you told
me that you would retrace your steps back to the borders on
learning from me that I was hastening on to inquire into your
case. I had then seen the twenty odd wounds you had on your face,
wrists, feet and back. I strongly protested against your
undertaking the fatiguing journey back across the perilous and
arduous road, as I knew you needed rest and good nourishment, and
thought it would be wisest for you to get back to Almora, and be
under a good doctor.

You, however, with your characteristic doggedness, meant to
accompany me, and I must perforce let you. I was glad in the long
run, for you enabled me to make a fuller inquiry than I would
otherwise have been able.

As you know, and as I reported to Government, I found after an
inquiry on the borders that you had with great difficulty and
manoeuvring succeeded in entering Tibet, evading the Jong Pen of
Taklakot, and the Barca Tarjum at Gyanema, and crossing the
Mariam La (Maium Pass) and getting as far as Tuksem (Toxem). You
had been deserted by all the mountaineers who had started with
you and who had promised to accompany you wherever you went. When
you were left with the two Kumaonis, you were surrounded and
captured by the _Governor of that part of Tibet_ and his men.
There, as a sequel to your innumerable fatigues, hardships,
desertions, and privations, you and your two followers were
ill-treated and tortured _by the Governor_. Have you not got a
copy of my official report? I remember you told me you were
applying for it. If you possess the copy, surely that will be
sufficient to confound your traducers. I saw from the public
papers that my report was to be laid on the table of the House of
Commons by the Secretary of State for India.

How did the photographs which we took up at the Lippu Pass turn
out? I should particularly like to have the one of the group on
the pass, and also the one where I am on horseback. I would also
like to have the one _I took of you having your matutinal bath
when the water froze in your hair and on your body_ as it was
thrown on you by Chanden Sing; and no wonder it did, as there
were ten to twelve feet of snow lying about, and a hardy Bhotia
(Shoka) mountaineer had only a few days prior to our arrival been
lost in the snow on crossing