TH E GARTOK E X P E D IT IO N 229
the wind. They had had a successful journey, and
had mapped in the whole of the great bend which
the Tsangpo makes in this part of its course. Once
more united, the party started afresh the following
day, but before leaving the last despatch of letters for
India and England was handed over to the local officials.
Others had been sent off in a similar manner from
Shigatse, Lhatse, and Sa-ka, though we had little
expectation at the time that they would ever reach
their destination.
Stamps were not utilised, for such luxuries are nonexistent
in Tibet, and the various officials refused to
receive any money, stating that no payment was
required, as the letters were on Government service.
These men knew that we should probably never see
them again, and that were the mails thrown away, no
inquiries would be made. Notwithstanding this, and
the fact that the letters had to be carried over many
hundreds of miles, not one was lost, or even delayed.
The post must have travelled at the rate of thirty
to forty miles a day, the carriers changing ponies at
each relay station.
For this, the Tibetans deserve the greatest credit,
and the result shows that under official orders they can
be implicitly trusted.