f the
expedition, for the detailed description of the customs, manners, etc.,
of the people, the larger work, entitled _In the Forbidden Land_ (Harper
& Brothers, publishers), by the same author, should be consulted.

During that journey of exploration the author made many important
geographical discoveries, among which may be mentioned:

(_a_) The discovery of the two principal sources of the Great
Brahmaputra River, one of the four largest rivers in the world.

(_b_) The ascertaining that a high range of mountains existed north of
the Himahlyas, but with no such great elevations as the highest of the
Himahlyan range.

(_c_) The settlement of the geographical controversy regarding the
supposed connection between the Sacred (Mansarowar) and the Devil's
(Rakastal) lakes.

(_d_) The discovery of the real sources of the Sutlej River.

In writing geographical names the author has given the names their true
sounds as locally pronounced, and has made no exception even for the
poetic word "Himahlya" (the abode of snow), which in English is usually
misspelt and distorted into the meaningless Himalaya.

All bearings of the compass given in this book are magnetic. Temperature
observations were registered with Fahrenheit thermometers.

A. H. S. L.

AN EXPLORER'S ADVENTURES
IN TIBET

AN EXPLORER'S
ADVENTURES IN TIBET

CHAPTER I

A FORBIDDEN COUNTRY

Tibet was a forbidden land. That is why I went there.

This strange country, cold and barren, lies on a high tableland in the
heart of Asia. The average height of this desolate tableland--some
15,000 feet above sea-level--is higher than the highest mountains of
Europe. People are right when they call it the "roof of the world."
Nothing, or next to nothing, grows on that high plateau, except poor
shrubs and grass in the lower valleys. The natives live on food imported
from neighboring countries. They obtain this by giving in exchange wool,
borax, iron, and gold.

High mountain ranges bound the Tibetan plateau on all sides. The highest
is the Himahlya range to the south, the loftiest mountain range on
earth. From the south it is only possible to enter Tibet with an
expedition in summer, when the mountain passes are not entirely blocked
by snow.

At the time of my visit the law of Tibet was that no stranger should be
allowed to enter the country. The Tibetan frontier was closely guarded
by so