Chapter I: Preface

In publishing the following account of a journey across Tibet and China, it has been my object to describe in a simple manner all that I did and saw from beginning to end, in the hope that some future traveller may learn, not so much what he ought to do, as what he ought not to do.

Those who have experienced the charms of a nomad's life, will, I trust, be once more reminded of happy days of freedom, will sympathise with us in our difficulties, and share the pleasures which they alone can appreciate. Should others, by chance, find some little interest in perusing these pages, and be tempted to taste for themselves the sweets of wandering through little known lands, they will be recompensed for doing so, and I shall have found my reward.

To those who patiently read to the end and close the book with a feeling of disappointment, I would appeal for leniency. Begun as it was at Lucknow, amid the distractions of polo, racing, and field-days, continued at Simla, India's summer capital, and finished in the wilds of Waziristan, it can lay no claim to literary or scientific merit, but only to being a plain story plainly told; and as such I give it to the public.

For the chapter on the Mohammedan rebellion in China, my thanks are due to my friend Mr. Ridley, of the "China Inland Mission," who lived in the very midst of the scene of trouble, and who kindly allowed me to make every use of his notes. They are likewise due to Sir Claude and Lady Macdonald, whose kindness and hospitality in Pekin can never be forgotten, and lastly, to those three faithful ones who stuck to us through thick and thin.

The names of Duffadar Shahzad Mir, Lassoo, and Esa Tsareng—known throughout as "Esau"—will always call to my mind three men without whom this journey could never have been accomplished, and in saying this I know that I am also expressing the feelings of my companion, Lieut. Malcolm.

M. S. WELLBY,
Capt. 18th Hussars.

WAZIRISTAN,
November, 1897.

CONTENTS.

PAGE
CHAPTER I.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE JOURNEY—MALCOLM GOES ON AHEAD 1

CHAPTER II.

BALTAL—LEH—I REJOIN MALCOLM—THE CHINESE PASSPORT
ARRIVES 20

CHAPTER III.

FOLLOWING THE INDUS—EGU—WAITING AT SHUSHAL—A WARNING 40

CHAPTER IV.

MUN—LUDHKONG—TOUCHING FRIENDSHIP OF MULE AND PONY—NIAGZU 50

CHAPTER V.

MORTALITY AMONG SHEEP—LAKE TREB—THE NAPU LA PASS—SICKNESS
OF BAKR HADJI—RUDOK OFFICIALS COMMAND US TO RETREAT 60

CHAPTER VI.

OUR RETREAT—CROSSING THE BORDERLAND OF TIBET—A STRANGE
ACCOUCHEMENT—SPORT—PONIES SHOT 74

CHAPTER VII.

A COLD NIGHT—DEATH OF MULE—A FRESH-WATER LAKE—BAD
WEATHER—DEATH OF THE FAVOURITE WHITE PONY—BY A SALT
LAKE—ILLNESS OF TOKHTA—I SEARCH FOR MISSING ANIMALS 81

CHAPTER VIII.

LAKE LIGHTEN—INTENSE HEAT—AN OLD FIREPLACE—SERIOUS
ACCIDENT THROUGH OVER-HASTE OF MULES TO DRINK—A COUP
D'ŒIL—THE FIRST FLOWER—OUR PET SHEEP—ANOTHER FRESH-WATER
LAKE—A PLEASANT BATH—DEATH OF ANIMALS AND DEARTH OF GRAIN 90

CHAPTER IX.

TERRIBLE GUN ACCIDENT—WE SEND OUT SCOUTS 104

CHAPTER X.

I SHOOT A YAK—DEATH OF ANOTHER MULE—"HELMET HILL"—WE
LEAVE TOKHTA AND SULLOO BEHIND—REDUCED TO TWELVE
ANIMALS—A MULE'S ADVENTURE 116

CHAPTER XI.

SHOOTING AN ANTELOPE—SNOW—A MYSTERIOUS TRACK—THE
BED OF AN ANCIENT LAKE—EMOTION OF MAHOMED
RAHIM—VARIABLE WEATHER—MORE ANTELOPES SHOT—THEODOLITE
BROKEN—EXTRAORDINARILY SUDDEN WIND—HUNGER _v._
CEREMONY—NEW FINDS 127

CHAPTER XII.

A FOOTPRINT—SHAHZAD MIR INDISPOSED—DESERTION OF
MULETEERS—A RAINY NIGHT 141

CHAPTER XIII.

RETURN OF THE DESERTERS—SHUKR ALI—LONG MARCHES—DEATH OF
EIGHT MULES AND A PONY—A CHEERING REPAST 152

CHAPTER XIV.

A SERPENTINE RIVER—HUNGER—MARMOTS—A PLEASANT CAMPING 164

CHAPTER XV.

