Let's study English!

Our next audience was rather more formal but still cordial. It was a regular official meeting. The garpon sat on a sort of throne, and near him on a lower seat was the agent of his colleague. On a low table lay a file of letters written on Tibetan paper. The garpon informed us that he could give us passes and transport only for the province of Ngari. We would in no circumstances be allowed to enter the inner provinces of Tibet. We quickly took counsel together and suggested that he should give us a travel permit to the frontier of Nepal. After some hesitation he promised to communicate our request to the government in Lhasa, but he explained to us that the answer might not arrive for some months. We were not anxious to wait all that time in Gartok. We had not given up the idea of pushing on to the east and were anxious to continue our journey at all costs. As Nepal was a neutral country situated in the direction which we wished to go, we felt that we could be satisfied with the result of the negotiations.