272 Sport and Life in the Further Himalaya 



forbidden by the Tibetans to cross the frontier. 

 The frontier people's orders, which it must be 

 admitted were humane, were first to persuade 

 the stranger and his followers to go back. 

 If they will not hear persuasion, to threaten ; 

 if they do not care for threats, to beat them 

 with sticks, and seizing them, convey them 

 across the frontier (away, memories of the 

 Criterion " chucker-out " ! ) ; but if they defend 

 themselves by using guns, to use guns also, but 

 not till at least one Tibetan has been killed. 

 Judging from my own experience of that time, 

 which included one very awkward business near 

 Gartok, my advice would have been to avoid 

 the Changpas. Now, it is said, the latter have 

 lost some of their antipathy to strangers, and 

 the difficulty in entering their country is of 

 another kind. In any case, it is as well to 

 remember that the way to a Tibetan's heart is 

 through grain. A mule-load of barley will be 

 more efficacious in persuading Changpas to become 

 unaware of your presence than silver. 



May I be permitted to give a word of advice 

 to those who contemplate an expedition after 

 yak. Do not go on shooting yak after having 

 bagged the four or five you may really want. 

 Though the animal is a magnificent one in his 

 shaggy uncouth way, neither head nor tail are 



