads of his rosary slip through his fingers4 ,two fine elephant's tusks 7langchen-sala-rapten7 were set up before the altar4 ,in the ,tsenkang hall is a figure of ,hlabsen clothed in gold brocade and kadakhs1 the god of ,kang-rinpoche and ,tso-mavang4 ,in the ante-chamber is a whole arsenal of guns and swords and wooden and leathern shields1 each with four iron bosses4 ,on the outside of the monastery1 which fronts the holy mountain1 rows of artistically sculptured slabs are affixed4 ,on six of them each of the holy characters is incised1 and each of the gigantic characters is again filled in with the invariable alpha and omega of ,lamaism1 ,om mani padme hum4 ,on other flagstones gods are carved with wonderful dexterity1 and one feels a vain desire to buy one or two of them4 ,the view from the roof is indescribably beautiful4 ,the icy summit of ,kang-rinpoche rises amid fantastic fissured precipitous rocks1 and in the foreground are the picturesque superstructure of the monastery and its streamers 7,illust4 #bfe74 ,but time flies4 ,after spending three hours in ,nyandi1 we say farewell to the monks1 descend the steep path zigzagging among rubbish and boulders1 and continue our journey to the north-north-east along the right bank of the river4 ,at every turn ,i could stand still in astonishment1 for this valley is one of the grandest and most beautiful in its wildness that ,i have ever seen4 ,the precipice on the right side of the valley is divided into two stages with a terrace between them1 and in the midst gapes a dark ravine4 ,on the left side the rock forms a single vertical wall1 and here the eyes fall on a succession of singular forms of relief1 rocks like congealed cascades1 citadels1 church towers1 and embattled fortifications1 separated by caon-like hollows4 ,water from melting snowfields pours down the steep slopes4 ,one such jet of water is quite #hjj feet high and white as milk2 the wind turns it into spray1 but it collects again1 only to be split up against a projection4 ,the rock around it is wet and dark with spurted drops4 ,a natural rock bridge crosses a small cleft with vertical walls4 ,immediately beyond the monastery the summit of ,kailas is lost to view1 but soon a bit of it is seen again through a gap4 ,we passed twelve pilgrims1 and soon after a second party resting on a slope4 ,they put on solemn faces and do not talk with one another1 but murmur prayers1 walking with their bodies bent1 and leaning on a staff--frequently1 too1 without a staff4 ,how they have longed to come here6 ,and now they are here and walk round the mountain1 which is always on their right4 ,they feel no weariness1 for they know that every step improves their prospects in the world beyond the river of death4 ,and when they have returned to their black tents in distant valleys1 they tell their friends of all the wonders they have seen1 and of the clouds1 which sail like the dragon ships of old below the white summit of ,gangri4 ,small conical cairns are everywhere4 ,tsering never omits to take up a stone from the margin of the road and lay it as his contribution on every such votive pile1 and thereby he does a good deed1 for he makes the way less rough for those who come after him4 ,the sun looks out through a gap1 and throws a bright yellow light into the valley1 which otherwise is in shadow4 ,the icy peak again appears much foreshortened4 ,several tributaries come in from the sides1 and towards evening the river rises1 containing quite #bhj cubic feet of water4 ,a man from ,gertse has been going round the mountain for twenty successive days1 and now has just accomplished his tenth circuit4 ,dunglung-do is a very important valley junction1 where three valleys converge--the ,chamo-lung-chen from the north1 #gj ,w41 the ,dunglung from the north1 #e ,w41 and the third1 called in its upper course ,hle-lungpa1 which we ascend4 ,we now have granite on both sides4 ,kailas turns a sharp edge to the north1 and from here the peak resembles a tetrahedron more than ever4 ,again the mountain is concealed by an elevation of the ring which girdles it as ,monte ,somma encircles ,vesuvius4 ,the main river swells up towards evening2 the other two are spanned by bridges4 ,numbers of boulders lie all about4 ,all is granite1 and therefore the mountain forms are rounder and more lumpy 7,illust4 #bfg74 ,at length we see the monastery ,diri-pu in front of us1 standing on the slope on the right side of the valley4 ,a huge block of granite beside the path up to it bears the usual sacred characters1 and there also are long manis1 streamers1 and cairns4 ,all the pilgrims we have overtaken in the course of the day turn into the monastery1 where they can pass the night free of charge4 ,the convent is crammed full after the arrival of a party of pilgrims belonging to the ,pembo sect4 ,these1 of course1 wander round the mountain in the reverse direction1 and the orthodox cast contemptuous glances at them when they meet4 ,i prefer to pitch my tent on the roof1 where the luggage of the pilgrims is piled up4 ,here also there is a fine view of ,kailas1 raising its summit due south4 ,with a temperature of #dj at nine o'clock it is cold and disagreeable1 for a strong wind blows1 and my tent1 consisting only of the camera-stand covered with a linen cloth1 is too small to allow of a fire being lighted 7,illust4 #bfh74 ,since ,i had been successful in fixing the positions of the sources of the ,brahmaputra and ,sutlej1 my old dream of discovering the source of the ,indus was revived1 and all my aspirations and ambition were now concentrated on this object4 ,when ,i now learned from the monks that the point where the famous river issues forth from the ,mouth of the ,lion was only three days' journey to the north-east beyond a lofty pass1 everything else seemed of trifling consequence compared to an advance into the unknown country in the north4 ,we held a council of war2 we had provisions only for two days more1 and we had not brought enough money with us1 and1 moreover1 the state of affairs in ,khaleb was too uncertain to allow of greater hazards4 ,i therefore decided to carry out my original plan in the meantime and complete the pilgrimage1 and afterwards make the source of the ,indus the object of a fresh excursion from ,khaleb1 or1 if the worst came to the worst1 from ,gartok4 ,illustration3 #bga4 ,,the ,,gova ,,by ,,whose ,,help ,,the ,,source ,,of ,,the ,,indus ,,was ,,discovered 7,,seated7 ,,and ,,tibetans ,,at ,,kailas4 ,on ,september #d we take leave of the monks of ,diri-pu1 cross by a bridge the river which comes down from the pass ,tseti-lachen-la in the ,trans-,himalaya1 from the other side of which the water flows to the ,indus1 and mount in an easterly direction over rough steep slopes thickly bestrewn with granite boulders4 ,on our right is the river which is fed by the glaciers of ,kailas2 it is quite short1 but is very full of water4 ,the path becomes still steeper1 winding among immense blocks of granite1 and leads up to the first hump1 after which the ground is a little more even to the next break4 ,here we have a splendid view of the short truncated glacier which1 fed from a sharply defined trough-shaped firn basin1 lies on the north side of ,kailas4 ,its terminal1 lateral1 and medial moraines are small but distinct4 ,eastwards from ,kailas runs off an exceedingly sharp1 pointed1 and jagged ridge1 covered on the north side with snow1 and belts of pebbles in the snow give all this side a furrowed appearance4 ,from all corners of the ice mantle and the snowfields foaming brooks hurry down to the river4 ,on our left1 northwards1 the mountains consist of vertical fissured granite in wild pyramidal forms4 ,kailas is protected on the north by immense masses of granite1 but the mountain itself is in all probability of conglomerate1 as shown by the nearly horizontal bedding plainly perceptible in the projecting ledges1 sharply marked snow-lines1 and belts of ice4 ,the summit rises above this sea of wild mountains like a mighty crystal of hexagonal form4 ,a party of poor women and children climbed wearily up to the pass4 ,an elderly man1 who was now making his ninth circuit1 made no objection to join our party2 he knew the country and could give information about it4 ,on another rise in the ground1 called ,tutu-dapso1 we saw hundreds of votive cairns1 #c feet high--quite a forest of stone pyramids--like innumerable gravestones in a churchyard 7,illust4 #bgj74 ,slowly and laboriously we climbed up this arduous pass1 one of the most troublesome on the whole journey4 ,thicker and thicker lay the boulders1 exclusively of granite in all possible varieties1 some pink and some so light a grey as to be almost white4 ,between two boulders lay a suspicious-looking bundle of clothes4 ,we examined it1 and found that it contained the body of a man who had collapsed in making the tour of the mountain of the gods4 ,his features were rigid1 and he seemed poor and emaciated4 ,no one knew who he was1 and if he had any relations they would never learn that his pilgrimage had launched him into new adventures among the dark mazes of the soul's migrations4 ,our old man stops at a flat granite block of colossal dimensions1 and says that this is a dikpa-karnak1 or a test-stone for sinners4 ,a narrow tunnel runs under the block1 and whoever is without sin1 or at any rate has a clear conscience1 can creep through the passage1 but the man who sticks fast in the middle is a scoundrel4 ,i asked the old man whether it might not happen that a thin rogue would wriggle through while a fat1 honest fellow might stick fast2 but he answered very seriously that stoutness had nothing to do with the result of the trial1 which depended only on the state of the soul4 ,evidently our honest ,ishe was not certain which way the balance of his conscience inclined1 for1 before we were aware1 we saw him disappearing under the block1 and heard him puffing1 panting1 and groaning1 scratching with his hands and trying to get a foothold behind4 ,but when he had floundered about inside long and vigorously1 he was at last obliged to call for help in a half-strangled voice4 ,we laughed till we could hardly keep on our feet1 and let him stay a while in his hole because of his manifest sinfulness4 ,then the two other men dragged him out by the legs1 and he looked extremely confused 7and dusty7 when he at length emerged again into the outer world1 an unmasked villain4 ,the old man told us that a woman had become so firmly fixed that she had actually to be dug out4 ,some #bjj paces farther in this maze of granite boulders1 among which we wandered as in lanes between low houses and walls1 stands a test-stone of another kind4 ,it consists of three blocks leaning on one another1 with two hollows between them4 ,the task is to creep through the left passage and return by the right1 that is1 in the orthodox direction4 ,here ,ishe made up for his previous discomfiture by crawling through both holes4 ,i told him frankly that there was no skill required here1 for the holes were so large that even small yaks could go through4 ,however1 the sinner had in this second stone an opportunity of preserving at least a show of righteousness4 ,our wanderings round ,kang-rinpoche1 the holy ice mountain or the ice jewel1 is one of my most memorable recollections of ,tibet1 and ,i quite understand how the ,tibetans can regard as a divine sanctuary this wonderful mountain which has so striking a resemblance to a chhorten1 the monument which is erected in memory of a deceased saint within or without the temples4 ,how often during our roamings had ,i heard of this mountain of salvation6 ,and now ,i myself walked in pilgrim garb along the path between the monasteries1 which are set1 like precious stones in a bangle1 in the track of pilgrims round ,kang-rinpoche1 the finger which points up to the mighty gods throned like stars in unfathomable space4 ,from the highlands of ,kham in the remotest east1 from ,naktsang and ,amdo1 from the unknown ,bongba1 which we have heard of only in vague reports1 from the black tents which stand like the spots of a leopard scattered among the dreary valleys of ,tibet1 from ,ladak in the mountains of the far west1 and from the ,himalayan lands in the south1 thousands of pilgrims come hither annually1 to pace slowly and in deep meditation the #bh miles round the navel of the earth1 the mountain of salvation4 ,i saw the silent procession1 the faithful bands1 among which all ages and both sexes are represented1 youths and maidens1 strong men with wife and child1 grey old men who would before their death follow in the footsteps of countless pilgrims to win a happier existence1 ragged fellows who lived like parasites on the charity of the other pilgrims1 scoundrels who had to do penance for a crime1 robbers who had plundered peaceful travellers1 chiefs1 officials1 herdsmen1 and nomads1 a varied train of shady humanity on the thorny road1 which after interminable ages ends in the deep peace of ,nirvana4 ,august and serene ,siva looks down from her paradise1 and ,hlabsen from his jewelled palace1 on the innumerable human beings below who circle1 like asteroids round the sun1 in ever fresh troops1 round the foot of the mountain1 going up through the western valley1 crossing the ,dolma pass1 and descending the eastern valley4 ,we soon discover that most of these simple pilgrims have no clear idea of the benefits their journey is supposed to confer on them4 ,when they are questioned1 they usually answer that after death they will be allowed to sit near the god of ,gangri4 ,but what they all believe most firmly and obstinately is that the pilgrimage will bring them a blessing in this world4 ,it will ward off all evil from their tents and huts1 will keep away sickness from their children and herds1 protect them from robbers1 thieves1 and losses1 will send them rain1 good pasturage1 and increase among their yaks and sheep1 will act like a talisman1 and guard themselves and their property as the four spirit kings protect the images of the temple halls from demons4 ,they march with light elastic step1 they feel neither the icy-cold cutting wind nor the scorching sun2 every step is a link in a chain which cannot be broken by the powers of evil which persecute and torment the children of men4 ,they start on their way from ,tarchen-labrang1 and every new turn in the road brings them a step nearer to the point where the ring closes4 ,and during the whole peregrination they pray ,om mani padme hum1 and every time this prayer is uttered they let a bead of the rosary pass through the fingers4 ,the stranger also approaches ,kang-rinpoche with a feeling of awe4 ,it is incomparably the most famous mountain in the world4 ,mount ,everest and ,mont ,blanc cannot vie with it4 ,yet there are millions of ,europeans who have never heard of ,kang-rinpoche1 while the ,hindus and ,lamaists1 all know ,kailas1 though they have no notion where ,mont ,blanc lifts up its head4 ,therefore one approaches the mountain with the same feeling of respect as one experiences in ,lhasa1 ,tashi-lunpo1 ,buddh ,gaya1 ,benares1 ,mecca1 ,jerusalem1 and ,rome--those holy places which have attracted to their altars countless bands of sin-burdened souls and seekers after truth4 ,our volunteer guide said that he was on his ninth circuit of the mountain4 ,he took two days to each1 and intended to go round thirteen times4 ,he called the track ,kang-kora1 the ,gangri circle4 ,many years before1 he had performed the meritorious feat called gyangchag-tsallgen1 which consists in measuring the length of the way by the length of the pilgrim's body4 ,one such pilgrimage is worth thirteen ordinary circuits on foot4 ,my pilgrimage was of no value at all1 because ,i was riding1 the old man said2 ,i must go on foot if ,i wished to derive any benefit from it4 ,illustration3 #bgb4 ,gulam ,razul beside ,bales of ,chinese ,brick-,tea4 ,when we came a second time to ,diri-pu some days later1 we saw two young lamas engaged in the prostration pilgrimage round the mountain4 ,they were from ,kham1 and from that part of the country where the last men dwell1 and had been a year on the way to ,kailas4 ,they were poor and ragged1 and had nothing to carry1 for they lived on the alms of the faithful4 ,they had come in nine days from ,tarchen to ,diri-pu1 and reckoned that they had still eleven days to finish their round4 ,i accompanied them for half an hour on foot to observe their procedure4 ,this consisted of six movements4 ,suppose the young lama standing on the path with his forehead held slightly down and his arms hanging loosely at his sides1 7#a7 ,he places the palms of his hands together and raises them to the top of his head1 at the same time bending his head a little down2 7#b7 he lays his hands under his chin1 lifting up his head again2 7#c7 he kneels upon the ground1 bends forwards and lays himself full length on the ground with outstretched arms2 7#d7 he passes his hands laid together over his head2 7#e7 he stretches his right hand forwards as far as it will reach1 and scratches a mark in the soil with a piece of bone1 which shows the line which must be touched by his toes at the next advance2 and 7#f7 he raises himself up with his hands1 makes two or three strides up to the mark1 and repeats the same actions4 ,and thus he goes round the whole mountain4 ,it is slow work and they do not hurry2 they perform the whole business with composure1 but they lose their breath1 especially on the way up to the pass4 ,and on the way down from the ,dolma-la there are places so steep that it must be a gymnastic feat to lie down head foremost4 ,one of the young monks had already accomplished one round1 and was now on the second4 ,when he had finished1 in twelve days1 he intended to betake himself to a monastery on the ,tsangpo and be there immured for the rest of his life4 ,and he was only twenty years old6 ,we1 who in our superior wisdom smile at these exhibitions of fanaticism and self-mortification1 ought to compare our own faith and convictions with theirs4 ,the life beyond the grave is hidden from all peoples1 but religious conceptions have clothed it in different forms among different peoples4 ,if thou lookest closely1 thou wilt see that hope1 the child of heaven1 points every mortal with trembling hand to the obscure heights4 ,whatever may be our own convictions1 we must admire those who1 however erroneous their views may be in our opinion1 yet possess faith enough to remove mountains4 ,illustration3 ,,om ,,mani ,,padme ,,hum ,,chapter ,,lii ,,om ,,mani ,,padme ,,hum ,now begins the last very steep zigzag in the troublesome path among sharp or round grey boulders of every form and size1 a cone of blocks with steps in it4 ,dung-chapje is the name of a round wall of stone1 in the midst of which is a smaller boulder1 containing in a hollow depression a round stone like the cleft hoof of a wild yak4 ,when the faithful pilgrim passes this spot1 he takes this stone1 strikes it against the bottom of the hollow and turns it once round like a pestle4 ,consequently the hollow is being constantly deepened1 and one day it will be lowered right through the block4 ,we mount up a ridge with brooks flowing on both sides4 ,on every rock1 which has a top at all level1 small stones are piled up1 and many of these pyramidal heaps are packed so closely that there is no room for another stone4 ,thanks to these cairns the pilgrim can find his way in snowstorm and fog1 though without them he could not easily find it in sunshine4 ,at length we see before us a gigantic boulder1 its cubical contents amounting perhaps to #g1jjj or #aj1jjj cubic feet2 it stands like an enormous milestone on the saddle of ,dolma-la1 which attains the tremendous height of #ah1eii feet4 ,on the top of the block smaller stones are piled up into a pyramid supporting a pole1 and from its end cords decorated with rags and streamers are stretched to other poles fixed in the ground4 ,horns and bones1 chiefly shoulder-blades of sheep1 are here deposited in large quantities--gifts of homage to the pass1 which is supposed to mark the half-way point of the pilgrimage4 ,when the pilgrim arrives here1 he smears a bit of butter on the side of the stone1 plucks out a lock of his own hair and plasters it into the butter4 ,thus he has offered up some of himself and some of his belongings4 ,consequently the stone resembles a huge wig-block1 from which black locks of hair flutter in the wind4 ,in time it would be completely covered with ,tibetan hair1 were it not that the locks occasionally fall off and are blown away by the wind4 ,teeth are stuck in all the chinks of the ,dolma block1 forming whole rosaries of human teeth4 ,if you have a loose tooth1 dedicate it to the spirits of the pass4 ,tsering unfortunately was toothless1 or he would gladly have conformed to this regulation4 ,heaps of rags lie all around1 for the pilgrim has always a spare shred to hang on a string or lay at the foot of the block4 ,but he not only gives1 but also takes4 ,our old man took a rag from the heap and had a large quantity of such relics round his neck1 for he had taken one from every cairn4 ,the view is grand1 though ,kailas itself is not visible4 ,but one can see the sharp black ridge lying quite close on the south side with a mantle of snow and a hanging glacier1 its blue margin cut off perpendicularly at the small moraine lake on the eastern side of the pass4 ,while ,i sat at the foot of the block1 making observations and drawing the panorama1 a lama came strolling up leaning on his stick4 ,he carried a book1 a drum1 a dorche1 and a bell1 and likewise a sickly-looking child in a basket on his back4 ,the parents1 nomads in the valley below1 had given him tsamba for two days to carry the child round the mountain1 whereby it would recover its health4 ,many pilgrims gain their livelihood by such services1 and some make the pilgrimage only for the benefit of others4 ,the lama with the child complained that he had only made the circuit of the mountain three times1 and did not possess money enough to go round thirteen times4 ,i gave him alms4 ,then he sat down on the pass1 turned his face in the direction where the summit of ,kang-rinpoche was hidden1 placed his hands together1 and chanted an interminable succession of prayers4 ,after this he went up to the block and laid his forehead on the ground--how many times ,i do not know1 but he was still at it when we descended among boulders to the tiny round lake ,tso-kavla4 ,we followed its northern shore1 and our old friend told me that the ice never breaks up4 ,but time slips away and we must hasten on4 ,we walk1 slide1 and scramble down steep slopes where it would be easy to tumble down head over heels4 ,the old man is sure-footed1 and these slopes are old acquaintances4 ,but woe betide him if he turned round and went in the reverse direction4 ,at length we reach the main valley1 called in its upper part ,tselung1 and in its lower ,lam-chyker4 ,through the large valley1 which enters the main valley on the right side1 and is called ,kando-sanglam1 we now look eastwards upon the highest pinnacle of the summit of ,kailas1 which has a sharp edge towards the north-east1 and still looks like a crystal4 ,at two manis erected side by side we pass the border of the granite and the conglomerate1 which now appears again4 ,the further we proceed the more numerous are the boulders of this kind of rock1 while those of granite at length occur no more4 ,we march south-west and bivouac on the roof of the monastery ,tsumtul-pu4 ,all day long1 at all the cairns and all the resting-places1 ,i have heard nothing but an endless murmur of the words ,om mani padme hum1 and now1 as long as ,i am awake1 ,om mani padme hum sounds in my ears from all nooks and corners4 ,the temple had no other curiosity but a statue of ,duk ,ngavang ,gyamtso1 #e feet high1 sitting as at a writing-desk1 two not very large elephant's tusks1 and a five-branched chandelier from ,lhasa4 ,our visit1 therefore1 did not last long1 and we rode down the valley in which the river gradually increased in size4 ,here1 too1 manis and chhortens are erected1 and at the end of the valley1 where again numbers of granite boulders are accumulated1 we see once more ,langak-tso and the grand ,gurla group4 ,illustration3 #bgc4 ,,tibetan ,,tent4 ,illustration3 #bgd4 ,,monastery ,,of ,,gar-,,gunsa4 ,illustration3 #bge4 ,,images ,,at ,,chushut4 ,at ,tarchen-labrang we reached the termination of the pilgrimage4 ,here twenty-three tents were pitched1 and we received the greatest attention1 were refreshed with milk and chang1 and rested two hours4 ,then we left the pilgrim road to the right1 and came into sight of the fourth monastery1 perched high up on a terrace in the valley below the holy peak4 ,a curious local wind at the north-west corner of ,langak-tso raised up clouds of dust like the smoke of a burning town4 ,a short while after1 we lay peacefully among our men in the camp on the ,khaleb moor4 ,by this pilgrimage round the holy mountain1 which ,i had been able to accomplish by an unexpected lucky chance1 ,i had gained an insight into the religious life of the ,tibetans4 ,it had also been1 as it were1 a revisal of all the experiences ,i had already collected in this connection4 ,our knowledge of ,tibet is still defective1 and some future traveller will find sufficient material to show on a map of the whole ,lamaistic world all the great pilgrim routes to innumerable sanctuaries4 ,on such a map numerous roads would converge1 like the spokes of a wheel1 to ,da ,kuren1 the temple of ,maidari in ,urga4 ,still closer would the rays from every inhabited spot of the immense territory of ,lamaism run together to their chief focus1 ,lhasa4 ,somewhat less thickly they would unite at ,tashi-lunpo4 ,innumerable winding roads and paths would start from the farthest border countries of ,tibet1 all tending towards the holy ,kailas4 ,we know that they exist1 and no great imagination is required to conceive how they would look on a map4 ,but it is with the routes of pilgrims just as with the flight of the wild-geese3 we know nothing of their precise course4 ,besides1 among the principal foci are scattered a number of smaller centres whence radii diverge to a sanctuary1 a lake1 or a spring1 and from the heart of all these wind-roses peals out a cry to the faithful1 similar to the exhortation of ,isaiah3 ,look upon ,zion1 the city of our solemnities3 thine eyes shall see ,jerusalem 7,isa4 xxxiii4 #bj74 ,in the ears of the ,tibetan another saying rings1 the mystical formula ,om mani padme hum1 not only on his wanderings to the goal of his pilgrimage1 but throughout his life4 ,concerning this ,waddell makes1 among others1 the following remarks3 ,om-ma-ni pad-me ,hum1 which literally means ',om6 ,the ,jewel in the lotus6' ,hum6--is addressed to the ,bodhisat ,padmapani1 who is represented like ,buddha as seated or standing within a lotus-flower4 ,he is the patron-god of ,tibet and the controller of metempsychosis4 ,and no wonder this formula is so popular and constantly repeated by both ,lamas and laity1 for its mere utterance is believed to stop the cycle of re-births and to convey the reciter directly to paradise4 ,thus it is stated in the ,mani-kah-bum with extravagant rhapsody that this formula 'is the essence of all happiness1 prosperity1 and knowledge1 and the great means of deliverance1' for the ,om closes re-birth amongst the gods1 ma among the ,titans1 ni as a man1 pad as a beast1 me as a ,tantalus1 and ,hum as an inhabitant of hell4 ,and in keeping with this view each of these six syllables is given the distinctive colour of these six states of re-birth1 namely3 ,om1 the godly white2 ma1 the ,titanic blue2 ni1 the human yellow2 pad1 the animal green2 me1 the ',tantalic' red2 and ,hum1 the hellish black 7,the ,buddhism of ,tibet1 #adh-i74 ,kppen and ,grnwedel translate the four words3 ,o1 ,jewel in the lotus-flower1 ,amen4 ,wherever one turns in ,tibet1 he sees the six sacred characters engraved or chiselled out1 and hears them repeated everywhere4 ,they are found in every temple in hundreds of thousands of copies1 nay1 in millions1 for in the great prayer mills they are stamped in fine letters on thin paper4 ,on the monastery roofs1 on the roofs of private houses1 and on the black tents1 they are inscribed on the fluttering streamers4 ,on all the roads we ride daily past wall-like stone cists covered with slabs1 on which the formula ,om mani padme hum is carved4 ,seldom does the most lonely path lead up to a pass where no cairn is erected to remind the wanderer of his dependence all his life long on the influence of good and bad spirits4 ,and on the top of every such lhato or lhadse is fixed a pole or a stick with streamers1 every one proclaiming in black letters the eternal truth4 ,at projecting rocks cubical chhortens or lhatos stand beside the road in red and white4 ,on the sides of granite rocks polished smooth by wind and weather figures of ,buddha are frequently cut1 and below them1 as well as on fallen boulders1 can be read in gigantic characters ,om mani padme hum4 ,on the piers between which chain bridges are stretched over the ,tsangpo or other rivers1 heaps of stones are piled up1 and on all these innumerable votive cairns lie yak skulls and crania of wild sheep and antelopes4 ,into the horns and the bleached frontal bones of the yak the sacred formula is cut1 and the incised characters are filled in with red or some other holy colour4 ,we find them again in innumerable copies and in many forms1 especially on the high-roads which lead to temples and pilgrims' resorts1 as well as at all places where there is danger1 as on mountain passes and river fords4 ,and even the ferry boats of hide are decorated with blessed streamers4 ,in every caravan one man at least1 and usually several1 has a prayer-mill in his hand4 ,this is rotated by means of a weight round the axle of the handle1 and is stuffed full of paper strips bearing the holy formula in many thousands of impressions4 ,all day long1 whatever the duration of the journey1 the believer turns his prayer-mill and babbles in chanting tones ,om mani padme hum4 ,the militia who are called out to catch a robber band have on their ride more confidence in their prayer-mills than in their guns and sabres1 and1 sad to say1 there are some even among the robbers who rattle off their ,om and ,hum in order to make their escape4 ,among the escorts which accompanied me on various occasions there were always one or two horsemen armed with a mani machine4 ,one always sees this convenient praying instrument in the hands of the people one meets4 ,the herdsman murmurs the six syllables beside his herd1 his wife when milking the sheep1 the merchant as he goes to market1 the hunter as he stalks the wild yak on untrodden paths1 the nomad when he sets out to move his tent to another pasture1 the artisan as he bends over his work4 ,with these words the ,tibetan begins his day1 and with them on his tongue he lies down to rest4 ,the ,om and ,hum are not only the ,alpha and ,omega of the day1 but of his whole life4 ,the mystic words rang constantly in my ears4 ,i heard them when the sun rose and when ,i blew out my light1 and ,i did not escape them even in the wilderness1 for my own men murmured ,om mani padme hum4 ,they belong to ,tibet1 these words2 they are inseparable from it3 ,i cannot imagine the snow-capped mountains and the blue lakes without them4 ,they are as closely connected with this country as buzzing with the bee-hive1 as the flutter of streamers with the pass1 as the ceaseless west wind with its howling4 ,the life of the ,tibetan from the cradle to the grave is interwoven with a multitude of religious precepts and customs4 ,it is his duty to contribute his mite to the maintenance of the monasteries and to the ,peter's pence of the temples4 ,when he passes a votive cairn he adds a stone to the pile as an offering2 when he rides by a mani1 he never forgets to guide his steed to the left of it2 when he sees a holy mountain1 he never omits to lay his forehead on the ground in homage2 in all important undertakings he must1 for the sake of his eternal salvation1 seek the advice of monks learned in the law2 when a mendicant lama comes to his door he never refuses to give him a handful of tsamba or a lump of butter2 when he makes the round of the temple halls1 he adds his contribution to the collection in the votive bowls2 and when he saddles his horse or loads a yak1 he again hums the everlasting ,om mani padme hum4 ,more frequently than an ,ave ,maria or a ,paternoster in the ,catholic world1 ,om mani padme hum forms an accompaniment to the life and wanderings of humanity over half ,asia4 ,the boundless vista opened out by the six holy syllables is thus expressed by ,edwin ,arnold in the concluding lines of his poem1 ,the ,light of ,asia3 ,the dew is on the lotus4 ,rise1 ,great ,sun6 ,and lift my leaf and mix me with the wave4 ,om mani padme hum1 the sunrise comes4 ,the dewdrop slips into the shining sea4 ,illustration3 #bgf4 ,,the ,,policemen ,,from ,,simla4 ,illustration3 #bgg4 ,,my ,,boat ,,on ,,the ,,indus4 ,illustration3 #bgh4 ,,ladaki ,,women4 ,,chapter ,,liii ,,the ,,discovery ,,of ,,the ,,source ,,of ,,the ,,indus ,immediately on my arrival in ,khaleb ,i told the old gova1 who had the hopeless and thankless task of watching my proceedings1 that ,i now intended to take the road past ,singi-kabab1 or the source of the ,indus4 ,if you go thither1 ,bombo1 he answered1 ,i shall at once send a courier to the ,garpuns1 the two chiefs in ,gartok4 ,i do not think that the ,garpuns will have any objection to my taking a more northerly route4 ,oh yes1 the ,garpuns received orders from ,lhasa five days ago to watch carefully that you followed no other way but the great high-road to ,gartok4 ,the ,garpuns straightway sent couriers to twelve different places--,parka1 ,misser1 ,purang1 ,singtod1 and others--to make it known that you were not permitted to travel on byroads4 ,if this letter had not reached me1 ,i would willingly have let you march northwards1 but now ,i dare not for my own sake4 ,what would you do if ,i quietly disappeared one night8 ,i can buy yaks in ,tarchen1 and then ,i shall not be dependent on those ,i have from you4 ,yes1 of course4 ,a man lives in ,tarchen who has sixty yaks1 and will sell them as soon as he sees silver money4 ,but ,i shall at once send word to the ,garpuns1 and they will send men after you and force you to come back4 ,to buy yaks would therefore be useless waste of money4 ,however1 if you like to let the main part of your caravan follow the high-road1 and make yourself an excursion of a couple of days northwards to the ,singi-kabab1 and then join your caravan again1 ,i will put no obstacles in your way4 ,but you do it at your own risk1 and you will most certainly be caught before you reach the source of the ,indus4 ,i was as much astonished as delighted by this sudden change in the attitude of the gova1 and arranged with ,robert that he should lead the main caravan in very short day's marches to ,gartok1 while ,i made as rapidly as possible for the source of the ,indus4 ,i took only as many things as a small leathern trunk would contain1 and as companions only five men1 among them ,rabsang as interpreter and ,adul as cook1 with our own six animals and three dogs1 one of which1 a new purchase1 ran away on the first day4 ,i had ,robert's small tent1 and our arsenal consisted of two guns and a revolver1 for robbers were said to make the country very unsafe4 ,i could not find a guide1 but on the way to ,diri-pu1 where ,i encamped once more1 ,i came across an old man from ,tok-jalung1 who wished to make the round of ,kailas thirteen times1 and gave me much valuable information4 ,but no money could induce him to accompany us farther4 ,on the #hth we continued our way through the valley that runs north-north-eastwards from ,diri-pu to the ,tseti-la4 ,the stream1 divided into many arms1 was covered in the night by a thin coating of ice1 smooth as glass1 where the water had run off1 but it disappeared when day came4 ,the valley is broad1 and the road showed traces of considerable traffic1 though we did not meet a soul4 ,the marmots whistled in front of their holes2 the summer would soon be over for them4 ,kang-rinpoche can be seen from many places1 and here pilgrims from the north have piled up cairns4 ,granite predominates everywhere1 but crystalline schists occur here and there4 ,we followed the fresh tracks of three horsemen4 ,the gradient became steeper and the scenery assumed more of an alpine character4 ,we mounted up among huge cones of detritus with babbling brooks of melted snow to the pass1 which lay at a height of #ah1dfe feet4 ,its plateau is singularly flat4 ,on its northern side camp ,no4 #bcd was pitched4 ,in the evening ,rabsang reported that our fuel-gatherers had heard whistles1 and that these signals had been answered from the other side4 ,the men believed that there were robbers here1 and did not dare to sit outside by the fire lest they should be good marks for shots out of an ambush4 ,i quieted them with the assurance that no robber would venture to attack a ,european1 but gave orders to the watchmen to keep an eye on our animals4 ,the night passed quietly and the minimum temperature went down to #af4b2 autumn was come again into dreary ,tibet4 ,i had supposed that the ,tseti-la was the pass on the main divide1 but we had not gone far when we saw its brook1 which flowed northwards1 make a bend to the west1 and descend through a well-defined valley to the ,dunglung4 ,it therefore belongs to the catchment basin of the ,sutlej and not to the ,indus1 and the ,tseti-la is a pass of secondary order4 ,but we soon reached the actual pass1 an extremely flat threshold4 ,here lies a small muddy lake drained by a brook issuing from its eastern side1 which we followed all day4 ,this pass is the ,tseti-lachen-la1 and it is a water-parting between the ,sutlej and the ,indus4 ,its height is less than that of the ,tseti-la1 for it is only #ag1icc feet2 it lies on the main chain of the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,kailas1 therefore1 lies a good day's journey south of the watershed of the two rivers1 and belongs entirely to the basin of the ,sutlej4 ,from the lake we follow the little affluent of the ,indus northwards4 ,the ground is marshy and rough4 ,here and there are seen three hearthstones4 ,a dead horse lies among the luxuriant grass4 ,it is singular that no nomads are encamped here4 ,at length we see at a far distance quite down in the valley men going downstream with large flocks of sheep4 ,tundup ,sonam and ,ishe are sent after them1 and by degrees the rest of us come up with the party4 ,they are nomads from ,gertse1 who have taken salt to ,gyanima and are now transporting barley on their #ejj sheep4 ,all the valley is dotted over with white sheep1 which trip along actively1 plucking the grass as they go4 ,in front of us rises a steep purple mountain chain1 and along the flank turned towards us the ,indus is said to flow4 ,we joined the men of the sheep caravan and camped together with them4 ,there were five of them1 all armed with guns1 and they said that the district was frequently haunted by robbers1 who at times seemed to vanish altogether1 and then suddenly came down like a whirlwind1 and no one knew whence they came4 ,our camping-ground on the bank of the ,indus 7#af1ffc feet7 is called ,singi-buk4 ,eastwards the valley is broad and open1 but the ,indus itself is here an insignificant stream4 ,i was therefore not astonished when ,i heard that it was only a short day's journey to the source1 which1 ,i was told1 does not proceed from snow or a glacier1 but springs up out of the ground4 ,the men called the river the ,singi-tsangpo1 or ,singi-kamba1 and the source itself ,singi-kabab1 though we afterwards heard the word pronounced ,senge more frequently than ,singi4 ,it turned out that one of the five men knew all about us4 ,he was a brother of the ,lobsang ,tsering on the ,dungtse-tso who had sold us three yaks the winter before 7see ,chapter ,,xv474 ,it was a singular chance that we should fall in with him4 ,he said he had heard how well we had treated his brother1 and offered us his services--for a good reward1 of course4 ,as he had travelled several times through this region1 quite unknown to ,europeans1 and was acquainted with all the passes1 roads1 and valleys1 ,i thought he would be very valuable to me1 and ,i proposed to give him #g rupees a day1 that is about half a month's pay of one of my ,ladakis4 ,of course he accepted the terms at once and soon became our intimate friend4 ,but these business matters were not yet settled4 ,the man had a quantity of sheep and barley4 ,he consented to let us eight sheep on hire1 and sell us their loads1 which would last our horses for a week4 ,he was to receive a rupee for the hire of each sheep1 which was high1 for a sheep is worth only #b to #c rupees4 ,the old man would therefore receive #ah rupees every evening as long as he was with us2 but it was cheap after all1 for the discovery of the source of the ,indus was involved4 ,illustration3 #bgi1 #bhj1 #bha4 ,,at ,,the ,,monastery ,,door ,,in ,,tashi-,,gang ,,between ,,gartok ,,and ,,ladak4 ,the large sheep-caravan had already started on ,september #aj1 when we1 with our new guide1 whose own tsamba was carried on a ninth sheep1 followed in its track4 ,after an hour's march we crossed a tributary1 the ,lungdep-chu1 which comes from a valley in the south-east1 with flattish mountains in the background4 ,a little farther up the ,singi-kamba expands into a basin containing an abundance of medium-sized fish4 ,as we passed1 the fish were darting upstream in compact shoals1 and passed a very shallow place with slight swirls4 ,here ,rabsang attacked them1 but all his catch was only one small miserable fish4 ,then we threw up a dam by the bank1 with an opening on one side1 and the men went into the water and drove in the fish with shouts and splashing4 ,then the entrance was built up4 ,after we had repeated this diversion three times1 we had procured thirty-seven fine fish1 and ,i was eager for my dinner1 which ,i usually looked forward to with some loathing1 for the hard dried mutton had become thoroughly distasteful to me4 ,our old man1 who sat and watched us1 thought that we had taken leave of our senses4 ,farther up1 the fish were so crowded in a quiet pool that they made the water seem almost black with their dark backs4 ,we rode up the valley1 leaving on our right a red1 loaf-shaped mountain called ,lungdep-ningri4 ,opposite1 on the northern side of the valley1 were seen two fine ,ovis ,ammon sheep feeding on a conical elevation4 ,they bore splendid horns1 and carried their heads royally4 ,they soon perceived us1 and made slowly up the slope4 ,but they paid too much attention to our movements1 and did not notice that ,tundup ,sonam1 with his gun on his back1 was making a detour to stalk them from the other side of the hill4 ,after a while we heard a shot1 and a good hour later1 when the camp was pitched1 ,tundup came back laden with as much of the flesh of his victim as he could carry4 ,thus we obtained a fresh addition to our somewhat scanty rations1 and ,tundup's exploit enhanced the glory of this memorable day4 ,in the evening he went off again to fetch more meat1 and he brought me the head of the wild sheep1 which ,i wished to preserve as a memento of the day at the source of the ,indus4 ,the ground rises exceedingly slowly4 ,singi-yra is a rugged cliff to the north1 with a large hole through its summit4 ,singi-chava is the name of a commanding eminence to the south4 ,then we wade through the outflow of the ,munjam valley running in from the south-east4 ,above this the ,indus is only a tiny brook1 and part of its water comes from a valley in the south-east1 the ,bokar4 ,a little later we camp at the aperture of the spring1 which is so well concealed that it might easily be overlooked without a guide4 ,from the mountains on the northern side a flattish cone of detritus1 or1 more correctly1 a slope bestrewn with rubbish1 descends to the level1 open valley4 ,at its foot projects a slab of white rock with an almost horizontal bedding1 underneath which several small springs well up out of the ground1 forming weedy ponds and the source stream1 which we had traced upwards1 and which is the first and uppermost of the headwaters of the mighty ,indus4 ,the four largest springs1 where they issued from the ground1 had temperatures of #dh4f1 #di4a1 #di4f1 and #ej4d respectively4 ,they are said to emit the same quantity of water in winter and summer1 but a little more after rainy seasons4 ,up on the slab of rock stand three tall cairns and a small cubical lhato containing votive pyramids of clay4 ,and below the lhato is a quadrangular mani1 with hundreds of red flagstones1 some covered with fine close inscriptions1 some bearing a single character #bj inches high4 ,on two the wheel of life was incised1 and on another a divine image1 which ,i carried off as a souvenir of the source of the ,indus4 ,our guide said that the source ,singi-kabab was reverenced because of its divine origin4 ,when travellers reached this place or any other part of the upper ,indus1 they scooped up water with their hands1 drank of it1 and sprinkled their faces and heads with it4 ,illustration3 #bhb4 ,,dancing ,,women ,,in ,,chushut1 ,a ,,village ,,on ,,my ,,way ,,back ,,to ,,ladak4 ,through the investigations made by ,montgomerie's pundits in the year #ahfg it was known that the eastern arm of the ,indus is the actual headwater1 and ,i had afterwards an opportunity of proving by measurement that the western1 ,gartok1 stream is considerably smaller4 ,but no pundit had succeeded in penetrating to the source1 and the one who had advanced nearest to it1 namely1 to a point #cj miles from it1 had been attacked by robbers and forced to turn back4 ,consequently1 until our time the erroneous opinion prevailed that the ,indus had its source on the north flank of ,kailas1 and1 thanks to those admirable robbers1 the discovery of the ,indus source was reserved for me and my five ,ladakis4 ,we passed a memorable evening and a memorable night at this important geographical spot1 situated #af1idf feet above sea-level4 ,here ,i stood and saw the ,indus emerge from the lap of the earth4 ,here ,i stood and saw this unpretentious brook wind down the valley1 and ,i thought of all the changes it must undergo before it passes between rocky cliffs1 singing its roaring song in ever more powerful crescendo1 down to the sea at ,karachi1 where steamers load and unload their cargoes4 ,i thought of its restless course through western ,tibet1 through ,ladak and ,baltistan1 past ,skardu1 where the apricot trees nod on its banks1 through ,dardistan and ,kohistan1 past ,peshawar1 and across the plains of the western ,panjab1 until at last it is swallowed up by the salt waves of the ocean1 the ,nirvana and the refuge of all weary rivers4 ,here ,i stood and wondered whether the ,macedonian ,alexander1 when he crossed the ,indus #bbjj years ago1 had any notion where its source lay1 and ,i revelled in the consciousness that1 except the ,tibetans themselves1 no other human being but myself had penetrated to this spot4 ,great obstacles had been placed in my way1 but ,providence had secured for me the triumph of reaching the actual sources of the ,brahmaputra and ,indus1 and ascertaining the origin of these two historical rivers1 which1 like the claws of a crab1 grip the highest of all the mountain systems of the world--the ,himalayas4 ,their waters are born in the reservoirs of the firmament1 and they roll down their floods to the lowlands to yield life and sustenance to fifty millions of human beings4 ,up here white monasteries stand peacefully on their banks1 while in ,india pagodas and mosques are reflected in their waters2 up here wolves1 wild yaks1 and wild sheep1 roam about their valleys1 while down below in ,india the eyes of tigers and leopards shine like glowing coals of fire from the jungles that skirt their banks1 and poisonous snakes wriggle through the dense brushwood4 ,here in dreary ,tibet icy storms and cold snowfalls lash their waves1 while down in the flat country mild breezes whisper in the crowns of the palms and mango trees4 ,i seemed to listen here to the beating of the pulses of these two renowned rivers1 to watch the industry and rivalry which1 through untold generations1 have occupied unnumbered human lives1 short and transitory as the life of the midge and the grass2 all those wanderers on the earth and guests in the abodes of time1 who have been born beside the fleeting current of these rivers1 have drunk of their waters1 have drawn from them life and strength for their fields1 have lived and died on their banks1 and have risen from the sheltered freedom of their valleys up to the realms of eternal hope4 ,not without pride1 but still with a feeling of humble thankfulness1 ,i stood there1 conscious that ,i was the first white man who had ever penetrated to the sources of the ,indus and ,brahmaputra4 ,,chapter ,,liv ,a ,,resolution ,from the source of the ,indus we travelled on north-eastwards with our friendly guide to a locality called ,yumba-matsen1 which lies in lat4 #cb ,n4 ,and thence ,i betook myself to ,gartok1 the chief town of western ,tibet and the residence of the two ,garpuns1 where ,i arrived after many adventures on ,september #bf1 having crossed the ,trans-,himalaya for the fifth time by the ,jukti-la 7#ai1aaa feet high74 ,i must1 alas6 omit a description of this journey for the present1 though it passed for the most part through unknown country4 ,mr4 ,calvert crossed over the ,jukti-la two years before4 ,in ,gartok 7#ad1fef feet7 a new period began4 ,this town is a turning-point in the chronicles of my journey4 ,in the first place1 ,i again came into contact with the outer world4 ,thakur ,jai ,chand1 the ,british commercial agent1 handed me immediately on my arrival a thick packet of letters1 including a quantity from my dear home1 and others from ,lord and ,lady ,minto and their daughters1 from ,colonel ,dunlop ,smith1 ,younghusband1 ,o',connor1 ,rawling1 and many other friends in ,europe and ,asia4 ,nothing1 however1 was heard of the heavy consignment ,i expected from ,simla4 ,but soon afterwards ,i heard from ,dunlop ,smith that all ,i had ordered was on the way and would arrive in due course1 and meantime ,i had to wait in patience4 ,the ,garpuns at once sent me presents as a token of welcome1 with the usual polite phrases4 ,they were of too great importance to visit me first1 so next day ,i went to them4 ,the elder was ill2 the younger1 a gentleman from ,lhasa1 thirty-five years of age and of distinguished appearance1 received me most cordially in his simple ,government buildings1 and was so little angry at the liberties ,i had recently taken that he did not even ask me where ,i had been4 ,it was an irony of fate that a letter in most friendly terms and most liberal in its concessions1 which ,i now received from ,lien ,darin by the hand of the ,garpun1 had not reached me until it was too late4 ,when ,lien ,darin received my letter from ,raga-tasam1 he immediately sent off two ,chinamen fully authorized to come to an agreement with me about the route ,i was to take4 ,for ,i shall be glad to know1 said the ,amban of ,lhasa1 that you are travelling by the road that suits you4 ,he was quite convinced that my movements1 whichever way ,i took1 would give no cause for political complications4 ,and he concluded with the words3 ,now1 ,i hope that you will have a successful and peaceful journey1 and ,i will pray for your health and prosperity4 ,how ,i regretted now that ,i had not stayed in ,saka1 and so much the more when the ,garpun told me that the two ,chinamen had arrived with an escort of four ,tibetans only two weeks after we had left6 ,but the ,garpun was friendly disposed towards me2 he was the most powerful man in western ,tibet1 and could still throw open all doors for me1 if he dared and was willing to do so4 ,illustration3 #bhc4 ,,old ,,woman4 ,illustration3 #bhd4 ,,lama ,,in ,,chushut4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,i was1 indeed1 pleased and thankful for the results which ,i had already been able to secure4 ,besides many other problems that had been solved1 ,i had crossed the ,trans-,himalaya by five passes1 namely1 the ,sela-la1 ,chang-la-,pod-la1 ,angden-la1 ,tseti-lachen-la1 and ,jukti-la1 of which the first four had been entirely unknown4 ,but between the ,angden-la and the ,tseti-lachen-la ,i had been obliged to leave a gap of quite #ccj miles in the exploration of the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,of this region nothing was known but the summits ,ryder had seen from his route1 and which he and ,wood had measured by observation4 ,we also possessed some uncertain statements of ,nain ,sing's journey in #ahgc1 but his route lay to the north of the blank patch1 and this blank represented an area of #ecjj square miles4 ,i could not return home without having done all that was humanly possible to traverse the unknown country by at least one route4 ,precisely there was the line forming the watershed between the ,indian ,ocean and the inland drainage of the salt lakes on the ,tibetan plateau4 ,there many lakes and rivers might be expected to exist1 and there lay the large province of ,bongba1 of which so many hazy reports had reached our ears from its northern1 eastern1 and southern boundaries4 ,but the greatest and most important question of all was3 ,does the ,nien-chen-tang-la run right through ,tibet in a westerly and north-westerly direction to the north of the ,tsangpo and the upper ,indus8 ,no ,european and no pundit had hitherto ventured on this problem2 but ,hodgson1 ,saunders1 and ,atkinson had many years before laid down a hypothetical range on their maps of ,tibet4 ,did it actually exist8 ,or was a labyrinth of ranges hidden under the white space1 or a comparatively flat plateau1 on which foundation isolated snowy peaks and chains were based8 ,hypotheses are absolutely worthless compared to proved facts4 ,such facts ,i would procure4 ,i knew that if ,i did not succeed now in penetrating into the country which on the latest ,english map of ,tibet 7#aijf1 ,map #a7 bears only the word ,unexplored1 one fine day another explorer would come and rob me of this triumph4 ,and this thought ,i could not endure4 ,in ,gartok my old friend from ,leh1 the rich merchant ,gulam ,razul1 was staying 7,illust4 #bgb74 ,i consulted him1 and he was to be my delivering angel4 ,he took a very sanguine view of our position1 for the ,garpun owed him #gjjj rupees for goods delivered1 and feared his influence2 he could therefore put pressure on the ,viceroy of western ,tibet4 ,he first tried stratagem1 which1 however1 completely failed1 for the ,garpun replied he was too fond of his head to expose it to risk by assisting a ,european who had no permission to travel about the country4 ,then we tried gold1 but the ,garpun answered most theatrically3 ,if this house were of gold and you offered it to me1 ,i would not take it4 ,if you travel on forbidden roads1 ,i will send armed men after you who will force you to return hither4 ,he was incorruptible1 and he was too strong for us4 ,how sorry ,i was now that ,i had not proceeded eastwards when ,i was in enjoyment of complete freedom at the source of the ,indus and in ,yumba-matsen6 ,but no1 that was impossible1 for my cash-box was then not full enough1 ,i had only five men with me1 and ,i could not have left the rest of my caravan to their own devices4 ,what if ,i went down into ,nepal and came back again into ,tibet by unguarded roads8 ,no1 that would not do1 for snow would soon close the ,himalayan passes4 ,and if we tried to slink through to ,rudok and thence make eastwards8 ,no1 ,rudok swarmed with spies4 ,and soon ,gulam ,razul learned also that the ,garpun had sent orders throughout his territory to stop me in case ,i attempted to travel even to ,ladak by any other than the main high-road4 ,thus we planned this and that1 and mused day and night1 sometimes in my tent1 sometimes in ,gulam ,razul's1 and waited for the consignment from ,simla1 heard bells jingle when couriers came from the east1 saw one merchant after another return from the fair in ,lhasa1 met the serpun or gold commissioner who came from ,tok-jalung1 and felt the cold of autumn cut our skins more sharply as the thermometer fell to -#aa4 ,then in lonely hours ,i came to the resolution to return to ,ladak and thence1 as in the year before1 penetrate into ,tibet from the north1 traverse the whole country once more1 and cross the blank space4 ,i knew very well that by this roundabout way it would take half a year to reach districts situated only a month's journey from ,gartok4 ,a new caravan would be necessary1 new dangers and adventures awaited us1 and winter was before us with its ,arctic cold4 ,but it must be done in spite of everything4 ,i would not turn back until the obstacles in my way became quite insuperable4 ,to enter ,ladak1 a country under ,british protection1 was a risk1 and therefore ,i must make all haste to cross the frontier again4 ,i could not avoid ,rawling's and ,deasy's country1 but what did it matter8 ,my aim was the unknown region1 which ,i would try to explore by some route or other4 ,gulam ,razul and ,robert were the only ones who were initiated into my new plans1 for in them ,i could place the blindest confidence4 ,during our conferences we spoke in ,persian1 and ,robert kept a watch that no eavesdropper came near my tent4 ,gulam ,razul undertook to get together the new caravan from ,leh1 and it was to reach at a certain time ,drugub1 where ,i meant to dismiss my last thirteen men2 they were worn-out and longed to get home4 ,gulam ,razul undertook the responsibility of finding me fresh men4 ,on ,october #bj we left ,gartok to await in ,gar-gunsa the arrival of the consignment from ,india4 ,gulam ,razul1 ,thakur ,jai ,chand1 the postmaster ,deni ,das1 and the doctor ,mohanlal1 also moved thither4 ,robert had heard in ,gartok the sad news that his elder brother had died in ,further ,india1 and now he received a fresh blow1 for his little brother1 ten years old1 had been drowned in ,srinagar4 ,he was inconsolable1 and begged me to let him go home to his mother1 who had now only one son left4 ,so ,i was to lose him also4 ,gulam ,razul had three large tents within his fence of boughs 7,illust4 #bed74 ,there he sat like a pasha on his divan1 smoked a large silver narghil1 and received his guests with ,oriental dignity4 ,he was jovial and agreeable1 undertook to do everything1 and thought nothing of difficulties4 ,there we made our plans and long lists of things to be bought1 and as my arrival in ,ladak could not be kept secret for long1 we spread the report that ,i wanted a new caravan for a journey to ,khotan1 and that ,i intended to travel to ,pekin in the spring4 ,for the success of the plan it was essential that no one should have any suspicion of my real intentions2 for in that case1 especial orders would be sent to ,rudok and to the nomads4 ,my own servants and all ,hajji ,nazer ,shah's household believed therefore that it was my settled purpose to go to ,khotan1 and that ,i had given up all thoughts of ,tibet4 ,i even went so far as to send a telegram from ,drugub to ,reuter's correspondent in ,india1 my friend ,mr4 ,buck1 with the information that ,i was about to make a short journey to ,khotan4 ,the object was to mislead the mandarins4 ,if no one else would help me1 ,i must help myself1 and1 if necessary1 with cunning and trickery4 ,none of my ,indian friends must have any suspicion of my real plans1 not even ,colonel ,dunlop ,smith2 it would1 of course1 be silly to put them in a position where they must either betray me or be disloyal to their own superiors4 ,except ,gulam ,razul and ,robert1 only my parents and sisters were let into the secret4 ,but1 unfortunately1 ,i had given them a far too optimistic estimate of the length of my enterprise1 and therefore when they heard no news they became day by day more uneasy1 and at last came to the conclusion that ,i had come to grief 7,illust4 #bcd74 ,on ,october #bi1 #aijg1 ,gulam ,razul's mules arrived1 and were subjected to a thorough inspection4 ,they were in splendid condition--small1 sturdy1 and sleek animals from ,lhasa1 accustomed to rarefied air1 and1 according to the owner1 capable of enduring hardships of every kind4 ,gulam ,razul even offered to buy them back at the price ,i paid1 if they returned alive4 ,i paid for all the twenty #aghj rupees4 ,i still possessed five of my own animals1 after a small white mule had been torn to pieces by wolves in ,gartok4 ,a whole pack had attacked our last six animals1 the camp watchman had been unable to drive the wolves away1 and the mule had been horribly wounded4 ,he had been seen running before the wolves with his entrails trailing on the ground4 ,the last mule from ,poonch still survived1 as well as my little ,ladaki grey and one of his fellows1 the veterans of ,leh4 ,illustration3 #bhe4 ,,on ,,the ,,way ,,to ,,tankse4 ,illustration3 #bhf4 ,,in ,,the ,,indus ,,valley ,,on ,,the ,,way ,,to ,,ladak4 ,illustration3 #bhg4 ,,the ,,new ,,horses ,,and ,,mules ,,at ,,drugub4 ,gulam ,razul also undertook to procure for me fifteen excellent horses from ,ladak at a price of #aejj rupees4 ,the other purchases consisted of3 barley for the animals1 #fj rupees2 rice1 #gj rupees2 tsamba1 #abe rupees2 provender sacks1 #fj rupees2 clothes for the new men1 #aeb rupees2 butter1 #hj rupees2 tea1 #ej rupees2 stearin candles and sugar1 #ajd rupees2 a ,lhasa skin coat for myself1 #dj rupees2 and a sleeping-bag of soft goatskin1 also for myself1 #be rupees2 in addition there was the hire of the pack animals which conveyed my baggage to ,leh1 #dj rupees1 and the cost of transporting the newly purchased goods from ,leh to ,drugub1 #bj rupees4 ,eleven men were to be enlisted in ,leh1 all having served in ,hajji ,nazer ,shah's commercial house and known as honest respectable people4 ,they were to receive #ae rupees a month each1 though their usual wages had not been more than #ab1 and three months' pay in advance4 ,the caravan bashi was to receive #ej rupees a month and be selected with very great care4 ,my whole debt to ,gulam ,razul amounted to nearly #ejjj rupees1 for those who had had the trouble of making all these purchases were to receive a douceur over and above4 ,i sent a note of hand to ,colonel ,dunlop ,smith1 with directions that this sum should be paid to ,gulam ,razul1 in order that he might have security if ,i did not return from this journey4 ,on ,october #cj ,gulam ,razul sent his son to ,leh to equip the new caravan1 which was to reach ,drugub1 ready in all particulars1 on ,november #cj4 ,for the valuable services rendered me on this occasion ,gulam ,razul afterwards received from ,h4,m4 ,king ,gustaf of ,sweden the gold medal for distinguished service1 and ,i recommended him to the ,indian ,government for the title of honour1 ,khan ,bahadur2 of course ,i based my appeal in this case on the great commercial services he had rendered to the ,indian ,empire4 ,in ,gar-gunsa ,i heard news of a new treaty between ,great ,britain and ,russia1 which had been concluded in ,october of this year4 ,great ,britain and ,russia bind themselves not to allow any scientific expedition of any kind whatsoever to enter ,tibet for the next three years without previous agreement1 and call upon ,china to act similarly 7,illust4 #bgd74 ,it seemed as though this clause were especially designed to meet my case4 ,i said not a word to ,gulam ,razul about it4 ,but ,i saw that ,i could no longer travel in ,tibet as a ,european4 ,last year ,i had been successful when the political situation was still unsettled1 but ,i had taught both the ,chinese and ,tibetans a lesson1 and shown them that it was possible for a ,european to travel right across the country4 ,i had also placed a weapon in their hands against me4 ,i should not be able to manage it a second time4 ,now they would keep their eyes open along the periphery of the inhabited country4 ,i must travel in disguise to attract as little attention as possible4 ,another courier was therefore sent to ,leh to procure me a complete ,ladaki costume in ,mohammedan fashion4 ,gulam ,razul also was of opinion that1 considering all circumstances1 it would be wisest to travel as a merchant4 ,the new caravan leader was to be our master1 while ,i myself should figure as the least of his servants1 and keep myself out of sight in all negotiations4 ,the whole affair was a desperate game1 a political and diplomatic game of chess1 the stakes being my own life or great geographical discoveries4 ,i1 who had hitherto stood on the most friendly and confidential terms with the ,tibetans1 must now avoid them as enemies4 ,i should not be able to see any ,tibetan face to face1 and should have to conceal my own eyes in order not to be caught4 ,therefore a large pair of round goggles with dark glasses was bought2 inside them ,i fastened polished glasses of the strength suited to my sight4 ,my ,european outfit was restricted as much as was at all possible2 the large camera and the boat were sent to ,leh with my other baggage1 and ,i took with me only a small ,richard's camera4 ,the main point was that in inhabited districts ,i should conduct myself with ,oriental self-control and be entirely passive4 ,the outcome of this mad plan was to me enshrouded in impenetrable darkness4 ,i only knew that ,i must go northwards from ,drugub in the direction of the ,karakorum pass1 then turn to the east and south-east1 and endeavour to cross from ,lemchung-tso the blank space lying to the south of ,bower's route in #ahia1 and thence continue my journey through the great blank patch on the north of the upper ,tsangpo4 ,if ,i were successful1 ,i would go south to ,india either through ,nepal or through ,gyangtse1 where perhaps ,i might have an opportunity of meeting ,major ,o',connor1 as ,i had always wished to do4 ,gulam ,razul advised me to be very cautious1 for the ,rudok-dzong had a paid spy in ,drugub1 who had to report on the movements of ,europeans on the ,english side of the frontier4 ,this spy was one of the most dangerous reefs in my fairway2 the suspicion of the ,tibetans was at once roused when they found that ,i had bought twenty mules from ,gulam ,razul4 ,the ,garpun sent a messenger to find out what ,i wanted them for4 ,he was told that they were for a journey to ,khotan4 ,thakur ,jai ,chand had an excellent jamadar whom he sent to meet the baggage coming from ,india4 ,at length1 in the beginning of ,november1 we received news that the consignment was coming4 ,then ,robert proposed to go to meet our wished-for guests with some of our new mules4 ,late on the evening of the #fth they all turned up when ,i was already in bed4 ,they were five policemen from ,rampur1 one of them suffering from inflammation of the lungs and more dead than alive4 ,when ,robert met them they were so starved and exhausted that he had first to massage the whole party to put new life into them 7,illust4 #bgf74 ,i at once gave orders to light a roaring fire and serve tea4 ,they came up with their laden mules1 two ,mohammedans1 three ,hindus--all in dark blue uniforms with tall blue-and-white turbans1 rifles1 and bayonets4 ,i bade them welcome1 thanked them for the excellent way in which they had performed their task1 and made their corporal give me an account of their difficult and trying journey over the ,ayi-la4 ,then they were shown to sleeping-places in a tent1 and next day ,i looked through the nine chests sent to me by ,colonel ,dunlop ,smith4 ,three of them contained #fjjj rupees in silver1 all of the ,queen's reign1 none of the ,king's1 for the ,tibetans will not take rupees on which ,king ,edward's face is stamped4 ,the other boxes contained tinned meat of all kinds1 preserves1 chocolate1 cheese1 cakes and biscuits2 cigars1 cigarettes and tobacco2 gold and silver watches1 and revolvers with ammunition1 for presents2 cartridges for two of our guns2 note-books and map paper2 a whole library of new novels1 including ,jack ,london's ,the ,call of the ,wild--a present from ,o',connor and suitable reading for the adventurous time