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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..582d0e1 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #52594 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/52594) diff --git a/old/52594-0.txt b/old/52594-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 72ceb2d..0000000 --- a/old/52594-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,20520 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Three Years in Tibet, by Ekai Kawaguchi - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Three Years in Tibet - -Author: Ekai Kawaguchi - -Release Date: July 17, 2016 [EBook #52594] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THREE YEARS IN TIBET *** - - - - -Produced by Henry Flower and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - - - - - - - - -[Illustration: map] - - - - -THREE YEARS IN TIBET. - - - - -[Illustration: AUTHOR IN 1909.] - - - - - Three Years - IN - Tibet - - with the original Japanese illustrations - - BY - THE SHRAMANA EKAI KAWAGUCHI - _Late Rector of Gohyakurakan Monastery, Japan_. - - PUBLISHED BY - THE THEOSOPHIST OFFICE, ADYAR, MADRAS. - THEOSOPHICAL PUBLISHING SOCIETY, BENARES AND LONDON. - 1909. - - - - - (_Registered Copyright._) - - PRINTED BY ANNIE BESANT AT THE VASANTA PRESS, ADYAR, MADRAS, S. INDIA. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -I was lately reading the Holy Text of the _Saḍḍharma-Puṇdarīka_ (the -Aphorisms of the White Lotus of the Wonderful or True Law) in a Samskṛṭ -manuscript under a Boḍhi-tree near Mṛga-Ḍāva (Sāranāṭh), Benares. Here -our Blessed Lord Buḍḍha Shākya-Muni taught His Holy Ḍharma just after -the accomplishment of His Buḍḍhahood at Buḍḍhagayā. Whilst doing so, -I was reminded of the time, eighteen years ago, when I had read the -same text in Chinese at a great Monastery named Ohbakusang at Kyoto in -Japan, a reading which determined me to undertake a visit to Tibet. - -It was in March, 1891, that I gave up the Rectorship of the Monastery -of Gohyakurakan in Tokyo, and left for Kyoto, where I remained living -as a hermit for about three years, totally absorbed in the study of a -large collection of Buḍḍhist books in the Chinese language. My object -in doing so was to fulfil a long-felt desire to translate the texts -into Japanese in an easy style from the difficult and unintelligible -Chinese. - -But I afterwards found that it was not a wise thing to rely upon the -Chinese texts alone, without comparing them with Tibetan translations -as well as with the original Samskṛṭ texts which are contained in -Mahāyāna Buḍḍhism. The Buḍḍhist Samskṛṭ texts were to be found in Tibet -and Nepāl. Of course, many of them had been discovered by European -Orientalists in Nepāl and a few in other parts of India and Japan. But -those texts had not yet been found which included the most important -manuscripts of which Buḍḍhist scholars were in great want. Then again, -the Tibetan texts were famous for being more accurate translations -than the Chinese. Now I do not say that the Tibetan translations are -superior to the Chinese. As literal translations, I think that they -are superior; but, for their general meaning, the Chinese are far -better than the Tibetan. Anyhow, it was my idea that I should study -the Tibetan language and Tibetan Buḍḍhism, and should try to discover -Samskṛṭ manuscripts in Tibet, if any were there available. - -With these objects in view, I made up my mind to go to Tibet, though -the country was closed not only by the Local Government but also by -the surrounding lofty mountains. After making my preparations for some -time, I left Japan for Tibet in June, 1897, and returned to my country -in May, 1903. Then in October, 1904, I again left Japan for India and -Nepāl, with the object of studying Samskṛṭ, hoping, if possible, again -to penetrate into Tibet, in search of more manuscripts. - -On my return to Japan, my countrymen received me with great enthusiasm, -as the first explorer of Tibet from Japan. The _Jiji_, a daily -newspaper in Tokyo, the most well-known, influential and widely -read paper in Japan, and also a famous paper in Ōsaka, called the -_Maimichi_, published my articles every day during 156 issues. After -this, I collected all these articles and gave them for publication in -two volumes to Hakubunkwan, a famous publisher in Tokyo. Afterwards -some well-known gentlemen in Japan, Mr. Sutejiro Fukuzawa, Mr. Sensuke -Hayakawa and Mr. Eiji Asabuki, proposed to me to get them translated -into English. They also helped me substantially in this translation, -and I take this opportunity of expressing my grateful thanks to them -for the favor thus conferred upon me. - -When my translation was finished, the British expedition to Tibet -had been successful, and reports regarding it were soon afterwards -published. I therefore stopped the publication of my English -translation, for I thought that my book would not be of any use to the -English-reading public. - -Recently, the President of the Theosophical Society, my esteemed friend -Mrs. Annie Besant, asked me to show her the translation. On reading it -she advised me to publish it quickly. I then told her that it would be -useless for me to publish such a book, as there were already Government -reports of the Tibetan expedition, and as Dr. Sven Hedin of Sweden -would soon publish an excellent book of his travels in Tibet. But -she was of opinion that such books would treat of the country from a -western point of view, whilst my book would prove interesting to the -reader from the point of view of an Asiatic, intimately acquainted with -the manners, the customs, and the inner life of the people. She also -pointed out to me that the book would prove attractive to the general -reader for its stirring incidents and adventures, and the dangers I had -had to pass through during my travels. - -Thus then I lay this book before the English-knowing public. I take -this opportunity of expressing my grateful thanks to Mrs. Besant for -her continued kindness to me in looking over the translation, and for -rendering me help in the publication. Were it not for her, this book -would not have seen the light of day. - -Here also I must not fail to express my sincere thanks to my intimate -friend Professor Jamshedji N. Unwalla, M.A., of the Central Hinḍū -College, Benares; for he composed all the verses of the book from my -free English prose translation, and looked over all the proof-sheets -carefully with me with heartiest kindness. - -I must equally thank those people who helped me in my travels in a -substantial manner, as well as those who rendered me useful assistance -in my studies; nay, even those who threw obstacles in my way, for -they, after all, unconsciously rewarded me with the gift of the -power to accomplish the objects I had in view, by surmounting all the -difficulties I had to go through during my travels. - -With reference to this publication, whilst reading the Aphorisms of -the White Lotus of the Wonderful Law this day, I cannot but feel -extremely sorry in my heart when I am reminded of those people who -suffered a great deal for my sake, some being even imprisoned for their -connexion with me when I was in Tibet. But on the other hand, it is -really gratifying to me, as well as to them, to know that, after all, -their sufferings for my sake will be amply compensated by the good -karma they have certainly acquired for themselves through their acts -of charity and benevolence, that have enabled me to read and carefully -study with greater knowledge, accuracy and enthusiasm, the most sacred -texts of our Holy Religion, than was possible for me before my travels -in Tibet. I assert this with implicit faith in the fact that good -deeds, according to the Sacred Canon, have indubitably the power to -purify Humanity, sunk in the illusions of this world, often compared -in our Holy Scriptures to a muddy and dirty pond; at the same time I -believe that that power to purify rests with the Glorious Lotus of the -Awe-inspiring Law, suffusing all with its brilliant effulgence; and -with sweet odor, itself, amidst its muddy surroundings, remaining for -ever stainless and unsullied. - - EKAI KAWAGUCHI. - - CENTRAL HINDU COLLEGE, } - STAFF QUARTERS, } - _Benares City, 1909_. } - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - CHAPTER PAGE - I. Novel farewell Presents. 1 - II. A Year in Darjeeling. 11 - III. A foretaste of Tibetan barbarism. 15 - IV. Laying a false scent. 21 - V. Journey to Nepāl. 25 - VI. I befriend Beggars. 35 - VII. The Sublime Himālaya. 40 - VIII. Dangers ahead. 44 - IX. Beautiful Tsarang and Dirty Tsarangese. 51 - X. Fame and Temptation. 60 - XI. Tibet at Last. 69 - XII. The World of Snow. 77 - XIII. A kind old Dame. 81 - XIV. A holy Cave-Dweller. 86 - XV. In helpless Plight. 90 - XVI. A Foretaste of distressing Experiences. 96 - XVII. A Beautiful Rescuer. 99 - XVIII. The Lighter Side of the Experiences. 104 - XIX. The largest River of Tibet. 108 - XX. Dangers begin in Earnest. 112 - XXI. Overtaken by a Sand-Storm. 116 - XXII. 22,650 Feet above Sea-level. 123 - XXIII. I survive a Sleep in the Snow. 127 - XXIV. ‘Bon’ and ‘Kyang’. 131 - XXV. The Power of Buḍḍhism. 135 - XXVI. Sacred Mānasarovara and its Legends. 139 - XXVII. Bartering in Tibet. 144 - XXVIII. A Himālayan Romance. 150 - XXIX. On the Road to Nature’s Grand Maṇdala. 162 - XXX. Wonders of Nature’s Maṇdala. 167 - XXXI. An Ominous Outlook. 178 - XXXII. A Cheerless Prospect. 187 - XXXIII. At Death’s Door. 191 - XXXIV. The Saint of the White Cave revisited. 204 - XXXV. Some easier Days. 211 - XXXVI. War Against Suspicion. 218 - XXXVII. Across the Steppes. 227 - XXXVIII. Holy Texts in a Slaughter-house. 233 - XXXIX. The Third Metropolis of Tibet. 236 - XL. The Sakya Monastery. 241 - XLI. Shigatze. 249 - XLII. A Supposed Miracle. 257 - XLIII. Manners and Customs. 264 - XLIV. On to Lhasa. 280 - XLV. Arrival in Lhasa. 285 - XLVI. The Warrior-Priests of Sera. 291 - XLVII. Tibet and North China. 297 - XLVIII. Admission into Sera College. 304 - XLIX. Meeting with the Incarnate Boḍhisaṭṭva. 311 - L. Life in the Sera Monastery. 323 - LI. My Tibetan Friends and Benefactors. 329 - LII. Japan in Lhasa. 335 - LIII. Scholastic Aspirants. 345 - LIV. Tibetan Weddings and Wedded Life. 351 - LV. Wedding Ceremonies. 362 - LVI. Tibetan Punishments. 374 - LVII. A grim Funeral and grimmer Medicine. 388 - LVIII. Foreign Explorers and the Policy of Seclusion. 397 - LIX. A Metropolis of Filth. 407 - LX. Lamaism. 410 - LXI. The Tibetan Hierarchy. 417 - LXII. The Government. 428 - LXIII. Education and Castes. 435 - LXIV. Tibetan Trade and Industry. 447 - LXV. Currency and Printing-blocks. 461 - LXVI. The Festival of Lights. 467 - LXVII. Tibetan Women. 472 - LXVIII. Tibetan Boys and Girls. 479 - LXIX. The Care of the Sick. 484 - LXX. Outdoor Amusements. 489 - LXXI. Russia’s Tibetan Policy. 493 - LXXII. Tibet and British India. 509 - LXXIII. China, Nepāl and Tibet. 519 - LXXIV. The Future of Tibetan Diplomacy. 526 - LXXV. The “Monlam” Festival. 531 - LXXVI. The Tibetan Soldiery. 549 - LXXVII. Tibetan Finance. 554 - LXXVIII. Future of the Tibetan Religions. 561 - LXXIX. The Beginning of the Disclosure of the Secret. 566 - LXXX. The Secret Leaks Out. 574 - LXXXI. My Benefactor’s Noble Offer. 584 - LXXXII. Preparations for Departure. 590 - LXXXIII. A Tearful Departure from Lhasa. 599 - LXXXIV. Five Gates to Pass. 618 - LXXXV. The First Challenge Gate. 623 - LXXXVI. The Second and Third Challenge Gates. 636 - LXXXVII. The Fourth and Fifth Challenge Gates. 642 - LXXXVIII. The Final Gate passed. 647 - LXXXIX. Good-bye, Tibet! 652 - XC. The Labche Tribe. 660 - XCI. Visit to my Old Teacher. 667 - XCII. My Tibetan Friends in Trouble. 671 - XCIII. Among Friends. 677 - XCIV. The Two Kings of Nepāl. 682 - XCV. Audience of the Two Kings. 685 - XCVI. Second Audience. 688 - XCVII. Once more in Kātmāndu. 692 - XCVIII. Interview with the Acting Prime Minister. 697 - XCIX. Painful News from Lhasa. 700 - C. The King betrays his suspicion. 703 - CI. Third Audience. 709 - CII. Farewell to Nepāl and its Good Kings. 714 - CIII. All’s well that ends well. 718 - - - - -Illustrations in the Text. - - - PAGE - 1. Author’s departure from Japan. 6 - 2. The Lama’s execution. 18 - 3. On the banks of the Bichagori river. 32 - 4. A horse in difficulties. 49 - 5. Tsarangese village girls. 57 - 6. Entering Tibet from Nepāl. 75 - 7. To a tent of nomad Tibetans. 79 - 8. A night in the open and a snow-leopard. 92 - 9. Attacked by dogs and saved by a lady. 100 - 10. Nearly dying of thirst. 114 - 11. A sand-storm. 117 - 12. Struggle in the river. 121 - 13. Meditating in the face of death. 125 - 14. A ludicrous race. 132 - 15. Lake Mānasarovara. 140 - 16. Religion _v._ Love. 151 - 17. Near Mount Kailasa. 169 - 18. Quarrel between brothers. 181 - 19. Attacked by robbers. 192 - 20. The cold moon reflected on the ice. 202 - 21. Fallen into a muddy swamp. 210 - 22. Meeting a furious wild yak. 229 - 23. Outline of the monastery of Tashi Lhunpo. 249 - 24. Reading the Texts. 266 - 25. Priest fighting with hail. 274 - 26. Outline of the residence of the Dalai Lama. 287 - 27. A vehement philosophical discussion. 306 - 28. An audience with the Dalai Lama. 316 - 29. Inner room of the Dalai Lama’s country house. 320 - 30. Room in the finance secretary’s house. 335 - 31. Unexpected meeting with friends. 341 - 32. Girl weeping at being suddenly commanded to marry. 356 - 33. At the bridegroom’s gate. Throwing an imitation sword - at the bride. 366, 367 - 34. The wife of an Ex-Minister punished in public. 378, 379 - 35. Funeral ceremonies: cutting up the dead body. 390, 391 - 36. Lobon Padma Chungne. 411 - 37. Je Tsong-kha-pa. 414 - 38. A soothsayer under mediumistic influence falling senseless. 426 - 39. Flogging as a means of education. 443 - 40. Priest-traders loading their yaks. 459 - 41. New year’s reading of the Texts for the Japanese Emperor’s - welfare. 465 - 42. Naming ceremony of a baby. 480 - 43. A picnic party in summer. 491 - 44. Prime Minister. 502 - 45. A corrupt Chief Justice of the monks. 534 - 46. The final ceremony of the Monlam. 538 - 47. A scene from the Monlam festival. 541 - 48. Procession of the Panchen or Tashi Lama in Lhasa. 568 - 49. Critical meeting with Tsa Rong-ba and his wife. 580 - 50. Revealing the secret to the Ex-Minister. 585 - 51. A mysterious Voice in the garden of Sera. 596 - 52. A distant view of Lhasa. 605 - 53. Farewell to Lhasa from the top of Genpala. 606 - 54. Crossing a mountain at midnight. 610 - 55. Night scene on the Chomo-Lhari and Lham Tso. 616 - 56. Beautiful scenery in the Tibetan Himālayas. 634 - 57. The fortress of Nyatong. 649 - 58. On the way to the snowy Jela-peak. 654 - 59. Accidental meeting with a friend and compatriot. 679 - 60. Struggle with a Nepālese soldier. 690 - 61. Meeting again with an old friend, Lama Buḍḍha Vajra. 695 - 62. The author and his friend Buḍḍha Vajra enjoying the - brilliant snow at Kātmāndu. 704 - 63. Nāgārjuna’s cave of meditation in Nepāl. 716 - - -Photogravures. - - TO FACE PAGE - - 1. The Author in 1909. _Frontispiece._ - 2. The Author just before leaving Japan. 1 - 3. Rai Bahāḍur Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās. 11 - 4. Lama Sengchen Dorjechan. 15 - 5. The Author meditating under the Boḍhi-tree. 25 - 6. Passport in Tibetan for the Author’s return to Tibet in - the future. 645 - 7. The Author as a Tibetan Lama at Darjeeling on his return. 667 - 8. The Author performing ceremonies in Tibetan costume. 669 - 9. The Prime Minister of Nepāl, H. H. Chanḍra Shamsīr. 685 - 10. The Commander-in-Chief of Nepāl, H. E. Bhim Shamsīr. 697 - 11. Mount Gaurīshaṅkara, the highest peak in the world. - (At the end of the volume). - - -Sketch-map. - - 1. Chart of the Route followed by the Author. (At the end of the volume.) - - - - -[Illustration: THE AUTHOR JUST BEFORE LEAVING JAPAN.] - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -Novel farewell presents. - - -In the month of May, 1897, I was ready to embark on my journey, which -promised nought but danger and uncertainty. I went about taking leave -of my friends and relatives in Tokyo. Endless were the kind and -heartfelt words poured on me, and many were the presents offered me to -wish me farewell; but the latter I uniformly declined to accept, save -in the form of sincerely given pledges. From those noted for excessive -use of intoxicants, I exacted a promise of absolute abstinence from -“the maddening water;” and from immoderate smokers I asked the -immediate discontinuance of the habit that would end in nicotine -poisoning. About forty persons willingly granted my appeal for this -somewhat novel kind of farewell presents. Many of these are still -remaining true to the word then given me, and others have apparently -forgotten them since. At all events, I valued these “presents” -most exceedingly. In Osaka, whither I went after leaving Tokyo, I -also succeeded in securing a large number of them. Three of them I -particularly prized, and should not fail to mention them here; for, as -I think of them now, I cannot help fancying that they had transformed -themselves into unseen powers that saved me from the otherwise certain -death. - -While still in Tokyo I called on Mr. Takabe Tona, a well-known -manufacturer of asphalt. Mr. Takabe had been a born fisher, especially -skilled in the use of the “shot-net,” and to catch fish had been the -joy and pleasure of his life. On the occasion of the leave-taking -visit which I paid him, I found him in a very despondent mood. He -volunteered to tell me that he had just lost a three-year old child of -his, and the loss had left his wife the most distracted woman in the -world, while he himself could not recover the peace of his mind, even -fishing having become devoid of its former charms for him. I said to my -host, who had always been a very intimate friend of mine and a member -of my former flock: “Do you really find it so hard to bear the death -of your child? What would you think of a person who dared to bind up -and kill a beloved child of yours, and roast and eat its flesh?” “Oh! -devilish! The devil only could do that; no man could,” answered he. -I quickly rejoined: “You are a fiend then, at least, to the fishes -of the deep”. Strong were the words I used then, but it was in the -fulness of my heart that I spoke them, and Mr. Takabe finally yielded -and promised me to fish no more. He was very obdurate at first; but -when I pointed out to him that it was at the risk of my life that I -was going to Tibet, and that for the sake of my religion, which was -also his, he stood up with a look of determination. He excused himself -from my presence for awhile, and then returned with some fishing-nets, -which he forthwith handed over to me, saying that those were the -weapons of murder with which he had caused the death of innumerable -denizens of the brine, and that I might do with them as I liked, for -he had no longer any use for them. I thereupon asked a daughter of the -host’s to build a fire for me in the yard; and, when it was ready, I -consigned the nets to flames in the presence of all--there were all -the members of the family and some visitors, besides, to witness the -scene. Among the visitors was Mr. Ogawa Katsutaro, a relative of the -family. This gentleman had also been an excellent sportsman, with -both gun and nets. He had seen the dramatic scene before him and heard -me pray for my host. As the nets went up in smoke, Mr. Ogawa rose and -said impressively: “Let me too wish that you fare well in Tibet, by -making to you the gift of a pledge: I pledge myself that I will never -more take the lives of other creatures for amusement; should I prove -false to these words let ‘Fudo Myo-oh’ visit me with death.” I had -never before felt so honored and gratified as I felt when I heard this -declaration. Then in Sakai, while taking leave of Mr. Ito Ichiro, an -old and lifelong friend of mine, who, also, counted net-fishing among -his favorite sports, I told him all about the burning of Mr. Takabe’s -nets; and he, too, did me the favor of following the example set by -my Tokyo friends. Then I called on Mr. Watanabe Ichibei at Osaka. He -is, as he has always been, a very wealthy man, now dealing chiefly -in stocks and trade with Korea. His former business was that of a -poultry-man, not in the sense of one who raises fowls, etc., but of one -who keeps an establishment where people go to have a poultry dinner. -His business throve wonderfully; but I knew that his circumstances were -such that he could well afford to forego such a sinful business as one -which involved the lives of hundreds of fowls every day, especially -as he had been a zealous believer of our religion. Several times -previously I had written him, beseeching him to give up his brutal -business, and I repeated the appeal on the occasion of my last visit -to him before my departure for Tibet, when he promised, to my great -gratification, that, as speedily as possible, he would change his -business, though to do so immediately was impracticable. I was still -more gratified when I learned that he had proved the genuineness of -his promise about a year and a half after my departure. Ordinarily -considered, my conduct in exacting these pledges might appear somewhat -presumptuous; but it ought to be remembered that the sick always need a -medicine too strong for a person in normal health, and the two classes -of people must always be treated differently in spiritual ministration -as in corporeal pathology. Be that as it may, I cannot help thinking of -these gifts of effective promises, as often as I recall my adventures -in the Himālayas and in Tibet, which often brought me to death’s door. -I know that the great love of the merciful Buḍḍha has always protected -me in my dangers; yet, who knows but that the saving of the lives of -hundreds and thousands of finny and feathered creatures, as the result -of these promises, contributed largely toward my miraculous escapes. - -Farewell visits over, I was ready to start, but for some money. I -had had a small sum of one hundred yen of my own savings; but this -amount was swelled to 530 yen, by the generosity of Messrs. Watanabe, -Harukawa, and Kitamura of Osaka, Hige, Ito, Noda, and Yamanaka of -Sakai, and others. Of this total, I spent about one hundred in fitting -myself out for a peculiarly problematical journey, and the very modest -sum of half a thousand was all I had with me on my departure. - -It is curious how little people believe your words, until you actually -begin to carry them out, especially when your attempt is a venturesome -one, and how they protest, expostulate, and even ridicule you, often -predicting failure behind your back, when they see that you are not to -be dissuaded. And I had the pleasure of going through these curious -experiences; for many indeed were those who came to me almost at the -last moment to advise, to ask, to beg me to change my mind and give -up my Tibetan trip, and I could see that they were all in earnest. -For instance, on the very eve of my departure, while spending my last -night at Mr. Maki’s in Osaka, a certain judge of the Local Court of -Wakayama came on purpose to tell me that I was bound to end my venture -in making myself a laughing-stock of the world by meeting death out of -fool-hardiness, and that I would do far better by staying at home and -engaging in my ecclesiastical work, a work which, he said, I had full -well qualified myself to undertake; to do the latter was especially -advisable for me, because the Buḍḍhist circle of Japan was in great -need of earnest and capable men, and so on. Seeing that I was not to be -moved in my determination, the judge said: “Suppose you lose your life -in the attempt? you will not be able to accomplish anything.” “But it -is just as uncertain whether I die, or I survive my venture. If I die, -well and good; it will be like the soldier’s death in a battle-field, -and I should be gratified to think that I fell in the cause of my -religion,” I answered. Then the judge gave me up for incorrigible and -went away, after wishing me farewell in a substantial manner. That was -on the night of June 24th, 1897. Early on the following morning I left -Osaka, and on the next day I embarked on the _Idzumi-maru_ at Kobe, -seen off by my friends and well-wishers already mentioned. Among them -was Mr. Noda Giichiro, who told me that he was very glad as well as -very sorry for this departure of mine, and that his words could not -give adequate expression to the feelings uppermost in his heart. I -thought these touching words expressed the feelings shared by my other -friends also. - -[Illustration: AUTHOR’S DEPARTURE FROM JAPAN.] - -Hats and handkerchiefs grew smaller and fainter until they went out -of sight, as the good ship _Idzumi_ steamed westward. Past Wada -promontory, my old acquaintances, the peaks of Kongo, Shigi and Ikoma, -in turn, disappeared in the rounding sea. In due time Moji was reached -and then, out of the Strait of Genkai, our ship headed direct for -Hongkong. At Hongkong, Mr. Thompson, an Englishman, boarded our ship, -and his advent proved to be a welcome change in the monotony of the -voyage. He said he had lived eighteen years in Japan, and he spoke -Japanese exceedingly well. I found in him an earnest and enthusiastic -Christian; and, as may be imagined, he and I came to spend much of -our time in religious controversies, which, as they were carried on, -it may be needless to add, in a most friendly way, became a source -of much pleasure and information, not only to ourselves, but also to -all on board. Another interesting experience which I went through -during the voyage was when I preached--and I preached quite a number -of times--before the officers and men of the ship, who proved the most -willing and interested audience I had ever come across. - -On the 12th of July, the _Idzumi_ entered the port of Singapore, and -I put up at the Fusokwan Hotel there. On the 15th, I called at the -Japanese Consulate in the port, and saw Mr. Fujita Toshiro, our then -Consul there. Mr. Fujita had heard of me from the _Idzumi’s_ captain, -and he said to me: “I hear you are going to Tibet. I do not know how -you have got your venture mapped out, but I know it is a very difficult -thing to reach and enter that country. Even Col. Fukushima (now -Lieutenant-General, of trans-Siberian fame) made a halt at Darjeeling, -and had to retrace his steps thence, acknowledging practically the -impossibility of a Tibetan exploration, and I cannot see how you can -fare better. But if you must, I think there are only two ways of -accomplishing your purpose: namely, to force your way by the sheer -force of arms at the head of an expedition, for one; and to go as a -beggar, for the other. May I ask you about your programme?” I answered -Mr. Fujita to the effect that being a Buḍḍhist priest, as I was, the -first of the methods he had mentioned was out of the question for me, -and that my idea at the time was to follow the second course; although -I was far from having anything like a definite programme of my journey. -I told him, further, that I intended to wander on as the course of -events might lead me. I left the Consul in a very meditative mood. - -I stayed a week in Fusokwan, and it was on the last day but one before -leaving it that I narrowly escaped a serious, even mortal, accident. -As a priest, I made it, as I make it now, my practice to do preaching -whenever and wherever an opportunity presented itself, and my rigid -adherence to this practice greatly pleased the proprietor of that -Singapore establishment. In consequence of this, I was treated with -special regard while there, and every day, when the bath was ready, I -was the first to be asked to have the warm water ablution, which is -always so welcome to a Japanese. On the 18th, the usual invitation was -extended to me, but I was just at that moment engaged in reading the -Text, and could not comply with it at once. The invitation was repeated -a second time, but, somehow or other, I was not ready to take my bath, -and remained in my room. Meanwhile, I heard a great noise, with a thud -that shook the whole building. A few moments later, I ascertained that -the sound and quaking were caused by the collapse and fall of the -bath-room from the second floor, where it had been situated, to the -ground below, with its bath, basin, and all the other contents, among -which the most important and unfortunate was a Japanese lady, who, as -I had been neglectful in accepting the invitation, was asked to have -her bath first. The lady was, as I afterward learned, very dangerously -hurt, buried, as she was, under _débris_ of falling stones, bricks and -timber, and she was taken to a local hospital, where she lay with very -little hope of recovery. I often shudder to think of what would have -become of me and of my Tibetan adventure, had I been more prompt, as -I had always been till then, in responding to all invitations of the -kind. I felt exceedingly sorry for the lady, who met the awful accident -practically in my stead; withal I look back to the incident as one -that augured well for my Tibetan undertaking, which, indeed, ended in -success. - -The day after the accident, on the 19th of July, I took passage on -an English steamer, the _Lightning_, which, after calling at Penang, -brought me to Calcutta on the 25th of the month. Placing myself under -the care of the Mahāboḍhi Society of Calcutta, I spent several days -in that city, in the course of which I learned from Mr. Chanḍra Bose, -a Secretary of the Society, that I could not do better for my purpose -than to go to Darjeeling, and make myself a pupil of Rai Bahāḍur Saraṭ -Chanḍra Ḍās, who, as I was told, had some time before spent several -months in Tibet, and was then compiling a Tibetan-English dictionary -at his country house in Darjeeling. Mr. Chanḍra Bose was good enough -to write a letter of introduction to the scholar at Darjeeling in my -favor, and, with it and also with kind parting wishes of my countrymen -in the city and others, I left Calcutta on August 2nd, by rail. Heading -north, the train in almost no time brought its passengers to the river -Gaṅgā. We crossed the mighty stream in a steamer, and then boarded -another train on the other side. Heading north still, the train now -passed through cocoanut groves and green paddy-fields, over which, as -night came on, giant fire-flies, the like of which in size are not -to be found in Japan, flew about in immense swarms. The sight was -especially interesting after the moon had disappeared. The following -morning, that is, on the 3rd of August, the train pulled up at Siligree -Station, and there its passengers, including myself, were transferred -to a train of small mountaineering cars, which, faring ever northward, -forthwith began its tortuous ascent of the Himālayas, or rather, of -the outer skirt of the mighty range. With its bends and turns and -climbings, as the train labored onward and upward through the famous -“ḍalai-jungle,” it looked like some amphibian monster on its war path, -as I fancied, while the grind of the car wheels, with its sound echoed -and re-echoed, seemed to spread quaking terror over peaks and dales. -By 3 P. M., the train had made a climb of fifty miles and then landed -us at Darjeeling, which place is 380 miles distant from Calcutta. At -the station I hired a _ḍanlee_, which is a sort of mountaineering -palanquin, and, borne in it, I soon afterward arrived at Rai Saraṭ’s -retreat, Lhasa Villa, which I found to be a magnificent mansion. - -[Illustration: RAI BAHADUR SARAT CHANDRA DAS, C.I.E.] - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -A year in Darjeeling. - - -It was just after the great earthquake in Assam, India, that I arrived -in Darjeeling, and, as I could see from a large number of entirely -collapsed and partly destroyed houses, this latter place also had had -its share of the seismic disturbances. As for the Saraṭ Villa, it too -had suffered more or less, and repair was already in progress. For all -that, I was received there with a whole-hearted welcome. An evening’s -talk was sufficient, however, to make my intentions clear to my kind -host, and, as my time was precious, Rai Saraṭ took me out, the very -next day after my arrival, to a temple called Ghoompahl, where I -was introduced to an aged Mongolian priest, who lived there and was -renowned for his scholarly attainments and also as a teacher of the -Tibetan language. The priest was then seventy-eight years of age, and -his name, which was Serab Gyamtso (Ocean of Knowledge), happened by a -curious coincidence to mean in the Tibetan tongue the same thing as -my own name Ekai meant. This discovery, at our first meeting, greatly -pleased my Tibetan tutor, as the old priest was thenceforth to be. Our -talk naturally devolved upon Buḍḍhism, but the conversation proved -to be a rather awkward affair, for though Rai Saraṭ kindly acted the -part of an interpreter for us, it had to be carried on, on my part, -in very rudimentary English. As it was, the first day of my tutelage -ended in my making the acquaintance of the Tibetan alphabet, and from -that time onward, I became a regular attendant at the temple, daily -walking three miles from and back to the Saraṭ mansion. One day, about -a month after this, Rai Saraṭ had me in his room and spoke to me thus: -“Well, Mr. Kawaguchi, I would advise you to give up your intention -of going to Tibet. It is a very risky undertaking, which it would be -worth risking if there were any chance of accomplishing it; but chances -are almost entirely against you. You can acquire all the knowledge of -the Tibetan language you want, here, and you can go back to Japan, -where you will be respected as a Tibetan scholar.” I told my host that -my purpose was not only to learn the Tibetan language, but that it -was to complete my studies in Buḍḍhism. “That may be,” said my host, -“and a very important thing it no doubt is with you; but what is the -use of attempting a thing when there is no hope of accomplishing it? -If you go into Tibet, the only thing you can count upon is that you -will be killed!” I retorted: “Have you not been there yourself? I do -not see why I cannot do the same thing.” Rai Saraṭ’s rejoinder was: -“Ah! That is just where you are mistaken; you must know that the times -are different, Mr. Kawaguchi. The ‘closed door’ policy is in full -operation, and is being carried out with the most jealous strictness in -Tibet to-day, and I know that I will never be able again to undertake -another trip into that country. Besides, when I made my trip, I had -with me an excellent pass, which I was fortunate to secure through -certain means, but there is no means, nor even hope, any longer of -procuring such a pass. Under the circumstances I should think it is -to your own interest to go home from here, after you have completed -the study of the Tibetan language.” I knew that my good host meant -all that he said; but I could not allow myself to be prevailed upon. -Instead, I utilised the occasion in telling him that further tutelage -under Lama Serab was not to my mind, because the aged priest was more -anxious to teach me the Tibetan Buḍḍhism than the Tibetan language. -I asked Rai Saraṭ to kindly devise for me some way, by which I might -acquire the vernacular Tibetan language. Finding me resolute in my -purpose, Rai Saraṭ, with his unswerving kindness, cheerfully agreed -to my request, and arranged for me that I should have a new private -teacher, besides a regular schooling. It was in this way. Just below -Rai Saraṭ’s mansion was a residence which consisted of two small but -pretty buildings. The residence belonged to a Lama called Shabdung, who -just then happened not to live there, but in a house in the business -quarters of Darjeeling. Rai Saraṭ sent for this Lama and asked him to -teach the “Japan Lama” the Tibetan language, the Lama returning to his -residence just mentioned with his entire household. Lama Shabdung was -only too pleased to do as was requested, and I was forthwith installed -a member of his household, that I might have ample opportunity of -learning the popular Tibetan language. On the other hand, I at the -same time matriculated into the Government School of Darjeeling, and -was there given systematic lessons in the same language by Prof. Tumi -Onden, the Head Teacher of the language department of Tibetans in that -School. I should not forget to mention here that, while I paid out of -my own pocket all the tuition fees and school expenses, as it was quite -proper that I should, I was made a beneficiary of my friend Rai Saraṭ -so far as my board was concerned, that good man insisting that to do -a little kindness in favor of such a “pure and noble-hearted man as -you are”--as he said--was to increase his own happiness. Not too well -stocked with the wherewithal as I was, I gratefully allowed myself to -be prevailed upon to accept his generosity. Indeed, I had only three -hundred yen with me when I arrived at Darjeeling; but, as it was, that -amount supported me for the seventeen months of my stay there. Had I -had to pay my own board, I would have had to cut down my stay there to -half the length of time. - -At Lama Shabdung’s I lived as though back in my boyhood, attending the -school in the morning, and doing my lessons at home in the company of -the children of the family in the afternoon. It is a well known thing -that the best way to learn a foreign language is to live among the -people who speak it, but a discovery--as it was to me--that I made -while at Shabdung’s was that the best teachers of everyday language -are children. As a foreigner you ask them to teach you their language; -and you find that, led on by their instinctive curiosity and kindness, -not unmingled with a sense of pride, they are always the most anxious -and untiring teachers, and also that in their innocence they are -the most exacting and intolerant teachers, as they will brook no -mis-pronunciation or mis-accent, even the slightest errors. Next to -children, women are, I think, the best language teachers. At least such -are the conclusions I arrived at from the experiences of my ‘schooling -days’ in Darjeeling. For in six or seven months after my instalment -in the Shabdung household, I had become able to carry on all ordinary -conversation in the Tibetan tongue, with more ease than in my English -of two years’ hard learning, and I regard Tibetan as a more difficult -language than English. True, I made myself a most willing and zealous -pupil all through the tutelage; withal, I consider the progress I made -in that short space of time as quite remarkable, and that progress was -the gift of my female and juvenile teachers in the Shabdung family. -The more progress I made in my linguistic acquirement, the more eager -student I became in things Tibetan, and I found in my host a truly -charming conversationalist, himself fond of talking. Evening after -evening I sat, an absorbed listener to Lama Shabdung’s flowing and -inexhaustible store of narratives about Tibet. