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348 ADVENTURES IN TIBET.
Indian pundits, all learned and able men, equipped with
the best instruments, so that not only do we possess detailed
descriptions and maps of the Lamaists’ Rome, Jerusalem
and Mecca, but we also know exactly what life there is like.
Then what in the name of wonder, you may ask, did I
want to go there for ? Well, frankly, in one word, it
was the ancient Viking blood that was stirring in me.
After the dull, quiet, monotonous days of tramping through
the desert, I longed for something with a spice of danger
in it. I was ambitious to find myself in a dangerous and
precarious situation, out of which I might work my way
by courage and manhood. A victory won through diffi-
culty and danger is more precious than one gained in
placid security. I resolved, therefore, to push on with
only two attendants as far as I could, and not to turn
back until I was absolutely forced to do so. And if I
were turned back by a force I could not resist—well, I would
simply march back contented ; my ambition would be
satisfied. I should have done my best and who could
do more ? Whether I saw the Holy City or not was of
little importance. I was already in a way perfectly familiar
with it : the Lama had described to me its streets, its
markets, and its temples, again and again. Moreover, of
temples we should see plenty in Western Tibet, supposing
we got so far.
Off we went, then, at a smart trot, down beside the river,
and found the remains of camp-fires dotted here and there
all the way down. In one place we came upon the shrivelled-
up body of a yak, which had been shot some time before ;
and round it were the tracks of a bear, which had paid it a
visit either that day or the day before.
At length we reached a wide open valley beside a small
bright spring, with good grass ; then, whilst the other two
put up the tent and looked after the animals, I went and
collected fuel and lighted a fire. We took our supper in the
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