before us2 an anemometer and a hydrometer1 presents from the chief of the ,central ,meteorological ,institute in ,simla1 ,dr4 ,gilbert ,walker2 and a host of other necessary and acceptable articles4 ,the amiable ,colonel1 his equally amiable sister1 and his daughter1 had had no end of trouble in selecting and purchasing the things1 packing them up and transmitting them to ,tibet4 ,it was owing to their kindness that ,i was able for a long time to live like a prince1 and ,i cannot be sufficiently grateful to them4 ,now ,i had nothing more to wait for4 ,the policemen were well paid1 and ,i also bore the expense of their return journey and gave them winter clothing2 took a hearty farewell of my sincere friend ,gulam ,razul1 without whose help the new journey would have been impossible2 thanked ,thakur ,jai ,chand and the other ,hindus for their kindness1 and started off on ,november #i1 #aijg1 north-westwards along the course of the upper ,indus4 ,on the #bfth we reached ,tankse1 where the dignitaries of the district and even the tesildar of ,leh came to meet us4 ,they had already heard that ,i intended to travel to ,khotan in midwinter4 ,the following day was to be a day of rest1 for here ,i was to discharge all my old servants except ,robert and the ,gurkha1 ,rub ,das4 ,when ,i had breakfasted1 ,tsering carried out the plates and dishes1 which now had many chips out of their enamel4 ,this is the last time1 ,tsering1 that you will wait on me4 ,then the old man began to weep1 and hurried out quickly4 ,then ,i summoned all the men to my tent and made them a speech1 telling them that they had served me faithfully and obediently1 and had well earned the comfort and repose that awaited them by their domestic hearths in the bosom of their families4 ,i wished them good fortune and prosperity in the future1 and reminded them of the loss we had all sustained by the death of ,muhamed ,isa--good old ,muhamed ,isa1 who1 when we were last at ,tankse1 had made all arrangements so cleverly and conscientiously4 ,and to show them that we were not the only ones who mourned for him1 ,i read them what ,younghusband1 ,o',connor1 and ,rawling had written to me about the deceased4 ,illustration3 #bhh4 ,,robert ,,in ,,winter ,,dress4 ,while their five horses and five yaks were being loaded with all their belongings1 they came to me in my tent1 one after another1 to receive their pay and an extra present4 ,tsering1 ,rehim ,ali1 ,shukkur ,ali1 and ,tundup ,sonam received especial gifts of money1 the latter three having exposed themselves to danger on my account4 ,old ,tsering asked to be allowed to keep the lame dog from the ,ngangtse-tso2 its bark before his hut in ,leh would remind him of the time when the dog kept watch at our camp-fires4 ,shukkur ,ali kept another dog from the same country4 ,now ,i had only the brown puppy1 which1 with ,robert and the mule from ,poonch1 were among the oldest veterans of the caravan1 all three having accompanied me from ,srinagar4 ,and then came the bitter moment of parting4 ,so much grief1 such loud weeping6 ,they could hardly tear themselves away4 ,the tesildar was quite overcome at witnessing the deep attachment of my simple followers4 ,the bonds were strong that were now torn asunder1 for there is nothing which knits men together so firmly as common sufferings and dangers4 ,i myself felt a catch in my throat1 and1 as the men reluctantly followed their yaks down the road to ,drugub1 ,i stood and watched them until they were out of sight4 ,then ,i dried my eyes before going into my tent1 where ,robert and the tesildar were waiting for me with tea and cakes served up by ,rub ,das4 ,i could not help thinking of a funeral repast after an interment1 at which a wreath of violets had been laid on the grave of a departed friend4 ,next morning ,i awoke to new surroundings4 ,all my old companions were scattered to the four winds1 and now they were gone all seemed empty and deserted4 ,robert read off the meteorological instruments as usual1 and ,rub ,das laid my breakfast as noiselessly as an elf4 ,i was glad that in spite of everything ,i felt not the slightest irresolution4 ,the same angel who had protected me on my former journey would again attend my steps4 ,i seemed to hear once more in the distance the rustle of his wings in the cold winter nights on the ,chang-tang4 ,,chapter ,,lv ,a ,,new ,,chapter ,as soon as we were ready we mounted our horses and rode down to ,drugub4 ,soon the old village came in sight with the house in which ,i had dwelt six years before1 and the garden in which we had halted in the year #aijf4 ,on a terrace below the village stood our three tents and a fourth4 ,the jamadar ,ishe1 old ,hiraman1 who never omitted to greet me1 and young ,anmar ,ju1 another of my old friends1 salaamed and presented to me my new men4 ,these three had orders from the tesildar to accompany me to ,shyok4 ,who is the caravan bashi8 ,i asked4 ,i am1 answered a little wrinkled old man called ,abdul ,kerim1 and wearing a large yellow skin-coat 7,illust4 #bhi74 ,what are the names of the others8 ,kutus1 ,gulam1 ,suen1 ,abdul ,rasak1 ,sedik1 ,lobsang1 ,kunchuk1 ,gaffar1 ,abdullah1 and ,sonam ,kunchuk4 ,you are then eleven men altogether--three ,lamaists and eight ,mohammedans8 ,yes1 ,sahib4 ,i shall at some future time take down your names1 ages1 places of abode1 the journeys you have made1 the services you have been in1 etc4 ,it turned out that very few of them had ever been in the service of a ,european1 but all had been employed by ,nazer ,shah1 and his son ,gulam ,razul answered for them4 ,four had been in ,lhasa1 and almost all the ,mohammedans in ,yarkand1 and all seemed pleasant and cheerful1 and were in the prime of life4 ,illustration3 #bhi4 ,,abdul ,,kerim1 ,,the ,,new ,,caravan ,,leader4 ,which of you is my cook8 ,i am1 answered ,gulam1 a comical little fellow1 who immediately received a lecture from ,rub ,das how ,i was to be attended on 7,illust4 #bia74 ,are you all ,ladakis8 ,yes1 ,sahib1 all except ,lobsang1 who is a ,tibetan from ,gar-gunsa1 but has married in ,leh and has served with the ,hajji ,nazer ,shah4 ,i was somewhat loath to take a ,tibetan with me on a journey where it was essential to keep the ,tibetans as long as possible in the dark4 ,if danger threatened1 how easily he could betray me to his countrymen6 ,i considered whether ,i would not exchange him for another man1 or simply leave him behind4 ,but how often had ,i reason subsequently to rejoice that ,i had not given effect to the suggestion6 ,with the exception of the four ,russian cossacks and ,robert1 ,lobsang was the best servant who ever accompanied me on my journeys through the wilds of ,asia4 ,he was a splendid man1 and ,i cherish a warm recollection of him 7,illust4 #bij74 ,all were now welcomed into my service1 and ,i expressed the hope that they would perform their duty as faithfully as their predecessors1 promised them an extra donation of #ej rupees each if ,i were contented with them1 and told them that ,i would pay the expenses of their return home from the point where our journey ended1 just as ,i had done before4 ,when it was known in ,leh that ,i wanted fresh servants for the journey to ,khotan1 ,guffaru and all the men ,i had sent home from ,tokchen presented themselves and begged earnestly to be restored to my service4 ,but the old ,hajji had received strict directions from his son4 ,not one of my old servants might accompany me this time1 for it would increase the danger if we met ,tibetans with whom we were already acquainted4 ,the new horses seemed fine and strong1 and stood1 eating hay and barley1 in a long row along a wall1 beside the mules and the veterans from ,leh4 ,they were to be well fed1 for the days of feasting would soon be over1 and it would be well if they put on flesh1 on which they could fall back in evil days4 ,all the goods ordered were of the best quality1 and packed in new strong boxes covered with leather 7,illust4 #bhg74 ,on the morning of ,november #bi1 #aijg1 three ,tibetans came from ,rudok-dzong and set up their tents on our left wing4 ,there1 ,i thought1 now espionage is beginning4 ,an hour later we heard the sound of bells up in the valley4 ,the noise became louder and louder between the cliffs1 and a great din was raised as thirty-four fine little mules with loads of salt passed by my tent4 ,all had a chain of small bells round their necks1 most of them were adorned with red and blue ribands1 and some had large red tassels hanging at their chests1 which almost touched the ground and swung about at every step4 ,it was a bright and lively scene1 and the jingle of bells allured me out to fresh adventures in distant regions4 ,in the twinkling of an eye the animals were relieved of their loads and driven up the valley like a herd of wild asses1 to graze on the scanty grass among the granite4 ,the owners must then be traders4 ,they afterwards came into my tent1 took tea and cigarettes1 and asked ,abdul ,kerim whither we were travelling4 ,he answered without lying1 ,to ,khotan4 ,it was ,i who lied4 ,but had ,i told the truth1 ,i should have been stopped in fourteen days1 and might as well have gone home at once4 ,we had three new tents4 ,the two larger accommodated my eleven servants2 the smallest1 which was so small that one could only stand upright under the ridge-pole1 and could only hold a bed and two boxes1 was mine4 ,i wished to have one as small as possible that it might more easily be kept warm4 ,all my baggage was re-packed4 ,i gave some superfluous articles to ,robert and to the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,peter in ,leh4 ,there was a very thorough sorting out1 and only what was absolutely indispensable was packed1 filling two boxes1 one of which chiefly contained ,swedish and ,english books1 sent by my sister ,alma and ,colonel ,dunlop ,smith4 ,as soon as they were read1 they would be offered to the winds4 ,when ,i moved at night into my new tent and laid myself to rest in the large sleeping-bag lined with sheep's wool1 and covered myself1 ,i was as warm and comfortable as in a bed at home4 ,illustration3 #bij4 ,,lobsang2 #bia4 ,,gulam2 #bib4 ,,kutus--,,my ,,last ,,trusty ,,followers4 ,gulam ,razul's son1 ,abdul ,hai1 visited me1 and our business matters were transacted with him4 ,robert remained responsible for my heavy baggage until he had deposited it in the house of the ,hajji ,nazer ,shah4 ,it consisted of ten regulation horse-loads4 ,in my leisure hours ,i wrote a heap of letters1 which ,robert was to hand in at the post-office in ,leh4 ,we had now #ba mules and #ai horses1 the brown puppy1 and a large yellow dog from ,gartok4 ,all the mules and horses1 except mine and ,abdul ,kerim's saddle-horses1 carried loads 7,illusts4 #bif1 #big1 #bih74 ,i rode my little white ,ladaki1 which had grown marvellously strong again1 and was as spirited as one of the new horses4 ,he and two others were the survivors of the large caravan which had1 on the former occasion1 set out from ,leh4 ,in order to make sure that ,abdul ,kerim took sufficient provender1 ,i told him he must not think that ,i would follow the direct road like ordinary caravans4 ,i might make excursions right and left1 and often remain stationary for a week at a time4 ,he must1 therefore1 provide barley for the animals for two-and-a-half months1 and he must take care that the provender we took with us lasted out4 ,but it is stupid to trust to others4 ,all the heavy baggage from ,simla1 the silver money1 and the tinned provisions made four loads2 ,gulam's chests of kitchen utensils1 two2 the tent1 the bedding1 and the belongings of the men made several loads2 all the other animals were to be laden with rice1 barley1 and tsamba4 ,we also took #be sheep from ,tankse4 ,in the night of ,december #c the thermometer fell to -#aj4a4 ,next morning all the baggage was packed up and carried down the valley to ,shyok by coolies4 ,two fellows1 as strong as bears1 carried my two tent-boxes4 ,the animals carried only their new saddles4 ,one group after another marched off1 and at last ,i remained alone4 ,then ,i shook hands with my faithful companion1 ,robert1 thanked him for his invaluable services1 his honesty1 his courage1 and his patience2 asked him to greet for me the missionaries1 ,dr4 ,neve1 and warm ,india2 took leave also of honest ,rub ,das and all the others2 mounted into my new ,ladak saddle on my trusty white1 and rode down to the ,shyok valley with ,anmar ,ju4 ,i was the last remaining of the original caravan1 and was surrounded by men who were complete strangers to me4 ,but ,i was also strange to them1 and they had no suspicion of the foolhardy adventures ,i intended to lead them into4 ,the wind1 however1 was the same1 and the same stars would twinkle in the sky during the cold silent nights in ,tibet4 ,so ,i should not be quite alone4 ,it is little more than #f miles to ,shyok1 and yet this short distance took almost eight hours4 ,we had to cross the river six times1 which just below the village of ,drugub has cut a deep narrow passage between rocks of granite and gneiss4 ,the first crossing was easy1 for there the river had been frozen over in the night1 and though the ice cracked1 we passed over by a path strewn with sand4 ,at the second passage the river was open1 but broad and shallow1 and the ice belts on both sides had been strewn with sand4 ,the third1 where we had to cross over again to the right bank1 was very awkward1 because ice belts suddenly ending in the middle were flooded in consequence of a damming up of the ice lower down4 ,they could not therefore be strewn with sand1 and we had to be careful lest we should fall out of the saddle when the horses set their feet down in the water #c feet deep4 ,it is little more agreeable when he jumps up on the opposite edge1 and his hoofs slide about before he can get a firm foothold on the smooth ice4 ,below this place was the fourth crossing--the worst of all--and here the whole train had come to a halt4 ,on the right bank1 where we stood1 the river was broad and deep1 with icy cold1 dark-blue1 transparent water winding down1 but at the left bank lay a broad belt of ice4 ,suen1 a tall1 black-bearded man with very ,jewish features1 bared his body and examined the ford on horseback4 ,in so doing he got into water so deep that his horse began to swim4 ,then he jumped in himself and swam to the edge of the ice1 where it cost him great effort to climb up4 ,poor man6 ,i shivered as ,i looked at him2 he had been quite under water4 ,illustration3 #bic4 ,,beggars4 ,illustration3 #bid4 ,,abdul ,,kerim',s ,,new ,,tent4 ,four of the others made an attempt a little higher up1 and got over1 but they were up to their necks in water4 ,then the whole troop of mules and horses were driven into the river2 the horses managed best4 ,one mule1 ,i felt sure1 would be lost4 ,he made no attempt to hoist himself on to the ice until he had been pelted with stones from our bank4 ,and when at length he was up and was following the track of the others1 the ice cracked and gave way under him1 and there he lay enclosed4 ,all five men had to pull him out and drag him over the ice to solid ground4 ,barely #ajj yards farther down is the fifth ford4 ,between the two stands a steep1 smooth1 projecting rock1 its foot washed by the river4 ,it is1 however1 possible to climb over the rock up small fissures and over slight projections and thus avoid the two detestable fords4 ,here all the baggage was carried over by the coolies1 and ,i myself climbed over the rocks barefooted2 a short way beyond this crag a strong man carried me over smooth flooded ice4 ,here we had plenty of time for meditation1 while the animals were again driven through such deep water that they almost had to swim4 ,all were wet up to the root of the tail and many had water over their backs4 ,the poor creatures stood together closely in a group1 with pieces of ice hanging from their flanks and knocking together like castanets4 ,we kindled a fire that the five men who had been in the water might undress1 dry themselves1 and change every stitch of clothing4 ,then we went some distance downstream to a place where the heavy provisions were piled up on the bank1 and the poor animals had to enter the icy water before they had got warm again4 ,here the baggage had to be carried over the river by stark-naked men1 who tried with staves in their hands to keep their equilibrium among the treacherous rounded stones in the river bed4 ,an elderly man was seized with cramp when he was half-way across1 and could not move a step4 ,two bold youths jumped into the water and dragged him to land4 ,two mules1 which could not be induced by coaxing or scolding to enter the water1 were tugged over with a rope4 ,i had a guide before my horse1 which was wet half-way up the saddle1 so that ,i had to tuck up my legs as high as possible1 and in this position it was very difficult to keep my balance1 as the horse made unexpected jumps among the blocks4 ,the men raised such a loud hurrah that the mountains rang again when ,i was over the last ford with a whole skin2 a blazing fire prevented any ill effects from my foot-bath4 ,every man1 who came across shivering1 dripping1 and blue with cold1 had to sit down immediately by the fire4 ,i could not understand why they were not frozen to death4 ,then we rode in the twilight up and down hill1 and it was pitch dark before a welcome blazing fire showed us that we were near the village of ,shyok4 ,we gathered round it as we came up1 and delighted in its radiating heat4 ,i could not help consoling myself with the thought that1 if any pursuers followed me up from the ,english side1 they would at any rate get a cold bath before they found me4 ,in the night the temperature fell to only #ae4d1 but here we were at a height of only #ab1cfe feet4 ,we stayed on ,december #e in ,shyok1 to dry the pack-saddles and give the animals a day's rest after their trying work4 ,in the evening the men held a farewell festival1 for ,shyok was the last village in ,ladak4 ,as soon as the drums and flutes were heard1 all the women and girls of the country flocked to the dance4 ,on ,december #f we took leave of our last friends1 and marched down the slopes to the floor of the ,shyok valley1 where the altitude is #ab1cjj feet2 it was the lowest spot we were in for a long time 7,illust4 #cjj47 ,for from here we mounted northwards up the valley excavated by the great affluent of the ,indus4 ,there is no road or path to speak of1 only rubbish and rounded boulders1 but the scenery is wonderfully fine1 and gigantic granite crags tower up on all sides4 ,we crossed the river five times1 which here carries about #dbj cubic feet of water and has belts of ice of varying breadth4 ,a solitary starved wanderer from ,yarkand met us1 and was given a meal of tsamba4 ,we pitched our camp among the bushes in a bed of sand at ,chong-yangal1 where ,i had stayed in the year #aijb4 ,we were now alone4 ,only one man not belonging to the caravan was still with us1 ,tubges of ,shyok1 who had charge of our sheep during the early days of our journey1 especially at the fords4 ,in the evening ,i had a conversation with ,abdul ,kerim1 ,kutus1 and ,gulam4 ,i now told them that ,i would not travel to ,khotan by the ordinary road1 because ,i knew it already4 ,we would strike more to the east1 and the sooner we came up on to the plateau the better4 ,they replied that ,tubges knew the country well4 ,he was called in to the consultation4 ,what if we went through the ,chang-chenmo valley to ,pamzal and the ,lanak-la8 ,no1 he answered1 that is impossible2 one can go as far as ,oro-rotse1 but there the valley becomes as narrow as a corridor1 and ice cascades and boulders cover the bottom of the valley4 ,animals cannot get through even without loads4 ,it was then evident that we must continue up the ,shyok valley and watch for an opportunity of diverging eastwards4 ,so on the #gth we went on between grand mountain gables1 silent and solemn1 like ,egyptian pyramids1 like cathedrals and fortress towers4 ,between them detritus cones descend to the valley floor1 where their bases are eroded by the high water of the summer flood and cut off in perpendicular walls4 ,it must be a magnificent spectacle when the turbid thundering water rolls down from the melting snow of the ,karakorum and fills all the valley1 making its way with tremendous force to the ,indus4 ,an enormous block of perhaps #gj1jjj cubic feet has fallen down2 it has cracked in falling1 as though a giant had split it with his axe2 one fancies one can see the gap it has left on the heights above4 ,four times the path crosses the stream1 and the rather narrow opening of the ,chang-chenmo valley is left on the right4 ,we encamped among the dunes of ,kaptar-khane4 ,in the night the temperature fell to #b4e4 ,the way is terribly trying1 nothing but detritus and blocks of grey granite1 against which the horses wear out their shoes4 ,again we crossed the river twice and set up our tents in the oasis ,dung-yeilak1 where a worn-out caravan from ,khotan had already settled1 and had sent a messenger to ,nubra for help1 as several of their horses had foundered4 ,as long as there was pasturage we could take matters quietly and make short marches4 ,only too soon the grass would come to an end1 and then we must make more haste4 ,so we rested a day when the merchant ,muhamed ,rehim from ,khotan arrived at the oasis with his caravan4 ,but he only remained an hour1 for he wanted to reach warmer regions1 and was glad to have the ,karakorum pass behind him4 ,he earnestly advised me to wait till spring1 for the snow lay deeper than usual on the pass4 ,one of his caravan men also came to me and gave me a handful of dried peaches4 ,does the ,sahib remember me8 he asked4 ,certainly1 you are ,mollah ,shah4 ,the good fellow1 now fifty-seven years old1 and with his beard greyer1 had never visited his home in ,cherchen again since he had left my service in the spring of #aijb4 ,what a singular wandering life1 full of toil and adventure1 these ,asiatics lead6 ,he implored me to engage him again1 but ,i told him he ought to be glad to go down into ,ladak instead of returning to the frightful pass in the middle of the icy winter4 ,it would certainly have been pleasant to have with me an old tried companion4 ,but no1 he would have been out of place in my ,ladaki company4 ,mollah ,shah told us for our encouragement that a large caravan had lost fifty-two horses on the pass1 and had been obliged to leave behind the greater part of their goods4 ,none of my people knew yet my actual plans4 ,as long as we were on the great winter route to ,eastern ,turkestan they must all believe that ,khotan was my destination4 ,we had also the advantage that all who met us would report in ,ladak that they had seen us on the great highway1 and thus no suspicion would be aroused4 ,illustration3 #bie4 ,,my ,,brown ,,puppy ,,with ,,my ,,cook1 ,,tsering4 #bif1 #big1 #bih4 ,,my ,,white ,,ladaki ,,horse4 ,december #aj4 ,it was colder1 the minimum temperature being -#b4d4 ,my ,curzon hat was burned in the fire4 ,in its place ,i put on a large skin-cap which ,muhamed ,isa had sewed together1 and wound round it a pugree as a protection against the sun4 ,arms of the river with a gentle current were covered with glittering ice1 but the main stream1 now much smaller1 was nearly free4 ,at the camp at ,charvak a spring brook dashed down the rocks in a tinkling cascade1 though the cold did all it could to silence it4 ,the animals were driven up the slopes where the grass was better4 ,a huge fire was lighted when the day declined1 and a narrow sickle of a moon stood in the sky4 ,where the animals were driven up1 there was a thundering fall of stones in the night1 and some blocks rolled down and lay among our tents4 ,it was a dangerous place4 ,we had a cold march on the way to ,yulgunluk4 ,when thick snow-clouds cover the sky1 the wind blows in the traveller's face1 and the temperature at one o'clock is #ad4i1 one feels the cold dreadfully1 and has to tie a thick neck-cloth over the face4 ,the valley is lifeless and deserted4 ,hitherto we had only seen a hare1 an eagle1 and a raven2 the last followed us from camp to camp4 ,six times we crossed the stream2 the brown puppy was carried over1 but the yellow dog found his way across--he howled piteously whenever he had to go into the cold water4 ,in ,yulgunluk also1 at a height of #ac1dee feet1 we encamped a day4 ,now the thermometer fell in the night to -#f4b4 ,this was the last really pleasant and agreeable oasis we came across4 ,during the day of rest we heard the horses neighing with satisfaction on the pastures and the sheep bleating4 ,the loads of provender were already smaller1 so we could load four horses with good knotty firewood4 ,on the right side of the valley rose a snowy mountain4 ,as early as two o'clock the sun disappeared1 but it lighted up the snow long after the valley lay in deep shadow2 the sky was blue and cloudless4 ,in the evening the men sang at the fire just the same melodies as their predecessors4 ,the winter days are short1 but they seem endlessly long to one tortured by the uncertainty of his cherished hopes4 ,by eight o'clock the camp is quiet1 and at nine ,gulam brings in the last brazier after ,i have read the meteorological instruments4 ,how ,i long to get out of this confined valley on to the plateau country6 ,here we are marching north-north-west1 and ,i ought to be going east and south-east4 ,if we could find a way up to the ,chang-tang by one of the valleys to the east1 we should be saved much time and many a weary step4 ,on ,december #ac we looked in vain for such a way4 ,we crossed the river twice more on its ice-sheet4 ,at the second ford the whole caravan passed over dry-shod1 and only my small white horse broke through and ,i wet my feet4 ,after a third crossing we camped in a desolate spot just opposite the ,shialung valley4 ,it looked promising4 ,tubges and ,kutus were sent up the valley to spy out the land4 ,in the evening they returned with the tidings that we could go a fairly long distance up the valley1 but beyond it became impassable owing to deep basins1 abundant ice1 and large boulders1 just as in the ,drugub river4 ,we must therefore keep on the route to the ,karakorum pass4 ,this increased the risks for the caravan1 for it lengthened the distance2 but1 on the other hand1 it lessened the danger of discovery1 for when once we had got into ,tibet we could avoid the most northern nomads4 ,now ,tubges begged permission to accompany me to the end1 and his petition was eagerly supported by all the other men4 ,i was the more willing to take him that he was a skilled hunter4 ,i had now twelve men1 and ,i made the thirteenth in the caravan4 ,but we were not superstitious4 ,,chapter ,,lvi ,,up ,,to ,,the ,,heights ,,of ,,dapsang ,heavy clouds and piercingly cold wind increased the difficulty of our march on ,december #ad up the valley4 ,we saw two bales of goods1 sewed up in linen and with the stamp of a ,turkestan firm1 lying on the ground1 as though they had fallen from a dying horse1 the carcase of which we had passed4 ,higher up two more4 ,they contained silken materials from ,khotan4 ,so far the caravans come with failing strength after excessive exertions on the pass4 ,they are like ships which must throw their cargo overboard when they begin to sink4 ,at ,kteklik also we found passable grass and firewood4 ,gulam is a capital cook2 he prepares me the most delicate cutlets and rissoles1 and for a change gives me chickens and eggs4 ,on the #aeth there is little water in the valley2 it runs under rubbish1 but farther up the river is again fresh and clear4 ,we frequently pass the remains of unfortunate caravans--dead horses1 bales of goods1 and pack-saddles from which the hay has been removed to save the life of a dying horse4 ,we travel west-north-westwards1 and therefore ever farther from our goal4 ,but at length we come to a valley which will lead us in the right direction4 ,we leave the ,sasser valley to the left and enter a valley portal full of treacherous ice1 often as thin as skin4 ,we wait till our scouts have tried the ice1 which they declare to be impassable4 ,tubges1 however1 finds another1 longer way1 over steep hills1 and at their foot we pitch our camp4 ,next morning we went over a steep spur of porphyry to reach a better place on the frozen river which was to afford us an easterly passage up to ,murgu4 ,we crossed again and again the strip of ice1 which was first strewn with sand that the horses might not break their legs4 ,as usual1 two scouts went in advance4 ,one of them came back and called to us from a distance that a fallen rock closed up the valley4 ,on reaching the spot ,i found that a landslip had lately taken place4 ,the blocks of porphyry barring the channel were as big as houses1 and between them the river formed deep basins covered with a thin coat of ice4 ,we had therefore to turn back and retrace our steps all the way down to camp ,no4 #bgi1 over the terrible rock1 which on this side was so steep that each animal had to be shoved up separately1 and the men had to look out for themselves when a pack got loose and rolled down the acclivity4 ,then we went some distance up the ,sasser valley4 ,a strong icy wind blew in our faces4 ,beside a wall of rock the dogs put up a hare which took refuge in a hole1 but ,kunchuk pulled him out again and he was condemned to be eaten4 ,our camp this time was in an almost barren place1 and after all the fording of the river during the day icicles clinked on the flanks of our wearied animals4 ,it is evening again4 ,the mountain spurs project1 dark and rugged1 into the valley like huge sarcophagi1 and on them rest moon-lighted snowfields like shrouds4 ,the ,ladakis sing no more2 their ditties are frozen on their lips4 ,it is awfully quiet4 ,the kitchen fire flickers with yellowish-red tongues in the white moonshine4 ,one can almost hear the sound of the frost outside4 ,illustration3 #bii4 ,,panorama ,,from ,,camp #dbb1 ,,bongba4 ,illustration3 #cjj4 ,,panorama ,,from ,,camp #bgg1 ,,shyok ,,valley4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,after ,gulam has brought in the last brazier ,i undress myself1 put on my large woollen dressing-gown1 set myself a while right over the fire to get a little heat into my body before ,i creep into my lair of fur1 and smile to hear the yellow dog1 who is lying outside1 and barks and snarls at the increasing cold in the angriest and most comical tones4 ,no wonder he is enraged1 for the thermometer falls in the night to -#ab4h4 ,then ,i hear a singular squeaking in ,gulam's tent4 ,we had already anticipated a happy event1 and now ,i inquired whether there was an addition to the ,puppy family4 ,four small puppies had again come into the world4 ,they had waited for the very coldest night we had yet experienced4 ,gulam had contrived a cage of frieze rugs in which ,puppy lay1 licking her young ones4 ,two of the tiny animals were of the female1 two of the male sex2 the former were drowned1 for we thought that the others would grow stronger if they monopolized all the milk and heat that would otherwise have been divided among four4 ,i sat by the hutch and studied the interesting group till ,i was so stiff with cold that ,i could hardly walk back to my tent4 ,next morning the tiny curs were going on splendidly2 one of them whined in quite the orthodox fashion1 and no doubt thought what a grim cold country fate had launched him into4 ,we determined to take good care of them1 for they would be pleasant companions for me4 ,up here they would at any rate be immune from the sickness which had carried off their elder sisters4 ,kunchuk had to carry them against his bare skin to keep them warm4 ,half-way ,mamma ,puppy was allowed to occupy herself for a while with her little ones1 though these did not seem quite to understand the milk business4 ,we had a bad march on ,december #ag4 ,no shouts of encouragement were heard1 but the caravan moved on slowly and apathetically4 ,within half an hour our feet were benumbed and lost all feeling4 ,i wound the ends of my bashlik like a visor several times round my face up to the eyes1 but the breath turned it into a thick crust of ice which froze to my moustache and beard1 which ,i had allowed to grow since leaving ,gartok to suit my intended ,mohammedan disguise4 ,all the men put on their furs4 ,dust and soil flew about1 and our faces had a singular appearance4 ,at a place where a ,yarkand caravan was encamped1 we turned to the right up a very narrow valley1 in which the floor1 covered with bright milky-white ice1 looked like a marble pavement between the rocky walls4 ,fortunately the ,yarkand men had strewn sand over the ice1 but still it did not prevent several of our animals from falling1 so that they had to be loaded again4 ,when we at length camped in ,long the temperature was at zero even at three o'clock4 ,a second large ,yarkand caravan1 on the homeward journey1 was halting here4 ,the leaders asked us to travel with them over the ,karakorum1 but ,i refused1 with the excuse that we could make only short day's marches4 ,observation by any who might tell the ,chinese in ,yarkand that ,i had again passed over into ,tibet was exactly what ,i must avoid above everything4 ,here lay a poor man1 both of whose feet had been frost-bitten on the ,karakorum1 so that the flesh and toes actually fell off4 ,he crawled up to our camp and wept over his disastrous fate4 ,he had been engaged with the ,yarkand caravan we had met first1 but as he had become incapable of work owing to his wounds1 the barbarous merchant had dismissed him in the midst of the wilds and left him behind4 ,in such a case it is hard to know what to do4 ,we could not cure him1 and to take him with us or give up a part of the caravan for him was out of the question4 ,he said himself that he would crawl to ,shyok1 but how was he to get across the river8 ,i let him warm himself at our fire1 drink tea and eat1 and on the #ahth1 when we went on after #ef of frost in the night1 ,i gave him tsamba for several days1 matches1 and a sum of money which would enable him to hire a horse from a caravan travelling to ,shyok4 ,this day's march took us eastwards to a place called ,bulak 7the spring72 it should properly have been called ,guristan 7the graveyard71 for here lay at least twenty dead horses4 ,during a ride of two hours ,i had counted sixty-three carcases of horses2 it is wonderful that trade on this caravan route1 the highest in the world1 can be profitable4 ,from there the route ran up the narrow fissured ,murgu valley1 at first up and down over hills1 where numbers of dead horses1 which had once been strong and fat1 showed us the way4 ,then we descended a break-neck path into the deep valley1 where spring water at the bottom formed cracked domes of ice4 ,then on the slopes of the left flank we climbed again up a zigzag path2 the snow became deeper and was piled up1 especially on the path1 so smooth that if the horses had made a false step we should have been lost beyond recovery4 ,the landscape was magnificent1 but it could not be properly enjoyed when the temperature about one o'clock was only #j4c4 ,and then again we went down headlong to the valley bottom1 where we passed over a natural bridge of rock improved by the hand of man4 ,our direction had been east1 but now we diverged more and more to the north and north-west4 ,the snow becomes deeper1 the sun sinks1 the shadows creep up the reddish-yellow hills1 the wind is stronger1 and one thinks3 ,if this lasts much longer ,i shall freeze4 ,at last we halt at the foot of a terrace on the right side of the valley1 where the sheep are driven into a cave to keep them warm in the night4 ,i slip down from the saddle with all my limbs numbed1 and long for a fire4 ,not a trace of organic life was to be seen at camp ,no4 #bhc4 ,the horses and mules were tethered so that they stood in a close pack4 ,at this unlucky camp ,i made the first discovery on this new journey through ,tibet4 ,abdul ,kerim came to me at the fire and said3 ,sahib1 we have barley for eight to ten days more2 but in that time we shall reach ,shahidulla1 where we can get everything4 ,eight to ten days6 ,are you mad8 ,did you not obey my orders8 ,did ,i not tell you expressly to take barley for #b months8 ,i brought a supply with me which was enough for the journey to ,khotan4 ,did ,i not tell you that ,i was not going to ,khotan by the ordinary route1 but by roundabout ways which would demand at least two months8 ,yes1 ,sahib1 ,i have acted wrongly1 answered the old man1 and began to sob4 ,abdul ,kerim was an honest man1 but he was stupid1 and he had not the great experience of ,muhamed ,isa4 ,you are caravan bashi1 and the duty of a caravan leader is to see that there is sufficient provender for the journey4 ,when the ten days are over1 our animals will starve4 ,what do you mean to do then8 ,sahib1 send me with some animals to ,shahidulla4 ,i can be back again in a fortnight4 ,you know that everything that happens in ,shahidulla is reported to the ,amban of ,khotan4 ,the ,chinese must know nothing of our intentions4 ,my first notion was to dismiss ,abdul ,kerim at once and to write to the ,hajji ,nazer ,shah for more provender1 which might be brought up on hired animals4 ,but what would they think in western ,tibet and ,ladak if ,i sent for more provender from ,leh when ,i was barely eight days' journey from ,shahidulla1 which lies on the direct road to ,khotan8 ,my whole plan would be betrayed and must fail4 ,i should be stopped by the first nomads1 perhaps by the ,english whom ,i had so happily escaped hitherto4 ,it was only necessary to forbid the natives to supply me with provisions and baggage animals4 ,and if ,i procured all we wanted in ,shahidulla1 the ,amban of ,khotan would send word to ,kashgar1 whence a telegraph line runs through ,asia to ,pekin1 where ,his ,excellency ,na ,tang proved so absolutely immovable when the ,swedish ,minister ,wallenberg had given himself so much trouble to obtain for me permission for a new journey through ,tibet4 ,up here in this desolate valley my position was strong4 ,we had sneaked quietly and cautiously through ,british territory without exciting suspicion4 ,but as soon as we came into contact with the outer world we should be caught4 ,i sat in my tent all the evening1 considering the matter from all sides1 and measured the distances on my map with compasses4 ,we were about #ajj miles from my camp ,no4 #h of the preceding year1 where the grass was so good4 ,so far we could travel without the least difficulty4 ,but beyond we had #dcj miles more1 to the district on the ,tong-tso4 ,however1 before we came there we must meet with nomads and grazing land4 ,the horses1 indeed1 would be lost1 but the ,tibetan mules were1 so ,gulam ,razul said1 accustomed to shift for themselves1 and they were not given barley4 ,the first step was to reach the free open ,chang-tang and get out of this frightful mousetrap1 the ,shyok valley1 which was always taking us further north-north-west4 ,even if we had to sacrifice everything and creep on all fours to the nearest tent1 ,i would not give in3 ,i would not depart a hair's breadth from the original plan4 ,night came with a clear sky1 twinkling stars and sharp frost2 by nine o'clock the temperature was down to -#bj4d4 ,the animals stood quietly crowded together to keep themselves warm4 ,when ,i awoke occasionally ,i did not hear them1 and they might have vanished4 ,the minimum was reached at -#ca4b4 ,when ,i was awakened1 ,kutus had been out on the prowl into a broad valley1 coming in from the east1 and had found a road which1 as far as he could see1 was excellent4 ,we had still two days' journey from camp ,no4 #bhc to the dreaded ,karakorum pass1 which ,i wished to avoid4 ,if we ascended the side valley eastwards1 we should soon arrive at the main crest of the ,karakorum range and be spared two days' journey4 ,i resolved to try it4 ,so we travelled on ,december #bj to the east-north-east over crunching snow4 ,the valley looked very promising1 especially as old horse tracks could be seen in some places4 ,in the middle of the valley was the bed of a brook covered over with smooth1 treacherous ice1 but elsewhere there was nothing but detritus4 ,after we had passed a hill thickly overgrown with burtse tufts1 all vegetation ceased4 ,at one o'clock the temperature was -#e4h4 ,my beard was white with rime1 my face-cloth turned into a mass of ice1 and all the animals were white4 ,for hours we slowly mounted upwards4 ,in some places the valley was so contracted that it was only #b yards broad4 ,the best of the day was over when the caravan suddenly came to a halt4 ,all was quiet in the front1 and ,i waited with ,kutus for whatever was to happen4 ,after a time came ,abdul ,kerim1 much cast down1 with the news that the valley was impassable at two places4 ,i went to look4 ,the first barrier of rocks might be forced1 but the second was worse4 ,we could certainly have dragged the baggage over the ice between and under the blocks1 but there was no passage for the animals4 ,should we try to make a road along which the animals could be helped over the blocks by the united strength of the men8 ,yes2 but first men must be sent up to find out whether there were more of such barriers to cross4 ,when they came back with the news that the way was still worse above1 ,i gave orders to pitch the camp1 as the shades of evening were falling4 ,good heavens1 what a camp6 ,not a blade of grass1 not a drop of water6 ,again we sat in a mousetrap between steep mountain walls1 where1 at any moment1 devastating blocks might be detached from the sides by the frost4 ,the horses scraped about in the snow looking for grass4 ,during the night they roamed about1 and stumbled over the tent ropes4 ,the thermometer fell to -#cj4f4 ,one puppy lost his way1 got outside1 and came of his own accord into my tent2 fortunately for him ,i was awakened by his whining1 and gave him shelter in my bed1 where he was warm and comfortable4 ,a frosty morning6 we must take care not to touch metal1 for it burns like fire4 ,a mule made his way into my tent and looked for something edible in my washing-basin4 ,to his great astonishment it stuck to his nose1 and he took it a few steps with him4 ,the hungry animals had consumed two empty sacks and six ropes during the night1 and played the mischief with one another's tails4 ,in winter1 life up here is a desperate struggle with the frost4 ,the orders for the day were to encamp in a place where there were stalks of yapchan and burtse1 and remain there all the next day4 ,i set out at a temperature of -#bc4h and found the camp all ready on the right side of the valley4 ,the animals were immediately sent up the slopes1 and there grazed with a good appetite on the dry frozen stalks4 ,during the day of rest1 pieces of ice were hewn out of the brook and melted in the two large kettles of the men4 ,horses and mules were then able to drink their fill4 ,in the night a most welcome change took place in the weather1 the whole sky was overcast1 and the thermometer fell only to #a2 it felt quite warm in the morning4 ,some mules had stampeded1 but ,lobsang found them after a diligent search4 ,i set out with ,kutus soon after the caravan4 ,we had not gone far when we saw ,muhamed ,isa's white ,shigatse horse lying frozen stiff in the snow4 ,he had been in a wretched state for some days1 and the last hardships had been too much for him4 ,worn-out and emaciated he really needed a long1 long rest4 ,after a while we passed the valley junction and the unlucky camp ,no4 #bhc1 and were again on the great caravan route1 the road of dead horses4 ,four lay in a ravine quite close together1 as though they did not wish to part even in death4 ,a large dapple-grey showed no change1 but another horse looked as if it were stuffed1 and a third1 with its outstretched legs1 resembled an overturned gymnasium horse4 ,some were nearly covered with snow1 and others had fallen in a curious cramped position1 but most of them lay as though death had surprised them when they were composing themselves to rest after violent exertion4 ,nearly all were hollow3 the hide was stretched over the backbone and ribs1 and they looked intact from the back1 but on the other side it could be seen that they were only empty1 dry skeletons1 hard as iron1 which rattled when the yellow dog1 who had nothing else to eat on the way1 pulled them about4 ,the dogs barked at the first carcases1 but soon they became familiar with the sight of them4 ,what sufferings and what desperate struggles for life these dreary mountains must have witnessed in the course of time6 ,lying awake at night one fancies one hears the sighs of worn-out pack animals and their laboured breathing as they patiently go towards their end1 and sees an endless parade of veterans condemned to die who can endure no more in the service of cruel man4 ,when the dogs bark outside in the silent night they seem to bark at ghosts and apparitions who try with hesitating steps to make their way out of the snowfields that hold them fast1 and intervene between them and the juicy meadows of ,ladak4 ,if any road in the world deserves the name ,via dolorosa1 it is the caravan road over the ,karakorum pass connecting ,eastern ,turkestan with ,india4 ,like an enormous bridge of sighs it spans with its airy arches the highest mountain-land of ,asia and of the world4 ,higher and higher our slow train ascends the fissured valley where here and there small glacier tongues peep out between the steep crags4 ,frequently old camping-places are seen with ripped-up pack-saddles4 ,hurricanes from the south prevail here2 fine red dust from weathered sandstone flies like clouds of blood through the valley and colours the snowfields red4 ,the valley shrinks to a hollow way where a somewhat more sheltered spot bears the name ,daulet ,bek ulldi 7where ,daulet ,bek died74 ,who was he8 ,no one knows2 but the name has remained4 ,probably an ordinary trader from ,khotan or ,yarkand1 or a pilgrim who died on his wanderings1 and therefore found the doors of paradise wide open4 ,for over the ,karakorum pass runs the main pilgrim route from ,eastern ,turkestan to ,mecca4 ,the valley becomes ever smaller--a mere corridor between walls of red conglomerate4 ,this is the ,kizil-unkur1 or the ,red ,hole1 an appropriate name4 ,here the caravan has pitched its camp4 ,not a sign of organic life4 ,the animals stand in a group1 and the mules gnaw at the frozen dung of former visitors4 ,from this hole the way rises up to the ,dapsang plateau1 where a snowstorm is now raging1 and even in the valley flakes of snow dance and whirl in the air4 ,in the twilight ,tundup ,sonam comes up with only twelve sheep2 the others have been frozen to death on the way4 ,night falls threatening and awful on the everlasting snow4 ,everything up here is so dreary and cold 7#af1hbd feet72 there is nothing living far and wide1 and yet the yellow dog fills the ravine with his barking4 ,the men set up the tents near together1 and a very scanty fire burned among them1 for we had to be economical with the firewood from ,kteklik4 ,the ,mohammedans started a low charming song in rising and falling tones1 and now and then a strong voice intoned a hollow ,allahu ekber4 ,when ,gulam came with the brazier ,i asked him what it meant1 and he said that it was a namas or hymn of prayer to ,allah1 that the ,most ,high might protect us in the morning from the snowstorm4 ,for if a caravan is caught in a snowstorm on the heights of ,dapsang it is lost4 ,i often heard this melodious hymn again in days of hardship1 and it always affected me painfully4 ,not as the reproachful warning clang of church bells ringing for service1 when ,i pass a church door without going in1 but because the men sang the hymn only when they were out of spirits and considered our position desperate4 ,it seemed as though they would remind me that defeat awaited me1 and that this time ,i had aimed too high4 ,,chapter ,,lvii ,,on ,,the ,,roof ,,of ,,the ,,world ,on ,christmas ,eve #aije ,i had dined with ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,grant ,duff in the hospitable ,english ,embassy1 and on another day supped with ,count d',apchier in the ,french ,legation1 and was invited to a reception by ,count ,rex in the ,german ,embassy1--all in ,teheran1 now in such a disturbed state4 ,the same day twelve months later ,i had still ,muhamed ,isa and ,robert with me1 and we were in inhabited country4 ,little ,i dreamt now that old ,asia would demand still another ,christmas ,eve in my life1 and that on ,december #bd1 #aijh1 ,i should sit at table amid a circle of pleasant and intelligent ,japanese in distant ,mukden1 where a few years before the thunders of war had rolled above the graves of the ,manchurian emperors4 ,but this year1 #aijg1 ,i was quite alone1 and with twelve satellites on the way to my--,ukraine4 ,in the morning with a bright sun and calm weather the caravan marched slowly up towards the heights of ,dapsang1 while ,kutus and ,i followed in the crunching snow4 ,i had given ,abdul ,kerim orders to wait at the top4 ,after ,i had read the instruments and found a height of #ag1hjh feet1 ,i scoured the horizon with my field-glass--a confusion of snowy mountains4 ,only to the north-east a broad erosion furrow sloped gently down1 and ,i chose that direction4 ,now we leave the ,karakorum route and ride eastwards1 ,i said2 follow my track2 ,i will ride in front4 ,the men stared in astonishment2 they had looked forward to the gardens and vineyards of ,khotan1 and ,i offered them the granite and snowstorms of ,chang-tang4 ,they said nothing1 however1 but silently and patiently followed in my footsteps4 ,it was not easy to lead the way1 for the country was covered with deep snow4 ,i directed ,kutus1 and he went before my horse to test the depth4 ,the ground was quite level1 but contained hollows where the snow lay #c to #f feet deep2 and the crust was exceedingly treacherous1 for sometimes it broke1 and ,i was thrown out of the saddle1 while the horse plunged and floundered like a dolphin1 and was almost suffocated in the fine dry snow4 ,we therefore turned back to try another direction4 ,lobsang1 who was always on the alert when we were in a critical situation1 was already looking for a better way4 ,but we must in any case cross the valley1 and the men tramped out a furrow in the snow1 through which the animals were led one at a time4 ,the horses managed best1 while the mules often fell and caused long delays4 ,how far would this snow extend8 ,it checked our progress and concealed any wretched pasture that might exist in some ravine4 ,we crawled on like snails4 ,i went on foot1 and my skin coat felt as heavy as lead4 ,but after several hours of hard toil we reached the terrace skirting the right side of the valley1 where the snow was thinner and we made more progress4 ,camp ,no4 #bhg was in the most desolate spot ,i can remember in all my travels1 except the sandy sea of the ,takla-makan desert4 ,behind us our trail wound through the white snow and in front all was snow4 ,the animals were tethered close together1 and they had a feed of corn in the evening4 ,after the day's work was over ,i lighted two candles--usually ,i had but one--and set up the portraits of my family on a box1 as ,i had often done before on ,christmas ,eves in ,asia4 ,at half-past eight o'clock the moon rose gloriously over the mountains to the east-north-east1 and at nine the thermometer had sunk to -#af4h4 ,i could not get the temperature above -#d in my tent1 and my hands were so benumbed that ,i could not hold a book1 but had to crawl into bed1 which was the best thing to do--there one forgets ,christmas with all its precious memories and its melancholy solitude4 ,the thermometer sank to -#cg4e4 ,a horse lay frozen hard in his place in the line2 the others stood stupefied1 with drooping heads1 and great icicles on their noses4 ,christmas ,eve brought us good weather4 ,i almost longed for a snowstorm4 ,we had no fear of pursuit1 but if a ,turkestan caravan now went down to ,kizil-unkur1 the men would see our trail in the snow and report that we were off to ,tibet4 ,a snowstorm would obliterate all traces4 ,meanwhile we stumbled on eastwards through the snow4 ,a spring supplied water where all the animals got a drink4 ,we halted in a ravine with tufts of yapchan 7#ag1jhg feet74 ,the animals made greedily for the dry hard stalks1 which also provided us with a grand fire1 and this evening it was warm and comfortable in my tent4 ,i rejoiced to think that the days would again become longer1 and subtracted the length of each day's march from the distance between us and the ,tong-tso4 ,ah1 would we were there6 ,and there we should be only on the northern margin of the blank space4 ,what an immensely long way we had to travel6 ,next day we followed the same flat valley eastwards between mountains of moderate height1 making use of a path worn down by ,pantholops antelopes4 ,the snow became less deep and was only occasionally troublesome1 usually covered with a crust as dry as parchment4 ,when we had encamped in a perfectly barren spot1 ,i consulted with ,abdul ,kerim4 ,only two sacks of barley were left4 ,i saw that he had been weeping1 and therefore ,i restrained my wrath4 ,the others1 too1 were astonished and doleful4 ,i had not yet said anything to them1 but they understood that there was no question of ,khotan4 ,the men had tsamba for nearly three months and rice for two4 ,i therefore ordered that some should be given to the horses when the barley was finished1 but enough should be left for the men to last two months4 ,the others gathered outside the tent during the consultation4 ,lobsang was calm and unconcerned1 and could be heard singing and whistling as he watched the animals4 ,i took to him most1 perhaps because he was a ,tibetan2 but ,i liked them all1 for they were capital fellows4 ,in the evening they sang hymns to ,allah1 knowing that our situation was exceedingly critical4 ,next day we started early1 and ,i rode at the head of the caravan4 ,we all had severe headaches1 but the height was enormous 7#ag1fdd feet74 ,we had marched little more than a mile when we found sparse grass in a slight hollow on the northern slopes4 ,that was a ,christmas box4 ,here we pitched our camp4 ,the animals ran up to the pasture with their loads on4 ,how they ate6 ,it was a pleasure to see them4 ,suen cut ridiculous capers between the tents4 ,the men were in high spirits4 ,i heard no more hymns to ,allah1 but the caravan bashi1 who seemed to think he was in some degree responsible for the spiritual welfare of all the ,mohammedans1 usually read every evening at sunset one of the five daily prayers4 ,our supply of fuel was at an end1 but ,lobsang found a hard moss which burned for a long time and gave out plenty of heat4 ,now ,i perceived that when we should some time part1 ,i should miss ,lobsang most4 ,on ,december #bh1 leaden clouds lay over the earth1 and therefore the cold was less severe4 ,we continued our course eastwards1 and marched slowly till we came to a spring1 which at the orifice had a temperature of #cc4f4 ,the water felt quite warm2 it formed large cakes of ice in the flat valley1 which looked from a distance like a lake4 ,while the men set up the tents here1 ,puppy1 as usual1 took charge of her young ones in a folded piece of felt4 ,one of them had a white spot on the forehead and was my especial favourite1 for he never whined unnecessarily4 ,to-day he had opened his eyes and given a short glance at the cold inhospitable world around him4 ,however1 before my tent was ready1 he died quite suddenly1 and was buried under some stones that the yellow dog might not eat him up4 ,mamma ,puppy looked for him1 but soon contented herself with the last of the four4 ,we would do all we could to keep this little creature4 ,on the way to the next camping-place1 ,no4 #bib1 we still followed the same blessed valley which had afforded us such an excellent route since ,christmas ,eve4 ,the minimum temperature had fallen to -#ba4h1 as though a cold wave were passing over the country4 ,at one place some wild yaks had left their visiting cards1 and the men collected a sack of dung4 ,evidently these animals come hither only in summer2 the winter is too cold even for them4 ,a mule died before we reached a spring surrounded by fair grazing4 ,so far we had got on well1 but had made little progress2 on the past six days we had covered only #dg miles4 ,december #cj4 ,with a minimum of zero and a temperature at one o'clock of #c4b the range between day and night is not great4 ,but now the sky was covered with dense clouds2 it snowed and became half dark2 the men could not tell in which direction they were marching1 and asked where the sun rose4 ,we had the help of the longitudinal valley for another day's journey1 and we followed it down to a junction of valleys where there was a huge sheet of ice4 ,on the way ,i saw a flock of twenty-two wild sheep1 which fled with great agility up a slope of detritus1 bringing the stones rattling down4 ,in the evening ,i informed ,abdul ,kerim1 ,gulam1 and ,kutus that we were to advance into ,tibet and steer our course past the ,arport-tso to the upper ,brahmaputra4 ,and ,i told them that ,i should travel in disguise in order to escape notice4 ,they were amazed1 and asked if ,i should not expose my life to danger daily2 but ,i calmed them1 saying that all would go well if they only obeyed my orders implicitly4 ,our chief concern was to preserve our animals1 for if the caravan were lost we should never get on4 ,yes1 answered the caravan bashi1 if we only find good pasture1 so that the animals can rest and eat their fill1 we can certainly hold out for two months1 but they will not bear long marches4 ,here we stood at a parting of the roads4 ,our valley opened into another1 which came down from high mountains in the south1 part of the ,karakorum range4 ,the united streams continued their course northwards1 and could not be any other river but the upper course of the ,karakash ,darya2 in its lower valley on the ,khotan ,darya ,i had many years before almost lost my life4 ,now the question was whether we should go up or down1 and we decided to devote the last day of the year to finding out which was the better road1 sending out ,abdullah to reconnoitre south-eastwards1 ,tubges north-eastwards4 ,as in any case we should have to cross the ice sheet1 a path was sanded4 ,we packed the #fjjj rupees ,colonel ,dunlop ,smith had sent from ,india in two sacks1 which were lighter than the wooden boxes1 and these were to be used as firewood some time when all else failed4 ,at every camp our baggage became lighter1 as our provisions diminished1 and ,i threw away one book after another after ,i had read them4 ,i had received from home the numbers of a ,swedish journal for half a year1 and these were very useful in lighting our camp-fires4 ,we had still nine sheep left1 but the time was fast approaching when our meat supply would come to an end1 for we could hardly reckon on finding game so soon4 ,new ,year's ,day #aijh was bright and sunny--a good omen as regarded the dark riddles this year concealed4 ,the two scouts returned with the same report3 that there were no obstacles in the way2 and ,i let them discuss the question themselves1 and decide which way was the best4 ,they chose ,abdullah's route1 which led up the valley south-eastwards4 ,the road here was excellent4 ,at the mouth of the valley we found a couple of small round stone walls1 which1 however1 might very well have been a hundred years old4 ,the sight of a dead yak had an enlivening effect on us1 contradictory as it may sound4 ,higher we mounted to where a lofty snow mountain with glaciers could be seen at the end of the valley4 ,then we stopped1 and scouts were sent forwards4 ,they declared that the way was impassable1 and voted that ,abdullah should be thrashed4 ,but as such measures would have been of no use to us in our difficulty he got off with a good scolding4 ,he admitted that he had not been so far up as we were now1 yet on his return he had asked for1 and been given1 a bit of tobacco for his reconnoitring work4 ,i told him that he had done a mean trick1 and that he should never see the smoke of my tobacco again4 ,there was nothing to do but pitch our camp4 ,a strong south-west wind blew1 and fine snow was driven down from all the crests and summits4 ,when the men went out to gather fuel they looked like ,polar explorers4 ,after all1 ,new ,year's ,day had brought us no good luck1 but1 on the contrary1 a retreat4 ,this was commenced early on the morning of ,january #b1 and we passed again camp #bic1 and marched onwards over slopes of detritus on the eastern side of the ice sheet4 ,at one spot spring water formed a little bubbling fountain in the midst of the ice4 ,after the valley had turned to the east-north-east we encamped in a corner where driftsand was piled up into hillocks4 ,i wanted to get out of this labyrinth of mountains and valleys which pour their waters into ,eastern ,turkestan4 ,we were still in the basin of the ,karakash river1 and must sooner or later cross a pass separating it from the salt lakes of the ,chang-tang4 ,on the #crd we again mounted up one of the head valleys and camped in its upper part1 while the country was enveloped in a furious snowstorm4 ,it continued till late in the evening1 and what was most remarkable was that the stars shone all the time though the snow was falling thickly4 ,before1 there had been blue-black clouds above us without a snowflake4 ,extraordinary land6 ,next day we rested4 ,the animals had been without drink for a long time1 fuel was abundant1 ice was taken from the river bed and melted in pots4 ,in this region the mountains are less continuous1 and form sharp peaks and pyramids of small relative height4 ,it snowed all night1 but the morning of ,january #e was fine as we travelled eastwards along the route ,kutus had investigated4 ,it led up over snow-covered ground to a small pass 7#ag1iie feet71 on the other side of which another branch of the ,karakash crossed our course4 ,we must get out of this entanglement1 which delayed our march and told on our strength4 ,as long as the animals kept up we had nothing to complain of4 ,i was glad of every day that brought us a little nearer to spring and out of the winter's cold4 ,it penetrated through everything4 ,my feet had no feeling in them4 ,gulam rubbed them and massaged me in the evening over the fire1 but could not bring them to life4 ,the ink was turned into a lump of ice and had to be thawed before the fire2 when ,i wrote ,i had to bend over the brazier1 and still the ink congealed in the pen and froze on the paper4 ,singularly enough ,i have still an unquenchable desire for ice-cold water and prefer it to warm tea1 but the water we usually get is far from pleasant4 ,it is generally ,tubges who takes a spade and fills an empty sack with snow1 and then melts it in a kettle4 ,gulam tries to persuade me to drink tea1 and cannot understand how it is that ,i am not sick of water4 ,it is no use being thirsty in the night3 a cup of water standing near the brazier is frozen to the bottom in a quarter of an hour4 ,after a temperature of -#bh and a stormy night1 which drove the animals to seek shelter in the men's tent1 we crossed the broad valley up to the next pass4 ,we left a lofty snow-covered mountain to the south4 ,at the foot of a hill a wild yak was musing4 ,when he saw our dark train against the white snow he made straight towards us1 but before long he took his way through the valley and dashed in wild flight to the north1 followed by our two dogs4 ,it was very encouraging to find something living in this ,god-forgotten wilderness2 for now we had lost even the raven4 ,it was a steep and slow ascent up to the pass1 which had a height of #ah1jje feet4 ,we were surprised to find that it was a snow limit1 for east of the pass there was no snow at all4 ,as we descended the other side along a broad1 open1 sandy valley we had to be careful that we did not find ourselves without water in the evening4 ,far to the south appeared an ice sheet1 but it lay too far out of our course4 ,we therefore filled two sacks with snow from the last drift1 encamped where thin tufts afforded fuel1 and sent five men with all the animals southwards to the ice in search of water and fodder4 ,the water question now became pressing1 for apparently we could not count on snow much farther4 ,and we could not dig for water1 as before1 for the ground was frozen into stone4 ,we must therefore proceed cautiously4 ,we had a great open wilderness in front of us2 we must make our way from one point of support to another1 and explore the routes in advance1 lest we might come to a catastrophe4 ,i therefore gave orders that1 now that the loads were considerably smaller1 a couple of our animals should carry snow or ice4 ,at every camp we left an empty meat-tin4 ,i think less of the time soon approaching when the excellent goods from ,simla will come to an end than of the fact that the burdens of our animals are daily becoming lighter4 ,the rock specimens ,i collect do not weigh much4 ,of course the provender has long given out1 but where the pasturage is scanty or altogether absent1 loaves of parched meal are kneaded together for the animals4 ,the men are to come back on the #gth1 and we wait for them till mid-day4 ,there1 too1 they come3 the black group is plainly visible2 they march and march1 but come no nearer4 ,ah1 it is only some black stones dancing in the mirage4 ,a little later ,suen reports that some of the animals have run away1 and consequently we have to remain the whole day at this dismal camp4 ,how slowly the hours pass on a day like this6 ,i am a prisoner in my own tent1 for cold and wind keep me from work out of doors4 ,as long as the sun is above the horizon ,i pass the time very comfortably1 for ,i can see the mountains1 these silent1 dreary1 lonely mountains1 where men never wander1 and ,i see the sandspouts whirling along before the wind4 ,but when the sun sets1 the long winter evening begins1 and ,i hear only the howl of the storm without4 ,patience6 ,spring will come some time4 ,every day that passes we are a step farther from this horrible winter4 ,brown ,puppy and her whelp keep me company1 and ,i look upon them as comrades in misfortune4 ,she has her mat in a corner of the tent1 and takes her meals when ,i do4 ,the whelp we call ,black ,puppy amuses me immensely4 ,he has begun to take notice of the world and the life around him4 ,when the big dogs bark outside the tent1 he turns his head and gives a feeble growl4 ,when his mother leaves him on the mat in the cold1 he makes an attempt at a bark and seems to think it strange4 ,he wanders about the tent1 though he is still so unsteady on his legs that he constantly topples over4 ,he has already conceived a highly salutary respect for the brazier1 and sniffs and shakes his head when he chances to come too near it4 ,sometimes it happens that he misses his mother in the night1 when there may be as many as #ed degrees of frost in the tent2 but his complaining squeal awakens me1 and ,i take him under the furs--an attention he is very fond of4 ,one morning he wakened me by crawling of his own accord on to my pillow and trying to get into my bed4 ,after that ,i felt no concern about his future2 he must learn how to make his way in life1 and that he was doing4 ,on the #hth we went over a small pass #ag1efi feet high4 ,a horse and a mule perished on the way4 ,camp #bii was pitched where the first pasture was found1 in a valley on the other side 7#af1idf feet74 ,there was no water1 but we had four sacks of ice4 ,seven sheep were left1 and the raven had also come again4 ,the aim of our next day's journey was to find water for the animals4 ,my trusty white ,ladaki horse1 which ,i always rode1 used to get my washing water every morning1 and ,i used no soap that ,i might not spoil it for him4 ,from a small rise in the ground we were able to enjoy the view ,i had so longed for--the great open plain we had crossed in the autumn of #aijf4 ,to the east-south-east ,i easily recognized the spur we passed then1 and we could not be more than two days' march from the ,aksai-chin lake4 ,i had now followed for several