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -A foretaste of Tibetan barbarism. - - -To give one of Lama Shabdung’s favourite recitals about Tibet: my -host, while there, studied Buḍḍhism under a high Lama of great virtues -and the most profound learning, called Sengchen Dorjechan (Great-Lion -Diamond-Treasury), who had been the tutor of the Secondary or Deputy -Pope, so to say, of Tibet. No man in Tibet was held in higher esteem -and deeper reverence than this holy man. It was this holy man himself -who taught my friend and benefactor Rai Saraṭ, when he was in Tibet. -Though Rai Saraṭ’s pupilage under the high Lama lasted only for a short -time, it had the most tragical consequences. For, after his return to -India, the Tibetan Government discovered to its own mortification that -Rai Saraṭ was an emissary of the British Government, and the parties -who had become in any way connected with his visit, more particularly -the man who had secretly furnished him with a pass, another in whose -house he had lodged and boarded, and the high Lama, were all thrown -into prison, the last named having afterward had to pay with his life -for his innocent crime. - -[Illustration: LAMA SENGCHEN DORJECHAN.] - -Many are the reminiscences of this holy Lama, which show that he was -indeed a person very firm and enlightened in the Buḍḍhist faith, and -to that degree was the most lovable and adorable of men. But more -especially affecting, even sublimely beautiful, are the episodes -immediately preceding and surrounding his death, for the truth of which -I depend not on the narrative of Lama Shabdung alone, but largely -also upon what I was able to learn from persons of unquestionable -reliability, during my disguised stay in the capital of Tibet. To -mention a few of these: when an unpleasant rumor had just begun to be -circulated, soon after Rai Saraṭ’s departure from Tibet, about his -secret mission, the high Lama Sengchen knew at once that death was -at his door, but was not afraid. For, when it was hinted at by his -friends that he would become involved in a serious predicament, owing -to his acquaintance with Rai Saraṭ, he replied that he had always -considered it his heaven-ordained work to try to propagate and to -perpetuate Buḍḍhism, not among his own countrymen only, but among the -whole human race; that whether or not Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās was a man who -had entered Tibet with the object of “stealing away Buḍḍhism,” or to -play the part of a spy, was not his concern--the question had in any -case never occurred to him--and that if he were to suffer death for -having done what he had regarded it as his duty to do, he could not -help it. That this holy Lama was an advocate of active propagandism -may be gathered from the fact that, besides sending various Buḍḍhistic -images and ritualistic utensils to India, he had caused several -persons to go out there as missionaries, my teacher, the Manchurian -Lama Serab Gyamtso, in the Ghoompahl Temple of Darjeeling, being one -of these. Unfortunately, this undertaking did not prove a success, -but none the less it shows the lofty aspirations which actuated the -high Lama, who, as I was told, had deeply lamented the decadence, or -rather the almost entire disappearance, of Buḍḍhism in the land of its -origin, and was sincerely anxious to revive it there. It is nothing -uncommon in Japan to meet with Buḍḍhist priests interested in the -work or idea of foreign propagandism; but a person so minded is an -extreme rarity in that hermit-country Tibet, and that Lama Sengchen -was such a one indicates the greatness of his character, and that he -was a man above sectarian differences and international prejudices, -solely given to the noble idea of universal brotherhood under Buḍḍhism. -Being the man he was, he had many enemies among the high officials -of the hierarchical Government, who were in constant watch for an -opportunity to bring about his downfall. To these, his enemies, the -rumor about Prof. Saraṭ was a welcome one, which they lost no time in -turning to account. In all haste they despatched men to Darjeeling, and -ascertained that, in truth, Rai Saraṭ had smuggled himself into and -out of Tibet, and that, as the fact was, he had done so at the request -of the British Government of India. Then followed the incarceration, -already mentioned, of all those who had had anything to do with Rai -Saraṭ, the final upshot of which was sentence of death upon the high -Lama Sengchen Dorjechan, on the ground that the latter had harbored -in his temple, and divulged national secrets to, a foreign emissary. -The holy man’s execution was carried out on a certain day of June, -1887, and took the form of sinking him till he became drowned in the -river Konbo, which is a local name given to the great Brahmapuṭra. -As I recall the scene of that occasion, as I heard it described, I -see before my eyes the tear-drenched face of my friend Lama Shabdung, -who, struggling with emotion, would often tell me what he witnessed on -that day. Surrounded by an immense crowd of sympathising and sobbing -people, the noble Lama was found seated, and reading the sacred Text, -on a large piece of rock overhanging a side of the river, as the hour -of his execution approached. He was clothed in a coarse white fabric, -and looked serenely calm and perfectly composed, as he gave an order -to his executioners in these words: “When, in a little while, I have -finished reading the holy Text, I will shake this my finger three times -thus, and that will be the signal for you to sink me in the river.” -The instruction was in response to a question, if the high Lama wanted -to say or have done anything ere his execution, asked by one of the -executioners, who was already tying around the holy man’s body one end -of a thick rope, with which he was to be lowered under the water. In -the meantime, the suspense grew intense and the great multitude that -had gathered around had become blind to everything but the mighty, -cruel waters of the Brahmapuṭra, the executioners, and the holy priest, -and deaf to all but their own sobbings and wailings. They saw before -them a man of their hearts, of national esteem, profound in learning -and saintly in behavior, who, as a priest of the highest order, should -wear three layers of red and yellow silk, but who was wrapped in an -unclean prison-suit of white, and was now to die a victim to his -enemies’ malice. They knew all was not right, but they knew not how to -undo the wrong, and they appealed to their own tears. As it happened, -the day had been cloudy, and rain had even begun to come down in drops -as the high Lama raised one of his hands, the purpose of which act -was all too evident, and lamentation became loud and universal. Once, -twice, and three times the noble prisoner had shaken his finger, but -none of the executioners dared to come forward--they were in tears -themselves. Then the high Lama said: “My time is come: what are ye -doing? Speed me under water.” Thereupon, with heavy hands and heavier -hearts the executioners, after having weighted the high Lama’s loins -with a large stone, slowly lowered the whole burden into the rushing -waters of the Brahmapuṭra. After a while they pulled up what they -expected to have become the remains of the saintly man, but finding -that life had not yet departed, they again went through the drowning -process. When for a second time they raised the body, they found life -still lingering in it. The multitude, which saw how things went, became -clamorous in their demand that the holy man be now saved; while the -executioners themselves seemed unnerved and unable to go to their cruel -duty a third time. As the moments of indecision sped by, the high Lama, -most wonderful to tell, recovered sufficient strength to speak, and -say: “Lament ye not my death. For my phase of activity having come to -an end, I now depart with gratification, and that means that my evil -past ceases, so that my good future may begin--it is not ye that kill -me. All that I wish for, after my death, is a greater and ever-growing -prosperity for Buḍḍhism in Tibet. Now make ye haste, and sink me under -the water.” Thus urged, the executioners, sorrow-ridden, obeyed the -order, and they saw that life, in sooth, had departed at the third -raising of the body. Then, as the custom is in Tibet, they severed all -the limbs from the high Lama’s remains, and threw the different parts -separately into the stream, thus ending the grim business of execution. -It will be admitted by all, especially by all Buḍḍhists, that there -was something loftily admirable in the personality of a man who had -done and given his all for his faith and religion, and yet uttered not -a word of complaint against Providence or man, but, in serene, noble -meekness, met his most unmerited and most agonising death. As for me, -besides finding it most affecting, I felt a peculiarly direct interest -in the story of this high Lama’s execution, from the moment when I -was told of it for the first time. For, was I not on my way to Tibet? -Should I succeed in my purpose? Who could tell but that there might be -a repetition of that sad and cruel scene? - -[Illustration: THE LAMA’S EXECUTION.] - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -Laying a false scent. - - -I rose early on the New Year’s day of 1898, and spent the greater part -of the morning, as was usual with me, in reading the sacred Text in -honor of the day, and also in praying for the health and long life of -their Majesties the Emperor and the Empress, and his Highness, the -Crown Prince, and for the prosperity of Japan. The New Year’s _uta_[1] -which I composed on the occasion was as follows: - -[1] The word _uta_ in Japanese means a short epigrammatic poem, -expressed tersely, and inspired by some special occasion. - - In glory yonder, lo! the New Year’s Sun, - His coruscating grateful beams forthshoots, - Diffusing lucid roses on the snows - That flash in dazzling spangles bright and clear; - That Sun, the symbol on the Japan-flag - My fancy lights with patriotic thrills. - -I spent the twelve months following in closely devoting myself to the -study, and in efforts at the practical mastery, of the Tibetan tongue, -with the result that, toward the close of the year, I had become fairly -confident of my own proficiency in the use of the language both in -its literary and vernacular forms; and I made up my mind to start for -my destination with the coming of the year 1899. Then, it became a -momentous question for me to decide upon the route to take in entering -Tibet. - -Besides the secret path, the Khambu-Rong, _i. e._, ‘Peach Valley’ pass, -there are three highways which one may choose in reaching Tibet from -Darjeeling. These are: first, the main road, which turns north-east -directly after leaving Darjeeling and runs through Nyatong; second, -that which traverses the western slope of Kañcheñjunga, the second -highest snow-capped peaks in the Range and brings the traveller to -Warong, a village on the frontier of Tibet; and the third, which takes -one direct from Sikkim through Khampa-Jong to Lhasa. As, however, -each of these roads is jealously guarded either with a fortified -gate or some sentinels, at its Tibetan terminus, it is a matter of -practical impossibility for a foreigner to gain admittance into the -hermit-country by going along any of them. Rai Saraṭ was of opinion -that, if I were to present myself at the Nyatong gate, tell the -guards there that I was a Japanese priest who wished to visit their -country for the sole purpose of studying Buḍḍhism, I might possibly -be allowed to pass in, provided that I was courteously persistent -in my solicitations; but I had reasons for thinking little of this -suggestion. At all events, what I had learned from my Tibetan tutors -did not sustain my friend’s view; instead, however, my own information -led me to a belief that a road to suit my purpose could be found -by proceeding through either the Kingdom of Bhūṭan or of Nepāl. It -appeared to me, further, that the route most advantageous to me would -be by way of Nepāl; for Bhūṭan had never been visited by the Buḍḍha, -and there was there little to learn for me in that connexion, though -that country had at one time or another been travelled over by Tibetan -priests of great renown; but the latter fact had nothing of importance -for me. I had been told, however, that Nepāl abounded in the Buḍḍha’s -footsteps, and that there was in existence there complete sets of the -Buḍḍhist Texts in Samskṛṭ. These were inducements which I could turn to -account, in the case of failure to enter Tibet. Moreover, no Japanese -had ever been in Nepāl before me, though it had been visited by some -Europeans and Americans. So I decided on a route _viâ_ Nepāl. - -The decision made, it would have been all I could wish for, if it were -possible for me to journey to Nepāl direct from Darjeeling; there was -on the way grand and picturesque scenery incidentally to enjoy, besides -places sacred to Buḍḍhist pilgrims. But to do so was not possible for -me, or at least implied serious dangers. For most of the Tibetans -living in Darjeeling--and there were quite a number of them there--knew -that I was learning their language with the intention of some day -visiting their country; and it was perfectly manifest that the moment I -left that town with my face towards Tibet, they, or some of them at the -least, would come after me as far as some point where they might make -short work of me, or follow me into Tibet and there betray me to the -authorities, for they would be richly rewarded for so doing. To meet -the necessity of the case, I gave it out that, owing to an unexpected -occurrence, I was obliged to go home at once, and I left Darjeeling -for Calcutta, which place I reached on the 5th of January, 1899. I, -of course, let Rai Saraṭ into my secret, and he alone knew that the -day I left Darjeeling I started on my Tibetan journey in real earnest, -though back to Calcutta I took fare in sooth. On leaving Darjeeling, -my good host Rai Saraṭ Chanḍra earnestly wished me complete success in -my travels to Tibet, and gave vent to his hearty and sincere pleasure -in finding in me one, who, as bold and adventurous as himself, was -starting on a perilous but interesting expedition to that hitherto -unknown country. Previous to my departure from Darjeeling, I received -there 630 Rupees, which had been collected and forwarded to me through -the kind and never-failing efforts of my friends at home, Messrs. Hige, -Ito, Watanabe and others. - - Now over trackless snowy range I wend - My lonely way to ‘Bhota,’[2] elsewhere named - Tibet, where Dharma’s glorious Sun pours forth - His Light and melts the cheerless snows of Doubt - And Pain and Sorrow, vexing mortal men. - -[2] Bhota is the name by which Tibet is known in Samskri. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -Journey to Nepal. - - -During my second and short stay in Calcutta I had the good luck of -being introduced to a Nepālese named Jibbahaḍur, who was then a -Secretary of the Nepāl Government, but who is now the Minister Resident -of that country in Tibet. He was kind enough to write two letters -introducing me to a certain gentleman of influence in Nepāl. - -On the 20th of January, 1899, I came to the famous Buḍḍhagayā, sacred -to Holy Shākyamuni Buḍḍha, and there met Mr. Dharmapala of Ceylon, who -happened to be there on a visit. I had a very interesting conversation -with him. On learning that I was on my way to Tibet, he asked me to do -him the favor of taking some presents for him to the Dalai Lama. The -presents consisted of a small relic of the Buḍḍha, enclosed in a silver -casket which was in the form of a miniature pagoda, and a volume of the -sacred Text written on palm leaves. I, of course, willingly complied -with the request of the Sinhalese gentleman, who expressed himself as -being very anxious to visit Tibet, but thought it useless to attempt a -trip thither, unless he were invited to do so. The night of that day -I spent meditating on the ‘Diamond Seat’ under the Boḍhi-tree--the -very tree under which, and the very stone on which, about two thousand -five hundred years ago, the holy Buḍḍha sat and reached Buḍḍhahood. -The feeling I then experienced is indescribable: all I can say is -that I sat the night out in the most serene and peaceful extasy. I -saw the tell-tale moon lodged, as it were, among the branches of the -Boḍhi-tree, shedding its pale light on the ‘Diamond Seat,’ and the -scene was superbly picturesque, and also hallowing, when I thought of -the days and nights the Buḍḍha spent in holy meditation at that very -spot. - - Whilst seated on the Diamond Seat, absorbed - In thoughtful meditation full and deep - The lunar orb, suspended o’er the tree-- - The Sacred Bodhi tree--shines in the sky. - I wait with longing for the morning star - To rise, the witness of that moment high - When His Illumination gained the Lord - The Perfect Buddha, Perfect Teacher Great. - -[Illustration: THE AUTHOR MEDITATING UNDER THE BODHI-TREE.] - -After a few days’ stay in Buḍḍhagayā, I took the railway-train for -Nepāl, and a ride of a day and a night brought me to Sagauli, on the -morning of January 23. Sagauli is a station at a distance of two days’ -journey from the Nepālese border. Here one boundary of the linguistic -territory of English was reached, and beyond neither that language nor -the Tibetan tongue was of any use--one had to speak either Hinḍūsṭāni -or Nepālese to be understood, and I knew neither. So it became a -necessary part of my Tibetan adventure to stop a while at Sagauli, -and make myself master of working Nepālese. It was like forging the -chain after catching a criminal. But up to then, my time had been all -taken up in learning Tibetan, and I had had no moment to spare for -anything else. By good fortune, however, my stay there was not to -be a long one. I found the postmaster of Sagauli, a Bengālī, to be -proficient both in English and Nepālese. As the thing had to be done -in the most expeditious way possible, I started my work by noting down -every Nepālese word the postmaster would teach me. The next day after -my arrival at Sagauli, while I was out on a walk near the station with -my note-book in hand, I noticed, among those who got off a train, a -company of three men, one of whom was a gentleman, apparently of forty -years of age and dressed in a Tibetan costume, another a priest about -fifty years old, and the third unmistakably their servant. Thereupon a -thought flashed on me that it would be a good thing for me if I could -travel with these Tibetans, as I took them to be, and I immediately -made bold to go up to them and ask whither they were going. I was told -that their destination was Nepāl, that they had not just then come -from Tibet, but that one of them was a Tibetan. It then became their -turn to question me, their opening enquiry being as to what country -I belonged. I replied that I was a Chinese. “Which direction did you -come from then?--did you travel by land or by sea?” was the rejoinder -sharply put to me next. That was a question I had to answer with -caution. For the rule then in force in Tibet was to admit into that -country no Chinaman coming by the sea. So I answered: “By land.” As we -conversed, so we walked, and presently we came in front of where I was -lodging. In that part of the world there is no such smart thing as a -hotel or an inn; all the accommodation one can get in this respect is a -shanty of a rather primitive type, with bamboo posts and a straw roof. -There are a number of these simple structures there, standing on the -roadside and intended only for travellers, who have, however, nothing -to pay for lodging in them--they only pay the price of eatables and -fuel, should they procure any. It was in one of these shanties that I -was stopping, and when I excused myself from the company of my newly -made acquaintances, the latter betook themselves into another on the -opposite side of the street. After a while the gentleman and the priest -came out of their shanty and called on me, evidently bent on finding -out who, or rather what, I was. For the first question with which they -challenged me was to what part of China I belonged. “To Fooshee,” I -replied, realising full well that I was to go through the ordeal of an -inquisition. “You speak Chinese, of course?” then asked the gentleman. -My reply in the affirmative caused him at once to talk to me in quite -fluent Chinese, which put me in no little consternation in secret. -Compelled by necessity, I ventured calmly: “You must be talking in the -official Peking dialect, while I can talk only in the common Fooshee -tongue, and I do not understand you at all.” He was not to let me -off yet. Says he next: “You can write in Chinese, I suppose.” Yes, I -could, and I wrote. Some of my characters were intelligible enough to -my guests, and some not, and after all it was agreed that it was best -to confine ourselves to Tibetan. As our conversation progressed, my -principal guest came to the crucial part of the inquisition and asked: -“You say you have come from the landward side: well, from what part -of Tibet have you come?” “In sooth, from Lhasa, sir; I have been on a -pilgrimage through Darjeeling to Buḍḍhagayā, and from thence here,” -I replied. I was requested to say, then, in what part of the city of -Lhasa I lived. Being informed that I was in the grand Sera monastery, -he wanted to know if I was acquainted with an old priest who was the -Tatsang Kenpo (grand teacher) of that institution. I was bold enough -to say that I was not a perfect stranger to the priest in question, -and made a right good use of what I had learned from Lama Shabdung at -Darjeeling. So far I managed to keep up my disguise, but each moment -that passed only added to my fear of being trapped, and compelled to -give myself away. To avoid this danger, I felt it important to head -off my inquisitorial visitors by dispelling their suspicion, if they -entertained any, about me. I was remarkably successful in this, the -information obtained from Lama Shabdung again doing me excellent -service. For, when I told my guests, in a most knowing way, all about -Shabbe Shata’s intrigue against the Tangye-ling, which was designed to -increase his own power, and the secret of which affair was not then -generally known, the recital seemed to make a great impression on them, -and to have had the effect of convincing them that I was the person I -pretended to be. So my ordeal was at an end; but there was yet in store -for me the most unexpected discovery I was to make about these men. - -No longer curious as to my antecedents, my gentleman guest now asked -me: “You say you are going to Nepāl: may I ask you who is the person -you are directed to, and if you have ever been in that country?” I -had never been there before, but I had a letter of introduction with -me. From whom, to whom, could that be? The letters, I said--for I -had had two given me--were written in favor of me by Mr. Jibbahaḍur, -an official of the Nepālese Government, then residing in Calcutta, -and addressed to the Lama of the Great Tower of Mahāboḍha in Nepāl, -whose name, though I just happened to forget it, was on the letters. -This piece of information seemed greatly to interest the gentleman, -who could not help saying: “Why, that is strange! Mr. Jibbahaḍur is a -friend of mine: I wonder who can be the person to whom the letters are -addressed; will you permit me to look at them?” And the climax came -when I, in all willingness, took out the letters and showed them to my -guest, for he ejaculated: “Well, whoever would have thought it? These -are for me!” - -I may here observe that in Nepāl, as I found out afterwards, the word -friend conveys a much deeper meaning, probably, than in any other -country. To be a friend there means practically the same thing as -being a brother, and the natives have a curious custom of observing -a special ceremony when any two of them tie the knot of friendship -between them. The ceremony resembles very much that of marriage, and -its celebration is made an occasion for a great festival, in which the -relatives and connexions of the parties concerned take part. To be -brief, the ceremony generally takes the form of exchanging glasses of -the native drink between the mutually chosen two, and they each have -to extend their liberalities even to their servants in honor of the -occasion. It is only after the observance of these formalities--which -signify a great deal to the natives--that any two Nepālese may each -call themselves the friend of the other. - -It so happened that my erstwhile inquisitor proved to be the official -owner and Lama-Superior of the Great Tower above mentioned, who stood -in the relationship of a ‘friend’ to Mr. Jibbahaḍur. It was most -unexpected, but the discovery was none the less welcome to me, and I -besought him to take me, henceforth, under his care and protection. -Thus I came to be no longer a stranger and a solitary pilgrim, but a -guest, a companion, to a high personage of Nepāl. My newly acquired -friend, as I should call the Lama in our language, proposed that we -should start for Nepāl the next morning. This proposal was agreeable to -me, as was another that we should go afoot instead of on horse-back, -so that we might the better enjoy each other’s company, and perchance, -also, the grand scenery on the way. I say that all this was agreeable -to me, because, in addition to the obvious benefit I was sure to derive -from being in the company of these men, I entertained a secret hope -that I might learn a great deal, which would help me in executing the -main part of my adventures, yet to come. - -While our talk was progressing in this fashion, two servants of the -Lama’s came in, running and all pale, with the unwelcome piece of news -that a thief had broken into their shed. This caused my callers to -take precipitate leave of me. I afterwards learned that the Lamas had -had three hundred and fifty rupees in cash, and some books and clothes, -stolen between them. I was in luck on that occasion, for the owner of -my shed told me subsequently that the thief, who caused such a loss to -the Lamas, had been on the look-out for a chance to loot my lodging, -and, as it happened, he finally made my newly made friends suffer for -me; I felt exceedingly sorry for them. - -In the meantime I learned that the gentleman Lama’s name was Buḍḍha -Vajra (Enlightened Diamond), and that the old priest, whose name was -Mayar, and who was full of jokes, was a Doctor of Divinity of the Debon -monastery in Lhasa. - -Early on the 25th of January we started on our journey, and proceeded -due north across the plain in which Sagauli stands. The next day we -arrived at a place called Beelganji, where stood the first guarded gate -of the Nepālese frontier. There I was given a pass, as for a Chinaman -living in Tibet. We passed the night of the following day in a village -situated a little way this side of the famous Dalai Jungle, which may -be regarded as an entrance to the great Himālayas. On the 28th we -proceeded past Simla, a village at the outer edge of the great jungle, -and thence, straight across the jungle itself, which has a width of -full eight miles, until we came to a village on the bank of a mountain -stream called Bichagori, where we took up our lodgings for the night. -About ten o’clock that night, while writing up my diary, I happened -to look out of the window of my shanty. The moon in her pale splendor -was shining brightly over the great jungle, and there was something -indescribably weird in the scene, whose silence was broken only by a -rushing stream. Suddenly I then heard a detonation, tremendous in its -volume and depth, which, as I felt, almost shook the ground. In reply -to my query, I was told by our innkeeper that the sound came from a -tiger, which evidently had just finished a fine repast on its victim, -and, having come to have a draught of river-water, could not help -giving vent to its sense of enjoyment. So an _uta_ came to me: - - The night sleeps still and calm, - the moon shines bright, - What ho!--so loud a roar - the stillness breaks, - Vibrating--ah! It is a tiger fierce! - In ripples rough his roar terrific throws - The surface even of the mountain stream. - -[Illustration: ON THE BANKS OF THE BICHAGORI RIVER.] - -For two days more the road lay now through a dale on the bank of a -river, then across a deep forest, and over a mountain, until we reached -a stage station called Binbit. So far the road was up a slow, gradual -incline, and horse-carriages and bullock-carts could be driven over it; -but now the ascent became so steep that it could be made only on foot, -or in a mountain-palanquin. We went on foot, commencing our climb as -early as four o’clock in the morning. After an ascent of something more -than three and a half miles, we came to a guarded gate named Tispance. -Here was a custom-house and a fortress, garrisoned by quite a number of -soldiers, and we had to go through an examination. Thence we climbed -a peak called Tisgari, from the top of which I, for the first time, -beheld with wonder the sublime sight of the mighty Himālayas, shining -majestically with their snow of ages. The grandeur of the scene was -so utterly beyond imagination, that the memory of what I had seen at -Darjeeling and Tiger Hill came back to me only as a faint vision. Down -Tisgari we came to Marku station, where we took lodging for the night. - -Early on the 1st of February, we climbed up the peak C̣hanḍra -Giri, or Moon Peak, whose sides are covered with the flowers of -the rhododendron, the chief characteristic of the Himālayan Range. -Thence I saw again the snow-covered range of Himālaya, ever grand and -majestic. Just a little way down from the top of the peak, I saw, -spread before me like a picture, Kātmāndu the capital of Nepāl and the -country around. I saw also in that panorama two gilded towers rising -conspicuously against the sky, and Lama Buḍḍha Vajra told me that one -of them was the tomb of Kāṣyapa Buḍḍha, and the other that of Ṣikhī -Buḍḍha. On coming down the steep slope of the hill, we were met by four -or five men with two horses. They were men sent thither in advance to -wait for the return of Buḍḍha Vajra, and I was given one of the horses, -while my host took the other. We were met by about thirty more men on -entering a village, not far from the foot of the hill. The distance -from Sagauli railway station to this spot is roughly one hundred and -twenty-five miles. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -I befriend Beggars. - - -The village that surrounds the great Kāṣyapa tower is generally known -by the name of Boḍḍha. Lama Buḍḍha Vajra, I found, was the Headman of -that village as well as the Superior of that mausoleum tower, which in -Tibetan is called Yambu Chorten Chenpo. Yambu is the general name by -which Kātmāndu is known in Tibet; and Chorten Chenpo means great tower. -The real name of the tower in full is, however, Ja Rung Kashol Chorten -Chenpo, which may be translated into: “Have finished giving order to -proceed with.” The tower has an interesting history of its own, which -explains this strange name. It is said in this history that Kāṣyapa was -a Buḍḍha that lived a long time before Shākyamuni Buḍḍha. After Kāṣyapa -Buḍḍha’s demise, a certain old woman, with her four sons, interred this -great sage’s remains at the spot over which the great mound now stands, -the latter having been built by the woman herself. Before starting on -the work of construction, she petitioned the King of the time, and -obtained permission to “proceed with” building a tower. By the time -that, as the result of great sacrifices on the part of the woman and -her four sons, the groundwork of the structure had been finished, those -who saw it were astonished at the greatness of the scale on which it -was undertaken. Especially was this the case with the high officials -of the government and the rich men of the country, who all said that -if such a poor old dame were to be allowed to complete building such a -stupendous tower, they themselves would have to dedicate a temple as -great as a mountain, and so they decided to ask the King to disallow -the further progress of the work. When the King was approached on the -matter his Majesty replied: “I have finished giving the order to the -woman to proceed with the work. Kings must not eat their words, and I -cannot undo my orders now.” So the tower was allowed to be finished, -and hence its unique name, “Ja Rung Kashol Chorten Chenpo.” I rather -think, however, that the tower must have been built after the days of -Shākyamuni Buḍḍha, for the above description from Tibetan books is -different from the records in Samskṛṭ, which are more reliable than the -Tibetan. - -Every year, between the middle of September and the middle of the -following February of the lunar calendar, crowds of visitors from -Tibet, Mongolia, China and Nepāl come to this place to pay their -respects to the great temple. The reason why they choose the most -apparently unfavorable season for their travel thither is because they -are liable to catch malarial fever if they come through the Himālayan -passes during the summer months. By far the greatest number of the -visitors are Tibetans, of whom, however, only a few are nobles and -grandees, the majority being impecunious pilgrims and beggars, who eke -out their existence by a sort of nomadic life, passing their winter in -the neighborhood of the tower and going back to Tibet in summer. - -In Nepāl I had now arrived, and the reason of my presence there was, -of course, to choose a route for my purpose, for there are many -highways and pathways running between that country and Tibet. My -purpose was such that I could take nobody there into my confidence, -not even my kind and obliging host. For, to Lama Buḍḍha Vajra I was a -well-qualified Chinaman, who was to go back to Lhasa by openly taking -one of the public roads, and go on thence to China. Besides, I knew -that the Lama was a Tibetan interpreter to His Highness the King of -Nepāl, and that were I to divulge to him my secret, he was in duty -bound to tell it to his royal master, who, it was plain, would not -only not lend himself to my venture, but would at once put an end to -the further progress of my journey. I may note here that the Nepālese -fondly call Lama Buḍḍha Vajra, Gya Lama, which means “Chinese Lama,” -for he was a son born to a Chinese priest who married a Nepālese -lady, after having become the Superior of the tower. My host’s father -belonged to the old school, and enjoyed the privilege of marriage. It -was thus that Lama Buḍḍha Vajra came to take a fancy, and show special -favors, to me, considering me as a countryman of his. Be that as it -may, there remained for me the necessity of discovering a secret path -to Tibet. I was in luck again. - -It occurred to me that the begging Tibetans, who go on pilgrimage -in and out of their country, could not be in possession of the pass -that gave them open passage through the numerous frontier gates. I -remembered also that no unprivileged person--even the natives--could -obtain permission to pass through these gates, either way, unless he -would bribe the guards heavily, and it was plain that these homeless -wanderers could not do this. Encouraged by these considerations, I -took to befriending the Tibetan mendicants, of whom there was then a -large number hanging about the Kāṣyapa Buḍḍha tower, and my liberality -to them soon made me very popular among them. Demurring at first, -they became quite communicative afterwards, when they had found out, -as I presume, that there was nothing to dread in me. I learned of -many secret passages, but none which I could consider safe for me. -For instance, they spoke of the Nyallam bye-path. By taking this -clandestine route one may avoid the Kirong gate, but one is in danger -of being challenged at a gate further in the interior. The Sharkongpo -path, on the other hand, brings the traveller to the Tenri gate. So -on with other paths, and it appeared an impossibility to discover a -route which would enable a person to reach the capital of Tibet from -that of Nepāl, without having to pass through some challenge gate. The -pass and bribery being beyond them, the native beggars and pilgrims -have one more resource left to them, and that is imploring a passage, -with prayer and supplication, when they come upon a challenge post, and -they generally succeed at the interior gates, I was told. It would be -different with me: there was every danger of my disguise being detected -while pleading with the guards. My persistent efforts finally brought -me, however, their reward. I ascertained that by taking a somewhat -roundabout way I might reach Lhasa without encountering the perils of -these challenge gates. Ordinarily, one should take a north-east course -after leaving the Nepālese capital, in order to make a direct journey -to Lhasa; but the one I have just referred to lay in the opposite -direction of north-west, through Lo, a border province of Nepāl, thence -across Jangtang, the north plain (but really the west plain) of Tibet, -and finally around the lake Mānasarovara. This bye-route I made up my -mind to take. - -So far so good. But it would be courting suspicion to say that I chose -this particularly circuitous and dangerous route with no obvious reason -for it. Fortunately a good pretext was at hand for me. For I happened -to think of the identity of the lake Mānasarovara with the Anavatapta -Lake that often occurs in the Buḍḍhist Texts. However divided the -scholastic views are about this identity, it is popularly accepted, -and that was enough for my purpose. The identity granted, it could -be argued that Mount Kailāsa, by the side of the lake, was nature’s -Maṇdala, sacred to the memory of the Buḍḍha, which formed an important -station for Buḍḍhist pilgrims. So one day I said to my host: “Having -come thus far, I should always regret a rare opportunity lost, were -I to make a stork’s journey from here to Lhasa, and thence to China. -The Chinese Text speaks of Mount Kailāsa (Tib. Kang Rinpo Che) rising -high on the shore of lake Mānasarovara (Tib. Maphamyumtsho). I want to -visit that sacred mountain on my way home. So I should be very much -obliged to you if you would kindly get men to carry my luggage for me.” -The answer I got in reply was not encouraging, though sympathetic. -Gya Lama, in short, bade me give up my purpose, because, as he said, -the north-west plain was pathless and full of marauding robbers; it -had been his long-entertained desire to visit the sacred mountain -himself, but the difficulties mentioned had, so far, prevented him -from carrying it out, and he would strongly advise me against my rash -decision; to venture a trip through that region, with only one or two -servants, was like seeking death. My retort was that, it being one of -Buḍḍha’s teachings that “born into life, thou art destined to die,” I -was not afraid of death; in fact, death might overtake me at any time, -even while living comfortably under the Lama’s care; so that I should -consider myself well repaid if I met death while on a pilgrimage to a -holy place. Finding dissuasion useless with me, my host complimented me -on the firmness of my resolution, and took it upon himself to secure -for me reliable carriers. Then, after careful enquiries, he hired for -me a pilgrim party, consisting of two men and an old woman, the latter -of whom, in spite of her sixty years of age, was strong enough to brave -the hardships of an exceptionally difficult road. These people were -from Kham, a country noted for its robbers, but I was assured of the -perfect honesty and good intentions of the particular three I was to -engage. As a mark of his special kindness, Gya Lama promised to let a -trustworthy man under him accompany me as far as a place called Tukje, -to see that my two pilgrim servants served me faithfully. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -The Sublime Himalaya. - - -It was in the beginning of the month of March, 1899, that, followed -by a retinue of three men and one old dame, I bade farewell to my -kind host and, seated on a snow-white pony, given me by my fatherly -friend, left the Kāṣyapa Buḍḍha tower. I was not in good health that -day, on account of fever and weakness, but I was obliged to start from -Kātmāndu, for it was very dangerous for me to stay there any longer, -as I was quite a stranger to the Nepālese, and they might find out -my nationality, and stop me from proceeding further. So I took the -assistance of the horse; and the good animal proved to be a splendid -mountaineer, and carried me up steep ascents and down abrupt descents -in perfect safety. We directed our course towards the north-west, -through the British Residency, the most beautiful and clean quarter -in Kātmāndu, and through Nagar-yon, a hill famous for a cave where -Nāgārjuna, a great Boḍhi-Saṭṭva, used to meditate. We arrived at a -village called Jittle-Pedee in the evening, and passed the night under -the eaves of a shop-keeper’s house. - -[Illustration: NAGARJUNA’S CAVE OF MEDITATION IN NEPAL.] - -The present Ruler of Nepāl is a Hinḍū, and keeps the caste system as -rigidly as it is kept in India, where the people belonging to that -religion do not allow a foreigner to enter their rooms, or to eat -with them. Therefore we were obliged to pass the night outside a -house, or under a rock, or in the forests. Here I must not omit some -interesting things about my travels among the Himālayan mountains -from Kātmāndu to the lake Mānasarovara through Nepāl. The country -being extra-territorial, I believe no bold European or American had -trodden this precipitous path before me; hence I would like to mention -everything connected therewith, but as my object is Tibet, I cannot -spend much space on the inner Himālayas of Nepāl. I shall only mention -briefly what will be considered interesting by my readers in general. - -On the third day of our departure from Kātmāndu, we travelled for more -than forty miles, and arrived at a small trading town called Chunge, -situated on the west bank of the Kirong river (Tirsuli Gandak). Just -north of the town, on the bank of that river there is a pretty forest -in which we slept well through the night, in a lonely spot, lulled -by the rolling sounds of the mountain-rivers’ grand music. Early on -the following morning we started on the north-western path leading to -Pokhra, although there is a short way, only five days’ journey from -the place to Kirong in Tibet; but there the officers of the frontier -guard the passes against all strangers. In three days’ journey after -this we made about forty miles, passed the villages Bareng-Bareng and -Sareng, and, crossing the river Agu, we arrived at a famous town, -Algata. I have not met with any maps which mention this name. The town -is situated on the west bank of the river which the natives called -Buri-Gaṅgā (Buria Gandak); this river is crossed by an iron hanging -bridge. The town itself is important on account of its trade with -Tibet; I saw more than fifty people from Tibet and from Nishang--a -northern frontier province of Nepāl. During the nine days after leaving -Algata we passed many valleys, rocky mountains, streams, hill pastures, -forests full of rhododendrons, and deep forests of fir, oak and pine, -with the peaks of the snowy range in view. We also passed several -villages--Nimareshi, Daramhaje, Rutel, Manicheka and Sātmuni. - -We made a distance of something less than one hundred miles, and then -reached a town called Pokhra. Pokhra looked like a town of villas at -home, the site being chosen for the beauty of its natural scenery. -Bamboo-covered ravines, flower-roofed heights, rich in green foliage, -picturesque because of a rushing and winding stream, itself set in -the midst of high mountains--such were the characteristic features -of Pokhra. The stream I speak of has its source in the Machipusa -(fish-tail) peak, and its waters are milky white, probably on account -of their carrying in them particles of mountain clay. In all my -travels in the Himālayas I saw no scenery so enchanting as that which -enraptured me at Pokhra. Another thing notable about that place was -that it was the cheapest spot in Nepāl for all kinds of commodities. -Twenty-five _sens_ bought, for instance, four _sho_ of rice there; -while, in other places, that amount would buy only two _sho_ and a half -at the most. At Pokhra I made a rather long stay of six days, as I had -to have a tent made before I proceeded further, and twenty-five rupees -bought for me one made to order, and large enough for cooking inside -also. - -After leaving Pokhra we turned due north, and the ascent became -very steep, so steep at places that I had to get off my horse, send -the animal by a round-about way through the valleys, and myself go -afoot for half-a-day. On one occasion I was proceeding on horseback -on a narrow path that ran along a very high precipice, when, deeply -engrossed as I was in thought about the near future, I found myself -all of a sudden thrown down to the ground, before I had had time to -free myself from a branch of a tree, which had caught me by the neck -and caused the disaster, assisted by the horse’s movement onward. Very -fortunately my horse came to a halt just then, and as I never let go -my hold of the bridle, I narrowly escaped from rolling a thousand -fathoms down a craggy precipice, to reach the bottom a mangled carcass! -Realising the danger I was in, I hastily tried to pick myself up, but -in vain; for evidently I had struck my hip very hard in my fall, and -could not raise myself up. Consequently I had to requisition the backs -of my two servants in turn, thus making an ascent of about a mile to -the top of the mountains we were crossing over. On reaching the top, I -found the pain too great to permit the continuance of my journey, and -I camped there for two days, during which time my diligent application -of some camphor tincture, which I had with me, to the injured parts, -gradually relieved me of my suffering. On resuming our journey, now -down the mountain, I could not help being profoundly impressed with -the power of impenetrable solitude, for the path lay through a valley -where nature, in her wildest seclusion, reigned supreme. My sense of -loneliness was heightened by the note of the cuckoo, which now and then -broke the oppressive silence, and an _uta_ then came to me thus: - - In tortuous paths my lonely way now lies - Among rough mountain tracks and scenes all wild; - The rocks and giant trees in silence stand, - With naught to break the silent depths around - Except the solitary cuckoo’s notes, - That makes the awful silence more profound. