proposals for opening other marts should be based on
accurate information. The Government of India was
also eager to seize this unique opportunity of increasing
the geographical knowledge of the little-known country
beyond the Himalayas.
A. strong band of snrvoyors undsr Captain C. H. D.
Ryder, R.E., accompanied the expedition. Captain
Ryder had had much previous experience of transfrontier
surveying, having made two exploring expeditions
in Western China and Eastern Tibet, served with
the China Field Force, and had just been in charge of
the survey party with the expedition to Lhasa, probably
the most important survey work that has been completed
across the Indian frontier for many years. He
was on this occasion assisted by Captain H. Wood, R.E.,
whose services were peculiarly useful on account of
his recent trip to Nepal, when he saw and observed
so many of the great Himalayan snow peaks which
were afterwards recognised by him on this expedition.
Lieutenant F. Bailey, 32nd Pioneers, who had served
with the Mounted Infantry in the Tibet Mission-
one of the few officers who had taken the trouble to
study Tibetan—accompanied the party as Interpreter
and as my Assistant.
We were fortunate enough to obtain the services ot
my old companion, Ram Singh, who had already done
excellent work and won credit to himself, not only with
me, but with Captain Deasy and Dr. Stein. Three
native soldier surveyors were also attached to the
party, one of whom, however, owing to ill health, had
to be sent back to Gyantse shortly after the party
started. The medical work was entrusted to Hospital
Assistant Hira Singh, who had been with the Tibet
Frontier Commission since its inception. His work
included not only the medical care of the officers and
men of the party, but also of the Tibetans, who on
every possible occasion flocked in to receive medical
treatment at his hands. There were one or two marked
differences between this and former exploring expeditions
in Tibet: the latter had been got ready after
months of thought and preparation, but on this occasion
only a few days were available. Captain Wood and
Lieutenant Bailey arrived at Gyantse on 30th
September, Captain Ryder on the 5th, and myself on
6th October, the party starting on the 10th. During
these few days the whole work of equipping and
organising had to be completed.
For the first time in the history of the country,
British officers, with only a nominal escort, were
going to traverse Tibet with the cognisance and
assistance of the Tibetans themselves ; but fighting had
only recently ceased, and the ink was scarcely dry on
the Treaty. It was impossible to foretell to what
extent and in what spirit the Tibetans meant to
observe their obligations. This expedition, therefore,
in addition to its geographical and political objects,
was somewhat of a ballon d’essai as to whether the
Tibetans would seize this, their first opportunity, of
observing the Treaty, in spirit as well as in letter, a
somewhat important point as marking—what all
hoped would be the case — a turning-point in the
relations between Great Britain and Tibet.
It being, however, doubtful to what extent the
assistance of the Tibetans might be relied on, it was
important that in transport and supplies we should
be to some extent independent. Our only information
regarding the route to be traversed was to be obtained
from the somewhat meagre report, compiled by Captain
Montgomery, of a journey which had been undertaken
forty years previously by Pundit Nain Singh. The