days much the same route as ,crosby1 and at the lake ,i should cross my own route of #aijf1 after which we should go down towards the ,arport-tso1 and1 as last year1 intersect the paths of ,bower1 ,deasy1 ,rawling1 and ,zugmeyer4 ,the whole country lay under a vault of dense clouds4 ,after a march of only #c miles we found a flowing spring of beautiful water 7#cc71 where camp ,no4 #cjj 7#af1cbi feet7 was pitched4 ,in the evening my servants sang bright and happy melodies again1 and ,suen performed his most ridiculous dances4 ,we were again up on the roof of the world1 and all dreary ,tibet lay in front of us4 ,should we be able to cross it with our little caravan8 ,,chapter ,,lviii ,,forty ,,degrees ,,below ,,zero ,with fresh blocks of ice in our sacks we set out on ,january #aj straight towards the projection at the foot of which camp #h had been pitched1 and where ,i knew that the grass was good4 ,the great level barren plain stretched between us and the spot1 and we had #ae miles to cover4 ,the wind was boisterous1 and we were frozen through in a minute4 ,in the lee of the caravan1 which went in advance1 lay a cloud of dust like smoke4 ,the yellow hue of the grass could be seen from a distance1 and the sight so refreshed my men that they began to sing on the march4 ,the animals understood that they were coming to good pasturage1 and quickened their pace without any shouts from the men4 ,the tents were set up in the same place as last year1 and here ,i closed my long circuitous route through ,tibet4 ,it was with a melancholy feeling ,i saw this place again1 where ,muhamed ,isa had raised his tall cairn4 ,now we had avoided all dangers from ,rudok1 and we minded little that ,england and ,russia had promised each other not to let a ,european into ,tibet for three years4 ,the height here was #af1aih feet4 ,illustration3 #cja4 ,view from ,camp #cjg4 ,illustration3 #cjb4 ,the small salt ,lake south of ,camp #cji4 7,smudge in sky caused by the freezing of the colour47 ,illustration3 #cjc4 ,horses going to drink at the lake near ,camp #caj4 ,abdul ,kerim on the left4 ,illustration3 #cjd4 ,mountain north-east of ,camp #caj2 the freshwater ,lake in the foreground4 ,illustration3 #cje4 ,storm ,clouds over the snowy mountains south of ,camp #cab4 ,water-colour ,sketches by the ,author4 ,for several days ,i had spoken of this place with its good pasturage1 and when we broke up our camp on the #aath ,i was able to promise my men a still better camp for the next night4 ,they were astonished that ,i was so much at home in these dreary regions4 ,the track of the great caravan of #aijf was blown away by the passage of many storms1 but the ,aksai-chin lake soon came into sight1 its surface looking grey and dismal in the chilly weather4 ,six kiang spoors converged to the fine spring of fresh water near the shore1 where we kindled our fires among the same stones as last time4 ,pasturage and fuel are abundant in the neighbourhood2 it is a veritable oasis--the best camp we had had since ,kteklik4 ,but the storm still raged1 and the salt waves rose high over the lake1 cooled down to #bj4g1 though there was no sign of ice4 ,in the night it snowed hard again1 and on the #abth1 which was made a day of rest1 the lake lay blue amidst a landscape of shining white4 ,when all goes well the ,mohammedans read no prayers4 ,probably they think that when we can help ourselves it is unnecessary to disturb ,allah4 ,we had to pay a horse as toll for the good pasturage4 ,he lay frozen hard in the camp on the morning of the #acth1 after a night temperature of -#ah4d4 ,the yellow dog remained beside him1 and when he came late at night into the next camp1 he was so fat and puffed up that it was evident he had stored up food for several days4 ,two ravens followed us with their hoarse croaking4 ,snow fell thickly and hid the view4 ,a herd of antelopes disappeared like shadows in the mist4 ,a sheep died on the way1 and two more had to be killed1 for they were worn-out2 we had now only three left4 ,the cold penetrated everywhere in the night1 and the thermometer sank to -#cc4 ,on ,january #ad we made south-eastwards over a plain of soft1 tiring ground1 which caused us the loss of a mule4 ,the caravan moved very slowly forward and in close order2 the animals marched more comfortably when they were together2 those which would linger behind1 overcome with fatigue1 were driven forward by the ,ladakis4 ,at camp #cjd the grass was poor1 and two mules seemed to be near their end4 ,the cold was fearfully sharp in the night4 ,the thermometer fell to -#ci4f1 or to nearly #dj degrees below zero1 and almost to the freezing-point of mercury4 ,that was the lowest temperature ,i ever recorded in all my journeys in ,asia4 ,but ,january #ae brought a fine morning and an ,italian blue sky4 ,abdul ,kerim and all the other ,mohammedans waited on me1 in a tragi-comical procession1 with dried apricots and almonds1 and a simultaneous cry of ,aid mubarek1 or ,a blessed ,festival4 ,one of the festivals of ,islam fell on this day4 ,exceedingly comical was the procession of the four ,lamaists1 who came up as the others retired2 and ,lobsang1 who led them1 took off his cap and scratched his head in ,tibetan fashion1 but did not put out his tongue--he had no doubt learned in ,leh that this performance was not pleasing to a ,european4 ,i gave them #aj rupees each and handed the caravan bashi a watch1 which he was to wind up well every evening to be sure of the time4 ,on we marched again1 moving slowly1 for the ground rose4 ,we proceeded like a funeral procession1 and ,suen was the parson4 ,there was no longer reason to fear thirst1 for half the country was covered with snow4 ,but every mile caused us a struggle1 and it was long before we came to the cliff we were making for4 ,we left a huge snowy massive on the right hand4 ,next day's march took us over a flat saddle to a small side valley where there was some grass4 ,the temperature had been down to -#bi4i1 and ,i could not by any means get life into my feet4 ,sometimes they ached1 sometimes there was an uncomfortable pricking in my toes1 and then again they lost all feeling4 ,during the day's rest we allowed ourselves in camp #cjf ,tubges shot an antelope and an ,ovis ,ammon1 a feat which prolonged the lives of our last two sheep4 ,in the evening the men were cheerful and hopeful as they sat around the flesh-pot4 ,gulam ,razul had presented me with six bottles of whisky1 which1 sewed up in thick felt1 had been brought all the way2 for ,ladakis maintain that when a mule shows signs of exhaustion and weakness it can be cured by giving it whisky or other spirits4 ,but the bottles were heavy1 so three of them were emptied and set up as a memorial on some stones4 ,perhaps some time or other they may be found by another traveller4 ,the other three were kept4 ,on the #ahth we continued to follow the same longitudinal valley4 ,all the ranges in this country run east and west1 the usual direction in ,tibet4 ,to the right was a lofty range we must cross if we would travel south-eastwards4 ,through a gap in the northern mountains was visible to the north-east the mighty snowy dome we had passed to the right of in #aijf4 ,eastwards there seemed to be no obstacle in the way1 but we diverged south-eastwards up a valley4 ,before we encamped 7,illust4 #cja7 another mule had fallen1 and then we had lost a fourth of the caravan4 ,next day we proceeded further up the valley4 ,sometimes it was only #aj yards broad between solid horizontal terraces4 ,below a steep crag lay five pot-stones1 and therefore ,tibetan hunters must have come thus far4 ,the ,ladakis were delighted to meet with signs of human beings again4 ,the valley opened out into an extensive plain1 and a gap was seen to the south-east1 but as the ground was lower towards the east we turned our steps in that direction4 ,from the low threshold the view was anything but encouraging--a world of mountains4 ,we resolved to encamp where we were 7#ag1dje feet high7 and to try the other1 southern1 passage next day4 ,a miserable camp6 ,the storm raged so violently that the tents could hardly be set up1 and the iron tent-pegs beat together and rattled until they were fixed4 ,we had first to make a fire before we could use our numbed hands1 and a small stone wall had to be raised to prevent the fire from being carried away4 ,now ,nature and the elements were against us1 whereas we might in the future expect opposition from man4 ,the pasture was wretched1 and a grey horse and the last mule from ,poonch lay dead in the morning4 ,it was the senior of the veterans1 for it had come with me all the way from ,srinagar and had done good service1 and ,i was grieved at losing it4 ,now there was only one creature left which had seen the first beginning of the caravan1 namely1 our brown ,puppy4 ,she and the little puppy kept me company in this oppressive1 weary solitude4 ,from camp #cji1 where we stayed a day1 there was an uninterrupted view over another longitudinal valley1 to the south of the former4 ,there lay a contracted salt lake4 ,at almost every camp1 as on the former journey1 ,i drew a panorama of the surroundings1 and tried sometimes to paint small water-colour drawings 7,illust4 #cjb74 ,then ,i had to sit in the opening of the tent and hold the block over the fire to prevent the brush freezing into a lump of ice4 ,but the sky1 which should have been of an even blue or grey tone1 usually turned into a film of ice with strange stars and crystals4 ,in camp #caj we also remained a day1 for the pasture was better than we had found for a long time4 ,the grass grew in sand on the shore of a small freshwater lake with a free opening1 where at length the animals got a good drink after having had to quench their thirst with snow4 ,we had travelled #ahh miles since ,christmas ,eve1 or about #f miles a day on an average--a terribly slow pace4 ,now we had had a furious storm for three days1 and here yellow whirls of sand flew over the ice and the wind moaned and rustled through the grass4 ,abdul ,kerim sewed together a long ,mohammedan coat for me1 which ,i was to wear under my fur when ,i assumed my disguise4 ,on ,january #bd the whole country was covered with dazzling snow and the sun shone1 but a stormy blast drove the fine snow particles in streaks over the land1 and a roaring sound was heard4 ,antelopes careered lightly over the ground1 dark against the white snow4 ,a mule died on the way2 not even ,tibetan mules can bear this climate4 ,i was benumbed and half-dead with cold before ,i reached the camp4 ,after a temperature of -#ba4c the neighbourhood was enveloped in semi-darkness by heavy clouds4 ,the jagged mountains to the south reminded me of a squadron of armoured vessels at gunnery practice in rainy weather4 ,their grey outlines peeped out from the low clouds4 ,the valley was about #f miles broad4 ,towards the east the snow lay less thickly1 and finally only the footprints of wild animals were filled with snow1 like a string of pearls in the dark ground4 ,illustration3 #cjf4 ,,camp #cjg4 ,illustration3 #cjg4 ,,camp #ccc4 ,,the ,,beginning ,,of ,a ,,storm4 ,illustration3 #cjh4 ,,camp #cce4 ,,lemchung-,,tso1 ,,looking ,,east4 ,illustration3 #cji4 ,,camp #dja4 ,,kanchung-,,gangri ,,from ,,the ,,north4 ,in the foreground ,lapchung-tso1 the source of ,chaktak- or ,charta-tsangpo4 ,as ,i turn over the leaves of my diary of this terrible journey how often ,i come across the remark that this was the hardest day we had hitherto experienced4 ,and yet days were always coming when we suffered still more4 ,so it was on ,january #bf4 ,the sky was covered with such compact clouds that we might fancy we were riding under a prison vault4 ,the storm raged with undiminished violence1 and a quarter of an hour after ,i had mounted my horse ,i was benumbed and powerless4 ,my hands ached1 and ,i tried to thaw my right hand by breathing on it whenever ,i had to take a note1 but after reading the compass for two seconds my hands lost all feeling4 ,my feet troubled me less1 for ,i had no feeling at all in them4 ,i only hoped ,i should reach the camp before the blood froze in my veins 7,illust4 #cje74 ,then we come at length to the ,arport-tso and leave the northern basin of the lake on our left1 while a large basin swells out like a fjord towards the south4 ,a mountain spur sends out a cape into the lake1 which has a very irregular outline4 ,it stands in our way4 ,shall we leave it on the right or left8 ,we come up to the middle of the lake shore and wait while ,lobsang goes to see if the caravan can travel over the ice4 ,he hurries forward and makes us a sign to follow4 ,we go down to the beach and along a spit which narrows down to a fine point4 ,here the ice on our left hand has been piled up into hummocks1 #f feet high1 of grand transparent green flat slabs1 but on the right1 as far as we can see over the southern basin1 the ice spreads its level smooth sheet of a beautiful dark green colour like leaves of laurel and lilac4 ,we feel the usual fascination of the ice1 and stand and stare down into the dark cold depths4 ,drifting snow sweeps like comets' tails over the smooth course4 ,we stand on the very point of the promontory1 with the narrowest part of the ,arport-tso in front of us1 for the lake is contracted like a wasp's waist4 ,here there are fences1 walls1 and barriers raised by ice pressure1 and between them snow is drifted up1 hard and dry on the surface4 ,it would have been quite impossible to march over the bare ice2 the caravan would have been carried away like chaff before the wind4 ,but the snow affords us an excellent path4 ,lobsang leads the way1 guiding us in many a wind1 but we get across and come to the farther shore at the foot of a cliff4 ,worse followed1 for the rocky point fell straight down to the lake on its eastern side1 and here we had slippery ice swept clear of snow which we sanded4 ,one horse or mule after another slipped and fell4 ,some of them made no attempt to get up again1 but were dragged over the ice to firm ground1 where their loads were put on again4 ,some fell with a heavy thud on the hard treacherous ice4 ,we had to double a whole series of points in this way till we came to one where further progress was impossible1 for at its foot issued forth springs which produced large openings in the ice4 ,there icy cold waves beat with a sharp sound against the edges of the ice under the lash of the wind1 which drove continually clouds of snow dancing like elves over the dark green field of ice4 ,we had to struggle up over steep slopes till at last we reached1 thoroughly tired out1 an inlet where a few leaves of grass grew4 ,we had left a mule on the ice1 and two men went back and gave it a drop of whisky so that it could come on to the camp4 ,but my brown horse from ,shigatse1 which had so often carried me up to the east gate of ,tashi-lunpo1 remained behind for good4 ,it is sad and depressing when a veteran dies4 ,arport-tso lies at a height of #ag1chb feet4 ,the water1 which was drawn from an opening in the ice1 was quite potable4 ,there was a high pass in front of us to the south-east1 but we could not reach it in one day1 and we camped on the plain at the south-east of the lake where ,rawling had once stayed4 ,it was little more than a mile thither1 but the grass was good and the animals needed nourishment4 ,it snowed thickly all day4 ,it was warm and comfortable under cover1 and we pitied the poor animals which were out grazing in the cold4 ,the small puppy had grown so much that he could wander alone between the tents watching for an opportunity to steal meat4 ,a sheep was slaughtered4 ,at night the cold was more severe again1 and the thermometer sank to -#cj4c4 ,the sick mule sought shelter behind the men's tent1 lay down at once1 and gave vent to a piteous sound4 ,i went out to look at it1 and caused it to be put out of its misery4 ,illustration3 #caj4 ,,my ,,dying ,,pony4 ,sketched by the ,author4 ,on the morning of the #bhth we found two horses dead on the grass4 ,one was one of the veterans of ,leh which ,robert had ridden1 and which also bore me to the springs in the ,sutlej bed4 ,we had now only twenty-three animals left1 and my small white ,ladaki was the last of the veterans4 ,little ,i thought1 as he carried me over the ,chang-lung-yogma1 that he would survive a hundred and fifty comrades4 ,every morning two long icicles hung down from his nostrils4 ,he was taken great care of1 and ,i always saved a piece of bread from my breakfast for him4 ,i had a particular affection for him and for ,brown ,puppy4 ,they had been with me so long1 and had passed through so many adventures4 ,a loss of three animals in one day was serious for such a caravan as ours4 ,how would it all end8 ,we had still an immense distance before us4 ,we struggled for three hours with halting steps up this terrible pass which had a height of #ah1bha feet4 ,we encamped in the shelter of a rock and killed the last worn-out sheep1 and then had no live store of meat4 ,the temperature fell to -#bd4e1 and the first sound ,i heard in the morning of the #bith was the everlasting howl of the storm4 ,we marched south-eastwards through snow a foot deep4 ,one of our worst days1 it is styled in my diary4 ,we cared about nothing except to get to our camp alive4 ,i had a scarf wound several times over my face1 but it was quickly turned into a sheet of ice1 which cracked when ,i turned my head4 ,i tried to smoke a cigarette1 but it froze on to my lips4 ,two horses died on the way1 and ,abdul ,kerim's horse took over the load of one of them1 while the man himself went on foot like the others4 ,i followed the track of the caravan with ,kutus4 ,then we found ,kunchuk ,sonam and ,suen unable to go further2 they suffered from pains at the heart4 ,i tried to cheer them up1 and promised to give them medicine if they would follow slowly in the track of the caravan4 ,was it now the turn of the men after half the caravan had been lost8 ,quite overcome with fatigue they hobbled at twilight into camp4 ,abdul ,kerim came into my tent very cast down and asked if we should fall in with nomads within ten days1 for otherwise he considered our condition desperate4 ,in truth1 ,i could give him no consolation1 but could only tell him that we must go on as long as there was a single mule left1 and then try to drag ourselves along to the nomads with as much food as we could carry4 ,now we thought no longer of pursuers behind1 or of dangers before us1 but only wished to preserve our lives and come to country where we could find means of subsistence4 ,behind us the snow obliterated our tracks1 and the future awaited us with its impenetrable secrets4 ,,chapter ,,lix ,,in ,,the ,,snow ,the storm howled round us all night long1 and our thin tent canvas fluttered in the blast4 ,gulam awaked me with the information1 ,it is nasty weather to-day2 we can see nothing4 ,even the nearest mountains were hidden by the snow1 and if ,i had not already taken a bearing along the valley in the direction south1 #ce ,e41 we could not have set out4 ,this day1 ,january #cj1 we had to keep together1 for the driving snow obliterated the tracks immediately4 ,we had two leaders1 and ,i rode last along the trail1 which at first was marked as a black winding line1 but farther on1 where the snow lay #b feet deep1 no ground or rubbish could be seen4 ,a brown horse which carried no burden lay down and died in the snow4 ,we could see the snow making ready its grave before it was cold4 ,it vanished behind us in the dreadful solitude4 ,we move forwards at a very slow pace through the snowdrifts4 ,the fury of the storm carries away the warning shouts from the lips of the guides and they do not reach our ears2 we simply follow the trail4 ,lobsang goes first1 and he often disappears in the dry loose snow and has to seek another direction4 ,in the hollows the snow lies #c feet deep1 and we can take only one step at a time after the spades have cut us a ditch through the snow4 ,one or other of the animals is always falling1 and the removal of his load and readjusting it causes a block1 for all must follow in the same furrow4 ,all1 men and animals1 are half-dead with fatigue and labour for breath4 ,the snow sweeps round us in suffocating wreaths2 we turn our backs to the wind and lean forwards4 ,only the nearest mules are plainly visible1 the fifth is indistinct1 and those at the front are seen only as slight shadows amidst the universal whiteness4 ,i cannot catch a glimpse of the guides4 ,thus the troop passes on a few steps till it comes to the next block1 and when the mule immediately in front of me moves on again it is only to plunge into a hollow filled with snow1 where two men wait to keep up its load4 ,the direction is now east and the ground rises4 ,a few such days and the caravan will be lost 7,illust4 #cab74 ,at length we come to a low pass 7#ah1bfh feet high74 ,even at sea-level such a journey would be hard enough1 but how much worse it is in a country which lies some hundreds of feet higher than ,mont ,blanc1 and where there is nothing but granite4 ,on the eastern side of the saddle the snow lay #c feet deep in some places1 and it seemed as though we should be stuck fast in the snowdrifts2 and what had we to expect then8 ,for the provender was coming to an end1 and we must go on if we would find pasture4 ,now we went gently down1 the snow became a little less deep1 and we came to an expansion of the valley where there were stretches of ground swept bare by the blast4 ,on the right appeared a slope where ,abdul ,karim thought he saw blades of grass sticking up out of the snow1 and he asked permission to camp4 ,it was difficult to set up the tents that evening4 ,at dusk the two sick men came up1 their faces blue and swollen4 ,a miserable camp6 ,the storm increased to a hurricane1 and nothing could be heard but its howling4 ,when ,i looked out of my tent ,i could see nothing that was not white1 and there was no difference between the ground1 the mountains1 and the sky--all being alike white4 ,not even the men's tent could be distinguished in the driving snow4 ,the fine particles penetrated into the tent and covered everything with a white powder4 ,it was impossible to look for fuel1 and at three o'clock the temperature in the tent was #a4d4 ,i could see nothing living outside1 and ,i might have been quite alone in this wilderness4 ,illustration3 #caa4 ,,lost ,,beyond ,,recovery4 ,my trusty ,gulam comes1 however1 at length with fire1 for ,lobsang and ,sedik have found some brushwood4 ,gulam says that ,sonam ,kunchuk is ready to lay himself down on the snow and die1 but ,i advise him to take a good dose of quinine instead4 ,late at night the tones of the hymn to ,allah reach my ears1 sounding softer and sadder than usual amid the raging of the storm4 ,we are moving towards a dark destiny1 ,i have attempted too much1 and any moment the catastrophe may come4 ,we are snowed up here1 the animals must die of starvation and ,i myself--well1 it is but a question of time4 ,a little below the camp the valley made a turn to the right4 ,thither the animals had gone at night1 but came back as there was no grazing4 ,a grey mule had stayed behind to die4 ,it lay in a curious position1 as though it had died in the act of getting up--on its knees with its nose pressed against the ground1 and was frozen hard in this position4 ,yet the temperature fell only to -#af4d4 ,the storm continued with undiminished violence on ,january #ca4 ,we loaded the nineteen mules and horses and marched down the valley at random in the same dense snow4 ,the snow came down in incredible quantities2 such a snowstorm ,i had never witnessed even on the ,pamir4 ,we could not travel more than #b miles1 and then we halted and pitched the tents1 which looked dirty against the pure snow4 ,four big wild yaks were moving over the slopes1 tramping like snow-ploughs4 ,the dogs made after them1 but soon gave up the chase1 for they could not go far in the drifts4 ,the animals received their allowance of rice1 and then trailed off to a hill where they poked about for the scanty grass4 ,i examined all the baggage with the help of ,abdul ,kerim and ,gulam1 and discarded all that could be spared4 ,unnecessary clothing and worn-out boots were burned1 and reserve garments were brought out4 ,my articles1 note-books1 and instruments were stuffed into two small sacks4 ,writing materials and other things for daily use were packed in a small handbag from ,stockholm4 ,the other chests were used as firewood1 when the men had stripped off the leather coverings to make new shoe-soles4 ,even the box for the cooking utensils and the provision boxes were burned1 and all the baggage was henceforth carried in sacks4 ,by this means the loads were made lighter and more convenient1 though there was more trouble in turning everything out of a sack when anything was wanted from the bottom4 ,in the afternoon there was a short break in the snowstorm4 ,beyond the white limits of the valley was seen to the south-east the large lake ,shemen-tso1 with a dark purple sky above it1 presaging more snow4 ,i took bearings of the next day's route1 and it was well ,i did so1 for soon the snow began to fall again unusually thickly4 ,it snowed all day and all night1 and a swishing sound was heard as the snowflakes were driven by the wind against the canvas of the tent and from time to time slipped down4 ,in the morning of ,february #a piles of snow lay round the tents4 ,the minimum temperature was only -#j4h1 and it felt quite pleasant4 ,we loaded our weary hungry pack animals and marched slowly south-eastwards4 ,the gale blew from the south1 and the snow pelted on to our faces4 ,silently and heavily the fainting troop moved on towards the lake4 ,all the men's beards and moustaches were white with rime1 and we seemed all to have turned grey in a night4 ,abdul ,kerim walked in front with his staff1 but he took a wrong direction1 and ,i chose another leader4 ,in some places we were nearly suffocated in the snow1 and the crestfallen men stood in the drifts1 at a loss what to do4 ,but we plunged and floundered on a bit1 and then stood still2 then a little bit further4 ,the pass over which we had made our way the previous day was no doubt blocked by snow4 ,had we reached it two days later we should never have forced a way over it4 ,now our retreat was cut off1 and we must seek safety southwards4 ,it was some consolation to know that we had burned our ships4 ,illustration3 #cab4 ,,if ,,this ,,continues ,a ,,few ,,days ,,longer1 ,,we ,,are ,,lost4 ,fortunately the ground sloped down1 and as we toiled on hour after hour the snow diminished and travelling became easier4 ,but the storm1 which had now raged for a fortnight1 showed no signs of abatement4 ,down on the western flat by the lake the snow mantle was thin1 and we encamped in a spot where the grass was not bad4 ,i gave the men some cigarettes every evening--at other times they smoked yak-dung and filled their narghils with tea-leaves4 ,the night was unusually mild1 with the minimum temperature only #e4b1 but the clouds were as dense as ever and the snow fell unceasingly4 ,it was dark all day1 as though a curtain hung over the forbidden land4 ,we stayed at camp #cai4 ,the storm blew from the south-west more wildly than usual4 ,the animals grazed with their heads to leeward1 and had to be driven windwards again every time they came to the edge of the restricted area of grass4 ,on ,february #c1 also1 we remained where we were4 ,all night long the hurricane had raged1 tearing1 raving1 ploughing up the ground like a gigantic plough1 and endeavouring to pull down our tents4 ,in the evening ,i secured everything that could fly away if the tent were overthrown4 ,in the morning all the animals had disappeared as though they had been carried away by the blast2 at any rate1 they had gone with the wind to the northern shore of the lake4 ,immediately beyond our camp was a spring of fresh water and a round fold for sheep4 ,i had ceased to look forward to spring1 it seemed so hopelessly distant1 and to be farther off every day that passed4 ,brown ,puppy and ,little ,puppy kept me company as usual1 and we played together to pass the hours of our imprisonment4 ,gulam continued to rub my feet1 but with little result1 for they remained numb and cold as ice4 ,then he brought two pairs of paipaks of thick felt and a pair of charuks or ,yarkand boots of soft leather outside4 ,they were really warmer than my ,kashmir boots1 which were ruthlessly burned4 ,,chapter ,,lx ,,death ,,of ,,the ,,last ,,veteran ,studded with twinkling stars the winter sky stretched its dark-blue canopy over our lonesome camp1 and #ej degrees of frost foretold a clear day4 ,on ,february #d not a cloud hovered over the mountains1 and this plateau1 abandoned by gods and men1 which had lately been buried under the white shroud of winter1 was again illumined by bright sunlight4 ,sad news was brought me in the morning3 a horse and a mule lay dead beside the tents4 ,with the seventeen remaining animals we continued our journey along the irregular northern shore of the ,shemen-tso 7#af1bff feet74 ,the quantity of snow became less1 and at camp #cbj the gravelly ground was almost bare4 ,the view over the lake was grand4 ,captain ,rawling's map of this district is executed with great accuracy4 ,on ,february #e1 also1 we encamped on the shore of the great lake1 having followed the curves of its bays and capes4 ,a mule died on the way4 ,though we had burned all we could dispense with1 yet the loads were much too heavy for the surviving animals4 ,a big strong mule always led the van1 at the heels of ,gulam2 it carried at least two ordinary loads1 and yet was fat and fresh4 ,there was no sign of human beings4 ,a flock of jackdaws were perched on a crag4 ,at the camp the provisions were inspected1 and we decided to relinquish three heavy sacks of rice4 ,the rice was to be given on the following days1 mixed with parched meal and water1 to the animals4 ,of my provisions1 only two boxes of tinned meat1 some jam and biscuits1 were left4 ,we had not tasted meat for some time4 ,the storm raged all day and the sun had vanished again4 ,on ,february #f we passed a very abundant spring of water at a temperature of #df4b1 which poured into the lake4 ,there flocks of sheep had recently drunk1 and rows of cairns ran from the shore to guide antelopes into the traps in the ground4 ,now no game was seen except a single kiang4 ,a mule died1 and ,abdul ,kerim's yellow horse fell by the way4 ,only fourteen animals reached the camp this day1 and of these my small white ,ladaki was in the worst plight2 he stumbled and fell1 and ,i made a somersault over his head4 ,the day after1 we made a short journey1 left the lake and its barren shore behind us1 and set up our tents amid good grass4 ,the weather was fine2 at one o'clock the temperature was #ad1 and it felt as though spring had come4 ,all the animals lay down to rest and warm themselves in the sun4 ,only my small ,ladaki began to graze immediately2 he would not die1 but would follow me to the end4 ,wild asses and antelopes grazed on the steppe1 and hares were plentiful4 ,i was alarmed by a message that three men could be seen at some distance to the north1 and the caravan bashi wished me to come and examine them through my field-glass4 ,apparently they were on the way to our camp4 ,but ,i had plenty of time to put on my disguise4 ,i watched them a long time1 till at last they turned into three wild yaks which had been lengthened out by mirage4 ,we had no need yet to trouble ourselves about men1 but perhaps these yaks were forerunners4 ,now ,i had ridden my small white horse for the last time4 ,on ,february #h1 when we continued our march east-south-east after a minimum temperature of -#ah4i he followed the caravan loose and unladen1 and fell even without a rider4 ,i rode instead a grey horse from ,tikze4 ,we made barely #e miles1 but yet the journey was full of events4 ,on the other side on a low hill stood a ,pantholops antelope1 which did not run away though we were quite close4 ,we soon noticed that it was held fast and was struggling to get free4 ,the dogs rushed at it1 but a couple of men hurried on to keep them off4 ,the animal was fast in a snare laid in an antelope track1 where also we noticed fresh footprints of two men4 ,we were evidently not far from winter hunters1 who perhaps had already caught sight of us4 ,perhaps they had seen me1 the only one riding in ,european dress4 ,perhaps it was too late to disguise myself4 ,all my plans would then be spoiled1 and all the labours of the winter lost4 ,but at any rate we had now fresh meat4 ,let us examine the ingenious trap in which the game is caught4 ,plates of rib bones of antelopes are firmly fixed in a ring of hard twisted vegetable fibres1 which form a funnel with the points in a ditch4 ,the antelope is enticed into the trap by a row of small cairns1 and tramps about in the funnel1 the plates giving way1 but forming immovable impediments when he attempts to draw his hoofs out4 ,but the snare must be held secure if it is to have the desired effect4 ,a rope as thick as a finger is made fast in the bottom of the ditch1 which is filled with water1 and after freezing becomes as hard as stone4 ,the free end of the rope forms a noose above the ring of fibres1 which tightens when the animal first attempts to lift his leg and holds down the funnel of ribs4 ,the more the poor animal jumps about1 the faster is the hold of the twisted snare4 ,the victim was slain2 the dogs ate their fill of the entrails1 and the meat made ordinary loads for four men4 ,then we went on4 ,at the mouth of a valley to the south were seen a sheepfold and two black specks we took for stones4 ,beyond a grass-grown mound we found a pool of fresh water1 and we pitched the camp near it4 ,it was not long before the ,ladakis were sitting round a fire and roasting pieces of delicate1 much-appreciated meat4 ,now1 when we were evidently in the neighbourhood of human beings1 it was time for me to give directions to my people4 ,all were summoned to my tent4 ,i told them that we should succeed in crossing the forbidden land only by craftiness and cautiousness1 and that ,i had made the great sacrifices which they had witnessed only to see regions where no ,sahib had ever been4 ,if our scheme were to be successful1 every man must do his duty and play his part well4 ,whenever ,tibetans put the usual questions1 whence we came and whither we were going1 they should answer that we were all1 without exception1 ,ladakis1 in the service of a merchant named ,gulam ,razul1 who had sent us to ,chang-tang to find out how much wool could be bought from the nomads next summer4 ,abdul ,kerim was our leader and chief1 and had to manage our affairs4 ,he was therefore given #ajj rupees for expenses1 and every evening when no one could spy upon us he was to render an account to me4 ,i myself was one of his servants1 a ,mohammedan named--,abdurrahman1 the caravan bashi suggested--but no2 ,hajji ,baba sounded better to me4 ,accordingly1 when we came among ,tibetans1 they should never forget and call me ,sahib1 but only ,hajji ,baba4 ,all understood the matter and promised to do their best4 ,a little later1 ,lobsang came running up and declared that the two black stones were tents4 ,we went out and examined them through the field-glass4 ,quite true2 smoke rose from one of them1 but neither men nor animals were visible4 ,i at once ordered ,abdul ,kerim1 ,abdul ,rasak1 and ,kutus to go and pay for the antelope1 buy anything they could1 and obtain information4 ,they soon came back again and asked if it would not be wiser to avoid the tents and march on eastwards1 the more so that the inmates might be robbers4 ,no2 these men had seen us and might send a report to ,rudok1 and then we should be stopped4 ,it was best1 then1 to enter into friendly relations with the men and lull them into security4 ,bismillah1 cried the three and took themselves off1 while the others sat by the fire in lively conversation about the incidents of the day and the prospects of the future4 ,it was now sixty-four days since we had left the last village in ,ladak1 while on the former journey we had been in solitude for eighty-one days4 ,after three hours my men returned4 ,the two tents contained nine inmates--two grown-up men1 two women1 three girls1 and two boys4 ,the older man was named ,purung ,kungga1 and he owned #aej sheep and #d dogs1 but no other animals4 ,during their journey from ,yildan their tents and goods were carried by sheep4 ,they had arrived two months before1 and intended to stay half a month more4 ,the day before they had just been to look at their antelope trap1 when they were alarmed at the sight of the caravan4 ,they took it for granted that only robbers could be travelling in this district1 which lay outside the haunts of honest and honourable men4 ,the antelope had1 then1 been not more than an hour in the trap4 ,abdul ,kerim paid #c rupees for it1 #c for a sheep1 and #a for milk and butter4 ,we could get more milk early in the morning1 but we should have to send for it1 for the nomads dared not come to our tents4 ,we might have kept the antelope without compensation1 for we were wayfarers and had a right to take what we found4 ,in answer to their inquiry who we were1 ,abdul ,kerim repeated the yarn he had just learned4 ,the country about camp #cbd is called ,riochung4 ,in one of the tents lay the hides and meat of nine antelopes4 ,the people lived almost exclusively on the game they caught in their snares4 ,so far we had been fortunate4 ,with provisions for twenty-one days instead of for seventy-five1 we had struggled up to the ,karakorum instead of finding a passage to the east2 we had been persecuted by raging storms1 biting cold1 and deep snow all the way1 and yet we had lighted on the first men4 ,they were like a rock in the ocean1 and now again we were to venture over the raging waves4 ,this day found us only a few miles up a gently sloping valley filled with ice4 ,little ,puppy was let loose and had to look after himself a bit4 ,but he was soon tired1 and lay down till ,kunchuk fetched him4 ,february #aj4 ,the valley bottom is full of ice sheets1 which we often cross after they have been strewn with sand4 ,we wander through a labyrinth of clay hills4 ,in an expansion to the left are seen three stone cabins and some mani heaps2 here is the gold placer which ,rawling calls ,rungma-tok1 and the hunters we saw yesterday ,getsa-rung4 ,the gold-diggers come hither only in summer4 ,the camp to-day1 ,no4 #cbf1 is in an excellent spot1 with a sandy soil1 plenty of fuel1 and an unfrozen brook4 ,it is pleasant to listen to the purling water1 a sign of approaching spring4 ,east and south-east rises a wreath of lofty mountains1 which we have to surmount4 ,as long as the ground is flat and there is grass the animals do very well1 but they cannot endure a high pass4 ,my white ,ladaki has picked up again1 and the men are ordered to tend him carefully4 ,february #aa4 ,we ascend the valley1 and the snow becomes deeper again4 ,in one place are seen fresh tracks of three men4 ,we camp behind a cliff to get shelter from the wind1 but first we have to cross the ice belt in the valley bottom1 where a path has been recently sanded4 ,it is evident that we shall soon fall in with men--perhaps on the march between the two camps4 ,therefore ,i put on my new ,ladaki costume with a girdle round the waist4 ,the white turban is kept ready at hand in case we meet ,tibetans4 ,the chapkan looks suspiciously clean1 but ,gulam undertakes to soil it with fat and soot4 ,my soft leather vest is sacrificed and cut up for soles4 ,after this camp ,lobsang and ,kutus were required to give me every evening lessons in ,tibetan1 and ,i arranged all the new words in a vocabulary1 which afterwards grew to a considerable size4 ,thus we spent a couple of hours each day when all my literature was at an end4 ,i especially practised the answers ,i was to give in case ,i1 ,hajji ,baba1 were subjected to cross-examination4 ,on the #abth we marched up through the snowdrifts in the valley1 where small1 graceful1 elegant ,goa antelopes were seen on two occasions4 ,the camping-ground was so wretched that all the animals wandered back in the night to the former camp1 and therefore the next day was lost1 and we waited wearily4 ,in my grey chapkan ,i am too conspicuous among the other ragamuffins1 and whenever ,i have an opportunity ,i smear soot and butter on it and cut holes in it here and there4 ,a continuation of such treatment will at length make it as disreputable as the others4 ,i also try to leave off washing my face and hands1 but do not succeed in looking as dirty as my men4 ,with them the dirt seems to be engrained and never to be removed1 and they could grow potatoes under their nails4 ,my desire was to become like them as soon as possible1 that ,i might escape the notice of the ,tibetans4 ,february #ad4 ,temperature -#bb4i4 ,again we are a few miles nearer our destination and a day nearer spring4 ,our progress is slow1 but we must be glad that we can get along at all4 ,camp #cbi is in the valley leading to the pass1 which we have taken several days to reach4 ,a mule is fatigued and is relieved of his load4 ,some grass is again found1 and all the animals go out to graze1 except my small ,ladaki1 which stands beside my tent with drooping head and icicles under his eyes4 ,he has been weeping1 knowing well that he will never be able to cross over the pass and that we shall leave him4 ,i sit beside him for several hours1 patting and stroking him1 and trying to induce him to eat lumps of meal mixed with rice4 ,he revives again and goes slowly after his comrades4 ,february #ae4 ,temperature -#bb4e4 ,a hard1 toilsome day4 ,through ice and snow among sharp detritus we march up the valley4 ,my white horse leads the way of his own accord and ,i ride in the rear4 ,we keep together for some time1 and ascend step by step towards the troublesome pass4 ,but first one and then another lags behind4 ,among them is my white horse4 ,i stop and whisper in pure ,swedish into his ear3 ,do not lose courage2 put out all your strength and climb the pass1 and then you will go down in a few days to fine rich pasture4 ,he raises his head1 pricks up his ears1 and gazes at me as ,i go on up to the pass with ,kutus and ,gulam4 ,only a couple of lively mules follow my horse and halt where he halts1 at every twentieth step4 ,at last we came up to the flat pass1 which attains to the considerable height of #ah1eec feet4 ,here we waited a long time4 ,the large black mule passed first over the snowy threshold of the pass and then the others1 till nine baggage animals had gone by and my grey ,tikze horse last4 ,abdul ,kerim reported that four animals were thoroughly tired out4 ,i ordered that they should be led step by step even till night if necessary1 and he went down to them again4 ,a little later appeared ,tubges and ,abdullah carrying two loads4 ,one of the four animals had already departed this life4 ,to the west-north-west1 the direction from which we had come1 the view was magnificent--a sea of wild1 red1 gigantic undulations1 with snow crowning the summits and streaming down their sides4 ,during the last days we had noticed schists1 porphyry1 red and grey granite4 ,the country was absolutely barren1 and we must try to reach the nearest grass in the descending valley1 but it was full of snow1 and the train moved slowly and wearily through the drifts4 ,i went on foot like the rest2 every man carried a load to help the animals4 ,all were silent1 and tramped and balanced themselves in the track marked by the leader4 ,the valley contracted to a ditch1 and where the first yak-moss grew we threw down our burdens4 ,a sorry camp in the close dismal valley4 ,the last animals stood tied together1 and were fed with pulverized yak-dung and moss mixed with meal and rice4 ,at dusk the other men came up leading a mule4 ,three animals were gone1 and one of them was my small white ,ladaki horse4 ,he had struggled up to the very top of the pass1 where ,i had sat watching for him in vain1 and then had laid himself down to die4 ,he had served me and carried me faithfully and patiently for a year and a half1 and had never from the first been missing from the camping-ground1 and now that the last of the veterans was gone ,i felt very lonely4 ,during the whole journey he had never reached a higher spot than that whereon he died2 on the very saddle of the pass his bones would be bleached by the winter storms and the summer sun4 ,the caravan this evening was empty and forlorn1 for ,i had lost a trusty friend4 ,now ,brown ,puppy was my consoler1 for she had been with me from ,srinagar1 and her little whelp was the youngest and least anxious member of our struggling troop4 ,two mules had crossed the pass but died in the valley4 ,if another such pass lay in our way the caravan would perish4 ,the loads were much too heavy for the surviving animals4 ,a thorough weeding-out was necessary4 ,my ulster and most of my ,european clothes were burned4 ,felt mats1 tools1 kitchen utensils1 and spare shoes for the horses were thrown away4 ,my small ,swedish bag was burned1 and all the medicines except the quinine jar were sacrificed2 my ,european toilet necessaries1 including my razors1 went the same way1 and only a piece of soap was kept4 ,all ,european articles that were not absolutely indispensable were cast into the fire4 ,i tore out of ,frding's poems the leaves ,i did not know by heart1 and left the rest at the camp4 ,the remaining matches were distributed among the men2 ,i kept myself twenty-four boxes1 which must suffice until the time when we must use only flint and steel to preserve our incognito4 ,cold and sad the night spread its wings over the silent valley where our lonely camp1 a picture of desolation1 was buried among black cliffs and white snowdrifts1 while the stars came out above like lights burning round a bier4 ,while the lightened loads were being placed on the animals ,i started on foot followed by two men4 ,one of them1 ,kutus1 walked beside me1 and ,i steadied myself by his shoulder as we floundered through the drifts4 ,the wind blew furiously1 and the snow danced in spirals and appeared as white clouds on all the crags and ridges4 ,after a march of about #c miles we encamped when we came to grass4 ,snow had to be melted in pots1 for the animals had been long without drink4 ,this process did not take so long now that only eleven animals were left4 ,with tottering steps we continued to the east-south-east on the #agth and #ahth1 sometimes along valleys1 sometimes over open country1 and always through deep tiring snow4 ,camp #ccc 7,illust4 #cjg7 was barely made ready when a terrible storm burst over us4 ,the sky had been clear1 and then all of a sudden the pure blue colour was wiped out by orange clouds of dust which swept up from the south-west4 ,i was sitting in the lee of my tent when in an instant the contents of the brazier were carried away4 ,a heap of wild asses' dung which the men had collected also flew away1 and we saw the small round balls dancing up the slopes as though they were racing4 ,a herd of antelopes cantered past our camp1 and their smooth coats shimmered like satin and velvet according as the hair was exposed to the wind and the light4 ,again our ears are filled with the din of the storm4 ,i hurry inside1 and hear from time to time a shout when some part of the men's tent threatens to give way1 or the sound of iron against iron when the tent-pegs have to be driven in again1 or a singing dying-away sound when my towel is seized by the blast and borne away towards the foot of the mountains4 ,we might be on an unsound vessel with the sails flapping and beating in cracking strips1 and the mountain spurs1 which still peep obscurely from the mist1 might be dangerous and threatening reefs1 against which we are to be dashed in a moment4 ,grand and majestic is such a storm when it sweeps over the earth in unbridled fury4 ,,chapter ,,lxi ,,thirty ,,days ,,of ,,storm ,on ,february #ai we had good country for travelling1 declining gently to the shore of the ,lemchung-tso1 which appeared in the distance4 ,i travelled mostly on foot1 as ,i could easily do1 for the storm had abated1 but1 as usual1 we were chilled through by the wind1 though the temperature rose to #bh at one o'clock4 ,at the foot of some hills in the south we perceived numbers of black spots1 which we took for tame yaks4 ,they soon resolved themselves1 however1 into whole troops of antelopes1 which sped in light springs over the plain northwards4 ,now were often seen signs of the summer visits of the ,gertse nomads4 ,we had left ,deasy's and ,rawling's routes a couple of days behind us1 and now found ourselves on the western margin of one of the largest blank spaces in the map of ,tibet4 ,after a grey horse had perished in the night we had only ten animals left1 or a fourth of the original caravan4 ,they were fed in the morning with meal and spent tea-leaves in water1 which they swallowed with avidity4 ,our store of provisions would last out barely a month4 ,we were #f or #g miles from the shore of the lake1 and on arriving there we encamped close to a cave in which a millstone and a couple of yak hides had been left in the summer4 ,along the shore ran a path worn by the feet of men4 ,we stayed here a day and sorted out the baggage again4 ,all spare instruments1 such as thermometers1 measuring tape1 eye-glasses1 etc41 as well as some ,european garments1 a couple of caps1 bandages1 portfolios1 were sewed up1 together with some stones1 in a sack1 and sunk in a hole in the ice1 which covered the lake to a depth of nearly #c feet4 ,now ,i had only three changes of under-clothing left1 one of which might be sacrificed at the next sorting out--we were like a balloon from which ballast is thrown out to keep it in the air till it has crossed a sea and has firm ground below it4 ,in the evening we hear a whole orchestra of roaring winds4 ,the air hurls itself down like cascades from the mountains on to the camp1 and cannot rush fast enough over the clear ice of the lake1 where the moon produces bright silvery streaks on the surface1 while the mountains show a dark outline to the north4 ,grazing and fuel are plentiful to-day1 and therefore we are in high spirits4 ,the men sing1 sometimes softly like a swinging lullaby or rounded billows in a bay1 sometimes in the wild and passionate style of ,asiatics1 and dance around the fire4 ,but when the most violent gusts rush down1 they pause1 prepared to prevent the tent from falling over the fire4 ,they seem to sing responses to the storm1 and ,i am pleased with the performance1 for it chases away thoughts of the long hours of solitude1 and calls forth pleasant dreams and hopes of spring1 warm winds1 discoveries and adventures in ,tibet4 ,i wonder daily how this journey will end1 but every day ,i am a step nearer to the answer4 ,on ,february #bb we left the little freshwater lake on our left hand1 while the ,lemchung-tso proper extended its partly frozen surface to the right4 ,in the middle the water was quite open and of a dark-green colour1 and was lashed into vapour by the storm4 ,to the east-south-east the country seemed favourable--an open plain1 where no obstacle came in our way4 ,in front of us were two grazing animals--perhaps yaks or wild asses4 ,gulam1 who went in front1 held up a field-glass and reported that they were horses4 ,so we were near nomads again4 ,we searched about in every direction but could perceive no tent4 ,had1 perchance1 the horses strayed away8 ,however1 they were not shy1 but became very sprightly when they caught sight of us1 galloped straight to the caravan1 and greeted every horse and mule individually4 ,after this civility they followed us all the way1 prancing and neighing4 ,they were three-year-old colts which had never carried a saddle or a load--fat1 fresh1 and nimble-footed1 very different from our last three horses4 ,when we encamped they went off to the south and were lost to sight4 ,the storm increased in violence1 and our last iron spade and a kettle were carried away by the wind1 but were afterwards recovered4 ,february #bc4 ,the thermometer sank to -#ai4h4 ,our last ten animals made a short day's march along the same easy valley4 ,i could perceive no trace of the ,snowy ,range of ,english maps in the prolongation of this valley4 ,we observed a couple of tents in the mouth of a valley to the north1 but we were now in no distress4 ,i lived exclusively on tea1 bread1 and jam1 of which there were still two pots left4 ,the storm continued next day also4 ,we seldom covered more than #f or #g miles4 ,in the past month we had travelled #bbj miles1 #cj more than in the previous month4 ,during the evening and night the snow pelted on to our tents4 ,i still had my warm comfortable bed1 but at a pinch it would also go piecemeal into the fire4 ,everything that was discarded was burned or buried1 lest1 if it were left1 it might arouse suspicions4 ,for another day's march we had the advantage of this fine longitudinal valley1 which imperceptibly rises to a flat threshold1 beyond which we passed a gold placer4 ,the holes from which the auriferous sand is extracted are #c to #af feet in diameter1 and little more than #c feet deep4 ,it is evident that some of them have been dug out last summer4 ,a little farther down gold had been searched for some time ago4 ,folds1 stone shelters for marksmen1 and stone cairns were to be seen in several places4 ,illustration3 #cac1 #cad1 #cae1 #caf1 #cag4 ,,panoramas ,,from ,,the ,,camps #cah1 #ccc1 #cce1 #cei1 #cfj2 ,,in ,,the ,,last ,,two1 ,,sha-,,kangsham4 ,after ,water-colour ,sketches by the ,author4 ,still lower down we came1 on the following day1 to a third placer1 situated where the valley contracts to a trough4 ,here large sheepfolds and abundant tracks of men were found4 ,the gold is washed out on flat stones in a flume #ajj yards long4 ,the valley afterwards contracts to a breadth of #e yards1 and the bottom is mostly filled with ice1 here and there forming ledges4 ,these had to be levelled with axes and strewn with sand1 and each animal was led and held up by men4 ,we could not afford to let any one of them break his leg and be lost to us4 ,then the ice came to an end1 the valley opened out1 and we pitched our tents in an extensive flat4 ,towards the east the land was all favourable1 and no ,snowy ,range stood in our way4 ,we could see #be miles ahead4 ,tubges shot five hares and we had a feast that evening4 ,a pack of wolves howled round the camp at night4 ,february #bg4 ,a thousand wild asses were seen on the plain which sloped down gently to the east-south-east4 ,they formed dark lines1 sometimes large1 sometimes small1 sometimes spots like a rosary4 ,some herds galloped off to a point about two hundred yards in front of the caravan1 where they stood and gazed and then dispersed1 springing away in graceful movements4 ,perhaps they were here for a great spring congress1 to decide questions relating to their territory and pastures4 ,it is certain that1 like the nomads1 they migrate at fixed seasons1 for they also are dependent on the occurrence of grass and its varying abundance at different heights and different times of the year4 ,farther down the plain1 beyond a small cliff1 were five herds of kiangs1 the nearest of which numbered #acc head4 ,they came galloping almost up to us4 ,lobsang ran towards them4 ,then they set off in wild flight one after another1 their hoofs thundering over the ground1 made a wide curve behind us1 and vanished in a dense cloud of dust1 the hard beat of their hoofs being still audible4 ,a strong puff of wind dispersed the cloud1 and they came into sight again2 they stood quaking with fear1 and looked at us1 pricked up their ears1 dilated their nostrils1 and sniffed the wind4 ,to the south of our route we perceived two tents among small scattered heights4 ,abdul ,kerim and two men went off to them while we pitched camp #cda4 ,on their return they reported that the tents were the property of a certain ,tsering ,ngorpel from ,gertse1 who had come hither with his family for two months and was going back in a month4 ,they were poor people1 and owned only #gj sheep and goats1 #f yaks1 and #a dog4 ,the neighbourhood of camp #cda the man called ,senes-yung-ringmo1 and he said that if we marched south-eastwards we should almost daily meet with nomads from ,gertse and ,senkor1 districts in the south which ,i had passed through in #aija4 ,they were afraid of our men and would not let them enter the tents4 ,two fine sheep and a lump of butter were bought1 and rescued us from starvation for a time4 ,the hare meat was discarded and given to the dogs4 ,we made the two sheep carry themselves our newly-acquired store of meat to camp #cdb2 we had no room for extra loads4 ,we mounted slowly to a flat pass4 ,three tents stood in a side valley and some men came out to look at us1 but we passed on without exchanging questions and answers4 ,on ,february #bi the wind raged furiously all day long4 ,clouds swept ceaselessly over the country1 and at one o'clock the temperature was #bb4a1 quite low enough to chill a rider down to the bones and marrow4 ,in front of us lay a large flat hollow1 in the midst of which two small lakes shone white with ice4 ,we slowly approached the isthmus between them4 ,a herd of antelopes took to flight and nearly fell over a lonely wild ass1 which looked at them uneasily1 but at the last moment they turned off in another direction as though they were afraid of him4 ,on the left1 in a deep trough running towards the lake1 a flock of sheep was driven along by two shepherds4 ,wait one moment4 ,hand me the turban4 ,gulam wound it round my head1 and then ,i went on foot like the rest4 ,along the shore a young man was driving six yaks4 ,abdul ,kerim and ,gulam went up to him while we set up the tents on the shore 7#ae1bjj feet74 ,after a while they returned with the yak-driver1 a boy of fourteen in a large white skin hood4 ,he was terribly frightened1 and could with difficulty be persuaded to come to our tents2 our intention was that he should guide two of our men to his dwelling4 ,he called the lake ,lumbur-ringmo4 ,as my disguise was now complete1 ,i went to look at the boy1 who did not seem at all suspicious4 ,lobsang and ,tubges followed the boy to his tent1 and after a long time returned with unwelcome news4 ,two ,tibetans had rushed out of the tent1 stopped them1 and asked roughly what they wanted4 ,they replied very quietly that they wished to buy food2 but there was nothing of the kind for sale4 ,but who are you8 an elderly man asked4 ,we are ,ladakis in the service of a merchant1 and we are on the way to ,saka-dzong1 they answered4 ,no1 the ,tibetan exclaimed2 you lie4 ,no merchant travels this way1 least of all in winter2 there is no trade in ,chang-tang4 ,we are not trading1 ,lobsang replied2 we are commissioned to inquire how much sheep's wool can be bought up next summer4 ,sheep's wool--in uninhabited districts6 ,no2 you are servants of a ,european1 who keeps himself out of sight in one of your tents4 ,out with the truth1 or it will be bad for you4 ,ask the boy here1 returned ,lobsang in his most innocent tone1 if he saw any ,european in our tent4 ,we abhor ,europeans as heartily as you4 ,if you doubt us1 you can come to our tents and see for yourself4 ,no1 thank you2 we will not come to your tent1 the old man answered1 and disappeared with his people behind the black hangings4 ,lobsang was very serious when he came back1 and proposed that1 if we had not already come to a standstill1 we should in future set up our camp as far as possible from the nomads4 ,i was alarmed1 and ,i had a feeling that we should not advance much farther into the forbidden land4 ,it was also disappointing to be so openly suspected to be a ,european4 ,now good advice was precious1 for evidently the nomads would betray us to the nearest authorities4 ,at the evening's lesson in ,tibetan1 which occupied some hours1 ,i discussed the situation with ,lobsang and ,kutus4 ,it was resolved that ,abdul ,kerim should go early in the morning to the tent1 and if the nomads were still hostile we would try to lengthen our day's march so as to get out of the way of a probable summons to stop4 ,this time ,lobsang met with a better reception1 as he could present our chief and leader1 whom the nomads correctly addressed as bombo4 ,the old man introduced himself under the name of ,sogbarong ,tsering ,tundup--,sogbarong is his home in the west1 and this name is placed before his own much as ,anders ,persson i ,stor-grden4 ,the old man invited his guests into his tent1 took a couple of sheep's trotters1 cut them in pieces with an axe1 threw them into the caldron1 and offered some broth to ,abdul ,kerim1 saying it was the only tea he had4 ,in the tent were five antelopes cut up1 a gun1 a knife1 and other articles4 ,the old man did not this time express any suspicions of us1 but related that a ,european with a large caravan had crossed the country to the east more than a year ago4 ,he did not suspect1 of course1 that that same ,european was hiding in one of our tents4 ,when the messengers came back they had a fine fat sheep and a can of milk with them4 ,this day1 ,march #a1 the wind was so strong that it was impossible to travel4 ,my tent fell over and was held fast by the load of sand and stones on its folds4 ,not a trace of the surroundings was visible1 and ,i should have obtained no notion of country on the route4 ,at two o'clock ,tsering ,tundup and another ,tibetan came to return the visit4 ,they emerged from the mist only when they were close at hand1 and a couple of men hastened to protect them from the dogs4 ,the visit was a complete surprise1 but there was nothing which could excite the least suspicion4 ,my things were crammed into a sack1 and ,i was disguised as usual2 indeed1 ,i had now no other clothing to put on4 ,even if they had come and looked into my tent there would have been no danger4 ,our guests had capacious sheepskin coats drawn up above the belt so as to form the usual protruding bag where a large part of their property is stored4 ,they wore hoods of sheepskin and looked like ,samoyeds or ,chukchis4 ,they stood a while and chatted with our men in the wind1 but ,i did not hear a word1 though they were standing only #c yards from the loophole in my tent through which ,i was watching them4 ,after some hesitation1 they went into ,abdul ,kerim's tent1 and then the yak question was discussed4 ,they had only six yaks1 which they required for their own journeys2 but if we would buy sheep1 they would let us have as many as twelve1 and each sheep could easily carry a fifth part of a mule's load4 ,the offer was accepted with pleasure1 and the price was fixed at #ch rupees4 ,then they went off through the storm and ,i felt safe again4 ,the purchase was concluded on ,march #b1 and the twelve sheep stood with their heads together in the shelter of the men's tent4 ,to start on our travels was impossible1 for we could not have kept our legs in such a storm4 ,we therefore remained here another day1 and the men had full occupation in sewing sacks for the sheep1 arranging and weighing the loads4 ,i was worse off1 for ,i had nothing to do and nothing to read1 but ,i sat and wrote ,tibetan notes and entered new words in my lexicon4 ,then ,i heard a hasty step coming towards my tent2 it was ,kunchuk bringing fire4 ,a rustle1 an oath1 all the contents are swept out of the shovel1 and the man has to crawl back to the camp-fire for more embers4 ,so the day passes and the storm roars1 and every one is weary and listless4 ,during these stormy days our animals lay for the most part quietly in a hollow where they were sheltered from the wind4 ,the storm kept them from grazing1 and they were much enfeebled by fasting4 ,a white mule1 therefore1 remained behind at ,lumbur-ringmo-tso when we moved off south-eastwards on ,march #c with #c horses1 #f mules1 and #ab sheep1 delighted that we had passed this critical point with a whole skin4 ,freshwater springs formed a number of picturesque ice volcanoes on the shore of the small lake4 ,before we encamped behind a projecting cliff1 we met three large flocks of sheep with their shepherds4 ,on such occasions ,i always went on foot4 ,the new sheep all carried burdens1 and gave invaluable help to our tired animals4 ,they were tied up every night between the tents that they might be safe from wolves1 and the yellow dog from ,gartok proved an excellent guard4 ,they bleated piteously the first evening1 probably distressed at leaving their native country4 ,i was sorry for them1 for they had been treated as cruelly as ,uncle ,tom1 but in time they became quite accustomed to their new way of life4 ,violent storms prevailed all day and all the following day1 on which we passed two black tents4 ,at every camp we had to take the greatest care that no pieces of paper1 match-boxes1 candle ends1 or cigarette stumps were left lying about1 for we might be sure that the ,tibetans dwelling near would come and search about after we had left the spot4 ,our route took us over a low pass 7#af1jcj feet74 ,the rocks comprised weathered schists1 quartzite1 and granite--the last only in detached blocks4 ,on the other side we followed a deeply excavated valley opening out on to a plain1 and we were just setting up our tent by a projecting rock when two large black dogs came running towards us barking4 ,nomads1 therefore1 were encamping in the neighbourhood1 and we must be on our guard4 ,abdul ,kerim1 who always showed himself prudent and tactful in delicate negotiations1 went off to a tent which stood on the other side of the rock and was inhabited by four ,senkor nomads who owned #djj sheep4 ,the chief of them was named ,shgoge1 and sold us three sheep at #c rupees a head1 some butter and milk4 ,he said that the country here1 around camp #cde1 was called ,pankur1 and that we were three days' journey from the encampment of the ,gertse ,pun1 or the chief of ,gertse4 ,with him1 however1 we had nothing to do4 ,it was to our interest to avoid as much as possible officials of all kinds1 not to approach ,gertse or ,senkor in the west too closely1 and not too near my route of #aijf to the east4 ,we must steer our way through many pitfalls4 ,just in this district we crossed the meridian of #hd ,e41 and my plan was to travel due south from the ,tong-tso right across the large blank space4 ,the continual storms which had done us so much harm1 were so far advantageous to us that they enabled us to cross the great wastes without being much noticed4 ,this day all was hazy from the dust1 and our neighbours' sheep1 which passed my tent in long columns with shepherds and dogs1 made a very curious spectacle in the dense mist4 ,march #e4 ,abdul ,kerim obtained two more sheep1 and now we had seventeen to help the mules and horses4 ,our intention was to increase our sheep caravan by degrees1 and make ourselves independent of the other animals4 ,we must also have a spare horse for ,abdul ,kerim1 for he was our master1 and it was incongruous that he should go on foot while ,i1 a simple caravan man1 rode4 ,this day we had the storm at our back1 and we travelled #h miles over the same even1 excellent ground which had made progress easier since we left ,lemchung-tso4 ,we encamped at a sheepfold and enjoyed the feeling that there were no neighbours to spy on us4 ,a sheep was slaughtered2 only the worst were sacrificed for food1 and were to be replaced by new ones when an opportunity presented itself4 ,,chapter ,,lxii ,,adventures ,,of ,,ourselves ,,and ,,puppy ,,in ,,nagrong ,on ,march #f we made another hop towards our destination4 ,it is difficult to travel over the high plateaus of ,tibet in winter1 and we could not march more than four hours a day4 ,the morning was clear1 but we had not gone far beyond a small lake1 with its mantle of ice covered with driftsand and dust1 before the storm increased in violence and made me reel in the saddle4 ,the clouds of dust became thicker1 the sandspouts were dark reddish-brown at the base1 and the gusts tore up furrows in the ground like ploughshares1 while frequently spiral forms were seen which could only be produced by cyclonic whirlwinds4 ,on the left hand shimmered a lake1 its surface partly