Let's study English!

From our reading we know that Gartok was the capital of Western Tibet, and the seat of the viceroy; our geography books had told us that it was the highest town in the world. When, however, we finally set eyes on this famous place, we could hardly help laughing. The first thing we saw were a few nomads' tents scattered about the immense plain; then we caught few mud-brick huts. That was Gartok. Except for a few stray dogs, there was no sign of life.

We pitched our little tent on the bank of the Gartang-Tchu, a tributary of the Indus. At last a few curious individuals came up, and we learned from them that neither of the two high officials was in the town and only the "second viceroy's" agent could receive us. We decided to submit our petition to this personage at once. Going into his office we had to bend low, for there was no door, only a hole in front of which hung a greasy curtain. We came into a dimly lit room with paper gummed over the windows. When our eyes had grown accustomed to the twilight, we discerned a man who looked intelligent and distinguished, sitting like a Buddha on the floor before us. From his left ear dangled an earring at least six inches long as a sign of his rank. There was also a woman present, who turned out to be the wife of the absent official. Behind us pressed a crowd of children and servants who wished to see these peculiar foreigners from close at hand.