e Eul Mountain.
This mountain is very lofty, and covered with a great forest of pine and
holly; we rested at the foot of it during a whole day, in a black tent.
When night came, two of our number said: 'The evening is fine, the moon
bright; we can't do better than cross the mountain in the cool of the
night. In the morning it will grow hot, and we shall find it much more
laborious to climb the mountain then.' 'No,' objected the others, 'night
is for wild beasts; men should only travel by day.' Thus, you see, we
disagreed about the matter. The two first persisted; they took up their
iron-pointed staves, fastened their packs on their shoulders, and went on
their way. This, you will admit, was an ill step to take. When pilgrims
have said: 'Let us journey together,' they should not part company.

"Well, when day broke, we also went on our way--we three who remained of
the five. Just as we were reaching the summit of the Eul Mountain,
'Tsong-Kaba,' cried I, 'here is an iron-pointed staff on the ground.'
'Why,' said one of my companions, looking at the staff, 'this is Lobzan's
staff.' We examined it closely, and clearly recognised it. 'This,' said
we, 'is what people get by travelling at night. They drop something or
other, and there is not light enough for them to find it again.' We went
on. After a short further and very rugged ascent, we stepped on the
plateau of the mountain. We had no sooner done so, than all three sent
forth a cry of terror; for we saw before us another iron-pointed staff,
Lama's clothes torn in pieces, pieces of human flesh, and bones broken
and gnawed. The earth torn up, and the grass trodden down, indicated
that a severe struggle had taken place on the spot. It was obvious at
once that some wild beasts, tigers or wolves, had killed and devoured our
companions. I stood for a moment panic-struck at the horrible spectacle.
Then I wept like a child. We rushed down the other side of the mountain
with fear-impelled speed. From that moment our journey was a sad and
silent one. Only, when we came to a black tent, we would recount to the
shepherds the awful catastrophe of our poor comrades, and the relation
afforded some slight alleviation of our grief.

"Three moons after our departure from Lha-Ssa, we arrived at the frontier
of China. There we separated; the two Lamas of Amdo turned to the north,
towards their own country; while I, crossing the Wall of Ten Thousand
Lis, entered the provi