white with gypsum and salt1 partly streaked brown with driftsand1 and with open water only in two places2 it was the ghost of a lake which was doomed to disappear4 ,two built-up fireplaces served us capitally for a camping-ground on the shore where the grazing was good4 ,on the eastern side of the lake was a brick-red ridge of medium height1 which ,i wished to paint in order to record the effective tones in the dust mist4 ,i waited for the others with ,kutus and ,gulam1 and we had scarcely induced a fire to burn before the storm rose at noon to a hurricane4 ,now everything vanished--lake1 ridge1 all except the nearest tufts of grass4 ,the fire was fenced in with stones and clods lest it should be blown away1 sand and minute pebbles beat against my dry skin coat1 and ,i had to cover all my face1 for the skin smarted as though lashed by whip-cord1 if it were exposed for a second to the wind4 ,fortunately the others made their way to us4 ,every man had to lend a hand to raise my tent4 ,at length ,gulam came crawling backwards and yelled into my ear that the tent was ready4 ,with straddling legs and all my muscles on the stretch ,i fought my way to it1 and was glad to catch hold of a tent rope before ,i was blown down4 ,at last ,i was under cover and could recover my breath4 ,the tent cloth was puffed out like a balloon1 and threatened every moment to burst with a report4 ,the sand and rubbish beat upon it1 producing a deafening noise4 ,it was as dark as at twilight1 and the wind roared and whined through the grass4 ,the men tried to set up their own tent1 but when the wind had overturned it twice they let it lie1 weighting it with the baggage that it might not fly away4 ,five ,ladakis lay in the lee of my tent rolled up like hedgehogs1 and ,i let them come in1 where they sat silent and motionless for a couple of hours4 ,the others had crept under the ruins of their unfortunate tent4 ,puppy and ,little ,puppy lay in a corner and kept each other warm4 ,however1 the temperature was #ce4h1 and we had not had such warmth for three months4 ,a long and dismal evening6 ,it was with difficulty ,i got a piece of bread1 a cup of tea1 and a piece of dried meat4 ,we were deaf and dizzy when at length we sought repose under our rugs1 while the storm continued to rage outside4 ,i awoke to hear the same old music1 and to go out to my horse was like plunging into icy-cold water4 ,neither the sky nor the horizon was visible1 and the mountains were dim shadows4 ,with ,kutus and ,gulam ,i led the way1 following a path trodden by men4 ,dark1 chill1 and doleful was the land of eternal twilight1 frost1 and the wicked demons of the air4 ,after a march of #h miles we halted at the edge of a belt of ice1 a frozen stream in several branches1 which ran to the south-west4 ,the gale flew over the clear sheet of ice1 and the red dust was swept over it like flames4 ,with the assistance of ,kutus ,i slid over to the other side1 and in the shelter of the opening of a small valley we made the usual fire4 ,the caravan came to the edge of the ice4 ,it was impossible to sand a path1 for the grains would have been swept away4 ,the animals were led across singly1 each helped over by several men4 ,for all that a mule fell and gave a fearful wrench to one of its hind legs1 and with great difficulty it was helped up to the camp4 ,all of us had grey distorted faces1 our eyes ran1 full of sand and dust4 ,my lips bled and my teeth were black4 ,march is the worst month1 but we had never experienced such bad weather before4 ,what is the use of looking forward to spring when the days are darker as time goes on8 ,the injured mule had evidently dislocated its leg4 ,it was thrown down and a rope was fastened round its hoof and the end was pulled by the men4 ,when it was at full stretch ,lobsang hit the rope hard with a tent-pole in order to set the dislocated joint in place again1 but ,i could not perceive that the operation had any effect4 ,no2 the mule was lost to us just when we could ill afford to lose one of our best animals4 ,and it was lost indeed1 for on the morning of ,march #h it could not take a step4 ,it was sad to pass the death sentence1 and a pitiful sight when the fresh warm blood spurted out in powerful jets and moistened the barren soil4 ,it lay quiet and patiently1 and after a few convulsions expired1 and was left in solitude when we moved on over the dreary waste4 ,but before starting ,i had ascended a hill and looked around4 ,which was more expedient--to travel north-east or south-west8 ,both directions lay out of our course4 ,i decided for the south-west1 and hastened down to my tent1 where ,gulam served up breakfast4 ,brown ,puppy and ,little ,puppy gave me their company to get their share4 ,little ,puppy had grown so much that he could do what he liked with his mother4 ,when ,i gave her a piece of meat the young one flew upon her and took it away4 ,i had to hold ,little ,puppy that his mother might eat in peace4 ,when we set out1 ,puppy and the yellow dog remained behind with the slaughtered mule1 finding a convenient point of departure in an open wound in the soft muscles of the neck4 ,there they stood gorging when we started along the ice-belt of the stream towards the south-west4 ,with my usual followers ,i rode in advance4 ,the suffocating1 blinding1 deafening storm was right in our faces4 ,gulam walked in front1 stopped1 looked through the field-glass1 and gave me the sign to dismount4 ,the stream swept round the foot of a cliff in front of us4 ,what is it8 ,i asked ,gulam when we came up to him4 ,a large stone house with a wall and a couple of smaller huts4 ,they are not visible at this moment because of the mist1 but they lie close to the foot of the mountain4 ,yes2 now they can be seen4 ,it is strange that no dogs rush at us4 ,what is to be done8 ,shall we turn back8 ,surely a chieftain lives here1 and he will come and search us down to the skin4 ,no2 it is too late1 for we must have been seen already4 ,how ,i regretted that we had not travelled to the north-east6 ,but we must put on a good face in our unlucky situation4 ,we passed the village at a distance of #ajj yards1 and halted in the shelter of the dark porphyry crag crowned by two chhortens and a mani4 ,at least it was pleasant to get shelter for a moment4 ,it was like taking refuge in a gateway when it pours4 ,all around was dead and dreary2 no one was seen2 only a couple of jackdaws croaked1 and a hare sped out of its form so near us that we could have caught it with the hand if we had been alert4 ,kutus and ,gulam went out to gather fuel4 ,i searched the suspicious neighbourhood with the field-glass1 where treachery seemed to lurk behind every projection4 ,it cleared a little towards the south-east1 enough for me to detect a black tent of unusual size about #bjj yards off4 ,four strings with prayer-streamers were stretched out from a high pole4 ,i had been in hopes that we should get past the first dwellings1 as no dogs had shown themselves1 but ,i had never heard of an uninhabited tent4 ,and the outward appearance of this tent indicated the presence of an important chief4 ,thanks to the mist1 we had stumbled right on to his camp1 and he would not be caught napping by poor strolling ,ladakis4 ,gulam had been to the large house1 the yard door of which stood open1 and had found in a shed a large quantity of fuel of a kind of shrub the ,tibetans call ombo4 ,so we waited and waited1 expecting to see the caravan emerge from the mist1 but when nothing was heard of it ,kutus went out to search4 ,it had wandered quite out of its course1 and had made a long circuit round the house and tent1 for the leaders were convinced that ,i wished to slip by unnoticed4 ,a horse had fallen1 and now we had only two left1 and #e mules out of #dj animals4 ,the three tents were set up in a line close together1 and ,abdul ,kerim went with ,kunchuk to the large tent4 ,we saw through the mist that a man came out to meet them1 and that all three went into the tent1 and then we waited with our hearts in our mouths4 ,the men returned at dusk with good news4 ,the tent was inhabited by a lonely old ,amchi-lama1 i4e4 a monk-doctor1 who at the same time looked after the souls of the ,nagrong nomads1 determined from astrological books the lucky and unlucky days for baptisms and other affairs1 and assisted people with the same remedies when they were sick1 died1 and finally were buried4 ,he was from ,sera in ,lhasa1 and had lived three years in ,nagrong4 ,the tent was a movable temple1 furnished inside with altars1 burning butter lamps1 and votive bowls1 where the hermit performed service--we heard him beating a temple drum at midnight4 ,it belonged1 as well as the large house1 to the ,gertse ,pun ,bombo1 or the chief of the ,gertse district1 who a few days before had gone off a day's journey to the east1 with his flocks1 children1 and all1 but was soon expected back in consequence of a dispute between two of his subjects4 ,perhaps1 after all1 it was well we travelled south-west instead of north-east1 for we might have fallen into the jaws of the ,gertse ,pun himself4 ,this potentate comes to ,nagrong in late summer and takes up his abode in the stone house1 while a hundred nomad tents are set up around and a fair is held4 ,the old lama had no servants1 but every third day a man came to bring him wood4 ,he must find it dull in the long winter evenings1 when he hears the storm roaring outside1 and silence reigns within around the gods who answer his prayers and the rolls of his drum with a smile of reconciliation4 ,but probably he is a philosopher and has no fear of the dangers of the night4 ,in his tent lay several sacks full of tsamba1 barley1 rice1 and butter1 but he had no authority to sell anything without the permission of the ,gertse ,pun4 ,instead1 he pointed out where the tent of the ,pun's brother-in-law stood1 where all kinds of prime goods could be bought4 ,we therefore decided to remain where we were over ,march #i1 and ,abdul ,kerim with three attendants sought out the brother-in-law1 met with a friendly reception1 and bought five sheep and two goats1 besides two sheep-loads of rice and as much barley1 and also a bag of tobacco1 which the men had long wanted4 ,all day long ,i was a prisoner in my tent2 my period of freedom was over4 ,and when the evening came and enveloped the dreary ,nagrong valley in its shadows1 ,i could think of nothing else but my old trusty comrade1 the oldest of all that had been with me in ,tibet1 ,brown ,puppy4 ,in the company of the yellow dog she had remained in the morning with the mule which had dislocated its leg1 and ,i had seen nothing of her since4 ,we had hoped1 however1 that she would find us again1 as she had so often done before1 but now we were convinced that she had lost our trail1 and1 desperate and crazy with anxiety1 was seeking for us over hill and dale1 only to wander farther and farther from the right direction4 ,it was useless to send men after her1 and it was not advisable to divide our small party at such a critical time4 ,the dogs had remained a long time tearing at the mule's neck1 and when at last they were satiated they had started to follow us and had lost our track in the terrible wind and sand clouds4 ,if they once crossed over ice they would never find our track again4 ,now thoughts of my old tent companion worried me more than anything else4 ,only that very morning she had lain on her felt rug in the usual corner1 and we had breakfasted together4 ,where was she8 what was she doing at this moment8 ,day and night she would run barking and whining over desolate ,chang-tang with her nose to the ground1 searching for our track till her paws were torn and painful4 ,what would she do when night came down with its dreadful darkness and its prowling wolves8 ,were the dogs keeping together1 or were they seeking us along different paths1 having lost each other8 ,would ,puppy some time find a home with friendly nomads and lead a comfortable life again1 or would she come to want and be tied outside a poor tent1 and1 pining in hopeless sorrow1 remember her past life1 which1 from when she lapped milk in my room at ,srinagar1 had been spent in my caravan8 ,i was never to receive an answer to these questions1 for the parts she and the yellow dog played in our romance were ended4 ,for the future her life would shape itself differently1 but ,i was never to gain any knowledge of the remaining chapters of her existence4 ,i lay awake at night thinking of her misfortune1 and looked every morning to see if perchance she had come back in the night and was lying in her usual corner1 and ,i fancied ,i heard her trotting outside my tent in the dusk1 or thought ,i could distinguish the profile of a lonely half-starved dog on a mound or crag with its nose up and howling at the storm4 ,for some time ,i suffered from a delusion1 imagining that a shade1 the restless soul1 the invisible ghost of a dog followed me wherever ,i went4 ,i felt the presence of an invisible dog which followed me into my tent1 and among the ,tibetans1 and always whined and pleaded for help1 and ,i was worried that ,i could give no help or consolation to my lost1 wandering friend4 ,but soon we had other things to think of1 other dogs became my friends1 and we were daily entangled in a skein of troubles which must lead to a crisis1 and the cares of the past paled before the gravity of the moment4 ,illustration3 #cah4 ,,the ,,author ,,as ,a ,,shepherd4 ,march #aj4 ,such a day as this is interesting to look back on1 but it was hard and cruel as long as it lasted4 ,before six o'clock ,i was awakened with the disquieting information that two ,tibetans were approaching our tents4 ,i made haste to dress myself and paint my face and hands black with a thin coating4 ,meanwhile the strangers arrived and were invited into ,abdul ,kerim's tent1 where ,i heard them talking pleasantly about sheep and money--so they were not spies2 our time had not yet come4 ,one of the guests was the brother-in-law1 the other a neighbour of his1 who1 when he heard what a good price we paid for sheep1 said he was ready to sell us four he had brought with him1 as well as a lively goat4 ,abdul ,kerim had received a general order to buy all the sheep he could procure1 so he took them4 ,the goat was1 as has been said1 a lively beast1 and he ran off at once and could not be caught again4 ,the two ,tibetans went off to the lama's tent to drink tea1 but the critical time was not yet over1 for probably they would return to see us start4 ,therefore1 while the tents were still standing1 ,i set out with ,tubges1 ,little ,kunchuk1 and ,snoring ,kunchuk1 as we called ,sonam ,kunchuk on account of his terrible timber-sawing propensities1 when they drove our thirty-one sheep down the valley4 ,as we went off the ,tibetans came out and watched us1 but did not suspect anything wrong4 ,to escape detection ,i had hurriedly turned to sheep-driving 7,illust4 #cah71 but ,i soon found that ,i had no natural aptitude for this occupation1 so invigorating1 but so trying to the patience4 ,i fancied ,i imitated my ,ladakis as closely as possible1 whistled and shouted in the same way1 and threw out my arms when a sheep left the crowd1 but the animals showed me not the least obedience1 but went where they liked when ,i was near4 ,after an hour's walk in the teeth of the wind ,i had had enough1 and while the other shepherds went on with the sheep1 ,kunchuk and ,i stayed in a cranny out of sight of the lama's tent1 while ,i could look over all the valley4 ,at length the other men came with ,abdul ,kerim riding at their head4 ,our coats and turbans were of the same colour1 so that any ,tibetans who happened to be watching could not tell if it were ,abdul ,kerim or ,i that was riding4 ,i now took my horse and went on in front with my usual companions4 ,at eleven o'clock the storm rose to a furious pitch and dashed in our faces4 ,driftsand swept over the ground in dense masses2 we were nearly suffocated1 and we seemed to stand still while the country moved past us at a giddy pace4 ,we crossed the valley in order to follow its western flank4 ,the clouds of dust obscured the sun2 nothing could be seen beyond a distance of #bj yards2 chaos surrounded us4 ,we stopped to get our breath1 and lest we should miss the others1 but as soon as they appeared like phantoms in the mist we set off again4 ,i have experienced many sandstorms in ,takla-makan and the ,lob-nor desert1 but hardly any so bad as this was4 ,in ,turkestan one simply encamps when a storm comes on1 but what is the use of encamping to await the end of a storm which lasts thirty days8 ,we strayed among small dunes1 and1 though the valley fell in the direction we were travelling1 we seemed as though we were mounting to a lofty pass in consequence of the pressure of the storm4 ,the driftsand rattled against my dry1 hard coat1 which1 from the constant friction1 became heavily charged with electricity4 ,about every other minute there was a discharge1 and ,i felt uncomfortable and often painful prickings1 especially in the soles of the feet1 the hands1 and knees4 ,at every such discharge the horse also pulled up and became nervous4 ,at last1 when my grey ,tikze horse refused to go further1 and we had quite lost sight of the others1 and could not see where we were going1 we came to a halt and huddled together with our backs to the wind4 ,the electrical discharges continued even now1 but were weaker4 ,if ,i placed the tip of a finger near ,gulam's or ,kutus' hand a small electric spark was felt and seen1 and both of us felt the shock4 ,the men were exceedingly astonished1 and hoped it was not witchcraft4 ,we sat waiting for three hours1 and were prepared for an uncomfortable night4 ,but ,kutus came upon the other men just when they were giving up all attempt to find us before night4 ,we encamped among the dunes1 and before long all articles which were set out in my tent vanished under a thick layer of sand4 ,on the morning of the #aath the storm had somewhat abated2 and1 wearied and stiff after our experiences of the previous night1 we continued our journey southwards and encamped at a deserted sheepfold4 ,by nine o'clock compact sandspouts twisted slowly over the plain like spectres1 so the storm was again at its usual height4 ,we had tsamba for only one day1 but it did not count for much as long as we had such a good supply of meat4 ,we were glad to get out of reach of the ,gertse ,pun2 in this drifting sand it was impossible to find our trail--yes1 even for our own dogs4 ,little ,puppy did not miss his mother1 but felt very important at being sole master on the ground1 and barked at our sober sheep4 ,it was1 however1 a serious matter for us that we were deprived of our night-watch in districts where we had most need of them4 ,we must try to procure fresh dogs as soon as possible4 ,on ,march the #abth we marched the usual weary #f miles to the east-south-east through a fine1 broad1 longitudinal valley1 and pitched our camp in a hollow full of rubbish4 ,our three tents were now always placed close together1 so that1 if any stranger came unexpectedly to my tent1 ,i could crawl into ,abdul ,kerim's without being seen from outside4 ,my ,ladak chapkan began to assume a more satisfactory colour1 but we still did all we could to defile it and make it sooty and greasy4 ,little ,puppy lent me his assistance by biting and tearing the sleeves so that they hung in rags4 ,it would not be long before ,i had the appearance of a regular ruffian4 ,it snowed heavily all night1 and in the morning the snow lay so deep1 and the country was so thickly covered1 that we thought it best to remain stationary4 ,we were still farther removed from ,brown ,puppy1 and it was vain for her to seek our trail4 ,perhaps it was providential that both she and the white horse were lost before they could betray us4 ,tibetans have wonderfully sharp eyes for animals1 and recognize them again when they have seen them only once4 ,now the danger was over1 for all the veterans had gone4 ,perhaps ,puppy sacrificed herself that ,i might be successful6 ,all the same1 ,i seemed to see her wandering disconsolate and distressed about the desolate wastes in the north4 ,,chapter ,,lxiii ,,through ,,the ,,highlands ,,of ,,bongba ,when ,i awake to another day of uncertain fortune and adventures life seems gloomy and solitary1 and the longer the time the more ,i long for an end of my difficulties4 ,when ,gulam awoke me on the #adth1 he complained that ,abdul ,kerim did not keep the watch ,i had given him in order2 either the watch or the caravan leader was at fault1 but he believed it was the latter1 for the watch could not be blamed if it were wound up only every other day4 ,gulam affirmed that when ,abdul ,kerim was asked what o'clock it was1 he always answered seven1 whatever time it might be in the twenty-four hours4 ,the thermometer fell to -#aa in the night1 but the day was fine4 ,the wind blew as usual1 but the sun came out and we thought of spring again4 ,three shepherds were taking some hundreds of sheep to the west1 which had been driven off from their pasturage by the recent snow and were looking for uncovered land4 ,we were only a day's journey from the ,tong-tso 7#ad1hjj feet71 they said1 and the ,tong-tso was the point from which we were to start southwards to traverse unknown country4 ,if ,i succeeded in crossing it only by a single route1 all the troubles of the past winter would not have been in vain4 ,the shepherds' information was correct1 for the next day we bivouacked on the western shore of the ,tong-tso1 which we found exactly at the place where the immortal pundit1 ,nain ,sing1 inserted it on his map4 ,to the south-east towered the huge massive ,sha-kangsham1 along the northern foot of which ,i had ridden in #aija4 ,now we had to find a convenient pass over the mountain which barred our way to the south4 ,a gap was seen to the south-east1 and we directed our steps towards it4 ,on our right1 two tents stood at the foot of a hill1 and ,abdul ,kerim was sent to them while we encamped in a deep narrow ravine1 at the bottom of which we found a large quantity of wind-driven kiang dung and dry tufts of grass4 ,on his return1 our good leader reported that he was rudely received by two men1 named ,nakchu ,tundup and ,nakchu ,hlundup1 who came from the district ,nakchu1 three days' journey distant to the south1 and had a wife in common4 ,they first asked how many we were and how many guns we had1 just as though they wished to know whether they and their neighbours might venture to attack us4 ,they then said that they had seen a man riding at the head of our party1 while all the rest1 ,abdul ,kerim included1 went on foot1 and that it was not hard to guess that the mounted man was a ,european4 ,when ,abdul ,kerim replied that no ,europeans travel in winter1 for they are too much afraid of the cold1 and that we were only wool-buyers from ,ladak1 the ,tibetans shook their heads and answered that they had never heard of ,ladakis travelling in this country in winter4 ,but1 nevertheless1 ,abdul succeeded in gaining their confidence1 and when he had paid double the market price for two yaks and six sheep1 the ,tibetans forgot their suspicions1 all for the sake of filthy lucre4 ,the purchase was to be completed the following morning4 ,then the new animals were fetched1 and their carrying power was a welcome assistance to our animals4 ,fortunately1 the nomads had in general the greatest respect for our tents4 ,it was important for us to make liberal bargains with men who at first had been hostile to us4 ,on the other hand1 they often abstained from betraying us1 even if they had suspicions1 for if it were known that they had been well paid1 the nearest chief would confiscate their receipts and would also punish the unfortunate men who had dared to traffic with suspected individuals4 ,during the day's march ,i rode in front as usual1 with my two companions on foot4 ,a tent lay concealed behind a cliff1 and we did not notice it until we were some way past it1 and then it was too late to dismount4 ,two fellows were outside and looked after us1 and if they compared notes with their neighbours they would have good cause for suspicion4 ,at our camp that day we had a visit from an old man and two young people1 who had their tent near and came to see what kind of men we were4 ,they said that they were very poor1 and begged for some coppers4 ,we were on the border of the district ,bongba-changma1 which contains #cjj tents1 and1 like the whole province of ,bongba1 is subject to the governor ,karma ,puntso1 whose tent stood at a distance of six days' journey to the south4 ,he was a man of twenty-five years of age1 lived in a large tent1 and had been in office only a year1 since his father died4 ,it was assuring to know that he could have no experience of ,europeans and their crafty ways4 ,after the strangers had received a couple of tengas from ,abdul ,kerim1 they went home again in the rays of the evening sun1 delighted to find that we were not robbers4 ,then the temperature fell to -#af2 the winter was remarkably trying1 but the day1 ,march #ah1 was still fine1 and ,i travelled all the way on foot1 driving the sheep while we were passing several tents4 ,among them was that of our old man of the day before1 and he proved to be a man of property1 who sold us various much-needed articles of food4 ,on the way ,tubges shot seven partridges1 whereupon two ,tibetans came forward and protested1 saying that only ,europeans shot partridges4 ,abdul ,kerim assured them that he preferred partridges to mutton4 ,again there was talk of ,karma ,puntso4 ,perhaps it would be better to choose another way4 ,no2 then the governor would be still more suspicious4 ,we encamped on the northern side of a small pass1 where we had no troublesome neighbours4 ,march #ai4 ,breakfast1 a delicate partridge and a cup of tea1 was just over when it was announced that three ,tibetans were coming up to our tents4 ,but they stopped at a respectful distance1 and ,abdul ,kerim went up to them4 ,my tent was opened in this direction1 but was closed again just in time4 ,the ,tibetans' errand was to ask if we had any medicine suitable for a man who had a pain in the foot4 ,in reality1 their object was to spy upon us when we set out1 for they stayed all the time and looked about4 ,after my hands and face had been coloured black1 ,i stole by the secret passage into ,abdul ,kerim's tent1 while ,kutus and ,gulam crawled by the same way into mine to pack up4 ,then ,i went with ,lobsang and ,kutus1 and drove the sheep up the track leading to the pass 7#af1ace feet74 ,we had not gone far when ,abdul ,kerim came riding on my horse and made frantic gestures to us to stop4 ,a ,tibetan horseman1 followed by a big dog1 would meet us in a few moments on the path4 ,we therefore took a roundabout way among hillocks1 while the caravan encountered the ,tibetan4 ,in this way we escaped the danger4 ,soon came ,kunchuk and ,sedik1 leading the dog with a rope on either side--a savage brute1 which barked till he foamed at the mouth1 and tried to bite those who were taking him away from his master4 ,he was of the species called takkar1 and ,takkar was his name4 ,he reminded me of a ,st4 ,bernard2 he was coal black1 with a white patch on the chest and neck1 and was as savage as a wolf4 ,they had bought him for #b rupees4 ,moreover1 ,abdul ,kerim had also bought the rider's horse for #hf rupees1 and he came jogging cheerfully after us as we rode down from the summit of the pass to a longitudinal valley abounding in tents and herds of sheep and yaks1 and at two spots were seen mounted men1 who looked uncomfortably like a levy4 ,the new horse was eleven years old1 the owner said1 and if he passed well over his fifteenth year1 he would live to thirty--but we did not want him so long4 ,he was a new member of our troop and excited general interest1 and ,takkar became quieter when he saw an old friend and comrade in misfortune4 ,at the camp we had to be careful1 for nomads dwelt near and shepherds wandered with their flocks on the slopes around4 ,to prevent ,takkar from running away he was tied by the neck to a tent pole1 an operation by no means easy4 ,he was tied fast with ropes1 his legs were fettered1 and a felt mat was thrown over him1 on which four men sat while the others made him fast to the pole4 ,immediately he was let loose he rushed at those nearest him1 but was held back by the pole4 ,it was a sin to drag him from home against his will2 he was another ,uncle ,tom who suffered for our sake1 but ,i hoped that we should soon understand each other4 ,to console him in his captivity he was given the blood and entrails of the slaughtered sheep4 ,we crossed another small pass 7#ai1ecg feet7 on the #bjth1 and the insignificant lake ,shar-tso1 where a fine spring bubbles up out of the ground by the shore4 ,from a couple of tents to the west we bought tea1 butter1 and tsamba sufficient for several days1 and heard again about ,karma ,puntso4 ,this time it was said that he lived three days to the west1 and we hoped to slip past without any disturbance4 ,the country about camp #cei is called ,luma-shar1 and we stayed on the northern bank of the large river ,kangsham-tsangpo1 which comes from the northern flank of ,sha-kangsham1 the huge massive which ,i left to the south of my route in #aija1 and which showed us a magnificent view of its western side4 ,the mountain lay about a couple of days' journey to the south-east4 ,the next day we were to cross the river1 an exceedingly unpleasant business2 for though there had been #cb degrees of frost in the night the ice1 except close to the bank1 would not bear4 ,abdul made an attempt with his horse1 but the animal came down on his nose in the middle of the river4 ,then ,lobsang took off his boots and went across the river barefooted1 and came back again to help in conducting our pack animals gently and firmly across4 ,to get the sheep over was the worst difficulty2 they had to be pushed and pulled by the horns1 one at a time4 ,almost all the men of the caravan got a refreshing bath in the stream 7,illust4 #cfc74 ,on the other side we ascended to a small pass where there was a splendid view over the ridge1 which seemed to run west-south-west from ,sha-kangsham and which barred our way to the south4 ,abdul ,kerim1 ,kunchuk1 and ,sedik went with an exhausted mule to a few tents standing to the right of our route1 with the object of bartering the worn-out beast for a couple of sheep1 but the nomads said they would not take it as a gift4 ,instead1 our men bought rice1 sour milk1 butter1 salt1 and a sheep1 so that we were provided for some days4 ,from the camp also ,abdul ,kerim took a long walk to some tents in the neighbourhood4 ,now poor ,abdul ,kerim had to do penance for his sins1 and if he had erred in taking too little barley from ,ladak1 he made up for it by his conduct on this adventurous journey4 ,from camp #cfj the highest peak of ,sha-kangsham lay south1 #gc ,e4 7,illust4 #cag74 ,takkar is still irreconcilable1 and heartily detests ,kunchuk who bought him4 ,but he also barks at us as soon as we show ourselves outside the tents4 ,on the march he is resigned as long as he is near our new horse1 but at other times he is savage4 ,the only one that dares go near him is ,little ,puppy1 who teases and sports with him and bites his ears4 ,takkar treats ,little ,puppy with supreme contempt1 and only when the young one presumes to snatch his new uncle's food he growls angrily1 but then ,little ,puppy pricks up his ears1 puts his head on one side1 and looks at him4 ,he little thought that the new dog could have bitten off his head like a chicken's if he had wished4 ,in reality1 ,takkar was glad to have a playfellow in his captivity1 though at first he held himself aloof to maintain his dignity4 ,the next morning ,lobsang and ,tubges went back to the nomads' tent and returned with three more sheep1 a lump of butter1 and a bag of tobacco4 ,their appetites were wonderful to behold4 ,the others had left for them half a pot of tea mixed with butter1 thick and red4 ,one cup disappeared after another1 and they emptied the pot to the last drop4 ,then they took some meat out1 which they ate up like wild beasts4 ,what was left they stuffed into their waistbelts1 to have it handy in case they were hungry before we reached the next camp4 ,we continued on our way to the south1 passing on our left hand an open plain which extended up to the foot of the skirts of ,sha-kangsham4 ,we passed tents and flocks at one or two places1 and encamped on a hill of loose material beside a spring4 ,the nomads around had nothing to sell1 but gave ,abdul ,kerim much valuable information4 ,on such occasions ,kunchuk used to sit and secretly note down all the geographical names4 ,among other details we now heard that if we held on our journey to the south for seven days we should fall in with a rich merchant from ,lhasa1 named ,tsongpun ,tashi1 who was wont to take up his quarters in winter in the heart of the ,bongba province to sell tea to the nomads4 ,we might be certain that if we came into the neighbourhood of his camp we should again be in a critical situation4 ,now ,lobsang and two weather-beaten ,ladakis complained that they slept badly1 because it was too warm in the tent4 ,the former wore a set of underclothes1 and above only a garment of thin woollen material4 ,in this costume he had travelled all the way from ,drugub1 and slept in #gb degrees of frost with only a couple of sacks over him1 for he had sold his skin coat to one of his comrades at the commencement of the journey4 ,only a ,tibetan can survive such an experience4 ,on ,march #bc we struggled up to the ,chaklam-la1 which we also heard called ,amchen-la4 ,the path up to it is steep1 and we moved exceedingly slowly up the ascent4 ,the sheep and the two yaks beat us hollow4 ,from the last tent the path was visible all the way up to the pass1 so ,i was obliged to travel on foot1 and ,i might have collapsed from palpitation of the heart and loss of breath if ,lobsang had not gone behind and pushed me4 ,the lives of two mules had been ebbing away during the previous days1 so the animals were left where nomads could take possession of them4 ,a black horse was also giving in1 and the newly bought one had to take over his load4 ,my grey horse was no longer worth much4 ,chaklam-la1 with its #ag1cci feet1 was a heavy trial to us1 and ,i was not delighted with the view which unrolled itself to the south--a labyrinth of mountains1 where it was plain to see that the ranges all stretched from east to west4 ,from the pass there is a steep descent to the river ,sangchen-chu1 which flows westwards4 ,we encamped on its bank4 ,now ,takkar was becoming resigned to his fate4 ,he was certainly annoyed at being tied to the pole1 but he found that he got good and plentiful food and that we were kind to him4 ,he barked only at ,kunchuk1 whom he could never forgive4 ,when we broke up our camp on ,march #bd1 we hesitated whether we should make for the south-west or south-east1 for high mountains rose to the south4 ,if we went south-westwards we should come too near to ,karma ,puntso1 and so we chose the south-easterly route4 ,we had first to cross the ice of the river1 #acj yards broad1 where a path was sanded4 ,the sheep had to be dragged over one by one by the horns1 and the yaks would not venture on the ice till they saw that it bore the horses and mules4 ,gulam went first on foot1 and had the usual order to give a sign if he saw a tent or shepherds4 ,we had not gone far when he stretched out his left hand1 which meant that ,i must dismount and go on foot while ,abdul ,kerim rode my horse4 ,it was only a shepherd with his flock4 ,as soon as the danger was past ,i exchanged places with the caravan leader4 ,a little farther on ,i found that ,i had lost my cigarette case1 which also contained some unmounted family portraits and one or two pieces of sticking-plaster4 ,it would be terrible if a ,tibetan found it4 ,only a ,european could own such a thing4 ,lobsang and ,kutus went back and searched along the track while ,i lay and waited on a bank4 ,they found the case1 and each received a cigarette as a reward1 and we sat and smoked while ,abdul ,kerim with ,kunchuk and ,tubges went down to a tent1 where there were only women1 and bought some provisions4 ,at the camp in the evening snow fell1 and at night the thermometer sank to zero4 ,now we had only #ba sheep left1 and we must try to increase our flock1 or1 still better1 buy a dozen horses4 ,in this region1 and in ,bongba generally1 it was difficult to buy sheep4 ,everywhere the nomads complained that their flocks had been decimated by the cold1 wind1 and snow1 and the pasturage was unusually poor1 because the rains had failed at the end of the preceding summer4 ,sheep-breeding is their means of subsistence1 and if they lose their flocks they are impoverished and can do nothing but wander about begging from more fortunate people4 ,they have therefore a decided objection to diminish their flocks by artificial means1 as we may say2 the flocks must fluctuate1 increasing in good times and diminishing in bad1 but they must not be reduced by sale4 ,therefore they often refuse to sell even at double the proper price4 ,still harder was it to buy horses in ,bongba4 ,in the night our animals wandered back to the former camp4 ,while ,lobsang and ,kutus went after them most of the day slipped by1 and therefore we remained at camp #cfc4 ,kunchuk and ,tubges spied a tent in a valley to the south1 where they bought rice1 barley1 tsamba1 milk1 and chura--a kind of cheese1 so that we had food for several days4 ,thus we got our livelihood in small portions1 bit by bit and from tent to tent4 ,our own flock had now shrunk to #ba head1 all carrying burdens4 ,a solitary wild-goose flew screaming over our camp4 ,had he got lost1 or was he a scout sent out to see if the ice were broken up on the lakes to the north8 ,doubtless he would soon return to his tribe and make his report4 ,it seemed to me that he had been despatched too soon4 ,from ,february #bd to ,march #bd we had traversed only #aij miles1 owing to the cutting storm1 loss of animals1 and now at length the difficult country4 ,we now seldom made a day's march of as much as #g miles4 ,it is most irritating that a tent1 like a sentinel-box or a spying eye1 always stands at the northern foot of a pass1 so that ,i have to walk all the way4 ,this day also1 when we crept up to the ,sanchen-la1 a small shelter stood on the saddle1 #ag1egb feet high4 ,southwards there were still more mountains4 ,at a distance of #bj to #be miles north1 #fj ,e41 rose the highest peak of ,sha-kangsham1 a fine sight in the beautiful weather1 when not a cloud obstructed the view4 ,five ,ovis ,ammons careered in nimble and elastic springs over the heights1 and small agile ,goa antelopes leaped along the southern slope1 where we scrambled down among detritus4 ,the ,pantholops antelope is not seen in this region4 ,close to where we encamped at ,nema-tok was a tent1 and the inmates sold us a sheep's load of rice4 ,an old man1 whom my fellows called familiarly ava or father1 came to look at our black horse which we wished to sell1 as it could evidently not travel much farther4 ,but the old man said he would not give a rap for the horse4 ,he informed us that in nine days nomads from all quarters would repair to the place where ,karma ,puntso dwelt1 to buy tea and pay their taxes to the ,government4 ,tsongpun ,tashi was a powerful and influential man1 he said4 ,we drew near to this potentate with a feeling of uneasiness and growing respect4 ,he enjoys peculiar privileges from the ,devashung4 ,he sells tea to the nomads on credit4 ,when they sell their sheep's wool in summer at the tasam they pay their debts to him in tengas or in goods4 ,tsongpun ,tashi makes a good profit on these transactions1 and therefore it is to his interest to stand well with the ,devashung4 ,if he1 who must have the reputation of being more intelligent and sensible than the simple nomads1 were to let us pass by with impunity1 he would have to answer for it to the ,devashung and would lose his privileges4 ,we were therefore evidently coming to a most critical moment4 ,nothing venture1 nothing have6 ,if ,i would explore the blank space in the heart of which ,i now found myself1 ,i must expose myself to various annoyances and run great risks4 ,for a moderately intelligent man it could be no particular pleasure to go on foot through desolate wastes like a vagabond1 and drive a flock of refractory sheep4 ,i was already thoroughly weary of this work1 for ,i had no talent or training to perform it properly4 ,i had to paint myself black every morning like a negro1 and ,i sat with a brush before the looking-glass1 smearing my face three times over to produce an evenly dark complexion4 ,my eyes were concealed with a pair of large round ,tibetan spectacles with my own polished glasses fixed inside4 ,this time ,i was much more carefully disguised than in #aija1 when ,i tried to get through to ,lhasa as a ,mongol1 but was held fast in the strong claws of ,kamba ,bombo4 ,my turban was too white1 so it was dipped in a dye of boiled butter and ashes1 and became at once quite shabby4 ,my soft leather boots were in holes1 so that the toes came out4 ,it was well that ,i ran no risk of meeting acquaintances from ,stockholm or ,london4 ,this journey was painful and trying to the nerves4 ,day and night ,i lived in the greatest anxiety lest ,i should be discovered and ignominiously unmasked4 ,the farther we advanced southwards the more ,i was troubled by this apprehension4 ,should we succeed1 or should we be forced back when we had traversed only half the distance across the blank space8 ,should ,i never cross the ,trans-,himalaya again8 ,at every stage our watchfulness and cautiousness increased1 and also the tension of our nerves4 ,i must always be on my guard and never hold a cigarette in my hand when we were on the march4 ,my map sheets and compass ,i thrust into my bosom to be near at hand4 ,when ,i collected a rock specimen1 took a bearing with the compass1 or made a drawing near a tent1 ,lobsang had to screen me1 and he became astonishingly adept at this game4 ,the sun ,i could observe only when we were quite sure that no ,tibetan could see the instrument4 ,sometimes ,i sat and drew a panorama through a peephole in the tent cloth4 ,the sheep were my refuge1 and with them ,i set out first1 and had not to take part in the packing and loading1 and ,i was spared from watching the animals at night1 as in #aija4 ,in both cases ,i was practically a prisoner in my tent1 where the evening hours seemed very long4 ,nothing is so trying and irritating to the mind as this anxiety in which ,i lived1 travelling in disguise1 and expecting any moment to come to a crisis in my fate4 ,,chapter ,,lxiv ,,tsongpun ,,tashi ,march #bg4 ,nearly -#d in the night--still winter4 ,but at one o'clock the temperature rose to #df--spring was coming4 ,an old man sold us four sheep in the morning1 and then prowled about our tents4 ,he could not at all understand why we had come hither1 especially at this season1 but ,abdul ,kerim told him that when we left ,tok-jalung the most severe cold was over4 ,this was a new story we had invented1 because it was more probable than the former1 and would pass better in the southern parts of the country4 ,here1 also1 stood the usual tent with a view up to the pass1 and ,i was obliged to go on foot up to the summit of the ,ladung-la with its #ag1cie feet4 ,but here the view was encouraging2 we had level or declining ground before us for four days4 ,the descent from the pass to the south was precipitous1 and we stumbled and slid through the rubbish1 which rattled down behind us1 and ,i had the satisfaction of ruining my boots and clothes more than ever4 ,the valley turned off to the right1 south-west1 and in the ,janglung district1 where we encamped1 a young shepherd informed us that we should come to ,tsongpun ,tashi's tent next day4 ,numerous springs bubbled up from the valley bottom and formed a little clear brook full of fish between grassy swards4 ,here some of us halted and used ,kutus's girdle as a net4 ,at the first haul we caught #ah fish1 and we did not cease till we had #afj--not large ones1 but quite sufficient to feed all thirteen of us4 ,it was amusing to see ,little ,puppy as he stood watching attentively and regarding the sprawling fishes1 barking and shaking his head4 ,he had never in his life seen running water before1 and must have supposed that he could walk upon it as safely as on clear ice4 ,quite unsuspiciously he jumped down from the grass1 where the brook was #b feet deep1 and entirely disappeared under the water4 ,when he had1 with much difficulty1 struggled up again1 he was much amazed and disconcerted1 and prowled about growling with displeasure at the cold bath4 ,after that he kept far away from the deceitful brook4 ,march #bh4 ,now we saw that we could trust ,takkar1 so we let him loose4 ,he did not run away1 but was in the best of tempers1 and flew like an arrow over the slopes1 enjoying his freedom1 and played with ,little ,puppy1 who became furious when the huge brute came racing down on him with playful leaps1 so that he rolled over and over on the ground4 ,abdul ,kerim was to go on the new horse with the ,ladaki saddle1 accompanied by two men1 to look out for ,tsongpun ,tashi4 ,he had plenty of money to buy anything he might find1 and in reply to searching questions he was to say that we had orders from ,gulam ,razul to meet one of his caravans in ,raga-tasam1 which in about ten days was to leave ,lhasa1 and then accompany it to ,ladak4 ,i had to ride my grey horse barebacked1 but ,i had not got far before we passed two tents1 where four ,tibetans came out to look at us4 ,two of our men went and talked to them while the rest of us followed the brook through the valley4 ,a little further and we had to be careful again1 for there were three more tents and two large flocks1 the owner of which possessed #cjjj sheep4 ,sheepfolds1 old camping-places1 and manis were all around1 for we were on a great highway1 and therefore ,i kept close to the sheep1 and whistled and shouted at them4 ,at the mouth of a side valley1 on the left1 stood a large white tent with blue borders1 which was said to belong to the chief of the district1 the ,gova ,chykying4 ,a man came out of the tent1 hurried after us1 and asked whence we came and whither we were going4 ,two women came out of a tent inhabited by beggars1 and put the same questions4 ,a mile or so farther we were out of sight of tents1 and ,i jumped on my grey horse1 but ,i could not ride far1 for more tents appeared farther down the valley4 ,we encamped by the side of the brook in the ,kung-sherya country1 where the valley is very broad and open1 and tents are seen in many directions4 ,from one of these1 which stood below ours1 a man came and made inquiries4 ,he said that one of the tents1 which looked large and important1 belonged to ,takyung ,lama1 abbot of ,mendong-gompa1 a monastery three days' journey to the south-east4 ,now we were in a warm corner1 with the district chief1 a high lama1 and ,tsongpun ,tashi as near neighbours1 and the ,governor of the great province of ,bongba not far off4 ,it would be a marvel if we succeeded in making our way out of this wasps' nest4 ,one thing was certain1 that we must make off next morning1 before news of our arrival had spread about4 ,after we had waited several hours ,abdul ,kerim came4 ,we could see at a long distance that he had bought a horse1 which was laden with sacks and bags containing rice1 barley1 butter1 and tsamba4 ,tsongpun ,tashi proved to be an old man of a poverty-stricken and mean appearance1 but his large tent was full of goods1 sacks1 and packets of tea1 and his movable shop was very well stocked4 ,naturally he was much surprised at the visit1 but he swallowed the story that ,abdul ,kerim dished up for him4 ,he had even given him the names of all the places where we ought to camp on the way to ,saka-dzong and ,raga-tasam1 and advised us to be well on our guard in a district he called ,bupgo-lathit1 where there were always robbers4 ,he related that a band of robbers had1 a few weeks before1 attacked and plundered ,targyaling-gompa1 the monastery where we had met with such a hostile reception in ,june of the preceding year4 ,forty men with horses and guns had been levied to chase the band1 but ,tsongpun ,tashi said that these forty men were little better than robbers themselves1 and that we ought to inquire about them1 so as to avoid them as they returned4 ,abdul ,kerim promised ,tsongpun ,tashi to barter our sick black horse for some provisions1 but ,abdul ,kerim did not know that ,abdullah had already exchanged the horse at the beggars' tent for two sheep and a goat4 ,there the faithful horse would see happy days again when the grass grew up4 ,after ,abdul ,kerim had drunk tea he went on to visit the ,gova ,chykying1 who came out of his tent and said that ,takyung ,lama had that very day imposed on him eight days' yangguk--that means that he must not transact any kind of business1 but must devote himself entirely1 on account of his sins1 to contemplation in his own house4 ,that was fine for us2 the ,gova was reduced to a negligible quantity4 ,march #bi4 ,temperature #ac in the night1 and #ee at seven o'clock--this is spring4 ,welcome mild salubrious breezes1 come to thaw our frozen joints6 ,early in the morning came a couple of our men tramping along with another dog1 light yellow1 dirty1 and loathsome4 ,he was inhospitably received by ,takkar1 who immediately gave him a sharp pinch in the neck1 and seemed to think that the new member of the caravan was quite superfluous as long as he kept watch himself4 ,far in the north a solitary ,tibetan appeared1 and approached our camp4 ,i was sitting at breakfast1 and was hoping that we should soon leave this dangerous place4 ,i went out and looked through the field-glass2 the stranger was making straight for our tents4 ,soon ,abdul ,kerim came and said that it was ,tsongpun ,tashi himself4 ,he stopped at some distance and called to us to tie up our dogs1 for ,takkar had rushed at the old man1 who defended himself with stones4 ,the men were purposely slow in fastening up the dogs1 in order to give me time to put the interior of my tent in order4 ,on such occasions my note-books and instruments were crammed into a rice sack1 which always stood ready4 ,there was no other furniture1 for we had burned all ,european articles and boxes long before4 ,meanwhile1 ,abdul ,kerim conducted ,tsongpun ,tashi into his tent1 which stood close against mine1 and ,i listened to their conversation at a distance of little more than a yard4 ,by degrees the talk became1 to say the least of it1 lively4 ,tsongpun ,tashi raised his voice more and more1 and ,abdul ,kerim was evidently in a serious dilemma4 ,did you not promise to give me the black horse in exchange for butter8 ,bring the horse immediately4 ,if you do not keep your word1 ,i will detain the whole pack of you here4 ,we do not let men that break their word escape in ,bongba4 ,i thought yesterday that you were honest men1 but now ,i see what you are up to4 ,now ,i shall begin by searching your tents4 ,with that he got up as angry as a wasp and went out4 ,but ,gulam1 who was always alert and never lost a word of a conversation1 had let ,takkar loose again4 ,as soon as ,tsongpun ,tashi showed himself at the tent door the dog flew at him again4 ,he backed1 and ,abdul seized the opportunity to call out in a gruff voice3 ,kutus1 take ,hajji ,baba with you and go and look for the lost horse4 ,what horse is that8 asked ,tsongpun4 ,it is one of our horses which has run away up the mountain1 and we cannot set out till we have found him4 ,what colour is he8 asked ,tsongpun with uncomfortable inquisitiveness4 ,grey1 replied ,abdul ,kerim1 who had difficulty in concealing his uneasiness1 for it was he who had pledged the black steed without knowing whether it was still in our possession4 ,very well1 ,i shall stay here till you have found the grey horse4 ,during the minute this conversation lasted ,tsongpun ,tashi had walked towards the opening of my tent1 when ,kutus came running up from the other side1 seized me by the collar1 and whispered ,come4 ,we hurried off to a crag on the north-east1 and so just escaped the clutches of ,tsongpun4 ,what man is that8 the old man asked1 pointing at me1 as ,i was making off with clumsy waddling steps4 ,hajji ,baba1 one of my servants1 answered ,abdul ,kerim1 without moving a muscle4 ,we did not look round as we went off to the point1 and were glad when at length we were hidden by a projecting rock4 ,then we scrambled up a fissure whence we could see all around4 ,here we lay a weary time with our hearts in our mouths1 while ,tsongpun ,tashi waited for the runaway horse1 which had not run away at all1 for all our animals stood ready laden before our tents4 ,but he must have lost patience4 ,after ,gaffar had gone to the tent to try and get back the black horse1 but met with a refusal1 for the horse had been fed with barley and was getting on splendidly1 ,tsongpun ,tashi seemed to make in that direction himself1 accompanied by ,gaffar4 ,but he changed his mind1 for he turned back half-way1 and soon we saw him going to the fine tent of the soul-doctor1 which stood about #cjj yards farther down the valley4 ,he was attended by one of our men1 who helped him to carry the sacks in which the goods acquired the previous day were packed4 ,we remained quiet in our hiding-place of much-weathered green schist1 full of quartz veins1 from which we could peep out without being seen4 ,we were supposed to be looking for the lost horse4 ,but now the caravan was ready1 and began to move down the valley past the abbot's tent4 ,tsongpun ,tashi's errand had been to take farewell of the prelate1 who was setting out this day for ,mendong-gompa1 absolutely unknown in all the maps in the world1 and his yaks stood tethered and surrounded by a troop of servants4 ,abdul ,kerim was shrewd enough to send no messenger after us1 but leave us to take care of ourselves4 ,and so we did when we had had enough of the green schist--we could not lie still till doomsday4 ,but we had to pass the abbot's tent1 and there sat ,tsongpun ,tashi1 unless he were among the men outside4 ,we sneaked on4 ,kutus walked next the tent to screen me4 ,my disguise was perfect1 and ,i had a black face4 ,we passed with some trepidation quite close to the tent2 two savage dogs rushed at us and we threw stones at them1 thereby deranging our order of march and making a change of front4 ,confounded dogs6 ,we had passed the tent1 and1 so far1 had done well4 ,but if ,tsongpun ,tashi noticed us--and he could scarcely fail to do so1 for the dogs barked so furiously--he would certainly wonder in which direction the grey horse had made off4 ,if he had no suspicion of us he must be1 beyond comparison1 the greatest ass that ,i had ever fallen in with4 ,we made haste and soon overtook the others1 and were lost among them4 ,the valley sloped down--a fortunate thing for me1 as ,i had to travel on foot where so many pitfalls surrounded me on all sides4 ,abdul ,kerim rode grandly on my horse at the head of the party4 ,on the left were a white-and-blue and a black tent with twenty yaks4 ,two men hurried up to us1 and ,abdul ,kerim met and spoke to them4 ,we marched along the ice belt of the brook1 and passed five more tents1 and1 at all1 the men came out to look at us4 ,i walked with the sheep farther from the tents than the caravan4 ,we passed twenty tents that day2 it was a dangerous stretch of country1 and it was strange that we came through safely4 ,a woman1 carrying a load of wool on her back1 overtook us4 ,she was so bold as to join herself to the caravan and ask to be allowed to put her wool on one of the yaks4 ,never have ,i so heartily wished a woman at the devil4 ,abdul ,rasak took the woman in hand and offered to carry half her load to her tent1 and so they jogged along the road far ahead1 and freed us from her suspicious company4 ,we took it for granted that she was a spy4 ,when we encamped below a sheepfold1 there she was again1 established herself inside the fold1 lighted a fire and fetched water4 ,she must drink tea before she went on homewards1 she said2 but fortunately she toddled off before dusk4 ,i sat in the setting sun and noted down the varied incidents of the day4 ,i sat in the opening of my tent enjoying the soothing rustle of the spring1 when what should ,i see but ,takkar himself1 who came up to me anxiously and humbly1 made the most expressive gestures1 put his head on one side and began to paw my arm4 ,i looked at him and he looked at me1 and at last we understood each other4 ,i could not know1 he said1 that you were nice men when you tied me by the neck to this horrible tent pole4 ,i thought that you would tease and torment and starve me1 and throw stones and dirt at me1 as the ,tibetans have done ever since ,i can remember4 ,but ,i see that you are well disposed towards me1 and give me two good meals of mutton every day4 ,i know that you1 in spite of your rags1 are a bombo-chimbo1 and that ,abdul ,kerim is only a servant4 ,be at ease1 ,i will not let any one come near your tent2 ,i will watch over you at night1 ,i will never betray you1 ,i will follow you everywhere2 you may trust in me4 ,but now come and play with me a little2 take away this useless tent pole1 and let us be no longer strangers4 ,his shrewd brown eyes showed plainly that this was what he meant to say1 word for word4 ,i took his shaggy head in my arms and squeezed it4 ,then he jumped up on me and began to dance and yelp with joy1 and enticed me out of my tent4 ,then ,i took hold of him again1 untied the knots1 and released him from his pole1 to the great astonishment of my men1 who were sitting in the open around a fire4 ,no one had ever ventured so near to ,takkar1 except ,little ,puppy1 and without the slightest jealousy the little cub joined in the game1 which henceforth whiled away daily a couple of hours of my weary captivity4 ,,chapter ,,lxv ,,buptsang-,,tsangpo1 ,,one ,,of ,,the ,,largest ,,rivers ,,of ,,the ,,heart ,,of ,,tibet ,it was with a feeling of relief that we broke up our camp on ,march #cj1 after we had succeeded in extricating ourselves from the net which had so nearly held us fast in its meshes4 ,through here runs the so-called ,serpun-lam1 or gold-inspectors' road1 which extends through the interior of ,tibet from ,lhasa to ,tok-jalung1 and is one of the greatest high-roads of the country4 ,we did not yet feel quite safe1 but we had heard some assuring news3 ,karma ,puntso had taken a journey of several days northwards to a place in ,chang-tang where he owned large flocks of sheep4 ,most of the nomads in ,bongba had sent their sheep to the north1 where the grazing was much better4 ,this was of great advantage to us1 for now only women1 old men1 and children remained in the tents of ,bongba1 while most of the men were following the sheep4 ,it was part of the trial of my patience that ,i could not have the slightest dealings with ,tibetans1 for ,i should have betrayed myself at once by my defective utterance of the language4 ,i never talked with them1 but pulled the strings of my marionettes from my place of concealment4 ,the wild-geese had now commenced their migrations1 and we constantly heard their cries above our tents4 ,on ,march #cj we found an excellent path along the river in which we had caught fish just below ,ladung-la4 ,the country was very open and flat1 and we passed at some distance from twelve tents4 ,near the last we pitched camp #cfh1 and bought a black horse4 ,we had now four horses1 of which one was a veteran from ,ladak2 now ,i rode the first horse we had bought--a brown one4 ,the last three mules and the two yaks from the ,tsong-tso were in good condition4 ,when we encamped near natives1 ,takkar was tied up outside the entrance to my tent to keep off inquisitive visitors4 ,he had been bred and reared among ,tibetans1 and had never seen any other people in his life till lately1 and yet now he became mad with rage if he saw a ,tibetan only at a distance4 ,i had often to pay various sums in rupees to those of his two-legged fellow-countrymen whose unprotected legs he had bitten1 and he was never contented without a slight effusion of blood4 ,we followed the river south-south-westwards for another day's journey to camp #cfi1 where some poor nomads were encamping by a sheet of snow4 ,sha-kangsham's summit came into sight again1 this time to the north1 #cj ,e41 rising like a gigantic beacon above the mountains4 ,five days' journey to the west-north-west was pointed out the salt lake1 ,tabie-tsaka1 the position of which ,i had sought in vain to ascertain from the tasam4 ,in the afternoon when ,i sat outside to draw a panorama1 nomads were strolling and peering about1 so that ,i had to post watchmen4 ,in the evening all around was pitch-dark3 there was no moon1 only dense clouds4 ,our animals had disappeared1 and as there was good reason to fear wolves and horse-stealers1 eight men were sent out to look for them4 ,they had revolvers1 and fired a few shots to let any possible disturbers of the peace know that we were armed4 ,the animals would not freeze1 for the temperature fell in the night only to #ah1 and in the morning they had come back again all right4 ,the only one missing was the greyish-yellow dog2 thinking1 perhaps1 that he had fallen into bad company1 he had gnawed through his rope and run home in the night to his miserable tent4 ,now the path runs south-south-west up to the little easy pass ,satsot-la 7#ae1icb feet71 in red porphyry and with a way-mark4 ,in the wide valley in front of us lies the lake ,chunit-tso1 and on its farther side rises a red mountain of regular form4 ,we pass several manis1 and on the right hand a miniature lake called ,chabuk-tso1 where ,tubges shot two wild-geese4 ,the honorary huntsman often supplied me with game2 he was called by his comrades simply ,shyok1 after his home1 just as we call one of our acquaintances ,jnkping or ,falsterbo4 ,we crossed a great road running to the north-west2 hundreds of yaks had recently passed--no doubt a salt caravan on the way to ,tabie-tsaka4 ,then we passed a circular wall1 where a solitary man came out and looked at us1 but retired behind the wall when he found that we would have nothing to do with him4 ,a fine mani decorated with horns stood on a terrace1 and just below it we halted for the night by a sheet of ice produced by springs4 ,we had scarcely set up the tents when a caravan of several hundred sheep1 laden with salt1 came along from the north-west4 ,only two armed guides were with it2 they had been to ,tabie-tsaka1 and were now going home to ,yangchut-tanga1 twenty days' journey to the south-east4 ,in the same direction #djj yaks were grazing1 which were said to belong to the ,gova of the district4 ,in the evening we had a visit from a traveller who was going home to his tent farther south4 ,he promised to sell us three sheep in the morning4 ,would he keep his word8 ,yes1 certainly2 he met us with the sheep next day as we were passing along the western shore of the ,chunit-tso 7#ae1egd feet7 southwards4 ,at the northern extremity of the lake a warm sulphurous spring burst forth4 ,we were told that if a man drinks of it he becomes ill1 but if he mixes the water with some from an adjacent cold spring he is cured of any complaint he may suffer from4 ,sick sheep and goats are dipped in the warm water and become well again at once4 ,the spring is holy1 and a mani heap is set up near it4 ,the lake is slightly salt and frozen4 ,two small brooks enter it from the mountains on the west2 a third brook1 ,lungnak-bupchu1 formed a large sheet of ice1 and in the mouth of its valley stood a couple of tents1 and their dogs came down on us like a whirlwind1 but received such a thrashing from ,takkar that they showed themselves no more that evening4 ,april #c4 ,we left the southern end of the lake behind us and ascended a small valley leading up to the low pass ,nima-lung-la1 near which we encamped in a barren spot between granite crags4 ,an eagle-owl sat in a cleft and at twilight uttered its shrill piercing cry4 ,lobsang said that this bird was thought much of in ,tibet1 because it warns honest men of thieves and robbers4 ,when the eagle-owls sit and scream1 robbers are certain to be in the neighbourhood4 ,on ,april #d we had only half an hour's march to the threshold of the ,nima-lung-la 7#af1jag feet71 from which there is a magnificent view over the ,trans-,himalaya--a series of dark rocks with black1 snow-crowned peaks4 ,between us and the range extended a wide1 perfectly level plain1 full of pools1 marshes1 and rivulets4 ,at one of them sat two ,tibetans cutting up a yak which had died4 ,they confirmed the information we had received before1 that we were now in the district ,bongba-kemar1 a day's journey from ,bongba-kebyang1 and that we must follow the river ,buptsang-tsangpo for several days upwards to reach ,saka-dzong by the pass ,samye-la4 ,i had still a very dim and indistinct notion of the geographical configuration of this region4 ,was the range in front of us to the south a continuation of ,nien-chen-tang-la1 which ,i had crossed at the ,sela-la1 ,chang-la-,pod-la1 and ,angden-la2 or was it another range disconnected from the former8 ,during the following days we should obtain an answer to this question4 ,should we be successful1 and be able to complete this exceedingly important meridional traverse through an unknown part of ,tibet8 ,it would be more than provoking to be stopped just at the northern foot of the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,camp #cgd was pitched below the opening of a valley where there were two tents4 ,the nomads warned us against the water in the pools of the plain3 our horses would lose their hair if they drank of it4 ,snoring ,kunchuk complained of toothache1 but was cured at once by two resolute comrades4 ,the operation was performed with pincers properly intended for horse-shoe nails4 ,to get at the tooth better1 they put a stone in the patient's mouth4 ,do not kill me1 he shrieked when the tooth jumped out4 ,on ,april #e we travelled altogether #aj miles to the south4 ,the country was perfectly barren1 and the ground was entirely covered with red porphyry detritus4 ,a small spring surrounded by grass seemed to us quite an oasis1 and there we encamped near a sheepfold and a mani heap4 ,another day's march and we came to the ,buptsang-tsangpo1 the deeply excavated river1 and followed it to the south4 ,the river is divided into several arms1 and already contained a deal of water1 though for the most part it was frozen4 ,this valley is about #c miles broad and has a very gentle slope4 ,the locality where we encamped after passing fourteen tents was called ,monlam-gongma 7#ae1hbj feet74 ,hence the river was said to flow five days' journey to the north-north-west and pour into a large lake1 called the ,tarok-tso4 ,we might have attempted to make an excursion in that direction1 but it was more important to complete the meridional line while the country was still open to us4 ,two huge snowy peaks which the nomads here1 as on the tasam1 called ,lunpo-gangri1 or the great ice mountain1 were said to lie to the right of the route we ought to follow to ,saka-dzong4 ,this information was exceedingly puzzling1 and ,i saw that ,lunpo-gangri with the summits triangulated by ,ryder and ,wood could not be a prolongation of the mighty range ,i had crossed by three passes1 and which1 farther east1 bears the name ,nien-chen-tang-la4 ,after a vain attempt to get rid of our enfeebled yaks1 we continued up the great river along its right or eastern bank terrace4 ,a south-westerly storm which commenced some days before still continued4 ,in the ,amchung country 7camp #cgf7 we had a neighbour called ,kamba ,dramdul1 who could not give much information1 but what he said was of deep interest4 ,we had still some days' journey to the ,samye-la--all up the ,buptsang-tsangpo valley1 with gangris or snowy heights on both the right and left sides4 ,on the pass we should be quite close to the peaks of ,lunpo-gangri4 ,i already suspected that the