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -Dangers Ahead. - - -So the days passed and with these days I came to know more or less of -the different characteristics of my two servants; I found one to be a -rather impatient fellow, but prompt of decision, and the other a quiet -man with some education, of which he was not a little proud. The latter -seemed occasionally to hurt the feelings of the impatient one, and more -than once collisions had already occurred between the two. As for the -old woman pilgrim, she was a good honest soul, and that was all there -was about her, except that she seemed to know all about the two men. I -took pains to be strictly impartial in all my dealings with the three, -though her age entitled the old dame to special consideration on my -part, and she had it in full when I thought fit. It came to pass that, -apparently because of this treatment, the old woman came to think a -great deal of me. I had noticed in her manner something indicating that -she wished to speak to me, but was afraid to do so in the presence of -her two companions; so one morning I caused her to go a considerable -way ahead of us, and I started with my servants afterwards. Burdened -with my luggage as the men were, and riding on a horse as I was, it -was only natural that I should soon leave them lagging far behind, and -overtake the old woman. The good soul turned furtively back, and asked -if the two men were a long distance behind. I told her that they must -be at least five miles behind. Then she made a revelation to me, and it -was not of a very reassuring kind; for according to her I was doomed to -be killed. In short she told me that the impatient fellow was a robber -and murderer, having committed many crimes while at home in Kham, and -that, though the quiet one was not so bad a man, he had yet killed a -fellow-creature in a quarrel. At all events neither would think twice -before taking a man’s life. The old dame thought it certain that they, -or at least the impatient one, would pounce upon me as soon as we -reached the north-west plains of Tibet, and rob me of all my money and -effects, as well as of my life! Thereupon I said: “That could not be; -for they are both men of great honesty and uprightness.” She returned: -“Konjogsum (Holy Trinity)! send to me death, if I tell a lie!” These -are words of adjuration to which Tibetans attach great importance, and -I could not persuade myself to regard my informant’s warning as a mere -string of falsehoods. So another trouble ahead was added to my burdened -mind. - -After travelling twelve days more and only making a distance of about -one hundred miles, we reached a Himālayan village called Tukje, where -then lived the local Governor, named Harkaman Suppa. Through Gya Lama’s -introduction I enjoyed the privilege of being received as a guest by -this Governor. Two days after my arrival there the special man whom -Gya Lama through his thoughtful kindness, as already told, had sent to -accompany me so far, took leave of me, apparently well satisfied that -my two servants were and would be all right. But they were far from -being all right, and I felt that I would never be able to accomplish -my journey unless I got rid of them. While I was worrying myself -with these thoughts, I came across information about the route that -lay before me that proved to me another source of discouragement. In -effect, it was that three months before the Tibetan Government had -detailed five soldiers to guard, against all foreigners and any strange -person, the road in my route which lay through the State of Lo; the -same precaution had been taken on all the other bye-ways and pathways -leading into Tibet, however secluded and narrow, even though narrow -enough for just one person to pass. And I had reason to believe that -this information was well founded; so that it became inevitable that I -should give up my idea of entering Tibet by smuggling myself into its -north-western plain. But there is ebb and flow even in troubles. - -One evening, while still staying at the Governor’s, my servants, having -regaled themselves with the local drinks even to boisterousness, began -a-quarrelling, which largely consisted of exposing each other. In -brief, each accused the other of a somewhat cheerless intention of -making short work of me when opportunity should arrive, with the upshot -that they both came to me, each with a demand that he would like to be -discharged if the other were to continue in my service. I could not -have had a better opportunity, and I there and then dismissed both of -them, after having paid them off rather liberally. I also gave some -money with some little present in kind to the old woman, and bade her -go with the men. And thus I got rid of an imminent danger to my life. -But there remained the greater problem of what to do next, to retrace -my steps back to Kātmāndu being out of the question, while the route I -had chosen for myself had become unavailable. - -It happened that, enjoying the Governor’s hospitality like myself, was -a Mongolian scholar named Serab Gyaltsan, who was acting as a doctor -of medicine, besides giving lessons in religious Texts to the local -priests. I had not been long at Governor Harkaman’s before I became -acquainted with this person, and soon found him to be a man possessed -of profound knowledge of not only Buḍḍhism but also of literary -subjects. Whatever were the reasons on my part, he and I after a while -came to an agreement for the exchange of knowledge, he instructing me -in Tibetan Buḍḍhism and literature and I teaching him Chinese Buḍḍhism. -This understanding arrived at, we took leave of Tukje and set out for -Tsarang in the province of Lo, where the Mongolian scholar had his -home. On our way thither, we visited the famous Chumik Gyatsa. Chumik -Gyatsa means a hundred fountains, and is the Mukuṭināṭh of Samskṛṭ, -which Hinḍūs as well as Buḍḍhists regard as a place of great sanctity. -The place apparently obtained the name it bears from the numberless -springs abounding thereabout, and a spot of particular fame there was -called Sala Mebar, Chula Mebar, Dola Mebar, which means burning in -earth, burning in water, burning in rock. On seeing the spot I found -this mystery to be nothing more than the fancy of the ignorant natives, -who saw a burning jet of natural gas escaping from a crevice in a slab -of rock, that formed a lid, so to say, over and close to the surface of -a beautiful crystal-like fountain, which was about one by two feet in -size, so that its prolonged flame looked, at the first glance, as if it -were crawling over the water. I noticed, however, that the mountains -round about bore ample evidences of old volcanic eruptions, at one time -or another, an extinct crater now changed to a pond, lava-rocks, and so -on, being all present. We passed a night encamped on the bank of the -river Kālīgaṅgā, that flows at the foot of the mountain which we had -just descended, after leaving the ‘hundred fountains’ behind us. The -following morning we had a disastrous time for three hours in trying to -cross a stream. In the first place I made a blunder in attempting to -wade across the stream on my horse, which, with my weight on his back -and treacherous mud-beds under his feet, found himself in a perilous -condition as soon as he had walked a few steps into the stream. I, -of course, got off him at once and climbed upon the bank behind me. -I then set about throwing into the river, near where the horse was, -stones, rocks, and broken branches of trees that I found lying about, -in order to improvise there a passable footway for myself as well as -for the Mongolian scholar and his animal. Stones flying and muddy water -splashing around him scared my horse, and, with a wild effort, he -struggled out and landed himself on the opposite bank; but my friend’s -pony remained immovable till we had managed to build a way across for -ourselves and pulled him after us. That day we stopped in a village -called Samar (red clay). On the next we again climbed half-way up a -mountain, and proceeded due north along a path that lay midway between -the top and bottom of its slope, that is to say, toward the north of -Dhavalagiri. - -[Illustration: A HORSE IN DIFFICULTIES.] - -In the mountains below Tukje I found common pines and cedars growing in -fair abundance, but now these became very rare, the obtusa species of -pine taking their place, and even these attaining a height of not more -than twenty feet at the most, the ground being otherwise covered with -shrubby growths. Riding on the snow, which was still on the mountain, -we had made a distance of about fifteen miles before we reached a -hamlet named Kirung, where I found willow trees growing luxuriantly. -The inhabitants hereabout were all Tibetans, and I saw fluttering on -every house-top a white flag with certain religious texts printed on -it. These flags are to be seen everywhere in the interior of Tibet, -as I afterwards found, and that even where the people are living in -tents. Leaving the village, we rode on northwards, over snow, through -an obtusa-pine forest, till the night fell and the moon rose, when I -again heard a cuckoo. Then I had an _uta_: - - While marching onwards now the night o’ertakes - The pilgrim bold, the snowy floor his bed; - The moon-lit sky his canopy will be, - His lullaby, the cuckoo’s notes. - -That night we put up in an inn in a hamlet called Kimiyi (fountain -of fortune), that nestles in the snow-covered mountains. Ten miles -on the following day brought us within sight of Tsarang, which, on -reaching, I found to be a little town built on a plain which was about -eleven miles from east to west, and three miles or more from north to -south, enclosed by walls of snow-covered mountains. More accurately, -the plain has to its west a snow-capped mountain, whence it extends -in a very slow incline towards the east, until it breaks off into a -valley. From Tsarang to the north-west plain of Tibet is a day’s trip, -and the physical features of these regions are practically of the -same character, devoid of large trees and desolate in the extreme. It -was in the middle of May that I arrived in Tsarang, and I was told -that the farmers had just finished sowing wheat. Skirting the town of -Tsarang runs a stream, which has its rise in the mountain that forms -the western wall of the plain, and on an elevated part of the town -stands a castled palace, in which lives the King of the Lo State. -Before the Gūrkha tribe had subjugated Nepāl, Lo was an independent -State. At a little distance, opposite to the royal castle, is a temple -of considerable size, belonging to the Kargyu-pa sect of the old school -of Tibetan Buḍḍhism. The temple is a square structure of Tibetan style, -built of stone and painted red, and adjoining it is a stone building -painted white, which forms a dormitory for the priests of the temple. -On a piece of level land to the west of the palace and the temple a -group of about sixty large and small houses constitutes the town of -Tsarang. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -Beautiful Tsarang and Dirty Tsarangese. - - -At the foot of the mountain out of which we had emerged, and where the -plain began, we came upon a stone-turreted gate about twenty-four feet -in height. Standing by itself and entirely unprotected, the gate was -not intended, as I was told, for any military purpose; but it was used -for housing Buḍḍhas and other deities that would keep guard against the -invasion of the locality by evil genii. About a mile and a half to the -rear of the gate stood the town of Tsarang, at the entrance of which we -were met by fourteen or fifteen men, who, as it appeared, anticipated -our arrival. Serab Gyaltsan led me to the house of the Chief of the -town, which was of considerable size. As in Tibet so in Tsarang, all -well-to-do people generally have a separate chapel in their residence. -When they have a visitor of rank and social position, they, out of -respect, put him up in their chapel, and a person entitled to such -distinction in these localities is generally a Lama. So it was that, as -a Chinese Lama, I was given that privilege in the Chief’s chapel, which -I found to be a typical one of its kind, with its image-crowned altar, -a special depository for religious Texts, etc., and altogether much -superior in its general finish and furnishings to the family dwelling. -I may remark that these folk generally keep a good store of the Texts, -not because they make use of them themselves, but more as a matter of -form, the form showing their deep reverence for their religion; but it -is apparently beyond their ken that volumes of Texts are but so many -sheets of waste paper, if their possessors do not understand and live -by them. - -By the side of the chapel in which I was installed there was another -small building, in which lived Serab Gyaltsan. My host was a widower, -quiet and amiable, and living with two grown-up daughters, about -twenty-three and eighteen years of age respectively, who between them -managed the household and the family business, employing under them a -number of servants, farm-hands and cattlemen. I could not but admire -the two young women for the creditable manner in which they attended -to their business. I also observed that the chief amusement of all the -villagers consisted in spending evenings in dances and comic songs, -except when they went to a sort of semi-religious meeting presided -over by a Lama Maṇi, who would narrate the stories of ancient priests -of great renown, or the biographies of the more famous monarchs of -Buḍḍhist States, to the great delight of his audience. - -The days I spent in Tsarang were, in a sense, the days of my tutelage -in the art of living amidst filth and filthy habits. In point of -uncleanliness, Tibetans stand very high among the inhabitants of the -earth, but I think the natives of Tsarang go still higher in this -respect. In Tibet people wash themselves occasionally, but they almost -never do so in Tsarang. In the course of the twelve months that I -lived there, I only twice saw a person wash himself, the washing being -confined even then to the face and neck. Such being the case, the -native’s skin all over the body has on it a peculiarly repulsive shine -of polished dirt, so to say. I often noticed women, whose complexion -would have appeared quite fair if only an occasional scrubbing were -administered to the skin; but what can they do when it is a custom, as -it is among them, to laugh at persons who wash their faces nice and -clean, and to deride them as being very dirty in their habits? Not only -in their appearance, but in all that they do, the natives seem to have -absolutely no idea of cleanliness. To say that they think nothing of -making a cup of tea for you with the same fingers with which they have -just blown their nose, is to give only a very mild instance of their -filthiness, and I have no courage to dwell here on their many other -doings, which are altogether beyond imagination for those who have not -seen them done, and are too loathsome, even unto sickening, to recall -to mind. As it was, my life among these slovenly people did one good -thing for me, in that it thoroughly prepared me for what I had to -endure in Tibet. - -My work with Serab Gyaltsan consisted in this: a lecture on Buḍḍhism -for three solid hours in the morning, which required much preparation, -and exercises in Tibetan rhetoric and penmanship for another three -hours in the afternoon, which was, however, of a very easy nature, and -gave me occasion to engage in discussions with my teacher. - -There is in existence to this day in Tibet a sect of Buḍḍhists which -believes in a teaching originated by a priest whose name may be -translated into “born of the lotus flower” (Padma Sambhava) or Padma -Chungne in Tibetan, and whom they regard as their savior and as Buḍḍha -incarnate. His teaching is a sort of parody on Buḍḍhism proper, and -an attempt to sanctify the sexual relations of humankind, explaining -and interpreting all the important passages and tenets in the sacred -Text from a sensual standpoint. Indeed, Padma’s own life was simply -his teachings translated into actual practice, for he lived with eight -women whom he called his wives, drank intoxicants to his heart’s -content, and fed freely on animal food. Now in the Tibetan rhetoric -in which I took lessons under Serab Gyaltsan I found this lewd and -detestable teaching largely incorporated, and it was on this account -that hot disputes not unfrequently arose between my instructor and -myself. At times I felt sorry, as I feel sorry now, for my Serab, -because, from what I was able to gather, he is one of those on whom -(as the result of twenty years’ study, maintaining well the while his -undefiled priesthood) was conferred the title of Doctor by the great -monastery of Sera, but who, because of having afterwards yielded to -feminine temptation, lost his qualification to go back to Mongolia as -a respectable Lama, while out of shame it became impossible for him to -continue to live in Lhasa, so that he was compelled to pass his life in -obscure seclusion. I felt sorry for him all the more, because I found -him to be a profound and widely-read scholar, who could have risen in -life but for his carnal weakness. Another thing I noticed about him -to my pain was that he very easily became angry, like all the Mongols -I came across, but, like them also, he was very quick in becoming -reconciled. - -I said I had disputes with my Serab. It was on one of these occasions -that I differed from him with regard to the real merits of a certain -Buḍḍhist saint. Thereupon, flying into a terrible rage, he caught hold -of my clothes near my throat with one hand, and, with the other picking -up a bar belonging to a table that stood between us, was about to -visit me with a blow. The situation was very humorous, and I broke out -into loud laughter, saying the next moment that I had always thought -a little better of him than to suppose that he was capable of such -an exhibition as he was thus making of himself, in defiance of the -teachings of the saint he revered so much. This took him aback, but he -did not let go his grasp. I saw him grind his teeth, and fire glared -in his eyes; he then removed his grasp and withdrew as if too wroth to -be near me. But reconciliation followed. So time passed on, I spending -seven to nine hours a day in preparation, besides the six hours of -the regular daily lessons. Out of the twenty-four hours, thirteen to -fifteen were thus taken up for purposes of study every day, with the -exception of Sundays, my other occupation being to take one meal a day -with some tea, and to go out for a walk. Sundays I invariably spent in -mountaineering of a somewhat unusual character. I had an idea that I -should never be able to compass the arduous journey before me, toiling -on in a rare atmosphere through trackless wildernesses at great heights -while burdened with heavy luggage on my back, unless I had a thorough -training beforehand for the purpose. Guided by these thoughts, I made -a point of carrying on my back a heavy load of stones when making my -Sunday climb, and of making the ascents with all possible speed. I -was in excellent health then, and I felt that the mountaineering made -it still better, especially with regard to my lungs. Such was the -life I led for awhile, and I shortly became quite a famous man in the -locality. It was in this way. - -The natives hereabouts are merely, it may be said, creatures of animal -instincts. True, they engage in agricultural work to some extent, which -keeps them occupied during the summer months, but at the other seasons -they think of nothing but eating, drinking and sleeping, their minds -being otherwise filled with thoughts pertaining to sensual love. They -occasionally spend their evening in listening to a Lama Maṇi preaching -or lecturing, but only occasionally. They change their clothing but -once a year, casting off the old for the new; but if any of them is -brave enough to wear the same suit for two years, that person is made -an object of high praise. And as they never wash their wearing apparel, -it is always shining with grease and dirt. Indifferent as they are -to their appearance, they are very painstaking in preparing food, as -also in making their sleep comfortable. But their ruling passion is -that of carnal love, and that applies to all ages, from the young to -the very old. But as human beings they are subject to illness, and -like all uncivilised people they are intensely superstitious. To them -a Lama is omnipotent, for they believe that he can cure diseases and -divine all future events. So it came to pass that the Chinese Lama--I -myself--became an object of great esteem and reverence among them. For -it was not long before my presence in Tsarang became known among the -inhabitants, and my doings in the mountain on Sundays began to attract -their attention. Especially my altercations with Serab Gyaltsan, which -were often loud enough to be heard outside, furnished them with no -end of material for gossip, while the fact that the medicines I gave -away at their pressing request occasionally proved of good effect -contributed greatly to my fame. I knew not of these things myself at -first, but heard of them from my host’s daughters, who frequently -called to favor me with tea and sweets, when they would inform me of -what people were saying of me. The most ridiculous of all was their -interpretation of the quarrels between Serab and myself; they made out -that these disputes originated in Serab’s objecting to my giving away, -to the poor, things sent to me as presents, instead of giving them to -_him_, or to my giving some cash to beggars! Idle tales as these were, -they seemed to find ready ears among the natives, who looked on me as -a being of a higher order. - -[Illustration: TSARANGESE VILLAGE GIRLS.] - -While treating of Tsarang, I may dwell a little on the natural beauties -of that place. Tsarang has but two seasons, namely, summer and winter, -and many are the natives that do not know even the names of the other -seasons. In summer, simple as is the contrast between the verdant -fields of luxuriant wheat, interspersed with patches of white and -pink buck-wheat, and the majestic peaks that keep guard over the -plain and look ever grand in their pure white robes of perennial snow, -the combination makes a striking picture. Throw into the picture a -buoyant army of butterflies, that flutter up and down, keeping time, -as it were, to the stirring melody of sky-larks, which is now and then -softened by the clear notes of a cuckoo, while the fields below are -resonant with the rustic melodies of joyous damsels, and the _tout -ensemble_ becomes at once as enchanting as it is archaic; and this is -the picture of Tsarang in summer, when the day is bright and warm. But -more sublimely spectacular is the view on its winter’s eve. The moment -the sun begins to descend behind the snow-covered mountains that rise -about ten miles to the west of the town, the equally snow-robed peaks -that tower above the eastern range become luminous masses of coral-red, -as the last rays of the sinking sun strike them. The ruby color -gradually changes into a golden-yellow, but that only for a moment, -and it fades away to reveal huge pillars of silver-white, shining out -majestically against the cloudless clear blue sky. The scene once more -changes as the dusk deepens, burying the peaks in faint uncertainty, -and the moon in her glory rises slowly from behind them, to spread -again an indescribable lustre of cold--if coldness has a color of its -own--over the mountain tops, which now look like a vision of celestial -seas hung in mid-air. - -But Tsarang has its horrors as well as its charms, as when a snow -storm rages. The wind is often so strong that it blows away the tilled -surface of a farm, and in time changes it into a barren field of sand, -while the snow comes down in such abundance that it drifts itself into -huge mountains here and there on the plain. The cold is, of course, -intense on such occasions and nobody dares to go out. But the scene -on a moonlight night after a blizzard is worth seeing. The sky is -filled with clouds of dusty particles of snow, moving ever onward like -phantom armies, now thickening into ominous darkness and then thinning -into vapory transparency, through which one sees struggling, the lustre -of the grey steely moon. No scene so weirdly harrowing can be seen -anywhere else. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -Fame and Temptation. - - -Since I had arrived in Tsarang early in May, 1899, nearly eight months -had sped by, and I found myself on the threshold of a New Year, whose -advent I observed with my usual ceremony of reading the Sacred Text, -and praying for the health and prosperity of my Sovereign and his -family, and the glory of Japan. The first day of the year 1900 filled -me with more than usual emotion. For was I not then thousands of miles -away from home, and was it not the second New Year’s Day which I had -spent on the heights of the Himālayas? Yet I was hale and hearty, both -in mind and body, and ready to resume my journey, the end of which the -future alone could reveal. - -In order to give vent to my feelings of gratitude, not unmixed with -hope and fear, all deeply impressive, I ended the day by entertaining -the villagers of Tsarang, having previously provided for them a full -and liberal store of such viands and delicacies as were considered to -be most rare and sumptuous. I have already described how I had been -gaining fame and popularity among the villagers, my ascetic conduct -in the midst of unbridled licentiousness causing them to respect me, -and my generosity in the matter of medicines, of which I still had a -fairly large stock with me, making me much sought after by them; and -now, through my New Year’s treat, I seemed to have reached a pinnacle -of glory. For from that time onward I gradually perceived that traps -were being set for me, so that I might be tied down to Tsarang for -life. The arch-spirit in this conspiracy was my own instructor Serab, -who insisted that I should marry the youngest of my host’s daughters, -or rather who brought all his ingenuity to bear upon assisting her -to make a captive of my heart and person. Fortunately my faith proved -stronger than temptations, and enabled me to remain true to the -teachings of the Blessed One. Had I yielded then, Tsarang would have -had to-day one more dirt-covered and grease-shining priest among its -apathetic inhabitants, and that would have been all. - -But, things having come to the pass which I have described, it became -urgent that I should make haste in discovering some secret passage -into Tibet. But it was as dangerous for me in Tsarang as it had been -in Kātmāndu to disclose my real intentions, and whatever discovery I -might make for my own purposes, I had to make it in some indirect and -roundabout way. After having once more racked my brains, I finally hit -upon the plan of working upon the weaknesses of the local people. The -Tibetan Government had began to levy customs duties even on personal -valuables. It was a most outrageous act; supposing one wanted to do -trade with the inhabitants of the north-west plain of Tibet, and to -take thither a stock of coral ornaments, or some useful knick-knacks -imported from Europe, how could one avoid being unjustly set upon and -robbed of the best part of one’s would-be profit, on first setting -foot upon Tibetan soil? Ah! there must be ways and bye-ways by -which to accomplish this, and to be absolutely safe from guards and -sentinels! Surely the plains might be reached, if one did not mind -three days of hard trudging over the trackless snow of the Himālayan -Range, to the north of the Dhavalagiri peak, and thence to Thorpo? -Having once got the villagers into the right humor, in some such way, -it was not necessarily a very hazardous job to keep on tapping them -for information. On the other side of that mountain yonder, they -would volunteer to tell me, there was a river which might be forded -at such and such a point, but which was dangerously treacherous at -others; or, that if not very cautious, one might die a victim to the -snow-leopard, while crossing over this or that mountain. All these -bits of information, and hosts of others, were carefully noted down, -and a synthetic study of these scraps finally convinced me that the -route I should choose was the one _viâ_ Thorpo; and so I decided. This -meant that I had to retrace my steps almost as far back as Tukje, or -more accurately to Malba, a village in the immediate neighborhood of -Tukje. Nor was this retreat without some advantages in itself, for -it would have only been to court suspicion and to run unnecessary -risks for me to strike off into pathless wilds in full view of the -Tsarang villagers, who were sure to come out in hordes to see me off -on my departure, not only out of respect for my person, but also -from curiosity to know whither I was bound after my lengthened stay -amongst them. The route decided upon, I could not however yet start -on my journey, because the season was then against me, the peaks and -defiles on my way being passable only during the months of June, July -and August. The mountains were not, of course, entirely free from snow -even during those three months, but for those thirteen weeks or so the -traverser would, as I was told, be secure as a rule from being frozen -to death. And therefore I bided my time. - -To go back a little in my story, there came to Tsarang one Adam -Naring, the Chief of the village of Malba, whither I had to retrace my -footsteps. That was in October, 1899. Naring owned a yak ranch on the -north-west plains of Tibet, and he was openly privileged to have free -access thereto over the “King’s highway”. It was on his way back from -one of his periodic visits thither that he stopped at Tsarang, and, as -he put up at my host’s, I was introduced to him. He had in his chapel, -as he told me then, a set of Buḍḍhist Texts which he had brought home -from Tibet, and he was very anxious that I should go with him to his -house and read them over for the benefit of himself and his family. The -invitation was as unexpected as it was opportune, and I accepted it. -That was in October, 1899, as I have just said, and if my acceptance -of Naring’s invitation had no definite motive at the time, it stood me -in good stead afterwards. In the meantime, however, Naring had gone to -India on business, and it was not till March, 1900, that I had tidings -of his return to Malba. On the 10th of that month I bade good-bye to -Tsarang and its simple inhabitants. - -My stay in Tsarang was not entirely devoid of results; for while there -I succeeded in persuading about fifteen persons to give up the use of -intoxicants, and some thirty others to abandon the habit of chewing -tobacco. These were all persons who had at one time or another received -medical treatment from me, and whom I persuaded to give pledges of -abstinence as the price they were to pay for my medicine. - -Nearly a year’s stay in Tsarang had made me acquainted practically -with its entire population, and, on my departure, all these people -favored me with farewell presents of buckwheat flour, bread, maru, -butter, fried peaches--all in various quantities--while some gave -me kata and silver coins. At three in the afternoon of that 10th of -March I left my residence on horse-back, with my volumes of Buḍḍhist -Texts and other baggage loaded on two pack-ponies. The books I have -just referred to were given to me by one Nyendak, Lama-Superior of the -principal Buḍḍhist temple of Tsarang, in exchange for my white horse, -which had proved such a faithful animal on my journey from Nepāl, and -to which the priest had taken a great fancy. The books were chiefly -in manuscript, penned by a Sakya Paṇdiṭ, and altogether were worth at -least 600 rupees. - -On reaching the outskirts of the village, I found about one hundred -persons waiting for me, and to each of these I gave the ‘double-handed -blessing’. The parting was not easy, and time sped on. It was now -five o’clock, and I left my well-wishers in tears behind me. Reaching -the village gate, by which I had come in some eleven months before, -I turned round to take a last look at Tsarang, and prayed in silence -for the safety of the villagers and their ever-increasing faith in -Buḍḍhism. Before the darkness set in I arrived at Kimiyi, and there -put up for the night. The next day’s journey brought me back to Tsuk, -a village on the Kālīgaṅgā, where I spent the evening in preaching -at the request of the inhabitants. At my departure the following -morning about twenty people came forward and asked me to give them the -‘hand-blessing,’ which they obtained with perfect willingness on my -part. My instructor, Serab Gyaltsan, had left Tsarang a little time -previous to my departure, but I had the good fortune to come upon him -at Tsuk, and to have an opportunity of thanking him for what I owed -him as a pupil of nearly a year’s standing before I bade him a most -heartfelt farewell. - -The close of the third day after leaving Tsarang brought me to the -mountain-village of Malba and to the residence of Adam Naring, who -happened, however, to be away from his home just then. But the village -Chief’s father, Sonam Norbu by name, who probably had heard of me from -his son, was there to welcome me, and I was given the freedom of the -family chapel, which consisted of two neatly furnished apartments, -the innermost of which contained a fine set of Buḍḍha images, as -well as the Tibetan edition of the Sacred Text and other volumes of -ecclesiastical writings, while the windows of the front room commanded -a charming view of a peach orchard. I may note here that the altitude -of Malba being much lower than that of Tsarang, the soil in the former -place yields two different crops in the year, wheat coming first and -then buckwheat. Adam Naring owned a fine tract of land for these -crops. Five or six hundred yards beyond his residence was the Kālīgaṅgā -river, gliding serenely along with a fresh green wall of small -pine-trees to set off its waters. Towering behind and above the emerald -grove stood a range of snow-capped peaks, the _tout ensemble_ making a -view delightful for its primitive joys and natural beauty. - -My old friend expressed his desire that I should make my stay -indefinitely long, so that he might have the benefit of my reading for -him the whole of the Sacred Texts; but I could only encourage him with -an ambiguous reply, as I had come to Malba only to wait for the time -when the snow-covered mountains should become passable. In the meantime -I spent my days in reading, and making extracts from the Sacred Texts, -and in so doing I could not help often recalling, with a deep sense of -gratitude, the six hours a day which for nearly one year I had devoted -to my study of Tibetan, under the rigid instruction of Serab Gyaltsan -at Tsarang. - -About a fortnight after my arrival in Malba I received a letter from -Rai Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās, through a trader of Tukje, with whom I had -become acquainted while in Tsarang, and to whom I had entrusted a -letter to my friend at Darjeeling, as well as others to my folks at -home, on the occasion of his going down to Calcutta on business. Along -with his letter Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās sent me a number of the Mahāboḍhi -Society’s journal, which contained an account of an unsuccessful -attempt by a Buḍḍhist of my nationality to enter Tibet, and a -well-meant note of his in pencil to the effect that I must not lose my -life by exposing myself to too much danger. So far so good; but next -something which was not so good happened. The Tukje man, my whilom -messenger, had apparently formed an opinion of his own about my -personality, and set the quiet village of Malba astir with rumors about -myself. Chanḍra Ḍās was an official of the English Government, with a -salary of 600 rupees a month, and, as such, a very rare personage among -Bengālīs; and it was with this person that I corresponded; _ergo_, the -Chinese Lama (myself) must be a British agent in disguise, with some -secret mission to execute. So went the rumor, and the public opinion -of Malba had almost come to the conclusion that it was undesirable to -permit such a suspicious stranger in the village, when Adam Naring, -who by that time had come home, sought to speak to me in secret, with -indescribable fear written on his face. Poor honest soul! What he said -to me, when by ourselves, was of course to the effect that if there -were any truth in the rumor, he and his folks would be visited with -what punishment heaven only knew. I had expected this for some time -past, and had made up my mind how to act as soon as Naring approached -me on the subject. I turned round and, looking him squarely in the -face, said: “If you promise me, under oath, that you will not divulge -for three full years to come what I may tell you, I will let you -into my secret; but if you do not care to do so, we can only let the -rumor take care of itself, and wait for the Nepāl Government to take -any steps it may deem fit to take.” I knew Adam Naring was a man of -conscience, who could be trusted with a secret: he signified his -willingness to take an oath, and I placed before him a copy of the -sacred Scripture and obtained from him the needed promise. - -Producing next my passport, given me by the Foreign Office in Japan, -which had on it an English as well as other translations of the -Japanese text, I showed it to my host, who understood just enough -English to follow out the spelling of some words in that language, and -explained to him the real object of my journey into Tibet. I did more. -I said to him that now that he possessed my secret, he was welcome to -make of it what use he liked; but that I believed him to be a true -and devoted Buḍḍhist, and that it behoved him well to assist me in my -enterprise by keeping silence, for by so acting he would be promoting -the cause of his own religion. In all this, I told my host nothing -but truth, and truth triumphed; for he believed every word I said -and approved of my adventure. Then we talked over the route I was to -take, and it was arranged at the same time that I should restart on my -journey in June or July. - -This taking of my host into my confidence seemed to have greatly -appeased his mind; withal, I did not think it right for me to tax his -hospitality by prolonging my stay at his residence, and immediately -after the above incident I moved into the temple of the village, where, -nevertheless, I remained the object of his unswerving friendship, in -that he provided for me, while there, all travelling requisites, from -wearing apparel to provisions, which altogether made luggage weighing -about seventy-five pounds. At my request he also secured for me a guide -and carrier, who was to convey my packages as far as Khambuthang, or -the ‘land of Genii,’ in the valley of Dhavalagiri, while my part of -the load was to consist only of my collection of religious works. Thus -equipped, I left Malba on June 12th, 1900. By taking the direct route, -the North-west Steppe of Tibet may be reached from Malba in ten days, -but as I was to take in my way places sacred to Buḍḍhist pilgrims, -besides making other observations, I set aside twenty-three days for -the journey, which I began by traversing trackless wilds for three -days. At my departure I made an _uta_: - - My roof will be the sky; my bed, the earth; - The grass my downy pillow soft at night; - Thus like the hovering clouds and wandering streams, - These lonely wilds alone I must traverse. - -Once on the road, I found, however, that the sentiment of this effusion -applied more to what I had come through than to what followed, for -there was for days nothing but snow for my bed and rock for my pillow. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -Tibet at Last. - - -After leaving Malba my route lay north-west, up a gradual ascent along -the banks of the river Kālīgaṅgā. We walked, however, only two and a -half miles on the day of our departure, the rain preventing our further -progress. Starting at about seven o’clock on the following morning, we -made a climb of about five miles up a narrow path, the bed of which -consisted of pointed stones and rocks of various degrees of sharpness, -and then refreshed ourselves with a light repast. On resuming our -ascent the incline became very steep and, the atmosphere growing rarer -and rarer, we could proceed no more than six miles or so before fatigue -overcame us, and at three in the afternoon we put up in a village -called Dankar, where I was obliged to stay and recuperate myself -during the whole of the next day. On the 15th we faced due north, and -five miles of a sharp ascent brought us to a glacier valley which we -crossed, and continued a climb of still steeper incline for about four -miles, after which we emerged on a somewhat wide foot-path. At 11 A. M. -we stopped for a rest. Not a drop of water was obtainable thereabouts, -but espying some herbs growing from under a light layer of snow in a -crevice of a rock, I pulled them up by the root, and, on chewing them, -found that the root tasted quite sour. With the help of this herb-root -we made a little lunch of buckwheat biscuits. - -It was all ascent in the afternoon, and a very tortuous task it -was; now picking our foot-hold from rock to rock up a craggy -precipice--Mukhala Climb, where it made my head swim to look down -into the cañon a thousand feet below--now trusting my dear life to -my staff, when caught in a sand avalanche, if I may be allowed that -expression for the places where the thaw had caused the snow and rock -to slide down, leaving bare a loose sandy surface, which gave way -under one’s foot. As for my guide-carrier, he hopped, and skipped, and -balanced, and leaped, with the agility and sureness of a monkey, his -staff playing for him the part of a boat-hook in a most skilful hand, -and, in spite of his seventy-five pounds’ burden, he was so much at -home on the difficult ascent, that he was ever and anon at my side to -help me out of dangerous plights into which I would frequently fall, -with my staff stuck fast between two rocks, or while I involuntarily -acted the _rôle_ of a ball-dancer on a loosened boulder. To add to -the misery, with each step upward the air grew rarer and my breath -shorter, making me feel a scorching sensation in the brain, while -burning thirst was fast overcoming me--a morsel of snow, now and then -taken, being utterly insufficient to quench it. Many a time I had -almost fallen into a faint, and then my chronic tormentor, rheumatism, -began to assert itself. I could go no further; I wanted to lie down -on the snow and sleep for a long rest. But as often as I wished to do -so, I had a warning from my guide that a rest then would be sure death -for me, because, as he said, the air thereabouts was charged with a -poisonous gas, and I would soon succumb to its effect; he was innocent -of the knowledge of atmospheric rarity. I knew full well the weight of -this warning, and I struggled on with what was to me at that time a -superhuman effort. By the time we had finished wading across the sharp -slope of the treacherous sand, and landed upon a rock-paved flat, even -that effort failed me; I came to a halt in spite of myself, and also -of the guide, who said that water was obtainable a little distance -below. Finding me really helpless, the man went down and fetched me -some water, which I took with a restorative drug. In a little while -I felt better, and during the rest thus obtained I liberally applied -camphor-tincture over the smarting parts of my hands, which had more or -less suffered from the rigorous exercise they had had in the use of the -mountaineering staff. In the meantime night fell and, picking our way -by the uncertain star-light and the reflexion from the snow, we made a -sharp descent of some four miles, at the bottom of which we came upon -Sanda, a hamlet of about ten cottages, in one of which we lodged for -the night. - -Sanda is a literally snow-bound little village, open to communication -from the rest of the world only during the three summer months, and -that through the precarious mountain path I had come over. I was -profoundly astonished to find any people making a permanent abode of -such a lonely secluded place, where the vegetation is so poor that the -inhabitants have no staple food but _tahu_, which is a cereal somewhat -akin to buckwheat, but much inferior in its dietetic qualities. -Nevertheless I must not omit to pay a tribute to the grandeur of the -natural scenery, the ever present snow-clad peaks, the gigantic heaps -upon heaps of rugged rocks, the serene quietude, all inspiring the mind -with awe and soul-lifting thoughts. - -My exhaustion had been so great, that I was not able to resume the -journey until the 18th, on which day we had again to wade over a -treacherous slope, which yearly claimed, as I was told, a pilgrim or -two as victims to its ‘sand avalanche’. We headed north-west, and after -passing by a grand ancient forest of fir-trees, and then descending -along the bank of a shooting mountain stream, we reached Tashithang -(dale of brilliant illumination) at about 11 A. M. In the afternoon -we proceeded in the same direction along a path which overlooked -now a dangerously abrupt precipice of great depth, then a beautiful -valley overgrown with flowering plants and stately trees, the home -of ferocious wild animals, the least pugnacious of which are the -musk-deer. We passed that night under an overhanging piece of rock. -Throughout the 19th we kept on facing north-west, proceeding through -many similar scenes of nature, which grew, however, more fascinating -in their picturesque grandeur as we came nearer to the great peak of -Dhavalagiri. We had just reached the head of a slope of the great -snow-clad mountain called Tashila, when--not only affected by the cold -atmosphere, but as the result of general exhaustion--I became so weak -that only by transferring my share of the luggage to the shoulders of -my guide-carrier, in addition to his own, was I able to proceed slowly. -I was thoroughly fatigued, but the sublime beauty of the scenery was -so inspiring that I could not help standing still, lost in extatic -admiration, and fancying that I saw in the variously shaped elevations -the forms of giant deities of the Buḍḍhist mythology, sitting in solemn -mid-air conclave. I was only aroused from my reverie by the warning -of my guide that any further delay would kill me--because of the -atmospheric conditions--and, allowing him to help me on by taking hold -of one of my hands, we thence made a descent of about ten miles, and -once more spent the night under a sheltering rock. - -On the 20th of June we began our journey with a climb up another steep -mountain, and in the valleys below I saw a species of deer, locally -called _nah_, ruminating in herds of two or three hundred. Further up -the mountain I came upon a number of wild yaks at short distances, -while on the far-off mountain sides I occasionally discerned animals -which, my guide told me, were snow-leopards, or _changku_ (mountain -dogs), both ferocious beasts that feed on their fellow-creatures, -including man. Scattered here and there on our way I frequently noticed -whitened bones of animals, most likely victims of these brutes. At some -places the thawing snow revealed the bleached remains of human beings, -probably frozen to death. The curious thing was that the skull and the -leg-bones were missing from every one of the skeletons I came across. -It was explained to me that the Tibetans manufactured certain utensils, -used for ritualistic purposes, from these portions of human bones; and -that it was their practice to appropriate them whenever they came upon -the remains of luckless wanderers! The sight and the information could -not but fill me with an extremely uncomfortable feeling, mixed with -one of profound sympathy, and many a time I prayed in silence for the -repose of the souls of the poor neglected brethren, as we went along -our way. - -In due course we arrived at a village called Thorpo, situated on the -other side of the mountain we had crossed. Another name of the village -is Tsaka, and its inhabitants are believers in Bon, the ancient -religion of Tibet. Thence we travelled on until July 1st, making an -occasional stop of one or two days for recuperating purposes. On the -way we passed through much the same sort of scenery, abounding in -picturesque views as well as in various interesting plants and animals. - -We had now come to the outer edge of the skirts of Mount Dhavalagiri. -My luggage had become considerably lessened in weight, owing to the -absence of what we had consumed on our way, and I now felt equal to -taking over the burdens on to my own back. I turned to my guide, and -told him that he could now go back, as I intended to make a lonely -pilgrimage to Khambuthang--the Sacred Peach Valley--by myself. Nothing -could have given him more astonishment than this intimation, for he -had all along been under the impression that he was to accompany me -back to Malba. He stoutly opposed my venturing on such a perilous -expedition, which nobody, he said, but a living Buḍḍha, or Boḍhisaṭṭva, -would dare to undertake. From the most ancient time, he continued, -there had been only one or two persons who had ever come out of the -valley alive, and it was absolutely certain that I should be torn to -pieces and devoured by the dreadful monsters that guarded its entrance -and exit. But I was not to be moved, and the man went back, with hot -tears of farewell, thinking no doubt that he had seen the last of me. -A solitary traveller, in one of the untrodden depths of the Himālayas, -and loaded with a dead weight of about sixty-five pounds, my progress -thenceforward was a succession