Doker-la—the Sacred Mountain 105 
of new species which, so far as I could make out, are 
peculiar to that range. 
On the following morning we reached Londre, where 
we learned that only the day before two Chinese soldiers 
had arrived in search of us, and not finding us there had 
crossed over to the Salween, happily by the Chun-tsung-la, 
a pass we were destined to cross five months later, located 
between the Sie-la and the Doker-la. 
It appears that the official at A-tun-tsi had heard I was 
no longer at Tsu-kou, whereupon in a much perturbed state 
of mind he had at once sent soldiers to recall me from the 
Salween, whither he rightly guessed I had gone. He also 
wrote to the Viceroy at Yunnan-fu, who complained to the 
British Consul that the Chinese could not be responsible 
for my safety if I persisted in travelling beyond their juris- 
diction. It is pleasant to be able to point out however that 
these representations were made entirely in good faith, and 
that the officials with whom I came in contact treated me 
with unfailing courtesy throughout. 
It is but a short distance from Londre to the Mekong 
along the torrent which, now in full flood, poured through 
a fine gorge into that river. The Mekong was rising every 
day, its waters of a chocolate-red colour, derived from the 
red sandstone of the plateau, whereas the Salween was 
much more yellow. 
A few miles higher up the river we reached Yang-tsa, 
and crossing by the rope bridge camped on familiar ground 
once more. How delightful it was to feel warm again, 
though the wind increased in violence throughout the 
evening till it blew a local gale! Then too there was 
unlimited fresh yak milk waiting for us, besides butter 
and eggs. 
It is necessary of course to clamour for milk before 
milking time, otherwise the Tibetans, who have no use 
for it as a beverage, can only supply you with sour curds 
in lumps, like cream cheese, a great delicacy with them 
but not popular with me. Moreover, if they draw the milk 
into their own utensils, which are already filthy with the 
clotted cream of ages, and ever will be, seeing that they 
are never by any chance washed, it goes sour almost imme- 
diately, so that the operation needs to be superintended 
