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394 ADVENTURES IN TIBET.
within easy reach. On they came at an easy gallop. First
we heard a confused rushing sound, and then the quick
hoof-beats of the horses upon the ground. When they
came near enough, the interpreter dashed forward and
announced the arrival of Kamba Bombo. The great man
advanced quite close to our tent and drew rein, whereupon
some of his servants leapt out of their saddles and spread
upon the ground a carpet and some cushions, upon which
he took his seat, accompanied by Nanso Lama, a distin-
guished Lama of Nakk-chu.
I stepped forward and invited him quietly, but firmly, to
enter our tent, and after some hesitation he accepted the
seat of honour I pointed to—namely, a wet sack of maize
standing amongst other evil-smelling belongings. Kamba
Bombo was a man of probably forty years of age, small and
pale, with a tired, worn-out look ; but he chuckled, and
looked sly and cunning. Evidently he was delighted at
having us in his toils, knowing very well that his vigilance
would prove greatly to his own advantage. His dress was
tasteful and elegant. His outer garments, namely, a red
cloak and a hashlik of the same colour, were taken charge
of by his servants, and he then appeared dressed from head
to foot in yellow silk, with wide sleeves to his cloak ; his
head was covered with a small blue Chinese skull-cap, and
his Mongolian boots were of green velvet—in a word, he
was got up as if for a great occasion.
As soon as writing materials were produced, our cross-
examination began ; but Kamba Bombo was far more
anxious to know details about our main camp and caravan
than he was to know about ourselves. It was clear they
were afraid of an invasion from the north, and believed that
our caravan, which was waiting in the mountains, was the
advanced guard. For uSj however, it was a great advan-
tage that we had left the caravan behind us, for the Tibetans
understood that if they did us any harm, they would bring
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