National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books
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The heart of a continent : vol.1 |
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able to obtain information about the road across the desert.
I had never been in a desert, and here were a thousand miles
or so of one to be crossed. Nor had we any information of the
state of the country on the other side of the desert. It was
held by the Chinese, we knew, but how held, what sort of order
was preserved in the country, and how a solitary European
traveller would be likely to fare among the people, we knew
not. Lastly, at the back of all, looming darkly in the extremest
distance, were the Himalayas, to cross which had previously
been considered a journey in itself.
All the terrible vagueness and uncertainty of everything
impressed itself on me as I traced that pencil line on the map.
It was a real plunge into the unknown I was about to make,
and, however easy the route might afterwards prove to future
travellers, I felt that it was this first plunging in that was
the true difficulty in the matter. Had but one traveller gone
through before me; had I even now with me a companion
upon whom I could rely, or one good servant whom I could
trust to stand by me, the task would have seemed easy in
comparison. But all was utterly dark before me, and the
journey was to be made alone with the Chinese servant whom
I had found in Peking.
That last night in safety and civilization all these difficulties
and uncertainties weighed heavily upon me. But with the
morning they were forgotten, and they never troubled me
again. The start was to be made, and the real excitement
begun, and an unalterable conviction came over me that some-
how or other I should find myself in India in a few months'
time.
Sir John and Lady Walsham and all the members of the
Legation collected at the gateway to bid me good-bye, and,
as they did so, I tried to thank them for all the many kind-
nesses they had shown me, and for the good-will and interest
they had taken in my plans. There are many things one
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461
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471
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482
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