of the Natu la. One seems to have wandered in a vast
amphitheatre of rock and stone for days. The homely
bungalow at Changu has faded among the recollections
of another year, and you are wise if you do not ask how
long it will still take to climb to the summit of these
weary hills. Just about this time, you begin to realise
why Tibet has remained a shut-up country for so long.
The transportation of an army and, what is far more
wonderful, its daily supply across the water-shed between
the Tista and the Ammo chu will probably remain an
unrivalled feat of transport and supply in the history
of warfare. In old days, marches, which would to-day
be regarded as impossible, were somehow carried out.
But we have never been told the loss of life that accompanied
the ultimate arrival in India of Genghiz Khan,
Alexander or Nadir Shah. But the road dips downwards
for the last time at the half-way stage, and we are
free to make the best of the remaining clamber which
lies now uninterruptedly before us to the pass.
Much has been made of the added horrors of ice
and snow. As a matter of fact, bare-footed though
the coolies are, it was a merciful relief for them when
the snow lay packed into a kindly carpet blanketing
the. boulders under foot. The only difficulty then
was said to be that of losing the road. Only those who
have been over the Natu la can quite understand the
grim foolishness of speaking of losing the road over it.
It is true that there is a track. Probably that track,
so far as it can be distinguished from the hill-side,
above and below, represents as good a means of getting
to the top as any other. But so far as the ground is concerned
there is almost nothing to choose ; and not the
least remarkable thing is the steady persistent refusal
of the coolies to use the easy zigzag path which has
been made for them over the last 200 yards to the
top. It is roughly true to say that no hill coolie will
deign to use an easier path than that which goes
straight to his journey’s end, though one might have
The summit of the Natu la.
expected that after a long and wearying climb over this
heart-breaking mountain side, the chance of an easy
and steady climb for even so short a distance would have
been' eagerly accepted.
We have now reached 14,300 feet, and before we
climb the last remaining steps, it is worth while to turn
back and watch for the last time the scenes through
which we have come so painfully. Away to the left
a gigantic bastion of rock carries the sister road over the
v o l . 1. 6 *