GEOGRAPHICAL RESULTS OF THE TIBET MISSION. 277 



Sooner than I could ever have expected, the convention was signed, 

 and we prepared for our return to India. Once business had been 

 arranged, the Tibetans Avere all as happy as possible. Xo single 

 person was responsible; each had had his say, and if blame had to 

 fall on anyone it had to fall on all, and all equally. But in their 

 heart of hearts they knew full well that they had got off remarkably 

 cheaply, and they had indeed the grace to acknowledge this. On 

 the morning of our departure the regent came down to our camp and 

 presented images of Buddha to Mr. White and myself, as well as to 

 General Macdonald. He thanked us for saving the monasteries and 

 temples, and in presenting the image of Buddha to me said, " When 

 Buddhists look on this they put aside thoughts of strife, and think 

 only of i^eace, and I hope that you, when you look at it, will think 

 kindly of Tibet." 



And certainly I left Lassa with every kindly thought. It was a 

 perfect autumn day; the sun was bright and warm. The valley was 

 looking its prettiest in its autumn foliage. The entire council, with 

 their secretaries, had come a mile clown the road to offer us a farewell 

 cup of tea and to wish us godspeed on our journey. Their last words 

 were that they intended to keep the treaty and be friends with us in 

 future. Our hopeless task seemed indeed to have l)eon accomplished 

 and good will to have been established. 



And all that has happened since corroborates this impression. The 

 council had willingly given permission for a party of officers to pro- 

 ceed through Shigatse up the Brahmaputra to Gartok, in Western 

 Tibet, and then back to India by Simla. This important expedition 

 was placed in charge of Caj^tain Rawling, who two years ago had 

 made a most successful journey in Western Tibet, while Captain 

 Ryder, R. E., was in charge of the survey. These two officers, with 

 Captain Wood, R. PI. and Lieut. E. Bailey as their assistants, have 

 accomplished their arduous undertaking. Though accompanied by 

 only an orderly each, and no armed escort, they have traveled through 

 a thousand miles of Tibet and been well received everywhere. Cap- 

 tain Ryder has surveyed 40,000 square miles of country, including 

 the Avhole course of the Brahmaputra from Shigatse to its source, the 

 Mansorawar and adjoining lakes, and the sources of the Indus and 

 the Sutlej, and has proved beyond doubt that no higher mountain 

 than Mount Everest lies at the back of the Himalayas. The party 

 suffered indeed terribly from the cold, their thermometer registering 

 24° below zero, but they crossed a pass 18,400 feet in height in Decem- 

 ber and reached India in safety. 



I trust, therefore, you will believe that the Tibet mission has not 

 been barren in geographical results, and that when you wish explora- 

 tion Avork to be done there are good and trusty men in India ever 

 ready and willing to do it. 