great range we had on our left--that is1 towards the east--was a continuation of ,nien-chen-tang-la1 while ,lunpo-gangri was a quite independent chain without the least connection with the former4 ,the eastern range increased in magnitude on the following day's march1 and among its dark ramifications rose some rather flat summits capped with eternal snow4 ,we kept for the most part to the top of the terrace on the right bank1 which was #ej to #fe feet above the river1 and fell steeply to the even valley bottom where the stream meandered4 ,here the valley was about #b miles broad4 ,the ice mantle of the river became wider and thicker the higher we mounted1 but the rise was very gradual4 ,from camp #cgg the culminating peak of ,lunpo-gangri lay south1 #bc ,e4 ,every day's journey we accomplished without adventures strengthened our position4 ,the nomads must think3 ,if these men travel right through the whole of ,bongba without being stopped1 they cannot be impostors4 ,on ,april #aj we travelled #h miles up the ,buptsang-tsangpo1 and we were astonished to find so voluminous a river up on the isolated plateau country4 ,on its banks ducks and geese cackled in large numbers4 ,tubges shot several of them2 it was a sin to disturb their dreams of spring and love4 ,no human being was seen this day4 ,i had a feeling of repose when we could see no black tents1 and for the sake of peace ,i would readily abstain from sour milk4 ,the view to the south-south-east was magnificent2 the peaks of ,lunpo-gangri stood out against the pure blue sky in dazzling white1 with shades of light blue indicating ice4 ,on the east also of our route appeared a whole world of mountains4 ,most unexpectedly the summits of ,lunpo-gangri have a much grander and more imposing appearance from the northern side1 towards the plateau country1 than from the south side1 the valley of the ,brahmaputra1 most probably because on the southern side they are too near4 ,up in the north we saw them at all distances1 and for several days we had them right in front of us4 ,illustration3 #cai1 #cbj1 #cba4 ,,the ,,summits ,,of ,,lunpo-,,gangri ,,from ,,camps #cgi1 #cha1 ,,and #chc4 ,from ,water-,colours by the ,author4 ,in the night of ,april #aa the temperature sank to -#a4g1 and on the preceding nights to #c4g1 #ac4e1 and #ag4b4 ,the cold increased as we mounted higher4 ,we came to an expansion in the valley where three glacier streams unite to form the ,buptsang-tsangpo1 just as in the case of the ,brahmaputra1 and also on the northern flank of one of the world's mightiest mountain systems4 ,our camp #cgi 7#af1aab feet7 was pitched close to the river in ,bupyung-ring4 ,the eastern headwater comes partly from the ,samye-la1 partly from mountains adjoining on the south-west4 ,the middle one descends from a massive called ,yallak-mallak1 and the western from ,chomo-gangri2 south-east of this mountain is ,lunpo-gangri1 which is drained to the sea1 both from its northern and its southern flank 7,illusts4 #cai1 #cbj1 #cba74 ,bupyung-ring is one of the finest and most beautiful regions ,i have seen in ,tibet4 ,the flat wide valley1 surrounded by mountains with ice and snow1 is clothed with abundant grass and traversed by numerous water-courses4 ,everywhere are seen traces of camping-places4 ,at the time we passed through only a few tent villages remained1 but the valley is full of life in summer when the nomads come down from the north4 ,when the melting of the snows properly sets in during summer1 and afterwards in the rainy season1 the ,buptsang-tsangpo swells up so tremendously that the river cannot be crossed for three months1 and communication between the banks is interrupted4 ,from its source to its outlet in the ,tarok-tso the river is probably nearly #ajj miles long1 and is possibly the largest river in ,tibet which does not flow to the sea4 ,the only rivers that can vie with it are the ,sachu-tsangpo1 which flows into the ,zilling-tso1 and the ,soma-tsangpo1 which falls into the ,teri-nam-tso4 ,the ,sachu-tsangpo was far larger than the ,buptsang when ,i crossed it in the rainy season in #aija4 ,but the ,buptsang is also a large river in spring1 and in the rainy season must swell as much as the ,sachu4 ,the ,buptsang-tsangpo has hitherto been unknown to ,europeans1 but we find the ,tarok-tso on ,d',anville's map1 and a river entering the lake from the south1 which no doubt is identical with the ,buptsang-tsangpo4 ,the ,jesuits who resided in ,pekin two hundred years ago1 and were ordered by the ,emperor ,kang ,hi to compile a map of the whole ,chinese ,empire1 procured information even about this remote region from ,chinese and ,tibetan sources4 ,during the past days our two yaks had become so wearied and footsore that we had to get rid of them at any price4 ,we therefore stayed a day in ,bupyung and bartered them for nine sheep1 which took over the loads of the yaks4 ,now we had again thirty-one sheep and some goats4 ,on the #acth we came to the foot of the mountain where commenced the actual steep ascent to the pass itself4 ,here were four tents inhabited exclusively by women and children4 ,the men had gone a couple of days before to ,gova ,tsepten's tent4 ,it is incumbent on this chief to collect a certain number of men and yaks1 which for about three months are posted on the tasam ready to transport goods on behalf of the ,devashung without compensation4 ,this is a kind of corve which is exacted not only all along the road between ,lhasa and ,ladak1 but on all other great high-roads in ,tibet4 ,naturally this injudicious system is a great annoyance to the nomads1 who have to leave their flocks in the meantime to the care of women and children4 ,if any one wishes to escape this compulsory service he must supply a substitute1 pay him1 and furnish him with yaks and provisions4 ,the year before1 when we travelled with hired horses from ,shigatse1 the poor nomads served us1 but we always paid them honourably and gave them handsome gratuities as well4 ,after a night temperature of -#j4h we rode up to the pass on the #adth1 over and between hills and across the brook which brings its tribute from the ,samye-la to the ,buptsang-tsangpo4 ,solid rock could not be found1 but all the detritus and boulders were of grey granite2 seldom was a piece of porphyry noticed4 ,the usual observations were made on the pass1 and the boiling-point thermometer was read off4 ,the view of ,lunpo-gangri was grander than ever1 now that its peaks were quite near4 ,the distinctly marked valley of the ,buptsang-tsangpo disappeared in the distance to the north-north-west1 while to the south-east nothing could be seen but a flat saddle1 whence ,i concluded that we were not yet on the actual water-parting pass4 ,we had not followed the track of the caravan far1 before we saw a brook coming from the south-east1 which also belonged to the ,buptsang-tsangpo4 ,on its bank1 where we also halted1 was encamped a caravan of #h men and #cej yaks1 which was carrying salt to ,saka-dzong1 six days' march farther4 ,these men could not understand why we1 merchants from ,ladak1 chose such a way1 and asked how we found it out4 ,they were treated to the usual story about the wool-trade in summer1 and they regretted that they could not serve us with their yaks1 as they were called out for ,government transport on the great high-roads4 ,now we wondered whether they would let the ,governor of ,saka-dzong know that they had met with a party of ,ladakis on byways1 and if this news would injure us4 ,perhaps1 after all1 it would be best to avoid ,saka-dzong altogether4 ,on ,april #ae it was our chief desire to get in advance of the yak caravan4 ,before they had begun to load up their animals ,i started off with the sheep1 and came in good time to the summit of the ,samye-la with its streamer-decked poles4 ,though we were all the way in sight of the yak-men's camp1 ,i must1 at any cost1 determine the height of the pass1 and the distance was so great that they could not see what we were doing4 ,after boiling the thermometer1 whence we obtained a height of #ah1acc feet1 ,i also drew a panorama4 ,to the south and south-east was a world of mountains belonging to the ,lunpo-gangri range1 which lay to the south1 and to ,nien-chen-tang-la on the north4 ,we were therefore standing on the actual watershed between two gigantic ranges1 which are both members of the ,trans-,himalayan family4 ,and this pass1 the ,samye-la1 occupies the highest and most important rank from a hydrographic and orographical point of view that any pass in ,asia can lay claim to1 for it is a divide between the isolated drainage area of the plateau on the north and the boundless ocean1 on the south4 ,it ranks1 then1 with the ,sela-la1 ,chang-la-,pod-la1 and ,angden-la1 and is much more important than the ,tseti-lachen-la1 which is only a watershed between the ,sutlej and the ,indus1 and than the ,jukti-la1 which parts the waters between the two arms of the ,indus4 ,at the ,samye-la ,i attained my chief desire1 to cross the ,trans-,himalaya between the ,tseti-lachen-la and the ,ang-den-la1 and gain another point on the immense boundary line on the north of the basins of the great ,indian rivers1 and ,i succeeded in proving the unbroken continuance of the ,trans-,himalaya for #aah miles west of ,angden-la4 ,a most extraordinarily interesting discovery also was that the ,angden-la and the ,samye-la1 though of exactly the same value as watersheds1 do not lie on the same chain4 ,the ,angden-la is situated on the western prolongation of the chain which stands on the southern shore of ,tengri-nor and is known by the name of ,nien-chen-tang-la1 but the ,samye-la lies in a longitudinal valley between this chain and ,lunpo-gangri4 ,accordingly1 ,i could strike out once and for all the continuous mountain range which ,hodgson and ,saunders constructed at their writing-table1 and represented as running north of the upper ,brahmaputra4 ,here also ,i considered what name ,i should give to the colossal mountain system which runs in the north parallel to the ,himalayas4 ,the name ,lunpo-gangri had at least as much claim as ,nien-chen-tang-la1 but both were unsuitable1 as they only denoted certain ranges in a whole system1 and therefore had only local significance4 ,then it came to me like a flash--,trans-,himalaya is the name which ,i will attach to this gigantic mountain system4 ,while ,i sat and pondered over the great idea which had come to me this day without any merit of my own1 ,i was recalled to the business of the moment by ,lobsang1 who informed me that the yaks were moving in a black line up to the pass4 ,then we got up and went on foot down the slopes bestrewn with troublesome rubbish and granite boulders4 ,soon trickling rivulets collected into a small brook4 ,i regarded with pleasure this little stream leaping among the stones1 and listened to its purling song4 ,it was the old melody1 and we had recently heard it from the brooks of the ,buptsang-tsangpo4 ,and yet ,i seemed to hear an undertone of another kind1 a sound in the water which suggested a new aim4 ,the ,buptsang-tsangpo is doomed to final annihilation in the ,tarok-tso and ,tabie-tsaka1 where the water is evaporated and dispersed to the four winds of heaven4 ,but the brook we now followed debouches into the ,chaktak-tsangpo and ,brahmaputra1 and its destiny is the ,indian ,ocean1 over which runs the way to my home4 ,we had just set up our tents before the yaks came tramping up in close order1 followed by their whistling and singing drivers4 ,they went round1 not to come too near us4 ,were they afraid of us or were they suspicious8 ,were they a cloud1 no larger than a man's hand1 from which1 in due time1 a destructive tornado was to burst over our little band1 which now for the second time crossed the forbidden land without leave8 ,,chapter ,,lxvi ,,in ,,the ,,robbers' ,,paradise ,in former times the glacier tongues of ,lunpo-gangri ran down into the valley1 and traces of them were very conspicuous as we descended to lower country on ,april #af4 ,the valley is quite full of old moraines1 consisting exclusively of granite1 and some of them are superficially concealed under fine matter and moss4 ,we passed the large yak caravan again1 which was encamping after a very short march4 ,evidently the men intended to stay over the next day1 for the loads were taken off the yaks and piled up4 ,when they mean to set out again the next day they leave the loads on the yaks1 for they think it too much trouble to load and unload #cej yaks for a single night4 ,they might stay for us as long as they liked2 we should get in advance and pass by ,saka-dzong before we were denounced4 ,but no1 it would be wiser to avoid ,saka-dzong altogether2 not to escape the sight of ,muhamed ,isa's grave1 but not to needlessly expose ourselves to suspicion4 ,it was perfectly evident that the authorities would wonder why a small party of ,ladakis went along byways instead of following the great tasam1 and they would hold an inquiry over us4 ,illustration3 #cbb4 ,,wrestling4 #cbc4 ,,two ,,guides4 #cbd4 ,,boy ,,with ,,hat4 #cbe4 ,,shepherd ,,boy4 7,,inhabitants ,,of ,,the ,,province ,,of ,,bongba47 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,after the moraines came to an end we traversed a more open expansion of the valley1 with luxuriant grass and millions of detestable mouse-holes4 ,we were right glad when ,takkar pinched the necks of one or two of these obnoxious rodents4 ,tubges supplied me with partridges1 and one of our goats yielded me a drop of milk4 ,from camp #chc ,lunpo-gangri's summits are seen foreshortened1 and one of them is as small as an umbrella4 ,several peaks are seen to the east-south-east1 the continuation of the range1 and it is not difficult to infer that ,chomo-uchong1 the isolated mountain beside the tasam1 lies in the eastern prolongation of ,lunpo-gangri4 ,i took bearings of the higher summits in the neighbourhood from every camp1 and shall hereafter make known the results4 ,the other men make the ,snorer's life miserable4 ,at eight o'clock he crawls into his lair beside the sheep1 and immediately begins his wood-sawing4 ,some one yells at him1 and he wakes up and makes some witty remark1 which makes the men laugh1 and he never loses his temper4 ,in two minutes he is asleep again and sawing as hard as ever1 and is roused by another shout4 ,only when the others have fallen asleep is he left in peace1 and can saw as hard as he likes4 ,little ,puppy behaves splendidly1 is lively1 playful1 and affectionate4 ,at night he sleeps on the rugs at my feet and helps ,takkar to keep watch4 ,they are my companions1 and it will be hard to part from them4 ,april #ag4 #j4g4 ,how long this winter has been6 ,now ,lobsang has come to the conclusion that the yak drivers will not denounce us1 for fear lest they should be called to account for not spying upon us better4 ,we continue our way down the valley4 ,how delightful only to go for some days to lower country4 ,in some places we see summer camping-grounds2 now the country is desolate and deserted4 ,the river carries down about #gj cubic feet of clear water per second2 it has open water only in the middle1 and elsewhere is covered with margins of ice #b feet thick1 and icicles hang from their edges4 ,on the banks1 field-mice dart about between their holes4 ,the valley contracts and the river often skirts steep cliffs of schist4 ,most of the tributaries1 and the largest of them1 come from the chain which is the immediate continuation of ,nien-chen-tang-la4 ,the ice becomes thicker the more the valley contracts and the longer it is in shadow4 ,we often cross it from one bank to the other1 where it forms a bridge4 ,stags' horns are set up on a mani heap2 where do they come from8 ,this valley runs between the two ranges like the ,buptsang-tsangpo4 ,on this day we never see a man or a tent4 ,in the evening a night owl again sat screeching above the camp1 and the ,ladakis were convinced that it meant to warn us against robbers4 ,if these knew that a ,european with ,european weapons was in the caravan they would not attack it2 but we were only ,ladakis1 and the ,tibetans despise ,ladakis and look upon them as cowards4 ,on the #ahth we travelled southwards to the place 7#ae1djg feet7 where our valley enters the ,rukyok valley1 running down from the west-north-west1 at the bottom of which some of the ,lunpo-gangri summits were again visible4 ,still no men were to be seen1 only numerous summer camping-places4 ,two horsemen rode past our camp on the other1 right1 side of the valley4 ,what did they want8 ,were they spies8 ,we had every reason to suspect a spy in every human being4 ,no2 they were kiang hunters from ,gertse1 who had left their home and were seeking new dwellings in another province1 because of some unpleasantness with the ,gertse ,pun1 the potentate whom we were carefully making away from4 ,they informed us that we were a day's journey from ,pasa-guk1 where ,i had encamped the year before1 and three short marches from ,saka-dzong4 ,it was hazardous to pass so near a governor's residence4 ,abdul ,kerim bought one of the riders' horses for #ajj rupees4 ,this day ,i put on for the first time a new ,ladaki costume4 ,the other was too warm1 and1 being red1 was conspicuous among the others4 ,the new coat was made of worn1 tattered sackcloth1 and was stained with ashes and soot4 ,in this ,i looked just like the other men4 ,now ,i painted my face regularly every day1 and he must be a very smart fellow who could find out that ,i was not a genuine ,ladaki4 ,we had hitherto got on remarkably well1 and had only a day's journey to a place where ,i had been the year before4 ,but the nervous tension increased more and more1 and ,i wondered every morning what surprises the new day had in store for us4 ,illustration3 #cbf4 ,,sonam ,,ngurbu1 ,,chief ,,of ,,the ,,chokchu ,,province4 #cbg4 ,,dorche ,,tsuen1 ,,governor ,,of ,,the ,,saka ,,province4 #cbh4 ,,man ,,with ,a ,,singular ,,cap1 ,,in ,,sonam ,,ngurbu',s ,,escort4 #cbi4 ,,tagla ,,tsering1 ,,the ,,chief ,,who ,,refused ,,to ,,let ,,me ,,go ,,to ,,the ,,dangra-,,yum-,,tso4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,april #ai4 ,as we were starting1 two men passed on foot1 driving before them #bjj sheep laden with salt4 ,our way was the same as theirs and we had to pass them4 ,while ,i drove our own sheep down the road1 ,abdul ,kerim stopped and talked with the men1 to draw off their attention2 but we could see that they were interested in our strange party1 and looked closely at us4 ,i limped1 thinking that the ,tibetans had never seen a lame ,european1 if they had seen any ,european at all4 ,but the people had seen me in ,pasa-guk and ,saka-dzong the year before1 and then ,i did not halt4 ,i had come off well from our troublesome neighbours and also past the large yak caravan1 which a couple of days ago had turned off another way but had now come into ours again4 ,we met a large sheep caravan with a mounted party2 a woman was said to be the wife of the ,gova of ,rukyok4 ,the people we had just met were not so dangerous as those that followed4 ,we left the ,rukyok river farther and farther to the right1 and directly to the south appeared quite close the lofty summit which rises above ,pasa-guk4 ,we had left the salt-laden sheep and the yaks behind us1 and we came at length to the bank of our old friend the ,chaktak-tsangpo1 which was considerably smaller than at the end of ,may and beginning of ,june the year before4 ,here we left the high-road to the south1 and marched northwards along the ,chaktak-tsangpo's right1 or western bank1 where we soon encamped on a meadow 7#ae1bjc feet74 ,when ,abdul ,kerim came back he was very solemn4 ,he had had great difficulty in answering questions why we followed a byway along the ,chaktak-tsangpo instead of taking the highway to ,saka-dzong as all other travellers did4 ,he had replied that we were sent to find out how much sheep's wool would be for sale in the country next summer4 ,then the men of the salt caravan had said3 ,you cannot be afraid of robbers2 they frequent the mountains up here4 ,are you well armed8 ,yes1 we have two guns and some revolvers4 ,you will want them4 ,we see that you are peaceful people1 so we warn you4 ,six days ago a robber band1 eighteen men strong1 each with his horse and gun1 attacked a tent village here in the neighbourhood4 ,they pillaged #c tents1 took #djj sheep and about #bjj yaks1 and made off by the road you intend to follow4 ,men were collected and sent after them1 but two were killed and the others ran away4 ,no one knows where the band is now4 ,if you value your lives1 keep a sharp watch at night4 ,if they attack you1 let them plunder you2 you are only thirteen1 and cannot defend yourselves4 ,this was why ,abdul ,kerim looked so anxious1 and it was not to be wondered at4 ,now we also ran the risk of a night attack1 as if it were not trying enough to travel in disguise by byways through the forbidden land4 ,as long as there was daylight the animals were allowed to wander about and graze1 but at dusk they were driven up near to the tents4 ,in the evening the men could talk of nothing but robbers4 ,lobsang1 who was a ,tibetan himself1 took the matter quietly4 ,he said that there were organized bands of as many as a hundred men with a chief at their head1 who ordered where raids should be made4 ,but at this season of the year they sat round their fires and tried to look innocent4 ,in his opinion the air must be warmer before they would move4 ,if a robber was caught in the neighbourhood of ,gartok1 his head and one arm must be sent as a proof to ,lhasa1 he added4 ,in the principal towns punishment is very severe4 ,for theft an eye is taken out and a hand cut off4 ,a ,gova or other magistrate who catches a robber receives a reward or promotion1 but one who neglects his duty is punished4 ,we heard that the district near ,geddo by the upper ,raga-tsangpo is notorious as a regular nest of robbers1 and is visited by professional freebooters from ,nakchu4 ,in the twilight the ,mohammedans among my ,ladakis sang the same melodious hymn ,i had first heard at ,kizil-unkur4 ,allahu ekber echoed among the rocky cliffs2 and it is very effective in protecting true believers against the wiles of the heathen4 ,they had all at once become deeply religious again in the robbers' paradise4 ,allahu ekber1 ,god is great4 ,the night passed peacefully1 and early the next morning it was reported that five horsemen were approaching our tents from the north4 ,the field-glass reduced them to two men1 a woman1 and some yaks4 ,they made a circuit as though they were afraid of us1 but ,abdul ,kerim hailed them to get information about the road4 ,then we marched on directly eastwards along the northern bank of the ,chaktak-tsangpo4 ,the ascent was very gradual1 the valley fairly broad and with abundant pasture4 ,no tent was seen1 but summer camps were numerous4 ,a cairn marks the place where the ,chaktak-tsangpo1 coming from the north1 #aj ,w41 unites with its tributary the ,gebuk-chu from the east4 ,to the north-north-east rise two snowy peaks of medium height with small glaciers4 ,it was evident that the ,chaktak-tsangpo flows from the country to the north of them1 for the deeply excavated transverse valley of the river could be clearly traced4 ,the main river may carry down about #bej cubic feet in a second1 and the affluent about #gj4 ,in this district the river is called ,kamchung-chu2 the name ,chaktak-tsangpo 7,charta-tsangpo1 as it is incorrectly called by ,nain ,sing7 is not applied to it above ,pasa-guk4 ,we encamped in the angle between the two rivers near a meadow where three horses were feeding4 ,their owners1 who were bivouacking behind a projection near at hand1 were from ,rukyok and had lost many of their sheep in winter from disease1 and had been to a warm spring to dip and save the remainder4 ,we were here about due north of ,saka-dzong and about two days' journey from it4 ,but between us and the ,governor's residence rose a ridge which is a link in the chain of ,lunpo-gangri4 ,in the evening and at night our watchmen fired1 as usual1 some revolver shots1 to inform any chance robbers that we were on our guard4 ,april #ba4 ,as the tents were being taken down1 our neighbours went by with #bjj sheep4 ,i turned my back to them and busied myself with loading a mule4 ,then ,i travelled with the sheep1 for there were several more tents farther up1 and ,i could not ride till we came to an uninhabited part of the valley4 ,several side valleys opened on the left1 and at their ends could sometimes be seen a part of the main crest4 ,we know absolutely nothing of the country to the north of it1 but that it cannot be the watershed between the plateau and the sea is evident1 and was shown by the ,kamchung transverse valley4 ,after crossing the river twice over bridges of porous ice we encamped near a sheepfold where dry dung was plentiful4 ,the last nomads had told us that next day we should come to a large tent1 the property of an influential old man named ,kamba ,tsenam1 who owned #ajjj yaks and #ejjj sheep4 ,he would evidently be our next difficulty1 and if we slipped past him the country would be open to us as far as ,raga-tasam4 ,we are satisfied when1 as on this day1 we have again gained nearly #i miles without being interfered with2 but how shall we fare to-morrow8--this is the standing question we ask ourselves every evening4 ,it is certainly an advantage to travel along out-of-the-way paths where we escape notice1 but if any sharp gova or governor hears us spoken of1 he cannot help being suspicious of our strange proceedings1 and institute a close inquiry4 ,now the salt caravan which we passed has already arrived at ,saka-dzong2 we are1 indeed1 to the east of that place1 but we travel so slowly that we can never escape pursuit4 ,our excitement grows daily4 ,i am tired and weary of this self-imposed confinement1 and long for it to come to an end4 ,what shall we do then8 ,that ,i know not4 ,we have penetrated so far that a crisis must come4 ,i have managed to travel through ,bongba1 but my plans for the immediate future are very indefinite and depend on circumstances4 ,we will get on as far as we can4 ,april #bb was a day when we knew that the definite crisis was coming very much nearer4 ,abdul ,kerim1 ,kunchuk1 and ,gaffar set out first to pay a visit to ,kamba ,tsenam and keep his attention riveted on the sale of food and horses4 ,we followed after1 and crossed the river twice on cracking bridges of ice1 kept along the northern bank1 and passed a side valley1 at the mouth of which stood three tents1 where our men were in the midst of a group of ,tibetans who were showing their horses4 ,gulam had warned me in time1 so ,i dismounted and went and looked after our last mules4 ,as soon as we were concealed by a bank terrace ,i could ride again4 ,the pleasure did not last long1 for at the next side valley on the north ,i had to dismount again before another tent1 where a pack of savage dogs were encountered by ,takkar and ,little ,puppy1 who1 save the mark1 would help to defend us1 but received a nip in the neck and had to be rescued4 ,here we lost ,kutus and ,tubges1 who remained at the tent1 while our diminished party continued on its way eastwards4 ,at a spur on the northern side of the valley a couple of elegant mani heaps were erected1 and by one of them a streamer pole was set up4 ,it had snowed thickly ever since eight o'clock1 but the valley was so narrow that we could not pass all the tents unseen4 ,just at the projecting point a large valley ran in from the north3 we only guessed at it1 for everything was hidden in the snowstorm4 ,gulam went a little way ahead and gave me the sign to dismount4 ,immediately in front of the point stood four tents and a small stone cabin1 where a man stood watching us1 and also a chief's tent of such huge dimensions that ,i never saw its like2 it was as large as a house4 ,here we left ,lobsang and ,abdul ,rasak1 and went on eastwards with a much diminished party4 ,the chief volume of the ,gebuk-chu comes from the northern valley2 in our valley1 which we knew led to the ,gebuk-la1 only a brook was left4 ,we set up our tents on the terrace at the mouth of a northern side valley4 ,all the country was white1 and not a shadow could be seen of the surroundings4 ,our three tents stood as usual close together1 mine with its opening up the valley1 that is1 eastwards4 ,after a while the men left behind came up and gave their reports in turn4 ,they had bought provisions for two days1 and had learned that the district was called ,gebuk-yung4 ,the next day we should go over the ,gebuk-la and encamp at the foot of the ,kinchen-la1 from the top of which we should see ,raga-tasam the following day4 ,of course it was risky for three parties of our men to visit three tents near together1 for the ,tibetans always asked about the routes we had followed and our plans1 and our men might in their haste give discordant answers4 ,in the large tent ,lobsang had been cross-examined1 and had answered that we came from the ,gertse ,pun1 who had advised us to take this byroad because we should reach ,raga-tasam two days sooner than if we went through ,saka-dzong4 ,quite true1 the ,tibetans answered1 but also warned us against robbers1 for thirteen ,ladakis would be but a mouthful for an ordinary robber band1 and the country was very unsafe4 ,it is well for you that you have good weapons1 they said4 ,lastly1 ,abdul ,kerim turned up with his purchases4 ,he had learned that all the tents we had seen in the day belonged to ,kamba ,tsenam1 who lived himself in the largest1 but he happened to be in ,saka-dzong1 where an assembly had been convened in anticipation of an impending visit from a high ,chinese official1 and the question what present should be made to him had to be decided4 ,kamba ,tsenam owned thirty-five horses1 which were grazing beyond ,gebuk-la1 and if the rich nomad returned in the evening we should certainly be able to buy some from him4 ,you say1 declared an elderly man in ,kamba ,tsenam's service1 that you are a tsongpun 7merchant7 from ,ladak4 ,why then do you travel by this dangerous side route8 ,here you can drive no trade4 ,how have you found the way8 ,why have you travelled in winter8 ,why do you ask the names of the valleys8 ,i have to write down all the names1 he answered1 that we may find the way again in summer1 for ,i am commissioned to make large purchases of wool4 ,that is well1 you shall have several hundred bales of sheep's wool from us4 ,i will give you a guide in the morning2 you will pay him a rupee for two days4 ,without him you cannot find your way over the ,gebuk-la1 especially when the ground is covered with snow4 ,illustration3 #ccj4 ,,travelling ,,ladaki ,,merchant ,,in ,,west ,,tibet4 #cca4 ,,oang ,,gye1 ,,son ,,of ,,the ,,governor ,,of ,,saka4 #ccb4 ,,panchor1 ,,the ,,yak-,,slayer1 ,,my ,,guide ,,on ,,the ,,journey ,,to ,,the ,,teri-,,nam-,,tso4 #ccc4 ,,woman ,,of ,,yumba-,,matsen4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,abdul ,kerim had thanked him for his kindness and then had come to look for us4 ,we were sitting and deliberating when two riders armed with guns came up to our tents4 ,they were close upon us when they appeared out of the snowstorm4 ,we just managed to close my tent and fasten up ,takkar before the entrance4 ,the elder man was ,abdul ,kerim's friend from the large tent1 the other the youth who was offered to us as a guide4 ,they tied up their horses and went nonchalantly into ,abdul ,kerim's tent4 ,here they sat and gossiped for an hour1 and offered a large handsome white horse for sale at the price of #abg rupees4 ,abdul ,kerim bought it1 whereupon they asked how much money he had with him1 and whether he was not afraid of being attacked4 ,afterwards they went about the tents and looked around1 and ,i drew a breath of relief when they at last vanished in the snow with the other horse4 ,now we considered the situation4 ,to refuse the guide would seem extremely suspicious1 for the snow already lay a foot deep1 and the path--all we had to depend on--was covered up4 ,but to have a stranger1 a spy1 in the caravan for two days and a night was still more dangerous4 ,when ,kutus and ,sedik went back a little later to the large tent to fetch a bowl of sour milk1 they were told to say that our tsongpun did not want a guide1 for we should remain quiet a day1 either here or at the next camp4 ,your tsongpun speaks with two tongues1 he does not know what he wants1 the men answered4 ,we left this dangerous place on ,april #bc before the sun was up1 and ,i went first with the sheep in case our neighbours paid a morning visit4 ,the weather cleared and the sun came out1 and then the snow quickly evaporated4 ,farther up all the valley floor was covered with a continuous sheet of ice4 ,in front of us was seen the pass ,gebuk-la4 ,here a little old man was following ten mares4 ,he pretended not to see us1 but he was soon overtaken by ,abdul ,kerim and ,kunchuk1 who kept him company most of the day4 ,with ,lobsang ,i rested half an hour on the pass1 at a height of #af1igh feet4 ,to the east and south-east of us lay an entanglement of mountains and valleys1 and without the horse-tender we had so fortunately found it would have been quite impossible to find our way over the succession of small saddles which followed4 ,to the south-south-east the snowy massive of ,chomo-uchong rose in radiant sunshine2 to the north was a huge crest1 which ,i1 like ,ryder1 took for the main range of the ,trans-,himalaya and the watershed1 but this turned out afterwards to be a mistake4 ,the horse-driver took us up a secondary saddle1 at the eastern foot of which runs a deeply eroded valley1 which1 coming from the north1 #aj ,e41 is the upper section of the valley we followed last year1 and which runs down to ,basang1 where ,i saw ,muhamed ,isa for the last time among the number of the living4 ,here was the driver's tent1 and to escape his company during the night we continued our march after the stranger had given us instructions about the way4 ,our camp #cij was situated in the mouth of a small valley on the ascent to the ,kinchen-la1 where we were overwhelmed in a terribly dense and violent snowstorm4 ,the guide1 who had so fortunately appeared at the right moment1 had said in the presence of our men that he was ,kamba ,tsenam's brother and a great yak-slayer4 ,the year before he had seen in ,saka-dzong a ,european whose caravan leader1 a big strong fellow1 had inspired respect wherever he showed himself4 ,but he had died suddenly in ,saka1 and his comrades had digged a long hole in the ground where they had laid him4 ,he thought it strange that ,ladakis1 who were of the same faith as the ,tibetans1 would travel with and serve the hated ,europeans4 ,for the future we determined to observe yet greater caution4 ,two or three ,ladakis should always wear dark eye-glasses1 so that mine might not seem so peculiar4 ,as soon as we could buy woollen material all the men should have new clothes1 so that ,i in my rags would seem the poorest and meanest of the party4 ,,chapter ,,lxvii ,,april #bd ,in these days our life was dismal and lonesome1 and our future uncertain4 ,we went as in the dark1 feeling with our hands lest we should fall4 ,every day which passed without any untoward event came upon me as a complete surprise4 ,we had now only two days' journey to ,raga-tasam on the great highway1 where caravans and travellers fare to and fro1 and ,government officials are responsible that no unauthorized person slips past4 ,i was thoroughly sick of my disguise and the constant uncertainty1 and longed for a crisis to free me from my embarrassment4 ,but to deliver ourselves1 of our own free will1 into the hands of the ,tibetans was out of the question4 ,they must detect us themselves1 and till then the strain on our nerves must continue4 ,april #bd--the anniversary of the ,vega's return to ,stockholm in #ahhj6 ,at sunrise the whole country lay under a bright wintry shroud of white snow4 ,the thermometer had fallen to #b1 but when the sun mounted up the horses steamed1 and light clouds of vapour rose up from the snow1 so that we might have been riding through a land of sol-fataras and fumaroles4 ,our caravan animals struggled bravely up the tough ascent4 ,of sheep we had only twenty left1 and two of them were veterans from ,lumbur-ringmo-tso4 ,twice we thought that the pass1 ,kinchen-la1 was just before us1 but new heights rose farther back1 and we worked our way up hills1 among which brooks run down towards ,basang and ,saka-dzong1 where ,muhamed ,isa sleeps in his mound4 ,to the south-west ,chomo-uchong's summits presented a grand sight4 ,at length we made the last ascent up to the top of the pass1 where the height is #ag1hea feet above sea-level4 ,at the other side a river runs north-east1 one of the headwaters of the ,raga-tsangpo4 ,to the west there is a brilliant spectacle1 the summits of ,lunpo-gangri rising in sharp and savage beauty from a maze of mountains and ridges1 which shine in lighter bluer shades the more remote they are4 ,to the north-east we catch a glimpse of an outlying ridge covered from foot to crest with new-fallen snow4 ,the broad flat valley of the ,raga-tsangpo stretches eastwards as far as the eye can see4 ,in the far distance to the east-south-east a grand snowy crest shines forth1 the northernmost of the ,himalayan system 7,illust4 #aii74 ,we stayed a long time at the top1 and ,i sketched a panorama4 ,then we followed the track of the caravan over the lower shoulders of two mountains1 and found our camp pitched in a valley with good grass and a brook partially frozen4 ,my tent looked towards its bank1 and all three stood as usual in a line4 ,this day also had passed satisfactorily1 but all would be different next day1 for then we should come to ,raga-tasam1 where we encamped last year and stayed a week4 ,camp #cia was1 then1 the last where we could still feel at ease1 for we had seen no living being all day long1 and had no neighbours4 ,here1 then1 we must arrange some fresh safeguards4 ,we must sort out from our already scanty baggage all articles that might excite suspicion1 as1 for example1 the small padded leather box in which the theodolite was packed2 for the future it would be rolled with its inner wooden case in my bed4 ,further1 the hypsometer's leather case and the actinometer1 which probably would never be used again4 ,whatever was combustible was to be thrown into the fire and the rest buried4 ,a couple of rugs of camel's wool were also to be discarded4 ,illustration3 #ccd4 ,,tibetans ,,with ,,yaks4 ,illustration3 #cce4 ,,dorche ,,tsuen ,,on ,,the ,,march4 ,to begin with1 we must make a change in our housing arrangements4 ,i was to sleep for the last time in my old weather-beaten tent1 where our chief1 ,abdul ,kerim1 was henceforth to set up his quarters and receive guests4 ,for me a compartment of about #b square yards1 not larger than my bed1 was partitioned off in ,abdul ,kerim's tent4 ,this crib1 which1 when the camp was set up1 was enclosed on all sides1 was henceforth to be my prison cell4 ,it was like a secret drawer in a bureau1 and when it was ready ,i inspected it and found it somewhat narrow but comfortable4 ,suen was my hairdresser1 and he had just completed his business when ,abdul ,kerim looked in at the tent opening and whispered that four men with yaks were coming up the valley on the road we had to go down from the ,kinchen-la4 ,i hurriedly set my disguise in order and wound the turban round my head1 while the flap was fastened1 and ,takkar was tied up before my tent4 ,then ,i looked through the peephole in the tent canvas on the side towards the upper end of the valley1 and saw eight men on foot in dark-blue and red dresses1 with red scarves round their heads1 all armed with guns and swords1 and leading nine horses2 one man led two laden horses4 ,what in the world did this mean8 ,they were not robbers1 for they came suddenly and at night4 ,they seemed rather men in ,government service2 the two in front were certainly officials4 ,my men occupied themselves at their fire2 ,i could see that they were a prey to the greatest uneasiness4 ,the strangers came straight to our camp-fire as if it were the end of their journey4 ,they formed a circle round ,abdul ,kerim1 ,lobsang1 ,kutus1 and ,gulam1 and began an animated but subdued conversation4 ,three of them1 evidently servants1 led the horses to a spot barely thirty paces from my tent and right in front of it4 ,there they took off all the saddles and loads1 sent off the horses to graze1 brought out pots and cans1 arranged three stones in order1 collected fuel1 made a fire1 fetched water in a large pot and cooked tea4 ,it was plain that they intended to camp here for the night1 and that they had intruded on us for the purpose of watching us4 ,the other five entered ,abdul ,kerim's tent1 threw themselves down1 and continued the conversation in the same low quiet voice and in thoroughly polite and measured tones4 ,i could not catch what they said1 but that the affair was serious ,i could only too plainly perceive1 for ,i heard my name mentioned--,hedin ,sahib4 ,after a good hour's conversation they went out again and made a tour round my tent1 but the furious ,takkar would not let them approach the door4 ,but they discovered the peephole in the side of the tent1 and a man put his finger in and looked through the hole1 but ,i was lying against the folds of the tent on the same side1 so he could not see me4 ,then they went and threw themselves down in a circle round the fire1 brought out their wooden cups and drank tea4 ,they sat right in front of the entrance to my tent1 and ,i could not get out without being seen4 ,then ,abdul ,kerim whispered from the back of my tent and inside his own1 and told me what the men had said4 ,the leader1 a stoutish young man of good appearance1 had put the usual questions and received the usual answers4 ,then he had uttered the following words in a serious and decided tone3 ,news of your arrival has come to the ,governor of ,saka-dzong through two salt caravans which passed your party above ,pasa-guk4 ,as it has never occurred that a merchant from ,ladak has come from the north and has travelled on the byway through ,gebuk1 the ,governor and the other authorities in ,saka suspected that ,hedin ,sahib might be concealed among you1 and the more so because he himself expressed his wish last year to come back again and travel through the mountainous regions in the north4 ,therefore my comrades and ,i received orders to follow your trail1 overtake you1 and subject you to the most searching examination4 ,we are in no hurry1 and in the morning we shall get several yak-loads of provisions4 ,you protest that ,hedin ,sahib is not among you disguised as a ,ladaki4 ,well1 it may be that you are telling the truth4 ,but remember1 tsongpun1 that we shall carry out our orders to the letter4 ,you are thirteen men from ,ladak1 you say1 and ,i can see only ten4 ,where are the others8 ,they are out collecting fuel4 ,good4 ,when you are all assembled here we intend to search you down to the skin4 ,then we shall turn out all your baggage and empty every sack we find in your tents4 ,and if in this examination we find nothing belonging to a ,european1 it will remain for you to give a written declaration that no ,european is among your party concealed or disguised1 and under this declaration you must set your name-stamp4 ,then you can travel early in the morning where you like1 and we shall return to ,saka4 ,when ,i heard this report the situation became quite clear to me1 and ,i at once decided what ,i would do4 ,but first ,i crept by the secret way into the caravan leader's tent1 where ,i found myself surrounded by my retainers1 except three1 who were to warn us if the ,tibetans came back again4 ,what is to be done8 ,i asked ,abdul ,kerim4 ,the ,sahib knows best himself4 ,as far as ,i can see1 our condition is hopeless1 answered the honest man1 who had got us out of many a scrape before4 ,what does ,lobsang think8 ,it would not be wise to give them such a declaration1 he answered with a very troubled face4 ,sahib1 suggested ,kutus1 if they give us breathing-time till night1 the ,sahib and ,i can hide among the mountains as at the time when we were close to ,tsongpun ,tashi4 ,when the search is over we can rejoin the caravan farther down4 ,i can carry the ,sahib's papers1 and other ,european articles can be buried in the ground under the tent4 ,they know that we are thirteen1 remarked ,gulam4 ,under the force of circumstances we had made our way right across ,tibet with a trumped-up story1 but to let ,abdul ,kerim confirm a false document with his name-stamp on my account was a little too strong even for my geographical conscience4 ,i could not consent to that4 ,whatever might happen1 our position was still a strong one4 ,we were in the heart of ,tibet4 ,the next move would be that we should be sent out of the country1 and by whatever way we were obliged to go1 ,i should certainly gain something more4 ,i would absolutely refuse to go to ,ladak1 but ,i would be content to go to ,india through ,nepal1 or1 better still1 through ,gyangtse4 ,no1 ,i said to my men as ,i rose up1 ,i shall give myself up to the ,tibetans4 ,then they were all amazed1 and began to cry and sob like children4 ,why do you weep8 ,i asked4 ,we shall part here for good1 and the ,sahib will be killed1 they answered4 ,oh no1 it is not so bad as that1 ,i said1 for it was not the first time ,i had been caught by ,tibetans4 ,when ,i walked out of the tent ,i heard behind me the murmur of ,mohammedan prayers3 ,allahu ekber--,bismillah rahman errahim4 ,in my usual disguise from top to toe1 and with my face painted black1 ,i walked with slow1 deliberate steps straight to the circle of ,tibetans4 ,when ,i was close to them they all rose up1 as if they knew that ,i was no ordinary ,ladaki4 ,sit down1 ,i said1 with a dignified gesture of invitation1 and sat down myself between the two principal men4 ,in the one on my right hand ,i recognized at once the ,pemba ,tsering of the year before4 ,i clapped him on the shoulder1 saying1 ,do you know me again1 ,pemba ,tsering8 ,he answered not a word1 but looked with wide-opened eyes at his comrades1 and nodded towards me1 as much as to say ,it is he4 ,they were mightily dumbfoundered and disconcerted3 no one spoke1 some looked at one another1 others gazed into the fire1 one threw a couple of sticks among the stones1 and another took small sips of tea4 ,then ,i spoke again3 ,yes1 truly1 ,pemba ,tsering1 you are quite right2 ,i am ,hedin ,sahib1 who visited ,saka-dzong last year4 ,here you have me again2 what do you mean to do with me8 ,abdul ,kerim1 ,lobsang1 and ,kutus stood behind1 trembling like aspen leaves1 and expecting that preparations for an execution would be the next move4 ,illustration3 #ccf4 ,,farewell ,,entertainment ,,for ,,the ,,tibetans ,,on ,,may #e1 #aijh4 ,still they made no answer1 but began to whisper together in groups4 ,the younger official1 who was evidently the cock of the walk1 for the others looked at him and waited for him to speak1 began to look through his papers1 and picked out one which he read in silence4 ,as they were so long in recovering from their consternation--for they had not expected to get hold of me so easily--,i sent ,kutus for a box of ,egyptian cigarettes1 and offered them all round4 ,each took one with thanks1 and lighted it after ,i had set an example and showed them that the cigarettes were not filled with gunpowder4 ,then the ice was broken1 and the leader began to speak very softly and without looking at me4 ,yesterday strict orders came from the ,devashung that the ,governor of ,saka would be held responsible for ,europeans who might sneak into the country from the west1 and if any ,european showed himself he must be immediately forced to return by the way he came4 ,when the report reached ,saka of a caravan two days' journey off1 the ,governor suspected that it might be you1 ,hedin ,sahib1 and we have now accomplished our task4 ,in the ,governor's name we forbid you to take another step eastwards4 ,we beg you to conform in all things to our directions2 our heads and your personal safety are at stake4 ,to-morrow you will follow us over the ,kinchen-la to ,saka-dzong4 ,i said last year that ,i must and would see the mountain region north of ,saka4 ,now ,i have seen it1 and you have not been able to prevent me4 ,you see then that ,i can do more in your country than yourselves4 ,now ,i intend to travel back to ,india1 but by which way only ,lien ,darin1 ,amban of ,lhasa1 shall decide4 ,it is therefore my intention to write to him1 and ,i shall not go anywhere before his answer comes4 ,we do not wish you to travel by any other way than the one you choose1 but we have no authority to forward a letter to ,lhasa2 the ,governor will decide the question himself4 ,it is with him you must treat2 you must meet him personally4 ,therefore we will accompany you to-morrow to ,saka-dzong4 ,no1 sir1 anywhere else you please1 but not to ,saka-dzong4 ,you know that my caravan leader died and lies buried there4 ,it is against my principles to visit a place where ,i have buried a faithful servant4 ,you shall never get me to ,saka-dzong even if you raise all ,tibet4 ,if it would trouble you to see ,saka-dzong again1 we will certainly not urge you to go thither4 ,will you instead have the kindness to follow us to ,semoku by the ,tsango1 on the tasam1 which is only two days' journey to the south-west8 ,i will then write to the ,governor and ask him to meet you there4 ,good2 ,i will follow you to ,semoku to-morrow4 ,thanks2 ,i will at once send an express messenger to inform the ,governor1 so that you may not have to wait at ,semoku4 ,but tell me why you have come back again8 ,you travel and travel in ,tibet and you are always sent away1 but always come back again4 ,had you not enough last year1 when you were obliged to leave the country by the road to ,ladak8 ,and now you turn up again among us4 ,how is that possible1 and why are you come8 ,because ,i love your country and your friendly people to such a degree that ,i cannot live without them4 ,h'm6 ,it is very kind of you to say so1 but would it not be better if you were to love your own country a little more8 ,as long as we do not travel in your country1 you should not travel in ours2 we remain at home1 and the best thing you can do is to remain in your country4 ,as long as ,i can sit in a saddle ,i shall come back4 ,you can inform the ,devashung at your leisure that their ,excellencies may look for more visits4 ,illustration3 #ccg1 #cch1 #cci1 #cdj4 ,,the ,,dancers ,,at ,,the ,,camp-,,fire3 ,,tubges1 ,,kunchuk1 ,,suen4 ,they laughed pleasantly and looked at one another1 as much as to say3 ,if he likes to come back1 he is welcome as far as we are concerned4 ,and my ,ladakis laughed and were extremely astonished that our last day of freedom had come to so peaceful and merry an ending4 ,the ,tibetans were exceedingly agreeable1 polite1 and gentle1 and never uttered a hard or peevish word about the trouble that ,i had again brought upon them4 ,and when the old wool story1 which ,abdul ,kerim a little while before had tried to cram down their throats1 was referred to1 they laughed heartily and thought that it was a grand device4 ,they are so accustomed to lie themselves that they have a great admiration for any one else who succeeds in deceiving them4 ,they thought it very wonderful that we had been able to cross the whole country without detection1 and believed that ,i must possess some mysterious powers of which they knew nothing1 and that they must be very cautious in dealing with me4 ,the young official1 who was named ,rinche ,dorche1 but was called ,rindor1 a contraction of the two names1 wrote a long letter to the ,governor of ,saka1 saying that ,i was the same ,hedin ,sahib who had been here the year before1 that we had come to a friendly agreement to proceed to ,semoku1 that ,i did not wish to travel to ,ladak but straight to ,india1 and that ,lien ,darin alone was to decide on the route4 ,the letter was sealed1 and despatched by a mounted courier over the ,kinchen-la4 ,then we talked and jested again1 and before sunset we were as intimate as though we had been friends from childhood4 ,we might have made an appointment to meet in this barren valley and been glad to have found one another4 ,it was easy to understand that the ,tibetans were pleased4 ,they little thought when the sun rose that they would make such a good catch before evening4 ,the successful issue of their mission would be of great advantage2 they would be commended by the ,governor and gain promotion4 ,for my part ,i had a feeling of unmixed satisfaction4 ,our freedom was at an end1 but for me it had been nothing but an exceedingly enervating captivity4 ,now1 for the first time1 ,i felt perfectly free1 and was no longer a prisoner in my own tent2 ,i should have no need of that wretched hiding-hole in ,abdul ,kerim's tent4 ,the ,tibetans laughed loudly at my ragged1 smutty1 greasy dress of coarse grey sackcloth1 in which ,i looked like a convict1 or1 at best1 like a begging monk of the ,grey ,friars' confraternity4 ,then they understood how ,i had succeeded in crossing ,bongba unseen and unknown4 ,how delightful it would be to throw my rags into the fire and clothe myself in a clean neat ,tibetan costume1 to be no longer obliged to hide my papers and instruments in rice sacks1 and not to have to paint my face black as a ,moor's instead of washing myself4 ,as soon as we had parted from our new friends in the evening1 ,gulam took a hand-basin of warm water into my tent1 and then ,i had a good scrubbing from top to toe1 and the water showed that ,i wanted it4 ,he had to change the water four times before ,i was tolerably clean4 ,then ,i clipped my ,mohammedan beard to the skin1 and sadly missed the razors ,i had thrown away4 ,but ,i was glad that we had not burned the things we had condemned some hours earlier4 ,rindor begged the loan of one of our tents1 as their own transport train was not expected till the morning4 ,besides ,pemba ,tsering1 there were two other men ,i had known the year before4 ,they were all very friendly1 and said that we had tipped them very generously4 ,there was also a wrinkled old man in the party1 who was always smoking a ,chinese pipe4 ,his name was ,kamba ,tsenam1 and it was his tent near which we had so nearly been detained two days before4 ,thus ended ,april #bd1 #aijh4 ,strange1 melancholy thoughts took possession of me when ,i went to bed4 ,the ,tibetans had again thwarted my plans--,i know not how many times they had done so4 ,our future was dark as ever1 but it had arrived at a new stage1 and on the #beth we should wake up to begin a new chapter4 ,the deep silence in the valley was only disturbed occasionally by ,takkar1 when the faithful dog barked at the ,tibetans4 ,his bark was re-echoed from both flanks as though three dogs kept guard over us4 ,and the everlasting stars glittered as before over our lonely tents4 ,,chapter ,,lxviii ,,his ,,excellency ,,the ,,governor ,,of ,,saka ,on ,april #be we rode in a compact body to the mouth of a valley east of ,chomo-uchong1 called ,radak4 ,six ,tibetans guarded me on both sides1 and our journey had some resemblance to a convict train4 ,now ,i was not obliged to dismount before we passed a tent4 ,on the left hand was a large open plain where ,raga-tasam is situated4 ,a shot was heard in the deserted country1 and ,rindor sent two men to see what it was4 ,an antelope hunter6 ,he was arrested and beaten2 for the ,government1 at ecclesiastical instigation1 had forbidden the extinction of life for three years1 except in the case of sheep and yaks4 ,i was reminded of the agreement to forbid ,europeans to travel in ,tibet for three years4 ,now ,i drew my map of the route1 took compass bearings1 and sketched a panorama quite at my ease4 ,the ,tibetans wondered at me and questioned me1 but did not trouble themselves much about my work4 ,and ,i had plenty of time to think of the line of policy ,i should adopt during the following negotiations4 ,i knew that they would urge me to return by the way ,i had come1 through ,bongba1 or by the road ,i had taken to ,ladak the year before4 ,for my part1 ,i had now had enough of ,tibet and ,i longed to get home1 and wished to avoid routes that involved loss of time and that ,i knew already4 ,now ,i only wished to travel to ,india vi ,shigatse and ,gyangtse1 and ,i would try to obtain permission to travel to these towns by roads where no one had been before4 ,after the excitement in which we had lived so long came a reaction4 ,i was worn-out1 weary1 and indifferent to everything except the nearest way home4 ,therefore ,i sat down and wrote a letter of fifteen pages to ,lien ,darin1 referred to his friendly letter sent to ,gartok1 gave an account of our last journey1 pointed out to him that no ,great ,power could take it amiss if ,i travelled out of the country through ,gyangtse1 promised that in return ,i would give him information about the occurrences of gold and salt ,i had seen1 and about the measures which should be taken for the promotion of sheep-breeding1--all natural resources1 which would contribute to the advancement of ,china's newest province1 ,tibet4 ,and ,i concluded my letter with wishes for the happiness and prosperity of ,lien ,darin himself and peace to his forefathers' graves4 ,i did not doubt a moment that he would give his consent to such a modest request1 and ,i saw in my mind's eye the dramatic scene when ,i should make my first call on ,major ,o',connor in ,tibetan dress1 and have a little fun with him before ,i made myself known4 ,but ,i may as well say at once that this long epistle to ,lien ,darin was never sent4 ,my opponent's tactics lured me to a contest in which he was checkmated in two moves4 ,my merit was as little now as formerly2 ,i was always a marionette1 and the hands which held the strings hung over the paths where the clouds and stars move4 ,in the evening ,i had a visit from ,pemba ,tsering and ,kamba ,tsenam4 ,the former was much more gentle and friendly than the year before2 the latter was a great humorist1 who did not seem at all annoyed that he had omitted to close the bag when he had us in it1 and had let a valuable booty fall into the hands of another4 ,they had heard of my adventurous voyages on ,tso-mavang1 and were astonished that ,i had escaped with my life4 ,illustration3 #cda4 ,,inner ,,court ,,of ,,selipuk4 ,illustration3 #cdb4 ,,dorche ,,tsuen ,,and ,,ngavang ,,on ,,horseback4 ,two short days' marches took us over the pass ,kule-la and down to the valley where ,semoku stands on the great high-road4 ,here stood some scattered tents1 and the ,governor and his colleagues had established themselves in the small stone house of the station4 ,all the more important posts in ,tibet are entrusted to two gentlemen3 thus1 for example1 there are always two garpuns or viceroys in ,gartok1 a system adopted with the intention that one shall control the other or shall inform of the other if he is guilty of any roguery4 ,in ,saka-dzong1 however1 the one governor seemed to be of higher rank than the other2 at any rate1 he conducted all the negotiations as though he possessed greater authority4 ,as soon as we were ready ,rindor and two other men came into my tent and brought a message from the ,governor that he awaited me in the station-house4 ,i answered1 that if he wanted anything of me he might come to my tent4 ,it was not long before a party of men crossed the hundred yards between our dwellings4 ,i went out to meet them1 invited them to come in and sit down as far as the space allowed1 took up my position on my bed1 and had before me three gentlemen1 namely1 ,dorche ,tsuen1 pun or ,governor of ,saka-dzong 7,illust4 #cbg71 ,ngavang1 his colleague1 and ,oang ,gye1 his eighteen-year-old son 7,illust4 #cca74 ,a crowd of servants1 nomads1 and soldiers massed together at the tent door4 ,pun ,dorche ,tsuen is an unusually tall ,tibetan1 forty-three years old1 of sympathetic and refined appearance1 dressed in a ,chinese costume of silk1 with a small silk cap on his head1 a pigtail behind1 and velvet boots4 ,he is a man of wealth1 owning large flocks in the province over which he rules and a stone house in ,lhasa1 his home1 for he is an upa or domiciled inhabitant of the province ,u1 the capital of which is ,lhasa4 ,there dwell three of his four sons1 and one of them is a young lama4 ,his wife has been dead some years4 ,ngavang1 his coadjutor1 is a little1 fat1 kindly man in ,tibetan costume1 but with a ,chinese cap and pigtail4 ,oang ,gye wears his hair in ,tibetan fashion1 wears no head-covering1 and1 like his father1 is exceedingly sympathetic and good-natured4 ,i hope that you have had a successful journey and have not suffered much from cold1 said ,dorche ,tsuen4 ,oh1 it was cold1 and we have lost our caravan1 our clothes are in rags1 and our provisions are at an end1 but1 as you see1 that is of no consequence to us4 ,at the time of your visit to ,saka-dzong last year ,i was in ,tsonka1 but ,i received an account of your movements4 ,you were sent away4 ,why have you come back again8 ,to visit the districts ,i was then prevented from seeing4 ,i am ashamed to have given you the trouble of coming here from ,saka-dzong4 ,i hope that we shall soon come to an agreement about the route ,i am to take in order to leave the country4 ,now ,i should have to play my cards well4 ,i had changed my mind during the last few days4 ,i had rested1 the reaction after the excitement of travelling in disguise had passed away1 and ,i was exceedingly eager to attempt some new discoveries before ,i gave up the game4 ,i had1 it is true1 succeeded in making a very valuable traverse across ,bongba4 ,i had travelled straight across the word ,unexplored on the latest ,english map of ,tibet--yea1 ,i had passed between the p and l1 so that unexp lay on the west side of my route and lored on the east 7see ,map #a1 ,vol4 ,i474 ,but ,i had left quite untouched two extensive stretches of the large blank patch1 and ,i dreamed of nothing else than to cross ,bongba again by two fresh routes4 ,it would certainly take four or five months to return to ,india after a northerly zigzag course1 instead of a couple of weeks if ,i made for ,british territory through ,gyangtse1 as ,i intended at first4 ,but if ,i succeeded in making the northerly detour ,i should carry home material of perhaps greater value than the discoveries already made4 ,dorche ,tsuen answered with firm decision3 ,as to your way back1 ,i will tell you at once3 not a step further east2 my head depends on it4 ,here you see the order ,i received a couple of days ago from the ,devashung4 ,i will read it to you4 ,last year you travelled without leave to ,nepal1 to ,kubi-gangri1 across the holy lake1 round ,kang-rinpoche1 and to ,yumba-matsen4 ,i know exactly where you went4 ,you cannot do the same this year4 ,it is probably in consequence of your journey in all sorts of forbidden directions that the ,devashung has distributed through the country instructions regarding ,europeans4 ,two officials have recently been sent from ,lhasa to ,shansa-dzong to see that no ,european approaches the holy city from ,naktsang4 ,some time ago a ,chinese officer with #bjj soldiers was moved to ,tingri to guard the country from intrusion from the south4 ,not even a ,gurkha or a ,hindu can now travel in ,tibet without especial permission4 ,the other day ,i received a letter from the ,chinese frontier official in ,tingri which ,i will read to you4 ,as you see1 he orders me to force any ,european who may come to ,saka from the north to return in his own footsteps4 ,if he refuses1 ,i have to send off a messenger to ,tingri1 and shall receive assistance in a few days from the soldiers stationed there4 ,times are changed in ,tibet4 ,if you will not listen to me and travel back by the way you came1 ,i will send a messenger to ,tingri4 ,but1 like you1 ,i hope that we shall come to an agreement without unpleasantness and outside interference4 ,my next move was a feint1 namely1 to try for the ,gyangtse route2 ,i would in the end conform to his wishes and give up the ,gyangtse route under the condition that ,i should not be compelled to travel along roads ,i knew already4 ,i pointed out how near we were to ,gyangtse1 and how easily he would get rid of me if ,i went thither1 but nothing made any impression on him4 ,he only answered1 ,all that is true1 but the road is closed to you4 ,well1 ,i will give it up for your sake1 but only on condition that you forward a letter from me to the ,british ,trade ,agent in ,gyangtse4 ,you can understand that my family are disturbed at my long absence and are looking for news of me4 ,yes1 ,i can understand that1 but ,i regret to say that ,i cannot forward your correspondence4 ,all the authorities in ,tibet are strictly forbidden to assist a ,european in any way1 as he has no right to travel in the country4 ,you will perhaps allow two of my own servants to carry a letter from me to ,gyangtse8 ,no1 never6 ,well1 at least1 you can inform the ,devashung of my arrival1 and ask the ,government to send notice of it to ,gyangtse4 ,i sent a messenger to the ,devashung as soon as ,i received the letter from ,rindor4 ,they will know in ,lhasa in a few days that you are come here again4 ,i had never induced any ,tibetan magistrate to forward my letters4 ,that ,dorche ,tsuen refused to do me such a trifling service had the deplorable consequence that my family did not receive any reliable report of me till ,september1 and therefore supposed that some misfortune had befallen me4 ,instead of reaching the frontier in a couple of weeks1 ,i was sent back again into the silence of ,tibet1 and the waves washed again over our track4 ,but ,i took it for granted that news of our arrival on the tasam would penetrate to ,gyangtse both officially and through reports1 and would then be made known everywhere4 ,such1 however1 was not the case1 and after we left the tasam our fate was buried in the same complete silence as before4 ,no1 ,hedin ,sahib1 ,dorche ,tsuen cried out1 the only way open to you is the one by which you came from the north4 ,i will never travel by that road4 ,it is no use talking about it4 ,you must4 ,you cannot force me to do so4 ,to begin with1 ,i will not let you know which way ,i came1 and ,i travelled in disguise4 ,it does not matter4 ,it is very well known that you came from the ,samye-la and the ,kinchen-la4 ,beyond that the escort ,i shall send with you will ask the way from tent to tent4 ,the nomads will answer that they have seen no ,ladakis1 for fear of being punished4 ,i shall find means of making them confess more than you think4 ,you can kill me if you like1 but you shall never force me to travel over the ,samye-la4 ,remember that ,i am a ,european and a friend of the ,tashi ,lama4 ,you may lose your button4 ,much disturbed1 ,dorche ,tsuen conferred in whispers with ,ngavang4 ,illustration3 #cdc4 ,,the ,,author ,,in ,,tibetan ,,dress4 ,from a photograph by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,marx1 in ,poo4 ,i will give way so far for your sake that ,i will allow you to return to ,ladak by the same road you followed last year1 through ,tradum1 ,tuksum1 ,shamsang1 ,parka1 and ,gartok4 ,that was the very solution ,i most feared4 ,if there were any road in all ,tibet that ,i wished to avoid at any cost it was the road to ,ladak4 ,i answered3 ,never6 ,not a step on the great high-road to ,ladak6 ,but why8 ,you ought to be thankful for so great a concession4 ,it is forbidden by the laws of my country for a man to return in his own footsteps4 ,you can cut my throat1 but you will not force me to do anything of the sort4 ,you must have strange laws in your country4 ,may ,i hear which way you really wish to take8 ,i have already said through ,gyangtse4 ,you refused and ,i understand your motive4 ,you have urged me to go back to the north4 ,even in this respect ,i will conform to your wishes1 but only on the condition that ,i am not obliged to retrace my steps4 ,i will go over another pass east of the ,samye-la and northwards to the ,teri-nam-tso and then westwards by the shortest way out of ,tibet4 ,that is not to be thought of4 ,but let us