SHOOTING—A TROUBLESOME MULE—A YAK CEMETERY—I CHASE A
KYANG—TENDER HEARTS—INSCRIBED STONES—LASSOO AND SHUKR
ALI SICK—AN ARDUOUS CROSSING 172

CHAPTER XVI.

ANOTHER CHULA—MOUNTAINS—A QUEER ILLUSION—STRANGE
VOICES—WE FIND WE ARE DESCENDING—A TIBETAN CAMP—ESAU SENT
AS AN AMBASSADOR—AN INVITATION 185

CHAPTER XVII.

WE CATCH UP THE MERCHANT'S CAMP—TIBETAN HOSPITALITY—WE
FIND THAT WE HAVE DISCOVERED THE SOURCE OF THE CHU
MA—BARGAINING 195

CHAPTER XVIII.

MANAGEMENT OF THE TIBETAN CARAVAN—TEA WITH THE
MERCHANT—SHUGATZA RIVER—FRICTION—AN ALARM 204

CHAPTER XIX.

WE LEAVE THE KUSHOK—A USELESS CLIMB—SIGNS OF A DISASTROUS
JOURNEY—A HOUSE OF PRAYER—MALCOLM SHOOTS A BEAR—ANXIETY
FOR FOOD 218

CHAPTER XX.

FOLLOWING THE NAMORAN—WE SPLIT INTO THREE PARTIES—WE
MEET SOME YOUNG MONGOLS—THEIR HOSPITALITY—LOBSAN—THE BANA
TRIBES 227

CHAPTER XXI.

WITH THE MONGOLS—A HOSPITABLE OLD LADY—ON THE WAY TO
TANKAR—A POISONOUS STREAM—BANA TENTS—I ABSTRACT AN
INSCRIBED BONE—OUR COLDEST NIGHT—A WONDERFUL PLACE—KANJUR
RUNGYUM 240

CHAPTER XXII.

ESAU AND I SET OFF—RECEPTION FROM THE BANAS—WE ARRIVE AT
TANKAR—A FRIENDLY GUIDE—AN ABSURD TIP—DR. RIJNHART—TEA
WITH LHASSA OFFICIALS—ARRIVAL OF MALCOLM AND THE
MONGOLS—CHEN-LAO-PAN—CHINESE ETIQUETTE 256

CHAPTER XXIII.

A VISIT TO CHEN-LAO-PAN—COLONEL YANG—THE DAUGHTER OF
PRINCE KOKO NOR—A VISIT TO THE MONASTERY OF KUMBUM 267

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE STORY OF THE FIRST BUDDHA OF THE EMPIRE—THE SACRED
TREE—THE GOLD-TILED TEMPLE—PARTING FROM MINA FU-YEH—THE
GREEN GLAZED-TILE TEMPLE—THE FLOWER TEMPLE—SIGNS OF THE
MOHAMMEDAN REBELLION—AT THE MISSION HOUSE 285

CHAPTER XXV.

THE MOHAMMEDAN REBELLION IN CHINA, 1895–6 298

CHAPTER XXVI.

PARTING FROM LOBSAN—STARTING FOR LANCHEO—A RUINED
SUBURB—GOOD DONE BY MISSIONARIES—WE TAKE LEAVE OF MR.
RIDLEY—OUR FIRST CHINESE INN 315

CHAPTER XXVII.

SHANG TAN—HO TSUI TSI—FIRST VIEW OF THE YELLOW RIVER—ON
A RAFT—AT LANCHEO—A TELEGRAPH TROUBLE 325

CHAPTER XXVIII.

WE PAY OFF SHUKR ALI—LANCHEO TO CHONG WEI—OFFICIAL
INCIVILITY—LOSE RUBY—SHAHZAD MIR MISTAKEN FOR A REBEL 332

CHAPTER XXIX.

MISSIONARY YARNS—CHEAP LIVING—ON THE YELLOW RIVER
AGAIN—CASH 352

CHAPTER XXX.

PAO T'EO—THE SWEDISH MISSION-HOUSE—CHINESE
SCHOOLS—CHINESE INNS—CHINESE BURIAL—KUEI HUA
CHENG—FRICTION WITH CARTERS—WE LEAVE THE MONGOL
COUNTRY—THE GREAT WALL 367

CHAPTER XXXI.

HOW TO MANAGE INNKEEPERS AND
CARTERS—SHUEN-HUA-FU—"SPIRIT'S PAPER"—SHAHZAD MIR LOST
AND FOUND—ESAU'S PRESTIGE 386

CHAPTER XXXII.

A TRUCULENT INNKEEPER—A SEDAN CHAIR—CHINESE WOMEN AND
THEIR FEET—PEKIN—DEPARTURE OF RIJNHART—CARTERS EARN A
BEATING 398