Peking to Lhasa : vol.1 / Page 331 (Color Image)

0331	Peking to Lhasa : vol.1

THE END 247

the stage to Kanze. It would be difficult, because

he would have to cross high ranges with the winter

now approaching. And it would be risky, because

there was no kind of rule or order in the region

he and Thompson would have to traverse. So

risky was it that the Chinese magistrate tried to

make the Wa-shi muleteers whom Pereira had

engaged give a guarantee for his safety. This

they naturally refused to give, and after much

dispute Pereira accepted the responsibility him-

self, and both he and Thompson sent letters to

the magistrate and the general relieving them of

all responsibility. After various threats these

Chinese officials allowed Pereira to proceed. But,

as Pereira remarked, this was bad for him and

Thompson, as it left the brigands free to do what

they liked with them. The fact that the Chinese

had refused to be responsible would doubtless

become known and trouble might be expected.

However, that risk Pereira determined to face,

and on October 5 left Batang, the American

Mission kindly making up his deficiencies in such

stores as cocoa, kerosine, baking powder, etc.

His first march was a short one —9 2 miles to

Meliting. He ascended the valley by the Litang

road and then had a steep stony climb up the

narrow Ba-chu a smaller branch between high bare hills. At 2-1. miles he passed a rock, with an

inscription in Chinese, at the place where the Amban Feng was killed by Tibetans in 1905.

The small torrent had to be crossed by four log

bridges. At 61 miles the valley became more

open. At 9 miles is the hamlet of Ba-chiang-hsü

with eight families. Meliting has only two houses.

National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books