ssurance, "but if you
punish us unjustly it will go against yourselves. You can tear our skin
off, and you can make us bleed to death, but you cannot make us feel
pain."

Ando, the traitor, who spoke Hindustani fluently, acted as interpreter
whenever there was a hitch in our Tibetan conversation, and with what I
knew of the language, and with this man's help, everything was explained
to the Tibetans as clearly as possible. Notwithstanding this, they
continued mercilessly to lash my poor servant, who, in his agony, was
biting the ground as each blow fell on him and tore away patches of skin
and flesh. Chanden Sing behaved heroically. Not a word of complaint, nor
a prayer for mercy, came from his lips. He said that he had spoken the
truth and had nothing more to say. Watched intently by all the Lamas and
soldiers, I sat with affected stoicism before this scene of cruelty,
until, angry at my phlegm, order was given to the soldiers that I should
be dragged away. Again they led me behind the mud-house, from where I
could distinctly hear the angry cries of the Lamas cross-examining
Chanden Sing, and those dreadful sounds of the lash still being
administered.

It began to rain heavily, and this was a bit of luck for us, for in
Tibet, as in China, a shower has a great effect upon the people, and even
massacres have been known to be put a stop to until the rain should
cease.

Such was the case that day. The moment the first drops fell, the soldiers
and Lamas rushed here, there, and everywhere inside the tents, and I was
hastily dragged to the most distant tent of the settlement, which became
packed with the guards into whose charge I had been given.

[Illustration: AN OFFICER]

CHAPTER LXXVIII

A high military officer--A likely friend--A soldier and not a
Lama--His sympathy--Facts about the Tibetan army.

[Illustration: PURSE]

AN officer of high rank was sitting cross-legged at the farther end of
the tent. He wore a handsome dark red gown trimmed with gold and leopard
skin, and was shod with tall black and red leather boots of Chinese
shape. A beautiful sword with solid silver sheath inlaid with large
pieces of coral and malachite was passed through his belt.

[Illustration: FLINT AND STEEL]

This man, apparently between fifty and sixty years of age, had an
intelligent, refined, honest, good-natured face; and somehow or other I
felt from the very first moment I saw him that he would be a friend. A