of incidents and accidents of the most -dangerous nature, made doubly trying by innumerable hardships and -privations. - -On that first day of July, 1900, early in the morning, after watching -the form of my faithful guide on his return journey until he had -disappeared behind a projecting rock, I then turned round and proceeded -due north. To my joy I found the pathway not so difficult as I had -expected, owing to the entire absence of rugged rocks. Still, there -was always enough to weigh me down with anxiety, as I had to push my -way over the trackless field of deep snow, with a solitary compass -and a mountain peak as my only guides. One night I slept on the snow -under the sky, and another I passed in the hollow of a cliff; three -days’ jogging, after parting with my carrier, brought me across to the -other side of the northern peak of the Dhavalagiri. It is here that the -dominion of Nepāl ends and - - -THE FRONTIER OF TIBET BEGINS. - -As I stood on that high point, which commanded on the south the -snow-capped heads of the Dhavalagiri family, and on the north the -undulating stretch of the North-east Steppes of Tibet, interspersed -here and there with shining streams of water, which appeared to flow -out of and then disappear into the clouds, I felt as if my whole being -had turned into a fountain of welling emotions. Toward the south, -far, far away, beyond the sky-reaching Dhavalagiri, I imagined that I -saw Buḍḍhagayā, sacred to our beloved Lord Buḍḍha, where I had vowed -my vow, and prayed for protection and mercy. That reminded me of the -parting words I left behind me, when bidding adieu to my folks and -friends at home. I had then said that in three years I would be able -to enter Tibet. That was on the 26th of June, 1897, and here I was -stepping on the soil of Tibet on the 4th of July, 1900. - -[Illustration: ENTERING TIBET FROM NEPAL.] - -How could I prevent myself from being transported with mingled feelings -of joy, gratitude and hope? But I was tired and hungry. I took my -luggage from my back and gently set it on a piece of rock, after -brushing off the snow, and then, taking out my store of provisions, -made some dough out of baked flour, snow and butter. Morsel after -morsel, the mixture, with a sprinkle of powdered pepper and salt, went -down my throat with unearthly sweetness, and I fancied that the Gods in -Paradise could not feast on dishes more exquisitely palatable. I made -away with two bowlfuls of the preparation with the greatest relish; -that ended my meal for the day. - -I should observe here that I have always adhered, as I adhere now, to -the rule of one full meal a day, besides taking some dried fruits or -something of that kind for breakfast. I may also state that the bowl -of which I speak here was of a fairly large size, and two of them -constituted a full good repast, especially as the wheat produced in -cold latitudes seems to be richer in nutrition than that of warmer -countries. - -Well, I had dined grandly. The ocean of snow stretched around me -and below me, far away. I was still in an extatic mood and all was -interesting. But in which direction was I to proceed in resuming my -journey? - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -The World of Snow. - - -According to the stock of information I had gathered, I was always to -head north until I came to Lake Mānasarovara, and the point I had now -to decide was how I might make the shortest cut to that body of fresh -water. There was nothing to guide me but my compass and a survey I took -of the vast expanse of snow to a great distance before me. The best I -could do was guess-work. Following the impulses of instinct more than -anything else, except the general direction indicated by the compass, -I decided on taking a north-westerly course in making the descent. So -I restarted, with the luggage on my back. - -So far my route had lain principally on the sunny side of the mountains -and the snow, at the most, had not been more than five or six inches -deep; but from now onward I had to proceed along the reverse side, -covered over with an abundance of the crystal layers, the unguessable -thickness of which furnished me with a constant source of anxiety. In -some places my feet sank fourteen or fifteen inches in the snow, and -in others they did not go down more than seven or eight inches. This -wading in the snow was more fatiguing than I had imagined at first, and -the staff again rendered me great service; once or twice I found it a -difficult job to extricate myself, when my foot, after stamping through -the layers of snow, wedged itself tightly between two large pieces of -hard stone. This sort of trudging lasted for nearly three miles down a -gradual descent, at the end of which I emerged on a snowless beach of -loose pebbles and stones of different sizes. By that time my Tibetan -boots had become so far worn out, that at places my feet came into -direct contact with the hard gravel, which tore the skin and caused -blood to flow, leaving the crimson marks of my footsteps behind. During -the descent I felt little of my luggage, but now it began to tell on -me, as the foot-hold under me consisted of loose round pebbles, when -it was not sharp angular slabs of broken rock. Five miles onward, I -came upon a pair of ponds formed of melting snow, and respectively -about five miles and two and a half miles in circumference. Both the -ponds were thick with immense flocks of wild ducks of different sizes, -brownish or reddish in color, or spotted black on a white ground. -Otherwise the waters of the ponds were as clear as could be, and the -scenery around was picturesque in the extreme, so much so that, though -with lacerated feet and stark-stiff about my waist with rheumatic -pains, I almost forgot all that discomfort as I stood gazing around. -The prestige of the ponds, if they had any, was of little matter to -me then, but, as I happened to chance upon them all by myself, I was -destined to introduce them to the world; and I christened the larger -pond, which was rectangular in shape, ‘Ekai,’ after my own name, -and the smaller, which described nearly a perfect circle, ‘Jinkow,’ -a name which I sometimes use for myself. A little conceit you may -call it if you like, but it was only for memory’s sake that I did -these things; and when a little way down I came upon a gourd-shaped -pond, about a mile and a quarter in circumference, I gave it the name -of ‘Hisago Ike’--calabash pond. Still holding to my north-westerly -direction, after having gone some distance I saw, to the north-west of -a snow-clad mountain that rose far in front of me, two or three tents -pitched on the ground. The sight aroused in me a sense of intense -curiosity mingled with anxiety. Suppose I went to them; what would -their occupants think of a stranger, suddenly emerging upon them from -pathless wilds? Once their suspicion was roused, I might in vain -hope to allay it; what was I to do then? I espied a declivity below -me, which extended north-west in a gradual descent, far out of sight -of the tents, and I saw that unless I took it, I should either come -on those tents or have my progress barred by a succession of high -mountains. With nothing else to help me to arrive at a decision, I -then entered on what is termed ‘Danjikwan sanmai’ in Japanese-Buḍḍhist -terminology, a meditative process of making up one’s mind, when neither -logic nor accurate knowledge is present to draw upon for arriving at -a conclusion. The process is, in short, one of abnegating self and -then forming a judgment, a method which borders on divination, or an -assertion of instinctive powers. The result was that I decided to take -the route that lay toward the tents, and by nightfall I came within -hailing distance of them, when a pack of five or six ferocious-looking -dogs caught sight of me and began barking furiously. They were -formidable animals with long shaggy fur and very cruel looks. I had -before then been told that when attacked by dogs of this kind I must -not strike them, but that I should only ward them off, quietly waving -a stick in front of their muzzles, and on this occasion I religiously -followed that instruction, and found to my entire satisfaction that the -dogs did not try to snap at me. Proceeding thus, and coming outside one -of the tents, I called out to its occupants. - -[Illustration: TO A TENT OF NOMAD TIBETANS.] - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -A kind old Dame. - - -My call was responded to by an old woman who, coming out of the tent -and finding a tattered and tired wayfarer, said more to herself than -to me: “Why, it is a pilgrim, poor, poor.” Seeing no reason to suppose -that I appeared an object of suspicion to her, I ventured to inform her -that I was from the direction of Lhasa, bound for Kang Rinpoche, Mount -Kailāsa, and besought her to give me a night’s lodging in her tent, -as it was unbearably cold to sleep in the open air. My request was -cheerfully complied with and, inside the tent, the old dame expressed -her curiosity to know how I happened to be there, as the locality -was not one generally visited by pilgrims. She easily believed my -explanation to the effect that I had lost my way while heading for the -abode of Gelong Rinpoche, and then gave me a cup of tea out of a kettle -that stood boiling over the fire; accepting it with thanks, I declined -the baked flour offered immediately after. I may observe here that the -tea offered me was not brewed in the same way as we take it in Japan, -but it was more of the nature of a soup, the ingredients of which were -powdered tea-leaves, butter and salt, forbiddingly offensive in smell, -until one gets accustomed to it, when it is found to constitute a -very agreeable beverage. The Tibetan custom is to serve a guest with -a cup of this kind of tea first, and then to regale him with some -baked flour. I excused myself for declining the hospitality of my kind -hostess by informing her that I adhered strictly to the Buḍḍhist rule -of fasting hours, which piece of information produced a very favorable -impression on her as to my personality, as she seemed to respect me -all the more for it. Then, leading in the conversation that followed, -she told me that Gelong Rinpoche’s abode was at a day’s distance, -and that this Lama was the holiest of all the priests to be found -throughout the whole Jangthang (_Jangthang_, as I explained, literally -means ‘northern plain,’ but in Tibet itself the appellation is applied -to its western steppes). Continuing, the old hostess said that a visit -to the holy man always resulted in great spiritual benefit, and urged -me by all means to call on him. There was a river, she said, in my way, -the waters of which were too cold to be forded, and she offered me the -use of one of her yaks. Her son was away just then, but she expected -him back in the evening, and he could accompany me in the morning, -as she wanted him too to pay a visit to the holy man. All this was -very acceptable to me, but one thing that troubled me was the sorry -condition to which my boots had become reduced; and I asked the dame -if I could not mend them. Mending in this case meant, as I was told, -patching the worn-out places with yak’s hide, which required, however, -two days’ soaking in water before it became soft enough to be sewn. My -hostess said that they--she and her son--were to stay only one more day -in that particular spot where I had chanced upon them, and suggested -that I might make a stay of two or three days at Gelong Rinpoche’s, -so as to give myself the time to do some mending. She offered that I -should, on the morrow, put on her son’s spare pair of boots and proceed -to the holy Lama’s in them, saying that I might give them back to her -son after reaching my destination. In the night, just as I was going -to sleep, the son turned up, and more conversation ensued amongst us, -chiefly concerning the saintly man, of whom the mother and the son knew -no end of wonderful things, altogether superhuman in character. - -Early the next morning, by order of the good old dame, the son busied -himself in getting a yak ready for me. The yak is a bovine somewhat -larger than our bull, though a little lower in height. Its hide is -covered all over very thickly with long shaggy hair, and its tail -terminates in a bushy tuft. The female yak is called _bri_ in Tibetan. -Its face looks very much like that of common cattle, but it has a -pair of piercing eyes, which give you a rather uncomfortable feeling -when turned full on you, while its horns are dangerously pointed and -threateningly shaped. A better acquaintance, however, shows the animal -to be a quiet and tractable one, even much more so than our cattle. I -may yet have occasion to tell what an invaluable beast of burden the -yak is for the Tibetan. My hostess’ son brought out three yaks, one for -me to ride, another for himself, and the third to carry his presents, -consisting of dried milk, butter and other things, to the holy man. As -for the good old dame, she proved to be the very essence of kindness, -and on my parting from her she loaded me with large quantities of baked -wheat-flour, dried milk, and butter, besides a farewell cup of tea, a -treatment which is considered great hospitality in Jangthang. - -So equipped, we started on our trip in quest of the holy man of the -plain. After a ride of about two and a half miles, involving ascent and -descent of equal length towards the north-west, we were overtaken by -a hail-storm, and had to make a halt of two hours until it had blown -over. During the halt, we took down our luggage from the backs of the -yaks, so that it might not get wet, and I utilised that interval quite -profitably to myself by pumping the young man for information regarding -the routes and geography of the regions I was to go through before I -could reach my final destination. Resuming our ride, we soon came to -a river which was sixty yards wide, and easy to ford for men riding -on yaks, as we were. Crossing two more rivers of the like width, and -making an ascent of a little over six miles, we came in sight of a -large white cliff, which, as my companion informed me, was the dwelling -place of Gelong Rinpoche. Continuing the ascent and approaching nearer, -I found out that what had appeared like a huge and solid piece of rock -was really a hollow cliff forming a large cave, and that there was -another concave cliff in front of it, which was not white but greyish -in color, and was inhabited by one of Gelong Rinpoche’s disciples, -as I came to discover afterwards. It was about three o’clock in the -afternoon that we arrived at the entrance of the front cave, where -my companion asked if he could see Gelong Rinpoche, though he knew -that he was considerably behind the regular hour, setting forth the -hail incident as an excuse for his delay. The answer he received was -absolutely in the negative; so he took down the presents and entrusted -them to the disciple, to be sent up to Gelong Rinpoche as from Pasang -(his mother’s name), saying that he could not wait till the next day to -see the Lama, as he was going to strike his tent and move away there -and then. - -Left alone with the occupant of the grey cliff, I found him to be an -ordinary Lama of rather good parts. In the cave, put away in proper -places, were articles of daily use for devotional practices, bedding, -the kitchen utensils, etc. Having obtained the Lama’s permission to -make a few days’ stay, I commenced my mending work by soaking in -water a piece of yak’s hide which the kind dame Pasang had given me -on parting. On my asking for information as to how I could reach Kang -Rinpoche, the answer I got was very discouraging. It was to the effect -that two or three days’ journey, after leaving the cave, would bring me -to a region inhabited by nomads; for another two or three days I should -be in the same region, and then, for the next fifteen or sixteen days, -I should have to go through a wilderness entirely destitute of human -kind. I was very fortunate, said my host, in that I had chanced upon -that ‘kind old dame,’ who was noted for her charity; otherwise I should -have had little possibility of obtaining even lodging accommodation, -still less of securing a companion to the cliff; and it was out of -the question for me to secure anything like a guide for my onward -journey; human beings were too scarce in those parts for such a luxury. -Furthermore he assured me that I should be pounced upon by robbers as -soon as I should reach the inhabited parts, as I seemed to be loaded -with luggage worth taking. I had nothing to fear on that score, I told -my host, because all I should do would be to hand over all I had. My -host then told me that he had been to Kang Rinpoche two or three times -himself, and gave me a minute description of the route I was to take -for that destination. After a meditation exercise, in which my host -joined, we both went to sleep at about midnight. - -When I re-opened my eyes, I saw the Lama already making a fire outside -the cave. It should be remembered that I passed myself off as a pilgrim -from Lhasa, here as elsewhere, and I had to be ‘Lhasan’ in all I did. -That morning, therefore, I got up and set about reading the Sacred Text -without rinsing my mouth. How foul I felt in the mouth then! but then -it was ‘Lhasan,’ you see! When the usual tea, butter, and salt soup was -ready, my host gave me a bowlful of it, and then we breakfasted on the -regulation diet of baked flour, salt and pepper, all with uncleansed -mouths! After that, we whiled away the morning in religious talk until -eleven o’clock, when the hour for being presented to Gelong Rinpoche -had arrived. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -A holy Cave-Dweller. - - -“_Gelong lobzang gonpo la kyabs su chio._” This is, as I was told and -as I observed myself, what the followers of the dweller in the white -cave--and that included natives living within a hundred-mile radius -of the cliff--said three times, accompanied by as many bowings in -the direction of the cave, every night before going to bed, and it -means: “I take my refuge in the Gelong, named noble-minded Savior.” -This shows in what high esteem the holy man to whom I was about to be -introduced was held by the local people. There had now gathered about -twenty people in front of the grey cave, waiting to be taken to the -white one. During my stay I noticed that a similar scene took place -every morning, the visitors passing the night before in their tents, -pitched at the foot of the mountain, on the top of which the caves are -situated. Outside the hours I mentioned before, the Lama was under no -circumstance whatever to be seen. - -Shortly before noon I walked up to the white cave, together with the -waiting crowd. I found the entrance to the cave barred by a fence and -a closed gate. Soon after, a grey-haired old priest, of seventy years -of age, made his appearance, and, unlocking the gate, walked out to -where were the expectant devotees, each of whom gave an offering or -offerings, either of money or in kind, as his or her turn came to -receive _maṇi_. The _maṇi_ is a formula pronounced by the aged Lama, -who spoke the sacred words: “_Om maṇi padme hum_,” the recipient -repeating them. The _maṇi_ came after a brief sermon. Then followed the -imparting by the Lama of various instructive precepts to the audience; -but just previous to that, each person individually went up to a table, -on the other side of which sat their venerable teacher. After three -bows, they proceeded with bent body and the tongue stuck out--the mark -of profound obeisance--and, stopping in front of the table, held their -heads close to the Lama. The latter, with the palm of his right hand, -gently touched their heads by way of blessing, in acknowledgment of -their courtesy. In the case of an individual of social position, the -Lama used both hands in administering the blessing. I may explain here -the Tibetan mode of blessing. Tibetan Lamas use four kinds of blessing, -according to the rank of the person to whom it is administered. These -orders of blessing, which are at the same time those of greeting, which -they call _chakwang_ in Tibet, are first the ‘head to head blessing,’ -which consists in touching the other’s head with one’s own forehead; -second the ‘double-handed blessing;’ third, the ‘single-handed -blessing;’ both of which are self-explanatory. The fourth is resorted -to by a Lama of the highest order toward his inferiors and laymen, -and consists in touching the head of the recipient with the tufted -end of a stick, which constitutes a special article used in Buḍḍhist -ritual. This last ceremony is performed only by the Dalai Lama in -Lhasa, and Paṇchen Rinpoche in Shigatse. Gelong Rinpoche received -me with the double-handed blessing. I found in him a stoutly built, -strikingly-featured, grey-haired old man of noble bearing, who, -because of his well-preserved physique, did not at first glance look -like a person who had passed the best part of his life in religious -meditation. But closer observation of what he did and said convinced me -that he was a man of true charity, dearly loving his fellow-creatures, -and I approached him with a feeling of profound respect. The first -thing he said to me was that I was not a man to wander about in a -dreary wilderness, and he asked me what had brought me to him. The -dialogue that then followed between Gelong Rinpoche and myself was -substantially as below: - -“I am a travelling priest making a pilgrimage through different -countries in quest of Buḍḍhist truths. I have heard of your fame, and -have come to be taught one thing.” - -“What can that be, friend?” - -“You are saving the souls of the multitude, and I wish to learn the -grand secret which serves so well for your purpose.” - -“Friend, you know that well enough yourself. All Buḍḍhism is in you, -and you have nothing to learn from me.” - -“True, all Buḍḍhism is in the Self, but in ancient days Jenzai Dōji -travelled far and wide in search of fifty-three wise men, and we, the -Buḍḍhists, are all taught to derive lessons from the great hardships -then undergone by him. I am far from being a Jenzai Dōji, and yet I am -privileged to imitate him: it is thus that I have called on you.” - -“Good! I have but one means to guide me in saving souls, and the ‘Grand -Gospel of Salvation’ is that guide of mine.” - -“May I have the pleasure of seeing that Gospel?” - -“Most certainly.” The Lama here went into his cave, and, fetching out a -volume, kindly lent it to me. On asking what was the gist of the Gospel -of Salvation, I was told that it resolved itself into teaching that the -three _yānas_ (vehicles) were but one _yāna_. I then withdrew and went -back to the grey cave, taking with me the borrowed volume, and I spent -the rest of the day in reading through the Gospel, which I found to -be a compilation, resembling in its tenets the _Hoke-kyo_--the _Sūṭra -Saḍḍharma Puṇdarīka_--and in some places it even read like extracts -from the last mentioned Gospel. The next day I turned cobbler, and -mended my boots. On the morning following, I revisited Gelong Rinpoche -and returned the Gospel. In so doing, the Lama and I had quite an -argument, which, in short, was an exchange of views, based on the -Tibetan school of Buḍḍhism on the part of the Lama, and on Japanese and -Chinese schools on mine. - -On the 7th of July I made a parting call on the holy dweller of -the white cliff, when the good man presented me with considerable -quantities of baked flour, butter, and raisins, saying that without a -full and good supply of them I might die on the journey. This was all -very nice, but it increased my load by twenty pounds, an addition which -always counts a great deal to a solitary peddler, going a long distance -over difficult roads, as I was to do. Back in the grey cave, I once -more set myself to repairing my boots, but the work was new to me, and -I was more successful in sticking the needle into my finger than in -progressing with the job. The upshot was that the occupant of the cave, -taking pity on me, kindly did the greater part of the work for me. -Early on the 8th I bade good-bye to the kind-hearted disciple of Gelong -Rinpoche, and relaunched myself on my journey, with eighty-five solid -pounds on my back, which in no time began to ache under the weight. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -In helpless Plight. - - -Some hours after leaving the grey cliff I reached a river about 180 -yards wide. Before plunging into it to wade across, I took my noon-meal -of baked flour: it was then about eleven o’clock. The river was the -one of which I had been informed, and I knew it could be forded. After -the repast I took off my boots and trousers, and having also tucked -up the other portions of my dress, went down into the river. Oh! that -plunge! it nearly killed me; the water was bitingly cold, and I saw at -once that I could never survive the crossing of it. I at once turned -round and crawled up the bank, but the contact with the water had -already chilled me, and produced in me a sort of convulsion. What was -to be done? I happened to think of ointment as a remedy, as well as a -preventive, under the circumstances. I took out a bottle of clove oil -I had with me, and smeared it in abundance all over my body. What with -the sun shining and my giving myself a good rubbing all over, I felt -better. Then, equipped as before, I made a second plunge. The water was -cold, indeed cold enough to make my feet quite insensible before I had -gone half-way across, and the rest of the fording I managed simply by -the help of my two staves. The river was about hip-deep and the stream -quite rapid, and when I reached the opposite bank I found myself almost -a frigid body, stiff and numb in every part. - -The next thing to be done was, of course, to recover the circulation of -blood in the almost frozen limbs; but I discovered this to be no easy -task, for my hands were too stiff to do anything, and it took full two -hours to put myself in shape to resume the journey. As it was, when I -started out at about two o’clock, my legs were so flabby that I felt -as if they were going to drop off. And my increased luggage weighed -so heavily on my back, that I was now compelled to take it down and -devise some new way of carrying it. This I did by dividing the baggage -into two equal parts and, tying one to each end of my two staves (which -I had tied together), I slung them across my shoulder. But two rough -round sticks grinding against the untrained flesh of the shoulder, with -eighty pounds of pressure, were not much of relief for a novice at -this method of carrying burdens, and at every hundred or two hundred -yards of my progress, which was tardy enough, I had to alter my mode of -conveyance. In the two hours which followed, I made an ascent of half a -mile and then a descent of about a mile, and when I had arrived at the -bank of a river at about four o’clock, exhaustion made further progress -impossible for me for the day. - -[Illustration: A NIGHT IN THE OPEN AND A SNOW-LEOPARD.] - -Settled down for a bivouac, I set about making a fire to get tea ready. -In Tibetan wilds the only kind of fuel accessible to travellers (except -of course dead leaves of trees for kindling purposes) is the dry dung -of the yak (these animals being set loose to graze for themselves) and -the kyang, a species of native wild horse. I gathered some of these -lumps, and built them up into a sort of partially hollow cone, with a -broad base and low elevation, and then three pieces of nearly equal -size placed tripod-like around this cone completed my arrangement for -putting my tea-pot over the fire. But the fire was still to be made, -and I may say that making a fire of this description is not a very -easy performance until one acquires the knack of the thing; even a -pair of hand-bellows is of little help, especially when the fuel is -not sufficiently dry. Matches being unknown in those regions, I had -to resort to the old-fashioned method of obtaining sparks of fire by -striking a stone against a piece of iron, and it is again a matter of -art to make those sparks kindle the tinder. The tea-pot I carried with -me then was one large enough to hold a quart and a half of water. In -those high regions water boils very quickly, owing to the diminished -atmospheric pressure, and as soon as it began to boil I would throw -into it a handful of Chinese brick tea; but I had to let the mixture -stand boiling for at least two hours before I could obtain a liquor of -the right color and flavor. I should add that it is the usual practice -with Tibetans, which I followed, to put some natural soda (which is -found in Tibet) into the water when the tea is thrown in. When enough -boiling had been done, I would put in some butter and salt, and after -a little stirring all was ready to be served. It was this tedious -process that I went through on that river bank. After that, I went -about gathering all the dung I could find, and then, returning, piled -it up all over the fire to make it last the whole night--a precaution -which was necessary to keep off snow-leopards, which often prove to be -dangerous nocturnal enemies of man in these parts. - -To keep a fire burning brightly through the night was, however, to -court a still greater danger, for it might attract marauding robbers, -on the look out from far-off hill and mountain tops. Of the two -dangers, that of robbers was the worst, for whereas a snow-leopard will -_sometimes_ leave a sleeping man alone, even with no fire, robbers -will _never_ leave him alone. Under these circumstances I left my fire -smouldering, with a well-pressed layer of sandy soil over it, so that -it would last till the morning, giving me at the same time enough -warmth to keep me alive. When the moon rose that night I saw it was -nearly full. Its pale light silvered the waters of the river before me. -All was quiet, save for the occasional roars of wild animals. With all -its dreary wildness, the scenery around was not without its charms that -appealed to the soul. - - When rising slow among the mountain heights, - The moon I see in those Tibetan wilds, - My fancy views that orb as Sovereign Lord - Of that Celestial Land, my country dear, - Those islands smiling in the far-off East. - -The night was extremely cold, and I could not sleep. I sat up and -fell to meditation; and while I was wandering over the borderland, -half-awake and half-asleep, the morning came. With a start I got -up, and on going to the river’s edge I found its waters frozen. I -then stirred up the fire, and after due preparations made a hearty -breakfast. When ready to start on the day’s journey, I could not recall -the instruction given me before--whether to follow the river up its -course, which would lead up to a high peak, or to proceed down stream. -Here was a dilemma! but I felt sure of one thing, and that was that, -weak and exhausted, I could not survive the ascent of the steep peak. -By necessity, then, I proceeded down the stream, but I failed to come -upon a rock upon which, as I had been informed, I should find an image -of Buḍḍha carved. No wonder! for I took the wrong direction, as I -afterwards found out. Proceeding above five miles, I emerged upon an -extensive plain, which I judged must be seventeen or eighteen miles by -eight or nine, with the river flowing through it. - -On consulting the compass I found that, in order to proceed towards the -north-west, I should have to cross the river, a prospect particularly -unpleasant just then, as I thought of the chilling effects of the icy -waters. As I stood taking a survey of the river in an undecided frame -of mind, I noticed a bonze wading across the stream towards me. As he -landed on the bank, I hailed him, and eventually found him to be a -pilgrim from Kham, bound for Gelong Rinpoche’s cave. Then I negotiated -with him to assist me across the river, after having astonished him -with my generosity in giving him a comparatively large quantity of -dried peaches and flour, articles particularly precious for a lonely -traveller through those regions. I made him understand that I was ill -and weak, and not equal to the task of crossing the river, heavily -burdened with luggage as I was. Whatever was the effect of this piece -of information, my liberality soon won him over to my help, and, taking -all my luggage on his back and leading me by the hand, he assisted me -to ford the stream. Having landed me and my luggage safely on the other -side, and having also told me that, following the course he pointed -out, I should come to an inhabited place after two days’ journey, he -bade me good-bye and once more crossed the river. I, for my part, -started forthwith, heading in the direction prescribed for me. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -A Foretaste of distressing Experiences. - - -After parting with the Kham bonze, I had not proceeded far before I -began to feel a shortness of breath which increased in intensity as I -went along, and was followed by nausea of an acute type. I made a halt, -took down my luggage (which, by the way, had by this time produced very -painful bruises on my back) and then took a dose of _hotan_--a soothing -restorative. The result was that I brought up a good mouthful of -blood. Not being subject to heart disease, I concluded that I had been -affected by the rarity of the atmosphere. I think, as I thought then, -that our lung-capacity is only about one-half of that of the native -Tibetan. Be this as it may, I felt considerable alarm at this, my first -experience of internal hemorrhage, and thought it would be ill-advised -to continue my journey that day. I had made only eight miles, five up -and three down, over undulating land; but I was so greatly fatigued -that, without courage enough to go and search for yak-dung, I fell fast -asleep the moment I laid me down for a rest. I do not know how long -I had slept, when something pattering on my face awoke me. As soon -as I realised that I was lying under a heavy shower of large-sized -hail-stones, I tried to rise, but I could not; for my body literally -cracked and ached all over, as if I had been prostrated with a severe -attack of rheumatism. With a great effort I raised myself to a sitting -posture and endeavored to calm myself. After a while my pulse became -nearly normal and my breathing easier, and I knew that I was not yet to -die. But the general aching of the body did not abate at all, and it -was out of the question for me to resume the journey then, or to go -dung-gathering. Apparently there were some hours of night yet left, so -I went into the ‘meditation exercise,’ sitting upon a piece of sheep’s -hide and wrapped up in the _tuk-tuk_, a sort of native bed-quilt -weighing about twenty-five pounds, and made of thick sail-cloth lined -with sheep’s wool. Sleep was no more possible. As I looked up and -around, I saw the bright moon high above me, the uncertain shapes of -distant lofty peaks forming a most weird back-ground against the vast -sea of undulating plain. Alone upon one of the highest places in the -world, surrounded by mysterious uncertainty, made doubly so by the -paleness of the moonlight, both the scene and the situation would have -furnished me with enough matter for my soul’s musings, but, alas! for -my bodily pains. Yet the wild weirdness of the view was not altogether -lost on me, and I was gradually entering into the state of spiritual -conquest over bodily ailment, when I recalled the celebrated _uta_ of -that ancient divine of Japan, Daito Kokushi: - - On Shijyo Gojyo Bridge, a thoroughfare, - I sit in silence holy undisturbed, - The passing crowds of men and damsels fair, - I look upon as waving sylvan trees. - -In reply to this I composed the following: - - On grass among those lofty plains on earth, - I enter meditation deep and wide, - I choose, nor such secluded mountain-trees, - Nor passing crowds of men and damsels fair. - -I was almost in an extatic state, forgetful of all my pain, when -another _uta_ rose to my mind: - - O Mind! By Dharma’s genial light and warmth - The pain-inflicting snows are melted fast, - And flow in rushing streams that sweep away - Delusive Ego and Non-Ego both. - -Thus in meditation I sat out the night, and when the morning came I -breakfasted on some dried grapes. I felt much refreshed both in mind -and body, and made good progress on my journey that morning. - -Coming to a small clear stream, I went through the process of -fire-making and tea-preparing, and then took a meal of baked flour. -Crossing the stream and then mounting an elevation, I saw far in front -of me one white and several black tents pitched in the plain. The sight -of a white tent puzzled me a good deal. Tibetan tent-cloth is almost -always dark in color, the natives weaving the stuff with yak’s hair, -which they first take between their teeth, draw out and twist into a -yarn between their fingers, putting it on to the loom when a sufficient -quantity of coarse thread has thus been obtained. I could not solve the -mystery; but it mattered little after all to me then; I only wanted to -reach the tents as quickly as possible, and to be allowed a few days’ -rest there. I had walked about five miles, and the last mile or so -brought back on me the now chronic trouble, the pain of fatigue and -shortness of breath. When, somehow, I had managed to drag myself along -to the threshold of the largest of the tents, the welcome I received -was in the shape of five or six ferocious-looking native dogs, and it -was a right hot reception, to appreciate which I had to put all my -remaining energy into the gentle warning of my staff. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -A Beautiful Rescuer. - - -While I was engaged in the pleasant work of warding off the dogs, -a woman, apparently roused by the loud barking of the animals, put -her head out of the tent. Hers was a beautiful face, so beautiful -that I was surprised to see it in such a wilderness. For a while the -woman stood staring at me, and then, coming out of the tent, she -scolded the dogs. One word from her was enough, and the beasts all -ran away crest-fallen and with tails down, so that I could not help -smiling at them. And, smiling, I asked the beauty of the wilderness -for a night’s lodging. Her answer was that she must first obtain the -permission of “her Lama,” and, so saying, she disappeared within the -tent. At her second appearance I was admitted into the tent, and a -very hospitable man “her Lama” proved to be. It was a great relief to -me. That afternoon and evening I spent in pleasant conversation with -my host and his wife. For two days more I was allowed to recuperate -myself in their tent, and in the interval I learned a good deal about -my future route. Among other things I was told that at half a day’s -distance on horseback there was a river called Kyang-chu (wild horse -river), a large tributary of the Brahmapuṭra, which I had to cross, -but that it admitted of fording only by those well acquainted with -its shallows. The necessity which thus arose of having a qualified -companion compelled me to prolong my stay with my kind host till the -13th of July. It was on the night of the 12th that, at the invitation -of my host, the occupants of the other tents, numbering about thirty -men and women, came to his tent to hear my preaching, as they had been -told by my host that I was a holy priest. My sermon to the assembly -procured for me various offerings in kind. Among the audience was a -young girl who insisted on my accepting from her a neck ornament, -consisting of seven coral beads and a gem. I took it from her hand for -a moment, but with sincere thanks I returned it her, as I really had no -use for it. But she, with the support of her companions, insisted on my -accepting it, and I was finally persuaded to take the gem alone, which -even now I keep, valuing it as a memento of a dear little girl of the -Tibetan wilds. The next day the owner of the white tent came to my host -and gave him some raisins, dried peaches and dates, taking in exchange -sheep’s wool, butter and other local products. This man proved to be a -trader from Ladak and spoke but little Tibetan. Apparently a devoted -Buḍḍhist, he asked me a great many things about my religion, and seemed -to be highly pleased with all my replies; so much so that he begged me -to come to his tent and dine with him. So at noon I went to his tent, -where he regaled me with delicacies considered to be costly in those -parts. It was this Ladak trader who was to start on the day following, -and to be my guide in crossing the Kyang-chu. - -[Illustration: ATTACKED BY DOGS AND SAVED BY A LADY.] - -As for my host the Lama, I learned that he was really a man of the -order belonging to the new sect of Tibetan Buḍḍhism, which by the way -strictly enjoins celibacy and abstinence on all its priests, so I was -considerably perplexed at seeing him living with a wife. He called -himself Alchu Tulku, which means ‘incarnation of Alchu’--the name of -a place on the plateau. His wife was exceedingly beautiful, as I have -already hinted. But it was none of my business to pry into the matter -any further. It was enough for me that, after all my distressing -experiences, he received me with open arms, treated me with the utmost -kindness, and behaved in a manner bespeaking a large heart and deeply -charitable mind. I noticed that he owned about sixty yaks in addition -to two hundred sheep, and that he was very well circumstanced, though -he might not perhaps be called a very rich man. Besides, his charming -wife appeared to be thoroughly devoted to him, and he seemed in every -respect the master of a very happy home. What more could I wish for -them? - -But I was much surprised at a discovery which I made on coming -back to them from a visit to the white tent. When in the evening I -approached the Lama’s tent, I heard noises inside which suggested a -fearful quarrel at its height. On entering, I saw that a wonderful -metamorphosis had come over the erstwhile beauty. Her face was burning -red and undergoing the most disagreeable contortions I had ever seen, -as she went on calling her husband names and otherwise insulting him -in the vilest language imaginable. It was all about “another woman” -and also about the husband’s partiality for his own relatives. A man -of quiet disposition as the Lama was, he heroically maintained his -self-composure and silence until she dared to call him “beast,” when -he rose and feigned to beat her. He probably did so because he was -irritated at my appearance on the scene just at that juncture. But that -was a blundering move on his part, for the moment he raised his fist, -the now thoroughly maddened termagant threw herself at his feet, and, -with eyes shut, shouted, shrieked and howled, daring him to kill and -eat her! What could I do? I played the part of a peace-maker, and it -was lucky that I succeeded in the office. I got the woman to go to bed -on the one hand, and persuaded the Lama to spend the night with the -Ladak trader, to whose tent I accompanied him. And so the last night I -spent with my kind host brought me a rude awakening, which caused me to -shed tears of deep sympathy, not necessarily for Alchu Tulku only, but -for all my brethren of the Order, whose moral weakness had betrayed -them into breaking their vows of celibacy, and who in consequence were -forced to go through scenes as I have described. