Evening star., 1925-08-16

river bent suddenly, and we confronted
village built on a slope, at the foot
of which our path turned with the
stream. few isolated houses could
even be seen quite near to us on the
sides of the path itself.
1t was not charted on any map. and
none of the people of the country from
whom we had cleverly got informa-
ton before our departure had ever
told word about it. Its architecture
looked peculiar. We did not see coun-
try houses and farms, but villas and
miniature palaces, surrounded by
small yet stately looking parks.
The strange town was bathed in a
pale, golden light. No sound of hu-
man voices No animals noises were
heard in it. But now and then a faint,
silvery jingling struck our ears. We
were amazed. Were we in Tibet, or
had we reached fairyland?
WE could not, anyhow, remain
w standing on the path. People
might come along, and to be seen so
near the frontier posts was impru-
dent. Prudence demanded delay of
our Investigations concerning the mys-
terious village till evening. Once
more we retreated among the bushes
and the rocks. There, exhausted, the
mouth parched by thirst. 1 sank on
the moss and fell asleep, feverish,
raving a little.
Our impatience to see again the fan
taStic village, the fear we had to be
compelled to cross an inhabited place
and the desire to look for ways to
avoid it brought us before sunset on
! the trail at the place where we had
stood in the morning.
Where had gone the graceful villas,
the little dignified palaces and the
sunny gardens?
The forest was empty, a severe land
scape of dark trees extended before
| us, and cold breeze murmuring amid
the branches took the place of the
harmonious jingle.
1--WE have dreamed" / said to Yong
den. I'VE did not see anything this
morning. All that happened while we
were asleep
Dreamed" exclaimed the lama. II
will show you how we have dreamt.
This morning when you were looking
at the miraculous town l have drawn
sungpo magic sign) on a rock with
the iron end of my staff. so that gods
or demons could not oppose our prog
ress. 1 shall find it again" And he
| looked on fiat stone at the foot of a
fir tree There it ISL he triumphed.
Look
1 saw the roughly drawn sungpo.
| 1t silenced me for a moment.
MY son." 1 said, proceeding for
ward, this world itself is but dream,
and So"
"I know" interrupted my compan-
| ion. Nevertheless, the sungpo and
the ngaks tmagic words) that 1 have
| uttered when drawing it have dis
PEELED the mirage. 1t was certainly
again the work of some who wished to
delay U.S."
Yes. like the blackbirds," I con-
tinued, laughing. .'and maybe the
small leopards, too"
Like the birds, yes affirmed my
son, decidedly vexed; "as for the leop.
ards 1 do not know. They looked hon.
! est beasts Anyhow, we will soon be
, out of these Kha Karpo forests and
confront true villages instead of
dreamland ones, and true men. Off.
cials, soldiers and others instead of
| mi ma vim. Let us see, then, if we
can manage our business with them as
cIeverly as I have done with the folks
of other worlds"
Have no fear about it," I answered
seriously. ITO that 1 will attend"
How will yeu do?" he asked.
81 will make them dream and see
Illusions" 1 said seriously, Just as
| mi ma yin did to US"
And so really did 1 a few days later
| when circumstances brought us be-
fore Tibetan officials.
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