rdered me out.

"They are going to cut off his head," said he to his comrades; and,
turning round to me, he made a significant gesture with his hand across
his neck.

"_Nikutza_" ("All right"), said I drily.

It must not be forgotten that, when a Tibetan himself hears words of
this import, he usually goes down on his knees and implores to be spared,
with tears, and sobs, and prayers in profusion. So it is not surprising
that the Tibetans were somewhat astonished at my answer, and seemed
puzzled as to what to make of it. Anyhow, the first ardour of the
messenger was sensibly cooled down, and I was led out with more
reluctance than firmness.

[Illustration: THE POMBO'S TENT]

During the time I had been shut up, a huge white tent with blue ornaments
had been pitched in front of the mud-house, and round it were hundreds of
soldiers and villagers--a most picturesque sight.

As I was led nearer, I perceived that the front of the tent was wide
open, and inside stood a great number of red Lamas, with shaven heads, in
their long woollen tunics. The soldiers stopped me when I was about
twenty yards from the tent. Additional ropes were added to those already
cutting into my wrists, elbows and chest, and the others made tighter. I
perceived Chanden Sing led forward, and then, instead of taking me before
the Lamas, they pushed me to the rear of the solitary mud-house to
preclude my witnessing the scene that followed. I heard Chanden Sing
being interrogated in a loud angry tone of voice, and accused of having
been my guide. Next I heard wild shouts from the crowd, then a dead
silence. A few instants later I distinguished the snapping noise of a
lash, followed by hoarse moans from my poor bearer, to whom they were
evidently applying it.

I counted the strokes, the sickening noise of which is still well
impressed on my memory, as they regularly and steadily fell one after the
other to twenty, to thirty, forty, and fifty. Then there was a pause.

CHAPTER LXXVI

Led before the tribunal--The Pombo--Classical Tibetan beyond
me--Chanden Sing lashed--The Lamas puzzled--A sudden change in
the Pombo's attitude.

A NUMBER of soldiers now came for me, and I was first led, then pushed
violently before the tribunal.

On a high seat in the centre of the tent sat a man wearing ample trousers
of gaudy yellow and a short yellow coat with flowing sleeves. On his head
he had a huge four-pointed hat gilt all over, and