The Washington times., 1911-07-30
3y CHARLES WILLING BEALE

| GNDeTlenceO eyes LdNhlcSS-
such a guide 1 do not believe it would
be possible to retrace my steps. 1t was
| a round bout way; Journey or weeks.
! over heights that We chung to as ny
where the bitterest of winds threatened
to hurl US into unknown depths; through
gorges filled with the nliasma OF the
| tropics; back again into the arctic ten-
perature of the upper atmosphere. II
was an experience / should not care to
repeat. The Golck knew the way. II
was tie route which, for some reason,
he preferred to travel, although now
know there are others. 1t was by an
other that I finally escaped. 1t is by
another that 1 hope to return"
10 you propose TO risk the river
route?"
IF we. can fly. yes"
I'VE must go the other way-I haven't
! decided. / don't care to be lost in that
| labyrinth of horrors. There's more than
one road-rm sure the<yak brought 1rc
out by quite another route-but unless
We can find a competent guide it would
be useless to attempt any OF them
| There is a thread of wafer leading DIV
rectly into the district, but 1t Is O
thread of horror. unversed in the ways
] Of man."
How did you happen to find it?''
I sery is the most remote. the most mac
ccssible in Tibet. 1t was the purpose OF
| mcn-hence the isolated position. In 4
previous effort 20 escape tumbled upon
the waters Of the Tsanpo at point just
| above the unknown region. For nun
/ dreds Of miles this river runs behind
| these vast -amparts of the Himalayas,
| and then for other hundreds It Is lost;
| It was here. just before taking Its maj
plunge to Oblivion, that found II l
retraced my steps at the risk OF lIfe,
and was again taken prisoner at the
lamasery., have told you how got
| away at last"
Undoubtedly. If we can manage it
but it's a big If"
| why not wait till we can find q
guide, and take one Of the other trans
| Gwynne thrust his hand into his curly
locks and looked down
| There are two reasons. First we
mightn't get guide in year; second
should like to explore that river.
| I replied indifferently that 1 doubted
If it would pay, but was sorry I said
it, from the look got in return. II
was a smile of half pity for my in
credible ignorance. He said:
The Tsanpo plunges into an .f ABYSS ss
own eyes. But before the horrible leap
into that caldron of eternal night and
stiffness 1 saw something peculiar Whicn
held me spellbound-something which
| maze me NlSll TIE pldCC e1oehAAi
again to make sure that my eyes had
not deceived me. 1t is this that makes
me want to return-that l told you would
give the world a mighty shake-up."
Gwynne said this very quietly. his
manner was unusual. l asked him now
far this point Of mystery was from the
lamasery, and he said: Not far Ii
was all could get out of him.
of course, / don't know what you're
talking about" replied, but what's to
hinder our going round the other way
and approaching the river as you did
I'VE may have to, but II we strike
the Tsanpa by way Of the lamasery we
must return by the lamasery: there Is
no other route. We should probably
be recaptured and put TO death. Re
member, we shall be hard pressed Wher
getting away with the girls. We mus
make sure of their safety To find again
what l saw in the Tsanpo, we must &C
there first-unless, of course, the air
I ship proves to be perfect success, II
which event We can bid defiance TO thf
lamas."
It was only after much reflection anc
being constantly reminded by Gwynnt
that the truth of the situation impress
ed me. OF course, in a rough way was
familiar with the general characterls
tics of the land We were bound for; pu
its real isolation, the dreadful and In
conceivable solitudes that surroundec
the lamasery, were conditions that only
took possession of me slowly.
There is one thing tnat surprises
me-" I said How did Varney evel
find his way to Tad-sa-fuh. Above all
how did he get there with his wife anc
children?"
There's nothing surprising about IT,
Gwynne answered. 'Varney was a Ia
natic, an enthusiast, a zealot. Is there
anything that infatuadon cannot mas
ter? He was determined to strike a.
the heart-throb of the institution. HI
had heard of Tad-sa-fuh, and believed
1t to be their most impregnable strong
hold. Possibly he looked upon 1t as o.
more vital importance than the holy
CITY Of Lhasa. Like a bull, he went a
II head down and bellowing-regardles!
of consequence, blind to result. So Ions
as he got there and stirred up the lamas
he didn't care what happened. M!
dear fellow, 1t is said that fanatics haV'
been burned at the stake without suf1er
sBut the woman and the little. chill
dren? Surely they had not his incen
"Fanaticism is catching. They go
there-that Is all 1 can tell you.
He walked away, engrossed with I'M
r problem that confronted us. Present.!
he turned and said:
'Of course, If the airship works,
NAV give up the river route. Then WHIT
can tell what will happen? Our guides
may start us on quite another track
There are mental problems as well a.
as physical ones to be worked over.
Confirmation of This Story VII
BE Found In TOmOrrOw's
Issue of The Times.