emed to announce that we had
met with a sincere and devoted friend.

The governor of the Katchi was thirty-two years old; his face full of
nobleness and majesty, breathed at the same time, a kindness and candour
well calculated to arouse our confidence. His looks, his words, his
deportment, everything about him, seemed to express that he felt a very
lively interest in us. He had come to acquaint us with what would be
done during the day, with reference to us. "In the morning," he said,
"the Thibetian authorities will go with you to your lodgings. They will
put a seal upon all your effects, which will then be brought before the
tribunal, and be examined by the Regent and the Chinese ambassador, in
your presence. If you have no manuscript maps in your baggage you need
fear nothing; you will not be molested in any way. If, on the contrary,
you have any such maps, you would do well to let me know beforehand, as
in this case, we may perhaps find some way to arrange the affair. I am
very intimate with the Regent, (this we had, indeed, observed the night
before during our supper); and it is he himself who directed me to make
to you this confidential communication." He then added, in an under
voice, that all these [Picture: The Governor of Katchi] difficulties were
got up against us by the Chinese, against the will of the Thibetian
government. We answered the governor of Katchi, that we had not a single
manuscript map; and we then gave him, in detail, a statement of all the
articles that were in our trunks. "Since they are to be examined to-day,
you will judge for yourself whether we are people to be believed." The
countenance of the Mussulman brightened. "Your words," he said, "quite
reassure me. None of the articles you have described can at all
compromise you. Maps are feared in this country--extremely feared,
indeed; especially since the affair of a certain Englishman named
Moorcroft, who introduced himself into Lha-Ssa, under the pretence of
being a Cashmerian. After a sojourn there of twelve years, he departed;
but he was murdered on his way to Ladak. Amongst his effects they found
a numerous collection of maps and plans, which he had drawn during his
stay at Lha-Ssa. This circumstance has made the Chinese authorities very
suspicious on this subject. As you do not draw maps, that is all right;
I will now go and tell the Regent what I have heard from you."

When the governor of Katchi had left us, we rose