In the forbidden land, an account of a journey into Tibet . Some ofmy coolies had gone ahead, the others were behind. Not-withstanding the track cut by those ahead, it was neces-sary to recut each step with ones own feet, so as to pre-vent slipping. This was best done by hammering severaltimes into the white sheet with the point of ones shoeuntil a cavity was made deep enough to contain the footand to support one upright. It should be done careful-ly each time, but I fear I had not the patience for thought I had found a quicker method, and, by raisingmy knee high, I struck the snow with
In the forbidden land, an account of a journey into Tibet . Some ofmy coolies had gone ahead, the others were behind. Not-withstanding the track cut by those ahead, it was neces-sary to recut each step with ones own feet, so as to pre-vent slipping. This was best done by hammering severaltimes into the white sheet with the point of ones shoeuntil a cavity was made deep enough to contain the footand to support one upright. It should be done careful-ly each time, but I fear I had not the patience for thought I had found a quicker method, and, by raisingmy knee high, I struck the snow with my heel, leaving8 89 IN THE FORBIDDEN LAND my foot planted until the other one had by the sameprocess cut the next step. It was in giving one of these vigorous thumps that Ihit a spot where, under a thin coating of snow, was hard foot, failing in its grip, slipped, and the impulse causedme to lose my balance. I slid down the steep inclineat a terrific pace, accompanied in my involuntary tobog-ganing over ice and snow by the screams of my horror-. CIIIRAM stricken coolies. I realized that in another moment Ishould be pitched into the stream, which would have,meant being carried under the long tunnel of ice to meetcertain death beneath it. In those few seconds I foundtime to speculate even as to whether those stones by thewaters edge would stop me, or whether the impetus mustfling me past them into the river. I attempted to get agrip in the snow with my frozen fingers, to steer myselfwith my heels, but with no success, when I saw ahead ofme a large rock rising above the snow. With desperate 90
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublishernewyorkandlondonha