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -The Lighter Side of the Experiences. - - -On the 14th of July I bade adieu to Alchu Lama, and, riding on a horse -he lent to me and in the company of the Ladak trader, I resumed my -journey, now heading due north. My luggage was taken care of by my -companion, who had six men under him and some ponies. First, we went -through an undulating land where snow remained here and there, and -grasses were struggling to grow. A ride of about fourteen miles brought -us to the river Kyang-chu, whence, about fifty miles to the north-west, -I saw a great snow-covered mountain. It was in that mountain that the -river had its rise, and, following its course with my eye, I saw it -flow into and disappear in the upper part of another elevation on the -south-east. The Kyang-chu was about four hundred and fifty yards wide -at places, while it narrowed to sixty yards or so at others, where its -waters shot between walls of huge rocks. Before crossing the river we -took our noon-meal. I was now a guest of my companion, and the latter’s -men went about gathering fuel and getting things ready, while I sat -down and read the Scriptures, and I had altogether an easy time of it. -Before our parting, Alchu Lama had given me about five _go_, or about -the fiftieth part of a peck of rice. I had this cooked, and invited my -companion and all his men to partake of it. It was a grand treat; I -had not tasted rice for a long time. Rice, by the way, comes to these -regions from Nepāl, and costs about seventy sen per _sho_, or ten _go_. - -The river had a sandy bed of considerable depth, and it was judged -dangerous to make the ponies wade across it laden. All the baggage was -therefore taken from their backs, and carried across the stream piece -by piece by the men, who had stripped themselves naked. My companion -and I also divested ourselves of all our clothing, and began to cross -the icy stream. Where we forded it, the breadth must have been more -than four hundred yards. The depth of the water was from three to four -feet, and another danger was from the blocks of ice floating down from -the upper reaches, which we had to take good care to escape, for fear -of receiving serious cuts. After hard efforts we reached the opposite -shore, where, in the warm sun, I had time enough to recover myself from -the effects of the cold water while the men repacked the baggage on the -ponies. - -Once more in the saddle, we turned north-west along the river, and -after a jog of about fifteen miles we came upon a nomad station, where -seven or eight tents were visible. We were lodged in the largest tent, -the owner of which was an elderly man named Karma. The intimation -that I had come from Alchu Lama at once secured me most hospitable -treatment from Karma. In the Karma family I observed a very singular -type of married life, almost unique even in the wondrous land of Tibet, -where (as I will tell more in detail later on) nothing is more common -than three or five brothers with one communal wife. In Karma’s case -it was quite the opposite, for he was about fifty years old and had -three wives, all living. The eldest Mrs. Karma was about forty-seven -years of age, and blind; the next about thirty-five, and the third -about twenty-five. Mr. Karma had a single child by his youngest wife. -Polygamy is only very rarely practised in Tibet, though there are -instances of two or three sisters taking, or marrying, one common -husband for economy’s sake. Karma’s was the only instance I came across -in Tibet in which one man deliberately indulged in the luxury of three -wives. - -Mr. Karma asked me to read the Sacred Books for his family, and I -readily consented, for a couple of days’ rest was not disagreeable -to me. While staying with him I bought an extra pair of boots, a -precaution which I had foolishly omitted to take before, to my great -inconvenience. I also purchased a sheep, to make it a beast of burden -for me. - -On July 18th I left Karma’s, with about fifty pounds of luggage on my -back and twenty-five more on that of the sheep. I led the sheep with -a yak’s tail rope tied to its neck. The animal proved docile enough -for a couple of hundred yards, but not further. It wanted to go home, -and tried to assert its right to do so with tremendous force. For my -part, I stood on my own right, and there ensued a tug of war between -the sheep and its master, and a very lively one it was. I argued with -the animal, adducing various proofs of my determination, among which I -may mention a rather free use of one of my staves. But the sheep showed -that he had a stronger determination than mine, and I began to be -dragged backward. My severe exertions even threatened to cause me some -serious injury, and I finally gave in and allowed myself to be led back -to Karma’s, as I had a mind to find out the best way of managing the -animal. On my second call on him, Karma expressed his opinion that my -sheep was not yet broken sufficiently for travelling purposes, and that -the purchase of a better-trained one as its companion might induce the -refractory animal to obey my will. I followed the suggestion and paid -one yen twenty-five sen for an additional sheep; seventy sen would have -bought me a younger one, but I wanted a fully grown and fully broken -one, and I was obliged to stay there that night, for all his sheep had -gone to the plains. On that very evening I bought another, and tried -putting on his back one half of my share of the burden of the morning; -this one proved to be a very good companion to my first sheep, and -things went splendidly on the trial. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -The largest River of Tibet. - - -On the day I left Karma’s, about three o’clock in the afternoon I was -overtaken by a party of men, the leader of whom happened to be, as -I afterwards found, the chief of the district of Hor-tosho, through -which I was then travelling. They accosted me. I saw in the glint of -the chief’s eyes something that told me that he had half a mind to -suspect me. I perceived at once the danger I might be in, and managed -to bring the conversation round to the subject of Gelong Rinpoche. As -good luck would have it, the chief happened to be a great believer in -Gelong Rinpoche. Had I met the holy man? Yes! And more--I had been -taught to study the mysteries of Boḍhi-saṭṭva and Mahā-saṭṭva, besides -having been given many valuable presents by the saintly Teacher. All -these incidents, of which I gave full particulars, had the effect of -completely melting away the suspicion which had almost formed in the -chief’s mind. He then invited me to come to his house-tent the next day -and read the Sacred Books for him. His name was Wangdak. - -On the following day Wangdak lent me a horse and caused his men to look -after my luggage. A ride of something over ten miles brought me to the -chief’s habitation, where I found his worldly possessions quite equal -to the weighty position he held as a district chief. All went well. The -next day Wangdak caused one of his men and a horse to accompany me for -a distance of about six miles, at the end of which the servant with the -horse took leave of me, after informing me that one night’s bivouac and -some walking on a comparatively easy road would bring me to another -nomad station. - -In due time I reached this station, where I found four tents, on -approaching which I was, as usual, met by a welcome-party of dogs. I -shall say no more of the canine welcome, which is an invariable thing -on arriving at a nomad’s tent. At one day’s distance from the station -I was to come to Tamchok Khanbab, which forms the upper course of -the Brahmapuṭra, and is the greatest of Tibetan rivers, and I needed -a guide, without whom I could not think of any attempt to cross it. -Unfortunately I found no one willing to become my guide, although I -made liberal offers of money and other things of value. I was almost -on the verge of despair, when a sickly looking old woman came to me. -She said that she was very ill and begged me to examine her, and to -tell her when she would die; a pleasant request, indeed! But I took -pity on her, for I could see that hers was a case of consumption in its -advanced stage. I granted her request, to please her, and also gave -her some harmless medicine to ease her mind, besides telling her how -to take care of herself, and other things such as a good doctor would -say when he knows his patient to be in a hopeless condition, but not -likely to die immediately. The old dame was gratified beyond measure, -and wished to give me something in return, and she implored me to say -what that something should be. Here was my chance. I told her the -plight I was in, and asked her to secure, if possible, a couple of men -and some horses--say three--to take me to, and help me to cross, the -river on the morrow. Nothing could be easier; she was only too glad to -be able to oblige so holy a Lama. When the morrow came all was done -as I had requested. It is a general thing for a Tibetan pack-horse to -carry on its back its driver and thirty pounds more or less of baggage. -In my case the horses had an easier time of it, because my luggage -was distributed on three of them. We started at five o’clock in the -morning, and having covered about seventeen miles by eleven o’clock, -we arrived on the banks of the Tamchok Khanbab. Here I prepared my -noon-meal in the usual manner, and took it before crossing the river. - -This river was a mountain stream of considerable breadth, with -extensive sand-beaches on either side. The width of the beach alone -on the eastern side was about two and a half miles, and that on the -opposite side about half as much; the width of the stream itself, when -I crossed it, was not more than a little over a mile. It was at the -water’s edge that we took our meal. When all was ready for crossing, -I once more felt the necessity of anointing my body, but at the same -time I also felt the undesirability of letting my guides see what I was -doing. Under a certain pretext, therefore, I walked away from them, -and when out of their sight I quickly finished the operation. Then we -plunged into the water. The condition of the stream with its cuttingly -cold water was much the same as that of the Kyang-chu (except for the -greater width to be forded) and the water in some places was not more -than seven or eight inches deep; but the sand was so treacherous that -we often sank in it right up to our hips. In this case, as in the -other, my guides took my luggage on their backs, leaving the horses -behind, and also helped my sheep to cross. Upon _terra firma_ on the -other side, my men pointed to a gorge between two mountains rising to -the north-west, and told me that I was to go through the gorge, and -thence to Lake Mānasarovara, after traversing an uninhabited region for -fifteen or sixteen days; the road would take me to Mānasarovara first -and then to Kang Rinpoche. I thanked my guides for their trouble and -information, and gave them each a _Kata_. A kata is a small piece of -thin white silk, which Tibetans present as a compliment. It generally -accompanies a present, but is also given away by itself. The men, -after advising me to recite the Sacred Text from time to time, in -order that I might not be set upon and devoured by snow-leopards, bowed -their farewell and were gone, recrossing the river. - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - -Dangers begin in Earnest. - - -After leaving the sandy beach of the Brahmapuṭra behind, about a -quarter of a mile’s trudging brought me to the outer edge of another -expanse of undulating plain, the elevations here and there assuming -the height of hills. Following the upper course of the river to the -north-west, I saw the titanic heights of the Himālayas, rising one -above another. Here I had to pasture my sheep, and, while taking a rest -myself, I drank deep and full of the grandeur of the scenery. The sight -here obtainable of the mighty peaks covered with glittering snow from -the top to the bottom was sublime in the extreme, incomparably more so -than what one sees from Darjeeling or Nepāl. As for the Brahmapuṭra, -it looked like a shining streamer hung out from the bosom of a great -mountain, and waving down and across an immense plain, till the eyes -could follow it no more. The sight gave me an _uta_: - - The distant clouds about the snowy range - Pour forth the mighty Brahmaputra stream, - That darts into the farthest skies which meet - The far horizon of the distant lands. - The river in its pride majestic seems - The waving standard of the Buddha, named - Vairochana, all Nature’s Brilliant Lord. - -Like all the others of my production, this may not be worth the name of -_uta_. Call it a silly conceit of imagination, if you like; but when -I made these lines, I was feeling so jubilant that I could not help -giving vent to my emotion; for, conceit or no conceit, the imagination -would have been impossible to me, had I not succeeded in penetrating -into the untrodden wilderness of Tibet. - -The sheep had now finished grazing, and dividing the burden of my -luggage among the three--myself and the two sheep--I started making -easy progress onward. I found the country around full of pools of -water, varying in size all the way from a hundred yards to a mile or so -in circumference, and I gave it the name of Chi-ike-ga Hara--Plain of -a thousand Ponds. About four o’clock in the afternoon I finished the -day’s journey by encamping near a good-sized pond. I then went about -to collect the usual fuel, but found none, except the dung of the wild -horse, and I concluded that the neighborhood was never visited even by -yaks. The night was extremely cold, so much so that I could not sleep -at all, and the following is an _uta_ that occurred to me in the midst -of shivering: - - On these high plateaux here no sound is heard - Of man or beast, no crickets sing their tunes, - The moon above, and I, her friend, below. - -The following day I made about twelve miles before noon, over a country -much the same in topography. Proceeding north-west in the afternoon, I -came to the base of a huge mountain of snow, which I could not think -of crossing. For a while I went into meditation, and then wended my -way in a direction which fortunately proved to be the right one for my -purpose, as I found out afterwards. Right in the direction, but all -wrong in other respects, as what I have to tell will show. - -As I pushed onwards, I soon came upon a region which was quite the -opposite of the country I had traversed in its entire absence of -water supply; neither a pool nor a brook was to be seen within the -eye’s range. I continued my progress until about seven o’clock in the -evening--I had walked about twenty-seven miles, all told, that day--but -not a drop of water could I find, and I felt as withered up as could -be. As for my sheep, there was some green grass growing for them to -graze on. I had no tea--in fact could not have any--that evening -before I went to sleep. It is wonderful how one gets accustomed even to -hardships; I slept well that night. - -[Illustration: NEARLY DYING OF THIRST.] - -Before sunrise the next morning, on resuming my journey, I thought -I espied a stream of water coursing through a sandy country at a -distance which I judged to be about seven miles in the direction of -my progress. Not having had a drop of water, or anything whatever in -liquid form, since the afternoon of the previous day, I was of course -thirsty; but now I had prospect at least of obtaining some quenching -draught, and allaying the thirst with a pinch of _hotan_, now and -then, I made good headway. On reaching the supposed river, what was -my disappointment and dismay! Instead of a stream of water, I found -there the dry bed of a river, strewn with white pebbles glittering in -the sun! Then I could not help imagining myself to be a mere shadow, -wandering in mad quest of a soothing draught in the hot region of the -nether world, where all water turned into fire when brought to the -mouth. Once more I stood me unto my full length, and looked round for -water; but none could be seen, nothing but some blades of grass growing -here and there to the height of about five or six inches. I could do -nothing but endure the thirst, and wend my way on in the direction I -had chosen--north-west. After proceeding for some distance, I once more -thought that I perceived a body of water in the midst of another desert -of sand, but on coming to the spot the glittering specks of sand once -more disillusioned me only to intensify my thirst. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - -Overtaken by a Sand-Storm. - - -The tormenting thirst which I experienced after my second -disappointment simply beggars description. To say that I felt as if -my entire internal system were becoming parched is only to put it -mildly. But, however excruciating the torture might be, there was no -help for it after all but to move on in the hope of finding some water; -even the hope itself was now almost deserting me. I really felt that -I should die of thirst if I should fail to get some moisture during -the rest of the day, and were to pass another night waterless. I had -been constantly taking some _hotan_; but even that cooling fragrance -seemed to increase the distressing dryness. Thank heaven! about eleven -o’clock I came within sight of a declivity, and somehow I felt sure -that I should find some water at its bottom. Buḍḍha be praised! I was -right: there was some water. But alas! such water! To take the luggage -off my back, get out a wooden bowl, and run down into the hollow was -the work of an instant. But when I fetched out a bowlful of the water, -lo and behold! it was vermilion red, thick and (what was worse) alive -with myriads of little creatures! In short, it was a stagnant pool of -water, which for all I knew might have been becoming putrid for years. -Imagine how I then felt! I was dying with thirst, but the very look -of the water was forbidding. Then my religious scruples disallowed -my swallowing any water with living things in it. It was not long, -however, before I remembered a teaching of the Blessed Buḍḍha, in -which the Lord telleth that when water which is to be drunk contains -living things, it should be strained through a piece of woven stuff. I -went through the process; but the water remained red. There were no -more moving things in it, however, and I took a good long draught of -the vermilion liquid. That quenching draught, how delicious it was! I -imagine God’s nectar could not be sweeter. But a second bowlful--no, I -could not take it. In the usual manner, then, I built a fire and went -about boiling the filtered water. It was well-nigh twelve o’clock, -however, before the kettle began to boil, and it being against my rule, -as already told, to take any meal after noon, I prepared baked flour -with the red lukewarm water. And the lunch I then took was one of the -most enjoyable I ever had in Tibet. - -[Illustration: A SAND-STORM.] - -I had proceeded over the sandy desert for about two and a half miles, -after that memorable lunch, and it was now past three o’clock in the -afternoon, when a terrific sand-storm arose. A sand-storm is something -which one can never experience, or form any idea of, in Japan. As -strong gust after gust of wind arose, the loose sand actually surged -into big billows, tossing, dashing, tumbling, and sweeping, like the -angry waves of the mighty ocean. The wind burrowed deep into the ground -here and built high hills of sand there, filling the air with blinding -particles, which rested in heaps on the luggage, penetrated down the -neck, and made impossible any progress forward, while to stand still -was to risk being buried alive. Not knowing what else to do, I kept -moving just to shake off the sand, and to avoid being inhumed, while -reciting in silence some passages of the Holy Text. - -Fortunately the storm lasted for only about an hour, and it subsided -with the same suddenness with which it arose. Then I resumed my -advance, and by about five o’clock I reached a place grown over with -creeping grass, and low thorny bush, the leaves of which were not green -but dark to almost blackness, owing probably to the cold climate. There -I bivouacked for the night, and I had an abundance of fuel with which -to make a fire, and afterwards thoroughly enjoyed my sleep, as I had -not done for many a night. - -The next morning, after traversing the bush-land, I came to the foot -of a mountain which I had to climb. When half way up the slope I saw -a mountain stream flowing across my road, and it presented a rather -curious sight. For the river, at a very short distance, broadened into -a lake, and almost described a right angle when flowing out of this -and into another basin. Afterwards I ascertained the name of this -river to be Chema-yungdung-gi-chu, and that its waters flowed into the -Brahmapuṭra. I shuddered at the thought of having once more to cross an -icy mountain stream, but there was no help. - -It was only nine o’clock in the morning when I reached the -Chema-yungdung-gi-chu, and I found ice quite thick still along its -banks. I waited till the ice began to melt, and I finished the -noon-meal before making a plunge into the water, not forgetting of -course the anointing process. My intention was to make my sheep carry -their shares of the luggage across the river; but to this proposal they -strenuously objected, probably knowing instinctively the depth of the -water. In the end I gave in, relieved the animals of their burden, and, -leaving the luggage behind, I led them into the water by their ropes. -I tucked up my clothes high, but the water proved to be much deeper -than I had judged; it came up to my shoulders, and all the clothing -I had on became wet through. The sheep proved good swimmers, and we -managed to get to the other side without any accident; of course they -might have been washed down and drowned, but for the assistance I gave -them by means of the ropes. Once on the bank, I tied one end of the -ropes to a large boulder, and after taking off all my clothing to get -dry I, stark naked, made a second plunge and returned for my luggage. -The second crossing was comparatively easy. After a rest of about -half an hour, and a thorough anointing for the second time, I made -all my baggage into one bundle to be balanced on my head. With that -acrobatic equipment, I entered the stream for a third time. All went -well, until, in mid-stream, I lost my foothold, treading on a slippery -stone in the bottom, and, what with the weight of the luggage on my -head, and more or less exhaustion after the repeated wadings, I fell -down into the water, while the bundle slid off my head. I had no time -even to bring my staff into service; all I could do was to take firm -hold of my luggage, and try to swim with one hand; for I was being fast -carried down into deep waters. The thought then occurred to me that, if -I tried to save my luggage, I might lose my life. But a second thought -made it plain to me that to lose my luggage would mean surer death, -because my route lay for ten days, at least, over an uninhabited tract -of wilderness, and thus it was wiser to cling to it while life lasted. -And cling to my luggage I did, but I was rapidly losing the power of -moving my free swimming arm, and, in only one hundred yards down the -swift stream, I should be washed into one of the lakes, whence I might -never be able to get to dry land. I should have said that the river, -at the point where I was crossing it, was a hundred and eighty yards -wide, more or less. I had now had quite a course of ice and water--all -involuntarily certainly--and a feeling of numbness was quickly coming -over me. I began to think that it might be just as well to be drowned -then as to die of starvation afterwards. In fact, I had spoken my -last desire: “O ye! All the Buḍḍhas of the ten quarters, as well as -the highest Teacher of this world, Buḍḍha Shākyamuni! I am not able -to accomplish my desires and to return the kindness of my parents, -friends, followers and specially the favors of all the Buḍḍhas, in -this life; but I desire that I be born again, in order to requite the -favors which I have already received from all.” At that moment, with a -thrill, I felt that the end of one of my staves had touched something -hard. In an instant courage returned to me, and on trying to stand up I -found that the water was only up to my breast. I was at that time about -forty yards from the bank I had started for. Feeble as I was, with -recovered strength I finally managed to reach the “shore of salvation”. -As for the luggage, heavy with the soaking water, it was impossible for -me to rebalance it on my head, and I pulled it along after me in the -water; but when I at last got upon the bank, it taxed all my remaining -energy to drag it out after me. Arrived on the bank, I found that I had -been carried more than two hundred and fifty yards down the stream from -the point whence I started to cross it, and I saw my sheep leisurely -grazing, perfectly unconscious of their master’s sad plight. I had no -strength, then, even to crawl up to where my sheep were. My fingers -were stiff and immovable, and I rubbed the regions over my heart and -lungs with closed fists. After an hour’s exercise of this kind, I more -or less recovered the circulation of blood in my limbs, and I was just -able partially to undo my baggage and to take out hotan--hotan, my -life-saving hotan, which Mrs. Ichibei Watanabe of Osaka gave me, when -bidding me farewell. A dose of hotan sent me into a fit of convulsions, -which lasted for nearly three hours. It was now past five o’clock, and -the sun was going down. The convulsions had almost left me. I then made -two bundles of my luggage, and in two crawling trips I carried them to -where I had left my sheep grazing. It was then that I thought of an -ancient method of torture, called _Oi-ishi_, which consisted in making -a suspect carry on his back an extremely heavy load--so rackingly heavy -I then felt to be the weight of my divided luggage. That evening I had -neither courage nor energy to make any fire, and I passed the night -wrapped up in my half-wet _tuk-tuk_. The luggage having been done up -in hides and skins, the water had not penetrated much into it, and I -was thus able to go to sleep dressed, and protected in partially dry -apparel. - -[Illustration: STRUGGLE IN THE RIVER.] - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - -22,650 Feet above Sea-level. - - -The sun shone out brightly the next morning, and I dried my clothing -and the collection I then had of the sacred Scriptures. The latter I -still have in my possession, and every time I take them out, I cannot -help wondering how my life was spared when those things got wet. By one -o’clock in the afternoon I was ready to proceed, although I had not -half recovered from the effect of my experience of the day before, and -my things were far from being dry. Consequently even my own share of -the luggage proved heavier than before, while circumstances compelled -me to relieve my sheep of a part of theirs. To make things worse, I -had managed to get a painful cut on one of my feet during my last -effort to cross the Chema-yungdung-gi-chu, and altogether it was an -inauspicious start which I made on that afternoon. After all, however, -a step forward meant a step nearer to my destination, and with that -philosophical reasoning I dragged myself onward. In that way I had -proceeded for about five miles, when, to increase my difficulties, snow -began to fall thick and fast. When I had arrived near a small pond and -stopped to bivouac for the night, fire and tea were entirely out of the -question, for the elements were now engaged in a fearful strife--the -dazzling lightning, the deafening thunder, the shrieking wind and the -blinding blizzard were at war all at once. That which I had managed to -dry tolerably the day before became thoroughly wet again, and the whole -of the following morning was spent in repeating the process of the -preceding morning. No fire was obtainable even then, and consequently -no tea; so I allayed my hunger with some raisins before resuming my -journey shortly after noon. And little I dreamt of the danger that was -in store for me that afternoon and the day following. - -I was still heading for the north-west, and in order to adhere to that -course I must now climb a snow-clad peak towering into the sky; I saw -no way of avoiding the task, and encouraged by an uncertain hope--still -a hope--of emerging upon or near Kang Rinpoche, or in the neighborhood -of Mount Kailāsa, I began the ascent of that great hill, which I -afterward ascertained to be a peak called Kon Gyu-i Kangri, that rises -twenty-two thousand six hundred and fifty feet above sea-level. By -five o’clock in the afternoon I had made an ascent of about ten miles, -and then it began to snow and to blow a gale. I thought it dangerous -to continue my ascent under these conditions, and turning first north -and then east, I essayed to make a rapid descent. The sun had now gone -down, and snow was falling faster than ever. But I had not yet found -a shelter and so continued my descent, having made up my mind to go -on until I found a hospitable shelving cliff, or some such haven. It -was, however, nothing but snow, snow, everywhere and all around--and -presently there were twelve inches on the ground. By and by my sheep -refused to proceed further, whether owing to hunger or not I could not -tell, though it was plain that they had not fed the whole afternoon, -because of the snow. At first I succeeded in getting them to move on -a little as the result of some physical reasoning, but presently even -that process of pleading failed. But the prospect of being frozen to -death prevented me from yielding to their not unreasonable obstinacy, -and putting all my strength into the ropes I dragged them onward. The -poor animals reluctantly obeyed me and walked on for about a hundred -yards, at the end of which, however, they came to a dead stop and began -to breathe heavily. Thereupon I felt no little alarm, thinking that -the animals might die that night. But what could I do? I knew that I -was many a days’ journey at least from the nearest human habitation. A -few more miles either way would not make much difference: so let fate -decide. Once in that frame of mind, I took out my night-coverings and -wrapped myself up and, protecting my head with a water-proof coat, I -sat myself down between my two sheep, with the determination to pass -the night in religious meditation. - -[Illustration: MEDITATING IN FACE OF DEATH.] - -My poor sheep! They crept close to me and lay there in the snow, -emitting occasionally their gentle cry, which I thought had never -sounded sadder. Nor had I ever felt so lonely as I did then. Wrapped up -in the clumsy manner that I have described, I still managed to smear -over my body the clove-oil, which seemed to prevent to some extent the -radiation of the heat of the body, and I began to feel considerably -warmer than I had been before. For all that, the cold increased -in intensity after midnight, and I began to feel that my power of -sensation was gradually deserting me. I seemed to be in a trance, and -vaguely thought that that must be the feeling of a man on the point of -death. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - -I survive a Sleep in the Snow. - - -I was now wandering in a dream-land, if I may so describe the mental -condition of a man half-way on the road of being frozen to death. -Regret, resignation, and the hope of re-birth took turns in my mind, -and then all became a blank. During that blankness I no doubt looked -exactly like a dead person. Suddenly I awoke, fancying that somebody, -something, was stirring about me or near me. I opened my eyes, and saw -the two sheep shaking themselves; they were shaking snow off their -bodies. That was strange, I dreamily thought. I saw the sheep finish -shaking off the snow, and I wanted to shake it off too. But I could -not. I was rigid all over. Mechanically I next endeavored to recover -the use of my limbs. Presently I became more myself mentally, and I saw -the skies still presenting a dismal and threatening appearance, the -immense patches of black, black cloud still fleeing or pursuing, and -the sun struggling to force his life-giving rays between the intervals -of the hurrying vapors. On taking out my watch I found that it was -then half past ten--of what morning I could not tell. Had I slept only -one night, or two in the snow? The question was more than I could just -then solve. Nor did I feel that there was any necessity for its instant -solution. My immediate desire was for nourishment, and I took some -baked flour, helping it down with snow. I gave some also to my sheep, -which, by that time, had learnt to feed themselves on flour when green -grass was lacking. - -I felt that the condition of my health was not equal to the task of -making a second attempt to climb over the Kon Gyu-i Kangri, and I -continued the descent when I resumed my journey, with the intention of -taking a long rest at the foot of the mountain. After going down more -than five miles I came to another mountain stream, and at the same time -down again came the snow. I almost trembled at a prospect of spending -another perilous night in the snow. Just at that juncture I heard some -clear, ringing sounds, as of a bird’s cry. Turning round, I saw seven -or eight cranes stalking along majestically in the shallow part of -the river. Never before had I seen a sight so poetically picturesque, -so representative of antique serenity. Some little time afterwards I -composed an _uta_ in memory of that enchanting scene: - - Like feathers white the snows fall down and lie - There on the mountain-river’s sandy banks; - Ko-kow, Ko-kow! sounds strange--a melody - I hear--I search around for this strange cry. - In quiet majesty those mountain cranes - I find, are proudly strutting--singing thus. - -The river was about one hundred and twenty yards wide, and crossing -it, I still proceeded down the incline. I had now come to the bottom -of a valley, and I saw at a distance what I took for a herd of yaks. -But I had before been deceived quite often by exposed boulders and -rocks which I had taken for yaks, and I was doubtful of my vision on -that occasion. But presently I saw the dark objects moving about, -and I was sure that they were yaks. The discovery, wholly unexpected -as it was, was delightful, for their presence implied that of some -fellow-creatures in the neighborhood. Coming up to the spot, I found -that the herd consisted of about sixty yaks, attended by some herdsmen. -On my questioning the men, they informed me that they had arrived at -the spot the evening before, and that a little further on I should come -upon a little camp of four tents. Towards these I forthwith directed my -steps. - -My arrival in front of one of the tents was, as usual, hailed by a -pack of barking dogs. I begged the occupants of the first tent for a -night’s lodging, but met with a flat refusal. Probably my appearance -was against me: I had not shaved for two months, and my unkempt hair -and beard no doubt made me look wild, while under-feeding and general -exhaustion cannot have improved my features. Still I pleaded for -charity, but in vain. Dejectedly I moved to a second tent, but there -too I received no better treatment. In fact the treatment was worse: -for my urgent pleading, with a detailed account of my sufferings -during the previous eight days or so, only seemed to make the master -of the tent turn colder, even to the extent of finally charging me -with an intention to rob him. That was enough. I turned away, and a -great sadness came over me as I stood in the snow. My sheep bleated -pitifully, and I felt like crying myself. A third tent stood near, but -I could not muster courage enough to repeat my request there. The sight -of my sheep was melancholy in the extreme, and with an effort I made -an appeal at the fourth and last tent. To my great joy, I met a ready -welcome. I was utterly tired out, but a quiet rest near a comfortable -fire made me imagine the joys of paradise, and this I was allowed to -enjoy all that evening and through the next day. During that stay I -occupied my time in writing down the twenty-six desires which I had -formulated, with the hope of their accomplishment proving helpful to -the spiritual need of others as well as myself. - -At five o’clock on the second morning I thanked my host for his -hospitality and left him. I now proceeded due north and, after trudging -over snow for nearly ten miles, I came out upon a more or less -grass-covered plain. By noon I had arrived near a pond, and there took -my midday meal. A survey from that point showed me that I had to cross -a sandy desert, which appeared to be larger in extent than the one I -had traversed after crossing the Chema Yungdung. The thought of another -sand-storm gave me new energy, born of fear, and I made no halt until -I had walked quite out of the desert. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - -‘Bon’ and ‘Kyang.’ - - -I walked about five miles over the sand and then reached a piece of -grass-land. Beyond this I came to a plain of stones of curious shapes, -in the centre of which a solitary mountain rose to a considerable -height. I subsequently learned that the mountain was the sacred abode -of the deities of the Bon religion. Bonism is an ancient religion of -Tibet, which commanded considerable influence before the introduction -of Buḍḍhism into that country. It has still some adherents, but it -continues to exist only for its name’s sake. Originally Bonism very -much resembled Hinḍuism; but now, in theory, it is almost Buḍḍhism. -This similarity is explained in this way. When it was superseded by -Buḍḍhism, a certain Bon priest recast his religion after the pattern -of Buḍḍhism, and called the revised product the New Bonism. Without -attempting to give any special particulars of its doctrines, I may say -that the New Bonism, when shorn of its sacrifices, its toleration of -marriage and of the use of intoxicants, is only Buḍḍhism under another -name. The Bon deities have no shrines or temples dedicated to them, and -are believed to inhabit some particular mountain, or snowy peak, or -pond, or lake. And it was upon one of these divine abodes that I had -chanced, but lacking at the time all knowledge of Bonism, my attention -was soon diverted by coming in sight of a couple of _kyangs_. - -[Illustration: A LUDICROUS RACE.] - -As I have already said, kyang is the name given by the Tibetans to the -wild horse of their northern steppes. More accurately it is a species -of ass, quite as large in size as a large Japanese horse. In color it -is reddish brown, with black hair on the ridge of the back and black -mane and with the belly white. To all appearance it is an ordinary -horse, except for its tufted tail. It is a powerful animal, and is -extraordinarily fleet. It is never seen singly, but always in twos or -threes, if not in a herd of sixty or seventy. Its scientific name is -_Equus hemionis_, but it is for the most part called by its Tibetan -name, which is usually spelt _kyang_ in English. It has a curious habit -of turning round and round, when it comes within seeing distance of -a man. Even a mile and a quarter away, it will commence this turning -round at every short stage of its approach, and after each turn it -will stop for a while, to look at the man over its own back, like a -fox. Ultimately it comes up quite close. When quite near it will look -scared, and at the slightest thing will wheel round and dash away, but -only to stop and look back. When one thinks that it has run far away, -it will be found that it has circled back quite near, to take, as it -were, a silent survey of the stranger from behind. Altogether it is an -animal of very queer habits. - -But to come back to my story: my two sheep, apparently frightened by -the approach of the rotating horses, made a dash for freedom with -such suddenness and simultaneity that I lost my hold of the two -ropes; I then proceeded to run a race with them, in a frantic effort -to recapture them. And a ludicrous race it was, in which I finally -fell panting and giddy. While it lasted the horses seemed thoroughly -to enjoy it, and getting into the spirit of the thing they galloped -with me, but only to chase my sheep further away from me. When I lay -prostrate, the sheep stopped running and began quietly to graze. -The horses also stopped, and appeared quite astonished at the whole -performance. I then perceived my blunder. On rising, I quietly walked -up to my sheep, and without a movement they allowed me to regain their -ropes. - -All is well that ends well. But on that occasion one thing was not -quite satisfactory, for I soon discovered that one of my sheep had lost -a part of my luggage from its back, no doubt during that memorable -race. I then set out to hunt after the lost bundle; but it was all -useless, for we had not run the race over any regular course, and -it was impossible to follow our footsteps. One may as well look for -a parcel lost in the sea, as try to hunt up a small bundle, lying -hidden under grass and leaves, somewhere in an immense plain. Besides, -I argued with myself thus: the missing bundle contained some fifty -rupees in cash, my watch and compass, and an assortment of western -trinkets; it would have been better not to lose the money, certainly, -but it was, after all, a small portion of what I had with me, and I -could do well without it. It was hard to part with the watch and the -compass, and the trinkets would have been of service in making friends -with the simple natives; but, looked at from another point of view, -the possession of these things might arouse the suspicion of the more -intelligent Tibetans, and it was most likely that the Lord Buḍḍha, in -His wisdom and mercy, had caused me to be rid of them. Arriving at this -conclusion, I gave up my search in a spirit of meek resignation. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. - -The Power of Buddhism. - - -I had now walked about six miles to the north-west after the singular -proceedings which I described in the last chapter, and I emerged upon -a well-trodden road, which on consulting my store of information I was -able to identify as the path that, deviating from the Tibetan national -high-way, led to lake Mānasarovara. The discovery was as unexpected -as it was pleasing, for I was now within a pilgrim-frequented zone. A -few more steps, indeed, brought me in sight of a dark tent, standing -on the banks of a large river, named Gaṅgā by the Tibetans, where -my appeal for a night’s lodging was cheerfully granted. I found the -occupants of the tent to consist of three men and two women, the men -being brothers, one of the women the wife of the eldest brother, and -the other a daughter of another of the brothers. My first inclination -on being received into the tent was to feel easy in mind, for I had -been told that parties comprising women, even in Tibetan wilds, seldom -commit murder. But when I was informed that these people were from Dam -Gya-sho, I thought I was rather hasty in feeling so secure, for that -country, like the neighboring one of Kham, is noted for its production -of professional robbers and murderers. I had heard before that they -had even such a saying in that country as: “No murder, no food; no -pilgrimage, no absolution. On! onward on your pilgrimage, killing men -and visiting temples, killing men and visiting temples!” Even women of -that country, I had been told, think no more of committing homicide -than of killing a sheep. These reflexions did not bring much cheer to -my heart; but what could I do, since I was now in their hands? I could -only bide my time. Fortunately, they did not butcher me that night. - -Early on August 3rd, that is to say, on the morning of the following -day, I proceeded in a north-westerly direction along the great stream, -with my newly-made companions, for such had the occupants of the tent -become, as they were heading for the same temporary destination as -myself. This river, I ascertained, had its rise in one of the snowy -peaks that I saw to the south-east, and emptied its waters into -Lake Mānasarovara. I judged it to be about two hundred and fifty -yards wide and fairly deep. Following the stream for about three and -three-quarters miles and then making an ascent, we came to a clear, -bubbling spring, which went by the name of Chumik Gaṅgā or the source -of the Gaṅgā, and we drank deep of the sacred water. Then we continued -our climb, now facing north, and arrived at another spring, which was -welling up in a most picturesque way from under an immense slab of -white marble. The natives call it Chumik thong-ga Rangchung, or the -fountain of joy, and it really made one’s heart glad to look at the -crystal-like water gushing up in all its purity. Both these springs are -regarded by the Hinḍūs, as by the Tibetans, as forming the sources of -the sacred Gaṅgā, and are both looked up to with religious reverence. - -After leaving the springs, we proceeded north-west again, and came -once more to the river Gaṅgā, which we forded at the point where it -was at its broadest in that vicinity, and passed the night on its -banks. We had travelled only about nine miles that day. From the place -of our bivouac I saw to the north-west a great snow-clad mountain: it -was the Kang Rinpoche of Tibet, the Mount Kailāsa of the Hinḍū. Its -ancient name was Kang Tise. As far as my knowledge goes, it is the -most ideal of the snow-peaks of all the Himālayas. It inspired me with -the profoundest feelings of pure reverence, and I looked up to it as -a ‘natural maṇdala,’ the mansion of a Buḍḍha and Boḍhisaṭṭvas. Filled -with soul-stirring thoughts and fancies I addressed myself to this -sacred pillar of nature, confessed my sins, and performed to it the -obeisance of one hundred and eight bows. I also took out the manuscript -of my ‘twenty-six desires,’ and pledged their accomplishment to the -Buḍḍha. I then considered myself the luckiest of men, to have thus been -enabled to worship such a holy emblem of Buḍḍha’s power, and to vow -such vows in its sacred presence, and I mused: - - Whate’er my sufferings here and dangers dire, - Whate’er befalls me on my onward march, - All, all, I feel, is for the common good - For others treading on Salvation’s path. - -The sight of my performance of these devotional practices must have -been a matter of wonder and mystery to my companions. They had been -watching me like gaping and astonished children, and were all intensely -curious to know why I had bowed so many times, and read out such -strange Chinese sentences. I was glad to explain to them the general -meaning of my conduct and they seemed to be deeply struck with its -significance. They said that they had never known that the Chinese -Lamas were men of such Boḍhisaṭṭvic mind! The upshot was that they -asked me to preach to them that night, a request to which I was very -glad to accede. The preaching which followed, which I purposely made as -simple and as appealing to the heart as possible, seemed to affect them -profoundly, and to make the best possible impression on them; so much -so that they even shed tears of joy. The preaching over, they said in -all sincerity that they were glad of my companionship, and even offered -to regard me as their guest during the two months which they intended -to spend in pilgrimage to and round the Kang Rinpoche. They thought -that their pilgrimage over such holy ground, while serving such a holy -man as I now was to them, would absolve them completely from their -sins. Imagine the state of my mind then! These were of the people who -took other men’s lives with the same equanimity with which they cut -their vegetables; yet, touched now by the light of Buḍḍhism, their -minds had softened. I blessed the power of Buḍḍhism more than ever, and -could not hold back my tears as my companions shed theirs. