That was the end of my novitiate as a lama. I had to run, barely getting out with my life and the precious inscription, which I always carried sewn into my inner garment. 'I pass over my escape back into China, which was a ghastly experience enough, and took months of forced marches. But I had what I wanted. Arrived in Shanghai, I sat down to translate my legend, and found I could now piece it together without difficulty. And here is the translation.' Philipson took from his wallet a small folded slip, but paused before flattening it out. 'I must have your solemn promise of secrecy, Mirlees,' he said. 'I have risked my neck twice for this little handful of words, and I do not choose to share it with any human soul besides yourself. Are you agreeable?' I gave the assurance he wanted, and Philipson, leaning over the table, read in a clear whisper the following remarkable statement: "I, Sbrang Chikya Lama, being a priest of the holy brotherhood of Phagspa in the city of Shigatse, having now come to the end of this incarnation, do hereby declare: "That having strayed from the caravan in which I journeyed with others despatched by the Ocean Priest" (Dalai Lama) "from Lhassa to the Son of Heaven" (Emperor of China) "who holds sway in the north, I lost my way in the mountains, and was mad with the madness of high places" (height-sickness) "and came at last after many wanderings and grievous pains to the land of the beings of ghostly face, who dwell by the river of white gems under skies where birds fly bigger than the children of men. And I descended into the valley which lies towards the setting sun, but having seen from afar the beings of ghostly face and becoming greatly afraid lest they, evil spirits, should enthral me to an evil _karma_" (conduct of life) "I fled swiftly into the mountains again ere they beheld me, and crossed again the great snows, hoping that in time I might meet pilgrims of our own faith who should relieve me of my distress. But I have seen no men, only the yak and the eternal snows, and being now blinded with the snows and ready to die for want of food and shelter, have written these words for warning lest any of the true brotherhood should stray from this spot towards the setting sun and should meet the devils of ghostly face and come to evil at their hands. "Now to the Jewel of the Lotus I commend my spirit and pray I may be born again in seemly shape and nearer to the blessed Nirvana" (nothingness) "which sets a period upon life and death and rebirth." Philipson carefully folded and replaced the paper, and looked searchingly into my face. 'What do you make of that?' he said. 'About the queerest statement I ever came into contact with,' I replied. 'How do you interpret it yourself?' 'I take it to mean that somewhere amongst those tremendous ranges there is a valley of which the world so far knows nothing. Also that that valley is inhabited.' 'By "devils of ghostly face"?'