take the matter quietly4 ,will you agree to accompany me to ,kamba ,tsenam's tent1 four days' journey from here8 ,you have been there already1 and before we reach it we shall have come to some understanding4 ,yes1 willingly4 ,opposition spurred me on4 ,it now became a point of honour to win a new game of chess4 ,my position was very strong4 ,the tasam was eliminated4 ,if ,i could only cross the ,trans-,himalaya by a more easterly pass1 ,i should by some ruse or other gain the ,teri-nam-tso1 ,mendong-gompa1 the lower ,buptsang-tsangpo1 the ,tarok-tso1 ,selipuk1 and an eighth ,trans-,himalayan pass4 ,yes1 now ,i must1 if ever1 play my cards well4 ,i still felt young and strong4 ,the political entanglement which encompassed me on all sides in ,tibet rendered it difficult for me to make geographical discoveries1 but it stimulated my ambition4 ,therefore ,i remember with particular warmth and sympathy all those who1 in virtue of their temporary power in the world1 sought to raise obstacles in my way4 ,we then talked on various subjects4 ,he wished to see our weapons1 and asked if he could buy a revolver4 ,no2 you shall have it as a present1 cartridges and all1 if you will let me go the way ,i have proposed4 ,h'm6 ,you must procure us all the provisions we need for two months1 besides new shoes1 clothing1 tobacco1 horses1 mules1 yaks4 ,with pleasure2 make out a list of all you want4 ,it was done at once4 ,meal1 tsamba1 tea1 sugar1 ,japanese cigarettes1 which were said to be procurable--all was to be brought from ,tsongka1 whither mounted men were sent the same day across the ,tsangpo and over the ,nevu-la4 ,everything was to be in our tents in a week4 ,the rest could be obtained from ,saka-dzong4 ,in the evening ,i paid an equally long return visit to my valiant friend ,pun ,dorche ,tsuen1 and at night ,i consigned my letter to ,lien ,darin to the flames4 ,ah no6 no ,chinese interference in ,tibeto-,swedish affairs4 ,on the #bhth we remained quiet and visited one another by the hour together4 ,the two governors sat on benches fastened to the wall1 ,rindor and ,oang ,gye on mats on the floor1 and all four played at dice4 ,the two dice were shaken in a wooden bowl1 and turned out on to a round piece of skin4 ,the markers were small ,indian snailshells4 ,then they played with ,chinese dominoes4 ,meanwhile they drank tea1 smoked pipes1 sang1 joked1 laughed1 and moved the bricks with wonderful and graceful dexterity4 ,ngavang won ten tengas and was greatly elated4 ,in this way they pass the time when the day's work is done4 ,rindor is the ,governor's private secretary1 and on a bench and a table lay piles of documents and letters1 written on coarse ,chinese paper1 and folded up one on another4 ,the ,governor's correspondence now comes to ,semoku1 and his daily work must run its course4 ,his province1 ,saka1 is very extensive1 and he states with some pride that his power stretches to ,sangsang in the east1 to the ,nevu-la in the south1 to the ,marium-la in the west1 and northwards some days' journey beyond ,kamba ,tsenam's tent4 ,illustration3 #cdd1 #cde4 ,,soldiers ,,of ,,the ,,garrison ,,of ,,saka-,,dzong1 ,,belonging ,,to ,,our ,,escort4 ,illustration3 #cdf4 ,,armed ,,tibetan ,,from ,,the ,,country ,,between ,,the ,,teri-,,nam-,,tso ,,and ,,the ,,dangra-,,yum-,,tso4 ,illustration3 #cdg4 ,,boy ,,with ,,small ,,gun ,,on ,,the ,,southern ,,shore ,,of ,,the ,,teri-,,nam-,,tso4 ,the illustrious gentlemen were much amused with my costume4 ,you are a ,sahib1 they said2 you were for six weeks the guest of the ,tashi ,lama2 you employ one caravan after another1 and leave a quantity of money behind you1 and yet are dressed more shabbily than any of your servants4 ,at night their horses and mules were driven to the station-house by soldiers1 and we ought to have taken the same precaution1 for our horses were attacked by wolves4 ,the brown horse we had bought two weeks before for #ajj rupees had his two right feet tied together lest he should run away1 and the wolves directed their attack on him1 as he could not escape1 ate him up1 and took the head off with them4 ,at any rate it was missing in the morning from the skeleton1 which was pretty closely stripped4 ,on ,april #bi we rode together on the road down the ,semoku valley1 which runs to the upper ,brahmaputra 7,illust4 #cce74 ,this we left on the left hand1 as well as the tasam1 and ascended a valley where the little village of ,ushy with its stone huts and barley fields is situated4 ,the #aej inhabitants are at home only at seedtime and harvest2 the rest of the year they are away1 tending their sheep4 ,thence we proceeded the following day to the pass ,ushy-la4 ,the way is marked by a succession of mani heaps and chhortens1 and the pass by rods so thin as to be invisible at a distance1 and the streamers they carry look like a flock of tied birds4 ,a little farther to the north-west we crossed the pass ,gye-la1 where ,chomo-uchong makes a fine display1 and soon after we were on the main pass of the same name 7#af1ace feet74 ,from a hill near1 the eye can sweep over all the horizon1 the peaks and glaciers of the ,himalayas1 ,chomo-uchong1 and close at hand to the south-south-east the ,brahmaputra valley with the river meandering in several arms4 ,we encamped on the bank of the ,sachu-tsangpo1 which flows into the ,chaktak-tsangpo west of ,saka-dzong4 ,here also lies a votive block of a hard green rock1 covered with offerings1 bits of butter1 and streamers4 ,the #ast of ,may was celebrated by a march over the ,lamlung-la1 a difficult pass1 on the saddle of which1 #af1gia feet high1 the traveller is again rewarded by a magnificent view over this complicated sea of mountains4 ,from here ,chomo-uchong's seven summits appear in a compact group2 the central one is of a regular conical shape and is pure white all over2 the others consist chiefly of black cliffs and projections1 from among which issue small blue-tinged glaciers4 ,the length of the massive corresponds to that of ,lunpo-gangri1 of which it is a continuation4 ,in the ,namchen valley our united camp formed quite a little village1 for all the chiefs of the country were convened to a consultation4 ,and here it was that ,rindor and ,pemba ,tsering joined us with all the goods we had ordered from ,saka-dzong4 ,we stayed here two days4 ,the weather was raw and chilly1 and the temperature constantly fell to #h4b4 ,there was no spring as yet4 ,but the wild-geese were on their migration1 and when ,tubges once shot a gander at a neighbouring brook1 ,oang ,gye came to complain to me4 ,he was quite overcome at this brutal murder1 and could not conceive how my servant could be so heartless and cruel4 ,you are right1 ,i answered2 ,i am myself sorry for the wild-geese4 ,but you must remember that we are travellers1 and dependent for our livelihood on what the country yields4 ,often the chase and fishing are our only resources4 ,in this district you have plenty of sheep4 ,is it not just as wrong to kill sheep and eat their flesh8 ,no6 he exclaimed1 with passionate decision2 that is quite another matter4 ,you surely will not compare sheep to wild-geese4 ,there is as much difference between them as between sheep and human beings4 ,for1 like human beings1 the wild-geese marry and have families4 ,and if you sever such a union by a thoughtless shot1 you cause sorrow and misery4 ,the goose which has just been bereaved of her mate will seek him fruitlessly by day and night1 and will never leave the place where he has been murdered4 ,her life will be empty and forlorn1 and she will never enter upon a new union1 but will remain a widow1 and will soon die of grief4 ,a woman cannot mourn more deeply than she will1 and the man who has caused such sorrow draws down a punishment on himself4 ,the excellent ,oang ,gye was quite inconsolable4 ,we might shoot antelopes1 wild sheep1 and partridges as much as ever1 if only we left the wild-geese in peace4 ,i had heard in the ,lob country similar tales of the sorrow of the swans when their union was dissolved by death4 ,it was moving to witness ,oang ,gye's tenderness and great sympathy for the wild-geese1 and ,i felt the deepest respect for him4 ,many a noble and sensitive heart beats in the cold and desolate valleys of ,tibet4 ,,chapter ,,lxix ,,kamba ,,tsenam1 ,,father ,,of ,,the ,,robbers ,at the ,namchen camp we bought a large supply of rice1 meal1 barley and tsamba1 sugar1 stearin candles1 soap1 and five hundred cigarettes1--all procured from ,tsongka4 ,a rich merchant1 ,ngutu1 who owned fifty horses and mules and two hundred yaks1 sold us two mules and a horse1 besides cloth for new garments1 boots1 and caps4 ,abdul ,kerim hastened to make me a ,tibetan costume of fine ,lhasa cloth2 on my head ,i wore a ,chinese silk cap swathed with a red turban2 ,i stalked about in silk ,chinese boots1 and had an elegant sword in my girdle4 ,in my ,ladaki saddle with its variegated fittings1 and riding a milk-white stallion1 ,i looked in this makeshift outfit quite like a ,tibetan of rank 7,illust4 #cdc74 ,illustration3 #cdh4 ,,trooper ,,of ,,the ,,escort4 #cdi4 ,,tibetan ,,of ,,teri-,,nam-,,tso4 #cej4 ,,young ,,shepherd ,,of ,,bongba4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,here a large meeting was held in ,dorche ,tsuen's tent1 where the question of my return route was discussed4 ,dorche ,tsuen insisted on the necessity of my crossing the ,samye-la again1 and ,i answered1 as before1 that ,i intended to take no other way than over a pass east of the ,samye-la4 ,then he appealed to the nomads at hand1 who no doubt had received their instructions beforehand1 and they all affirmed that the ,chang-tang could be reached by no other pass than the ,samye-la4 ,however1 we had heard from the horse-driver on the ,gebuk-la that a way led over the mountains directly north of ,kamba ,tsenam's tent4 ,but then the nomads1 who would have to let us yaks on hire1 replied that the road was so bad that we could not reach the ,tarok-tso in three months1 and that1 for their part1 they would not let their yaks go1 and come to grief on the detritus of the pass4 ,then we offered to buy yaks1 but found no one who would sell his animals4 ,after ,dorche ,tsuen had informed me that those who travelled from ,saka into ,bongba with hired yaks had to change both men and pack animals at ,bupt on the upper ,buptsang-tsangpo1 ,i proposed to divide my caravan into two sections1 one of which1 under ,abdul ,kerim1 would cross the ,samye-la1 while ,i with the other half marched over the eastern pass2 we would meet on the lower course of the ,buptsang-tsangpo4 ,ngutu1 a genial old man of ,mongolian origin1 supported me1 giving it as his opinion that it was of no consequence which pass ,i crossed myself1 provided that the main part of the caravan went over the ,samye-la2 but ,dorche ,tsuen was still obstinate1 and tried to frighten me with a tale of ten well-armed robbers whose haunts were in the country north of the mountain ,i wished to pass over4 ,if the country is unsafe1 ,i returned1 it is your duty to provide me with an escort of ten soldiers4 ,the soldiers belong to the garrison of ,saka-dzong1 and cannot be employed elsewhere4 ,listen to me1 ,dorche ,tsuen1 and do not be so short-sighted4 ,if you give me ten soldiers1 you will be able to control my movements4 ,i will pay them #b rupees a man per day for their services1 that is1 #bj rupees a day altogether4 ,you can well believe that ,i cannot afford such a great expense for a long time1 and therefore you will have a guarantee that ,i shall not take a long roundabout way4 ,when ,i have rejoined ,abdul ,kerim's party ,i shall be beyond the limits of your province1 and the escort can return4 ,that is true1 exclaimed two voices in the crowd2 if he pays #bj rupees a day1 he cannot go far4 ,dorche ,tsuen rose and called some of the other men to a consultation outside the tent1 and when he came back again he said that ,i might have my wish1 if ,i would sign a written declaration that ,i took upon myself all responsibility for the consequences1 for he wished to be free from blame if any misfortune befell me4 ,of course ,i promised to sign such a document with pleasure4 ,thus the matter was arranged4 ,nima ,tashi 7,illust4 #cec71 a powerful man of pleasant aspect1 and dressed in a loose sheepskin1 was to be chief of the bodyguard1 and as he said he did not know the road to the north1 ,panchor 7,illust4 #ccb71 a man fifty-five years of age1 was ordered to act as guide4 ,he was called into the tent4 ,i had not seen him before1 but ,abdul ,kerim said that he was the same man who on ,april #bc had shown us the way to the foot of the ,kinchen-la1 and that he had seen me and ,muhamed ,isa last year in ,saka-dzong4 ,he was a little1 thin1 wiry man who had killed eighty yaks with the gun he always carried4 ,to everything that was said to him he agreed submissively with ,la lasso1 la lasso4 ,we could see that he was sly and knavish--just the stuff we wanted4 ,with him and all the other company we rode on ,may #d over the pass ,gara-la1 and from its rather flat threshold saw ,kamba ,tsenam's tent still in the same place4 ,here we crossed1 then1 our route of ,april #bb1 and had made a loop round the snowy massive ,chomo-uchong4 ,panchor was the elder brother of ,kamba ,tsenam1 and it struck me as curious that when the ,governor of ,saka pitched his tent beside that of the wealthy nomad1 the latter did not come out to welcome him4 ,now a collection of tents had sprung up in the valley larger than at any of the foregoing camps4 ,couriers and messengers came and went1 small yak caravans came up to the tents with provisions for the officials1 and nomads had come in from the neighbourhood to have a look at the eccentric ,european who had come down like a bomb into the country and had been caught at last4 ,illustration3 #cea4 ,,guests ,,at ,,the ,,opening ,,of ,,my ,,tent ,,on ,,the ,,bank ,,of ,,the ,,teri-,,nam-,,tso4 7,over the opening a plaid is stretched as a protection against the sun47 ,illustration3 #ceb4 ,,the ,,yaks ,,fording ,,the ,,river ,,soma-,,tsangpo4 ,late in the evening ,kamba ,tsenam came sneaking into my tent4 ,he was very mysterious1 and said that the ,governor and his people had no notion that he was paying me a visit in the darkness4 ,he wished only to say that ,panchor could very well contrive that ,i should go almost anywhere ,i liked4 ,the escort had strict orders from the authorities1 but only ,panchor knew the way1 and could easily throw dust into the eyes of the other men4 ,i had only to make my wishes known to ,panchor and he would manage the rest4 ,if also a band of fifty robbers swept down on us like a whirlwind1 they would disperse like sheep as soon as they knew that ,panchor with his never-failing gun was with us4 ,kamba ,tsenam thus revealed himself as a cunning rogue1 who had not the slightest respect for the authorities of ,saka4 ,the old fool promised that ,i should travel by the roads ,i wished if1 in return1 ,i would contrive that he should be governor of ,saka4 ,what he said was only idle talk1 and he himself was a fellow to be on our guard against4 ,there was not a man in ,bongba who had ever heard of him1 and his great power existed only in his own imagination4 ,in his own village he was known and flattered on account of his great wealth1 and he boasted that no robber dared to touch his flocks1 for he was their trusted friend4 ,i am the father of all the robbers1 he said modestly4 ,i willingly accepted his invitation to visit his tent next morning4 ,when ,i had passed it the first time it was in a snowstorm1 and ,i had looked upon it as a serious menace to my plans and my freedom4 ,almost like a thief in the night1 expecting to be discovered every moment1 ,i had stolen past the black nomad dwelling4 ,now ,i approached it as an honoured guest1 only barked at by dogs4 ,the huge tent1 made of a number of pieces of material1 is supported by three veritable masts1 firmly fixed in the ground4 ,a stone wall runs along the inner side1 and in front of it are heaps of tsamba1 rice1 and corn sacks4 ,baskets and boxes stand full of clothing4 ,the altar1 a wooden shelf and a table are laden with gaos1 images1 votive bowls1 praying mills1 and holy books4 ,in one corner stand perhaps a dozen guns with streamers on their rests1 and in another as many swords4 ,on the hearth1 built on the left of the entrance1 always stands a large tea-kettle boiling1 ready for any guests that may come in4 ,a battery of wooden cups stands on a stone slab ready for use4 ,the bluish grey smoke rises up towards the chimney opening4 ,far away from the entrance1 at the right corner1 the master of the house has his seat of honour1 a small divan with a stool table before it1 and before this again a fireplace1 like a hollow cracked cannon-ball1 filled with reeking dung embers4 ,some of ,kamba ,tsenam's shepherds are sitting in a group drinking tea1 in another part some small black children are playing1 and in a third the women of the tent are tittering4 ,with pure white short hair1 wrinkled like crushed parchment1 stone-blind1 and dressed like ,monna ,vanna only in a cloak1 ,kamba ,tsenam's eighty-three-year-old mother sits on her bed and swings her prayer-mill with the right hand1 while her left hand keeps the beads of her rosary in constant motion4 ,she prattles and murmurs prayers1 sometimes drops her rosary to catch a troublesome insect1 and sometimes lets the prayer-mill stop when she is plunged in vague dreamy thought4 ,twice she asked if the ,european were still there and if he had been offered tea and food4 ,may #e1 the last day we enjoyed ,dorche ,tsuen's society1 had to be celebrated in some way4 ,i invited the whole party to a festival in the camp4 ,the two ,governors and ,oang ,gye took their places in my tent1 in the middle of which our tea-cups were filled on an improvised table4 ,the day had been cold and muggy and snow fell1 but we warmed our hands over the fire1 and sat wrapped in skin coats like four ,tibetans of rank1 while the populace formed a circle outside4 ,a fire was lighted in the middle and was maintained by dung from four sacks4 ,it was pitch dark outside1 but yellow flames threw a bright gleam over the dark ,tibetans1 servants1 herdsmen1 nomads and soldiers1 women and children1 youths and old men4 ,they stood in wondering groups in their skin coats blackened by the smoke of fires1 bare-headed1 with long black tresses hanging over their shoulders4 ,the light from the fire made a vain attempt to gild them4 ,they stood out in sharp effective relief against the deep shadows 7,illust4 #ccf74 ,illustration3 #cec4 ,nima ,tashi1 ,commandor of the ,government-,escort on the way to the ,teri-nam-tso4 ,illustration3 #ced4 ,nuns of ,mendong4 ,illustration3 #cee4 ,a high ,lama of ,chokchu4 ,illustration3 #cef4 ,the ,prior of ,selipuk4 ,water-colour ,sketches by the ,author4 ,i charged ,abdul ,kerim to do his very best1 and he informed me that the programme would contain fifteen items1 song and dance following alternately without a pause4 ,the first item was a dance with sticks to represent swords2 the second1 a hunting episode3 a wild animal1 composed of two crouching men with a piece of felt over them and two sticks for horns1 went prancing round the fire2 a hunter with his gun crept about1 took aim at the monster1 killed him with a single shot1 and performed with his friends a triumphal dance around the carcase4 ,then followed a ,ladaki dance1 little ,gulam leading the troop1 and after that ,suen executed his remarkable dance before a lady1 represented by a stick he held before him4 ,all the others kept time by clapping their hands1 and invited the ,tibetans to join in1 and my guests in the tent were convulsed with laughter4 ,the ,mohammedans executed a ,yarkand dance with ,kutus as leader4 ,they danced round the fire1 swinging their arms and skirts1 and between the fire and the tent they appeared only as black profiles1 while on the other side they were lighted up by the reddish-yellow flames1 and their perspiring faces shone like bronze4 ,a song followed1 waking a sonorous echo in the mountains1 and the ,tibetans recognizing the air joined in1 and all the while the men clapped their hands4 ,the smoke from the fire took part in the dances and sometimes flew right in the faces of the spectators1 the singing became louder1 the merriment more uncontrolled1 and the nomads laughed till they had to support themselves with their hands on their knees1 as ,suen revolved in grotesque pirouettes over the arena and the nomads tried to imitate him4 ,the clumsy ,abdullah performed an indescribable dance with his back bent back1 and when he bent himself so much that he fell backwards to the edge of the fire1 the delight of the spectators was unbounded3 they laughed till they were breathless1 hopped about and uttered wild yells1 while the performer shook the sparks from his coat and retired to his corner 7,illusts4 #ccg1 #cch1 #cci1 #cdj74 ,the ,tibetans evidently enjoyed themselves2 perhaps they had never had such an amusing evening in their lives4 ,dorche ,tsuen said something of the sort4 ,ngavang gave way to his kindly laugh1 and ,oang ,gye enjoyed the unwonted spectacle like a child4 ,for my part1 ,i dreamed awhile and thought of the unexpected and singular manner in which fate had allowed me to choose my course4 ,through the clouds of smoke ,i seemed to see all old ,asia before me1 and the adventures of past years behind me4 ,a carnival of old camp-scenes danced before my mind's eye1 expiring like shooting-stars in the night--merry songs which came to an end among other mountains and the dying sound of strings and flutes4 ,and ,i was surprised that ,i had not had enough of these things and that ,i was not tired of the light of camp-fires4 ,the wind rises1 the snow falls thickly and hisses in the fire1 and the flakes are lighted up from below4 ,with white hair and shoulders the ,tibetans look like mist figures1 and behind them hang the dark curtains of night1 from which is heard from time to time a pony's neigh or a dog's bark4 ,the last sack of fuel is emptied over the leaping flames1 burns up and sinks1 and only embers are left1 glowing in the ceaselessly falling snow4 ,then my grateful guests rise at midnight1 distribute gifts to the performers1 say farewell1 and vanish like ghosts in the darkness to seek their own tents4 ,now night reigns alone over the valley1 the surroundings lie silent and still1 and only the pelting snow makes a swishing sound against the tent4 ,on the morning of ,may #f the country was again white as in the depth of winter4 ,quietly and lightly as cotton-wool the flakes fell1 and all1 the ,tibetans included1 were more wrapped up than usual4 ,the ,governors and their retinue came to pay a farewell visit1 and then ,i went out with them to their horses1 took a last farewell1 and thanked them for all the kindness they had shown me in spite of the trouble ,i had given them4 ,dorche ,tsuen expressed a hope that we should meet again4 ,it is much easier to get on with men and lead them where you wish if you treat them kindly and gently2 you gain nothing by violence1 harshness1 and threats4 ,the ,governor was a fine upright figure on his horse2 his face was entirely covered with dark spectacles and a red hood to protect it from the blast 7,illust4 #cdb74 ,his troop of mounted men was considerably diminished after his escort had been told off to follow me4 ,they struck their heels into their horses and soon disappeared up the hill on the way to the ,gara-la4 ,illustration3 #ceg4 ,,two ,,lamas ,,of ,,mendong4 ,illustration3 #ceh4 ,,my ,,sheep ,,crossing ,,the ,,river ,,soma-,,tsangpo4 ,my caravan was now to be divided into two parties4 ,only five men were to follow me1 namely1 ,gulam1 ,lobsang1 ,kutus1 ,tubges1 and ,kunchuk4 ,we had eight goats to supply milk2 our old sheep had been sold for a mere trifle4 ,a hundred rupees for the first five days were paid in advance to the escort under ,nima ,tashi4 ,no agreement was made with ,panchor1 but he was to be paid well if he took me where ,i wished4 ,the other seven ,ladakis were ordered to proceed under the command of ,abdul ,kerim over the ,samye-la to the ,buptsang-tsangpo1 follow the stream slowly downwards1 and wait for us near its mouth in the ,tarok-tso4 ,whatever they did1 they were not to leave the ,buptsang-tsangpo1 or we might lose one another4 ,rindor and ,pemba ,tsering were deputed to follow them over the ,samye-la to ,bupt1 to bring the ,kebyang people to reason if they refused transport animals4 ,my baggage was reduced to a minimum1 and ,i took with me only a thousand rupees4 ,abdul ,kerim was responsible for the remainder of the cash4 ,he was an honest man1 but a noodle4 ,some nomads accompanied us with six yaks for the baggage 7,illusts4 #cdd1 #cde1 #cdh74 ,though1 according to our plans1 we were to be separated only a few weeks1 the parting was touching1 and many childish tears trickled down weather-beaten cheeks4 ,we had bought more horses1 and all my five ,ladakis could ride4 ,we rode up the valley in close order2 the bottom was full of loose rotten ice1 lumpy tufts of grass with mice-holes among them1 frozen springs1 and detritus of hard green schist4 ,we marched north-eastwards1 and then due west1 over the small double pass ,shalung-la1 and down to the ,gyegong valley1 where we encamped at ,kamba ,tsenam's sheepfolds to buy some sheep for food4 ,the escort had got there first1 and sat in their black tent drinking tea4 ,we sat talking with ,kamba ,tsenam and ,panchor when a tall and strongly built young fellow came and sat down at the opening of my tent4 ,i have seen the ,bombo before1 he said1 in the neighbourhood of ,nakchu4 ,you had a ,buryat and a lama with you4 ,that is seven years ago4 ,quite right4 ,have you brought me a message8 ,no2 ,i only wish to ask if you are disposed to buy two good yaks from me4 ,you can have them for half their value4 ,thanks2 we do not want any yaks now4 ,what is your occupation8 ,robber6 he answered1 without blinking4 ,after he had gone1 ,kamba ,tsenam informed me that some time ago the man had killed a nomad in ,rukyok1 and now was come to treat about the compensation for the murder4 ,the authorities were looking eagerly for the band to which he belonged1 and ,kamba ,tsenam and ,panchor knew exactly where they were hiding1 but would not betray them lest they should be robbed of their property in revenge4 ,kamba ,tsenam and his brother were evidently on very confidential terms with the robbers of the country1 and ,i very much suspected that they were in league with some of them4 ,in ,panchor we had certainly an actual robber chief as guide4 ,he himself told us that the ,devashung had tried to engage him in their service as a spy and guide1 when they wished to track up an evaded robber band1 but he would not consent4 ,he knew that we had a large quantity of money with us1 and we were not too safe in his company4 ,he could very well arrange a night attack and in the end play the innocent4 ,he pretended not to know the country beyond a couple of days' journey to the north1 but when he inspected our six horses he said3 ,this one you bought from an old nomad to the west of ,sha-kangsham1 and this one from ,tsongpun ,tashi4 ,if he knew every horse in the country1 he must also know the country very well4 ,i asked him to go over the names of our camping-places to the north1 but he gave only the first two1 and added3 ,the rest you will know as you go on1 and if ,i cannot find them myself1 there will always be some robbers ,i can ask4 ,on ,may #g we took leave of the old robber chief ,kamba ,tsenam1 and rode in close order up to the pass ,gyegong-la1 which has a height of #ah1jab feet4 ,the pass stands on a distinctly marked chain1 which is called ,kanchung-gangri1 and it was very interesting to find that all the water on the northern side of the pass flowed to the upper ,chaktak-tsangpo4 ,kanchung-gangri is therefore not part of the main range of the ,trans-,himalaya1 and the ,gyegong-la is only a secondary pass4 ,the great watershed lay some days' journey farther to the north4 ,on the northern side we passed a warm spring1 ,memo-chutsen1 which at the orifice had a temperature of #ic4f1 while in another the water boiled and steamed4 ,the springs are surrounded by sinter1 terraces1 and basins in which sick people bathe4 ,panchor had an old field-glass and diligently looked out for robbers and wild yaks4 ,he said that we ought always to keep together in case we were attacked by robbers he did not know1 and he bade us help with our weapons in the defence4 ,the camp this day was ,no4 #djj4 ,,chapter ,,lxx ,,the ,,seventh ,,crossing ,,of ,,the ,,trans-,,himalaya--,,to ,,the ,,heavenly ,,lake ,,of ,,the ,,throne ,,mountain ,twenty-nine degrees of frost on the night of ,may #h4 ,winter instead of spring might be coming4 ,a month ago it was much warmer in ,bongba4 ,but now we are mounting up to the heights of the ,trans-,himalaya1 the weather is cold1 raw1 and windy1 the temperature seldom above freezing-point1 and to-day the whole country is again buried in snow4 ,illustration3 #cei4 ,village below ,lunkar-gompa on the ,tarok-tso4 ,illustration3 #cfj4 ,mendong ,monastery west of the ,teri-nam-tso4 ,illustration3 #cfa4 ,selipuk ,monastery south-west of the ,nganglaring-tso4 ,water-colour ,sketches by the ,author4 ,illustration3 #cfb4 ,holiday ,costumes and ,ornaments of ,tibetan ,women of ,kyangrang in the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,water-colour ,sketches by the ,author4 ,we ride northwards and descend from a small saddle to the ,chaktak-tsangpo1 near which we have to halt a while to warm ourselves at a fire4 ,the river bends to the west-south-west to break through ,kanchung-gangri4 ,on its bank is seen a tent1 eight horses1 and a hundred sheep4 ,panchor went off to-day to stalk a herd of ninety wild yaks1 and ,nima ,tashi1 the captain of the bodyguard1 was sure that a robber band was in the tent1 for no nomads are seen in this cold country4 ,the escort1 particularly ,nima ,tashi1 were dreadfully afraid of robbers2 and ,panchor had told us that we could make them go anywhere by frightening the soldiers with robbers4 ,when ,panchor appeared again1 he said that the suspected tent was really inhabited by the band which had the murder in ,rukyok on its conscience1 and he added that if the people in ,rukyok would not let the matter rest1 the band threatened to commit new crimes in the country4 ,i asked why the authorities did not seize the chief now when he was so near1 but ,panchor shook his head and said that if he was taken and killed1 thirty others would be down on the country1 and that would be worse4 ,a bandit's life in ,tibet is on the whole a very pleasant one4 ,following the stream upwards we came to the small lake ,lapchung-tso1 entirely covered with ice1 and set up camp #dja 7#ag1jcg feet7 on its eastern shore4 ,it is enclosed among hills and surrounded on all sides by lofty mountains4 ,to the south ,kanchung-gangri appears in all its splendour4 ,the snow is much more abundant on its northern than on its southern side1 and in the hollows between its summits three large and several small glaciers1 short and steep1 are seen4 ,from all the valleys on the north1 north-west1 and north-east brooks descend to the ,lapchung-tso1 and from the southern extremity of the lake the ,chaktak-tsangpo issues1 and a little distance farther south-west breaks through ,kanchung-gangri4 ,may #i4 -#j4i at this time of year6 ,we move north-eastwards along the eastern shore of ,lapchung-tso1 and follow a well-beaten road consisting of quite fifty parallel paths4 ,it is very interesting to draw another line on the map of ,tibet through a part unknown before4 ,here travel the merchants whose destination is east ,bongba and ,chokchu1 and here passes a large part of the salt traffic from ,tabie-tsaka1 as well as pilgrims on their way home from ,kang-rinpoche4 ,the last usually follow the tasam on their outward journey1 but return by the northern route--this is1 that the whole pilgrimage may make a kore or a loop of salvation4 ,our direction becomes now more northerly and we go up the ,sangmo-bertik valley1 where the bottom is filled with ice clear as glass1 but there is good pasturage on the flanks4 ,the country is quite flat between ,kanchung-gangri and the main crest of the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,in the longitudinal valley between the two we see to the north1 #fj ,w41 the comparatively low saddle ,dicha-la1 which is1 however1 a watershed of the first rank1 for it parts the water flowing to the ocean from the isolated drainage of the plateau4 ,over the ,dicha-la runs the lately mentioned road to the ,buptsang-tsangpo and ,tabie-tsaka4 ,north1 north-west1 and north-east are several gangris with firn-fields and snow1 all belonging to the main range of the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,to the east lies a pass1 the ,nakbo-kongdo-la1 with the ,nakbo-gongrong-gangri2 over this pass1 which also seems to lie on the main watershed1 a road runs to ,targo-gangri and ,dangra-yum-tso4 ,between ,raga-tasam and ,ombo a road crosses the ,tsalam-nakta-la1 mostly frequented by salt caravans4 ,from camp #djb we could still see ,chomo-uchong to the south1 #ac ,e4 ,a member of the robber band we saw the day before paid us a visit and was evidently an old friend of ,panchor4 ,he gave us many interesting details of the ,teri-nam-tso and ,mendong-gompa1 which were afterwards found to be perfectly correct4 ,i never could make out ,panchor4 ,either he was in league with the devil himself1 or he was a fully fledged knave at his own risk and reckoning4 ,he now assured me that it would be the easiest thing in the world to take me to the ,teri-nam-tso and perhaps also to the ,dangra-yum-tso4 ,o gods of ,naktsang1 slumber in this cold spring and do not warn your earthly vassals until it is too late6 ,yes1 if ,i could only contrive to cross the ,trans-,himalaya twice more1 ,i would then willingly leave this mighty range to rest a thousand years under a veil of clouds and glittering snowfields4 ,it is strange that this wide country1 so near to the ,indian frontier1 should have remained absolutely unknown till our late times4 ,i am proud and delighted to know that ,i am the first white man to penetrate to this wilderness4 ,panchor advised us to stay a day in the valley1 for we should not find pasture as good as here for a long time4 ,i wondered how he could know that1 seeing that he had said recently that he had never been north of the ,sangmo-bertik-la4 ,on the night of ,may #aa the thermometer fell to #c4 ,we found ourselves in a great enlargement of the ,trans-,himalaya called ,lap1 and this region is noted for its severe climate4 ,even in the middle of summer1 when it is warm everywhere else1 it is cold in ,lap4 ,the ice breaks up on ,lapchung-tso only in the beginning of ,june after all the other ice is melted4 ,from the map it is seen that many considerable rivers1 flowing north and south1 take their rise in this lofty swell4 ,illustration3 #cfc4 ,,crossing ,,the ,,kangsham ,,river4 ,the day's march took us up to higher ground1 and the way was dreadful--not a road at all1 but a track winding among granite boulders and yak-moss4 ,and next day it was still worse4 ,in raw wintry weather1 with a temperature of #a4b1 we wound up the ascent extremely slowly1 where all small and loose material had been removed1 so that the animals might at any moment break their legs among the stones4 ,here no other vegetation was seen but a moss1 yellow as the yolk of an egg1 and another shading into red4 ,on the left we passed three small glaciers with a blue tinge on their fronts4 ,by one of them some wild yaks walked meditatively4 ,the weather was so cold that we had to stop frequently to warm our hands at a small dung fire4 ,panchor insisted strongly on these halts in order that the ,bombo may not be tired2 but ,i suspect it was chiefly because he wanted a puff from his ,chinese gansa4 ,though it was a great struggle for our horses1 we came at last to the ,sangmo-bertik-la1 at the giddy height of #ai1jid feet1 and now ,i stood for the seventh time on the main crest of the ,trans-,himalaya and the watershed of the great ,indian rivers4 ,the view was closed in on all sides and limited by adjacent heights4 ,on a sharp ridge to the north-west seven yaks were tramping in the snow4 ,panchor and one of the soldiers went on foot in pursuit of them--to mount these steep hills on foot and carry heavy1 clumsy guns is tough work4 ,we rode on among the granite boulders2 lower down green porphyry begins4 ,the gradient became more gentle1 and where we encamped we could scarcely perceive in which direction the valley sloped4 ,the day had been stormy1 and the blast continued on ,may #ac4 ,little ,puppy went out to look at the morning1 but crept back again and lay on his mat4 ,takkar was still irreconcilable towards his countrymen1 the ,tibetans1 and inspired the greatest respect in all the escort and ,panchor4 ,we rode on through the valley northwards1 past numerous summer camping-grounds1 and recognized the characteristic low relief of ,chang-tang in contrast to the more deeply excavated valleys on the southern side of the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,at the mouth of a side-valley running in from the west the escort came to a halt1 and ,nima ,tashi explained that our road to ,bupt1 where we had agreed to meet ,abdul ,kerim's party1 ran up this valley1 and that they did not intend to go farther north4 ,they now showed their teeth for the first time1 and were not so pliant as we thought4 ,they excused themselves on the ground that their yaks were tired1 that their provisions were at an end1 and that they had no orders to accompany us more than fourteen days4 ,panchor1 the scoundrel1 took their part1 and frightened us with the chief of ,bongba-chushar1 who took tribute from all the robbers of the country1 and would certainly plunder us if we passed through his domain4 ,after long consideration we decided to camp where we were1 to thoroughly discuss the situation4 ,before the sun had set ,i had won them over1 though it was chiefly the chink of silver rupees which made them forget all their scruples4 ,it was agreed that they should receive their #bj rupees every evening1 and ,i gave them a goat in addition1 as their supply of meat was at an end4 ,so on ,may #ad we rode farther north in blinding snow1 and passed numerous manis1 nine standing in one row4 ,the valley became more open1 and was more than a mile broad4 ,we found no water at the camp1 but two of our yaks were laden with blocks of ice4 ,every evening we sat an hour conversing with ,panchor1 and it was easy to check his statements4 ,i told him once and for all1 that if he did not speak the truth he would receive no extra gratuity4 ,in the evening he declared that there were dreadful apparitions at ,muhamed ,isa's grave1 and that at night fearful shrieks and groans could be heard from beneath4 ,he was quite convinced that spirits and demons haunted the grave1 and said that no ,tibetan ventured to go near the place2 this was well1 for consequently the grave would not be desecrated4 ,illustration3 #cfd4 ,,the ,,village ,,of ,,lunkar4 ,illustration3 #cfe4 ,,group ,,of ,,tibetans ,,at ,,the ,,teri-,,nam-,,tso4 ,he gave me also much valuable information about the country round ,nam-tso or ,tengri-nor1 where he was born4 ,he had gone twice round ,nam-tso1 thrice round ,tso-mavang1 and twelve times round ,kang-rinpoche1 which he intended to visit again soon1 to complete the thirteenth circuit of salvation4 ,he considered it superfluous to make the circuit of ,dangra-yum-tso and ,targo-gangri1 for he had already tramped so far that all his sins must be forgiven1 and he was sure of promotion in the next incarnation4 ,panchor had not the slightest doubt that a man or horse which had drunk of the water of ,tso-mavang or ,nam-tso was for ever immune from illness1 robbers1 and wolves4 ,it is just as though a fire blazed out of that part of the body where the wolf intends to seize him1 he affirmed4 ,but he considerably modified his statements after ,i had told him that we had a mule which had drunk for a whole month of the water of ,tso-mavang and yet had been torn in pieces by wolves at ,gartok4 ,yes1 he replied1 the protection is only for ,tibetans and their animals1 not for ,europeans and their animals4 ,and if the wolf itself drank of the holy water it would avail nothing2 he would still seize his prey4 ,on the #aeth of ,may we set out again in a snowstorm1 whereas ,i had been looking forward ever since ,january to spring4 ,it caused great merriment1 both among the ,tibetans and the ,ladakis1 when one of the escort who did not know ,kunchuk's name1 spoke of him as that there calf4 ,we had travelled a good long way before they ceased to laugh at the newly invented title1 which stuck to ,kunchuk ever after4 ,the valley opens out on to a plain where kiangs1 ,goa and ,pantholops antelopes are plentiful4 ,from the ridge of a hill we see to the east another still larger plain1 beyond which ,targo-gangri would be visible if the mountain were not shrouded in clouds and falling snow4 ,buchu-tso is a small pool which dries up in summer4 ,there lay three black tents1 and beyond another hill in the locality ,kangmar1 seven4 ,when we encamped1 sixty men1 women1 and children came out and watched us4 ,they had gathered together here to pay their taxes to a collector from ,saka4 ,the district is called ,bongba-chushar1 and the elderly ,gova came to visit us4 ,he was a discreet man and put no awkward questions4 ,panchor1 who was accustomed to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds1 had probably given him an account of us beforehand4 ,it seems he was terribly frightened1 for he had never in his life seen a ,european4 ,however1 he gave us much valuable information about the country1 among other things1 that the little twin lakes ,mun-tso lay to the north of the ,barong-la and east of the ,teri-nam-tso1 not south of the ,dangra-yum-tso as on ,nain ,sing's map1 which ,i had myself found to be incorrect4 ,on the way to the ,teri-nam-tso we should be able in two places to steal goose eggs2 it was forbidden to the ,tibetans for three years to take them1 but a ,european could permit himself anything without having to answer for it to the gods of heaven and earth4 ,after a day's rest we marched north-north-east to the broad longitudinal valley of ,soma-tsangpo4 ,the river descends from the east-south-east1 and probably has its source in the great mountain system we saw from the ,shuru-tso4 ,here it runs west-north-west1 but afterwards turns north and north-eastwards1 and therefore makes a sharp curve before it enters the ,teri-nam-tso4 ,its bed is flat and shallow1 and at the time carried down about #bhj cubic feet of water per second1 but it is so full in summer that sometimes it cannot be forded4 ,we camped at a spring in a valley at the farther side1 and on ,may #ah ascended the adjacent pass1 ,dongchen-la1 and on its south slopes twenty-four ,ovis ,ammon sheep were a fine sight4 ,on the night of the #aith1 the minimum temperature was #bi4e1 and now it felt as if spring were really come1 or even summer4 ,the way ran north-west up a steep valley1 where granite and dark schists were twice observed in situ1 to the small pass ,teta-la 7#af1bff feet71 where we had at length a free view over the longed-for lake ,teri-nam-tso1 ,nain ,sing's ,tede-nam-tso1 which he never visited nor saw1 but only heard of1 and inserted with a broken line quite correctly on his map4 ,the only mistake he made was to draw the lake longer from north to south instead of from east to west4 ,to obtain an uninterrupted view we climbed up a height on the north side of the pass 7#af1igb feet74 ,the scene here displayed in all directions was one of the grandest and most memorable tableaus ,i have seen in ,tibet4 ,the heavenly lake lay like a great flat-cut turquoise framed in mountains and hills shaded in pink1 red1 yellow1 and purple1 which1 towards the horizon1 gradually passed into a light blue veil4 ,only to the south-east quadrant is the view obstructed by adjacent heights belonging to the chain on the crest of which we stand1 and which runs along the southern shore of the lake1 but elsewhere the view is open1 dizzy1 boundless1 and the eyes scan both ,sha-kangsham's majestic peak and ,targo-gangri's many-headed ridge1 and the seven-times-mounted main range of the ,trans-,himalaya1 with its snow-crowned heights rising in a row of bright white domes to the south4 ,many other peaks and domes with eternal snow rise over this sea of tumbled waves1 but1 after all1 the finest sight is the lake itself1 which charms and fascinates the spectator by its intense ultramarine hue1 a couple of shades deeper and stronger than turquoise4 ,when one first comes to the saddle of the pass and this wealth of colouring strikes the retina1 one can scarcely restrain an exclamation of astonishment and admiration4 ,we look down straight on the lake1 and its southern shore is just below us4 ,to the west it extends for two days' journey1 and widens out enormously1 while to the east it contracts and seems to stretch a good day's journey4 ,due north-east the blue surface is broken by a steep rocky islet1 with a level shore only in the east1 and further east one fancies one can detect the hollow where the basin of the ,dangra-yum-tso skirts the northern foot of the divine ,targo-gangri mountain4 ,beautiful weather1 not a cloud on the blue vault of heaven1 calm and quiet1 only the gentlest whisper over the hills sounding in the ears like the tinkle of small bells and the vibration of strings4 ,one feels overwhelmed by this grand beauty1 which speaks more powerfully to the senses than the high mass of any archbishop4 ,i stood several hours up here and made a hopeless attempt to sketch the landscape1 but succeeded in producing only a feeble imitation of the reality4 ,from the ,teta-la one commands a very considerable area of the heart of ,tibet4 ,how extensive is the line of ,sha-kangsham6 ,how many are the points from which ,i have viewed this wonderful mountain on different journeys6 ,like a gigantic beacon1 a marvellous landmark1 it raises its snow-covered dome above desolate ,tibet4 ,and we were far from its dripping glaciers when for the last time it sank below the horizon like a dream of snow and roses4 ,at last we had to drag ourselves away and follow the track of the other men to a little dreary valley where they had encamped near a couple of tents4 ,even here the view was remarkable4 ,how ,i now missed my old tried boat1 and how gladly ,i would have glided with sail and oar over the heavenly lake6 ,illustration3 #cff4 ,,the ,,village ,,of ,,lunkar ,,from ,,the ,,temple ,,hill4 ,illustration3 #cfg4 ,,the ,,southern ,,shore ,,of ,,manasarowar ,,with ,,grazing ,,yaks4 ,we remained four whole days at this miserable camp with its fine view 7#ae1fdf feet74 ,the fact was that ,dangra-yum-tso now for the fourth time began to haunt my dreams1 and as the holy lake was only four days' journey to the east1 ,i would try to reach its shore4 ,but ,nima ,tashi and ,panchor put all kinds of difficulties in the way3 their yaks would perish where there was no grazing1 and it was impossible to hire yaks1 for all had lately gone to ,tabie-tsaka for salt4 ,i proposed to go on my own horses and meet them at ,mendong-gompa after the excursion1 and to this they made no objection at first4 ,if ,i had not been by this time heartily sick of ,tibet1 ,i would have played them a pretty trick1 and gone not only to ,dangra-yum-tso1 but further eastwards until ,i was stopped4 ,but ,i was weary of geography1 discoveries1 and adventures1 and wanted to get home4 ,and besides1 on comparing the lands east and west of the ,teri-nam-tso1 ,i considered the latter far better worth visiting4 ,the former ,i had traversed by three routes1 and two other travellers had been there1 but no one had been in the west1 and we knew nothing about it except the uncertain data which the ,jesuits had gathered from the natives two hundred years ago4 ,in fact this land was the least known part of ,tibet1 and the road to the ,nganglaring-tso crosses the blank patch in its longer direction4 ,if the authorities had asked me which way ,i would choose1 ,i should have answered1 the way to the ,nganglaring-tso4 ,it would have been wisest to close at once with ,nima ,tashi's suggestion to go straight to ,mendong-gompa4 ,but their opposition egged me on to break another lance for ,dangra-yum-tso4 ,i ought to have remembered that he who grasps at all loses all1 for ,i was within an ace of losing ,mendong-gompa into the bargain4 ,for when ,nima ,tashi saw that he could not make me give way1 he secretly sent a message to ,tagla ,tsering1 the chief of ,sangge-ngamo-buk1 the district we were in and which is subject to ,naktsang4 ,and ,tagla ,tsering came4 ,last year he had been in ,lundup's train when the latter had stopped us at the foot of ,targo-gangri and prevented us from going to the shore of the holy lake4 ,now he looked very grand and important4 ,over a mantle of panther skin he wore a belt of six bright silver gaos1 and in the belt was stuck a sword with a silver scabbard inlaid with turquoise and coral1 and at his side rattled knives and other pendent articles4 ,over all1 he wore a long reddish-violet mantle1 and on his head a ,chinese silk cap4 ,he was accompanied by six horsemen1 and1 the day after1 twenty more arrived1 all armed to the teeth with guns1 swords1 and lances2 all in picturesque bright-coloured costumes1 some with tall brimmed hats on their heads1 others with bandages round their foreheads1 ,tagla ,tsering evidently took the matter seriously1 and tried to get over me by talking of raising the militia 7,illust4 #cbi74 ,the powerful chief meanwhile entered my tent1 friendly and pleased1 and1 like an old friend1 bade me heartily welcome1 and expressed his great astonishment that ,i had come back again1 though ,i had been forced the year before to turn back4 ,had ,i not already brought about ,hlaje ,tsering's fall1 and would ,i cause the new ,governor of ,naktsang to meet the same fate8 ,or what did ,i mean8 ,no1 ,hedin ,sahib1 you cannot travel to ,naktsang4 ,turn to the west4 ,nima ,tashi had no authority to lead you even to the ,teri-nam-tso2 it was on the ,buptsang-tsangpo you were to meet the caravan4 ,you talk of ,mendong-gompa4 ,you have no right to travel thither4 ,there is a nearer way to the rendezvous4 ,mendong-gompa does not lie in my district1 but all the same ,i have sent written notices to all the govas in the country to stop you if you travel to the monastery4 ,poor ,nima ,tashi was half dead with fright4 ,he had thought to frighten me1 but now he saw that the chief and ,i sat together like old friends1 drinking tea and smoking cigarettes1 while he was reprimanded for bringing me too far4 ,i told him afterwards that he was a noodle1 and if he now got into trouble in ,saka it was his own fault4 ,tagla ,tsering's good humour was much enhanced when ,i promised to turn back and conform to the arrangements of the chiefs on the way to ,mendong1 if by any chance ,i was prevented from approaching the convent4 ,we said farewell on ,may #bd1 and continued our journey westwards along the southern shore of the lake4 ,the water is salt and has an extremely unpleasant taste1 and cannot be drunk in any circumstances4 ,lamlung-la 7#af1hhj feet7 is a commanding pass1 which must be crossed to cut off a peninsula4 ,the rocks are granite and green schist4 ,hares and wild-geese are very plentiful4 ,here and there are freshwater lagoons on the shore1 which forms a very narrow belt at the foot of the mountains4 ,the northern shore belt seems to be much broader4 ,we followed the southern shore another day to the spring ,tertsi at the western extremity of the lake1 which forms a large regular expansion4 ,i heard the name of this lovely lake variously pronounced by different nomads4 ,nain ,sing's ,tede-nam-tso is incorrect4 ,the ,gova of ,kangmar insisted that ,tsari-nam-tso was the correct pronunciation1 and said that the name was bestowed because ri di tsa-la tso yore1 that is1 ,the lake situated at the foot of the mountain4 ,the nomads on the shore1 however1 said ,tiri- or ,teri-nam-tso4 ,at our camp #daa were two small mountains on the shore1 called ,techen and ,techung1 or the ,great and ,little ,te1 or more correctly ,ti4 ,ti is a lama's throne in a temple1 ri signifies mountain1 nam heaven1 and tso lake4 ,the whole name therefore has the poetical meaning of the ,throne-mountain's ,heavenly ,lake4 ,its height above sea-level is #ae1cfg feet1 or #dac feet lower than ,mont ,blanc1 which1 if it lifted up its head from the turquoise billows of the lake1 would look like the small rocky islet in its eastern half4 ,,chapter ,,lxxi ,,another ,,journey ,,across ,,the ,,white ,,patch ,we left on ,may #bf the heavenly lake1 the shore of which had never before been trodden by ,european or pundit1 and saw its blue surface diminish to a sabre blade between the mountains1 and finally disappear in the east1 while we rode westwards over a wide plain1 which was formerly under water4 ,kutus1 ,lobsang1 and ,panchor accompanied me4 ,we must hasten to descend on the monastery before the monks got wind of us1 and the caravan and escort could come after and encamp near ,mendong-gompa4 ,panchor disappeared at the first tent we passed1 and was not seen again all day4 ,he was a coward1 and did not wish to be suspected of showing us the way to the sanctuary4 ,we had therefore to shift for ourselves and find our way thither4 ,two men and a woman came out of a nomad encampment to the track we followed1 and asked if we had seen the ,european who was said to be travelling about ,bongba4 ,in order to preserve my incognito till ,i came to ,mendong1 ,i answered that he was coming behind with his caravan1 and if they kept on the look-out they would see an amusing figure4 ,probably they had long given up all hope of seeing the stranger4 ,my involuntary disguise therefore did me good service1 for the nomads took me to be1 like the other two men1 servants of the expected ,european4 ,hour after hour we rode on westwards and looked in vain for a monastery4 ,but at last it cropped up all of a sudden4 ,we were on the top of a bank terrace #cj feet high1 skirting on the east the channel of the ,soma-tsangpo1 and saw at the foot of the opposite terrace the quadrangular stone house of the monastery with its white walls and red frieze1 chhortens1 mani heaps1 and streamers1 and on the east and west of it two tent villages1 the upper inhabited by sixty monks1 the lower by forty nuns 7,illust4 #cfj74 ,the ,soma-tsangpo1 also called ,nyagga1 or ,soma-,nyagga-tsangpo1 now carried down #cej to #dbj cubic feet of water1 which1 divided into four channels1 glided over a treacherously deepening bottom4 ,we managed1 however1 to ford it1 and rode up to the gate of the monastery1 where ten monks1 good-natured but reserved1 met us4 ,i have no space to describe the religious organization of ,mendong-gompa4 ,it is enough to say that hitherto it was quite unknown even by name1 like so many of the convents we visited the year before4 ,the peculiarity of this monastery is that the brothers and sisters live in black tents1 and every tent is a cell4 ,the tents had a very comfortable and attractive appearance1 but the sisters1 of whom ,i took some portraits1 were hideous to behold--old unwashed harpies1 barbarous and demoralized4 ,that there is anything idyllic and fascinating in life in a nunnery in the wilds is a pure illusion1 which vanishes at once at the sight of these old apes4 ,they have also a puzzling resemblance to their male colleagues1 and it is often difficult to decide whether one of them is a man or a woman 7,illust4 #ced74 ,when we left the solitary monastery on ,may #bh we decided to make for the rendezvous on the ,buptsang-tsangpo1 where ,abdul ,kerim would no doubt be uneasy at our prolonged absence4 ,it had been arranged that we should be separated only two weeks1 but before we reached the river a whole month would have passed away4 ,illustration3 #cfh4 ,,lunkar-,,gompa4 ,illustration3 #cfi4 ,,selipuk-,,gompa4 ,so we set out early1 followed the right bank of the ,soma-tsangpo southwards1 and crossed the range1 from the top of which1 at the ,teta-la1 we had first seen the ,teri-nam-tso4 ,the valley is quite #b miles broad1 the strand terraces are well developed1 the fall is slight1 and the rush of water is seldom heard2 here and there stands a tent with grazing flocks4 ,one more sunrise and we ride through the river 7,illust4 #ceh71 which1 with the ,sachu-tsangpo1 ,buptsang-tsangpo1 and ,bogtsang-tsangpo1 shares the honour of being one of the largest in the interior of ,tibet4 ,through the valley ,goa-lung we rode up on ,may #cj to the pass ,goa-la 7#ag1chb feet71 flat and easy1 lying amidst pink and grey granite1 and affording an instructive view over the ,trans-,himalaya to the south4 ,to the south-west we see1 close below the pass1 the small lake ,karong-tso--a new discovery1 like everything else in this country4 ,our route ran to the west1 when we1 on ,june #a1 rode1 with the ,karong-tso on our left hand1 and a crest of medium height on our right1 through the district ,bongba-kemar1 following the great route of the salt caravans between ,raga-tasam and ,tabie-tsaka1 which crosses the already mentioned pass ,tsalam-nakta-la4 ,a high-road from ,naktsang joins this4 ,at camp #dag we had the ,chunit-tso near us on the north-west4 ,although we were at the beginning of ,june1 the minimum sank below freezing-point2 in the night of the #ast the thermometer fell to #af4c4 ,but the day was warm1 nay hot1 when the sun shone and the air was still4 ,the dreary barren valleys lay waiting for the rainy season4 ,the grass was more than scanty1 for last summer the rains failed4 ,our direction turned more to the south-west4 ,from camp #dah we saw1 to the south1 #fj ,e41 the opening of a valley through which a highway runs through ,bongba-kyangrang over the ,dicha-la to ,lapchung4 ,our ,tibetans know excellently well how to look after themselves on the journey4 ,on the march they twist string1 talk1 sing and whistle1 and shout at their yaks4 ,in pitching their camp they set up their black tent in a moment1 first stretching out the ropes and fastening them into the ground with wooden pegs1 and then throwing the cloth over the poles4 ,the animals are unloaded and sent off to feed1 and the men gather fuel and make a fire in the tent1 where all assemble to drink tea and sleep4 ,after a couple of hours they come out again1 wrestle1 play and laugh4 ,in the dusk one may be heard singing a monotonous ballad1 which must1 however1 be amusing1 for the others laugh heartily at every verse4 ,morning and evening they gabble their prayers1 all together1 murmuring like bees in a hive4 ,an old man1 whom ,i knew the year before1 has a riding yak of his own1 and brandishes the escort's prayer-mill4 ,he is never seen without this ingenious instrument4 ,the men are always good-natured and polite1 help us to collect fuel1 set up the tents and load the animals1 and frequently pay us a visit4 ,we know them all by name and are the best of friends4 ,the temperature sank in the night only a few degrees below freezing-point1 and yet a snowstorm raged almost all day long on ,june #c4 ,we rode past a large marsh in the valley and up to the flat saddle ,merke-sang1 with a view over the plain we crossed exactly two months before on the way to the ,buptsang-tsangpo4 ,camp #dai lay therefore in the ,bongba-kebyang district again4 ,to the south-east is the pass ,chiptu-la1 with the pilgrim route from ,nakchu to ,kang-rinpoche4 ,to the south1 #bg ,w41 rises a snowy summit1 at the foot of which a road leads over the ,dsalung-la to ,tradum4 ,as a watershed this pass is of the first rank1 and it sends off a voluminous tributary to the ,buptsang-tsangpo4 ,the escort sent off a messenger in advance to this river to look out for ,abdul ,kerim's party4 ,june #d4 ,it had snowed all night long1 and we set out in the wildest snowstorm4 ,it was half dark1 with heavy leaden clouds2 not a glimpse could be seen of the surrounding mountains2 all was wet1 muddy1 and evil-smelling2 pools of melting snow lay on the ground1 and seven pilgrims from ,kang-rinpoche were close upon us before they emerged from the mist4 ,we splashed through the soaked soil1 but when we encamped on the shore of the ,buptsang-tsangpo the weather was much clearer4 ,before ,i proceed further ,i will mention that the great province of ,bongba is divided into twelve tso or districts1 namely3 ,parryang1 ,laktsang1 ,bupt1 ,tsaruk1 ,yeke1 ,tarok1 ,kebyang1 ,kemar1 ,parma1 ,changma1 ,kyangrang1 and ,chushar4 ,to each of these district names is usually prefixed the name of the province1 as1 for instance1 ,bongba-parryang1 ,bongba-laktsang1 etc4 ,we were now in ,bongba-kebyang4 ,illustration3 #cgj4 ,,the ,,trans-,,himalaya ,,from ,,abuk-,,la4 7,the three parts in the illustration form a continuous panorama from ,east to ,s4,s4,w47 ,illustration3 #cga4 ,,storm ,,over ,,the ,,trans-,,himalaya4 7,to the left the way up to ,samye-la2 valley of ,buptsang-tsangpo47 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,some tents stood on the river bank4 ,the nomads reported that ,abdul ,kerim had gone a week before by a cross-cut over the mountain on the right1 down towards the ,tarok-tso4 ,there was no ,gova here1 but two natives were ready to let us on hire the five yaks we required4 ,they were shy and timorous1 but ,panchor1 the rogue1 spoke well of us1 and it was agreed that they should accompany us to the boundary of ,tarok-tso4 ,on the morning of ,june #e we took farewell of ,nima ,tashi and his soldiers and of ,panchor1 and rode between the hills on the left side of the valley down the course of the ,buptsang-tsangpo4 ,soon the valley contracted to a ditch1 but before long expanded again4 ,on our left hand we had the main range of the ,trans-,himalaya1 which1 however1 did not present an imposing appearance1 for we were always close to its foot4 ,at times we were enveloped in a snowstorm1 and at ,mabie-tangsam-angmo1 where we camped1 we made haste to get a cover over our heads4 ,when ,little ,puppy heard the thunder rumble for the first time in his life1 he was very disturbed and barked with all his might1 but he could not make out whence the noise came1 and he found it safest to fly into the tent and hide himself behind my bed-head4 ,june #f4 ,hail and snow6 ,the whole country is hidden under newly-fallen snow1 as far as we can see4 ,is ,june to be reckoned among the winter months8 ,we have already had nine of them4 ,it seems as though summer were missed out this year and we were approaching another winter4 ,but the precipitation is welcome to the nomads1 for it promotes the growth of fresh grass4 ,we march sometimes on the top1 sometimes at the foot of a lofty erosion terrace #hj to #ajj feet high1 which is a characteristic feature in this large valley4 ,geese1 wild asses1 ,goa antelopes1 and foxes are everywhere4 ,a sharp bend in the river forces us to the north-north-east for a time1 and the valley is again narrow and picturesque4 ,at ,tuta1 which belongs to ,bongba-tsaruk1 we encamp close by the ,buptsang-tsangpo1 where the wild-geese swim with their yellow chicks in the clear water4 ,eighteen degrees of frost on the night of ,june #g4 ,yet the day was fine1 and flies1 gnats1 and other insects were more numerous than before4 ,as on the two preceding days we crossed several small affluents from the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,the ,buptsang valley expanded more and more1 and at length became #ac miles broad4 ,we encamped in sight of the ,tarok-tso1 on a level plain about #af feet above the surface of the lake1 and with two nomad tents as our nearest neighbours4 ,the height here was #ae1aig feet4 ,our guides were the pleasantest and most complacent we had ever had1 our movements were not controlled by chiefs and soldiers1 and ,karma ,puntso's camp was far away--we might have travelled wherever we liked4 ,but the ,buptsang-tsangpo and the ,tarok-tso were the most interesting geographical features in ,bongba1 and now we saw the lake close in front of us4 ,our plan was to make on ,june #h for ,lunkar-gompa1 which was seen perched on its hill with a view over the lake4 ,but it was not to be1 for at six o'clock ,gova ,pensa arrived on horseback accompanied by two servants4 ,he was dressed in a handsome blue cloak1 looked about fifty-five years old1 and greeted us in a kind and friendly manner4 ,after a while came half a dozen more horsemen--evidently we were held up again4 ,gova ,pensa asked us to remain where we were for the day1 for ,gova ,parvang1 the district chief of ,tarok-shung1 would come in the afternoon4 ,he said it was impossible to see ,lunkar-gompa1 for both the head lamas1 with most of the other twenty monks1 were gone two days before to ,kang-rinpoche1 and had left the temple gates locked4 ,only four nuns and two monks had been left behind4 ,of ,abdul ,kerim's party he only knew that they had met ,gova ,parvang1 but did not know where they were now4 ,gova ,parvang did not put in an appearance1 but sent instead his lieutenant1 old ,yamba1 and seventeen other unarmed men to my tent4 ,yamba had orders not to let us go to ,tabie-tsaka if he valued his head4 ,but he added that if we went there of our own accord and with our own horses he could not stop us1 but yaks and provisions would not be supplied1 and the nomads had orders to avoid us like the plague4 ,would we1 on the other hand1 go up a valley which opened out to the south-south-west by which we could reach ,tuksum in seven days over the ,lungnak-la1 he would let us hire yaks1 would sell us provisions1 and provide us with guides4 ,or if we would go over the ,lunkar-la north-westwards to ,selipuk1 he would also do his best to serve us4 ,he advised us to take the latter route1 for he had been present when ,gova ,parvang forced ,abdul ,kerim to take the direct road to ,selipuk between the ,tarok-tso and ,tabie-tsaka4 ,we had1 then1 three different routes to choose from1 which led over the blank space on the map of ,tibet1 where there are no other black lines but the meridians and parallels and the word ,unexplored4 ,i did not take a minute to choose2 the middle road over the ,lunkar-la was naturally the most desirable1 for ,i knew that it would yield me most details to complete my knowledge of the intricate orography of the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,on the morning of ,june #i we hastily concluded our business1 obtained yaks and guides1 bought barley1 rice1 and tsamba1 took farewell of the chiefs of ,bongba-tarok1 and steered our course direct to the temple4 ,we passed several tent villages1 for the country is densely peopled4 ,at the foot of the mountain1 on the left1 a warm spring rises out of the ground4 ,below the monastery hill stand twenty small white stone cabins1 each with a red frieze under the eaves and a small quadrangular yard4 ,in front of the village are two chhortens 7,illusts4 #cei1 #cff74 behind which two women with their children were hiding4 ,while the caravan continued up the ,lunkar valley1 ,i1 with ,lobsang and ,kutus1 ascended the porphyry hill to the temple1 which is surrounded by a quadrangular wall4 ,some savage dogs rushed upon us and snapped at ,little ,puppy1 but there was no other sign of life4 ,we went into the court and found the temple door closed1 and fastened with a great iron lock4 ,as ,i was sketching a panorama of the great beautiful lake and its wreath of mountains1 six men came up and told us in an angry voice to go away4 ,i rose up1 went straight to the nearest of them1 and1 pointing to the path down to the village1 told them that if they did not immediately make off they must put up with the consequences4 ,they turned round meekly without saying a word4 ,the lake stretches from north1 #bf ,w41 to north1 #eg ,e41 but extends further eastwards hidden behind a mountain4 ,to the north-north-east two rocky islets are seen near the northern shore4 ,to the north-east the ,buptsang-tsangpo enters a bay1 and in the far distance in the same direction our old ,sha-kangsham appears4 ,the water