Part 3: At Crystal Mountain Summary and Analysis

The party stops at Black Pond Camp, just below the Kang Pass. After the sun sets, the party's wet boots turn to blocks of ice. Just before they reach Shey, Matthiessen spots the monastery perched like a fort on top of a bluff. Everything around the monastery is what Matthiessen refers to as "treeless waste." In the West, the group can finally see Crystal Mountain. As the trek continues, Matthiessen realizes that they have crossed the Himalayas from South to North. Fatigue begins to set in. It is November 1.

The group decides to stop at the monastery where they will stay for several days. Many of the buildings are locked as the inhabitants are fearful of strangers. Jang-bu, one of the porters, manages to find the only unlocked building where people could sleep. The building...