the somewhat peculiar position in which I found myself as a member of the advance column of the recent historic expedition to Lhasa. The circumstances enumerated opened to me an intercourse with the Lamas, native chiefs, and people met with on the journey, which would have been impossible to one not similarly prepared beforehand, and put into my hands a means of interpreting much symbolism, custom, and myth which would have been quite incomprehensible to the uninitiated.

Amongst the wealth of photographs of this book, all taken by myself, with one or two exceptions, are some unique ones, direct from Nature, by the "colour-process," which give vivid and truthful pictures of the marvellous colouring of the originals. The clever sketches by Mr Rybot, a member of the Expedition, after the style of the Bayeux tapestries, will be appreciated.

An unusually full Index has been added for convenience of reference.

I take this opportunity of expressing my great indebtedness to my friend Dr Islay Burns Muirhead, and to Mr John Murray, for much-valued assistance in revising the proofs.

London, 9th February 1905.