of the ,tarok-tso is said to be sweet1 but ,i had no opportunity of confirming this statement4 ,if it is correct1 the lake must have a subterranean outlet to the ,tabie-tsaka lying to the north1 though a small mountain offshoot lies between the two lakes4 ,we left the small inhospitable monastery and a couple of small white and red houses1 where the nuns have their cells1 and soon rejoined our men in the ,lunkar valley4 ,illustration3 #cgb4 ,,sonam ,,ngurbu ,,and ,,his ,,followers ,,on ,,horseback4 ,illustration3 #cgc4 ,,some ,,of ,,our ,,horses ,,on ,,the ,,way ,,to ,,kamba ,,tsenam',s ,,tent4 ,in the night the temperature was above freezing-point for the first time4 ,our path ascended steeply to the south-west and south1 and in three hours we were at the streamer-decked cairn on the ,lunkar-la1 where the height was #ah1bgd feet4 ,from a height to the north-east of the pass the ,tarok-tso lies below the spectator as on a map1 and in the north from #bj to #bf ,e4 is seen the white and yellow saline depression of ,tabie-tsaka1 renowned throughout ,tibet4 ,at ,goang-shung we got three new guides with four yaks1 who took us to the bank of the ,gyenor- or ,goang-tsangpo--a small river which1 coming from the mountain ,kapta in the south-east1 falls into the ,poru-tso4 ,to the west rises a chain of mighty snowy peaks4 ,on the morning of ,june #ab1 after #h4h degrees of frost1 the stream was covered with a third of an inch of ice1 and ,i missed the pleasant rippling sound of the evening4 ,but the ice broke up in the sunshine and rattled down in large flakes4 ,we were conducted still to the south-west2 on the next day when we encamped on the lake shore the direction was nearer west4 ,from camp #dbh 7#ag1jfg feet7 we had a fine view over the small lake ,poru-tso1 also called ,yeke-tso because it is situated in the district ,bongba-yeke1 the westernmost in the large province of ,bongba1 which is under the control of ,karma ,puntso4 ,to the west of it follows ,rigi-hloma or ,rigi-changmo1 which is subject to ,ngari-karpun1 as the ,garpun of ,gartok is called here4 ,puru-tso is drying up2 the highest shore-line lies #ced feet above the present level of the lake4 ,the water is not fit for drinking1 but1 curiously enough1 it still contains fish4 ,an extremely disagreeable odour rises from the beach4 ,the lake stretches from north-east to south-west4 ,on ,june #ad we rode westwards and crossed the broad valley watered by the ,nyapchu-tsangpo1 which1 descending from the ,men-la due south1 falls into the ,poru-tso4 ,the ,men-la1 a day's journey off1 is a pass in a longitudinal valley between two of the ranges of the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,over its threshold a road runs to ,shamsang on the upper ,tsangpo4 ,a day was spent on the bank of the ,surle-tsangpo1 which also flows to the ,poru-tso1 and in the evening carried quite #baj cubic feet of water per second4 ,here ,i was waited on by ,gova ,pundar of ,rigi-hloma1 an elderly man1 who gave me a kadakh1 butter1 meal1 and milk1 and sold us all the provisions we required for several days1 and his goodwill knew no bounds4 ,the people in this part of ,tibet were always very friendly disposed4 ,in the ,lob country the natives called me ,padishahim or ,your ,majesty1 a title that more than satisfied my ambition2 but in ,bongba and ,rigi ,i was often called ,rinpoche or ,your ,holiness1 which ,i thought a little too strong4 ,but they meant well1 and ,i accepted their civilities as the most natural thing in the world4 ,gova ,pundar knew every inch of his country1 and ,i pumped him thoroughly4 ,among other interesting details1 he informed me that thirteen days' journey to the north1 near the ,lakkor-tso1 was a monastery ,marmik-gompa1 a dependency of ,sera1 with twenty-five monks and four nuns4 ,in the year #aija ,i had been at the ,lakkor-tso1 and had heard the blast of the shell-horn at the other side of a ridge1 but ,i did not enjoy the same freedom as now1 and could not visit the monastery4 ,we rode on the #afth in a snowstorm1 with fresh men and yaks1 through the picturesque ,surle valley1 and on the #agth over stony moss-grown slopes to the pass ,sur-la or ,sur-la-,kemi-la1 #ai1acd feet high1 which1 like the ,lunkar-la1 is of the second order1 for it is a divide between the ,poru-tso and the ,shovo-tso4 ,before reaching the actual pass we had a striking view west-south-west over a world of firn-fields1 peaks clothed with eternal snow1 and glaciers1 one of which1 of large dimensions and bluish green in front1 with numerous moraines and rivulets1 descends to the ,surle river4 ,here grey granite predominates2 wild yaks are everywhere2 the country is barren and of a high alpine character4 ,on the other side of the ,sur-la the ground descends rapidly among quantities of medium-sized granite boulders4 ,at camp #dca we were1 then1 in the district ,rigi-changma4 ,when we went on farther down the valley from the pass on ,june #ah1 we suddenly heard wild yells from a whole choir of four large and six small wolves1 which were strolling along a slope immediately to the left of the path4 ,they were greyish yellow1 and seemed hungry and in a very vicious humour4 ,takkar rushed heedlessly at them1 but they faced him1 and he thought it better to turn back4 ,they showed no signs of fear1 but held their ground even when we threw stones at them4 ,at that moment two horsemen with weapons and red hats came down from the ,sur-la4 ,they were pursuivants sent out in advance to ,selipuk to make preparations for the arrival of the serpuns1 or gold commissioners4 ,these gentlemen are sent annually from ,lhasa to ,tok-jalung1 and their journey is burdensome to the nomads1 for they exact pack animals and food without payment4 ,they take the road north of the ,teri-nam-tso and ,tabie-tsaka1 which is one of ,tibet's great arteries4 ,it is called the ,ser-lam1 or the gold road4 ,over a small saddle we came to the ,pedang-tsangpo's valley1 #f miles broad1 which starts from the ,trans-,himalayan pass ,pedang-la1 and runs almost due north4 ,camp #dcb was pitched on the river bank in a place quite devoid of life4 ,our guides wished to turn back with their yaks1 but were persuaded to accompany us to the nearest tent village4 ,what could the ,tibetans be thinking of8 ,they left us without the slightest supervision1 and we enjoyed more freedom than ever before4 ,we could now have travelled anywhere we liked1 eastwards to ,tabie-tsaka or southwards over the ,trans-,himalaya2 but the lakes in the north had most attraction for me1 and we should have to cross the lofty mountains in the south at some time4 ,,chapter ,,lxxii ,,the ,,last ,,days ,,in ,,unknown ,,country ,on ,june #ai we proceeded north-north-east down the ,pedang-tsangpo's gently declining valley1 sometimes near1 sometimes at a distance from1 the fairly large river4 ,on the right was the ridge of the ,sur-la with its snowy summits and small glacier tongues1 and far in the north was seen a huge crest called ,ganglung-gangri1 a prolongation of the ,sur-la4 ,we found that this colossal range1 like its eastern and western neighbours1 runs from north-north-west to south-south-east1 and that the orographical configuration is totally unlike the scheme set forth by ,hodgson1 ,atkinson1 ,saunders1 and ,burrard1 for these gentlemen1 quite hypothetically1 inserted a single chain parallel to the upper ,brahmaputra4 ,in reality one wanders here in a labyrinth of mountain ranges1 one and all only parts of the gigantic system of the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,the road was excellent1 and after a long ride we set up our two tents on the bank of a glacier stream while snow squalls and showers of pelting rain came down alternately4 ,here we had to stay a day1 that the genial nomads of the neighbourhood might send for the district chief2 for we had nothing to eat1 but had to buy whatever we could get4 ,he came1 and we bought provisions for #ej rupees1 and gave him #bj for his kindness4 ,our treasury was almost empty1 and ,i looked forward with trembling to the time when we should be obliged1 like wandering ,jews1 to sell watches1 revolvers1 and horses to gain a livelihood4 ,for here1 in ,rigi-changma1 no one had heard of ,abdul ,kerim and his men4 ,we could not tell what had happened4 ,had he gone quite off his head8 ,he had #bejj rupees with him2 had he decamped1 or had he been robbed8 ,a letter was despatched to ,gova ,parvang saying that if he did not get news of them in a week he would have all the ,devashung and the ,mandarins about his ears4 ,at any rate we had made a splendid journey through unknown country1 and now we must make our way to the ,shovo-tso we had long heard spoken of4 ,properly we ought to have gone over the ,pedang range on the west direct to ,selipuk1 but it was not difficult to talk over the ,gova1 and on ,june #ba he had fresh yaks and guides ready4 ,the latter were a young man and a boy ten years old in a blue sheepskin4 ,with these we could have gone off anywhere1 but ,i was tired and longed to get home4 ,the valley of the ,pedang-tsangpo took us further to the north4 ,it is unusual to find in ,tibet such a great longitudinal valley running north and south1 for they lie almost always east and west1 and produce the peculiar parallelism so characteristic of the country4 ,we passed sixteen tents1 and near the last we crossed the ,pedang-tsangpo1 which runs to the ,shovo-tso by a more easterly course4 ,lobsang caused great amusement when he was attacked by a furious dog1 and1 having no stones1 threw his bright sheath-knife at him2 he missed1 but the dog took the knife in his teeth and ran off to his master's tent4 ,then we rode up to the ,abuk-la pass1 with a view both magnificent and instructive4 ,the bluish-green ,shovo-tso is1 like ,poru-tso1 longest from north-east to south-west1 and is surrounded by huge mountains1 some of them with eternal snow4 ,to the north1 #cj ,e41 we see the pass ,ka-la1 over which the gold road runs4 ,the name ,ka-la occurs on a map of one of ,montgomerie's pundits by a single isolated mountain summit4 ,in reality the ,ka-la is the very opposite of a mountain summit1 namely1 a depression or saddle in a mountain range4 ,we encamped on the southern shore of the ,shovo-tso1 which lies at an absolute height of #ae1fif feet4 ,the water is salt1 and round the shore are seen old shore-lines of about the same height as at ,poru-tso4 ,illustration3 #cgd4 ,,lama ,,of ,,chokchu ,,taking ,,leave ,,of ,,the ,,prior ,,of ,,selipuk4 ,illustration3 #cge4 ,,lama ,,of ,,chokchu ,,on ,,horseback4 ,june #bb4 ,when we left the western extremity of the ,shovo-tso we saw a large caravan of yaks and sheep which seemed to have the same destination as ourselves4 ,lobsang found out that the people were nekoras or pilgrims on the way to ,kang-rinpoche1 and that the owner of the caravan was the ,governor of ,chokchu1 ,sonam ,ngurbu 7,illust4 #cgb74 ,we left them behind and rode up to the pass ,tela-mata-la4 ,a horseman approached us at a gallop1 and made signs to us to halt4 ,we waited for him1 all on the tiptoe of expectation1 for we made sure that he brought us a message from ,abdul ,kerim4 ,bah6 it was only one of ,sonam ,ngurbu's soldiers who wanted to ask our guides if a spring on the way to ,selipuk had any water in it this year4 ,sonam ,ngurbu's caravan had come from ,tabie-tsaka and had not heard a word of our men4 ,it seemed as though the earth had swallowed them up4 ,my orders had been that1 whatever else they did1 they should wait for us on the ,buptsang-tsangpo4 ,doubtless they had been plundered by robbers2 and we had only #hj rupees left4 ,i blessed the hour when ,i decided to keep myself all the maps1 notes1 sketches1 and rock specimens when we parted at ,kamba ,tsenam's tent4 ,we could obtain money by selling some valuables1 and from ,selipuk ,i could send a courier to ,thakur ,jai ,chand in ,gartok4 ,from ,tela-mata-la we have again a striking view over almost all the ,sur-la range and over the mountainous region of ,lavar-gangri to the south of ,selipuk4 ,with every day's march the orographical configuration becomes clearer1 and soon the leading features of the blank space will be nearly all ascertained4 ,the temperature again sank at the midsummer season below freezing-point1 the reading on ,june #bc being #be4i4 ,we rode through a small steep valley up to the ,tayep-parva-la 7#ag1hhg feet74 ,the ground was so honeycombed with mouse-holes that the horses trod on two or three at once4 ,little ,puppy caught a couple of field-mice by the neck1 and we did not pity them4 ,a marmot which had ventured too far from its hole almost fell into ,takkar's clutches1 but just saved himself in time4 ,at the pass we made the usual halt for observations1 and ,i drew a panorama of the surroundings4 ,between north and north-west the horizon is far distant and the country level2 only to the north1 #e ,w41 appears a small snow-capped dome1 but not another gangri4 ,the view over ,nganglaring-tso1 just below1 is grand1 all the mountains in shades of pink1 and the water of a deep ultramarine4 ,a large part of its eastern half is occupied by a large island1 a mountain mass rising out of the water with a contour as irregular as that of the lake itself1 all promontories1 bays1 and capes4 ,to the north-west lie three small islands4 ,no ,european had ever seen ,nganglaring-tso before1 nor any pundit4 ,but the pundit sent by ,montgomerie in #ahfg to ,tok-jalung obtained some hazy information about the district ,shellifuk and the great lake ,ghalaring-tso1 which was afterwards inserted in maps of ,tibet4 ,the form given by the pundit to the lake1 namely1 an egg-shape with the longer axis from north to south1 does not at all correspond to the reality2 for the lake stretches east and west1 and its contour could not be more irregular than it is4 ,the pundit places a small island in the northern half1 and adds the legend ,monastery on ,island4 ,in reality ,nganglaring-tso has at least four islands1 but not a single monastery4 ,on ,midsummer ,day we encamped by the roaring surf 7#ae1egg feet71 and on the #beth we crossed the last hilly mountain spur which still separated us from the extensive plain of ,selipuk4 ,from its height we again saw the great chain of ,sur-la1 and to the south the ,trans-,himalaya with sixty-three snowy peaks1 regular as the teeth of a saw4 ,on the #bfth we rode over level country to the west-north-west4 ,on the plain two mounted ,tibetans were pursuing a wild ass1 which was wounded in the near foreleg and had four dogs at his heels4 ,the dogs did not bite him1 but tried to chase the animal in a certain direction4 ,time after time the men were close on the game and dismounted2 they did not shoot1 but threw up dust with their hands to frighten the wild ass and drive him as near as possible to their tent1 that they might not have to carry the meat far 7,illust4 #cef74 ,illustration3 #cgf1 #cgg4 ,,boys ,,sitting4 ,illustration3 #cgh4 ,,young ,,lama4 ,illustration3 #cgi4 ,,old ,,woman4 ,sketches by the ,author4 ,camp #dci was pitched on the bank of the river ,sumdang-tsangpo1 which flows into the ,nganglaring-tso without joining the rivers ,lavar-tsangpo and ,aong-tsangpo1 farther west1 which unite and enter the lake's most western bounds4 ,here ,lobsang caught a wolf cub1 a small wild rogue1 which much interested ,takkar4 ,but ,takkar had a great respect for his hereditary enemy and ventured to bite only his tail4 ,afterwards he became bolder1 and when the little creature found himself in a desperate situation1 he threw himself into the river to swim over to the other side4 ,then ,takkar gave a yell1 jumped in and caught the cub1 thrust him down with his paws1 seized him with his teeth and brought him to land1 where he ate every bit of him4 ,we followed the river upwards on ,june #bg and encamped again on its bank opposite the monastery ,selipuk-gompa 7#ae1fif feet71 the abbot of which1 a ,kanpo-lama1 ,jamtse ,singe1 was also chief of the district in secular affairs 7,illusts4 #cef1 #cgd1 #cfi1 #cda74 ,neither he nor any one else had heard anything of ,abdul ,kerim1 but he was so good as to search in his holy books to find out where our men were1 and he came to the conclusion that they were somewhere to the south1 and that in twenty days we should either meet them or hear some reliable news of them4 ,on ,june #bh1 at half-past nine in the evening1 the country was shaken by an earthquake--the only one ,i ever experienced in ,tibet4 ,however1 it had no effect on the good relations between me and the monks and ,sonam ,ngurbu1 the ,governor 7,illusts4 #cbf1 #cge71 who was also a guest in the monastery1 and had a high lama from ,chokchu 7,illust4 #cee7 in his party4 ,the ,governor gave us as much tsamba1 rice1 and sugar as would at a pinch last us till we came to ,tokchen1 and he received a watch in exchange4 ,of money we had only a few rupees left4 ,i had never been in such straits before4 ,if ,i ever meet ,abdul ,kerim again1 ,i thought1 he shall get what he deserves and a little more4 ,when we set up our tents on the last day of ,june on the ,rartse plain1 south of ,selipuk1 ,lobsang announced at dusk that four men and four mules were coming to the camp4 ,they were ,abdul ,kerim1 ,sedik1 ,gaffar1 and a ,tibetan4 ,our caravan bashi came frightened and confused to my tent1 and ,i thought it better that he should give an account of his stewardship before ,i passed sentence on him4 ,he reported that they had come to the appointed rendezvous at the proper time1 but there he had been hard pressed by six ,govas--,gova ,parvang among them1 who took the lead1 and ordered them to leave the place at once and go on to the ,tarok-tso4 ,as they had no passport from ,lhasa1 they could expect no mercy1 he said4 ,so they betook themselves to the northern shore of the ,tarok-tso1 where they waited fourteen days1 as the grazing was good and no one interfered with them4 ,they heard contradictory reports about us4 ,at length a nomad died on the lake shore1 and a monk from ,lunkar-gompa was summoned to his tent to read the prayers for the dead4 ,they met this man1 and he said that we had passed the monastery nine days previously4 ,then they packed up all their belongings1 intending to hurry after us next morning4 ,but horse-stealers had come in the night and stolen my grey ,tikze horse and a mule from ,saka-dzong4 ,this event cost them three days1 but they never recovered the stolen animals4 ,while ,suen1 ,abdullah1 ,abdul ,rasak1 and ,sonam ,kunchuk followed slowly1 the three others made forced marches westwards1 and now at last they were here and had all our cash with them4 ,abdul ,kerim escaped with a slight reprimand1 but ,i afterwards heard the other men badgering him4 ,we found the others in ,kyangrang1 and so the whole strength of the company1 thirteen men1 was complete when1 on ,july #h1 we crossed the pass ,ding-la 7,illust4 #bac71 #ai1cjh feet high1 the loftiest pass we had crossed in all this journey in ,tibet1 and on past the small lake ,argok-tso1 which lies in the basin of the ,aong-tsangpo2 and on ,july #ab we crossed the ,surnge-la 7#ag1caj feet74 ,two days later we came to ,tokchen1 where another political entanglement detained us nine days4 ,but ,i cannot stay to give an account of it1 for ,i reached the limit of the space allowed me at ,chapter ,,lxiv41 and my publisher is impatient4 ,,chapter ,,lxxiii ,,the ,,trans-,,himalaya ,on the map of the ,jesuits1 now two hundred years old 7,d',anville1 #agcc7 7,map #b71 a series of mountains runs on the north side of the upper ,brahmaputra1 bearing from east to west the following names3 ,youc1 ,larkin1 ,tchimouran ,coran1 ,tchompa1 ,lop1 ,tchour1 ,takra concla1 ,kentaisse 7,kailas7 ,latatsi1 etc4 ,these mountains and ranges have never been transferred to modern maps of ,tibet1 probably because geographers regarded the material collected by trained ,tibetans as too unreliable and indefinite4 ,yet these chains of mountains are nothing else but the ,trans-,himalaya1 though the representation is confused and inexact4 ,when ,brian ,hodgson in his map of southern ,tibet 7,selections from the ,records of the ,government of ,bengal1 ,no4 xxvii471 here reproduced in facsimile 7,map #c71 drew a huge unbroken chain north of1 and parallel to1 the ,tsangpo1 he took a step which could only be based on the ,jesuits' map and the data he received in the year #ahdc from the ,maharaja of ,nepal4 ,no doubt lofty mountains existed to the north of the ,tsangpo--that was known to the ,jesuits even in the time of ,kang ,hi4 ,but ,hodgson's hypothetical ,nyenchhen-thangla 7,trans-,himalaya71 which he looks upon as a prolongation of the ,karakorum1 and the natural boundary between northern and southern ,tibet1 is by no means an original conception1 and is no advance on previous knowledge1 or1 more correctly1 theory4 ,for already1 in the year #ahdj1 ,dufour had inserted a similar huge uninterrupted chain north of1 and parallel to1 the ,tsangpo1 on the map which illustrates the famous description of the travels of the ,lazarist missionary1 ,father ,huc 7,illust4 #cha7--,souvenirs d'un ,voyage dans la ,tartarie1 le ,thibet et la ,chine1 #ahdd-df4 ,dufour's map is even better than ,hodgson's1 for he has adopted from the ,jesuits' map a northern affluent to the ,tsangpo1 passing through the great range1 which1 like the ,jesuits1 he calls ,mts4 ,koran4 ,huc and ,gabet were probably the first ,europeans to cross the ,trans-,himalaya1 and one wonders where they made the passage4 ,probably by the ,shang-shung-la along the ,mongolian pilgrim road from ,kuku-nor and ,tsaidam to ,lhasa4 ,it is vain to seek any information on the subject in ,huc's famous book4 ,during the two years ,huc stayed in ,macao he worked up the scanty notes he had made on his journey4 ,he mentions ,burkhan ,bota1 ,shuga1 and ,tang-la1 and also the large village ,nakchu1 where the caravans exchange their camels for yaks1 but he says not a word about the pass by which he crossed one of the mightiest mountain systems of the world4 ,he says1 indeed1 that he went over a colossal mountain range1 and as its position agreed with that of the ,mts4 ,koran of ,dufour and the ,jesuits1 he adopts this name1 which he certainly had never heard on his journey1 and which probably was changed on its way from ,tibet to the ,jesuits' note-books in ,pekin4 ,all he has to say of his journey over the ,trans-,himalaya is contained in the following sentences3 ,la route qui conduit de ,na-,ptchu ,lha-,ssa est1 en gnral1 rocailleuse et trs-fatigante4 ,quand on arrive la chane des monts ,koran1 elle est d'une difficult extrme 7ii4 p4 #bda74 ,another attempt to represent the course of the ,trans-,himalaya was made by ,trelawney ,saunders in his map of ,tibet 7,map #f71 which is found in ,markham's ,narratives of the ,mission of ,george ,bogle to ,tibet1 and of the ,journey of ,thomas ,manning to ,lhasa 7,london1 #ahgi71 and in ,edwin ,t4 ,atkinson's ,the ,himalayan ,districts of the ,north-,western ,provinces of ,india 7,allahabad1 #ahhb74 ,like ,dufour and ,hodgson1 ,saunders draws a huge continuous chain all through ,tibet4 ,for the western parts1 north of ,manasarowar1 and for the eastern1 south of ,tengri-nor1 he has relied on the cartography of the pundits2 the rest1 between #hb and #hi ,e4 long41 is partly a reproduction of the ,jesuits' map1 partly pure fancy1 and has not the remotest resemblance to the reality1 as will be apparent from a comparison of ,saunders' map with mine4 ,i will only point out that the ,trans-,himalaya consists not of one chain but of many1 and that the source of the ,chaktak-tsangpo lies to the south1 not to the north of the principal one4 ,all the central and largest part of the system1 which ,i explored1 is therefore quite incorrect on ,saunders' map4 ,in the year #ahfg ,colonel ,montgomerie 7,illust4 #chj7 sent out three pundits for the purpose of compiling a map of the country north of ,manasarowar4 ,one of them was the incomparable and wonderful ,nain ,sing1 another was the man who was at ,yiachan prevented from discovering the source of the ,indus4 ,on their way to ,tok-jalung they crossed the ,trans-,himalaya at the ,jukti-la1 which they called ,gugti-la1 assigning to it a height of #ai1ejj feet3 ,i found its height was #ai1jgj feet4 ,mr4 ,calvert crossed the same pass a year before me4 ,on their return they crossed the ,trans-,himalaya by following the eastern branch of the ,indus down to where it breaks through the range and unites with the ,gartok branch4 ,a pundit also went between ,manasarowar and ,tok-jalung1 past the ,ruldap-tso--a name and lake ,i sought for east and west in vain1 but ,i will not therefore deny its existence4 ,moreover1 of this pundit's route ,i have no precise details4 ,it seems likely that he crossed the ,trans-,himalaya by a pass called ,sar-lung4 ,on ,january #h1 #ahgb1 one of ,montgomerie's explorers1 a young trained ,tibetan1 travelled over the ,trans-,himalaya by the ,khalamba-la1 #ag1bjj feet high4 ,in ,markham's account of this journey it is said that he returned across the mountains by the ,dhok-la1 though the actual water-parting pass he came to was much more probably the ,dam-largen-la4 ,this pass was crossed the following year 7#ahgc7 by ,nain ,sing on his famous journey from ,leh to ,lhasa1 which is described so conscientiously by ,colonel ,sir ,henry ,trotter4 ,nain ,sing assigns to ,dam-langren-la a height of #af1ijj feet4 ,the great pundit ,a4 ,k41 or ,krishna1 who contends with ,nain ,sing for the foremost place1 crossed the most easterly parts of the ,trans-,himalaya on his journey in #ahha1 and more probably by the pass ,shiar-gang-la than the ,nub-kong-la1 as ,i have already suggested2 but from his map it is difficult to decide whether the ,shiar-gang-la is a dividing pass of the first rank or not4 ,in any case1 it is situated on the chain which forms the watershed between the ,salwin and the ,brahmaputra1 and is undoubtedly an immediate continuation of the ,nien-chen-tang-la1 or ,trans-,himalaya4 ,a similar assumption is also made by ,colonel ,s4 ,g4 ,burrard in his and ,hayden's admirable work1 ,a ,sketch of the ,geography and ,geology of the ,himalaya ,mountains and ,tibet 7,calcutta1 #aijg74 ,on map xvii4 in this work ,burrard has1 quite rightly in my opinion1 inserted the prolongation of the range1 though we have no sure data about its course4 ,illustration3 #chj4 ,,colonel ,t4 ,g4 ,,montgomerie4 ,illustration3 #cha4 ,,abb ,,huc4 ,for the portrait of ,t4 ,g4 ,montgomerie my thanks are due to the ,colonel's widow1 and for that of ,pre ,huc1 probably not published before1 to ,mr4 ,e4 ,schwartz1 ,paris4 ,thus we find that after ,father ,huc several of ,montgomerie's and ,trotter's pundits1 as well as ,mr4 ,calvert in the year #aijf1 crossed the ,trans-,himalaya in ,tibet4 ,so far as ,i know1 there are only two more names to be added to these--namely1 ,littledale1 who on his bold journey in #ahid-ie passed over the system by the pass ,guring-la 7#ai1ehg feet71 and ,count de ,lesdain1 who crossed it by the ,khalamba-la in #aije4 ,both describe the magnificent spectacle ,nien-chen-tang-la presents from ,tengri-nor1 but the latter added nothing to our knowledge of the ,trans-,himalaya1 for he made use of the same pass1 the ,khalamba-la1 as ,montgomerie's pundit4 ,in his narrative1 ,voyage au ,thibet1 par la ,mongolie de ,pkin aux ,indes1 he mentions not a single pass1 much less its name4 ,but he followed the western shore of ,tengri-nor1 and he says 7p4 #cdj73 ,des massifs de montagnes trs durs et absolument enchevtrs formaient un obstacle insurmontable4 ,en consquence1 je rsolus de suivre le premier cours d'eau1 dont la direction ferait prsumer qu'il se dirigeait vers le ,brahmapoutra4 ,c'est ainsi que nous cheminmes plusieurs jours en suivant les bords d'une rivire sans cesse grossissante1 appele ,chang-chu4444 ,this river is the ,shang-chu1 which comes from the ,khalamba-la4 ,two ,frenchmen and two ,englishmen have1 then1 crossed the ,trans-,himalaya before me1 besides half a dozen pundits4 ,farther west in ,english territory innumerable ,europeans have passed over the system1 especially by the ,chang-la1 where ,i surmounted it three times4 ,between the ,indus and the ,panggong-tso ,i travelled over the system on ,november #bb1 #aijg1 by the easy pass ,tsake-la4 ,an extraordinarily valuable contribution to the knowledge of the ,trans-,himalaya was afforded us by ,ryder and ,wood on their remarkable journey up the ,brahmaputra in the year #aijd4 ,they had no opportunity of crossing the system1 or even of penetrating a day's journey into the southern transverse valleys1 but they took bearings of all the summits visible from their route4 ,and some of these1 particularly ,lunpo-gangri1 are among the very highest which1 under a mantle of eternal snow1 rise up from the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,the absolutely highest is1 according to ,ryder1 #bc1bee feet1 and is therefore little inferior to ,nien-chen-tang-la with its #bc1ijj feet4 ,ryder and ,burrard took it for granted that these summits stood on a single continuous range1 which they represent on their map as the northern watershed of the ,brahmaputra4 ,in his text 7p4 #ie71 however1 ,burrard rightly points out that this chain1 which he calls the ,kailas ,range1 is not the watershed1 for in some places it is broken through by affluents from the north4 ,burrard commits the same mistake as ,dufour1 ,hodgson1 ,saunders1 and ,atkinson1 in assuming the existence of a single continuous range to the north of the ,tsangpo4 ,i pondered much myself over this problem1 and on a general map of the ranges of ,tibet 7#aije7 ,i inserted two ranges north of the ,tsangpo1 a conception in accordance with ,f4 ,grenard's in his ,carte de l',asie ,centrale of the year #ahii4 ,a history of geographical exploration in a region so little known as the ,trans-,himalaya must naturally be exceeding short and meagre4 ,with all my researches ,i have not been able to discover any other predecessors than those already mentioned--that is1 in those parts of the system which lie within the bounds of ,tibet--and not a single one in the central regions of the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,that such an extensive region as southern ,tibet has been quite unknown till now1 though it lies close to the ,indian frontier1 has given rise to much reasonable astonishment1 and in many circles arguments and proofs1 based on more or less apocryphal records and vague hypotheses1 have been laboriously sought out to prove that my discoveries have not the priority claimed for them4 ,the maps ,i have reproduced in facsimile1 when carefully compared with my own maps1 render any discussion on my part quite superfluous4 ,illustration3 #chb4 ,altar ,table with ,images of ,gods in ,mangnang-gompa4 ,water-colour ,sketch by the ,author4 ,i cannot1 however1 pass over in silence an insinuation that the discoveries ,i have made are to be found indicated on the famous wall-maps in the ,doge's ,palace at ,venice4 ,the ,chief ,librarian of the ,royal ,library in ,stockholm1 ,dr4 ,e4 ,w4 ,dahlgren1 writes in a letter to me3 ,only the grossest ignorance and silliness can find on these maps traces of any discoveries previous to yours4 ,before my return home ,professor ,mittag-,leffler1 ,director of the mathematical school in the ,university of ,stockholm1 had sent for photographs of these maps with a very detailed description1 and he has kindly placed this material at my disposal4 ,this book is not the place in which to publish it1 and1 besides1 the following statement which ,dr4 ,dahlgren has obligingly drawn up at my request makes all further comment unnecessary3 ,the ,wall-,maps in the ,sala dello ,scudo1 in the ,doge's ,palace at ,venice ,these maps1 four in number1 were constructed by the noted cartographer ,giacomo ,gastaldi in the middle of the sixteenth century1 to take the place of older maps which were destroyed by fire in the year #adhc2 at least1 it may be safely assumed that two of them1 those of ,east ,asia and ,africa1 are the work of ,gastaldi4 ,the maps represent3 #a4 ,asia from the mouth of the ,indus eastwards to ,china and ,japan1 as well as the ,pacific ,ocean and part of ,america4 #b4 ,asia from ,asia ,minor to ,india 7,kashmir74 #c4 ,africa4 #d4 ,italy4 ,only maps ,nos4 #a and #b have any interest for ,sven ,hedin4 ,they correspond completely with the photographs procured by ,professor ,mittag-,leffler4 ,all the maps were restored by ,francisco ,grisellini about the middle of the eighteenth century4 ,in map ,no4 #b great alterations seem to have been made in geographical details as well as in the text and in the decoration4 ,as the map extends no farther east than ,kashmir it has1 of course1 no connection with ,sven ,hedin's discoveries4 ,map ,no4 #a1 on the other hand1 has in many essential respects preserved its original character4 ,we can undoubtedly form a good notion of its original appearance by comparing it with the maps in ,ramusio's work ,delle ,navigazioni e ,viaggi 7#bnd ,edition1 ,venice1 #aeed7 and with ,gastaldi's ,tercia ,parte dell' ,asia 7,venice1 #aefa74 ,the resemblance to the former is very striking4 ,in these maps1 as in the wall-maps1 the south is to the top4 ,on all these maps there is very great confusion in the representation of the river systems of the ,ganges and the ,brahmaputra4 ,the mountains are drawn in at random1 and even the ,himalayas cannot be identified with complete certainty1 much less the ranges of ,central ,asia4 ,as the map was chiefly designed to illustrate the travels of ,marco ,polo1 it naturally gives no information about countries he did not visit4 ,e4 ,w4 ,,dahlgren4 ,father ,huc concludes the account of his journey with the following remarkable words3 ,mais il ne suffit pas toujours du zle de l'crivain pour faire connatre des contres o il n'a jamais mis le pied4 crire un ,voyage en ,chine aprs quelques promenades aux factories de ,canton et aux environs de ,macao1 c'est peut-tre s'exposer beaucoup parler de chose qu'on ne connat pas suffisamment 444 il est en gnral assez difficile de faire des dcouvertes dans un pays sans y avoir pntr4 ,it was with such truths in my mind that ,i began the journey described in this book1 the object of which was that set forth by ,sir ,clements ,markham1 when in connection with ,littledale's last journey he made the following statement 7,geographical ,journal1 vol4 vii4 p4 #dhb73 ,in the whole length from ,tengri-nor to the ,mariam-la pass no one has crossed them 7the ,trans-,himalaya71 so far as we know 444 and ,i believe nothing in ,asia is of greater geographical importance than the exploration of this range of mountains4 ,it is not for me to decide how far ,i have achieved my aim1 but when ,i passed over the ,trans-,himalaya for the eighth time at the ,surnge-la1 ,i had at least the satisfaction of seeing all the old hypotheses fall down like a house of cards1 and a new ground-plan laid down on the map of ,asia1 where before the blank patch yawned with its alluring ,unexplored4 ,illustration3 #chc4 ,,the ,,author ,,in ,,tibetan ,,costume ,,at ,,the ,,mission ,,station ,,in ,,poo4 ,photograph by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,marx4 ,i have no space here for a complete monograph of the ,trans-,himalaya1 or1 indeed1 the material for it1 until the bearings and heights of the peaks have been worked out1 the rock specimens identified1 and a detailed map constructed from the sheets ,i drew4 ,it will take a couple of years to work up the material4 ,i will here only communicate some general facts1 and will begin by citing the passes of first rank as watersheds1 appending the names of the travellers who have crossed some of them3 ,shiar-gang-la ,krishna1 #ahha ,shang-shung-la ,huc1 #ahde ,dam-largen-la ,nain ,sing1 #ahgc #af1ijc feet4 ,guring-la ,littledale1 #ahie #ai1ehg ,tsebo-la ,shugu-la ,khalamba-la ,pundit1 #ahgb #ag1bjj ,do4 de ,lesdain1 #aije ,sela-la ,hedin1 #aijg #ah1jfd ,chang-la-,pod-la ,hedin1 #aijg #ah1bhd ,sha-la ,angden-la ,hedin1 #aijg #ah1ead ,tsalam-nakta-la ,dombe-la ,nakbo-kongdo-la ,sangmo-bertik-la ,hedin1 #aijh #ai1jie ,saggo-la ,dicha-la ,samye-la ,hedin1 #aijh #ah1acc ,dsalung-la ,lungmar-la ,pechen-la ,lungnak-la ,yor-la ,ganglung-la ,men-la ,pedang-la ,gebbyi-la ,yilung-la ,tarkyang-la ,surnge-la ,pundit8 ,hedin1 #aijh #ag1caj feet ,tseti-lachen-la ,hedin1 #aijg #ag1icc ,jukti-la ,nain ,sing1 #ahfg ,do4 ,calvert1 #aijf ,do4 ,hedin1 #aijg #ai1jgj ,it has1 then1 been my lot to cross eight ,trans-,himalayan passes1 while seven have been crossed by other travellers4 ,seven of my passes were unknown before4 ,of the others ,i have seen the ,dicha-la and ,men-la1 while of the remainder ,i have only gathered oral information4 ,the ,jukti-la is the watershed between the two headwaters of the ,indus1 the ,tseti-lachen-la between the ,sutlej and the ,indus1 the ,surnge-la between the ,sutlej and the ,nganglaring-tso4 ,shiar-gang-la and ,shang-shung-la lie on the watershed between the ,salwin and the ,brahmaputra4 ,all the others lie on the great continental watershed between the ocean and the isolated drainage of the plateau4 ,it appears from the list that all the passes crossed before by ,europeans and pundits belong to the eastern and western parts of the system4 ,between the ,khalamba-la and the ,surnge-la the ,trans-,himalaya had not been crossed in a single line1 and it was exactly between these two passes that the great white space was situated4 ,all that was known of it was the peaks fixed by ,ryder and ,wood1 and some summits seen by ,nain ,sing from the north4 ,if the ,pundit's journey between ,manasarowar and ,ruldap-tso be disregarded1 of which ,i have no information1 the interval between the ,khalamba-la and the ,jukti-la measures #eij miles1 or about as far as from ,linkping to ,haparanda1 or from ,london to ,dornoch ,firth4 ,and between these limits lie all the passes by crossing which ,i was able to trace the course of the ,trans-,himalaya1 and prove that its known eastern and western sections are connected and belong to the same mountain system1 and that this system is one of the loftiest and mightiest in the world1 only to be compared with the ,himalayas1 the ,karakorum1 ,arka-tag1 and ,kuen-lun4 ,between the ,shiar-gang-la and ,yasin1 not far from the sharp bend of the ,indus1 its length amounts to #adjj miles1 but if it can be shown that the ,trans-,himalaya merges into the ,hindu-,kush and continues along the ,salwin1 its length extends to #bejj miles4 ,on the north and south its boundaries are sharp and clearly defined2 the northern is formed by the central lakes discovered by ,nain ,sing and myself1 and the southern by the unheard-of ,indus-tsangpo valley4 ,in breadth it is inferior to the ,himalayas1 and its peaks are lower1 but the heights of the ,trans-,himalayan passes are considerably greater than those of the ,himalayas4 ,the average height of the five following ,himalayan passes--,shar-khalep-la1 ,man-da-la1 ,she-ru-la1 ,no-la and ,kore- or ,photu-la--is #af1gcf feet1 while the average height of my first five ,trans-,himalayan passes is #ah1djj feet4 ,it may be said generally that the dividing passes in the ,trans-,himalaya of the first rank are #afjj feet higher than in the ,himalayas4 ,but the highest peak of the ,himalayas1 ,mount ,everest1 with its #bi1jjj1 is #eajj feet higher than the ,nien-chen-tang-la1 the culminating point1 as far as we know4 ,herewith are connected the different forms of relief predominating in the two systems2 the crests of the ,trans-,himalaya are flatter1 its valleys shallower and broader1 while the crests of the ,himalayas are sharp and pointed1 its valleys deep and much eroded4 ,the former system is more compact and massive than the latter1 as we may expect if we remember that the ,himalayas are deluged by the precipitation of the south-west monsoon1 and that its waters have for untold thousands of years degraded its valleys1 while the ,trans-,himalaya on the dry plateau country receives a comparatively insignificant share of the monsoon rain4 ,were it possible to compare the volumes of the two systems1 we should no doubt find that the northern is much more massive than the southern1 for such a comparison must proceed from sea-level1 and though the ,trans-,himalaya is the narrower of the two1 its ascent begins from heights of #aj1jjj to #af1jjj feet1 from the ,tsangpo valley1 while the ,himalayas rise from sea-level or a few hundred feet above it4 ,as a watershed the ,trans-,himalaya occupies a higher and more important place than the ,himalayas4 ,in the west the ,himalayas parts the waters between the ,indus and some of its tributaries1 and in the east the system is a divide between the ,brahmaputra and the ,ganges4 ,but every drop of water which falls on the ,himalayas goes down to the ,indian ,ocean4 ,on the other hand1 all the central ,trans-,himalaya is a watershed between the ,indian ,ocean on the south and the enclosed drainage area of the plateau depression on the north4 ,only in its western section is the ,trans-,himalaya also a watershed between the ,indus and some of its right-hand tributaries1 and in its eastern between the ,salwin and ,brahmaputra4 ,within the boundaries of ,tibet there is only one river which takes its rise from the northern flank of the ,trans-,himalaya and breaks through the system by a transverse valley2 but this river is a lion1 and is called by the ,tibetans the ,lion river1 the ,singi-kamba or ,indus4 ,the ,salwin also springs from the northern flank of the system1 but finds its way to the ocean without passing through the mountains4 ,all the other rivers rising on the northern slopes1 of which the ,buptsang-tsangpo and the ,soma-tsangpo are the largest1 flow into the undrained salt lakes on the north4 ,only in the central parts of the ,trans-,himalaya1 stretching1 however1 over a distance of nearly #fjj miles1 does the continental watershed coincide with the main axis of the system1 for to the west the watershed runs northwards from the source of the ,indus1 and then westwards1 so as to leave the ,panggong-tso within the isolated drainage basin of ,tibet1 and in the east runs northwards from the region between the source streams of the ,salwin and ,tengri-nor4 ,i have called this book ,trans-,himalaya1 because the incidents and adventures described in these two volumes occurred in this huge mountain system lying to the north of the ,tsangpo and in the country to the north and south of it4 ,when ,i first crossed the dividing range at the ,sela-la ,i thought of retaining the name ,hodgson had assigned to it1 that is1 ,nien-chen-tang-la1 and ,i did not change my mind after crossing the ,chang-la-,pod-la and ,angden-la1 for these three passes lie on one and the same range1 which on the southern shore of ,tengri-nor is called ,nien-chen-tang-la4 ,after crossing the ,tseti-lachen-la and the ,jukti-la ,i supposed that these passes lay on the western prolongation of the ,nien-chen-tang-la1 and that the conception of ,hodgson1 ,saunders1 ,atkinson1 ,burrard1 and ,ryder was correct4 ,but after the second journey right through ,tibet1 and after ,i had crossed ,bongba in several directions and found that there was no question of a single continuous range1 but that a whole collection of ranges quite independent of one another existed1 ,i perceived that the name ,nien-chen-tang-la1 which only denotes one of all these ranges1 could not be given to the whole system4 ,equally inappropriate would be the names ,lunpo-gangri1 ,kamchung-gangri1 ,targo-gangri1 or any other local name4 ,saunders' ,gangri ,mountains ,i consider still more unsuitable1 for every mountain in ,tibet clothed with eternal snow is called a gangri1 and the name in this connection would have a meaningless sound4 ,neither could ,i accept ,burrard's ,the ,kailas ,range4 ,a name must be found suited to the whole of this intimately connected association of mountain ranges1 a geographical conception which would leave no room for misunderstanding1 and ,i decided to call the whole system1 the connection and continuity of which ,i had succeeded in proving1 the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,among ,english geographers many have approved of this name and an equal number have disapproved4 ,to the latter category belongs ,colonel ,burrard1 who points out that for some years back all the regions lying beyond the ,himalayas have been called ,trans-,himalayan4 ,and in a letter he has lately written to me he says3 ,pupils of ,montgomerie naturally ask why an old word should be given a new meaning when it is possible to invent any number of new names for newly discovered mountains4 ,i do not see that it is necessary to give an important name to newly discovered mountains4 ,a new name will become important because of the mountains to which it is attached1 and your mountains would have rendered any new name important4 ,illustration3 #chd4 ,,the ,,last ,,members ,,of ,,the ,,last ,,expedition ,,in ,,poo4 ,i cannot share ,colonel ,burrard's view1 for ,i answer that just because of the circumstance that ,montgomerie's pupils1 officials of the ,survey of ,india and pundits1 have for fifty years and more called the country north of the ,himalayas ,the ,trans-,himalayan regions1 it was incumbent on me not to reject this name for the mountain system which can be nothing else but the ,trans-,himalaya par excellence4 ,to give a quotation from the other side1 ,i will here reproduce an expression of opinion from ,lord ,curzon1 formerly ,viceroy of ,india1 whose knowledge of ,asia is unsurpassed4 ,in the ,geographical ,journal1 ,april #aiji1 he says3 ,alongside of this great discovery 7,bongba and ,chokchu7 ,i would place the tracing for hundreds of miles and the assurance of a definite orographical existence to the mighty mountain palisade or series of palisades to which he has1 in my opinion very appropriately1 given the title of the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,this range has been surmised to exist in its entire length for many years2 it has been crossed at its extremities by ,littledale and by native surveyors4 ,but it was reserved for ,dr4 ,hedin to trace it on the spot and to place it upon the map in its long1 unbroken1 and massive significance4444 ,it is no mean addition to human knowledge that we should realize the assured existence of one of the greatest mountain masses in the world4 ,as regards the name which ,dr4 ,hedin has given to it1 ,i will only say that the desiderata for the title of a new and momentous geographical discovery appear to be these3 7#a7 that the name should if possible be given by the principal discoverer2 7#b7 that it should not be unpronounceable1 unwriteable1 over-recondite1 or obscure2 7#c7 that it should if possible possess some descriptive value2 and 7#d7 should not violate any acknowledged canons of geographical nomenclature4 ,the name ,trans-,himalaya combines all these advantages1 and it has a direct ,central ,asian analogy in the ,trans-,alai1 which is a range of mountains standing in the same relation to the ,alai that ,trans-,himalaya will do to ,himalaya4 ,i am not in the least impressed by the fact that the name was once given to another range1 where its unsuitability secured its early extinction4 ,any attempts to substitute another title on the present occasion will1 in my opinion1 be foredoomed to failure4 ,my long journey backwards and forwards over the ,trans-,himalaya cannot be regarded as more than a cursory and defective reconnaissance of a country hitherto unknown4 ,it is easier to go to ,lhasa with a force armed to the teeth1 and shoot down the ,tibetans like pheasants if they stand in the way1 than to cross ,tibet in all directions for two long years with four ,governments and all the authorities of the land as opponents1 twelve poor ,ladakis as companions1 and not a single man as escort4 ,it is no merit of mine that ,i was long able to maintain a position which from the first seemed untenable4 ,the same lucky star looked down1 as often before1 on my lonely course through vast ,asia1 and it is twenty-four years since ,i first took up my pilgrim staff4 ,i have been able to follow and lay down only the chief geographical lines2 between my routes many blank spaces are still left1 and there is sufficient detailed work for generations of explorers and travellers more thoroughly prepared and better equipped than myself4 ,go1 then1 out into the world1 thou ringing and sonorous name for one of the world's mightiest mountain systems1 and find thy way into geographical text-books1 and remind children in the schools of the snow-crowned summits on the ,roof of the ,world1 among which the monsoon storms have sung their deafening chorus since the beginning4 ,as long as ,i live1 my proudest memories1 like royal eagles1 will soar round the cold desolate crags of the ,trans-,himalaya4 ,,chapter ,,lxxiv ,,simla ,like a troop of beggars and knights of the road my twelve servants and ,i left ,tokchen on ,july #bd4 ,we had stayed there nine days with nothing to do but watch the monsoon rain1 which ,i had incautiously promised the natives1 pelting down on the hills4 ,the authorities of the place insisted this time that1 as we were not furnished with a passport from ,lhasa1 we had no right to make use of the great high-road to ,ladak1 but must turn back to the interior of ,tibet whence we had come4 ,if ,i had not already had enough of the great blank1 ,i would have agreed to their demand with pleasure1 but ,i was now weary and longed for home1 and as they refused the assistance and the transport facilities we required1 we set out on foot with the baggage on our last ten horses and mules4 ,i had still the white horse from ,kamba ,tsenam's tent at my disposal4 ,we had no escort1 for the authorities wished to be quite clear of blame in case they were called to account4 ,by the holy lake1 where we followed the northern shore by known ways1 we at length found a tramp who offered to show us the way to the ,totling monastery4 ,in ,langbo-nan ,i visited hastily the young abbot1 as sympathetic and good-natured as the year before1 and at ,chiu-gompa we met our old friend ,tundup ,lama1 fretful1 melancholy1 and weary of his lonely cloister life4 ,large streams now emptied their water into both lakes1 and with a feeling of regret ,i left again the scene of so many precious memories4 ,before we came to the monastery of ,tirtapuri we had to cross several of the rivers which bring their tribute from the ,trans-,himalaya to the ,sutlej4 ,three of them were enormously swollen after the continuous rains1 and rolled their volumes of greyish-brown foaming water over treacherous blocks4 ,it boiled and seethed between the cliffs1 and it carried along and overturned the slippery boulders4 ,how ,i trembled in mortal anxiety lest the harvest so laboriously gathered in the last long winter should all be lost by a single false step4 ,we came to the temple of ,tirtapuri in pouring rain4 ,lobsang1 ,gulam1 ,kutus1 ,tubges1 ,suen1 and ,kunchuk were to accompany me hence to ,simla1 but ,abdul ,kerim and the other five received their pay and gratuities1 and took their way home to ,leh through ,gartok4 ,i did not know the road to ,simla1 but on the map it seemed to be nearer than to ,ladak1 and therefore ,i expected that my party would arrive first at its destination4 ,but this road is very wild and romantic1 and the land is deeply excavated by the affluents of the ,sutlej1 and one might imagine that one had suddenly been transported to the caons of the ,colorado4 ,one day we marched rapidly up an ascent of #cjjj feet1 and the next we went down as far1 so that the distance was at least double as great as it appeared on the map1 and ,abdul ,kerim reached ,leh long before ,i was near ,simla4 ,therefore the first news of us came from him1 and not from myself1 and in some quarters the worst fears were entertained for my safety4 ,it seemed strange that my servants reached their home safe and sound while ,i myself was still missing4 ,illustration3 #che4 ,,my ,,puppy4 ,illustration3 #chf4 ,,takkar ,,in ,,his ,,new ,,home ,,with ,,the ,,missionaries ,,in ,,poo4 ,we parted with floods of tears on ,august #a1 and my party travelled past the three monasteries1 ,dongbo1 ,dava1 and ,mangnang 7,illust4 #chb71 and came to ,totling-gompa on the #acth1 near which ,father ,andrade1 three hundred years ago1 lodged in the now decayed town of ,tsaparang4 ,here ,i met the ,hindu doctor ,mohanlal1 who gave me the first news of the outer world4 ,through him ,i heard1 with deep regret1 of the death of ,king ,oscar1 which had occurred more than eight months before4 ,mohanlal also informed me of the growing unrest in ,india and of the anxiety my friends felt on my account4 ,thakur ,jai ,chand had been instructed by the ,indian ,government to spare no efforts to find out whether ,i was still living or not4 ,he had sent out some ,tibetan freebooters in various directions1 and promised #ej rupees to any one who could furnish any certain information of my fate--this is the price he valued me at4 ,abdul ,kerim had reached ,gartok in the best of health1 and was summoned to the ,garpun1 who exclaimed3 ,your ,sahib is a dreadful man2 he will not be satisfied until ,i lose my head6 ,old ,hajji ,nazer ,shah1 who had so conscientiously equipped my last caravan1 had died the preceding winter4 ,when we left ,tokchen on ,july #bd we were delighted at the thought that we should at every step be nearer to lower country and a denser and warmer atmosphere4 ,a month later we were at a greater height than at ,tokchen1 and saw the country covered with snow1 and heard the hail patter on our dilapidated tents4 ,but at ,shipki we again set them up in a garden dressed in the rich beauty of summer1 and heard the wind murmur in the spreading crowns of the apricot trees4 ,shipki is the last village in ,tibet4 ,from this garden oasis begins the steep ascent to the ,shipki-la1 which is reached after attaining a height of six ,eiffel ,towers one upon another4 ,here we stood on the frontier between ,tibet and ,india4 ,i turned and let my eyes roam once more over these awfully desolate and barren mountains where my dreams had been realized1 and my lucky star had shed a clearer and more friendly light than ever before4 ,farewell1 home of wild asses and antelopes1 holy land of the ,tashi ,lama1 of ,tso-mavang and the ,tsangpo1 into whose mysterious valleys the stranger has found his way only by enduring two ,arctic winters and by driving a flock of refractory sheep6 ,i seemed to take farewell of the best of my youth and the finest chapter in the story of my life4 ,on ,august #bh we encamped in the village of ,poo 7,illusts4 #chc1 #chd71 and ,i spent two memorable days in the hospitable house of the ,moravian missionaries4 ,messrs4 ,marx and ,schnabel and their amiable families overwhelmed me with kindness1 and now ,i was deluged with news from the outer world--it was like listening to the breakers on the coast of the ocean4 ,i had not seen a ,european for more than two years1 and ,i looked myself like a ,tibetan footpad4 ,but the missionaries rigged me out at once in ,european summer clothes and set an ,indian helmet on my head4 ,a few days later we came to ,kanam-gompa1 where ,alexander ,csoma ,krsi eighty years ago studied ,lamaist learning as a monk1 and more than any one else communicated to the scholars of the ,west the occult mysteries of this religion4 ,how silent and quiet our life had been up on the expanse of ,chang-tang6 ,now the dizzy depths of the valley are filled with the roar of the falling stream1 and the thunder of the water is re-echoed from the precipitous cliffs4 ,how bare and scanty was the soil of ,tibet1 and now we listen daily to the whisper of mild breezes in the deep dark coniferous forests that clothe the slopes of the ,himalayas4 ,still lower runs the road1 still warmer is the air4 ,my trusty friend1 big shaggy ,takkar1 looks at me with questioning eyes4 ,he loves not the summer's perfumed garlands nor the variegated zone of meadows4 ,he remembers the free life on the open plains1 he misses the fights with the wolves of the wilderness1 and he dreams of the land of everlasting snowstorms4 ,one day we saw him drink of a spring which poured its water across the path1 and then lie down in the cool shade of the forest4 ,he had done so many times before1 but we should never see him repeat it4 ,he turned and galloped up towards lonely ,tibet4 ,he parted with sorrow in his heart from his old master1 ,i knew2 but he thought he would ask the missionaries in ,poo to send me a greeting4 ,one morning he was found lying outside the gate to the court of the ,mission-house1 and1 true to his old habit1 he would let no one go in or out4 ,he was hospitably received1 and started a new life with a chain round his neck4 ,i still receive from time to time1 through ,mr4 ,marx1 greetings from old ,takkar1 who so faithfully defended my tent when ,i travelled in disguise through his own country 7,illust4 #chf74 ,illustration3 #chg4 ,,simla4 ,in the ,club des ,asiatiques in ,paris ,i once dined with ,madame ,massieu1 who has accomplished so many wonderful journeys in ,asia4 ,roland ,bonaparte and ,henry of ,orlans were present1 as ,i vividly remembered when on ,september #g ,i met the far-travelled ,parisian lady in the station-house of ,taranda4 ,we had much to talk about when we contributed to the cost of a common dinner4 ,untouched by years1 youthful and enthusiastic1 ,madame ,massieu afterwards undertook a bold journey to ,khatmandu4 ,with growing uneasiness ,i approached the hour when1 after nearly a year's complete silence1 ,i was again to receive letters from home1 and ,i wondered whether ,i should break them open and read them without any cause for sorrow4 ,the post met me at ,gaura on ,september #i4 ,i read all the evening1 all night1 and all the following day1 and ,i was able to take the last days' journey to ,simla in comfort1 for ,i was spared any untoward news and knew that all was well at home4 ,now the wind whispered more gently than ever in the ,himalayan cedars1 and the roar of the ,sutlej sounded like the roll of drums in a triumphal march4 ,in ,kotgar ,i was present at evensong in the missionaries' church4 ,how strange to hear again the soft soothing tones of the organ1 and as an unworthy ,christian pilgrim in a ,christian temple remember the solitude of the past years4 ,the following day ,i marched along the road in the company of my men for the last time1 for near ,narkanda a rickshaw met me1 sent by ,colonel ,dunlop ,smith4 ,i left them1 to hurry on without delay1 while they were to follow in the usual order of march4 ,how pleasant to lean against the back of the little two-wheeled vehicle and roll away at a rapid pace under the shady canopy of the deodars6 ,september #ae was a great day for me4 ,i stayed at the bungalow of ,fagu1 and this camp1 where ,i was quite alone1 was ,no4 #dii4 ,simla1 therefore1 would be #ejj4 ,it felt very strange to stand on the boundary between the wilderness and the most refined civilization4 ,at the breastwork of the excellent carriage-road sat a gentleman in his rickshaw2 it was my friend ,mr4 ,edward ,buck1 ,reuter's correspondent4 ,this is the beginning1 ,i thought2 and on ,i went on this last day's journey4 ,the fine imposing town appears in the distance on the slopes of its hills and the white houses peep out from among the trees 7,illust4 #chg74 ,a young maiden takes a snap of us with her camera1 but it is early in the morning1 and without further adventures we take refuge at a gentleman's outfitters1 for in spite of the clothes from ,poo ,i must undergo a complete renovation before ,i can present myself before the doors of the ,viceregal ,lodge4 ,what a total contrast to the lonely life ,i had led for two long years6 ,on ,september #af a ,state ball took place1 and ,i heard again the crunching sound on the sand of the court as innumerable rickshaws bore guests to the ball4 ,rustling silk1 glittering jewels1 brilliant uniforms--in an unbroken line the lite of ,simla pass between satellites with their tall turbans and shining lances4 ,god save the ,king6 ,followed by their staff ,their ,excellencies enter1 and open the dance to the notes of a waltz of ,strauss4 ,it was just as in ,may #aijf1 and the twenty-eight months that had intervened seemed to me like a strange fantastic dream4 ,the first days ,i stayed in the house of my noble old friend ,colonel ,dunlop ,smith1 and had now an opportunity of thanking him and his amiable ladies for the trouble they had taken in connection with the consignment to ,gartok the year before4 ,then ,i moved over to the ,viceregal ,lodge1 and again enjoyed the same boundless hospitality of ,lord and ,lady ,minto4 ,from my window ,i saw again1 sharp and clear1 the crests of the ,himalayas1 and beyond the mountains and valleys of ,tibet stretched out in a boundless sea4 ,what wealth and luxury6 ,i lived like a prince1 walked on soft rugs and meditated1 lay and read ,swedish journals in a deep soft bed1 by electric light1 and bathed in a porcelain bath1 attended by ,hindus in the viceregal livery--,i who had lately gone in rags and tended sheep4 ,illustration3 #chh4 ,,the ,,last ,,members ,,of ,,the ,,expedition ,,at ,,the ,,entrance ,,of ,,the ,,viceregal ,,lodge ,,in ,,simla4 ,on ,september #bd a hundred and fifty ladies and gentlemen in full dress were assembled in the ,state room in the ,viceregal ,lodge4 ,the occasion was a lecture1 and on the dais hung with gold-embroidered brocade1 where the thrones usually stand1 was set up a large map of ,tibet4 ,the front seats were occupied by the ,commander-in-,chief of the ,indian ,army1 ,lord ,kitchener of ,khartum1 the ,governor of the ,panjab1 the ,maharajas of ,alwar and ,gwalior2 and among the guests might be seen generals and superior officers1 ,state secretaries1 men of science1 and members of the diplomatic corps then present in ,simla4 ,the ,military ,secretary1 ,colonel ,victor ,brooke1 came forward and announced the arrival of the ,viceroy and ,lady ,minto4 ,i was trembling with stage fright1 but before ,i knew anything about it1 my opening words1 ,your ,excellencies1 ,ladies and ,gentlemen1 sounded through the brilliant saloon1 and then followed an account of my last journey4 ,it was one o'clock in the morning before ,i concluded1 and after a most flattering speech from ,lord ,minto the guests withdrew to the late supper4 ,my six ,ladakis and our seven remaining animals stayed in a serai below the palace4 ,i often went and talked to them1 and played a while with my old travelling companion ,little ,puppy4 ,but the time passed quickly1 and soon the last day came4 ,i embraced and squeezed ,little ,puppy1 stroked his head1 and found it hard to tear myself away4 ,he was put out by his master's elegant costume1 and had a melancholy questioning expression1 as though he suspected that the bond between us was loosed1 and that we should never see each other again4 ,we had shared everything in common from the time he was born below the snowy ,karakorum pass1 and to part from dogs is the hardest trial of all2 to bid men farewell is not so distressing4 ,at our arrival in ,simla ,i had given them #fj rupees each for new clothing1 and in the bazaar they had found some old cast-off uniforms with bright metal buttons1 which they thought grand and becoming4 ,on the neck lappets were the words ,guard1 ,london ,s4,w4 ,railway1 and how they found their way to ,india ,i do not know4 ,but in these uniforms and in red fezzes my men assembled in the palace court on the last day of ,september 7,illust4 #chh74 ,they were allowed to keep our seven horses and mules1 saddles1 tents1 skin coats1 bed furniture1 and everything4 ,my white horse they were to sell in ,leh and divide the price4 ,gulam took charge of ,little ,puppy1 and undertook to see that he did not suffer want in the future--it was like breaking up an old home4 ,besides his pay1 every man received a present of #ajj rupees1 and their expenses to ,leh four times over4 ,lord and ,lady ,minto were present at the last farewell1 and the ,viceroy made them a short1 cheery speech4 ,it was a sad parting1 and even the calm ,lobsang1 who was amazed at the wealth and splendour of ,simla1 wept like a child as with heavy step he followed his comrades down to their waiting animals4 ,what faithfulness6 what devotion6 exclaimed ,lady ,minto with feeling2 their tears are more expressive than words4 ,at the beginning of ,october the ,viceroy and ,lady ,minto set out on an excursion into the mountains1 and after a hearty farewell and warm thanks for all the kindness they had showered on me1 ,i remained lonely and forlorn in the great palace4 ,my steamer would not leave ,bombay for a week1 and ,i was delighted to be the guest of ,lord ,kitchener in his residence1 ,snowdon1 during the five days ,i was yet to stay in ,simla4 ,i shall never forget these days4 ,my room was decorated with flowers1 and on a table stood fourteen books on ,tibet1 chosen from the ,general's library to supply me with entertaining reading4 ,with the aides-de-camp ,captains ,wyllie and ,basset1 merry fellows and good comrades1 we lived like four bachelors1 took breakfast1 lunch1 and dinner together1 and spent the evening in the billiard-room1 on the mantelpiece of which was the appropriate motto1 ,strike1 and fear not4 ,in the afternoon the ,general took me out along the road leading to ,tibet4 ,we then talked of the future of ,europe in ,asia and ,africa1 and ,i gained a greater insight than ,i had ever done before into ,lord ,kitchener's life and work in ,egypt4 ,but the days at ,snowdon also came to an end1 and on ,october #aa1 when the people were flocking to church1 ,i was driven by the victor of ,africa to the station1 where ,i took a last farewell of the man for whose exploits ,i have always felt a boundless admiration4 ,at ,summerhill station1 below the ,viceregal ,lodge1 ,i exchanged a last shake of the hand with my dear friend ,dunlop ,smith1 and then the white houses of ,simla vanished in the distance1 and the train rolled down to the heat of ,india and the great lonely sea4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,sources ,,of ,,the ,,brahmaputra1 ,,sutlej1 ,,and ,,indus ,by ,dr4 ,sven ,hedin4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,map ,,of ,,trans-,,himalaya ,by ,dr4 ,,sven ,,hedin ,illustration3 ,a ,,map ,,of ,,tibet ,,showing ,,dr4 ,,sven ,,hedin',s ,,routes #aijf-aijh4 ,,index ,abbot1 a twelve-year-old1 ii4 #afc ,abdul ,kerim1 my caravan leader1 ii4 #bbf2 error of1 as to forage1 #bda2 assumes rle of master of caravan1 #bia1 #cdd2 ideas as to the time of day1 #cjb2 despatched in charge of second division of caravan to the ,tarok-tso1 #cga2 anxiety as to whereabouts of1 #cif2 arrives at our camp at ,ratse1 #cii2 bid farewell to1 with other five of my followers1 #daf ,absi1 peak of the ,kubi-gangri1 ii4 #ajb ,abuk-la pass1 ii4 #cif ,adam1 ,colonel1 military secretary to the ,viceroy1 i4 #af ,age1 average1 of caravan1 i4 #ec ,aid1 ,mohammedan festival celebrated in camp1 i4 #aia ,aksai-chin1 lake1 unannexed region of1 i4 #ic1 #ie1 #ih2 ii4 #beh ,alchi1 dangerous bridge at1 i4 #dd ,alexander the ,great1 i4 #c2 ii4 #bac ,amban ,lien ,y1 of ,lhasa1 i4 #cic1 #djj ,amchen-la pass1 ii4 #cif ,amchi-lama 7monk-doctor71 tent-temple of1 ii4 #bif ,amchok-tang1 plain1 ii4 #cf ,amchok-tso1 lake1 ii4 #cf2 camp at1 #cg2 shallowness of1 #ch2 soundings on1 #ci ,amchok-yung1 village of1 ii4 #cf ,amchung country1 interesting information acquired in1 ii4 #cbe ,amitabha1 the ,tashi ,lama the incarnation of1 i4 #cbf ,amusements1 ,tibetan1 i4 #cda ,anchar1 lake1 i4 #cb ,angden-la pass1 cairn with prayer-streamers on1 ii4 #cd2 panoramic view from1 #ce2 not situated on same range as the ,samye-la1 #ccj ,angsi-chu1 river1 ii4 #ajd ,antelope ,plain1 name given by ,captain ,deasy1 i4 #adb ,antelopes1 i4 #ib1 #aad1 #age1 #ahf2 ii4 #cf1 #bfb1 #bhb2 method of snaring1 i4 #aai2 ii4 #bgd ,aong-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #cii ,archery and shooting competitions on horseback1 i4 #cdc ,argok-tso1 lake1 ii4 #djj ,arnold1 ,the ,light of ,asia1 quotation from1 ii4 #bjf ,arport-tso1 lake1 crossing of ice of1 ii4 #bfc ,arung-kampa1 deserted village of1 i4 #bhj ,asses1 wild1 upright position of frozen1 ii4 #ie2 great herds met with1 #bhe ,atkinson1 ,mr4 ,e4 ,t41 work by1 cited1 