e
country as quickly as possible, approved of all that the Gyanema men
said, and urged them to fight in case the Jong Pen still insisted on my
going through the Tarjum's province. All ways out of the country were
barred to us, and unless we resorted to force, I felt we would never
escape at all.

The Gyanema men asked me whether I would lead them in case of a fight
with the Jong Pen's soldiers; and I, though not very confident of their
courage, accepted the post of General-in-chief _pro tem._, Chanden Sing
and Mansing being promoted there and then to be my aides-de-camp. We
spent the greater part of the night in arranging our plan of attack on
the Jong Pen's troops, and when all was properly settled, the Tibetans,
to show their gratitude, brought me a leg of mutton, some _tsamba_, and
two bricks of tea.

[Illustration: JUMLI TRADER AND HIS WIFE IN TIBET]

The morning came, and I was given a fine pony to ride, as were also
Chanden Sing and Mansing. Then, followed by my Tibetan troops--a grand
cavalcade--we started gaily towards Taklakot. We had been informed that
the Jong Pen was concentrating his men at a certain point on the road to
bar our way: and it was this point that we must force. My Tibetans said
that they hated the Jong Pen's men, and swore they would slaughter them
all if they made any stand.

"But they are such cowards," declared one of the Tibetan officers, "that
they will run away."

[Illustration: CLIFF HABITATIONS]

All this talk stopped suddenly when we heard the distant tinkling of our
enemies' horse-bells, and though I encouraged my men as best I could, a
panic began to spread among them. The Jong Pen's men came in sight, and
presently I witnessed the strange spectacle of two armies face to face,
each in mortal terror of the other.

Notwithstanding my remonstrances, matchlocks and swords were deposited on
the ground with anxious eagerness by both parties, to show that only
peaceful intentions prevailed. Then a conference was held, in which
everybody seemed ready to oblige everybody else except me.

While this was still proceeding, a horseman arrived with a message from
the Jong Pen, and at last, to everybody's satisfaction, permission was
granted for us to proceed into Taklakot.

[Illustration: CHOKDENS NEAR TAKLAKOT]

My army retraced its steps towards the North-west, and, deposed from my
high military post, which I had occupied only a few hours, I became again
a private individual and a