et--considerably higher than the pass itself. Most of
the other men had proceeded by a dangerous way skirting the glacier.

The wind from the north-east was piercing, and the cold intense. From
this high point we obtained a beautiful bird's-eye view of the Tibetan
plateau. Huge masses of snow covered the Tibetan side of the Himahlyas,
as well as the lower range of mountains immediately in front of us,
lying almost parallel to our range. Two thousand feet below, between
these two ranges, flowed, in a wide barren valley, a river called the
Darma Yankti. This river is the principal source of that great river
which afterward takes the name of Sutlej. I was glad to be the first
white man to visit the place where it has its birth. In the distance a
flat plateau, rising some eight hundred feet above the river and
resembling a gigantic railway embankment, could be seen for many miles.
Far away to the north stood a chain of high blue mountains capped with
snow--undoubtedly the Gangri chain with the Kelas peaks.

The strain of exertion in this rarefied air brought about a painful
incident. Exhausted from cold and fatigue, a man called Rubso, a
Christian convert, was seized with cramp. He was lying in a
semi-conscious state, his teeth chattering, his features distorted and
livid; his eyes were sunken and lifeless. We carried him under the
shelter of a rock and rubbed him vigorously, endeavoring to restore his
circulation. He eventually recovered enough to come along.

From our high point we now had to descend to the pass six hundred feet
lower. We made our way along dangerous rocks and debris. I was clinging,
with half-frozen fingers, to a prominent rock when I heard screams of
distress from below. On the steep incline of snow two coolies, with
their respective loads, having lost their footing, were sliding at an
incredible speed. They finally reached the bottom of the basin, where
the change in the descent made them turn involuntary somersaults, while
their loads flew off in every direction. I was relieved when I saw the
men getting up again. One of them staggered, and fell back a second time
as if dead. Hastening over the slippery rocks, and then down over loose
stones, I reached the pass. This was 18,150 feet above the sea. Two
reluctant men were sent to the relief of the coolie in distress. He and
his load were at last carried up to the place where I was. He had been
badly shaken and was aching all over, but was able to conti