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI. - -Sacred Manasarovara and its Legends. - - -It was now August 4th. After proceeding about ten miles over an -undulating range of mountains we came in sight of Man-ri, a peak -of perpetual snow, which has an altitude of 25,600 feet above the -sea-level. The view of Man-ri, rising majestically high above -the surrounding mountains (themselves of great elevation) was -sublimely grand. While standing absorbed in the severe magnificence -of the scenery, I was treated to another experience, which was as -soul-stirring as any earthly phenomenon could be. A magical change in -the weather was heralded by a sudden flash of lightning, followed by -another, yet another and another, new accompanied by rolling thunder. -Heavy pelting hail-stones then joined in the war of elements, which -literally shook the mighty mountains to their very foundations, and -filled the air with the utmost confusion of terrific noises and lurid -tongues of fire. Standing almost alone upon a great height, I saw -black clouds with fearful suddenness envelope the world of vision in -frightful darkness, made doubly dark by the contrasts produced by -the momentary glare of pale, penetrating lightning, which, in the -same instant, revealed the glittering snow on the grand peaks of the -Himālayas, and the deepest chasms, thousands of fathoms below! - -The awe-inspiring scene lasted for about an hour, and then, with -equally wondrous suddenness, the sky became blue and the sun shone -forth, serene and calm, with not a whisper of wind to remind one of the -mighty commotions of the moment before. We did but little walking after -this wonderful sight, and, coming to the edge of a marsh-like pond, -we pitched our tent there for the night. I was now the guest of my -companions, and I was not sorry that I had nothing to do with gathering -the yak dung, or fetching water, and building the fire. I was given the -seat of honor in the tent, and nothing was exacted of me but to sit -down like a good priest, read the Sacred Text and then preach in the -evening. - -On the 6th of August we had to go up a great slope of extremely sharp -inclination, and I was offered a ride on one of my companions’ yaks, an -offer which I readily accepted with entire satisfaction. Furthermore, -all my share of the luggage, as well as part of the burdens of my -sheep, was transferred to the back of one of my fellow-pilgrims, and -both myself and my original companions had altogether an easy time of -it, as was the case through the weeks that followed. - -[Illustration: LAKE MANASAROVARA.] - -About thirteen miles onwards a view opened before us which I shall -never forget, so exquisitely grand was the scenery. In short, we were -now in the presence of the sacred Lake Mānasarovara. A huge octagon in -shape, with marvellously symmetrical indentations, Lake Mānasarovara, -with its clear placid waters, and the mighty Mount Kailāsa guarding -its north-western corner, form a picture which is at once unique and -sublime, and well worthy of its dignified surroundings--calm, dustless -and rugged. Mount Kailāsa itself towers so majestically above the -peaks around, that I fancied I saw in it the image of our mighty Lord -Buḍḍha, calmly addressing His five hundred disciples. Verily, verily, -it was a natural maṇdala. The hunger and thirst, the perils of dashing -stream and freezing blizzard, the pain of writhing under heavy burdens, -the anxiety of wandering over trackless wilds, the exhaustion and the -lacerations, all the troubles and sufferings I had just come through, -seemed like dust, which was washed away and purified by the spiritual -waters of the lake; and thus I attained to the spiritual plane of -Non-Ego, together with this scenery showing Its-own-Reality. - -Lake Mānasarovara is generally recognised as the highest body of fresh -water in the world, its elevation above the sea-level being something -over fifteen thousand five hundred feet. In Tibetan it is called -Mapham Yum-tso. It is the Anavaṭapṭa of Samskṛṭ (the lake without -heat or trouble) and in it centre many of the Buḍḍhistic legends. It -is this Anavaṭapṭa which forms the subject of the famous poetical -passage in the _Gospel of Kegon_, named in Japanese and in Samskṛṭ -_Ārya-Buḍḍha-Araṭan-saka-nāma Mahāvaipulya-Sūṭra_. The passage gives -the name of South Zenbu to a certain continent of the world. _Zenbu_ is -a deflection of _jamb_, a phonetic translation of the sound produced -by anything of weight falling into placid water. Now the legend has it -that in the centre of the Anavaṭapṭa is a tree which bears fruits that -are omnipotent in healing all human ills, and are consequently much -sought after both by Gods and men. When one of these fruits falls into -the pond it produces the sound _jamb_. Further, it is said that the -lake has four outlets for its waters, which are respectively called -Mabcha Khanbab (flowing out of a peacock’s mouth), Langchen Khanbab -(flowing out of a bull’s mouth), Tamchok Khanbab (flowing out of a -horse’s mouth), and Senge Khanbab (flowing out of a lion’s mouth), -which respectively form the sources of the four sacred rivers of India. -It is from these notions that the sacredness of the Anavaṭapṭa is -evolved, the name of Zenbu derived, and the religious relations between -Tibet and India established. As regards these four rivers, the legend -says: “The sands of silver are in the south river; the sands of gold -are in the west river; the sands of diamond are in the north river, and -the sands of emerald are in the east river.” These rivers are further -said each to circle seven times round the lake and then to take the -several directions indicated. It is said also that giant lotus flowers -bloom in the lake, the size of which is as large as those of the -paradise of the Buḍḍha Amitābha, and the Buḍḍha and Boḍhisaṭṭvas are -seen there sitting on those flowers, while in the surrounding mountains -are found the ‘hundred herbs,’ and also the birds of paradise singing -their celestial melodies. In short, Anavaṭapṭa is described to be the -only real paradise on earth, with a living Buḍḍha and five hundred -saints inhabiting Mount Kailāsa on its north-west, and five hundred -immortals making their home on Man-ri, that rises on its southern -shore, all enjoying eternal beatitude. - -Reading that magnificent description, I believe that anybody would -desire to see the spot; but the things mentioned in the Scriptures -cannot be seen with our mortal eyes. The real thing is the region in -its wonderfully inspiring character, and an unutterably holy elevation -is to be felt there. On that night the brilliant moon was shining in -the sky and was reflected on the lake, and Mount Kailāsa appeared dimly -on the opposite bank. These impelled me to compose an _uta_: - - Among these mountains high here sleeps the lake - Serene--“Devoid of seething cares”--so named - By native bards; its broad expanse appears - Like the octagonal mirror of Japan. - The grand Kailas’ majestic capped with snow, - The Moon o’erhanging from the skies above, - Bestow their grateful shadows on the lake. - Its watery brilliant sheen illumines me; - All pangs of pain and sorrow washed away. - With these my mind besoothed now wanders far - E’en to Akashi in Japan, my home, - A seashore known for moonlight splendors fair. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII. - -Bartering in Tibet. - - -The origin of the four rivers is given in the story just as I have -related it; but in reality there is not one of them that actually flows -directly out of the Lake. They have their sources in the mountains -which surround it, and the stories about the so-called ‘Horse’s’ and -‘Lion’s’ mouths are only legends, incapable of verification. The -head-waters of the Langchen Khanbab flow in a westerly direction; -those of the Mabcha Khanbab to the south; the sources of the Senge -Khanbab may be ascertained with tolerable accuracy; but those of the -Tamchok Khanbab have hitherto defied investigation. In India, the -river that flows from the Lake in an easterly direction is known as -the Brahmapuṭra, while the one that issues towards the south is the -Gaṅgā. The Sutlej flows away to the west, and the Siṭā, or Inḍus, -towards the north. It is, of course, possible that actual surveys of -Lake Mānasarovara have been made by European travellers, but in all -the maps that I have seen it is represented as being far smaller than -it actually is. It is, in truth, a very large body of fresh water, and -has a circumference of some eighty _ri_, or about two hundred miles. -The shape of the lake also, as it appears in the maps, is misleading. -It is in reality a fairly regular octagon with various indentations, -very much resembling a lotus-flower in shape. All the western maps, as -far as I know, give the student an idea of the Lake which is in many -respects misleading. - -I arrived that night at a Buḍḍhist Temple known as Tse-ko-lo, on the -shores of Lake Mānasarovara, and in the evening heard from my host, -the superior of the Temple, a story which surprised me greatly. This -Lama, I should say, was a man of about fifty-five years of age; he was -extremely ignorant, but did not seem to be a man who would lie for the -mere pleasure of lying. He was very anxious to hear about the state of -Buḍḍhism in China (the reader will remember that I was supposed to be -a Chinese, Lama) and the readiness with which I answered his questions -warmed his heart and encouraged him to treat me to the following story. -He did not know, he said, how it might be with the priests in China, -but for himself he could not help feeling at times thoroughly disgusted -with his brethren in Tibet. In the immediate vicinity, for instance, -an ordinary priest might, he said, indulge himself in all manner of -excesses with impunity, and without attracting much attention, and -from time to time cases would arise of extreme depravity in a Lama. -For instance, there was the case of Alchu Tulku, a Lama supposed to -be an incarnation of Alchu, who had at one time been in charge of a -well-known temple in the vicinity of Lake Mānasarovara. This Lama -became so infatuated with a beautiful woman whom he took to himself -as his wife that he was betrayed into transferring the greater part -of the temple property as a gift to her father; and not content with -that crime he afterwards absconded from the temple, taking with him his -wife, and everything that he could carry away that was left of value in -the temple. He had heard rumors that this recreant priest was living -openly with his wife at Hor-tosho, and he asked me if I had not heard -anything about him when I was passing through the place. - -The reader will be able to appreciate my astonishment when I tell him -that this absconding, dishonest priest was none other than he who had -induced the belle of the place to treat me with so much kindness! Truly -men are not always what they seem to be. - -I did not conceal my astonishment from my host, but related to him all -the circumstances that had brought me within the reach of their kind -hospitalities, but he only smiled at what I told him. - -“Ah! to be sure,” he said, “that’s just like the man; gentle and -lovable in outward demeanor, but at heart an arch-sinner, a very devil -incarnate, destroyer of the faith.” - -It was a sad revelation to me. I had had every reason to be grateful -to the man and his wife for their hospitalities and I could have wept -to think that hypocrites of so black a dye should be found amongst the -followers of Buḍḍha. It was at least a comfort to think that things in -Japan were brighter than this. - -The next morning I took a walk along the Lake, lost in admiration of -the magnificent mountain scenery that surrounded me on all sides, and -presently came across some Hinḍūs and Nepālese, apparently Brāhmaṇa -devotees, who had plunged into the Lake--it was about ten o’clock--and -were engaged in the performance of their religious ceremonies. To the -followers of the Hinḍū religion, Lake Mānasarovara is a sacred sheet -of water, and they worship Mount Kailāsa, which rises sky-high above -the lake, as being a material manifestation of the sacred Body of -Mahā-Shiva, one of the deities of the Indian Trinity. When they saw me, -they considered me to be a holy Buḍḍhist Lama, and pressed me to accept -from them presents consisting of many kinds of dried fruits. - -I spent the next night at the same temple, and on the following morning -made my way to the range of mountains that stands like a great wall -to the north-west of the Lake. A zigzag climb of ten miles or so -brought me within view of Lake Lakgal-tso, in Tibetan, or, as it is -more commonly called, Rakas-tal. It is in shape something like a long -calabash, and in area smaller than Mānasarovara. Another seven and a -half miles brought me to a spot whence I could see the whole of its -surface, and here I made a further discovery. A mountain, some two and -a half miles round at the base, stands like a wall of partition between -the two lakes, and where this mountain slopes into a ravine it looks, -for all the world, as though there were a channel of communication for -the water from one lake to the other. I found, however, that there -was actually no such channel, but I discovered that the level of Lake -Lakgal is higher than that of Mānasarovara, and I was subsequently told -that, on rare occasions, every ten or fifteen years, after phenomenally -heavy rains, the waters of the two lakes do actually become connected, -and that at such times Lake Lakgal flows into Mānasarovara. Hence -arises the Tibetan legend that every fifteen years or so Lakgal, the -bridegroom, goes to visit Mānasarovara, the bride. This will account -for the statements of the guide-books to Kang Tise and Mount Kailāsa -that the relations between the two lakes are those of husband and wife. - -Keeping Lake Lakgal in view, I now proceeded easily down hill for some -thirteen miles or so, until I arrived at a plain through which I found -a large river flowing. The river was over sixty feet wide, and was -known as the Mabcha Khanbab, one of the tributary sources of the Gaṅgā. -It is this river that, further south, flows through the city of Purang -on the borders of India and Tibet, and then, after winding through many -a defile and cañon of the Himālayas, eventually joins the main stream -of the Gaṅgā flowing from Haldahal. Modern Hinḍūs revere the Haldahal -branch as being the main stream of their sacred River, but in ancient -times it was mostly this Mabcha Khanbab that was considered to be the -principal source. - -On the banks of this river we pitched our tent for the night. In the -neighborhood I found four or five similar encampments, occupied by -traders from Purang. Great numbers of nomads and pilgrims come to this -place in July and August of every year, and at these times, a very -brisk trade takes place which presents many curious and interesting -features. - -Tibet is still in the barter stage, and very little money is used -in trade. The people from the interior bring butter, marsh-salt, -wool, sheep, goats, and yaks’ tails, which they exchange for corn, -cotton, sugar and cloth, which are imported from India by Nepālese -and Tibetans, living in the region of perennial snow on the Indian -frontier. But sometimes, especially in selling wool and butter, they -will take money, generally Indian currency, the reckoning of which -is a great mystery to them. Ignorant of arithmetic and possessing no -abacus to count with, they have to do all their reckoning with the -beads of a rosary. In order to add five and two, they count first five -and then two beads on the string, and then count the whole number thus -produced to make sure that the total is really seven. It is a very -tedious process, but they are incapable of anything better. They cannot -do calculations without their beads, and they seem to be too dense to -grasp the simplest sum in arithmetic. Thus business is always slow: -when it comes to larger deals, involving several kinds of goods and -varying prices, it is almost distractingly complicated. - -For such calculations they arm themselves with all sorts of aids, -black pebbles, white pebbles, bamboo sticks, and white shells. Each -white pebble represents a unit of one; when they have counted ten of -these they take them away, and substitute a black pebble, which means -ten. Ten black pebbles are equivalent to one bamboo stick, ten bamboo -sticks to one shell, ten shells to the Tibetan silver coin. But there -is no multiplication or division; everything is done by the extremely -slow process of adding one at a time, so that it will take a Tibetan -three days to do what a Japanese could do in half an hour. This is no -exaggeration. I stayed on the banks of this river for three whole -days and watched the traders doing their business, and I saw the whole -painful tediousness of the transaction. - -These three days were memorable for another reason. The pilgrims who -had come with me became such warm admirers of my supposed virtues and -sang my praises with so much fervor that a pilgrim girl fell in love -with me. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII. - -A Himalayan Romance. - - -I was still in the company of the party of pilgrims I have already -referred to. It appeared that some of the party had come to form a -rather high opinion of me as a person of reverend qualities. Among -them was a young damsel who, it was not difficult to perceive, had -conceived a passion for me. The moment the thought dawned on me, I said -to myself: “It may be; it is nothing uncommon, rather is it quite usual -for women to cherish vain thoughts. She must have heard her elders -talking well of me, and have taken a fancy to me.” I at once set about -raising a barrier between us, which was none other than the teaching -of our common Buḍḍhism. When occasion allowed, I explained to her all -about the vows with which all true priests bind themselves and why they -do so. I depicted to her the horrors of hell that sinners create for -themselves even in this world, and which follow them into eternity as -the price they pay for momentary pleasures. These things I taught, not -only to the girl but to the whole party. For all that, I could not help -pitying the little innocent thing. A maiden of nineteen, with few or no -restraints on her romantic fancies, she must have thought it a grand -thing to be able to go back to her folk with a bride-groom of whom all -spoke so well. She was not beautiful, and yet not ugly: a comely little -thing was she. But I, though not old, had had my own experiences in -these matters in my younger days, and I was able to conquer temptations. - -[Illustration: RELIGION _v._ LOVE.] - -Here I may stop to observe that the country through which we were -travelling is called Ngari in Tibetan and Āri in Chinese. The region is -an extensive one, and includes Ladak and Khunu. - -Purang, of which mention has been made more than once, is its central -mart and enjoys great prosperity, though located rather to the -south. Purang also forms a mid-Himālayan post of great religious -importance as a sacred spot for Buḍḍhist pilgrims. The town boasts, or -rather boasted, of its possession of three Buḍḍhist images of great -renown--those of the Boḍhisaṭṭva Mahāsaṭṭvas Manjushrī, Avalokiteshvara -and Vajrapāni. According to tradition these were brought thither from -Ceylon in olden times. Unfortunately about six months prior to my -arrival in Ngari a big fire broke out and destroyed two of these idols, -the image of Manjushrī alone being saved. Much as I wished to visit -Purang, I was apprehensive of many dangers to my impersonation if I -went thither, as the Tibetan Government maintains there a challenge -gate. My companions went there, however, leaving me behind, and I -spent the days of their absence in religious meditation. Joining them -again on their return, I continued my travels westwards, coming out in -due time to the north of Lake Lakgal. We next took our way along the -lake towards the north-west. Facing west and looking over the lake, -I saw islands spread out on its surface like the legs of a _gotoku_, -or tripod. So I gave them the name of Gotoku jimu, or Tripod islands. -Several days afterwards we arrived at a barter port called Gya-nima; it -was the 17th of August, 1900. - -At Gya-nima barter is carried on only for two months in the year, that -is to say from the 15th of July to the 15th of September. The traders -chiefly come from the Indian part of the Himālaya mountains and meet -their Tibetan customers there. I was just in good time to see brisk -transactions going on. I saw no less than one hundred and fifty white -tents covering the otherwise barren wilderness, and some five or six -hundred people rushing about to sell and buy in their own fashion. - -The Tibetan articles offered for sale here were wool, butter, yaks’ -tails, and the like, while the purchases consisted of about the same -category of goods as I gave when speaking of the Mabcha Khanbab mart. -I stayed over night and spent the whole of the next day at the fair, -making a few small purchases. On the day following we went back to -Gya-karko, another barter port. Gya-nima was the most north-western -point I reached in my Tibetan journey. So far as reaching my -destination was concerned, I had hitherto been proceeding in an exactly -opposite direction to it, steadily going north-west instead of towards -Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. But from that point--Gya-nima--onwards, -each step I walked brought me nearer to the main road into Tibet, as -also to its capital. In Gya-karko I stayed for three or four days. -Here there were about one hundred and fifty tents, trade being carried -on even more vigorously than at Gya-nima. Gya-karko is a trading port -for people coming from the north-west plains of Tibet on the one hand -and the Hinḍūs inhabiting the Indian Himālayas on the other, who are -allowed by the Tibetan Government to come as far as this place. - -Here I saw many merchants from the towns and villages of the Himālayas. -Among them was one from Milum, who spoke English. This man invited me -to dinner on the quiet, so to say. I accepted his invitation, but the -moment I had entered his tent I at once saw that he took me for an -English emissary. When left to ourselves he immediately addressed me -thus: “As I live under the government of your country, I shall never -make myself inconvenient to you. In return I wish you would do what -you can to help my business when you go back to India.” I thought that -these were very strange words to speak to me. On interrogating him, -I found out that he had conjectured that I was engaged in exploring -Tibet at the behest of the British Government. When I told him that I -was a Chinaman, he said: “If you are Chinese, you can no doubt speak -Chinese?” I answered him boldly in the affirmative. Then he brought in -a man who claimed to understand Chinese. I was not a little embarrassed -at this turn of affairs, but as I had had a similar experience with -Gya Lama in Nepāl it took me no time to recover sufficient equanimity -to answer him, and I felt much re-assured when I found that he could -not speak Chinese so well as I had anticipated. Then I wrote a number -of Chinese characters and wanted him to say if he knew them. The -man looked at me and seemed to say: “There you have me.” Finally he -broke into laughter and said: “I give up; let us talk in Tibetan.” -Then my host was greatly astonished and said: “Then you are indeed a -Chinaman! What can be better? China is a vast country. My father, who -is now living in my native country, was once in China. If there is -any business to be done with China I wish you would kindly put me on -the track;” and he gave me his address written in English. His manner -showed that he was in earnest, and that he was a man to be trusted. So -seeing that this man was going back to India, I thought it would be a -good idea to ask him to take with him my letters and deliver them for -me in India. It would have been imprudent for me to write things in -detail, but I scribbled just a few lines to my friend and teacher, Rai -Saraṭ Chanḍra Dās, informing him that I had penetrated the interior of -Tibet as far as Gya-karko, besides asking him to post some letters for -Japan which I enclosed, addressed to Mr. Hige Tokujuso and Ito Ichiso -of Sakai. A few coins put into the hand of the Milum man secured a -ready response to my request. The man proved the honest fellow I took -him for; for after my return to Japan I found that my letters had been -duly received by both Mr. Hige and Mr. Ito. - -To return to my romance. We were still staying at Gya-karko, and I -was much embarrassed to find that little Dawa--for that was my little -maiden’s name--had by no means given up her affection for me. Dawa, I -may perhaps mention here, though I shall have occasion to refer to the -matter at greater length in another chapter, is a Tibetan name meaning -moon, given to persons born on a Monday; those born on a Friday being -named Pasang, and those on a Sunday, Nyima. - -Well, my little Dawa proved herself to be an adept in the art of -love-making. It is wonderful how a little spark of passion, when once -kindled, burns up and fashions daring schemes and alluring pictures. -The maiden was always at my side, and spoke only of the good things she -would make mine, if I would only accompany her to her native country. -She said her mother was a lady of an exceedingly kind heart; that -her father owned about one hundred and sixty yaks and four hundred -sheep; that therefore her family was very rich and their life one -perpetual _chachang pemma_ or round of pleasures. She added that she -was their only daughter, and that she had not yet come across a man to -her heart, save one. I may perhaps explain that chachang pemma means -drinking tea and intoxicants alternately, and that in Tibet one is -considered to have attained the highest pinnacle of happiness when -he is able to indulge in a perpetual symposium--drinking, in turns, -tea with butter in it and then a spirit brewed from wheat. Only rich -persons can enjoy the luxury: but the mass of Tibetans consider this to -be the main object of life. Consequently chachang pemma is generally -used in the sense of earthly beatitude. By the way, the method of -manufacturing the butter-tea is very curious: butter, boiled juice of -tea and salt are first thrown together into a nearly cylindrical tub of -three feet in height; then a piston, if I may so call it, with a disc -large enough to fit the cask exactly, is worked up and down, to obtain -a thorough mixing of the ingredients. This pump-like action of the -piston is carried on by sheer force of hands and arms, and, as may be -imagined, requires a large amount of strength. The motion of the piston -transforms the mixture into a new beverage which the Tibetans call -_solcha_. It is said that these people can tell whether the solcha, or -butter-tea, will prove good or bad by listening to the sound produced -by the piston as it works up and down. - -But to return to my story: Dawa never tired of telling me that her -family was prosperous; that even Lamas were allowed to marry in her -country; that it was really an excellent thing for every Lama to live -happily with a wife in this world; that it would be wise for me to do -so, and so on. Seeing that all her words were only wasted on me, she -seemed to imply that I was an incorrigible fool. Wiles of temptation -now came thick and fast upon me: but in such moments I happily -remembered the triumph of our Lord Shākyamuni at Buḍḍhagayā. The wise -One was about to attain to the state of Absolute Perfection. The king -of all that is evil was very much afraid of this, and sent his three -daughters to tempt him. The women tried all manner of allurements to -secure the fall of the Enlightened One, but in vain. When all had -failed the daughters of the King of Devils sang thus: - - How like a tender graceful flower am I, - With all the lovely fragrance of my mouth, - And its melodious music soft and sweet! - Am I not mistress of all mirth and joys? - Even Heav’nly bliss is naught to him who lives - In amorous dalliance, dearly loved, with me. - If thou rejectest me, there’s none so dull - And stupid in the world compared with thee. - -So sang the Sirens, but even they were powerless to conquer the Lord. -My Dawa could not of course approach the charms of the arch-devil’s -daughters, but her plaintive pleadings were there. And I--a common -mortal struggling on, but far from the gate of emancipation--I could -not but pity the poor little creature, though I strengthened myself by -saying: “Let it be so--a fool let me be.” I composed an _uta_ then: - - You call me stupid; that am I, I grant; - But yet in love-affairs being wiser grown, - ’Tis safe for me to be more stupid still. - -It is true that women never let their mouths be the doors to their -mind; but they know a language unspoken, which is far more telling, -appealing and enticing, than that which mere sound and articulation -can convey. And my Dawa had never yet said in so many words what she -yearned to say. It happened, however, that Dawa’s father and brothers -were out shopping one day, and that the girl and I remained alone -in the tent. She thought probably that she could not get a better -opportunity for her purposes and she tried to make the most of it. -Just then I was mending my boots, and she almost frightened me with -her boldness. I am neither a block of wood, nor a piece of stone, -and I should have been supernatural if I had not felt the power of -temptation. But to yield to such a folly would be against my own -profession. Moreover I remembered with awe the omnipresence of our -Lord Buḍḍha, and was thus enabled to keep my heart under control. I -said to the maiden: “I have no doubt that all is excellent at your -home; but do you know whether your mother is still living or dead?” -The question was unexpected and almost stunned her, put as it was at -a moment when she had allowed her mind to wander so far away from -her dear mother. She was just able to say: “I do not know whether my -mother is living or dead. I have been on a pilgrimage with my father -for one year and perhaps more. My mother is a weak woman, and I parted -with her in tears, asking her to take the best care of herself, so -that she might be preserved. I do not know how she is faring now.” -Here was my chance--a chance of diverting the girl’s attention from -me. “H’m! you don’t know that?” said I; “only now you were telling me -of the bliss of your home, and yet you don’t know how your mother is -faring now?” Poor little maiden, her mind became disturbed. I almost -scolded her, pleaded with her, warned her. She, who claimed to be a -good daughter, to be so intent in the pursuit after ephemeral pleasures -as to let her thoughts wander away from her dear, good mother; could -it be possible? This somewhat highly colored statement of mine seemed -to cool down her passion and change it into fear and apprehension. Nor -was it extraordinary that she should have become so affected. For in -Tibet nothing is supposed to be too great for the Lama; he possesses -superhuman powers and can work miracles. Instead of an object of love, -I had now become an awe-inspiring Lama to my little Dawa. As such, I -counselled her with a good deal of earnestness, and finally succeeded -in subduing her passion and conquering the temptation. - -We prolonged our stay at Gya-karko for several days more, and on the -26th of August I started again with the pilgrims. As we travelled on in -a north-easterly direction we came to a marshy plain interspersed with -pools of water. Farther on the marsh became deeper. I tried to probe -its depth with my stick, but the solid bottom was beyond my reach. -Knowing then that the marsh could not be forded, we retraced our steps -for about three miles and proceeded thence due east. Further on we -found that the waters flowing out of the marsh formed themselves into -three streams. We waded across them, and about ten miles further on -the marsh came to an end and we found ourselves among mountains, and -encamped for the night. Here there were many merchants on their way -to Gya-nima and Gya-karko, and many were the tents they had pitched -all round. While there I went on a begging tour amongst the tent -occupants--a practice which I put into execution whenever possible, in -pursuance of the Buḍḍha’s teaching. A day’s round, besides, generally -earned me enough to carry me through the next day. I may add that the -evening, whether after a day of journeying or of begging, I used to -spend in preaching among my travelling companions. I had my own reasons -for being painstaking in these preachings. I knew that religious -talks always softened the hearts of my companions, and this was very -necessary, as I might otherwise have been killed by them. I do not mean -to say that my life was in any immediate danger then, for there were -numbers of people always about, and besides, the region we were going -through was a country sacred to Buḍḍhism, and, once within the holy -zone, even the most wicked would not dare to commit either robbery or -murder. But it was necessary for me to take precautions in anticipation -of dangers that might befall me as soon as I should be out of this -sacred region. Such were the reasons why I did so much preaching, and -fortunately my sermons were well received by my companions. - -On the 28th of August we travelled about twenty miles over an -undulating country. Throughout that distance we could not get a -drop of water, and I had nothing to drink except a cup of tea which -I took in the morning just before starting. We were of course all -terribly thirsty; yet to me the suffering was not half so great as -that I had felt during the former distressing experiences already -narrated. Towards the evening we came upon the upper course of the -Langchen Khanbab. This is the river called Sutlej in English. It is -the head-water of a river which flows westward into India, and, after -meeting with the Sitā, forms the great Indus that empties itself into -the Arabian Sea. My companions volunteered to tell me that this river -started from Lake Mānasarovara. When I pointed out to them that the -Lake Mānasarovara was surrounded by mountains on all sides and had no -outlet, they replied: “True, but the river has its source in a spring -to be found under a great rock, east of the monastery named Chugo -Gonpa (the monastery of the source of the river), in a gorge on the -north-western side of Mount Kailāsa. That spring is fed by the waters -of Lake Mānasarovara that travel thither underground. Hence it may -be said with equal truth that the river flows out of the lake.” This -was indeed an ingenious way of accounting for the popular belief. But -judging from the position of the river, it seemed to me that it must -take its origin on a higher level than that of Lake Mānasarovara and -I was not (nor am I now) ready to admit the correctness of the native -contention. On arriving at the bank of the river we pitched our tents -as usual and passed the night. On the following day, we visited a -sacred place of great fame in that neighborhood, called Reta-puri in -Tibetan pronunciation, but originally in Samskṛṭ Preṭapurī. Having -left our baggage, tents and other things with two men to take care of -them, I went on the journey thither with Dawa, her father and another -woman, four of us in all. As we proceeded westwards along the Langchen -Khanbab, we saw large boulders of rock making a walled avenue for a -distance of about 400 yards. Out of the rock region, we came upon a -river flowing down from the north to the Langchen Khanbab. There were -two others running parallel and at a short distance from one another. -They are called Tokpo Rabsum, which in Tibetan means three friendly -streams. We forded one of them and went up a hill for about a hundred -and twenty yards, when an extensive plain lay spread before our view. -I noticed that the plain was thickly covered with low bush-growths of -some thorny family, and the sight reminded me of our tea-plantations of -Uji. About a mile and a quarter further on we came to another stream, -the name of which is identical with that of the one we had already -crossed. Both these rivers were loin-deep and exceedingly cold, with -small ice-blocks floating in them. In fording the river I was much -benumbed, and on reaching the opposite banks I found that I had almost -lost my power of locomotion. So I told my companions to go on while I -rested a few minutes, and applied burning moxa to my benumbed limbs -in order to recover their use. Off they went, after telling me that -nothing could go wrong with me if I would only take the road in the -direction they pointed out to me. Tibetans are strong and healthy, -and extremely swift-footed into the bargain. I was no match for them -in this respect, especially with half-frozen feet and that was why I -told them not to wait for me. The smouldering moxa had its effect on -my legs. I felt then more alive, and after an hour’s rest I proceeded -westwards for five miles to a place where the plain came to an end. -Thence I walked down stream along a river until the temple for which -I was heading rose into view. The sight was a grand one, with its -maṇi-steps of stone which looked, at a distance, like a long train of -railway cars. Nor was this the only place where the maṇi steps could be -found. Many of them are to be seen in the Himālayas. I should add that -in that mighty range of sky-reaching mountains there lives a species -of strange birds, whose note is exactly like the whistle of a railway -engine. The maṇi-steps looking like a train before me made me think of -the whistle of those birds, and I felt as if I had arrived once more in -a civilised country! - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX. - -On the Road to Nature’s Grand Mandala. - - -Apart from these fancies, I really felt as if I had entered a civilised -region, for beyond I espied a main building and priests’ quarters, and -also what looked like a stone tower. - -The whole sight was really impressive. The presence of stone buildings -especially attracted my attention, for stones are very rare and costly -on a Tibetan steppe. - -The place was the town just mentioned, called Reta-puri (town of -hungry devils), a name which Paldan Aṭīsha gave to the place when he -arrived here from India on the work of evangelisation. The name is not -inapplicable to the Tibetans. - -The Tibetans may indeed be regarded as devils that live on dung, being -the most filthy race of all the people I have ever seen or heard of. - -They must have presented a similarly filthy appearance at the time -of the visit of Aṭīsha, who therefore gave to the place the not -inappropriate title of Preṭa-purī. The Tibetans, thanks to their -ignorance of Samskṛṭ, are rather proud of the name, being under the -belief that it has some holy meaning. After Aṭīsha had founded a -temple, several high Lamas resided in this place, and a Lama called -Gyalwa Gottsang Pa, of the Dugpa sect, founded a most imposing -Lamaserai, which stands to this day. - -It is, as I said, a very magnificent establishment, containing four or -five priests’ residential quarters, in one of which I passed a night. - -My companion took leave of me after having completed his visit to the -holy places. I took a frugal lunch in my lodging and then, under the -guidance of one of the priests of the temple, sallied out to visit -all the holy objects on the premises. The main building was of stone -and measured about eight yards by ten. It was of one storey, and was -in this unlike most other Tibetan Lamaserais, which are generally -two or three storied. The most sacred relics in the temple were the -images of Shākyamuni and Lobon Rinpoche (Padma Chungne), founder of -the Old Sect of Tibet. To this Lobon are attached many strange legends -and traditions, such as would startle even the most degenerate of -Japanese priests; but I cannot here relate all those revolting stories. -I already knew the strange history of the founder of this Tibetan -sect, and so, when I noticed the two images worshipped side by side, -a sensation of nausea came over me. It was really blasphemy against -Buḍḍha, for Lobon was in practice a devil in the disguise of a priest, -and behaved as if he had been born for the very purpose of corrupting -and preventing the spread of the holy doctrines of Buḍḍha. - -A curtain was hanging in front of the high altar, and one _tanka_, -about sixpence, was the fee for the privilege of looking at the relic -behind it. I paid the fee and found that the relic was nothing else -than the image engraved on stone of that abominable Lobon. Tradition -says that Lobon’s image was naturally inscribed on the rock when he -came here and stood before it, and this fantastic story is fully -believed in by the simple-minded folk of Tibet. They would not dare -to look straight at the image, for fear that their eyes might become -blind. I had no such superstition to deter me, and so I gazed with -careful scrutiny at the engraved image, and convinced myself that some -crafty priests must have drawn on a piece of rock a picture of some -priest and that the picture must have been afterwards tricked out with -suitable pigments. The engraving too was a clumsy piece of workmanship -destitute of any merit whatever, and without even the slightest -technical charm, such as might persuade the credulous to regard the -image as a natural impression on a rock. - -I felt sorry for the sake of the Tibetan religion that such wicked -impositions should be suffered to prevail, though the Tibetan priests -may on their part reply that Japan is not much better in this respect -than Tibet, and that such frauds are not unknown in Japan. - -Of whatever impious deeds the Lamas may be guilty, the whole -neighborhood was such as to inspire one with chaste thoughts and holy -ideas. This seems to be widely accepted in Tibet, for the Tibetans have -a saying to this effect: “Not to visit Reta-puri is not to visit the -snow-capped Kang Rinpoche; not to go around Lake Kholgyal is not to -perform the sacred circuit around Lake Mapham-yumtso.” - -This saying means that the visit to Kang Rinpoche only completes -one-half of the holy journey unless Reta-puri is visited at the same -time, and that the visit to Lake Mapham-yumtso (Mānasarovara) will -avail nothing unless Kholgyal is visited at the same time. - -The place indeed deserves this high honor, and undoubtedly it -constitutes one of nature’s best essays in landscape. Let me describe -here a little of this enchanting sight. First there was the river -Langchen Khanbab, flowing towards the west, with the opposite bank -steep and precipitous, and with rocks piled up here and there, some -yellow, some crimson, others blue, still others green, and some others -purple. The chequered coloring was beautiful, and looked like a rainbow -or a tinted fog, if such a thing could exist. It was a splendid sight. -And the rocks were highly fantastic, for some were sharp and angular, -and others protruded over the river. The nearer bank was equally abrupt -and was full of queerly shaped rocks, and each of those rocks bore a -name given to it by the priests of the temple. There was a rock which -was known by the name of the “Devil Surrender Rock;” another was called -the “Twin Images of the saintly Prince and his Lady;” a third bore the -name of “Tise Rock;” a fourth “Goddess of Mercy Rock;” and a fifth -“Kāṣyapa Buḍḍha Tower.” All these rocks were objects of veneration to -the common people. - -I should have been deeply impressed by this unique grandeur of nature, -had it not been that I was scandalised by the sight of the misguided -veneration, if not worse, paid to the memory of Lobon Rinpoche. As it -was, even the kind explanations of my cicerone jarred on my ears. - -About two hundred and fifty yards down the bank, from a cavern known as -the Divine Grotto, several hot springs were gushing out from between -the rocks. Three of them were rather large, while the other three were -smaller. The water of all the springs was warm, indeed some was so hot -that I could hardly dip the tip of my finger into