urned with exclamations of
surprised delight to his inquisitive companions.

The rest of the soda-water, duly mixed with gin, soon went the round of
the expectant monks. It was greatly approved of. Unhappily, there was
not quite enough soda water to supply a drink for all of them; but those
who tasted it were deeply impressed. I could see that they took the bite
of carbonic-acid gas for evidence of a most powerful and present deity.

That settled our position. We were instantly regarded, not only as
Buddhists, but as mighty magicians from a far country. The monks made
haste to show us rooms destined for our use in the monastery. They were
not unbearably filthy, and we had our own bedding. We had to spend the
night there, that was certain. We had, at least, escaped the worst and
most pressing danger. I may add that I believe our cook to have been
a most arrant liar--which was a lucky circumstance. Once the wretched
creature saw the tide turn, I have reason to infer that he supported our
cause by telling the chief Lama the most incredible stories about our
holiness and power. At any rate, it is certain that we were regarded
with the utmost respect, and treated thenceforth with the affectionate
deference due to acknowledged and certified sainthood.

It began to strike us now, however, that we had almost overshot the mark
in this matter of sanctity. We had made ourselves quite too holy. The
monks, who were eager at first to cut our throats, thought so much of us
now that we grew a little anxious as to whether they would not wish to
keep such devout souls in their midst for ever. As a matter of fact, we
spent a whole week against our wills in the monastery, being very well
fed and treated meanwhile, yet virtually captives. It was the camera
that did it. The Lamas had never seen any photographs before. They asked
how these miraculous pictures were produced; and Hilda, to keep up
the good impression, showed them how she operated. When a full-length
portrait of the chief Lama, in his sacrificial robes, was actually
printed off and exhibited before their eyes, their delight knew no
bounds. The picture was handed about among the astonished brethren, and
received with loud shouts of joy and wonder. Nothing would satisfy them
then but that we must photograph every individual monk in the place.
Even the Buddha himself, cross-legged and imperturbable, had to sit
for his portrait. As he was used to sitting--never, indeed, having done