But what a change! Instead of security, found we bad been given two villainous men to escort us, and only the promise we had made to send back with them our telescope for their chief upon reaching Jyekundo in safety, secured us any help from them. The first night we stayed near one of their tents. But the second night, alter a very long, weary day, stopped at ark in the centre of alarge marsh, in the right angle formed by a stream. ' Here," they said, "are no robbers, and we can all sleep." However, sleep had been a stranger to us for many days, and we employed the time in prayer, in thought, and in looking at the stars, keeping a close watch on the roon. Six different times during the night, "called us, when we promptly answered, the, they might know that we were not so that lit sleeping, and we praised God tobecaug. - revolver with us, and that the that we lind a." "nkful we were when morumen knew it, Ths. Sout drivking tea and ing came, and witn arses, we started on quickly saddling our bh. "s'ghortly, where our way. We reached tents—alling us to await them a little way oft'on a they went to enquire the road, "acount of the dogs. On their return they sala -Id there was small pox at Jyekundo, and they wou. not go at all, and though we said they could take us to withia sight of the place, and then return, they would not do so. After tome talking, and almost a fight between the two men, one of them drawing his sword, it was agreed that we should pay them ten ounces of silver with the telescope for their chief, and they would take us to where there were Chinese merchants along the big tea road. Having drank tea, we started again, knowing how bad these men were, but feeling that they must take us to some Place, as we knew not where we were, and the tent people might refuse to help us. Oh! how we besought God to care for us, and how plainly we felt His care over us.
We travelled on, weary in mind and weak in body, while the two men left the big road, and followed a small one, saying that in two days we would reach a lamasery where were Chinese merchants. Feeling that the latter would be most welcome, we aid not object, and alter a long march, we stopped beside some tents, Here the men said that we must not let any one know they were taking foreigner to the lama-serv, as if the people knew it, we would all be killed. not far from there' some four years ago, and bitterness still filled the hearts of chief and people over the beheading of one of the meu for the crime. To this end, they insisted upon putting out of sight, everything that was foreign, and only' the papers, etc. we could carry on our body remained. They refused to guide us any further, if their desires in this were not followed. The next day wewentou and on, while they acted most mysteriously, stopping at dark away from the highway, fur up in a recess la the hills. We were painfully weary, and were almost paralysed with fear in hearing some one shout quite near us. The men quickly put on their sheep-skin gowns, prepared a light for their guns, and waited, sure that robbers were upon us, The sound dying away, they decided that it was some one from the tents calling to us, or to his companions, Presently he came and after some conversation about robbers, he went away foreturn in afew moments with three men, who stayed some time and then went off taking one of the guns belonging to our guides. It seems that they thought us robbers, and the gun was taken as a precaution, being returned by a young Lama the next a.m. while we were drinking tea. This day we reached Rashitomba, Tomba means lamasery, where was a Chinaman who had a shop in Jyekundo, and the two men quickly took themselves off, a8 soon as we began to speak with the former. The Lamas gave us tea, a shelter for us, as women are not allowed. togo. inside mat Uy
the lamasery, and we felt quite free in mind, though a little disturbed at seem such crowds of Tibetans and tents, an learning that a large fair was being' held. We spent a quiet night, and thanked out loving Father for suc care over to allow us to reach in safety that. place which we did not intend to leave without proper escort to Jyekundo, when of course there was not single case of small-pox. Next morning the Abbot gave us an order for tla—n free service of animals used by officials, or given on official orders—and we started for Jyekundo, with two men, one a very old Lama,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.