This incident made it imperative that the advance
to Gyantse should be carried out as quickly as possible.
The road was reported clear to the Kala tso. Beyond
that, vague rumours reached us of a concentration of
Tibetans, generally embroidered with accounts of mailed
horsemen and other picturesque details, which unfortunately
were never justified by the fact.
CHAPTER VI.
THE ADVANCE TO GYANTSE.
A f t e r the fight at the Hot Springs the force remained
at Tuna for three days. On the morning of the 4th of
April the Mission and its escort moved on to Guru,
passing over the scene of the sudden disaster of the previous
Thursday. Everywhere, indeed, ugly traces of the
tragedy were still only too visible. Everything that
could possibly be done had been carried out by the
medical officers, and it is only fair to record the quiet
work among the Tibetan wounded which was done
on their own initiative by the surgeons connected with
the force. Captains Walton, Baird, and Kelly and Dr.
Franklin had worked unceasingly all day on the 1st
among the wounded Tibetans, and it would be difficult
to describe adequately the blank amazement with
which our prisoners regarded this treatment. Mercy
to prisoners is not a characteristic of the Oriental,
and not one of the wretched men whose wounds had
rendered it impossible for them to escape or to be carried
away had the least idea that any mercy except a coup
de grâce would be extended to them. They were tenderly
treated and the resources of the expedition were lavishly
used. In the end the inevitable occurred, and it was
with the utmost difficulty that we could shake off from
us the Tibetans whom we had restored to health and
strength.