The Washington times., 1911-07-30

Chowringhee and the Grand
Eastern.
The hotel was doubly spacious to our
shipworn eyes, and Gwynne displayed
his usual extravaganza in the choice OF
apartments. 1t was resttul. after the
cramped quarters We had so long occu-
pier, to spread ourselves In these lottS
chambers, and did so with paruonSoie
JUNCTION. Later We walked through la
housie square and some of the prlncpddl
streets, inspecting the fine public bulIG-
ings and enjoying the quaint surrounu
ings and splendid architectural enecls
of midas capital. -,
Shortly after our arrival EWynite p O. a.
nounced that we should probably be de-
tanned in Bengal for a week or more a.
there were still many supplies 10 Set
and much to attend to before DeglnLlInS
the journey northward. As ~ nHP
pened, we were detained for nearIy
month, SO that 1t was well into June
before we steamed down the Husn en-
route for the Brahmaputra ana oduSa d,
where guides, yaks, and fresh supplles
did not regret this delay in Calcutta,
being assured by Gwynne that theFe
was no danger, and the 10TH OF Octopel
seemed far away. 1t was tne result Sa q q
misunderstanding with certain chemlsIs
and manufacturers, and the consequegHI
difficulty of obtaining the commoolues
necessary for the expedition AS usual
Gwynne was chary with ms eA L1tha
he wanted had something to DO WIN
the airship-properues not TO De Iouho
at every street corner.
1t seems that, after all, ne was d Stio - =
of certain reQuisiteS-Something hao 10
be made something had to be brought
from a distance, all had TO De put 10 10
Eether and tested. This, or course, LOON
time and was annoying; Inousn, a.
saw, was not considered as Jeoparolzns
the wager. -. ,
Sometimes the heat was trying, but l
comforted myself with the thought OF
the Himalayas and the cold we shoule
doubtless experience there before long.
knew that even in midsummer the
nights would be cold in those great al
titudes, and 1 laid in a supply of heat
against the rigors to come, as Dear
laws on fat against the winter.
The day for our departure came al
last. and, when it came. was ready
to go. -, 49,, 1I,,er n,as nleas-
ant enough, taking the greater part OF
the day before we reached the mouth
of the river and were fairly launcheo
upon the Bay of Bengal, where the va,
rious mouths of the Ganges are poured
upon II. Thence the fat run of the coast
to the opening of the Brahmaputra'
where for the first time I felt the mys-
tery Of the land those waters spranS
from-the land which was soon to en-
fold us.
IT was evident that Gwynne also was
Impressed with the solemntty OF our un-
dertakinE, for he sat much alone ano
was not inclined to talk. The feeHhg
forever barred from the one we knew
by those eternal ramparts OF the HIM,
aiayas, weighed me down with kho
of sadness that was oltncult 70 unueI
stand. The mental shadow OF the great
hills seemed to have settled over the
lowland with a forecast OF the stern
reality beyond. 1t was the PhanIoh oI
the unknown that aWed ana helu uS
OI, no
ing was less pronounced, but 1t was al
Swynne had ceased to speak of the
girls. When I alluded 10 tnenl' ne .dt az
peared anxious and changed the subject
He had even stopped calling me JACK
though sometimes when he said Pete i,
was In such an absent-mindeo way
was not sure whom ne meant
found the traffic of the Brahma'
pltra strange and varied. The sight o.
II brought some relief to the depressed
state Of mind which had taken sucf
hold Of me of late. As one Of the grea1
feeders of the city beneath 1t was
one day Gwynne said: You know
Mt. EVerest?
'sBy reputation, yes.''
You've doubtless heard 1t was thN
highest mountain in the world?'
I nodded.
''Well, 1t isn't?"
1 asked what he meant.
7 stared and waited for him to go on
but he was watching the erect or hl'
statement When satisfied that my Gu
riosity and wonder had been sufficient!
Eyes. Peter, all these old geographic:
will have to be burned up. There are
three mountains that are are higner ign dTe Ina'
"How did you find 1t outE asked
by measurement.
Measurement" I exclaimed. How
the dickens did you measure them?"
"3ow does anybody measure a noun
tain BY triangulation, of course.
/ couldn't help laughing at his com
placency. -
the Himaiayas, eh! l thought you't
been too busy saying pretty Things I!
Miss Jack to find time for such work,
But l was lost! Do you suppose
was. all thai. time at the the iamaTSery, mas Try,
about It before, and I don't much nkt
10 tell you about IT now, for 1t gives
me the creeps to think of 1t; but FOL
months 1 was lost-horribly, hopelessly
1hudderingly lost in that unexploret
country bordering the Tsanpo. I foun(
three mountains more than 10000 fee
high, and believe there are others stil
higher; but 1t was impossible to meas
ure them"
"Gwynne, are you drunk. or is tina
cigar getting into your head?
"Both, perhaps; but the real source o.
intoxication lies in the memory Of wha
I'VE seen and been through-of wher'
rye been. Why haven't told you abou
It before? Well, because I couldn't, per
haps. Maybe because I knew you woulC
not come with me II I told you every
thing before we left London. feet diff
ferently now that I've got a grip OF
you"
I'm the land of the Tsanpo-tha
mysterious river which for more thai
200 miles is absolutely lost to the world
Later 1t reappears at Assam and be
comes known as the Brahmaputra-'
didn't know enough Of the countr.
then TO realize what he was telling m
was a fact-that the mysterious river h
referred to was unexplored for 200 miles
ana that for this distance its cours
was impossible for human feet.
From the standpoint OF greater knowl
edge, my amazement at what Gwynn
had really accomplished is tincture
With awe-the kind of awe one feel
when contemplating the supernatural.
"And what else did you find in thi
Tsanpo countrv?'' I asked.
''The most insane tangle Of gigarti
mountains the eve Of man or beast ha
ever looked uoon."
did you follow down the course q
this crazy river that no man had eve
seen7'
''Did II II was there I was iost! Ne
! couldn't get through, for I was cauKh
IN a web of mystery and horror tha
held ne like a hy in a cuhweb. Petel
I saw things in that world Of enchant
ment that would make your hair bristl