it. The temperature -of that particular spring must have far exceeded 100° Fahrenheit. The -water of the springs was quite transparent, and all about them there -were many hard incrustations, some white, others red, still others -green or blue. The visitors to the place are said to carry away pieces -of this incrustation, which are believed to possess a high medicinal -value, and so they must have, if properly used. - -After having visited all the places of interest, I returned to my -quarters and passed the night in meditation. The next morning I left -the place, and resumed my journey toward the tent. - -Somehow I lost my way in the plain, and when I had already walked five -hours I had not reached the river which I ought to have reached in -about three hours. I looked round and noticed to my surprise that I had -been travelling towards the north, instead of towards the north-east. - -Proceeding briskly onward in the right direction I at last reached a -river, which I crossed. By that time the sun had begun to decline, and -I had had nothing to eat all that day. I afterwards heard that the -people of the tent began to be alarmed at my non-appearance, and feared -that I must have been carried away by the river and drowned. When I -arrived at the tent, weary with the walk and with hunger, I saw the -daughter of the family coming out of the tent with some sheep. She was -highly delighted to see me, and I was told that she was about to go out -in search for me. - -On the following day we proceeded eastward and arrived at the steppe -lying to the north-east of Lake Rakgal and north-west of Lake -Mānasarovara. It was a slope formed by the gradual descent of the spurs -of Tise toward Mānasarovara. That night we pitched our tent on that -plain, and then our journey towards the sacred mountains began. - - - - -CHAPTER XXX. - -Wonders of Nature’s Mandala. - - -That evening it transpired that the pilgrims could not perform the -pilgrimage in company, for every one of them declared his or her -intention of performing as many circuits as possible during a stay -of four or five days. Now the ordinary circuit--for there were three -different routes--measures about fifty miles, which was more than I -could perform in a day, even if I had wished to do as my companions -had resolved, and they intended to undertake three circuits during the -short stay; even the women wished to go round twice. - -The pilgrims had to get up at midnight and to return to the tent at -about eight in the evening, after having performed the arduous journey. -I myself made rather elaborate preparations, and started on the holy -journey carrying four or five days’ food on my back. The route I -selected for my circuit was what was called the outermost circuit, and -led me round a snowy peak resembling in shape a human image, believed -here to be that of Shākyamuni, and around the lesser elevations rising -about that peak. Those elevations were compared to the principal -disciples of the Founder of Buḍḍhism. The route was indicated by a -narrow track, but it was really a breakneck journey, for in several -places the track went up to the summit of the central peak or to those -of some of the elevations round it. - -The middle route is more difficult of accomplishment, and the innermost -route considerably more so. The last is therefore regarded as fit only -for supernatural beings, and he who accomplishes twenty-one circuits -round the outermost route obtains permission from the Lamas of the -four temples, to go round the middle route. This circuit is to a -large extent indicated by a more or less beaten track, but is so steep -and dangerous that ordinary persons hardly ever dare to try it. Not -unfrequently pilgrims who boldly attempt this most perilous journey are -killed by snow-slips, while huge boulders obstruct their passage in -several places. Since therefore this route is very rarely attempted by -pilgrims, quite marvellous tales are told about it. - -[Illustration: NEAR MOUNT KAILASA.] - -The outermost route, round which I undertook my circuit, has at each -of its four quarters a temple. These four temples are called the “Four -temples of Kang Rinpoche”. I first visited Nyenbo Rizon, which is -the name of the temple standing at the western corner. The temple is -dedicated to the Buḍḍha Amitābha and I heard that it is a very good -investment in a worldly sense, the donations from pious folk amounting -to as much as ten thousand yen during the three months of the summer -season. This coincidence between Japan and Tibet, concerning the -receipts of temples, is exceedingly interesting, for even in Japan -temples dedicated to the Buḍḍha Amitābha are the most popular and -enjoy the largest share of donations. At any rate such an income must -be regarded as extraordinary for a temple situated in a remote part -of Tibet. The income, I was told, all goes to the Treasury of the -Court of Bhūṭān, in whose jurisdiction are placed all the religious -establishments at Tise. This anomaly seems to have originated from the -fact that the priests of the Dugpa sect of Bhūṭān formerly reigned -supreme at this seat of religion. - -The image of the Buḍḍha Amitābha, as enshrined in the temple, is made -of a white lustrous stone, and it struck me as a work of high technical -merit for Tibet. The features are of the Tibetan type, and looked mild -and affable, awaking in me pious thoughts. - -In front of the image are erected two ivory tusks about five feet high -and very thick, and behind them I saw a hundred volumes of Tibetan -Buḍḍhist works arranged on shelves. These books were not there for -reading, but in order to receive as sacred objects the offering of the -burning lamp. - -This use of Buḍḍhist books is peculiar, though it is preferable to the -outrageous treatment to which these books are sometimes subjected by -impious priests, who do not scruple to tear out leaves and use them for -various improper purposes. - -After worship, I took from the pile a book that related to the Buḍḍha -Amitābha, read it, and then left the temple. Then began my journey -through Nature’s Tabernacles, the first object in which was the ‘Golden -Valley’. - -The adjective ‘golden’ should not be taken in a literal sense, -for gold is not found near this place. Rhetorically, however, the -valley deserves this distinction, the scenery all round being really -magnificent. There are several fantastic rocks of great size towering -far into the sky, while beyond them peeps the snow-clad summit of the -peak of Tise. And from the crevices and narrow grooves between those -towering rocks shoot down several cascades as much as a thousand feet -in height. There are quite a number of them, but only seven are really -large. Those seven waterfalls have each a distinct individuality. Some -shoot down with great force and look not unlike the fabulous dragon -descending the rock, while others look milder and may be compared to -a white sheet suspended over the rock. I sat down in rapture at the -sight, and felt as if I had been transported to some heavenly place. -There are to the left several falls and also a range of snow-capped -peaks, but they are not to be compared in grandeur with those on the -right, at which I had been gazing with extasy. This one sight alone, I -thought, well repaid the labor of the journey. I wished to embody my -sentiments in a few verses, but the inspiration would not come, and -so I proceeded on my way, and soon emerged on the northern section of -the Tise group. There I found another Lama monastery, which bore the -quaint name of ‘Ri Ra Puri’ (meaning, ‘The place of the female yak’s -horn’). It originated in a tradition that once, in ancient times, Gyrva -Gottsang Pa, from Bhūṭān, went round this natural Maṇdala in order to -find his way in the wilderness. Whilst he was going to the mountain, -he found a female yak which proceeded before him and led him on an -untrodden path over the snows. - -After finishing his route round the Holy Place, he arrived at this -spot; the female yak concealed herself in a cavern, now in the temple, -and accidentally one of her horns struck against a rock. It was -believed by the Lama that the female yak was a disguised form of the -mother of the Buḍḍha named Vajra. - -This ‘Yak’s Horn Temple’ ranks next to the first temple in respect to -pecuniary income. It contains, however, a larger number of priests than -the other, there being about fifteen, while the latter has only four. - -It was towards dusk that I reached this temple, and I was allowed to -lodge there for the night. The priest who appeared to be the senior man -in the place was very kind to me and offered his own chamber for my -use. It faced towards Mount Kailāsa. My host told me that the view of -the moon from this chamber was quite enchanting. He brought me a cup -of tea with plenty of butter in it, for I had told him that I made it -a rule to dispense with the evening meal. I spent a few pleasant hours -with my host, who pointed out to me, on the south from the temple, the -high majestic snow-covered peak of Mount Tise, representing the Buḍḍha -Shākyamuni; the three small snowy peaks before the mountain, he said, -were the Boḍhisaṭṭvas Manjushrī, Avalokiṭeshvara and Vajrapāṇi; he -then gave me a description in detail of other peaks, but I need not -narrate here what he explained to me, for the account of the range is -given in most works treating of Tibet and its geography. - -That night I had one of the pleasantest experiences I remember during -my expedition to Tibet: it was a pleasure of an elevating kind. My mind -was subdued and captivated as I looked, in that still night and in that -remote and far-off place, at the soft rays of the moon reflected on the -crystal-like current that was flowing with a pleasant murmur. Just as, -in the holy Texts, the soft breeze stirring the branches of trees in -paradise is said to produce a pleasant note, that sounds to the ears of -the happy denizens of that blissful abode like the voice of some one -reading the Scriptures, so that sweet murmur of the moon-reflecting -stream deluded my enchanted ears into believing that they were -listening to the divine music of Buḍḍhism. Staying in that sacred -place, and surrounded by such soul-subduing phenomena, my mind soared -higher and higher, till it flew up to the eternal region beyond this -world of woe and care. The holy Founder tells us that the most sacred -region lies in one’s own pure mind, but I, sinful mortal as I was, felt -elevated and chastened when I found myself in such an environment. - -The next day I stayed at the temple and spent the time with great -enjoyment. The following day I left the hospitable monastery and -resumed my journey, which included the surmounting of a steep hill, -known under the name of the ‘Hill of Salvation’. My host seemed to have -had some spiritual affinity with me in a past life, so considerate was -he in his behavior to me. For instance, he lent me a yak to carry me -over the hill, and moreover gave me some articles of food and various -delicacies. I took friendly leave of him, and then started on my -journey on the back of the yak, which was led by a guide. - -On the hill I came across many Tibetan pilgrims intent on displaying -their religious zeal and piety, and their behavior more than ever -convinced me that a strong fanaticism characterises the people of that -land. Climbing alone was no easy task, and was one that strained even -the sturdiest of legs, and yet I noticed several young pilgrims of -both sexes performing the journey according to the ‘one-step-one-bow’ -method, commonly adopted as a penance. As for me I felt greatly -fatigued, though I was riding on the yak, for the atmosphere in that -elevated region is very rare and was highly trying to my lungs. When I -had ascended the hill for about five miles my respiration became very -rapid and I was much exhausted. I therefore rested for awhile, and -refreshed myself by taking some medicine. It was while I was taking -rest that I noticed a burly fellow frantically confessing to and -worshipping the snowy Tise. - -My guide informed me that that man was a native of Kham, a place -notorious as being a haunt of brigands and highwaymen. He really looked -like a typical highwayman, with ferocious features and fierce eyes, -and was performing his penance in a loud voice. He must have been a -notorious figure even in that land of universal crime. - -I was highly amused to find that this fellow was doing penance not for -his past offences alone, but also to obtain immunity for any crimes he -might commit in future. His extraordinary confession was something in -this way: “O Saint Kang Rinpoche! O great Shākyamuni! O all Buḍḍhas and -Boḍhisaṭṭvas in the ten quarters of the world and in the time past, -present and future! I have been wicked in the past. I have murdered -a number of men. I have taken a great deal that did not belong to -me. I have robbed husbands of their wives. I have quarrelled ever so -many times, and I have also thrashed people. Of all those great sins -I repent, and so I solemnly perform my penance here on this hill for -them. I believe that by this act of confession and repentance, I have -been absolved from those sins. I also perform here penance for my -prospective sins, for I may in future repeat them, may rob people of -their goods and wives, or thrash and beat them.” - -This fellow, I thought, was decidedly original in his conception of -penance, and surpassed other sinners by performing a prospective -repentance instead of, as in the ordinary method, confining himself to -penitence for his past sins. Yet I was told that this convenient mode -of repentance was universal in the robber district of Kham. - -Our path next lay over a hill known as the hill of the Dolma-la, -meaning the Pass of the Mother of the Savior. On ascending the hill -one sees to the right a snowy range of the northern parts of Mount -Kailāsa, named in Tibetan Gyalpo Norjingi Phoprang, which means the -“residence of King Kuvera”, the God of Wealth. The spot is very famous -to Indians also; even in early times in India the great poet Kāliḍāsa -described this magnificent mansion with its immense views in his -masterpiece of the _Meghaḍūṭa--The cloud-messenger_. Seeing it, I said -in my fancy: “Is it not really the mansion of the God of Wealth--that -crystal abode shining in the emerald sky?” I mused furthermore that a -mammon-worshipper will certainly one day explore that shining region, -expecting to find a diamond mine. On the crest of Dolma-la stands a -natural stone image of the Mother of the Savior. On the north-east of -it a number of queer-shaped rocks and fantastic stones are to be seen, -their points all looking like images. These were explained by my guide -as twenty-one images of the Mother of the Savior. This crest of the -hill is very high, and indeed does not appear lower in height than the -top of Tise itself, the height of which is about 22,300 feet above -sea-level. The air is therefore very rarefied and the temperature -very low. Even when I remained quiet I felt the effect of the high -altitude, for my heart beat rapidly and I suffered much pain. I thought -that I should hardly have been able to perform the journey on foot, -and that therefore I was deeply indebted to my host for lending me a -yak to carry me over the series of hills. The Tibetan pilgrims did -not seem to suffer to any particular extent from the effects of the -rarefied atmosphere. They possess capacious lungs and can therefore -climb any elevated hill without fatigue. Of course ordinary people, -who do not possess lungs half as large as those of the Tibetans, can -hardly expect to undertake this journey with so much ease. As it was, I -felt very much exhausted, even though I did not walk on foot but rode -on the yak. Near the foot of the hill I found a large pond which was -entirely frozen over--a pond associated with an interesting legend. -In ancient times, says that legend, the God of Wealth and his family -used the water of this pond to wash their hands, for in those days it -was not frozen in summer. Afterwards a woman pilgrim carrying a baby -on her back came to the pond. As she bent over to wash her hands, the -baby slipped off her back into the water and was drowned. The guardian -deities of the place then consulted how to provide against such -accidents, and they decided that the pond should be frozen over all the -year around. - -The descent is rather sharp, and it was uncomfortable sitting on the -yak’s back, so I dismounted and trotted down after the animal. - -At last we reached the eastern part of Tise and arrived at the Zun-tul -phuk, which means the cave of miracles, founded by the hermit Jetsun -Milaraspa, one of the most venerated saints in the Tibetan hagiology. -Various interesting traditions are told about this saint, but these I -need not give here, as they are too technical. I may say, however, that -Milaraspa is said to have led a highly austere life, and that he did -much to diffuse the true tenets of Buḍḍhism. He was also a great poet, -the only poet who figures in the long history of Tibet. His biography -therefore reads like a romance or a great epic, full of sublime -conceptions. Milaraspa being such a unique personality in the history -of Tibet, his name has attracted the attention of western explorers, -and extracts from his poems have been translated. After returning to -Darjeeling I explained his poems to a certain Russian traveller and -writer, who translated them into his national tongue. He was much -delighted with the information which I gave him, and told me that my -translation enabled him to interpret something of the spirit of the -great Tibetan epic. - -We stayed one night at that temple, and on the following day proceeded -along the banks of the river Ham-hung-gi-chu (shoe-dropping river) and -reached a place which contained a temple called Gyang-tak-gonpa. This -temple is dedicated to Dorje Karmo, the Goddess named White Vajra. The -place is situated about one mile off the road and near by is a postal -station named Darchen Tazam. This station contains about thirty houses -built of stone, besides about a dozen tents pitched here and there. It -is a business as well as a revenue centre for the whole district. I -lodged at one of the houses, and here the guide took leave of me. That -night I performed my usual religious meditation, and on the morning of -the following day my pilgrim companions rejoined me. - -The station lies on a steppe between the north-western corner of -Lake Mānasarovara and the north-eastern corner of Lake Lakgal. On -the following day our party left the station, and proceeded in a -south-easterly direction, to the west of Mānasarovara. We advanced -in the same direction the next day, till we reached the foot of a -snowy peak named Bon-Ri. This is, as I have mentioned before, a place -sacred to the Bon, or ancient religion of Tibet. I saw a big temple -in the place, which I found to be not a temple belonging to that old -religion, as I had expected, but one belonging to the New Sect. It -looked a magnificent establishment as seen from a distance, but we did -not go near it. This neighborhood produced various kinds of mushrooms, -and some which were growing in damp places were gathered by the women -of the party. They collected large quantities of the fungus, which -was fried with butter and eaten with salt. I tasted it and found it -delicious. By that time we had left the limits of the sacred region, -and my male companions no longer considered themselves as pilgrims, but -as men who had to face the stern realities of the material world. They -declared that they must resume their worldly business, and proposed -to start by shooting deer. It seemed to me that their shooting not -infrequently included extraordinary kinds of game, and I suspected, -on good grounds, that the three brothers had now and then turned -highwaymen and either robbed or murdered travellers. I therefore began -to be afraid of them, and thought that I had better separate myself -from them on some plausible pretext, and without awakening their -suspicion. - -On the following day we reached the brow of a hill, and there one of -the brothers in my presence shot an animal called in Tibet _changku_. -The shooting was done merely for pleasure and not with the object of -eating its flesh or using its skin. The changku, or wolf, resembles a -large species of dog with rather thin fur, which in summer turns a fine -brownish color. In winter the color is said to be a whitish grey. The -ears are erect and the face appears ferocious. It is said that this -wild animal will attack solitary travellers and even kill them. When -the brothers brought down the animal their eyes gleamed with delight, -and I secretly thought that their eyes would show that same cruel gleam -when they murdered a wealthy traveller. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXI. - -An Ominous Outlook. - - -The next day, September 14th, snow again fell, and so we had to stay -in the same place. The hunting-dogs went out of their own accord on a -rabbit-hunting expedition, and came back with their mouths stained with -blood. They must have hunted down some rabbits and made a meal of them. -The snow ceased, and we left the place on the following day. Proceeding -eastwards, we now came to a long undulating hill, and soon reached its -summit. Here the head of the family said that our pilgrimage must end -at this spot, and when asked why at this particular place, he pointed -to Lake Mānasarovara, situated to the west, and also to the snow-capped -peak of Manri that stood due south from the middle of the Lake, and -told me that we should here bid farewell and express our good wishes to -the sacred region, for this was the last point where we could have a -full view of the Holy Place, and that we should express in our prayers -an earnest desire to visit this sacred region again in the future. -Saying this, he bowed down and I and all the rest followed his example. - -When I thought that I (the first Japanese who had ever come to visit -this district from a remote country thousands of miles away) was now -about to take leave of Lake Mānasarovara after having been in its -neighborhood for several days, a peculiar sensation came over me, and -I stood gazing at the lake for some time. As we were going down the -hill, my host told me that as they had already departed from the Holy -Place they should now earnestly engage themselves in their worldly -pursuits; therefore they thought it time that I should leave them. We -soon reached a little encampment of some twelve or thirteen tents, and -thither I wended my way to observe the condition of the small community. - -Mendicancy was well suited for satisfying my curiosity, and as a -mendicant I entered the encampment. My companions remained in the same -place that day and the next, the brothers occupied in shooting. On the -latter day I was reading a Chinese Buḍḍhist Text, and the two women -were outside engaged in some earnest talk. At first I did not pay any -attention to what they were saying, but when my ears caught the word -‘Lama’ pronounced several times my curiosity was awakened. Dawa was -saying that she had heard the Lama, that is myself, say that her mother -was probably dead. She wished, she continued, to ascertain this of the -Lama, and so she had been pressing him for some definite information. -Her aunt received this remark with a laugh. He must have seen, she -said, that Dawa was in love with him, and had therefore told her this -fib in joke. She must not mind what the Lama told her. However, the -aunt continued, her husband had been telling her that he must make the -Lama marry Dawa, and that should he refuse, her husband would kill him. -It was evident that this last portion of the conversation was intended -for my ears, for the aunt spoke in a loud voice. - -When I heard that intimidatory warning I at first felt alarmed, but the -next moment I recovered my tranquillity. I thought that if I should -suffer death for having resisted a temptation, my death would be highly -approved by the holy Founder. He would be displeased if I should -disobey my conscience for the mere fear of death. Internally praying -for strength of mind to resist the temptation, even at the risk of my -life, I resumed my reading. However nothing occurred to me that day, -nor the next, when we struck our tent and proceeded for about five -miles close to the brow of a hill, from which I saw at a short distance -what appeared to be houses, and I was told that this was another postal -station called Tokchen Tazam. Again I visited the place in the disguise -of a mendicant priest. I soon returned and found Dawa alone in the -tent; the rest were all gone out hunting, so she told me. I at once saw -that the conspiracy was developing, and that matters were growing quite -critical. - -I concluded that I must do my best to dissuade the girl from pursuing -the object of her misplaced affection. Some spiritual affinity must -have brought me into the company of this girl, so it seemed to me -that I was bound to administer an earnest expostulation, so that she -might recover from her erring fancy. So thinking, I took my seat in -the tent. As soon as I did so, she brought me some mushrooms she had -collected for me in the morning, for she said: “You seemed to be very -fond of them.” I thanked her for her kindness, took all the mushrooms -and a cup of baked flour, and then set myself to read my books. The -girl stopped me, saying that she had something which she must tell -me, for she had heard something which filled her with fear. Then she -narrated what one of her uncles, that is one of my male companions, -had said about his intention to force me to marry his niece. When she -had concluded her story, I told her with the greatest composure that I -should be rather glad than afraid to be killed by the brothers of her -father. I had finished my pilgrimage, I added; I had nothing to desire -in this world, and I was not in the least afraid to die. Moreover, I -continued, I would not harbor any ill-will, even if I should be killed -now by her father and uncles. I should rather thank them for hastening -my departure to the plane of Boḍhisaṭṭvas; so I would pray for them -when I was enabled to reach that Happy Abode. I would therefore ask -to be killed that very evening. The girl seemed surprised to find -her revelation producing an effect quite the reverse of what she had -expected. She tried to remonstrate with me on what she considered a -foolish resolution, and spoke some commonplaces about death and the -pleasures of life. Of course I easily refuted them, and at last she -gave up the evidently useless task of persuading me. - -[Illustration: QUARREL BETWEEN BROTHERS.] - -About four o’clock that afternoon the four returned. They must have -listened for some time to the conversation between Dawa and myself, for -as soon as they entered the tent, the most wicked of the three brothers -severely scolded Dawa for flirting with a man. Upon this, the girl’s -father at once took her side, and snappishly told his brother that his -Dawa had a father to protect her, and therefore wanted nobody to meddle -with her, much less an uncle who had never given her even so much as -one bowl of flour since she was born. - -The quarrel waxed hotter and fiercer, and the brothers began to abuse -each other and to divulge each other’s crimes. One accused the other -of being a robber, and of having murdered men at such and such places, -and was met with the recriminating accusation of having attempted to -rob the Government and of having fled for fear of arrest. The wordy -warfare at last developed into actual blows, and the brothers exchanged -fisticuffs, and even began to hurl stones at each other. I thought -I must interfere, and so I jumped up and attempted to hold back the -youngest brother as he was about to spring at Dawa’s father. The fellow -struck my cheek with his bony knuckles with such force that I fell, and -my whole frame shook with pain. The confusion in the tent had reached -its climax, and Dawa was beginning to cry and so was also her aunt. -I remained a passive spectator of the rest of this terrible scene, -for I had to lie prostrate from the pain. Presently the sun set and -the quarrel too spent itself and the night passed without any further -outbreak. - -The next morning the party broke up, for each brother wanted to go his -way, the eldest with his wife, the second with his daughter, and the -third alone, as was also the case with me; so we had to disperse, each -for his own destination. One thing that troubled me was the lack of -sheep to carry my effects. At last I purchased two at six tanka each, -and separating myself from the rest proceeded in the south-easterly -direction. One of the brothers started for the north, while I could see -the others were retracing the road we had come along. - -I had heard before that I must push on rapidly, but I purposely took -the south-easterly direction, in order to throw off the scent any of -the brothers who might come after me to rob me, or even worse. And -so I proceeded in this direction, and by about sunset I reached the -brow of a hill, where I was obliged to bivouac in the open, and on a -snow-covered plain. The change was too sudden after having lived for -so long in the tent, and I could not snatch even one wink of sleep -during the night. On the following day, still continuing in the same -direction, I reached a small monastery of the name of Sha Chen Khangba, -where I remained that day and the next. For the first time since I -parted with the brothers and the troublesome women, I felt safe, for I -concluded that I was no longer in danger of being pursued by one of the -murderous gang. I saw only two priests in the temple, and I spent most -of my time in stitching my worn-out boots and clothes. - -While I was staying in the monastery one of my sheep suddenly fell -ill and died. I felt sorely grieved at his death, and read a suitable -service for him. The other sheep I had to sell, at half the price I -had paid for him, to one of four traders who arrived at the monastery -soon after I had reached it, for I could hardly manage him now, as he -was so peevish and disconsolate at the loss of his partner. To the four -men I also gave the flesh of the dead sheep, and they accepted it with -thanks. It happened that the party was travelling in the same direction -as myself, and they proposed that I should go with them. This was quite -a welcome suggestion, especially as the men were kind enough to offer -their services to carry my effects, for they had with them a number of -yaks. - -So once more I had travelling companions, and I left the monastery with -a far more cheerful heart than I had when I reached it. We proceeded -in a south-easterly direction, and soon came to a small round pond, a -little over half a mile in circumference. Proceeding along the right -side of the pond, we next came to a lake which is very long from -north-west to south-east, but very narrow. The whole circumference -is said to be about forty miles. This lake is bounded by rocky hills -on all sides, and the blackish rocks scattered here and there were -partially covered, especially in the crevices and sheltered spots -between the adjoining rocks, with a thin layer of snow, so that they -presented quite a pretty sight. I ascended a small elevation close by -the lake, and looked down on it and also on the small pond. From that -height the serpentine lake looked just like the fabulous dragon in -the act of clutching a round gem, the pond corresponding to the gem. -The snow-streaked rocks were not unlike a white fleece of cloud. This -lake is known by the name of Kong-gyu-i Tso, as I heard from my fellow -travellers. After proceeding about seventeen miles south-eastwards, -with the lake on our left, we reached its extremity. Here we were to -bivouac, as we had no tent, but I could not sleep on the snow-covered -plain. I therefore passed the night in my usual style, that is to say, -in religious meditation, the best expedient for a sleepless night. - -Our road lay next day over a steep hill, and it was indeed such a -break-back ascent that it seemed to be trying even to the sturdy legs -and lungs of my Tibetan companions. As for myself, I was lucky enough -to get permission to ride on a yak’s back, and so I could negotiate the -ascent with no great difficulty. Descending the opposite slope of the -hill we soon reached a plain which, together with all the adjoining -country, was situated in the Kong-gyu district. On this plain I noticed -a white spot, not unlike a lake at a distance. My companions informed -me that the white thing was _puto_, and that the white spot indicated -the site of a lake which produced natural soda. - -When we reached the lake my companions eagerly collected the deposit, -put it in skin-bags and fastened it to the back of the yaks. They told -me that the soda was to be mixed with tea. - -We then went on over several low undulating hills, and finally reached -the lower course of the river Chema Yungdung, where I had narrowly -escaped drowning a short time before. As the season was now well -advanced, the river was much shallower and we were able to cross it -with comparative ease. I indeed could do so with perfect security, for -I was carried on a yak’s back. - -We were travelling all these days at the rate of about twenty-five -miles a day, and I should hardly have been able to make such good -progress had it not been for the fact that I could ride every now and -then on a yak. What distressed me most was bivouacking in the open, -where sleep was out of the question in the cold autumn nights and on -ground covered with snow. After proceeding some twenty-five miles -to the south-east, on the following day we reached the Brahmapuṭra, -known in this region as Martsan-gi-chu or Kobei-chu, according to -the districts which it traversed. The lordly river was quite shallow -and could be crossed without trouble, and I did so as before on the -yak’s back. We found some tents by the bank of the river where we were -allowed to pass a night--quite a cheering change after so many nights -of bivouacking. - -It was a moonless night, but the sky was full of stars, which threw -their twinkling rays on the water of the river. The vast range of the -Himālayas was clearly silhouetted, so as to make its sharp outline -perceptible. The majestic scene inspired me with poetic fervor: - - Like to the Milky Way in Heaven at night, - With stars begemmed in countless numbers decked, - The Brahmaputra flashes on the sight, - His banks, fit haunt for Gods, appear - In gorgeous splendors from the snowy height. - -The following day I had to part from my companions, who were going to -a destination different from mine, and so I was again thrown on my own -wits and my own legs for continuing my journey. After having travelled -for so many days with the help of other people, I now had to travel -alone with nothing but my back on which to carry my effects, and my -journey on the following day was a cheerless and fatiguing one. The -load weighed heavily on my back, and the time I occupied in taking rest -was perhaps longer than that spent in actual progress. At last I was so -much exhausted that I could hardly move my limbs. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXII. - -A Cheerless Prospect. - - -While I was taking rest in that helpless condition, I was fortunate -enough to see a Tibetan coming along my way leading a yak. When he -came to where I was sitting I greeted him, and asked him to carry my -luggage as far as he could without compromising his own convenience, -and promised him suitable pay for his trouble. He willingly consented, -and relieved my aching back of its load. - -After travelling about three miles, I observed three men coming towards -us on horseback. They were fully armed, each with a gun, a lance and -a sword, and as they approached they looked like burly men, wearing -Tibetan hunting caps. I at once concluded that they must be highwaymen, -for evidently they were not pilgrims, the latter generally travelling -with a pack-horse or a yak to carry their necessaries; nor could they -be merchants, for they would travel in a caravan, according to the -fashion of the country. My companion came to the same conclusion and -began to show signs of fear. To encounter highwaymen is not quite -agreeable under any circumstances, so I was not cheered at the thought -of meeting those three fellows, but I was not at all afraid, for I made -up my mind to surrender whatever things they wished to have out of my -effects. I simply wished to keep my life, and for this the highwaymen -could have no use. With that idea I boldly advanced and soon came face -to face with the three cavaliers. They asked me whence I came, and -when I replied that I was returning from a visit to Mount Kailāsa they -further asked me if I had not seen some traders on my way. The traders -were their friends, they continued, and they were searching for them. - -When I replied that I had not met with any such persons, the men -then said that I must be a Lama-priest, and as such they wished me -to perform some divination for them, to find out the whereabouts of -their friends. Now the meaning of their request was quite clear, they -wished to find the traders in order to assault and despoil them. For my -own part I was rather relieved when the three fellows disclosed their -intention, for I knew that highwaymen who were after traders with rich -goods would scorn the idea of robbing a poor Lama-priest such as they -took me to be. On the contrary they might offer some donation to such -a priest, if they asked him to undertake divination for their sake. -Highwaymen who do business on a large scale often prove a source of -substantial profit to Lama-priests, if a donation coming from such -quarters can be regarded as a legitimate profit. - -Well, placed under such peculiar circumstances, I was obliged to give -them a ‘direction,’ and of course the direction I gave them was the one -which I judged least likely to be frequented by traders. The highwaymen -were highly pleased at my divination, thanked me, and then galloped -off in the direction I indicated. They did not offer me any donation, -however, for they said they had nothing to present to me now. - -My companion had remained at a distance all the while as a terrified -spectator of this strange transaction between the highwaymen and -myself. When they had galloped away he emerged from his hiding-place, -and asked me what I was talking about with those dreadful men. I told -him in detail what had passed between the highwaymen and myself, and -relieved his anxiety by assuring him that my divination was a mere -sham, and was really intended to mislead them instead of giving them -any probable direction. - -After having walked along a river bank for about eight miles we came -to a tent which belonged to my companion, and there were two or three -others besides. That night I slept in the tent of my guide, and I also -stayed there during the following day in order to give rest to my -fatigued limbs. On the following morning (that is on September 26th) -I purchased a goat according to the advice of my host, and packing my -effects on the animal’s back I left the place. - -I was soon after overtaken by a fearful snowstorm, which obstructed -my sight and blocked my progress. My Tibetan garment was completely -drenched, and I was wet to the skin. I could not determine in which -direction I should proceed, for the storm blinded my eyes and I had -lost my compass; but though I could not be certain of the right -direction I had to move on as best I could, for to stand still was out -of the question. My situation was growing more and more desperate, -and I was at my wit’s end, not knowing what to do. As luck would have -it, just at that moment I met with a horseman. He at once noticed the -plight I was in and kindly offered me the hospitality of his tent. It -was a little _détour_, he said, for one going to Lhasa to go with him -to his tent, but it would be dangerous (though not probably fatal, as -the season was not yet far advanced) to pass that snowy night in the -open; the cold was too severe to expose oneself to it with safety at -night. I gratefully accepted the hospitable offer, transferred, as he -bade me, a part of my goat’s load on to the back of his horse, and -then, leading the goat, followed the horseman and soon reached his tent. - -The following morning my host left quite early, and the people of the -tent, and of four or five others, broke up their camp and moved on in -the direction in which I also was to proceed for my journey towards -Lhasa. So I followed them, and trudged along the snow-covered ground -in a south-easterly direction for about fifteen miles. I had not yet -had occasion to talk with any of them, but I felt sure that they -would again extend to me their hospitality, and at least allow me to -share their tent at night, for they must see, I thought, that it was -impossible for me to sleep outside among the snow-covered hills. In -time the party made a halt, selected a suitable site for pitching their -camp, scraped off the snow, and set up their tents. All that while I -was watching the people at work, or gazing at the surrounding scenery. -When the tent-pitching was finished, I asked the people of the tent in -which I had slept the preceding night for permission to enjoy a similar -favor again. I was astonished to receive from them a blunt refusal. -Then I tried another tent, but with no better success, and my earnest -requests at the five or six other tents were all in vain. I at last -came to the only remaining tent, and I thought that as this was my -last chance I must somehow or other persuade the inmates to admit me, -whether they were willing to receive me or not; so I begged them--they -were an old dame and her daughter--for permission to sleep in their -tent, on the ground that I should probably be frozen to death if I were -to stay outside in the snow on that cold night, and urged that they -should take compassion on me. I added that I might repay their kindness -with a suitable present of money. The old woman was not softened at all -by my appeal. On the contrary she was angry with me, saying that I was -insulting her by trying to force hospitality from her. Why had I not -tried other tents inhabited by men, and why should I be so importunate -with her alone? I was insulting her because she was a woman, she added, -and she insisted on my leaving her tent. When I tried to protest -against this merciless treatment she stood up in an awful passion, and -raising aloft the Tibetan tongs, with which she was scraping together -the kindled yak’s dung, she made as though she would strike me. