ne of these
establishments, kept by a family of Mussulmen, that we went to lodge. As
we had nothing to do with trade, we felt called upon candidly to
communicate the fact to the host, and to arrange the terms of our living
in his house; it was agreed that we should be there as in a common hotel.
All this was very well; but the question was, what we were to do
afterwards: what was to become of us? This question incessantly
engrossed our minds, and tormented us not a little.

As far as Tang-Keou-Eul we had followed, with sufficient continuity, the
route we had traced out for ourselves; we might even say that this
portion of our journey had been successful beyond all expectations. Now
the business was to carry out our plan, and to penetrate to Lha-Ssa, the
capital of Thibet; an undertaking which appeared bristling with almost
insuperable difficulties. Tang-Keou-Eul was our columns of Hercules,
with their depressing _ne plus ultra_ (No farther shalt thou go).
However, we had already vanquished too many obstacles, to be easily
overcome by discouragement. We heard that almost every year caravans
proceeded from Tang-Keou-Eul, and penetrated into the very heart of
Thibet. We wanted nothing more to confirm our determination. Whatever
other people had undertaken and executed, we assumed also to undertake
and to execute, as not being, probably, beyond our power. It was
therefore settled that the journey should be carried out to the end, and
that no one should say that Catholic missionaries had less courage for
the interest of the faith, than merchants for a little profit. The
possibility of departure being thus determined we had nothing to seek but
the opportunity.

Our great business, therefore, was to collect all possible information
respecting this famous route into Thibet. We heard terrible things about
it; we should have to travel for four months through a country absolutely
without inhabitants, and should have, accordingly, to lay in before our
departure all the necessary provisions. In the season of winter, the
cold was so horrible that it often happened that travellers were frozen
to death or buried beneath the avalanches of snow; while, in summer, a
great number were drowned, for they had to cross large streams, without
bridge or boat, without other aid than that of animals, which themselves
often could not swim. Moreover, there were hordes of brigands, who at
certain periods of the year prowled about the des