ii4 #djb ,bailey1 ,lieutenant1 ,acting ,resident at ,gyangtse1 i4 #bee ,balls1 ,state1 in ,simla1 i4 #ag2 ii4 #dbj ,baltal1 i4 #ch ,bando1 camp at1 ii4 #hc ,barley1 roasted1 a delicacy1 ii4 #ad ,barong-la pass1 ii4 #cj ,basang valley1 camp in1 ii4 #df ,basgho-gompa1 monastery1 i4 #dd ,bed1 method of making my1 i4 #aej ,ben-la pass1 storm on1 ii4 #cd ,besant1 ,mrs4 ,annie1 i4 #cj ,bibles1 the ,tibetan1 in library of ,tashi-lunpo1 i4 #ccc2 in ,tashi-gembe1 #dab ,biographical details of caravan1 i4 #aea-aec ,birch bark1 dream suggested by1 ii4 #ie ,boat1 our portable1 i4 #bh2 successful trip of1 #ajg2 description of ,tibetan1 #bhh ,bogtsang-tsangpo1 the1 camp at1 i4 #bje2 interview with chief of district1 #bje2 geographical information obtained1 #bjf2 erratic course of1 #bjg ,bokar valley1 ii4 #bab ,bombo1 or district chief1 i4 #bfb ,bongba1 province of1 ii4 #cjd2 tension of journey through the1 #cab2 names of the twelve districts of1 #chh ,bongba-changma1 district of1 ii4 #cjd ,bongba-chushar1 district of1 ii4 #cgi ,bongba-kebyang1 district of1 ii4 #chh ,bongba-kemar1 district of1 ii4 #cbd1 #chi ,bongba-kyangrang1 high-road to ,lapchung through1 ii4 #chg ,brahmaputra1 the1 valley of1 i4 #bha2 welcome news received at1 #bhb2 monasteries of1 #bhb2 confluence of the ,chaktak-tsangpo with1 ii4 #dh2 measurements and ratios1 #di2 junction of the ,tsa-chu-tsangpo with1 and measurements1 #gd2 possible diversion of1 #gh2 varying volume of1 #hh2 ,nain ,sing on its sources1 #hi2 ,webber's confusing statement as to the origin of1 #hi2 ,ryder's map of valley of upper1 #ij2 source-streams of1 #ij-ie2 author's determination of its source in ,kubi-gangri1 #if1 #aja2 we bid farewell to1 #aje ,british ,government1 change of1 i4 #d2 refuse permission to enter ,tibet from ,india1 #g1 #chh2 cautious policy of1 #aj1 #cie ,buck1 ,mr4 ,edward1 ii4 #bai1 #dai ,buddha1 stone figures of1 at ,dras1 i4 #ci2 posture of1 in statues and pictures1 ii4 #aj ,buddhism1 introduced into ,tibet1 i4 #cab2 preservation of life a fundamental principle of1 #cab ,buka-magna1 mountain system1 i4 #afd ,bumnak-chu1 river1 ii4 #bb ,bup-chu-tsangpo1 river1 sources of1 i4 #bgf ,buptsang-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #cbe2 scenery of1 #cbf2 its headwaters1 #cbg2 camp by the1 #chi ,bupyung-ring valley1 beauty of1 ii4 #cbg ,burrard1 ,colonel ,s4 ,g41 on drainage area of the ,sutlej1 ii4 #ahg2 book by ,hayden and1 mentioned1 #djd2 disapproves of author's use of the name ,trans-,himalaya1 #dab ,burroughs ,wellcome1 ,london1 medicine-chest presented by1 i4 #bi1 #agb2 my offering to the ,tashi ,lama1 #caf2 ii4 #dj ,buser-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #bfa ,call of the wilderness1 the1 i4 #a ,calvert1 ,mr41 crosses ,jukti-la pass1 ii4 #bae1 #djc ,camp1 our first1 i4 #cc ,camp life1 routine of our1 i4 #aej2 ,tibetan1 ii4 #chg ,campbell-,bannerman1 ,sir ,henry1 i4 #d2 telegrams sent by author to1 #h1 #cij ,candles1 ,christmas-tree of1 i4 #bai ,caravan1 our1 equipment of1 i4 #bh1 #ec2 troublesome members1 #ch2 biographical details1 #aea-aec2 rearrangement of1 #aff2 home-sickness in1 ii4 #fb1 #fg2 three members dismissed1 #fi2 their reinstatement1 #gc2 reduction at ,tokchen1 #ajg2 reorganization of1 #aaj2 preparation of new1 for fresh expedition1 #baa1 #bbf1 #bbh2 heavy baggage sent back to ,leh1 #bbi2 parting with ,robert and ,rub ,das1 #bbi2 ,mohammedan festival1 #bfj2 losses and sickness1 #bfe2 superfluous baggage sacrificed1 #bfi1 #bgi1 #bhb2 directions to1 #bgd2 my hiding-place in1 #cde2 festivities in honour of ,governor of ,saka1 #cfh2 divided into two parties1 #cga2 combined again1 #djj2 parting with my caravan leader and companions1 #daf2 farewell to remainder of followers in ,simla1 #dbb ,cassels1 ,mr41 present of tea from1 ii4 #agi ,chabuk-tso1 lake1 ii4 #cbb ,chak-chom-la pass1 i4 #aia ,chakko1 holy spring1 miraculous powers attributed to1 ii4 #ajf ,chaklam-la pass1 ii4 #cjh ,chaktak-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #de2 preparations for excursion to1 #dg2 confluence with the ,brahmaputra1 #dh2 measurements and ratios1 #di1 #fe2 journey northwards along1 #fe2 camp again on1 #cce2 eastward march along north bank of1 #ccg2 return to1 #cgd ,chamo-lung-chen valley1 ii4 #aic ,chang1 or native beer1 i4 #fh ,changa1 village of1 i4 #fc ,chang-chenmo valley1 bivouac at1 i4 #gi2 ii4 #bcc ,chang-la pass1 i4 #fd2 altar with prayer-streamers on summit of1 #ff ,chang-la-,pod-la pass1 meaning of the term1 ii4 #ai2 camp on1 #bj ,chang-lung-barma valley1 i4 #ha ,chang-lung-yogma valley1 i4 #ha1 #hd2 difficulties in1 #hb2 camp and rest in1 #hb2 sunshine and snow1 #hc2 magnificent landscape of1 #he ,changpas1 ,tibetan nomads1 i4 #aai2 friendliness of1 #ahb1 #ahh2 habits and tastes1 #ahd2 skill in hunting1 #ahe2 hard life of1 #ahf2 disposal of their dead1 #ahg ,chang-shung1 a headwater of the ,raga-tsangpo1 ii4 #da ,chang-tang1 the1 desperate situation in1 i4 #afc2 our successful crossing of1 #baj ,chang ,yin ,tang1 ,chinese ,commissioner in ,tibet1 correspondence with1 i4 #cic1 #cig2 ii4 #db1 #gj ,chapka-la pass1 i4 #bei ,charvak1 camp at1 ii4 #bcd ,chega-gompa temple1 i4 #bhj ,chema-yundung1 river1 ii4 #ij1 #ajc2 measurement of discharge1 #ia ,chema-yundung-pu1 heights of1 ii4 #ib ,chenmo1 kotidar of ,tankse1 i4 #gc1 #hg ,chergip-gompa monastery1 its single monk1 ii4 #afe ,cherok1 district of1 ii4 #hh ,chesang-la pass1 intense cold on1 i4 #bgd ,chhorten1 or stone monument1 i4 #db ,chi ,chao ,nan1 translation of passage from his work on source of the ,sutlej1 ii4 #ahc2 accuracy of his statements1 #ahc ,chikum1 view from camp at1 ii4 #hc ,chimre monastery1 i4 #fd ,chinese ,government1 messages from1 i4 #chi1 #cia2 importance of supremacy in ,tibet to the1 #cif2 specimen of diplomatic correspondence1 #cig2 courtesy of officials to author1 #djj ,chinese passport1 efficacy of my1 i4 #bii ,chini-chikang1 nuns' temporary quarters1 ,tashi-lunpo1 i4 #ceg ,chiptu-la pass1 pilgrim route over1 ii4 #chh ,chiu-gompa monastery1 visits to1 ii4 #aei1 #dae ,chockar-shung-chu valley1 ii4 #ge ,chokchu1 caravan bound for1 met with1 i4 #bgj2 the ,governor of1 ii4 #cii ,choma-taka1 cave of1 ii4 #ah ,chomo-sumdo valley1 camp in1 ii4 #af ,chomo-uchong1 ,high ,nun1 ridge of1 ii4 #da1 #ccc1 #cdd1 #cfb ,chong-yangal1 camp at1 ii4 #bcb ,christmas1 our celebration of1 i4 #bai2 ,ladaki hymn and dances at1 #bbj2 translation of hymn sung at1 #bba2 comparison of different years1 ii4 #bdh ,chugge-lung valley1 i4 #bga ,chungsang1 a tributary of the ,tsangpo1 ii4 #de ,chunit-tso1 lake1 ii4 #cbb1 #chg2 warm sulphur spring at1 #cbc ,church festivals1 ,lamaist1 i4 #cja ,churu pool1 camp at1 ii4 #fg ,chuta district1 sulphurous springs in1 i4 #hb ,chykying1 the ,gova of1 ii4 #cad1 #caf ,cleanliness1 ,ladakis' contempt for1 i4 #aej ,cockburn's ,agency1 assistance in furnishing and transport1 i4 #bh ,consul of ,nepal1 the1 i4 #cjd1 #cge ,correspondence1 arrangements for forwarding1 i4 #gb1 #hc1 #hg1 #ajc2 welcome arrival of1 at the ,ngangtse-tso1 #bed2 and at ,shigatse1 #cgg ,corve1 system of1 exacted on ,tibetan high-roads1 ii4 #cbh ,cripple1 our faithful canine follower1 i4 #bfc ,crosby1 expedition of1 referred to1 i4 #ih ,curzon1 ,lord1 encouraging letter from1 i4 #c2 leaves ,india1 #d2 on author's use of name ,trans-,himalaya1 ii4 #dac ,dagtse-tso1 i4 #bag ,dahlgren1 ,dr4 ,e4 ,w41 statement by1 as to wall-maps in ,venice1 ii4 #djf ,dalai ,lama 7,gyalpo ,rinpoche71 cowardly flight of1 i4 #bdd1 #cjf2 his sphere compared with that of the ,tashi ,lama1 #cbc2 disastrous policy of1 #cbc ,dal-dervaseh1 canal journey from1 i4 #cb ,dalgleish1 ,mr41 monument to1 in ,leh1 i4 #ei ,dambak-rong1 valley junction1 ii4 #gj2 letter from the ,tang ,darin received at1 #gj ,dam-chu1 river1 ii4 #aha ,damm valley1 ii4 #gi ,dandy1 or average man's load1 i4 #aff ,dane1 ,sir ,louis1 interview with1 i4 #g1 #aa ,dangbe-chu1 river1 i4 #bgf ,dangbe-la pass1 i4 #bgg ,dangra-yum-tso1 lake1 permission to visit1 refused1 i4 #bdg1 #bea2 reputed salinity of1 ii4 #bi2 shape and extent of1 #bi2 pilgrim routes round1 #bi2 ,nain ,sing's nomenclature of district1 #cj2 proposed dash for1 #chb ,d',anville1 maps by1 referred to1 ii4 #ahe1 #ahf1 #ccg1 #dja ,dapsang1 on the heights of1 ii4 #bdh2 ,christmas box for the animals at1 #bea ,daya ,kishen ,kaul1 private secretary to ,maharaja of ,kashmir1 assistance rendered by1 i4 #bd1 #bh ,dead1 barbarous disposal of the1 i4 #cgj ,deane1 ,sir ,harold1 i4 #ae ,deasy1 ,captain1 ,fever ,camp of1 i4 #abj2 baggage and provisions left by1 at ,yeshil-kul1 #abh ,deasy ,group1 mountain mass1 i4 #aca1 #ach ,dena-lhakang temple1 ,tashi-lunpo1 i4 #cfd ,dentistry1 drastic form of1 ii4 #cbd ,devashung4 ,see ,tibetan ,government ,devotional exercises of pilgrims1 ,tashi-lunpo1 i4 #ceg ,dicha-la pass1 importance of watershed1 ii4 #cge ,dikpa-karnak1 or test-stone for sinners1 ii4 #aie ,ding-la1 the highest pass crossed in our journey1 ii4 #djj ,dinner1 ,state1 at ,simla1 i4 #ab ,diri-pu monastery1 my tent pitched on roof of1 ii4 #aic ,disguise1 assumed by author1 ii4 #bgg ,dogs3 puppies taken with party1 i4 #cd2 frolics of1 #cg1 #fb1 #fi1 #gd1 #adc1 #aed2 ii4 #cd1 #da2 from ,pobrang added to caravan1 i4 #gd2 deserted by one of our1 #gh2 a splendid feast1 #ajh2 loss of two1 #bei2 two new followers1 #bfc2 an interesting event1 #cii2 illness and deaths of1 ii4 #fe1 #fg1 #gc1 #bea2 another happy event1 #bch2 loss of ,brown ,puppy1 #bic1 #cja2 purchase of ,takkar1 #cje2 ,little ,puppy's first experience of running water1 #cad2 ,takkar's avowal of affection1 #cai2 a sorrowful parting1 #dai ,dojas-chimbo1 court in ,tashi-lunpo1 i4 #cjh ,dokang valley1 camp in1 i4 #bgi2 ,tibetan politeness in1 #bhj ,dok-chu 7,raga-tsangpo71 river1 voyage through rapids of1 i4 #dah2 its confluence with the ,brahmaputra1 #dai2 rock-drawings in valley of1 #dbb2 junction with the ,my-chu1 #dbb2 head sources of1 ii4 #da ,dlchu-gompa monastery1 mentioned1 ii4 #ahb1 #ahg ,dle-gompa nunnery1 i4 #dbi ,dolma-la pass1 pilgrim offerings on1 ii4 #bjj ,dongchen-la pass1 wild sheep on the1 ii4 #chj ,dongdong1 glaciers of the1 ii4 #ib2 peaks of the1 #ajc ,dongmo-chu1 river1 ii4 #ci ,dopserma1 island of the ,langak-tso1 ii4 #agh ,dorab-la pass1 ii4 #ge ,dorche1 or emblem of thunderbolt1 i4 #cah ,dorche ,tsuen1 ,governor of ,saka-dzong1 discussion of my return route with1 ii4 #cee-cei1 #cfd2 camp festivities in honour of1 #cfh2 bid farewell to1 #cgj ,do-tsengkan1 mountain1 ii4 #cc ,dras1 river1 i4 #ci2 stone figures of ,buddha near1 i4 #ci2 junction with the ,wakkha1 #dj ,drugub1 i4 #fg2 our new caravan at1 ii4 #bbf2 salt-caravan at1 #bbh ,dsabo1 title of official in ,chagha1 i4 #daf ,dsalung-la pass1 importance of1 ii4 #chh ,duan ,suen1 ,chinese official in ,shigatse1 i4 #bih1 #chh ,duff1 ,general ,sir ,beauchamp1 i4 #af ,dufour1 map by1 ii4 #djf ,dumbok-tso1 lake1 i4 #bai ,dunglung valley1 ii4 #aic ,dunglung-do1 valley junction1 ii4 #aic ,dungtsa-tso1 lake1 our camp visited by ,tibetans at1 i4 #aib ,dung-yeilak1 oasis of1 ii4 #bcc ,dunka-la pass1 view of the ,shuru-tso from1 ii4 #cd ,dunlop ,smith1 ,colonel ,j4 ,r41 private secretary to ,viceroy1 i4 #aa2 arranges as to my correspondence1 #ajc2 letter to1 from ,tokchen1 ii4 #ajg2 consignment from1 reaches ,gartok1 #bbc2 hospitality in ,simla1 #dbj2 good-bye to1 #dbc ,dupkang1 or hermitage1 ii4 #b ,dutreuil de ,rhins1 ,french explorer1 i4 #df1 #dg1 #aii ,dzong1 or town with resident governor1 i4 #bde ,dzundi village1 medicinal springs at1 i4 #bhc ,eagles1 i4 #bji ,earthquake at ,selipuk1 ii4 #cii ,eclipse of the sun1 incidents of the1 i4 #beb ,electricity1 generation of1 by driftsand1 ii4 #cjj ,elephant1 a unique1 i4 #ccf ,emir ,sing1 brother of ,maharaja of ,kashmir1 i4 #bf ,equipment of caravan1 i4 #bh1 #ec2 ii4 #baa ,escort1 our ,pathan and ,rajput1 i4 #bh2 our ,tibetan1 #djd1 #dbd2 inspection of1 ii4 #af2 fresh1 from ,kyangdam1 #ba2 route discussed with1 #ba2 the ,governor of ,saka-dzong supplies military1 #cfe ,espionage1 system of1 i4 #cgi ,europeans1 ,tibetan distrust of1 i4 #bja2 iron statues of1 in ,tashi-gembe monastery1 #dac2 increased stringency of regulations regarding1 ii4 #cef ,fagu1 bungalow of1 ii4 #dai ,family ties1 looseness of ,tibetan1 i4 #cgc ,field-mice1 treacherous holes of1 i4 #ib1 #if1 #adg1 #bae1 #bbc2 ii4 #ccb1 #cig ,fireworks1 display of1 at ,srinagar1 i4 #bg ,food supplies1 calculations and estimates of1 i4 #gc ,fox1 surprise of a1 i4 #adh ,francke1 ,pastor ,a4 ,h41 i4 #ed ,frithiof's ,saga1 quotation from1 ii4 #aa ,frding1 quotation from1 ii4 #f ,frost-bite1 heartless desertion of victim of1 ii4 #bdj ,funeral customs1 gruesome1 i4 #cfi ,game1 abundance of1 i4 #agg1 #bje2 ii4 #ej ,gandn-chding1 nunnery of1 i4 #daj ,gandarbal1 first camp at1 i4 #cc2 departure of caravan from1 #ce ,gang-lung1 mountain1 ii4 #aji1 #abi ,gang-lung-chu1 river1 ii4 #aje1 #abi ,ganglung-gangri range1 direction of1 ii4 #cie ,ganjevan1 i4 #cf ,ganju-gompa monastery1 ii4 #hf ,ganju-la pass1 ii4 #hf ,gao1 or small case with figure of ,buddha1 i4 #bdg ,gara-la pass1 ii4 #cff ,gar-gunsa1 arrival at1 ii4 #bai2 misleading reports intentionally spread at1 #bai2 plans formed at1 #bbb2 arrival of consignment from ,india1 #bcc2 leave for ,tankse1 #bbd ,gartok1 men and baggage sent to1 from ,tokchen1 ii4 #ajg2 main caravan sent to1 from ,khaleb1 #bjh2 letters received at1 #bae2 visit to the ,garpuns of1 #bae2 friendly letter from ,lien ,darin at1 #baf2 consultation with ,gulam ,razul at1 #bag2 plans considered1 and return to ,ladak resolved on1 #bah2 leave for ,gar-gunsa1 #bai ,gaura1 letters from home received at1 ii4 #dai ,gave-ting1 massive of ,kubi-gangri1 ii4 #aja1 #ajc ,gaw ,daloi1 ,chinese ,agent at ,gyangtse1 i4 #chh2 correspondence with1 #cij1 #cib ,gazelles1 ,goa1 i4 #bdj ,gebuk-chu1 confluence of1 with the ,chak-tak-tsangpo1 ii4 #ccg ,gebuk-la pass1 ii4 #cda ,gebuk-yung1 district of1 ii4 #cci ,geese1 wild1 flock of1 i4 #aff2 habits of1 #afg1 #afh2 migrations of1 ii4 #cba2 ,tibetan reverence for1 #cfb ,gelong1 order of priesthood1 i4 #cea ,gelugpa1 monastic sect founded by ,tsong ,kapa1 i4 #cce ,gertse1 nomads from1 i4 #agi1 #ahd1 #aib2 ii4 #bhe2 their distrust of each other1 i4 #aic2 house of chief of1 ii4 #bif ,getsa-rung1 gold placer of1 ii4 #bgf ,getsul1 order of priesthood1 i4 #cea ,ghe1 bivouac at1 and escort changed1 i4 #dbd ,goa-la pass1 ii4 #chg ,goa-lung valley1 ii4 #chg ,goang-shung1 guides obtained at1 ii4 #cib ,goang-tso1 lake1 i4 #bag ,goats1 taken with caravan for milk1 i4 #gd ,gobrang1 ridge of1 i4 #bjf ,gogra1 camp at1 i4 #ha ,gold1 traces of search for1 i4 #agd1 #ahh2 placers1 ii4 #bgf1 #bhd ,gomo-selung country1 i4 #agi ,gompa-sarpa1 cemetery of ,shigatse1 i4 #cfi ,gossul-gompa monastery1 ii4 #abb1 #ace2 novices in1 #ade2 lhakang of1 #adf2 ,somchung1 apartment in1 #adf2 view from roof1 #adh ,gova1 or district chief1 i4 #bje ,governors1 dual1 ,tibetan system of1 ii4 #ced ,govo1 village of1 ii4 #ad ,govo-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #ac ,grnwedel1 work on ,buddhistic mythology by1 i4 #cbi n4 ,gubuk-gompa monastery1 ii4 #hj ,guffaru1 old1 i4 #eb1 #gb1 #ha1 #bae2 ii4 #dj2 appointed caravan leader on ,muhamed ,isa's death1 #ei2 returns home with thirteen members of caravan1 #ajg2 safe arrival at ,gartok1 #add ,guide1 vagaries of our1 i4 #dbh ,gulam ,kadir1 son of ,nazer ,shah1 assistance rendered in ,shigatse by1 i4 #cgg1 #chd ,gulam ,razul1 son of ,nazer ,shah1 valuable services of1 i4 #ef2 ii4 #bag-bba2 honours conferred on1 i4 #ef2 ii4 #bba ,gunda-tammo1 nunnery of1 i4 #dbc ,gunsang ,ngurbu1 a centenarian hermit1 ii4 #ah ,gunt1 camp at1 i4 #cg ,gurkang-pu valley1 ii4 #hj ,gurla ,mandatta1 mountain group1 ii4 #ajd1 #ajf1 #aaa1 #aab2 varying aspects of1 #aad ff42 denudation cones1 #aeg ,gyalpo ,rinpoche1 the ,precious ,king4 ,see ,dalai ,lama ,gyang-chu1 river1 ii4 #hh ,gyangtse1 letters despatched to1 i4 #bfj2 message from ,chinese ,agent at1 #chh2 ,muhamed ,isa's mission to1 #cia1 #cif ,gyebuk-la pass1 important trade route1 ii4 #dg2 view from1 #dh ,gyegong valley1 camp in1 ii4 #cga ,gyegong-la pass1 ii4 #cgb ,gye-la pass1 ii4 #cfa ,gyenor-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #cib ,gyuma-chu1 river1 ii4 #afb ,hajji ,baba1 name assumed by author1 ii4 #bge ,hamdung1 wandering lamas' quarters in ,tashi-lunpo1 i4 #ceg ,hastings1 ,warren1 embassies to the ,tashi ,lama from1 i4 #cba1 #ccd ,hawkes1 ,general1 i4 #af ,hemis1 temple of1 near ,changa1 i4 #fc ,hermit1 cell of1 near ,linga-gompa1 ii4 #b2 his heroic vow1 #c2 his prayers for the sick1 #d2 ceremony of seclusion1 #e2 quotation from ,frding1 #f2 living death of1 #g1 #aj2 caves of1 at ,nyang-t-ki-pu1 #h2 ,waddell on practice of seclusion for life1 #i2 last offices1 #aj2 a centenarian1 #ah ,himalayas1 the1 view of1 from the ,ta-la1 i4 #bgh2 from the ,angden-la1 ii4 #ce2 from the ,serchung-la1 #fi ,hiraman1 an old friend1 i4 #fg1 #gc1 #ge ,hlabsen ,dorche ,barva1 god of ,tso-mavang1 ii4 #aca ,hlaje ,tsering4 ,see ,naktsang1 ,governor of ,hle-lungpa valley1 ii4 #aic ,hlindug-ling1 i4 #bhi ,hodgson1 map by1 ii4 #dja ,home-sickness in caravan1 ii4 #fb1 #fg ,horse years1 periods in ,tibetan cycle of time1 ii4 #aij ,horses1 purchase and numbering of1 i4 #di2 qualities of different breeds1 #di2 auxiliary caravan of1 hired from ,tankse1 #ej1 #fg2 trouble with1 on leaving ,leh1 #fa2 first loss of1 #ge2 field-mice holes dangerous for1 #ib1 #if2 ii4 #cig2 ,ladaki consideration for dying1 i4 #ic2 stampede of1 #ii1 #aci1 #agh2 ii4 #cj2 mortality among1 i4 #aja-ajc1 #ace1 #ach1 #adi1 #afb1 #aha2 ii4 #bfe2 diet of ,tibetan1 i4 #aij2 mules compared with1 #aih2 death of my dapple-grey1 #bah2 splendid condition of our ,tibetan1 #bfe2 survivors at ,shigatse1 #big2 our veterans1 ii4 #bbj1 #bbi2 my white ,ladaki1 #bbi1 #bfe1 #bgc2 enormous wastage of1 #bdj2 ,christmas box for our1 #bea2 death of brown ,shigatse1 #bfd2 and of my faithful white ,ladaki1 #bgi ,ho ,tsao ,hsing1 secretary to the ,tang ,darin1 ii4 #gj ,house1 description of ,tibetan stone1 ii4 #ad2 domestic utensils and possessions1 #ae ,house-boats near ,gandarbal1 i4 #cc ,huc1 ,abb1 book on ,tibet by1 ii4 #djb ,hymn1 ,tibetan1 translation of1 i4 #bba2 wonderful chanting of1 in ,tashi-lunpo1 #cjh ,ice1 nomads' distrust of the1 i4 #bbd1 #bbg2 singular formations of1 on the ,ngangtse-tso1 #bbg ,idar1 the ,maharaja of1 i4 #ae ,illness of author1 i4 #agb ,images1 manufacture of1 in ,tashi-lunpo1 i4 #cfh ,immurement1 voluntary1 of monks1 i4 #cfc2 ii4 #b1 #h4 ,see ,hermit ,impressions in stone1 i4 #ccg1 #djf ,india1 the ,tashi ,lama's visit to1 i4 #cba ,indian ,government1 the1 sympathy of1 i4 #i2 instructions of1 as to author's passport1 #be1 #bf ,indus1 the1 previous search for rise of1 i4 #c2 crossed beyond ,lamayuru1 #dc2 start for the source1 ii4 #bjh2 guide and sheep hired1 #baj2 discovery of source of1 #bab1 #bac2 mental picture of its course1 #bac2 justifiable feelings1 #bad ,instruments1 scientific1 taken on expedition1 i4 #bi ,jackdaws1 flock of1 at the ,shemen-tso1 ii4 #bgb ,janglung1 district of1 ii4 #cac ,japanese ,embassy1 representations on my behalf at ,pekin by1 i4 #cia ,jera1 camp at1 i4 #dd ,jukti-la pass1 ii4 #bae ,kabbalo1 camp at1 i4 #bgi ,kachen1 order of priesthood1 i4 #cea ,kadakh1 long narrow piece of white silk1 i4 #caj ,kadsung valley1 i4 #hj ,kailas1 the holy mountain1 views of1 ii4 #ajf1 #aaa1 #aab1 #aha ff42 set out on pilgrimage round1 #ahi2 ,nyandi-gompa1 #aij2 pilgrims on the way1 #aib1 #aig2 ,diri-pu monastery1 #aic2 test-stone for sinners1 #aie2 universal ,tibetan reverence for1 #aif2 the most famous mountain in the world1 #aih2 prostration pilgrimage described1 #aii2 pilgrims' performance at ,dung-chapje1 #bjj2 offerings on the ,dolma-la1 #bja2 ,tsumtul-pu monastery1 #bjb ,ka-la pass1 view of1 ii4 #cif ,kali-,gandak1 river1 ii4 #gh ,kalun1 or high official1 i4 #bja ,kamba-sumdo1 ii4 #da ,kamba ,tsenam1 tent-encampment belonging to1 ii4 #cci2 offer of guide declined1 #cda2 nocturnal visit to my tent1 #cff2 boastful talk of1 #cfg2 father of the robbers1 #cfg2 enormous tent of1 #cfg2 good-bye to1 #cgb ,kamchung-chu1 name of upper ,chaktak-tsangpo1 ii4 #ccg ,kam-la pass1 i4 #bac ,kampo ,lama1 or abbot1 i4 #cea ,kanchung-gangri range1 ii4 #cgb1 #cgd1 #cge ,kando-sanglam valley1 view of ,kailas through1 ii4 #bjb ,kangan1 tents pitched at1 i4 #cf ,kanglung-bupchu1 river1 ii4 #df ,kanglung-la pass1 tiresome ascent to1 ii4 #de ,kang-rinpoche4 ,see ,kailas ,kangsham-tsangpo1 river1 unpleasant crossing of1 ii4 #cjf ,kanjur-lhakang1 library of ,tashi-lunpo1 i4 #ccc2 lectures in1 #cff ,kapchor1 camp at1 i4 #bfa ,kaptar-khane1 camp at1 ii4 #bcc ,karakash ,darya1 river1 ii4 #beb ,karakorum range1 appearance of1 from ,chang-lung-yogma1 i4 #hf2 caravan enveloped by storm from1 #ia ,karbu1 an old follower recognized at1 i4 #dj ,karbu-la pass1 ii4 #ajg ,kargan-la pass1 ii4 #ajc ,kargil1 trial and dismissal of ,kashmiris and ,pathans from caravan at1 i4 #da ,karma ,puntso1 ,governor of ,bongba1 ii4 #cjd1 #cba ,karma ,tamding1 of ,tang-yung1 guide and yaks supplied by1 i4 #bac ,karong-tso1 lake1 ii4 #chg ,karpun1 an old acquaintance1 i4 #bec ,karu monastery1 i4 #fc ,karu1 camp at1 i4 #djd ,kashmir1 ,maharaja of 7,sir ,pratab ,sing71 reception of author by1 i4 #bf2 fte given by1 in honour of ,emperor of ,india's birthday1 #bg ,kashmiris1 dismissal of1 i4 #da ,kayi-pangbuk1 camp at1 i4 #bfb ,kayi-rung valley1 i4 #bfb ,kebechungu country1 configuration of the1 i4 #aif2 dust-storm in1 #aif ,kelung-tsangpo1 river1 i4 #bfd ,kesar-tsangpo1 river1 i4 #bfb ,keva1 mountain peak1 i4 #baf ,khaleb1 river1 ii4 #aha2 camp on moor1 #aha1 #ahi1 #bjc ,kichung-la pass1 ii4 #de ,kien ,lung1 ,emperor of ,china1 visited by third ,tashi ,lama1 i4 #ccd ,kilung-la pass1 view from1 ii4 #fi ,kinchen-la pass1 ii4 #cdd2 armed search-party visit our camp below the1 #cde ,kitchen of ,tashi-lunpo1 gigantic tea-cauldrons in the1 i4 #cfa ,kitchener1 ,lord1 assistance promised by1 i4 #h2 at ,viceroy's ,state dinner1 ,simla1 #ab2 trophies and curios in house at ,simla1 #ah2 photograph of1 in ,tashi-lunpo1 #cba2 hospitality to author1 ii4 #dbb2 bid good-bye to1 #dbc ,kograng-sanspo1 river1 i4 #gi1 #ha2 difficulties in crossing1 #hj ,kokbo valley1 camp in1 ii4 #bb-bd2 begging lama at1 #bd2 impending difficulties at1 #be ,kppen1 book on ,lamaism by1 i4 #cbi n4 ,kore-la pass1 ii4 #gc1 #hb2 view from1 #gh ,kteklik1 ii4 #bcg ,kotgar1 attend mission service in1 ii4 #dai ,krishna1 the ,pundit1 i4 #bgb2 ii4 #djd ,kubi-gangri1 excursion to the1 ii4 #hh1 #ii2 source of the ,brahmaputra located in1 #if2 huge moraines of1 #ii2 glaciers of1 #ajj2 description and names of peaks1 #ajb ,kubi-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #ij2 measurement of discharge of1 #ia2 journey up the1 #ia ,kuen-lun mountain system1 i4 #aca1 #adb ,kulans or kiangs1 wild asses1 i4 #gd1 #ig1 #aed1 #agg2 ii4 #ie1 #afa1 #bhe ,kule-la pass1 ii4 #ced ,kum-bum monastery1 visited by third ,tashi ,lama1 i4 #ccd2 miraculous tree in1 #cce ,kungchak-kong valley1 ii4 #gi ,kung ,gushuk1 ,duke1 brother of the ,tashi ,lama1 i4 #bee1 #bhb1 #cji2 his house in ,shigatse1 #che2 portrait drawn of his wife1 #chf ,kung-lung valley1 false alarm at1 i4 #bae2 a prolonged storm1 #baf ,kung-muga1 camp at1 ii4 #hb ,kung-sherya country1 dangers of discovery in1 ii4 #cae-cai ,kung-tsangpo1 river1 i4 #bfb ,kuru-chok1 double lake of1 ii4 #ajd ,kyam-chu1 valley of1 ii4 #cf2 junction of river with the ,amchok-tso1 #ci2 delta of1 #ci ,kyangdam plain1 camp on the1 ii4 #bj ,kyangdam-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #cd ,kyerkye valley1 ii4 #dh ,labrang1 the1 palace of the ,tashi ,lama1 i4 #cag1 #ccj ,lac ,ammoniac1 ,dutreuil de ,rhins'1 i4 #aii ,lache-to island1 ,langak-tso1 wild-geese eggs on1 ii #age ,la-chu1 river1 ii4 #aha ,ladaki pony1 my white1 i4 #hc1 #agj1 #big2 ii4 #bbi1 #bfe1 #bgc1 #bgi ,ladakis of caravan1 their cheerfulness1 i4 #gf1 #bcj2 statements regarding the weather1 #gi2 attention to dying horses1 #ic2 prayers for successful journey1 #aci2 festivities in camp1 #adf2 ii4 #cfh2 want of cleanliness1 i4 #aej2 marvellous memory of1 #aea2 biographical details of1 #aea2 ,lamaists among1 receive blessing of the ,tashi ,lama1 #cef2 home-sickness among1 ii4 #fb1 #fg2 costume of1 assumed by author as disguise1 #bgg ,ladung-la pass1 view from summit of1 ii4 #cac ,laen-la pass1 i4 #bbc ,lagbas 7corpse-carriers71 hereditary caste of1 i4 #cgj2 gruesome occupation of1 #cga ,la-ghyanyak pass1 i4 #bjh ,lakes1 frozen1 ,tibetan distrust of1 i4 #bbg ,lama ,rinpoche1 meaning of title1 ii4 #b ,lama temple at ,shargul1 i4 #db ,lamaism1 a corrupt form of ,buddhism1 i4 #cab2 founder of1 #cab2 ii4 #bi2 books recommended for study of1 i4 #cbi n4 ,lamaist ,church1 festivals of the1 i4 #cja ,lamas1 mendicant1 i4 #bag1 #chc2 various orders of1 #cea2 devotional pilgrimage of wandering1 #ceg ,lamayuru1 village and monastery of1 i4 #db1 #dc ,lamblung valley1 camp in1 i4 #bei ,lamlung-la pass1 view from1 ii4 #cfb ,lamlung-la pass1 ,teri-nam-tso1 ii4 #chd ,lanak-la pass1 closed to author1 i4 #gi ,landslip1 a huge1 ii4 #bch ,langak-tso1 lake1 ii4 #abb1 #aeg2 levels taken of isthmus between ,manasarowar and1 #afg2 earlier explorers' visits1 #afg2 channel from ,manasarowar to1 #afh1 #ahj1 #ahf2 legend as to origin of channel1 #afi2 outline of1 #afi2 sandspouts at1 #agj2 prolonged storm at1 #agb2 goose-island of1 #agd1 #ahj2 freezing of1 #ahj ,langbo-nan monastery1 twelve-year-old abbot of1 ii4 #afc1 #dae ,langchen-kabab1 spring of1 ii4 #ahb ,langchen-kamba1 valley and spring of1 ii4 #aje ,langchen-kamba 7,elephant river71 ,tibetan name for the ,sutlej1 ii4 #ahb ,langmar village1 camp at1 ii4 #ab ,langmar-tsangpo1 river 7upper ,my-chu71 ii4 #ac ,langta-chen massive1 ,kubi-gangri1 ii4 #ajb ,lap1 severe climate of1 ii4 #cgf ,lapchung-tso1 lake1 ii4 #cge ,lapsen-,tari1 view of ,targo-gangri from1 ii4 #bj ,largep1 chief of1 friction with1 ii4 #bh2 presents from1 #cd ,la-rock pass1 i4 #bhj ,lashman ,das1 ,pundit1 i4 #da ,la-shung country1 i4 #agd ,la-shung-tso1 lake1 i4 #agd ,lavar-gangri1 mountain region1 ii4 #cig ,lavar-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #cii ,ldata valley1 i4 #gd ,leh1 arrival at1 and quarters in1 i4 #de2 our final preparations in1 #dh1 #ec2 advance caravan despatched from1 #ea2 ,hajji ,nazer ,shah1 a wealthy merchant of1 #ee2 assistance of ,gulam ,razul1 his son1 #ef2 description of town1 #eg2 old palace of1 #eh2 graves of ,europeans in1 #eh2 incidents of our send-off from1 #fj ,lehlung-gompa1 visit to monastery of1 i4 #dbe2 stuffed yaks in1 #dbf ,lemchung-tso1 lake1 camp at the1 ii4 #bhb2 beginning of a thirty-days' storm at1 #bhc ,lenjo1 valley of1 i4 #dbi ,lesdain1 ,count de1 i4 #bgb2 book on ,tibet by1 ii4 #djj ,letters1 welcome arrival of1 i4 #bef1 #cgg2 arrangements for forwarding1 #gb1 #hc1 #hg1 #ajc2 despatch of1 from ,tokchen1 ii4 #ajg ,lhasa1 visit of officials from1 i4 #cge1 #cie2 ,tundup ,sonam and ,tashi despatched with letters to1 ii4 #db2 instructions to ,tibetans from1 as to my journey1 #dd ,lhayak1 camp in1 ii4 #ic ,lien ,darin1 ,amban of ,lhasa1 correspondence with1 i4 #cic1 #djj2 ii4 #db1 #baf ,lighten1 ,lake1 camp and rest at1 i4 #aja2 personnel of caravan reduced at1 #ajb2 second camp at1 #ajg2 soundings and measurements of1 #ajg-aaj2 storm on1 #aaa2 a miserable night at1 #aae2 varied memories of1 #aaf2 rescue party reach us1 #aah2 sudden change of scenery on leaving1 #aai ,liktse-gompa monastery1 ii4 #gd2 skulls as drinking-vessels in1 #ge ,linga-gompa monastery1 i4 #dcj2 disposal of deceased monk's property1 #dca2 view from1 #dcb1 #dcd2 rhythmical chanting in1 #dcb2 ,pesu temple in1 #dcd2 an optical illusion1 #dce ,linga-kok village1 camp at1 i4 #dcj ,ling village1 rock-drawings near1 i4 #dbb ,loang-gonga1 river1 ii4 #ajd ,lobsang1 my ,tibetan follower1 ii4 #bbg ,lobsang ,shunten1 secretary to ,governor of ,naktsang1 i4 #bdi ,lobsang ,tsering1 secretary to the ,tashi ,lama1 visit of1 in ,shigatse1 i4 #bih ,lobsang ,tsering1 ,tibetan nomad1 i4 #aib1 #aic ,lo ,gapu1 ,nepalese frontier chief1 ii4 #ge1 #hj ,log1 by ,lyth of ,stockholm1 i4 #ajh2 ii4 #aad ,long1 camp at1 ii4 #bci ,lopchak ,mission1 the1 a lucrative monopoly1 i4 #ee ,lopn ,rinpoche4 ,see ,padma ,sambhava ,losar1 the 7,new ,year ,festival of ,lama ,church74 ,see ,new ,year ,festival ,lo-shung1 the1 headwater of the ,raga-tsangpo1 ii4 #da ,lukkong1 village of1 i4 #gj ,luma-shar country1 ii4 #cjf ,lumbo-gangri1 holy mountain1 view of1 from the ,kilung-la1 ii4 #fi ,lumbur-ringmo-tso1 lake1 ii4 #bhf2 suspicions of nomads at1 #bhg2 purchase of sheep at1 #bhi ,lundup ,tsering1 leader of ,naktsang party1 ii4 #bf ,lungdep-chu1 the1 tributary of the ,indus1 ii4 #baa ,lungdep-ningri1 head of wild sheep secured on1 ii4 #baa ,lung-ganden-gompa monastery1 i4 #dbd2 hermit of the1 ii4 #c ,lungnak valley1 i4 #gh ,lungnak-bupchu1 stream1 ii4 #cbc ,lungring pass1 ii4 #dj ,lung-yung1 river1 ii4 #ib ,lunkar1 camp at1 i4 #gd2 arrangement of caravan on leaving1 #ge ,lunkar-gompa monastery1 ii4 #cia ,lunkar-la pass1 ii4 #cib ,lunpo-gangri1 peaks of1 varying views1 ii4 #cbe ff4 ,lying1 successful1 ,tibetan admiration of1 ii4 #cej ,mabie-tangsam-angmo1 camp at1 ii4 #chi ,ma ,chi ,fu1 ,chinese official from ,lhasa1 i4 #djj1 #djb ,machung village1 symbolic designs at1 i4 #dba ,m',swiney1 ,colonel1 i4 #af ,ma ,daloi1 ,chinese commander in ,shigatse1 i4 #bif1 #cae2 celebration of ,chinese ,new ,year1 #cde2 orders me to leave ,shigatse1 #cia ,mad ,gemo1 the fish-god of ,tso-mavang1 ii4 #acj ,ma-lung1 river1 i4 #bgg ,mamer1 village of1 i4 #cf ,manasarowar1 the holy lake1 ii4 #ajf2 ,hindu veneration for1 #aaj2 surpassing beauty of the lake and its surroundings1 #aaa2 ,tibetan superstitions as to1 #aab1 #aad2 former levels1 #aac2 our first sail on1 #aad2 soundings and temperatures of1 #aae ff42 lightning effects on1 #aae2 wonderful natural phenomena1 #aaf1 #aag2 long voyage on1 #aba2 pilgrims at1 #aba1 #acc2 the lamas of ,gossul-gompa astonished1 #abb2 outlets of1 #abb2 storm on1 #abc2 peculiar wave undulations1 #abg2 map of shore-line drawn1 #abh2 origin of lake determined1 #abh2 ,tugu-gompa and ,yanggo-gompa1 #acj1 #acb2 ,hindu homage to the1 #acc2 terrific storm on1 #acf-adj2 succour from ,gossul-gompa1 #ada1 #adb2 monks' contradictory statements as to1 #adg2 its sanctity1 #aea2 springs of1 #aef1 #aeh2 underground connection with ,langak-tso1 #aeg1 #afh2 outline of1 #aeh2 ,chiu-gompa1 #aei2 our last days on1 #afj2 ,pundi-gompa and ,langbo-nan monasteries1 #afb1 #afc2 amount of surface water flowing into1 #afc2 channel between ,langak-tso and1 #afh1 #ahj1 #ahf2 ,chergip-gompa1 #afe2 freezing of1 #ahj2 journey along northern shore1 #dae ,mani ringmos1 or stone cists covered with slabs i4 #fa ,mankogh-la pass1 i4 #hj ,manlung valley1 i4 #gh ,manuel1 cook to author1 i4 #ba2 his broken ,english1 #ii2 sent home from ,lake ,lighten1 #ajb1 #ajf ,maps referred to3 of ,nain ,sing1 i4 #bej1 #beh2 ii1 #ba1 #bi1 #da1 #cjb1 #chj1 #djc2 ,ryder and ,wood1 #da1 #he1 #ij1 #dje2 ,webber1 #hi2 ,d',anville1 #ahe1 #ahf1 #cbg1 #dja2 ,hodgson1 #dja2 ,dufour1 #dja2 ,saunders1 #djb2 ,atkinson1 #djb2 ,krishna1 #djd ,march1 length of a day's1 i4 #gc ,marchar-tso1 lake1 i4 #beh ,marium-chu1 river1 ii4 #ij ,marium-la pass1 crossed by ,nain ,sing1 ii4 #hi ,markham1 ,sir ,clements1 book by1 mentioned1 ii4 #djb ,markham1 ,lake1 discovered and named by ,captain ,rawling1 i4 #adh ,marku-tso1 lake1 i4 #bbd ,marnyak-la pass1 ii4 #ajd ,marsimik-la pass1 slow progress of caravan over1 i4 #gf2 disagreeable descent of1 #gg ,martsang-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #ij ,marx1 ,dr4 ,karl1 i4 #ed ,marx1 ,rev4 ,mr41 missionary at ,poo1 ii4 #dag ,massieu1 ,madame1 meeting with1 at ,taranda1 ii4 #dai ,matayun1 camp at1 i4 #ci2 disturbance in caravan at1 #ci ,mausoleums of five ,tashi ,lamas in ,tashi-lunpo1 i4 #ccj-cch ,medicine-chest1 a popular1 i4 #bi1 #agb2 presented to the ,tashi ,lama1 #caf ,memo-chutsen1 warm spring of1 ii4 #cgc ,memory1 examples of marvellous1 i4 #aea ,men-chu1 river1 ii4 #fh ,men-chu valley1 camp in1 ii4 #fi ,mendicants1 ,tibetan1 i4 #bag ,mendong-gompa monastery1 tent-villages of1 ii4 #chj ,menu1 a tempting1 i4 #ahd ,merke-sang1 view from1 ii4 #chh ,meteorological observations1 i4 #adb ,minto1 ,countess of1 i4 #ac1 #ad1 #ai2 ii4 #dbb ,minto1 ,earl of1 ,viceroy of ,india1 efforts on behalf of author1 i4 #i2 ,state dinner and leve by1 #ab2 receives author as his guest1 #ac2 his popularity in ,india1 and ,state service1 #ac2 family life of1 #ad2 author's farewell to1 and family1 #ai2 hospitality of1 ii4 #dbj2 speech to my followers1 #dba2 good-bye to1 #dbb ,mirage1 perplexing effects of1 i4 #id2 ii4 #bgc ,mittag-,leffler1 ,professor1 ,stockholm ,university1 ii4 #djf ,mogbo-dimrop country1 i4 #aii2 gloomy news in1 #bjj ,mohanlal1 merchant of ,leh1 i4 #de1 #ec ,mohanlal1 ,hindu doctor1 ii4 #daf ,mollah ,shah1 a former follower1 met with1 ii4 #bcd ,monks in ,tashi-lunpo1 religious ceremonies by1 i4 #cdh ff42 grades and number of1 #cea1 #ceb2 daily life of1 #ceh1 #cff2 great consumption of tea among1 #cei1 #cfa2 voluntary immurement of certain1 #cfc2 strict rule enforced1 #cfd2 manufacture of images by1 #cfg2 funeral customs1 #cfi ,monlam-gongma1 ii4 #cbe ,monsoon rains1 importance of1 ii4 #fh ,montgomerie1 ,colonel ,t4 ,g41 ii4 #hi1 #djc ,moravian missionaries in ,leh1 kindness of1 i4 #ed2 admirable work among the ,ladakis1 #ed1 #ee ,morley1 ,lord1 ,secretary of ,state for ,india1 i4 #h1 #i1 #aa2 explains refusal of permission to enter ,tibet1 #aj ,muglib1 muster of camp and inspection of animals at1 i4 #fi ,muhamed ,isa1 my caravan leader1 i4 #cj2 experience and qualifications1 #df1 #dg2 his preparations for equipment of caravan1 #dh2 watchful care exercised by1 #gf2 his opinion of the ,rajput escort1 #gh2 way-marks erected by1 #hc1 #adi2 sets out for ,gyangtse1 #cia1 #cif2 arranges festivities in ,basang camp1 ii4 #dg2 leaves with main caravan for ,saka1 #dg2 illness and sufferings of1 #eb1 #ec2 his death1 #ed2 funeral of1 #ef2 appreciations of1 #eg1 #eh2 inscription on tombstone1 #eh2 ,guffaru appointed his successor1 #ei2 ,mohammedans hold memorial feast1 #fj2 depressing effects of his death1 #fb ,muhamed ,rehim1 merchant from ,khotan1 ii4 #bcd ,mukchung-simo massive1 ,kubi-gangri1 ii4 #ajj1 #ajb ,mukden1 ,christmas #aijh spent in1 ii4 #bdh ,mules1 comparison of ,poonch and ,tibetan1 i4 #bh1 #aih2 heavy losses of1 #adi1 #afb1 #afc1 #aig2 our new animals at ,gar-gunsa1 ii4 #bbj2 tonic effects of whisky on1 #bfj1 #bfd2 death of our last veteran1 #bfa ,mundang1 ,nepal1 caravan from1 ii4 #ge ,munjam valley1 ii4 #bab ,mun-tso1 twin lakes1 position of1 ii4 #chj ,my-chu-tsangpo1 river1 i4 #bfi1 #bgb2 complicated system of1 #bgf2 confluence of ,dok-chu with1 #dbb2 journey up valley of1 #dbc ff42 scenery of1 #dbh2 an eccentric guide1 #dbh2 commercial importance of valley route1 #dbi ,nadsum1 camp at1 i4 #bag ,nagma-tsangpo 7,chuma71 river1 ii4 #bh ,nagor1 the ,gova of1 ii4 #hd ,nagrong valley1 monk-doctor's tent in1 ii4 #bif2 animals and stores purchased in1 #big ,nain ,sing1 his discovery of great lakes of central ,tibet1 i4 #c2 nomenclature of ,bogtsang-tsangpo district1 #bjf2 outline of the ,ngangtse-tso1 #bcj2 maps of1 referred to1 #bej1 #beh2 ii4 #ba1 #bi1 #da1 #cjb1 #chj1 #djc2 on source of ,brahmaputra1 #hi ,nakbo-gongrong-gangri1 mountain1 ii4 #cgf ,nakbo-kongdo-la pass1 ii4 #cgf ,nakchu1 pilgrims from1 i4 #bjj2 purchases from1 #bjb ,naktsang1 ,governor of1 refuses to allow caravan to proceed1 i4 #bcf1 #bdc1 #bdg2 previous trouble with1 #bch2 meetings with1 #bdb1 #bdg2 his treatment by the ,devashung1 #bdc1 #bea1 #cgf2 my proposals to1 #bdd2 unexpected change of front by1 #bdi2 eclipse of sun explained to1 #bed2 cordial leave-taking1 #beg ,naktsang1 horsemen from1 our progress stopped by1 ii4 #bf2 palaver and agreement with1 #bg2 costumes and equipment of1 #ca ,namachang district1 camp in1 i4 #bfa ,namarding valley1 camp in1 ii4 #ajg ,nama-shu1 camp at1 ii4 #hj ,namchen valley1 joint camp in the1 ii4 #cfb2 stores laid in at1 #cfd2 renewed discussion of my return route at meeting in1 #cfd ,namgyal-lhakang temple1 ,tashi-lunpo1 service in1 i4 #cfb ,namla1 village of1 ii4 #he ,namla-gompa monastery1 ii4 #he ,namreldi1 valley and stream1 ii4 #aef ,nangsang-la pass1 ii4 #ib ,naong-rung valley1 i4 #bfc ,naong-tsangpo1 river1 i4 #bfb ,nayala1 mountain1 i4 #dae ,nazer ,shah1 ,hajji1 a wealthy patriarch of ,leh1 i4 #ee2 lucrative monopoly in family of1 #ef2 services rendered to author by his sons1 #ef1 #cgg1 #chd2 ii4 #bag-bba2 commercial interests in ,shigatse1 i4 #che ,nebuk1 village of1 ii4 #hj ,neka district1 camp in1 i4 #bad2 sickness in caravan at1 #bad ,nema-tok1 camp at1 ii4 #caj ,nepal1 the ,consul of1 at ,tashi-lunpo1 i4 #cjd1 #cgd2 a stolen visit into1 ii4 #gi2 temptation to extend journey southwards1 #ha ,nerung-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #hd ,neve1 ,dr4 ,arthur1 ,srinagar1 i4 #bc ,neve1 ,dr4 ,ernest1 i4 #bc ,new ,year1 ,chinese1 celebration of1 i4 #cde ,new ,year ,festival1 ,tashi-lunpo3 its popularity1 i4 #cja2 our dress for1 and journey to1 #cjc2 a picturesque assemblage1 #cjd2 dresses at1 #cje2 reasons for increase of interest in1 #cjf2 an enthralling hymn-chant1 #cjh2 arrival of the ,tashi ,lama and his court1 #cji2 religious dances and masques1 #caa2 effect on the spectators1 #cac2 a symbolic fire1 #cad2 combined dance of lamas1 #cae2 general purpose and significance of the ceremonies1 #cae ,ngangga1 or ,ganga1 channel between ,manasarowar and the ,langak-tso1 ii4 #ahj1 #ahf ,nganglaring-tso1 lake1 irregular outline of1 ii4 #cih ,ngangtse-tso1 lake1 rest at1 i4 #bbc2 thickness of ice of1 #bbd2 hermit's cave at1 #bbe2 soundings on1 #bbf ff42 sledge constructed1 #bbf2 singular ice-effects1 #bbg-bci2 ,new ,year's ,day #aijg on1 #bcj2 ,nain ,sing's outline of1 #bcj2 crustace in1 #bca2 trying weather on1 #bcb2 letter with bad news from ,robert1 #bcf2 meetings with ,governor of ,naktsang at1 #bdb1 #bdg2 arrival of mail-bag1 #bed2 reasons for remembering the1 #beg ,ngartang1 bivouac in1 i4 #bgg ,ngavang1 joint ,governor of ,saka-dzong1 ii4 #cec1 #cfh ,ngomo-dingding1 glaciers of1 ii4 #ib1 #if1 #aja ,ngurbu ,tondup1 our mail-carrier to ,gyangtse1 i4 #bfj1 #bgd2 brings us good news1 #bhb ,ngurkung-la pass1 ii4 #gf ,nien-chen-tang-la range1 geographical importance of1 i4 #bfg1 #bgb2 ii4 #ai1 #ccj2 questions as to its direction and extent1 #bag1 #cbd ,nima-lung-la pass1 ii4 #cbd ,nima-pendi valley1 ii4 #abi ,nima ,tashi1 chief of escort1 ii4 #cff ,no ,man's ,land1 i4 #id ,nomads1 first meeting with1 i4 #agi1 #aha2 from ,naktsang1 #aii2 from ,senkor1 ii4 #bij ,nubra1 i4 #fd ,nuns1 in ,tashi-lunpo1 i4 #cec1 #cef2 in ,mendong-gompa1 ii4 #chf ,nurla station-house1 i4 #dc ,nyandi-gompa monastery1 ii4 #aij2 periodic increase of pilgrims to1 #aia2 halls of1 #aia ,nyang-chu1 river1 i4 #bid ,nyang-t-ki-pu1 hermits' caves at1 ii4 #h ,nyanyo1 village in ,nepal1 ii4 #hj ,nyapchu-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #cic ,nyuku1 friendliness of ,gova of1 ii4 #fj1 #fg2 arrival and camp at1 #fg ,oang ,gye1 son of ,governor of ,saka-dzong1 ii4 #cec1 #cfh2 his grief at shooting of wild-goose1 #cfb ,o',connor1 ,major ,w4 ,f41 ,british ,trade ,agent at ,gyangtse1 i4 #bdd1 #chi2 interpreter to the ,tashi ,lama in ,india1 #cbb2 welcome surprise from1 #cgg2 correspondence with1 #chi2 ,muhamed ,isa despatched to1 #cia1 #cif2 gift of books from1 ii4 #dc1 #bbd ,ogawa1 ,professor1 ,kioto ,university1 translation by1 ii4 #ahc ,ogorung-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #ac ,om mani padme hum1 ,tibetan sacred formula1 i4 #dd2 ii4 #i1 #dh2 ,waddell's remarks on1 #bjd2 universality of1 #bjd-bjf2 ,kppen and ,grnwedel's translation of1 #bjd ,ombo1 nomads from1 i4 #bjh ,ombo1 shrub used for fuel1 ii4 #bif ,pabla1 mountain range1 i4 #bfj2 solution of important geographical problem of the1 #bfg1 #bgb ,pachen valley1 ii4 #aab1 #abf1 #afa ,pachung valley1 ii4 #aab1 #abf1 #afa ,padma ,sambhava1 founder of ,lamaism1 i4 #cab2 ii4 #bi ,pama1 species of juniper1 ii4 #ac ,pama valley1 ii4 #gi ,pamzal1 i4 #gh1 #hj ,panchen ,rinpoche1 the ,great ,precious ,teacher4 ,see ,tashi ,lama ,panchor1 brother of ,kamba ,tsenam1 ii4 #cdb2 acts as our guide1 #cff2 doubtful character of1 #cgb1 #cgf1 #cgh ,panggong pass1 i4 #gj ,panggong-tso1 lake1 i4 #gj2 previous visit to1 #gj ,pangsetak1 camp at1 ii4 #de ,pankur country1 ii4 #bij ,parka1 baggage sent to1 ii4 #aff2 camp at1 #agi ,parka ,tasam1 threats by1 ii4 #agh ,partridges1 shooting of1 causes suspicion1 ii4 #cjd ,parva valley1 camp above the1 ii4 #cc ,pasa-guk1 village of1 ii4 #fe2 unreliable data in1 #ff ,passes of the ,trans-,himalaya1 principal1 ii4 #djh2 unknown1 crossed by author1 #dji2 average height of1 #daj ,passport1 ,chinese1 ultimate value of1 i4 #bii2 cancelling of1 #cie2 terms of my new1 #cih2 ii4 #ba1 #bg ,pathans of escort1 i4 #bh2 difficulties with1 #ch2 dismissed from caravan1 #da ,pati-bo1 district of1 i4 #bjg ,patterson1 ,captain1 ,joint-,commissioner of ,ladak1 kindness of1 i4 #df1 #dg2 addresses caravan before starting1 #ea ,pears1 ,colonel1 ,resident at ,srinagar1 letter from1 i4 #be ,pedang-tsangpo1 valley of the1 ii4 #cid1 #cif ,peling1 or ,european1 i4 #bjj ,pemba ,tsering1 of ,saka1 ii4 #fj1 #fc1 #cdh1 #ced ,pensa1 ,gova1 ii4 #cij ,pere-pala1 ,nepalese merchants' serai in ,shigatse1 i4 #cgd ,permanakbo-tang valley1 camp in1 i4 #bgi ,peter1 ,rev4 ,mr41 ,leh1 i4 #ea1 #ed ,pike-la pass1 i4 #bac ,pilgrimage of prostration1 description of1 ii4 #aii ,pilgrims1 meeting with1 and purchases from1 i4 #bjj1 #bjb2 on the ,tsangpo1 #bib2 in ,tashi-lunpo1 #cec1 #cef2 devotional exercises1 #ceg2 my experiences of ,mecca1 ii4 #fi2 ,hindu1 at ,manasarowar1 #acc1 #aec2 on journey round ,kailas1 #aib1 #aig2 mental sketch of great routes of1 #bjc ,pinzoling1 bridge at1 i4 #daf ,pobrang village1 meeting with ,english sportsmen at1 i4 #ga2 rest for man and beast at1 #gb2 arrangements made for letters1 #gb2 our last point of contact with outer world1 #gb1 #gd ,political complications3 ,tibetan ,government officials' visit in ,shigatse1 i4 #cge2 orders from ,tibetan and ,chinese ,governments1 #chh1 #cia2 advice from ,gaw ,daloi1 #cib2 letters to ,chinese and ,tibetan ,state officials1 #cic2 ,chinese supremacy1 #cie2 letter from ,chang ,yin ,tang1 #cig ,pongchen-la pass1 i4 #bfj ,poo1 ,moravian missionaries' hospitality at1 ii4 #dag2 ,takkar's return to1 #dah ,poonch1 mules from1 compared with ,tibetan1 i4 #bh2 trouble with men from1 #ci ,porung valley1 sulphurous springs in1 i4 #bfi ,poru-tso1 lake1 view of1 ii4 #cib ,potu-la pass1 i4 #db ,prayer formula1 ,tibetan1 i4 #cja1 #ceg1 #djd1 #djh ,prayer-mills1 in ,tashi-lunpo1 i4 #cfj2 in ,tashi-gembe1 #dac2 ubiquity of1 ii4 #bje ,priesthood1 orders of1 i4 #cea2 domination of the1 in ,tibet1 #chd ,prostration pilgrimage1 description of1 ii4 #aii ,pu-chu1 valley of1 ii4 #dj ,pul-tso1 lake1 camp at1 i4 #aca2 sudden storms at1 #acc1 #acf2 soundings and measurements1 #acc-ace2 crustace in1 #acd2 mysterious camp-fire1 #ace ,pundi1 double peaks of1 ii4 #aab1 #abf1 #aga ,pundi-gompa monastery1 ii4 #afb ,pung-chu1 river1 ii4 #he ,punjab1 ,lieutenant-,governor of the1 i4 #ab ,puntsuk1 ,tibetan nomad1 i4 #ahi1 #aia ,pupchung-tsangpo1 river1 i4 #bfd ,purang1 epidemic of smallpox at1 ii4 #ib ,pustin1 ,yarkand fur coat1 i4 #gd ,pusum village1 camp at1 i4 #dae ,quadt1 ,count1 ,german ,consul-,general1 dinner given at ,simla by1 i4 #af ,quetta1 i4 #e ,rabsang1 biographical details of1 i4 #aea ,races1 mixture of1 in caravan1 i4 #ca ,radak valley1 ii4 #cec ,raga-tasam1 camp at1 ii4 #da2 route of ,rawling's expedition touched at1 #da2 messengers despatched to ,shigatse from1 #db2 camp life at1 #dc2 ,tibetan ,government's instructions regarding author1 #dd2 visit of the ,gova of1 #fc ,raga-tsangpo1 river4 ,see ,dok-chu ,ragok valley1 i4 #bjf ,rains1 importance of monsoon1 ii4 #fh2 our first1 since leaving ,ladak1 #gd ,rajputs of escort1 i4 #bh2 ,muhamed ,isa's opinion of1 #gh1 #ajc2 sent home at ,lake ,lighten1 #ajb1 #ajf ,rakas-tal4 ,see ,langak-tso ,rambirpur1 village of1 i4 #fc ,rartse plain1 arrival of missing followers at camp in the1 ii4 #cii ,ravak-la pass1 ii4 #de ,ravens1 pertinacity of1 i4 #adc1 #adh1 #aee1 #afd ,rawalpindi1 i4 #ba ,rawling1 ,captain ,c4 ,g41 i4 #af1 #ea2 discovers ,captain ,deasy's stores at the ,yeshil-kul1 #abi2 maps out ,yeshil-kul district1 #acj1 #acg2 ,lake ,markham discovered and named by1 #adh2 expedition to ,gartok under1 ii4 #ij ,rehim ,ali1 lessons in rowing to1 i4 #ajh2 terror of1 in storm on ,lake ,lighten1 #aac2 attacked by wild yak1 #agf2 sacrifice offered up by1 #aid ,religions1 various1 in caravan1 i4 #ca1 #ec ,ribbach1 ,mr4 and ,mrs41 ,leh1 i4 #ee ,richen-chu1 river1 ii4 #acb ,richung-chu1 river1 ii4 #abi ,rickshaws1 reason for their abundance in ,simla1 i4 #ag ,rigi-hloma1 ,gova of1 interesting information by the1 ii4 #cic ,rikchen1 order of priesthood1 i4 #cea ,rinakchutsen1 lake1 camp at1 i4 #aih ,ringding1 order of priesthood1 i4 #cea ,riochung country1 camp in the1 ii4 #bgf ,robbers1 in the ,chaktak-tsangpo country1 ii4 #cce2 ,tibetan punishment of1 #ccf ,robert1 my faithful servant and meteorological assistant1 i4 #bi1 #ci1 #adb1 #aej2 medical skill of1 #aga2 home-sickness of1 ii4 #fb2 bad news received by1 #bai2 my parting with1 #bbi ,rock valley1 ii4 #fg ,rock-drawings in ,dok-chu valley1 i4 #dbb ,ronggak-chu1 river1 ii4 #ajd ,ruins1 encouraging effect of discovery of1 i4 #afi ,rukyok-tsangpo1 river1 and valley1 ii4 #fi1 #ccd ,rung valley1 bivouac in1 i4 #bgg ,rung-chu1 river1 i4 #bhj ,rungma1 village of1 i4 #bhe1 #djc ,ryder and ,wood1 maps by1 referred to1 ii4 #da1 #he1 #ij1 #dje ,sachu-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #cbg2 camp at the1 #cfa ,sadung1 camp at1 i4 #djc ,saka1 permission for excursion granted by ,governor of1 ii4 #dg2 arrival at1 #ea2 difficulties with officials of1 #fj2 longing to get away from1 #fa2 village life1 #fb2 search-party from1 visit our camp1 #cde2 my return route discussed with the ,governor of1 #cee-cei1 #cfd ,sakti1 village of1 i4 #fd ,saka-gompa monastery1 ii4 #fb ,salt-caravans1 ii4 #fd1 #cbc1 #cbi ,salt lakes1 gradual shrinking of ,tibetan1 i4 #ia2 importance of their product1 #aic ,salutation1 ,tibetan form of1 i4 #ahb1 #bdj1 #bhj1 #dbi ,samde-puk convent1 ii4 #a2 hermit's cell near1 #b ,samkang1 or hermit's cave1 i4 #bbd ,samo-tsangpo1 river1 fish of1 ii4 #ajg ,samye-la pass1 hydrographical and geographical importance of1 ii4 #cbi2 unbroken continuance of the ,trans-,himalaya proved at1 #ccj2 not on the same chain as the ,angden-la1 #ccj ,sanchen-la pass1 ii4 #caj ,sandhills1 shifting1 on the ,brahmaputra1 ii4 #hf ,sand-spout1 near ,amchok-yung1 ii4 #cf ,sangchen-chu1 river1 camp at the1 ii4 #cjh ,sangge-ngamo-buk1 visit from chief of1 ii4 #chc ,sangmo-bertik valley1 ii4 #cge ,sangmo-bertik-la pass1 ii4 #cgg ,sangra1 mountain1 i4 #bfd ,sangra-palhe valley1 i4 #bfe ,saspul1 i4 #dd ,satsot-la pass1 ii4 #cbb ,saunders1 map by1 ii4 #bjb ,schnabel1 ,rev4 ,mr41 missionary at ,poo1 ii4 #dag ,search-party from ,saka1 ii4 #cde2 their instructions regarding us1 #cdf1 #cdi2 my recognition of ,pemba ,tsering and interview with1 #cdh-cej2 agree to accompany them to ,semoku1 #cej ,sekya monastery1 i4 #bha ,sela-la pass1 i4 #bfg1 #bgb2 triumphant reflections at1 #bfh ,sele-nang valley1 i4 #bff1 #bfh ,selin-do1 camp at1 i4 #bfh ,selipuk-gompa monastery1 abbot of1 ii4 #cii2 earthquake at1 #cii ,selung-urdu valley and glacier1 ii4 #aef ,semoku1 journey to1 ii4 #cec2 meeting with ,governor of ,saka-dzong in1 #cee-cei2 mutual courtesies at1 #cfj ,senes-yung-ringmo1 ii4 #bhe ,sen-kamba-la pass1 ii4 #ajc ,senkor1 nomads from1 ii4 #bij ,seoyinna1 mountain1 i4 #ahi ,serchung-la pass1 view from1 ii4 #fi ,sereding1 hill1 i4 #bff ,serme-lartsa1 ii4 #dj ,serolung valley1 camp at1 ii4 #aac ,serolung-gompa monastery1 ii4 #aab ,serpo-tsunge1 mountain1 i4 #bff ,serpun-lam1 the1 great high-road of1 ii4 #cba1 #cid ,sershik-gompa monastery1 ii4 #bi ,sertsang-chu1 river1 visit of ,tibetans at1 i4 #bag ,sha-kangsham1 mountain1 ii4 #cjb1 #cjf1 #caj1 #cbb1 #cha ,shak-chu1 river1 ii4 #bj ,sha-la pass1 ii4 #cf ,shalung-la pass1 ii4 #cga ,sham valley1 camp in1 i4 #bge ,shamsang1 camp at1 ii4 #hh ,shangbuk-la pass1 ii4 #be1 #cb ,shang-chu1 river1 i4 #bgb ,shapka1 camp at1 ii4 #ie ,shapku-chu stream1 ii4 #ig ,shargul1 lama temple at1 i4 #db ,shar-tso1 lake1 ii4 #cjf ,shawe1 ,dr41 ,leh1 i4 #ed ,sheep1 return of our missing1 i4 #afe2 wild1 #agd2 ii4 #beb1 #caj1 #chj2 used as pack-animals1 #bhi1 #ccd ,sheep-driving1 author's inaptitude for1 ii4 #bii ,shemen-tso1 lake1 camp at1 ii4 #bgj2 journey along1 #bgb ,sherring1 ,mr4 ,c4 ,a41 ii4 #abh2 kindness of1 and ,mrs41 #add ,sheryak1 camp in1 ii4 #ib ,shey monastery1 i4 #fa ,shialung valley1 camp near1 ii4 #bcf ,shib-la-yilung valley1 i4 #bga ,shigatse1 arrival at1 i4 #bie2 interview with commander of ,chinese garrison1 #bif2 remains of caravan at1 #big2 visited by ,tibetan officials at1 #bih2 impression made by my ,chinese passport1 #bii2 permission to attend ,new ,year ,festival in ,tashi-lunpo1 #bii2 description of ,festival1 #cja-cae2 return ,ma ,daloi's visit1 #cae2 arrangements for visit to the ,tashi ,lama1 #caf2 architecture of1 #cdj2 ,dzong of1 #cdj1 #cgg2 sports-meeting at1 #cda-cde2 ,chinese ,new ,year celebration1 #cde2 gruesome funeral customs1 #cgj2 ,lhasa ,government officials' visit to me1 #cge2 arrival of correspondence1 #cgg2 assistance rendered by ,gulam ,kadir1 #cgg2 market-place of1 #cgh2 system of espionage in1 #cgi2 sketches of women in1 #chj2 variety of types and costumes1 #chb2 visit to ,kung ,gushuk1 #che2 ,chinese intrigues in1 #cij2 review of my position1 #cid2 sudden cordiality of authorities in1 #cih2 formal council held1 and my return route specified1 #cih2 a canine interlude in1 #cii2 preparations for departure from1 #djj2 messengers despatched from ,raga-tasam to1 ii4 #db ,shipki1 village of1 ii4 #dag ,shipki-la pass1 farewell to ,tibet from1 ii4 #dag ,shooting competitions1 ,tibetan1 i4 #cdc ,shovo-tso1 lake1 camp on shore of1 ii4 #cif ,shukkur ,ali1 uniform cheerfulness of1 i4 #eb ,shuru-tso1 lake1 i4 #baf2 ii4 #be2 terraces of1 #cc2 unusual direction of1 #cc2 storm on1 #cd2 shape of1 #cd ,shyok valley1 wretched journey through the1 ii4 #bcj-bcb2 farewell festival in village1 #bcb2 caravan derelicts in1 #bcg2 canine happy event1 #bch2 enormous wastage of horses in1 #bdj1 #bde2 scarcity of provender1 #bda2 our complicated situation1 #bdb2 miserable camping-places1 #bdb1 #bdf2 ,mohammedan hymn in1 #bdf ,simla1 scenery of railway journey to1 i4 #e2 arrival at1 and welcome by ,sir ,francis ,younghusband1 #f2 anxious moments in1 #g2 ,state functions in ,viceregal ,lodge1 #ab1 #ag2 ii4 #dbj2 rickshaws in1 i4 #ag2 ,lord ,kitchener's house in1 #ah2 ii4 #dbb2 departure from1 i4 #bj2 return to1 ii4 #dbj2 residence in ,viceregal ,lodge1 i4 #ac2 ii4 #dbj2 hospitality of ,colonel ,dunlop ,smith and ,lord ,kitchener1 #dbj1 #dbb2 lecture before the ,viceregal ,court1 #dba2 good-bye to my ,ladakis and ,little ,puppy in1 #dbb ,sind1 valley of the1 i4 #ce ,singi-buk1 camp at1 ii4 #baj ,singi-chava1 ii4 #bab ,singi-kabab1 source of the ,indus1 ii4 #baj1 #bab ,singi-tsangpo1 or ,indus1 ii4 #baj ,singi-yra1 ii4 #bab ,singrul1 camp at1 i4 #fe ,sirchung1 village of1 i4 #dbe ,skulls as drinking-vessels1 ,liktse-gompa1 ii4 #ge ,sledges1 on the ,ngangtse-tso1 i4 #bbf ,smallpox epidemic at ,purang1 ii4 #ib ,snoring ,kunchuk1 ii4 #bii1 #ccc2 new title for1 #cgi ,snowstorm1 a terrific1 ii4 #bfi ,sogbarong ,tsering ,tundup1 ,tibetan nomad1 ii4 #bhh ,soma-tsangpo1 river1 camp at1 ii4 #chj2 journey along the1 #chf ,sonam ,ngurbu1 ,governor of ,chokchu1 ii4 #cii ,sonamarg1 bivouac at1 i4 #cg ,sonam ,tsering1 leader of advance caravan1 i4 #ea2 in charge of the mules1 #gb2 points out ,deasy's depot1 #abi ,so valley1 i4 #bhd ,source of the ,brahmaputra1 ii4 #if1 #aja2 of the ,sutlej1 #abi1 #aec1 #ahj2 of the ,indus1 #bab ,spanglung valley1 camp near1 i4 #gh ,spittol monastery1 i4 #de ,sports1 ,tibetan1 i4 #cda-cde ,srinagar1 scenery of journey to1 i4 #bb2 arrival at1 #bc2 dinner-table talk about author1 #bd2 interview with the ,maharaja of ,kashmir's private secretary1 #bd2 fte at1 #bg2 equipment of caravan1 #bh2 departure from1 #cj2 puppies taken from1 #cd2 plates and rock specimens sent to1 #ajc ,srong ,tsan ,ganpo1 wives of1 i4 #ccc ,stagna-gompa monastery1 i4 #fc ,stockholm1 departure from1 i4 #d ,stok1 the ,raja of1 letter of recommendation from1 i4 #eg1 #bih ,stokpa1 village of1 i4 #eg ,stoliczka1 ,dr41 monument in ,leh1 i4 #ei ,stone1 impressions in1 i4 #ccg1 #djf ,storm1 a thirty-days'1 ii4 #bhc ff4 ,sulphur springs1 ,chuta district1 i4 #hb2 in ,porung valley1 #bfi2 at the ,chunit-tso1 ii4 #cbc ,sultak1 i4 #fg ,sumdang-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #cih ,sun1 eclipse of the1 i4 #beb ,sung-chu1 river1 ii4 #aha ,surnge-la pass1 ii4 #djj ,sur-la pass1 ii4 #cic ,sutlej1 the1 source of1 ii4 #abi1 #aec1 #ahj1 #ahh2 old bed of1 #aha2 ,tibetan name of1 and assertions regarding its origin1 #ahb2 translation of ,chinese extract as to its source1 #ahc2 its source and that of the ,tage-tsangpo the same1 #ahd1 #ahh2 accuracy of ,chi ,chao ,nan's statements regarding1 #ahe2 ,colonel ,burrard on drainage area of1 #ahg ,tabie-tsaka1 lake1 salt-caravans from1 ii4 #fd1 #cbc2 location of the1 #cbb2 view of1 #cib ,tagar1 village of1 i4 #fd ,tage-bup valley1 ii4 #aje ,tage-tsangpo river1 ii4 #aje1 #ajg2 measurements of1 #abi2 its source that of the ,sutlej1 #ahd1 #ahh ,tagla ,tsering1 chief of ,sangge-ngamo-buk1 visit from1 ii4 #chc ,tagrak-tsangpo1 river1 i4 #bfa1 #bfd ,tagramoche district1 bivouac in1 ii4 #aje ,takbur district1 high-handed behaviour of chief of1 ii4 #di1 #ej2 abundance of game in1 #ej ,takbur-la pass1 ii4 #ej ,takkar1 our ,tibetan dog1 ii4 #cje1 #cjg1 #cai2 his antipathy to ,tibetans1 #cbb1 #cgg2 devours wolf-cub1 #cii2 returns to ,poo1 #dah ,takyung ,lama1 abbot of ,mendong-gompa1 ii4 #cae1 #cah ,ta-la1 or ,horse ,pass1 view from1 i4 #bgh ,talkan1 or roasted meal1 i4 #ec ,tambak valley1 ii4 #hd ,tamchok-kamba 7,brahmaputra71 river1 i4 #djc1 #dag ,tamlung-la pass1 important watershed of1 ii4 #ajd1 #abi ,tamlung-tso1 lake1 ii4 #ajd ,tanak 7,black ,horse7 valley1 camp in1 i4 #bhf1 #djc ,tanak-puchu valley1 i4 #bhf ,tang ,darin4 ,see ,chang ,yin ,tang ,tangna1 village of1 i4 #dag ,tang-yung province1 ,tibetan visitors from1 i4 #bab1 #bad ,tang-yung-tsaka1 lake1 i4 #bjh ,tanjur1 one of the two ,tibetan ,bibles1 i4 #dab ,tanka1 or pictorial banner1 i4 #cah ,tankse1 auxiliary horses hired from1 i4 #ej1 #fg2 camp and rest at1 #fg2 festivities in caravan at1 #fh2 men from1 petition to be allowed to return home1 #ajb2 parting with my ,ladakis at1 ii4 #bbe ,tankse1 river1 i4 #fg ,tarbung-la pass1 ii4 #be ,tarchen-labrang1 ii4 #aij1 #aih1 #bjb ,targo-gangri1 view of the1 ii4 #bj1 #bb1 #cha2 glaciers of1 #be1 #cb ,targo-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #ba2 valley of1 #bb2 our progress stopped at the1 #bf2 terraces of1 #bf1 #cj ,targot-la pass1 ii4 #cj ,targyaling-gompa monastery1 camp below1 ii4 #fd2 intolerant behaviour of lamas of1 #fe2 plundered by robbers1 #cae ,tarmatse-tso1 lake1 i4 #bad ,tarok-tso1 lake1 position of1 ii4 #cbe2 described1 #cia ,tarpoche1 or votive pole1 i4 #bhj ,tarting-choro1 village of1 i4 #djd ,tarting-gompa monastery1 i4 #bhc1 #dje2 sepulchres of high priests of1 #djf2 preparations for deceased lama's funeral pyre at1 #djg2 reflections on monastic life1 #djh ,tasam1 or high-road1 ii4 #da ,tasang-la pass1 ii4 #hd ,tashi1 despatched to ,shigatse1 ii4 #db2 his return and adventures1 #ga ,tashi-gembe monastery1 i4 #bah1 #daa2 the two ,tibetan ,bibles in1 #dab2 temples of1 #dab2 incongruous ,european figures in1 #dac2 prayer-cylinders in1 #dac2 brilliant colouring of1 #dad ,tashi ,lama1 the1 increased prestige of1 i4 #cjg1 #cbc2 kindness to us at ,new ,year ,festival1 #caj2 my visit to1 #cag2 dress and general appearance of1 #cai2 his kindly reception of author1 #cai2 intelligence and shrewd questions of1 #cbj1 #ced2 his pleasant recollections of visit to ,india1 #cba2 widespread power of1 #cbb2 previous visits of ,europeans to1 #cbb2 attributes and functions of the ,dalai ,lama and1 #cbc2 favours granted to author by1 #cbd2 medicine-chest presented to1 #cbe2 ineffaceable impressions left by1 #cbe1 #cee2 ceremonies observed on the approaching death of a1 #cbg2 method of choosing his successor1 #cbg2 mausoleums of previous ,tashi ,lamas1 #ccj2 record length of service of first1 #cca2 visit of third ,tashi ,lama to ,pekin1 #ccd2 footprint of1 #ccg2 photograph taken of1 #ced2 presents gifts to author1 #cee2 rigidly prescribed life of1 #cef2 his anxious questioning of author1 #cib2 farewell greetings from1 #djb ,tashi-lunpo1 ,new ,year ,festival in1 i4 #cja-caf2 a cloister town1 #ccj2 the ,labrang1 #ccj2 aerial street system in1 #ccj2 mausoleums of earlier ,tashi ,lamas1 #ccj-cch2 date of foundation1 #cca2 library of1 #ccc2 temple of ,tsong ,kapa1 #cce2 a sacred staircase1 #ccg2 clerical tailors in1 #cdh2 religious ceremonies witnessed1 #cdh ff42 grades and numbers of monks1 #cea1 #ceb2 bells of1 #cea2 nuns and pilgrims in1 #cec1 #cef2 author's interview with the ,tashi ,lama1 #ced2 pilgrims' devotional exercises in1 #ceg2 sources of income1 #ceh2 monks' life in1 #ceh1 #cff2 prayer-mills of1 #cfj2 tea a favourite beverage in1 #cei1 #cfa2 kitchen of1 #cfa2 the walling-up of certain monks1 #cfc2 the ,dena-lhakang temple1 #cfe2 manufacture of images1 #cfg2 funeral customs1 #cfi2 last visit to1 #cic ,tayep-parva-la pass1 ii4 #cig ,tea1 ,tibetan1 i4 #bdg2 monks' fondness for1 in ,tashi-lunpo1 #cei2 enormous infusions of1 #cfa ,tea-pots1 costly1 i4 #cej ,teheran1 ,christmas #aije spent in1 ii4 #bdh ,tela-mata-la pass1 ii4 #cig ,telegrams to ,british ,prime ,minister1 i4 #h1 #cij ,temperature1 sudden change of1 i4 #ge2 records of low1 #aee1 #agc1 #aii1 #bjg1 #beh1 #bgd2 lowest recorded by author in ,asia1 ii4 #bei ,temple1 lama1 i4 #db ,tenga1 ,tibetan coin1 i4 #ef ,teri-nam-tso1 the heavenly lake1 ii4 #cha2 its salinity1 #chd2 journey along southern shore1 #chd2 different pronunciations1 and meaning of the name1 #chd2 extent of1 and height above sea-level1 #chd ,terkung-rung valley1 ,lhasa caravan in1 i4 #bgj2 importance of road through1 #bgj ,teta-la pass1 view from1 ii4 #chj ,thakur ,jai ,chand1 ,gartok1 ii4 #ajg1 #bae1 #dag2 provisions and letters from1 #add ,thirteen1 the number1 prominence of1 in author's journey1 i4 #bj1 #bdi2 ii4 #bcf ,thirty-days' storm1 a1 ii4 #bhc ff4 ,tibetan ,government1 the1 vindictive treatment of the ,governor of ,naktsang by1 i4 #bdc1 #bea1 #cgf2 proclamation on retiral of ,british expedition1 #bde2 author visited by two officials from1 #cge1 #cgf2 system of spies1 #cgi2 orders to author to leave the country1 #chh2 increased stringency of1 regarding ,europeans1 ii4 #cef ,tibetan language1 author's lessons in1 ii4 #bgg ,tigu-tang1 dangerous roadway of1 i4 #dcj ,tikze1 monastery and village of1 i4 #fa2 camp at1 #fb ,ting-la pass1 view from1 ii4 #bb ,tirtapuri monastery1 parting with followers at1 ii4 #daf ,titles1 high-sounding1 applied to author1 ii4 #cic ,toa-nadsum1 bivouac at1 i4 #bfb ,tokchen1 the ,gova of1 ii4 #ajg1 #aaj2 caravan reduced at1 #ajg2 valley of1 #aaj2 return to1 #djj2 departure from1 #dae ,tok-jonsung1 bivouac at1 ii4 #ia ,tokpas1 ,tibetan gold-diggers1 i4 #ahi ,tombs of the ,tashi ,lamas1 i4 #ccj-cch ,tong1 the ,gova of1 i4 #dbd ,tong-tso1 bivouac on shore of the1 ii4 #cjb ,tongue1 protrusion of the1 ,tibetan salutation1 i4 #bdj1 #bhj1 #dbi ,tooth1 ,mr4 ,lucas1 the last ,european seen by author for two years1 i4 #ga ,topelius1 ,christmas song of the poet1 quoted1 i4 #bai ,tormakaru1 mountain1 i4 #bfd ,torno-shapko1 unfriendliness of nomads at1 i4 #bag ,totling-gompa monastery1 news from the outer world at1 ii4 #daf ,tova-tova1 district of1 i4 #bfb ,tradum1 the ,gova of1 ii4 #fj1 #fi1 #gj1 #gc1 #hc2 camp at village of1 #gb2 excursion from1 #gc ,tradum-gompa monastery1 ii4 #gc2 hermit's dwelling at1 #gc ,trans-,himalaya1 the1 author's first crossing of1 i4 #bfh2 geographical and climatic importance of1 #bgc2 ii4 #bj1 #ce2 approach to main crest of1 #ac2 second crossing of1 #ai2 third crossing1 #ce2 fourth and fifth crossings of1 #bji1 #bae2 sixth crossing1 #bci2 its unbroken continuance proved1 #ccj2 seventh and eighth crossings1 #cgg1 #djj2 previous attempts to map out1 and books treating of1 #dja-dje2 ,ryder and ,wood's bearings of1 #dje2 statement regarding wall-maps in ,venice1 #djf2 principal passes of1 #djh2 previously unknown passes crossed by author1 #dji2 length and breadth of1 and average height of passes1 #daj2 general comparison of1 with the ,himalayan system1 #daj2 author's reason for use of name1 #dab2 opinions for and against the title1 #dab1 #dac ,treaty1 new1 between ,great ,britain and ,russia1 ii4 #bba ,tree1 miraculous1 in ,kum-bum monastery1 i4 #cce ,tsa-chu-tsangpo1 river1 junction with upper ,brahmaputra1 ii4 #gd ,tsaktserkan1 author's official attendant in ,shigatse1 i4 #cjb1 #cec ,tsalam-nakta-la pass1 ii4 #cgf ,tsamba1 or parched meal1 i4 #bae ,tsangpo 7upper ,brahmaputra71 river1 i4 #bhd2 formation and fertility of valley1 #bhd1 #bhe2 varying nomenclature of1 #bhg2 description of boats on1 #bhh2 varied scenery of1 #bij1 #bic2 day-dreams on1 #bia2 pilgrim parties on1 #bib1 #bic2 dust-storms1 #djb1 #djc ,tsasa-la pass1 ii4 #ge ,tsechung-tso1 lake1 ii4 #ie ,tsepagmed1 seated figure of ,buddha1 i4 #cee ,tsering1 cook to author1 i4 #aeb2 loquacity of1 #aeg1 #afa2 vocal powers of1 ii4 #ac ,tsering ,dava1 ,tibetan nomad1 i4 #ahi1 #aia ,tseti-la pass1 ii4 #bjh ,tseti-lachen-la pass1 ii4 #bji ,tso1 district of1 ii4 #hj ,tso-kharki-tsangpo1 river1 ii4 #hj ,tso-mavang4 ,see ,manasarowar ,tsong ,kapa1 temple of1 in ,tashi-lunpo1 i4 #cce1 #cfb2 reforms ,lamaism and introduces monastic celibacy1 #cce ,tsongpun ,tashi1 merchant from ,lhasa1 ii4 #cjh1 #caa2 purchases from1 #cae2 visits our camp1 #caf2 his suspicions1 #cag ,tso-niti1 pools of1 ii4 #ic ,tso-niti-kargang pass1 ii4 #ib ,tso-nyak1 lake1 ii4 #ajf ,tso-ri1 or ,lake ,mountain1 the1 i4 #bai ,tsotot-karpo1 lake1 ii4 #hc ,tsukchung-chang pass1 i4 #dag ,tsumtul-pu monastery1 bivouac on roof of1 ii4 #bjb ,tubges1 huntsman to caravan1 ii4 #cbc ,tugden-gompa monastery1 i4 #dji2 statues in1 #daj ,tugri-la pass1 ii4 #ajc ,tugu-gompa monastery1 ii4 #acj2 wool-market at1 #acj2 interesting picture in1 #aca2 shrine of lake-god in1 #aca2 monks' offering to their god on author's behalf1 #ade2 translation of inscription in1 #aed ,tugu-lhamo1 height1 i4 #bjf ,tuksum1 the ,gova of1 ii4 #hf2 grants permission to author to travel on south side of river1 #hg ,tumsang valley1 i4 #bfh ,tundup ,sonam1 huntsman to caravan1 i4 #aca1 #aci1 #add1 #aej1 #aed1 #afd1 #aia2 despatched to ,shigatse1 ii4 #db2 his return and adventures1 #ga ,turkestan1 ,eastern1 ostensible object of expedition1 i4 #bc1 #be2 passport for1 requested from ,swedish ,minister in ,london1 #be ,tuta1 camp at1 ii4 #chi ,tuto-pukpa1 mountain1 ii4 #gb ,tynchung valley1 camp in1 ii4 #ajd ,ugyu1 ,tibetan youth1 his wonderful recovery from bullet-wound1 ii4 #df ,ujam-tso1 lake1 ii4 #he ,umbo district1 camp in the1 ii4 #ia ,ushy1 village of1 ii4 #cfa ,ushy-la pass1 ii4 #cfa ,utensils1 ,tibetan domestic1 ii4 #ae ,vezir ,vezarat1 the1 i4 #da2 author's headquarters in house of1 at ,leh1 #de ,viceregal ,lodge1 ,simla1 ,state functions in1 i4 #ab1 #ag2 ii4 #dbj2 author's quarters in1 i4 #ac2 ii4 #dbj2 description of1 i4 #ad ,vultures1 abandonment of ,tibetan dead to the1 i4 #cga2 ii4 #aa ,waddell1 work on ,buddhism by1 cited1 i4 #cbi n42 opinion on monastic seclusion1 ii4 #i2 on ,tibetan sacred formula1 #bjd ,wakkha1 river1 i4 #da ,walker1 ,dr4 ,gilbert1 ,simla1 presents from1 ii4 #bbc ,wallenberg1 ,herr ,g4 ,o41 ,swedish ,ambassador in ,pekin1 i4 #cia ,wall-paintings in ,tugu-gompa1 ii4 #acj ,weather1 ,tibetan1 i4 #gd1 #hh1 #ij1 #afj ,webber1 ,thomas1 on sources of the ,brahmaputra1 ii4 #hi ,whisky1 a tonic for mules1 ii4 #bfj1 #bfd ,wilderness1 the call of the1 i4 #a ,wolves1 persistency of1 i4 #adc1 #afh1 #agh1 #aih ,women1 descriptions of ,shigatse1 i4 #chj2 uniform dirtiness of1 #cec1 #chj ,wool-market in ,tugu-gompa1 ii4 #acj ,wrangel1 ,count1 ,swedish ,minister in ,london1 passport requested from1 i4 #be1 #bii ,yaks1 as beasts of burden1 i4 #ge1 #ahc1 #aih2 ii4 #fd1 #cbc1 #cbi2 abundance of wild1 i4 #agc2 ,rehim ,ali's adventure with a1 #agf ,yalloa-champa1 holy apartment in ,tashi-lunpo1 i4 #ccb ,yamba1 lieutenant to chief of ,tarok-shung1 ii4 #cij ,yamchuk1 village of1 ii4 #hj ,yamchuk-pu valley1 ii4 #hj ,yanggo-gompa monastery1 ii4 #abi1 #acb ,yapkak1 plant used as forage and fuel1 i4 #hc1 #ia ,yere-tsangpo1 river1 i4 #bha ,yeshil-kul1 lake1 view of1 i4 #aai2 antelope-traps at1 #aai2 intense saltness of1 #abj2 soundings on1 #abj2 choice between shipwreck and wolves1 #abb2 storm on1 #abd2 a freezing night1 #abe2 ,deasy's depot discovered by ,rawling1 #abi2 previous travellers' visits1 #acj ,ye-shung valley1 camp in1 i4 #bha1 #dji2 monasteries in1 #daa ,yildan1 hunters from1 ii4 #bge ,yimba ,tashi1 abbot of ,linga-gompa1 i4 #dca ,younghusband1 ,sir ,francis1 welcomes author to ,simla1 i4 #f2 expedition to ,lhasa referred to1 #aa2 parting with1 #bj2 letter as to passport from1 #bf2 recommends ,muhamed ,isa to author1 #cj1 #df ,yulgunluk1 ii4 #bce ,yumba-matsen1 ii4 #bae ,yungchen1 order of priesthood1 i4 #cea ,zambul1 numberdar of ,pobrang1 i4 #gc1 #hg ,zoji-la pass1 difficulties of caravan in the1 i4 #ch ,zugmayer1 ,austrian naturalist1 i4 #acj ,,the ,,end ,printed by ,r4 ,r4 ,,clark1 ,,limited1 ,edinburgh4 ,,books ,,on ,,india ,,forty-,,one ,,years ,,in ,,india4 ,from ,subaltern to ,commander-in-,chief4 ,by ,field-,marshal ,,earl ,,roberts1 ,v4,c4 ,library ,edition4 #b vols41 #hvo4 #cfs4 ,popular ,edition4 ,extra ,crown #hvo4 #fs4 ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,the ,,guides4 ,by ,colonel ,g4 ,j4 ,,younghusband1 ,c4,b41 ,queen's ,own ,corps of ,guides4 ,with ,illustrations4 #hvo4 #gs4 #f;d4 net4 ,a ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,indian ,,mutiny4 ,by ,t4 ,,rice ,,holmes1 ,m4,a4 ,extra ,crown #hvo4 #abs4 #f;d4 ,,india3 ,its ,administration and ,progress4 ,by ,sir ,,john ,,strachey1 ,g4,c4,s4,i4 #hvo4 #ajs4 net4 ,,impressions ,,of ,,india4 ,by ,sir ,h4 ,,craik1 ,k4,c4,b41 ,m4,p4 ,crown #hvo4 #cs4 net4 ,,india3 ,its ,life and ,thought4 ,by ,,john ,p4 ,,jones1 ,d4,d41 ,illustrated4 #hvo4 #ajs4 #f;d4 net4 ,,life ,,of ,,the ,,marquis ,,of ,,dalhousie4 ,with ,portraits1 ,map1 and ,plans4 ,by ,sir ,w4 ,,lee-,,warner4 #b vols4 #hvo4 #bes4 net4 ,,cawnpore4 ,by the ,right ,hon4 ,sir ,g4 ,o4 ,,trevelyan1 ,bart4 ,crown #hvo4 #cs4 #f;d4 net4 ,,the ,,campaign ,,in ,,tirah1 #ahig-h4 ,an ,account of the ,expedition under ,general ,sir ,william ,lockhart4 ,based 7by permission7 on ,letters contributed to ,the ,times by ,colonel ,h4 ,d4 ,,hutchinson4 ,with ,maps1 ,plans1 and ,illustrations4 #hvo4 #hs4 #f;d4 net4 ,,relief ,,of ,,chitral4 ,by ,captain ,g4 ,j4 ,,younghusband and ,captain ,,francis ,,younghusband4 #hvo4 #hs4 #f;d4 net4 ,,the ,,protected ,,princes ,,of ,,india4 ,by ,sir ,,william ,,lee-,,warner4 #hvo4 #ajs4 #f;d4 ,,macmillan ,,and ,,co41 ,,ltd41 ,,london4 ,,books ,,on ,,burma1 ,,china1 ,,japan ,,by ,h4 ,,fielding ,,hall ,,the ,,soul ,,of ,a ,,people4 ,an ,account of the ,life and ,belief of the ,burmese4 ,extra ,crown #hvo4 #gs4 #f;d4 net4 ,,the ,,inward ,,light4 #hvo4 #ajs4 net4 ,a ,,people ,,at ,,school4 #hvo4 #ajs4 net4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,burman3 ,his ,life and ,notions4 ,by ,,shway ,,yoe4 ,third ,edition4 #hvo4 ,,by ,b4 ,l4 ,,putnam ,,weale4 ,,manchu ,,and ,,muscovite4 ,illustrated4 #hvo4 #ajs4 net4 ,,the ,,re-,,shaping ,,of ,,the ,,far ,,east4 ,illustrated4 #b vols4 #hvo4 #bes4 net4 ,,the ,,truce ,,in ,,the ,,east ,,and ,,its ,,aftermath4 ,illustrated4 #hvo4 #abs4 #f;d4 net4 ,,the ,,coming ,,struggle ,,in ,,eastern ,,asia4 ,illustrated4 #hvo4 #abs4 #f;d4 net4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,china ,,and ,,the ,,chinese4 ,by ,professor ,,herbert ,,allen ,,giles1 ,,ll4,d4 ,globe #hvo4 #hs4 net4 ,,the ,,far ,,eastern ,,question4 ,by ,,valentine ,,chirol4 ,with ,illustrations4 #hvo4 #hs4 #f;d4 net4 ,,japan3 ,an ,attempt at ,interpretation4 ,by ,,lafcadio ,,hearn4 ,extra ,crown #hvo4 #hs4 #f;d4 net4 ,,the ,,garter ,,mission ,,to ,,japan4 ,by ,,lord ,,redesdale1 ,g4,c4,v4,o41 ,k4,c4,b4 ,extra ,crown #hvo4 #fs4 ,,macmillan ,,and ,,co41 ,,ltd41 ,,london4