all going to die, and this was their last agony. All because of the
terror of being picked out to follow me.

At last, after threats and promises, Bijesing, the Johari, was persuaded
to come. But the load was too heavy for him; he would only carry half.
To save trouble, I agreed to carry the other half myself in addition to
my own load.

[Illustration: AT NIGHT I LED MY MEN UP THE MOUNTAIN IN A FIERCE
SNOW-STORM]

We put out our hurricane-lantern, and at 2 P.M., when the gale was
raging at its height, driving the grit and snow like spikes into our
faces, when the wind and cold seemed to penetrate with biting force to
the marrow of our bones, a handful of silent men, half frozen and
staggering, left the camp to face the blizzard. I ordered my men to keep
close together, and we made immediately for the mountain-side, taking
care to avoid the places where we supposed the Tibetan spies were
posted.

We could not have selected a more suitable night for our escape. It was
so dark that we could not see more than a few inches in front of us. The
doctor, in sad silence, accompanied me for a couple of hundred yards. I
urged him to return to the tent. He stopped to grasp my hand. In a
broken voice the good man gave me his blessing, and bade me farewell.

"The dangers of your journey," whispered Dr. Wilson, "are so great and
so numerous that God alone can guide you through. When I think of the
cold, hunger, and hardships you will have to endure I can but tremble
for you."

"Good-bye, doctor," said I.

"Good-bye," he repeated. "Good...." and his voice failed him. We parted.

Two or three steps, and the darkness separated us. His touching words of
farewell rang sadly in my ears as I remembered the loyalty and
thoughtfulness of this good friend.

The journey toward Lhassa had recommenced in grim earnest. In a short
while our ears, fingers, and toes were almost frozen, and the snow,
fast-driven by the gale, beat mercilessly against our faces. Our eyes
ached. We might have been blind for all we could see. Feeling our way
with our feet, we proceeded speechless and exhausted, rising slowly
higher and higher on the mountain-side. As we reached greater elevations
it grew colder, and the wind became more piercing. Every few minutes we
were compelled to halt and sit close together in order to warm ourselves
and get fresh breath. The air was so rarefied that we could barely
proceed under our heavy loads.

We heard a whistle and fa