Evening star., 1925-08-16

in the thick jungle, alone free. The
neWneSS of our situation made US a
little bewildered. For months during
the long journey from the sands of
Cobb to Yuman we had been discussing
the way in which we could 'disap-
pear as we used to say, and assume
another personality Now this was at
hand, we were to start that very night
for the Dokar Pass, lS,400 feet high,
which forms nowadays the border of
the self-styled independent Tibet"
Let us drink a cup of tea" | said
To Yongden. and then YOU will start
on scouting tour. We must at any
rate reach the foot of the Kha karpo
path without meeting anybody and be
out of sight from the village before
daybreak."
That day at noon we had reached
with two coolies carrying our loads.
the small village of Londre From
there starts a steep patch that joins
higher up the pilgrim track around
the most sacred snowy range of Kha
karpo. a famous Tibetan place of pill
Srlmage. 1t was the road we intended
10 follow, but we hardly cast a glance
toward it when passing in front on the
opposite bank of the river. for we pre-
tended to be going TO collect plants in
the country of the Loutze tribes. situ-
ated in quite different direction We
passed on our way. walking incon-
spicuously behind our coolies. Yong
den and ] wearing Chinese dresses
No one took any special notice of us.
An American naturalist was at work
in the vicinity. and employed a large
number of people. Very likely the vii
layers thought We We're to Join him as
helpers
After having proceeded for a few
miles, turning my back to my goal.
told the coolies that I would not be
able to go farther. My feet were
swollen and sore, and tramping had
become too painful. 1t was not alto
gether untrue. and the man had seen
my feet when / had washed them in a
stream. My Chinese sandals had hurt
them cruelty.
chose for camp a place far below
and distant from the road-a very
small clearing surrounded by dense
tnlckets, near stream. The coolies
helped Yongden to pitch our tent.
gave them a good meal and then or
dered one to go up on the hills to cut
big wood, no llogs being found around
us. When he>had gone l explained to
his companion that I had no need of
him now and that later on / could
easily get man among the villagers
of Londre to carry my luggage He
understood it all right, and, we'll
Immediately for home, being, of course,
convinced that the man who had gone
to cut the wood would remain to at
tend me.
The latter was told exactly the same
thing when he came with the wood
but as I did not want him to meet his
companion before few days, lest they
might talk about my strange way of
camping alone, added that as I could
az To 7
was to carry there letter and a par
Gel, and from there he could return
home by direct road without coming
back to Londre.
The packet contained a few clothes.
gift TO the poor, and was addressed
TO missionary whom 1 had never
seen and who most likely had never
heard of me. But it was the way to
get rid of my last coolie who went
away as satisfied as his comrade, with
few dollars in his pocket and believ-
ing that the other peasant had been
sent on some errand in the neighbor-
hood and would be with me before
nightfall.
What these two said a few days
later when they met after having gone
around the same range, one on the
northern side and the other on the
southern one, l never happened to
know.
x X X X
YONGDEN had gone scouting. Time
elapsed. Now it was dark l re-
mained seated near the fire, which l
did not dare to let blaze, fearing that
it might be seen from afar and tell of
the presence of some one in that
jungle.
The tea, in our only marmite, was
humming in the embers. The rising
moon tinged with blush and russet
hues the melancholy bottom of the
deep valley. Around me all was 81
lence and solitude. What had
1 dared to dream? In what
mad adventure was I to throw my
self?
| remembered previous journeys in
Tibet, hardships endured, dangers
that l had confronted, hours when
death had come so near me.
1t was that and still worse that
was awaiting me. and what
would be the end? Would I . tri.
umph, reach Lhasa. laughing at
those who close the roads of Tibet?
Would | be stopped on nv wav
or would | fail and meet death at
the bottom of a precipice, hit by the
bullet of robber or fever taking me
under a tree or in cave, as a beast
of the wids? Who knew?
But / did not allow gloomy thoughts
TO overpower my mind Whatever
might be the future, 1 would not
shrink from it.
stop here" DO not proceed far
ther"' were the commands of a hand
full of politicians to explorers. Ori-
entalist scholars, missionaries, savants
of all kinds. What right had they to
do it? Many travellers who
meant to wander through Tibet and
to reach Lhasa had been their heads
when stopped in their way and accept
ed failure. l had taken the challenge
by my oath on the Iron bridge" /
would show what woman can do.
VONGDEN was coming back. To
avoid the village he said there was
only one way--to cross the stream and
then follow a trail that was winding
along it. 1t was rather a long way,
and still we could not escape passing
between few houses near the bridge
on tributary of the Mekong River, at
the end of which began the steep path
on the slope Of the Kha Karpo range
We started in haste, for it was al
ready late. AMI we had to tramp far
that night. Was my load heavy on
my shoulders? Were it's rough straps
cutting my flesh? Yes, certainly.
felt 1t later on, but at that moment
Was not aware of it. l knocked my
self against sharp rocks. | tore my
hands among thorny bushes, dead to
all sensation, stiffened, hypnotized by
the will to succeed.
During several hours we roamed in
the valley, missing the road, COM