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIII. - -At Death’s Door. - - -No one would take me into his tent, and I was thus quite at my wit’s -end. I retired to a distance of some dozen yards and, looking at the -four or five tents which appeared to be warm and cozy, remembered -Buḍḍha’s words: “For him who has no relationship to me, it is very -difficult to receive salvation from me.” These people were perfect -strangers to me, and therefore slept comfortably in their tents, while -I had to lie down on the cold ground, exposed to the severe winds. But, -I thought, the fact that I had asked them for a lodging might have -created a certain relationship, by means of which they might yet be -saved, and that it would not be quite in vain if I read the Holy Texts -for their salvation. Of course this was merely my duty as a follower -of Buḍḍha, whose love is universal. So I sat down on the ground and -recited the Buḍḍhist Text, with the kindest intentions. After a while -the girl whom I had lately asked for a lodging peeped from her tent and -stared at me, then hastily withdrew. Presently she appeared a second -time and, approaching me, said that she supposed I was conjuring evil -spirits to punish her and her mother for their refusal to lodge me. -This must not be done, said she. She and her mother had now agreed -that they should entertain me in their tent, and she had been sent for -me. There was something comical in the fact that my kind intentions -should be taken for revengeful motives, and that those motives should -be rewarded with kindness. But I attributed all to the benevolence -of Buḍḍha, and thankfully accepted the girl’s invitation. A Buḍḍhist -service was held that evening. - -The following morning I left the tent very early, and walked south-east -for two miles and a half in a hilly district. Quite unexpectedly, two -men rushed out from behind a rock and stopped me. As they did not seem -like robbers, though they were armed, I was simple enough to think that -they were natives of the place making a trip. They approached close to -me and asked me what I had. I replied, “I had Buḍḍhism”. They did not -understand what I said and exclaimed: - -“What is that you have on your back?” - -“That is my food.” - -“What is that sticking out on your breast?” - -“That is my silver.” - -No sooner had the last answer been given, than the men seized my -sticks, and I understood at once that they were robbers. Promptly -making up my mind what to do, I said: - -“You want something of me?” - -“Of course!” one of them said, showing his teeth. - -“Well, then, there is no use in hurrying. I will give you all you want. -Be calm, and say what you want.” - -“Produce your silver first.” - -I gave them my purse. - -“You seem to have some valuables on your back. Let us see.” - -I obeyed. They also demanded to see my bag, which was being carried on -the goat, and, after ransacking it, returned me the Scriptures, the -bed-clothes that were heavy, and a few other things that were useless -to them. They took, however, all my food, saying that they needed it, -although neither could I do without food. - -[Illustration: ATTACKED BY ROBBERS.] - -It is a rule among the robbers of Tibet that, having taken all they -want, they should give their victim enough food for some three days, -provided that the latter read the Texts and ask for food. I thought -I would follow this custom, and I said that I possessed in my -breast-cloth a silver pagoda, containing relics of Buḍḍha, which Mr. -Ḍhammapāla of India had asked me to present to the Dalai Lama, and -which I did not wish to lose. The highwaymen at once wanted to know if -I could not give it to them, and I replied that if they wanted it I -would give it, but that as a layman could not keep it properly, they -must expect some misfortune as a punishment for their sacrilege. - -So saying, I produced the pagoda and invited them to open it. This -was probably more than they expected. They would not even touch it, -but asked me to place it upon their heads with my benediction. I held -the pagoda over their heads and, reciting the three Refuges and Five -Commandments of Buḍḍha, prayed that their sins might be extinguished by -the merit of Ḍharma. - -Then I stood up, and was going to ask of them a few days’ rations, when -two men on horseback put in an appearance far ahead, and before I could -look round, the robbers had gathered together all that they had seized, -and made off in the opposite direction. They ran over the mountains -like hares, and it was quite out of the question for me to give them -chase. I thought, therefore, to ask the horsemen for provisions. But -for some reason or other they climbed a mountain ahead of me, and did -not come as far as where I was. I called out to them and made signs by -turning my right hand inwards, according to the Tibetan custom. Perhaps -my voice did not reach them, or they had some business demanding urgent -attendance, for they paid no attention to me. Still I had left eight -Indian gold coins which I had kept close to my skin. My baggage having -been greatly diminished, I placed it all on my goat, and went on with -my journey. It was a steep mountain pass, and before I had travelled -eight miles it became dark. The night was spent as usual in bivouacking -in a crevice between the rocks. - -The following morning I wished to take a north-easterly direction, so -as to reach a certain post-town; but having no compass, I could not -ascertain my bearings, and seem to have strayed off to the south-east -and eventually due south, instead of north-east, as I should have done. -The snow began to fall at three o’clock in the afternoon, and I walked -and walked until the evening, but met not a single human being. I was -exceedingly hungry, and so thirsty that I ate the snow. One meal a day -would have been sufficient for me, but the absolute fasting gave me no -small pain. - -Darkness and hunger compelled me to stop, and I selected a hollow in -the ground as my bed, clearing it of snow. As there is always a danger -of being frozen dead when one is beset by a snow-storm in a vast -plain, I took the precaution to hold my breath, so as to minimise the -communication with the outside air, according to the methods learned -during my Buḍḍhist training. This, I think, is the best method for -bivouacking in the snow, and I soon fell asleep in the hollow. - -On waking early next morning I saw the snow had fallen to a great -depth, but the weather was fine; and when I looked around, I thought -the mountains ahead resembled the hilly district called Nahru-ye, where -I had once been in the company of some herdsmen. Proceeding further, -I found the familiar Kyang-chu river, which I was delighted to see. -Sustained by the hope of finding some old acquaintances at Nahru-ye, -I walked some five miles in that direction. But nowhere was there any -human being to be seen; there was nothing but the snow. I was almost -despairing, owing to my extreme hunger and thirst, for I was entirely -exhausted, though I had no heavy baggage to carry. But I had to walk on -and on, eating a little snow from time to time to allay my hunger. - -I thought that by travelling farther across the Kyang-chu river, I -should reach the place where Alchu Lama lived. He never wandered far -away from that place, and I might find him there; so I decided upon -travelling in that direction. I crossed the river about nine miles -above the place where I had crossed it on the previous occasion. The -water had decreased to about one-fifth of its usual amount, and it was -just freezing. I broke the ice with my sticks and crossed the river. -If the ice had been thick, the crossing of the river would have been a -very easy task, but the thin ice entailed the danger to the traveller -of being thrown into the deep current, and injured by the ice-blocks. -After many difficulties I reached the opposite bank, and walked due -south. - -Then the baggage which was being carried by the goat got lost. It -contained what the robbers had left--a carpet made of sheep-skin, -shoes, drugs, and such things. I searched everywhere, but in vain. I -had to give up my search and proceed further, for I wished to reach -a tent before night, as sleeping amid the snow on the open field -for several nights consecutively would mean the end of my life; so -I pushed on until eight o’clock and had covered twenty miles, when -another trouble cropped up in the shape of terrible pain in the eyes, -the result of the strong glare of the sun on the snow. My eyes felt as -if they would burst, and I could not remain quiet. Moreover the snow -recommenced falling in the evening, and the cold was extreme, and when -I lay down I felt the biting coldness of the snow on my head. I pressed -the snow on my eyes, but it did not lessen the pain in the least. A -cold sweat broke out all over me from the pain and cold, and, in trying -to calm myself, I found that my body was becoming benumbed by the -frost. I tried keeping my eyes shut, and anointed them abundantly with -the oil of cloves. But slumber was far from me. I rivetted my thoughts -on Buḍḍhism, and was doing my best to keep down the pain, when, quite -unexpectedly, I was inspired with an _uta_, which runs: - - Upon these plains of snow, my bed is snow, - My pillow, snow; my food also the same; - And this my snowy journey, full of pain. - -The effusion soothed my heart, and I felt more than ever thankful for -the beauty of the Japanese language. - -The next day, October 1, 1900, at about six in the morning I decided -to proceed on my journey. The snow had ceased, and the sun was shining -brightly, to the increased pain of my eyes. I could not walk with my -eyes shut; and yet the pain of keeping them open, however slightly, was -more than I could bear. I was so overcome by it that I would from time -to time fall down, wherever I might be. I had had no food for nearly -four days, and was so weak that the smallest stone lying in the snow -would bring me down. Fortunately I sustained no injury, owing to the -softness of the snow and the lightness of my body. There was a time, -however, when I got quite exasperated by hunger, the pain in my eyes, -and the weakness of my legs, and sat down in the snow, feeling that -I was fated to die. Intellectually, however, death was far from my -thoughts. Were there only some means of getting rid of my bodily pains, -I thought I could walk on and on, and at last reach safety. - -At this juncture a horseman put in an appearance far ahead. I strained -my eyes, though with terrible pain, and thus made out that it was a -horseman. I stood up at once and signalled him to approach. I wished -to shout but could not; the effort seemed to choke me, and it was -only after enormous exertion that I squeezed out two feeble shouts -and wildly gesticulated. The horseman, having apparently observed me, -galloped towards me, to my great joy. Soon he was beside me, asking me -what I was doing in such a desert of snow, and I told him with uncommon -difficulty that I had been robbed of most of my baggage, had lost what -remained to me _en route_, and had had nothing to eat for over three or -four days. He was a young man, full of sympathy. Though he was provided -with extra provisions, he said, he would give me only some sweetmeats, -made of cream and brown sugar, a food which is esteemed as a rare -delicacy in the northern steppes of Tibet. I swallowed down the food -which he gave me so hurriedly that I did not even taste it. - -I then enquired of him if I could not find a lodging hereabouts. His -reply was that he was a pilgrim, and that his parents and others were -staying beside the mountain ahead of us, and that I should be able to -obtain some accommodation there. He therefore advised me to come to his -tent, and, saying that he was in hurry, galloped away in that direction. - -The distance was only a little above two miles, but I do not remember -how often I stumbled and fell down, and rested, and ate snow, before I -reached the tent. More than three hours were occupied on the journey, -and I did not reach the tent till past eleven o’clock, when the -young man came out to welcome me. His parents congratulated me on my -narrow escape from death, and entertained me with the best sort of -Tibetan food, which consisted of boiled rice covered with butter, and -accompanied by sugar and raisins. I did not take much of the food, for -fear that the sudden repletion might injure me, but I took a little -milk after a very modest repast. The pain in my eyes was no better. -There was no medicine, and the best I could do was to cool them with -snow. In spite of the fine bed with which I was accommodated I could -not sleep that night, owing to the pain I felt in my eyes. - -These people, being pilgrims, were intending to move on day by day. The -next morning, therefore, I also had to proceed on my journey. But it -was some time before they could start, for they had to pull down the -tents and pack them on the yaks. I finished my tea therefore, and went -out of doors, while they were busily engaged in packing their effects. -I had walked to the further end of a row of four or five tents, when -seven or eight ferocious Tibetan dogs attacked me, barking loudly. -Handicapped as I was with the pain in my eyes, I could not deal with -these dogs so deftly as at other times. At first, I kept my eyes open -and brandished my two sticks, driving back the animals, which attacked -me from all sides. But once I was obliged to close my eyes, and -immediately a dog behind me seized one of my sticks. The next moment -another dog fastened his teeth on my right leg, and threw me down. - -I uttered a feeble cry for help, which brought several men on the -scene, and they drove away the dogs with stones. But the blood flowed -out abundantly from the wound, which I held fast with my hands, and I -lay motionless until an aged dame brought me some medicine, which she -said was a marvellous cure for such wounds. I dressed the wound with -the medicine and bandaged it, and attempted to rise, but in vain. It -was impossible for me to stand up. - -But as it was equally impossible that I should lie down there for ever, -I asked the people what they would advise me to do, and if they did -not know the whereabouts of Alchu Lama, whom I thought to be in that -vicinity. They asked me if I was acquainted with Alchu Lama, and, on -being answered in the affirmative, one of them volunteered to carry me -on his horse to the tent of Alchu Lama, who he said, being a physician, -would be able to cure me alike of the wound and of the eye-disease. I -rose with the support of the sticks, one of which broke under me and -had to be thrown away, and mounted on the horse. - -Arriving at a place where there stood two tents, I perceived that these -tents were smaller than those of Alchu Lama. Though wondering at heart, -I alighted from the horse, and enquired at one of the tents for the -Lama, and I was informed that this was not the Lama’s tent, but that -of his wife’s father. I wanted to reach the Lama’s tents somehow, and -was speaking to that effect, when the wife, hearing my voice, said that -I was the revered Lama who had made a pilgrimage to the snowy peak of -Tise, and came out to see me. - -“Where is your Lama?” I asked. - -“He lives about two miles east of this place.” - -“I wish to find him. Have you no one to take me to him?” - -“I have nothing to do with the Lama any more, nor can I take you. But -if you want to go there, I will direct the man who has brought you here -to accompany you.” - -“But why do you not yourself return to your own home?” - -“Oh, there is no man so wicked as he; I intend to leave him.” - -“That is not good,” said I. - -Then we had a long talk, and after I had been given a repast, I rode to -the Lama’s tent. - -The Lama being out, I was received by his domestics. When he returned -home in the evening, I related my adventures to him and asked him for -some medicine. He kindly dressed my wound with excellent drugs, and -gave me purgatives, saying that it was necessary for me to purge my -body in order to prevent the diffusion throughout my system of poison -which some of the dogs injected by their bites. He also said that I -should stay with him for at least a week, in order to recuperate. -Thanks to his directions, which I obeyed, I was in a few days greatly -relieved of the suffering both in my leg and eyes. - -I had experienced enough of hardship, and had very poor prospects of -an easy life in the future. But still there was a genuine pleasure in -pushing on through hardships. About that time I composed a poem: - - All bitter hardships in this world of woe, - Have I thus tasted now during this life; - None will be left for me to suffer more. - -One day I asked the Lama why he had sent his wife to her parents, -whereupon he explained the shortcomings of his wife. Both had their -reasons, and I could not say which was wrong. But, I said, the man -ought to have magnanimity and to console his wife, so that it was -advisable for the Lama to send for his wife to come back. I supported -my advice by the doctrines of Buḍḍhism, and made him yield to my -proposal. He sent two of his men for his wife, who, after making some -fuss, returned to his tent the same evening. - -The following day, when I referred to the Discourse on the Five Vices, -which is included in the Gospel of the Buḍḍha _Life Eternal_ (one of -the three books of the Jōdō Sect, but not found in the Tibetan Canon) -the Lama expressed his desire to hear a lecture on it. I consented to -the request and expounded the discourse on the days following. The -sermon in question treats of all imaginable vices and sins devised by -mankind, arranging them into five classes and explaining them in the -most appropriate manner. During my lecture on this discourse the couple -were so deeply moved to repentance for their sins that they wept and at -times asked me to suspend the lecture. As their repentance was sincere, -I congratulated them on their progress in virtue. I stayed with them -for some ten days, and my bodily troubles were so much relieved that I -was able to regale my eyes with the magnificent view of the snow and -ice, lit up by the serene moon-light. This lovely scenery of nature -caused me to think of my country, and I had occasion to compose many -_utas_, two of which were as follows: - - The spotless sky is bathed in light serene - By that cold moon with her all-tranquil ray; - This pleasant scene fires me with memories sweet - Of that dear mother-land now far away. - - Here on these lonely steppes the grass is dry, - No reeds, no autumn flowers show their smiles; - On high the moon shines on these wilds alone, - Enhancing thus the loneliness profound. - -[Illustration: THE COLD MOON REFLECTED ON THE ICE.] - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIV. - -The Saint of the White Cave revisited. - - -I spent some pleasant days here and was perfectly cured of my illness. -At the instance of Alchu Lama I decided to pay another visit to Gelong -Rinpoche. Our party, including the Lama, his wife, myself and three -domestics, all on horseback, and a horse which carried my baggage -and our presents to the holy man of the White Cave, rode south at -full speed, covering a distance of thirteen miles in a short time. It -was before eleven when we reached the cave, and we were ordered to -wait for a time before we could see the priest. At eleven those who -had assembled at the cave, about thirty in all, held a service, the -illustrious priest officiating, answering questions, and receiving -offerings. When all were about to withdraw, the Lama detained me, -saying he had something to talk to me about. Alchu Lama and his wife -thereupon bade me farewell, saying that I should take the road to -Lhasa, and we parted, I thanking them for their kindness. - -I sat in front of the Lama, who was engaged in deep meditation, the -subject of which was not difficult to guess, for when I was at the -tent of Alchu Lama I had heard it stated that rumors were persistently -disseminated to the effect that the Lama who had made a pilgrimage to -the snowy peak of Tise (this referred to me) was not a Chinaman, though -he pretended to be one, but an Englishman, who was investigating the -situation of affairs in Tibet. Alchu Lama added that the ignorance of -the masses, who would take such a true lover of Buḍḍhism as myself -for a spy, was incorrigible. Such being the situation, I thought -the rumor must have reached the ears of the good man, who was in -consequence going to tell me something in reference to it. Presently -the priest asked me a most matter-of-fact question: what was my object -in proceeding to Lhasa, in spite of the overwhelming hardships which -beset me? I answered that I had no other object than to save all beings -by prosecuting my studies in Buḍḍhism. Thus I tried to parry his -matter-of-fact question with a metaphysical answer. The Lama at once -said: - -“Why do you want to save all beings?” - -“Only because they are suffering from all sorts of pains.” - -“Then you have all beings in view?” - -I retorted with an equally idealistic answer: “Having no Ego, how can -I have all beings in view?” - -The priest smiled, and, changing the subject of the conversation, asked -me if I had ever been troubled with love affairs. In reply I said that -though I had once greatly suffered in that connexion, I was at present -free from that torture, and hoped to remain so. Then he at once turned -to my adventure with the robbers, asking me whether I had hated those -robbers during the time I was with them, and whether I had not cursed -them after our parting, for the purpose of revenging myself on them. -I replied that there was no use in hating them, as they had robbed me -because I deserved to be robbed. I myself rather was hateful, who had -committed the sins which made me deserve the misfortune, and I was glad -that I could pay my debts. Such being my thoughts, there was no use in -invoking evil on their heads. On the contrary, I had prayed that on -account of their having come across me, they might become true men, or -saints, in the next life if not in this. The Lama then said: - -“All your words are rightly said. But you will probably meet with many -such robbers on your way to Lhasa. They may even kill you. Then you -will not be able to accomplish your object of saving all beings. You -had better give up your intention of proceeding to Lhasa, and betake -yourself back to Nepāl. There is a good road from Lo to Nepāl. You must -go at once to Lo. If, on the contrary, you go to Lhasa, I believe you -will certainly be killed on the way.” - -This he said suggestively, and continued in a solemn tone: “In order -to attain your object, you may take any means. Your journey to Lhasa -is not your only object. If you are sincere in saying that you want to -save all beings, you must leave for Nepāl!” - -I replied: “I cannot commit myself to such an equivocal argument, and -I fail to concur in your opinion that any means is justifiable by its -end. The Gospel of the Buḍḍha, _Mighty Sun_, has it that the means is -the object, meaning that the practice of honest means is identical with -the attainment of an object. The fact that I enter Paradise is no more -the attainment of the object of my life, than is my arrival at Lhasa. -The practice of honest means being the object itself, I believe that at -the moment when I adopt honest means, I have attained my object.” - -“Then what route will you take in your journey and whither will you go?” - -“As a matter of fact, I shall take the mountain pass, and steer my way -to the capital of Tibet.” - -“That is curious, that you should take the road exposed to fatal risks. -Better return to Nepāl. You say rash things. I know your future fate, -and know that if you go on your way, you will die!” - -His words were intimidating, but I replied: “Really? But I do not know -my death, much less my birth. What I know is only to do what is honest.” - -The Lama meditated for a while in deep silence, and then suddenly -changed the conversation, referring to the _Maṇi_, or the sealed book -of Tibet. I omit here our dialogue on this subject, as it is too -technical for general readers. We were so taken up with our religious -talk that we were unconscious of the approach of the evening. - -The Lama’s suspicions were largely allayed, and he said that he -wondered how the people of the neighborhood were able to invent such -rumors, and that I was a true seeker after Buḍḍhism. He was sincerely -delighted with me and, saying that money and provisions were my first -necessaries, gave me twenty tankas of Tibetan silver, a lump of tea, -a big bag of baked flour, a copper pan, and other articles required -by travellers. The whole of the presents were valued at perhaps sixty -tankas, or fifteen yen in Japanese currency. I asked him to reduce the -amount of the presents, for I could not easily carry so much. He said -there was no need for my being troubled about that; for all along my -way farther on I should everywhere find his disciples, who when they -saw the travelling bag, would remember their master and carry the -baggage for me. So I accepted the presents and retired, but not before -he had promised to invest me the next morning with the mysterious power -of the _Maṇi_, for which I thanked him sincerely. - -During that night, I decided to take the highway to Lhasa, for, I -thought the mountain pass was full of the Lama’s disciples, who, -in spite of their master, would cast suspicious eyes on me, and I -concluded, that if the highway was a little longer than the bye-way, it -was much safer. - -The following morning I was initiated in the mysteries of _Maṇi_, -and about noon the following day I left the Lama Gelong’s cave. For -about five miles I descended the hill, carrying my baggage on my back, -and it was pretty heavy. Then I proceeded north, with the object of -reaching the highway and not as directed by the Lama, and when I had -walked another five miles, I saw two tents and a man, apparently a -wealthy grazier, coming out from one of them and cordially greeting -me. I was rather surprised, for I knew I had no acquaintances in that -neighborhood and I did not know his face. I felt a little embarrassed, -but I followed him into his tent, where I was met by Alchu Lama. He had -stayed the previous evening at the tent, and had told the man of our -blessed religious talk of the other night. The man, in consequence, -had wished to receive my benediction. Being informed of these facts, -I did as he wished. Soon after I left the place, accompanied by a man -and two horses carrying my things. I travelled eight miles east along -the bank of the Ngar Tsang-gi-chu, which I had crossed once on my way -from the cave of the White Cliff to the snowy peak of Tise. The same -evening I arrived in a place on the riverside, where the man who had -accompanied me put down my baggage and took his leave. During the -evening, I enquired about the best way to reach the high-road, and was -informed that I had to cross the Brahmapuṭra for a second time, and -that I needed a guide and a carrier in order to cross it. So I engaged -the men required. - -The next morning I walked eastwards ten miles through a swampy plain, -and over a hilly pass which was five miles long, and then crossed -the Brahmapuṭra. On the farther bank of the river I found a tent of -miserable appearance, kept by an old woman and her daughter, whose -business it was to watch yaks straying about. I spent the following day -in patching up my shirts. - -On October 16, I again walked over the swampy plain in an easterly -direction. The swampy plain in Tibet is dotted about with pools of -various depths in which grass is growing. Walking through the damp -place for about ten miles, I reached the Na-u Tsangbo, a large river -flowing from the northern steppes of Tibet and into the Brahmapuṭra. -I had previously been informed of the place where I could cross the -river, but the water reached my breast, and the current was rapid, -so that, as I was carrying the heavy baggage on my back, there were -times when I thought I should be swept away by the river. Moreover the -sandy mud which formed the river-bed sucked my feet deep down, and -made walking very difficult. Happily, however, I reached the opposite -bank in safety. Proceeding a little farther, I found a big tent, where -I was lodged that night. My invariable question was about the way to -the high-road. The people there informed me that ten or twelve miles -further to the north-east there was a post-town called Toksum Tazam, -which stood on the high-road. The Tibetan high-road over the steppes -has post-towns at intervals of four or five days’ journey from each -other. On this side of Toksum Tazam, on the side nearer to the snowy -peak of Tise, there is a post-town called Satsan Tazam. From this place -I was to travel along the highway, and I should be able to locate my -whereabouts exactly. - -The following day I steered my way due east, and not in the -north-easterly direction, which would have led me to Toksum Tazam, -for this route was, I thought, rather a round-about way to reach the -high-road. The next day, the 19th October, 1900, I again proceeded due -east; but I met with a serious accident, which I must now describe. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXV. - -Some easier days. - - -The plain was nothing but a swamp, and I was obliged to wade across -shallow streams alternating with mud flats. At one place I came to a -bog which, when I tried it with my stick, appeared to be very deep, so -that my only course was to select what seemed to be the narrowest part, -and to cross it as best I could. The bog at this place was not more -than four yards in width, and did not look as if it could be deep, as -it was covered with fine sand at the bottom of some shallow water, so -I began at once to cross it by making a bold plunge. - -But alas! before I had gone two steps I had sunk deep into it, and, -though I tried to save myself by means of my sticks, I found myself -momentarily sinking further and further into the mire. I then took the -bundles I was carrying one by one off my shoulders, and threw them -on to the other side; then I stripped off my clothes and threw them -likewise, leaving myself exposed to the icy wind. Then I commenced -with the aid of my sticks to balance myself across the bog with as -much care and as gingerly as though I had been balancing myself on -a tight rope in my younger days. As soon as I got my body back into -a vertical position (for I had fallen almost flat upon my face), I -laid the shorter of my sticks horizontally across the mud so as to -give a resting place for my feet, and then with the aid of the longer -stick raised myself slowly until I got both my feet upon it. Then I -slowly moved my feet along the top of the horizontal stick, and thus, -thanks to the lightness of my body, which had been freed from all -encumbrances, I managed in a few minutes to reach _terra firma_. - -[Illustration: FALLEN INTO A MUDDY SWAMP] - -I was shivering with cold when I got there, but I was exceedingly -proud of my acrobatic feat, and, wringing out my wet clothes as best -I could, put them on again and made my way to a tent which I saw near -the high-road, where I fortunately found some pilgrims who gave me -hospitality for the night. - -The word “high-road” suggests to the mind the idea of a macadamised -thoroughfare, but that is not what the traveller finds in Tibet. The -high-road was nothing more than a beaten track, along which men and -beasts trod their way as best they could. In fact anything is called a -high-way in Tibet, if it is frequented by travellers, free from grass, -and not too stony. In desert places, where there is no grass to be -worn off, there are no high-roads, except in the immediate environs of -Lhasa. It would be a mistake to suppose that carriages could be used -on the high-road; there is no road in Tibet capable of being used by -either carriage or jinriksha. When some years ago the Rājā of Nepāl -presented the Dalai Lama with a carriage of European make, to be drawn -by four horses, many of the Dalai Lama’s advisers recommended him to -return the gift, as one which could not possibly be used in Tibet. -Another opinion, however, prevailed: it was urged that the carriage -had been brought from a great distance and could not well be returned -without impoliteness, and it was therefore placed as a curiosity in the -Palace at Lhasa, where it can be seen to this day. This was about four -years ago. - -Bad roads are universal in Tibet, except around Lhasa and Shigatze, the -most advanced cities in the country. Still, bad as it was, I was glad -to be once more on the high-road, where there were no fortresses for -the molestation of travellers, and by which I might reasonably hope -to reach Lhasa in due time. One day, after a long stretch of desert -travelling, I reached a tent which was also a grog-shop--a somewhat -strange oasis in the midst of a desert. But it became intelligible -when I found that a large fair of salt, wool, and cattle had recently -been held in this locality and that the grog-shop had been opened in -connexion with the fair by a man from Mondan in the province of Lo. The -liquor sold was a kind of beer made from barley, and the grog-shop was -to remain here for about another month. - -I reached the tent about dusk, and was delighted to find myself amongst -friends, for I had made the acquaintance of the landlady sometime -before at Tsarang. The old dame was delighted to see me. She had been -wondering what had become of me and was very glad that fortune had -guided my steps to her tent. She was anxious to know if I were going to -return to Tsarang, to which I gave an evasive answer, and she gave me -such a kind reception that I should have hesitated to accept it from -any but herself. - -The next day I travelled over twelve miles to the south-east, with one -of the old lady’s servants to guide me and a yak to carry my luggage. -At the end of the journey we reached the house of a man named Gyal -Bum, to whom the dame introduced me as a venerable Lama, desirous of -hospitality. Gyal Bum is the second man in the province of Bomba, and -possesses two thousand yaks, five thousand sheep, and an enormous -amount of wealth. One of his tents was ninety yards square and had a -stone chapel annexed. There were two other tents, one of ordinary size, -the other very small and fitted up like a tea-house. The bottom edge of -the canvas of the large tent was turned inwards, and on it were placed -large quantities of goods, which served as weights to secure the tent. -The goods were all concealed under Tibetan blankets, and were mostly -butter, barley, wheat, wool, and the like. It was in this tent that I -stayed. - -Gyal Bum was about seventy-five years old, and his wife over eighty -and blind. They had no children, and the Tibetan law does not permit -the adoption of a child from another family. Should a man die without -children, his nearest relative, as a general but not universal rule, -becomes his heir. The old couple asked me many questions about -Buḍḍhism, which I answered as kindly as I could. They thought the -teaching was excellent, and as they had now no hopes except in a future -life, they asked me to conduct a benedictory service for them during -their life-time--a request to which I gave consent the more readily, -because I was much fatigued and wished to recuperate. The old gentleman -pressed me, indeed, to make a long stay of a year or more with him, but -this I declined, as I feared running any risks in view of the many wild -rumors about me that were being circulated throughout the Lo province. -Furthermore I was afraid that, however warmly I might be clad, I should -be unable to endure the severe rigors of a winter in those regions, for -I had already been obliged to borrow two fur coats from my host, and -still felt so cold that I was sure I could not winter in the tent. I -was obliged therefore to resist his importunities. - -One incident will show that my anxieties about my health were not -groundless. One day while walking I felt a lump in my throat, which -I brought up and found to be a clot of blood, and the bleeding, -having once begun, went on with such persistence that I began to fear -consumption. I was much alarmed, as may be imagined, but the excellent -precepts of my religion enabled me to keep calm, and the more keenly I -felt the pain of the bleeding, the more I kept myself under control. -I sat down on the grass and stopped my respiration, as though for a -meditation, and was glad to find that the bleeding soon ceased, though -not before I had brought up quite a pool of blood. When I got home, -my pale face quite alarmed my host, and when I told him what had -happened, he said that the rarity of the atmosphere (he did not call -it ‘rarity,’ for of that he knew nothing) often had a similar effect -upon Chinese visitors. He fortunately knew of a very good remedy, -which he applied with great success, and thus relieved me of my fears -of a supposed consumption. Three days later I again brought up blood, -though in a decreased quantity, and the old gentleman told me that -after two such vomitings I should never be similarly troubled again. -He was quite right; henceforth I was free from these attacks, even at -Lhasa. The place Bomba is 15,000 feet above the sea-level; Lhasa is -only 12,000, and no one spits blood on account of the rarity of the -atmosphere at this latter place. My host kindly fed me up with milk and -other nourishing food, and when, a week later, I took my departure, he -presented me with the fur of an animal called _yi_, which he said was -the only thing that would do me any good. The yi is a sort of cat that -lives in the snow. It is somewhat larger than an ordinary cat, and its -fur is much valued in Tibet. My host’s present was a tippet of yi fur, -covering the shoulders, and I learned afterwards that such a tippet -would cost twenty-five yen when new, and ten yen for an old one. He -also gave me a quantity of butter and ten tankas of coin, and sent his -servant with a horse to put me well on my journey. Thus I travelled -some ten Japanese miles and reached the house of one Ajo-pu, a village -headman, where I lodged. I was very thankful that I had stayed with -Gyal Bum, for had I spat blood on the journey I should have died. - -I left Ajo-pu’s house on the 29th October, 1900, and after going ten -_ri_ to the south-east, down a descent, reached the banks of the -Brahmapuṭra, which was already covered with ice and glittering in the -dazzling sun. I had not originally intended to go by this way, but by -the high-road, which would have taken me more to the east but Ajo-pu -had told me that at this season I should find no herdsmen along the -high-road until I reached Tadun-Tazam, while by the other road I -should come across them frequently. Sure enough, I found a tent on -the banks of the Brahmapuṭra, and was hospitably received by its kind -owner, a man of the name of Gyal-po. He told me that he was starting -the next day along the same route that I was taking, and offered to -take my baggage on one of his yaks. I was glad to be thus relieved of -my burden, and the next morning we all set off towards the south-east -along the river. - -It was a sandy swampy country, and after some four _ri_ (ten miles) we -came to a plain of soft white sand which was very tiring to the feet, -so that I thankfully accepted Gyal-po’s offer of a bare-backed horse. -I am not a good horseman, but I trotted on bravely for a while, till -the pain in my hip-bone became unbearable. Then I changed my position -and rode sideways, like a lady, but then my legs began to hurt me, so -I jumped off at last and resumed my journey on foot. It was very hard -walking, but I consoled myself with thinking that, at any rate, I had -no luggage to carry, and so after a weary walk of five miles I came to -a narrow cañon through which the river flowed. - -Through this defile we went, threading our way among the numerous -rocks, until at last we came to a place where three great rocks, in -shape like a man’s clenched fist, blocked the valley. Here the river -made a sharp turn to the south, while our road lay through a valley -to the south-east; so we bid adieu to the Brahmapuṭra. Presently we -crossed a big mountain and came out on an extensive plain. We had -travelled nearly twenty miles that day, and near the close of it I -separated from Gyal-po’s party. I was told that evening that there was -another river for me to cross before I got to Tadun-Tazam, and that as -it was full of perils I must hire a guide. This I did, and the next -day, after walking for fifteen miles towards the south-east, arrived -about ten o’clock at a river a hundred and twenty yards wide, which -was still covered with ice. The guide was afraid that the ice, which -was not thick enough to bear us, would cut our legs if we attempted to -wade through it, and on his advice we waited for the sun to melt it a -little. We therefore took our lunch, and at last about noon broke the -ice and began to wade across. The ice cut our legs in several places, -and our feet were quite benumbed with cold by the time we had got -across; but we walked on for another eighteen miles, and then stopped -for the night in a little tent. - -The next day, November 1, I started at nine o’clock and walked till a -little past noon, when we crossed another icy rivulet. Twelve miles -more brought us to Tadun, the most famous temple in northern Tibet. -Tadun means the ‘seven hairs,’ and the tradition is that the hair of -seven Buḍḍhas are interred here. The temple stands on the summit of -a hill, and in its enclosure is a revenue office. It is in fact not -a temple but a town (Tazam), one of the most populous and wealthy in -northern Tibet. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXVI. - -War Against Suspicion. - - -I spent the whole of November 2nd, 1900, at the temple seeing its -treasures and images. The place was just sixty miles north of Tsarang -in the province of Lo in the Himālayas, and was frequented by merchants -from the latter. I did not know this fact, and after I had seen the -treasures I was walking round the temple, when to my astonishment I -was accosted by an old acquaintance. He was a notorious drunkard and -gambler, feared even by the natives of the Himālayas. While I was -in Lo he used to accuse me of being a British spy. When, however, a -member of his family became sick I gave him medicines, and this act of -kindness of mine softened down his bitterness against me, though it was -evident that he intended to take the first opportunity to quarrel with -me. On the present occasion it was clear that should I take no notice -of him. He would denounce me to the Tibetan Government and obstruct -the execution of my object; so I decided upon a plan of campaign. -Approaching him with a smile, I said I was delighted to see an old -acquaintance. I was myself a teetotaller, I added, but I had heard it -stated that the place had very good liquor. I would treat him to the -best to be obtained in the place if he did not object to coming to my -room. He accepted my invitation at once. - -Ordering my landlord to bring a large quantity of the best liquor I -plied him with drink until four in the morning. I did not take anything -myself, but made believe to be drunk. After many glasses I got him dead -drunk, and he fell asleep. I also pretended to sleep. But as soon as -the landlord awoke at about half past five, I also rose and told him -that the man lying there was a dear friend of mine, and that I would -have him treated with the best liquor whenever he awoke, and that he -was never to let him go out of the house. If he should ask for my -whereabouts, he was to be told that I had gone towards Tsarang. With -these orders I paid my bills, tipped the landlord liberally, and set -out on my journey at six o’clock. - -I did not of course go towards Tsarang, but took the highway running to -Lhasa. Yet my fears were not quite pacified, for the man I had to deal -with was noted for his shrewdness even among the Himālayans. He would -not only doubt the words of the landlord, but would suspect my reasons -for plying him with liquor, and would inform the Tibetan revenue -officials of my escape towards Lhasa. In the event of the mounted -officials giving chase to me, it would be all in vain for me to walk -as I was doing. What I wished with all my heart, even at the cost of -all my money, was to get a horse or to hire a man to carry my luggage. -But the plain being absolutely deserted, my desire was in vain. I was -hastening along the highway to the south-east, when a large body of -horsemen came galloping up from behind. - -It was a caravan of eighty or ninety horses and sixteen men. I stopped -one of them, and asked him to tie my luggage on to one of the horses, -for which trouble I would pay, and to allow me to run behind them. -The man was a servant, and could not give me any definite answer. I -approached another man, who seemed to be the master and brought up the -rear, with a similar petition. He said that he was not able to comply -with my request for the present. But as the party was stopping that -night in a valley between the two hills which were visible ahead, he -advised me to push on, hard though the work might be, and wait there -till some arrangements could be made. I took his advice and summoned -up all my courage to reach those hills. At eight o’clock I reached the -mountain slope and found two big white tents. The chief and second -chief of the caravan seemed to be Lamas, the caravan itself having a -religious appearance. They offered me tea and meat, but I said I did -not eat any meat and gave my reasons for not doing so. The Lama was -apparently interested by my explanation, and asked me where I had come -from. I said I was a Chinese priest. The Lama thereupon spoke to me in -Chinese, which he seemed to understand a little. I told him that his -Chinese was the Pekin dialect, which I could not understand, and so -our conversation was held in Tibetan. He then produced some Chinese -characters and made me read and explain them, and until I had satisfied -him in this connexion he did not believe in my being a Chinaman. - -I learned then that he was the Lama of a temple called Lhuntubu-chœ-ten -in the province of Luto on the north-western frontier of Tibet, near -to Ladak on the eastern border of Kashmīr. The first Lama was named -Lobsang Gendun, and the second Lobsang Yanbel. The man who advised me -to go there was the _Tsongbon_, or chief of the caravan, and acted as -the business manager for these Lamas. The rest of the party were either -monks or servants. They carried dried pears, raisins, silk, woollen -goods and other products of Kashmīr to Lhasa, whence they brought home -tea, Buḍḍhist pictures and images. They were a very good company, and -a very convenient one for me, if I could get them to carry my luggage -through this vast pastoral plain of Jangthang; but I did not wish them -to accompany me as far as Lhasa. - -The Lama interrogated me as to the kind of Buḍḍhism I had learned and -the things I knew, and put before me many questions about Tibetan -Buḍḍhism. Happily, as I have already stated, I had been fully -instructed in Tibetan Buḍḍhism while at Tsarang by Dr. Gyaltsan, and -had studied the grammar with special care; so that not only was I able -to answer the questions quite easily, but I could explain many things -on the subject that these Lamas did not know. He was greatly surprised, -and asked me hundreds of questions in grammar, which he seemed to -have been studying, though without any insight. Without the help of -scientific analysis, which seems impossible for persons in these -countries, one cannot fully understand the grammar. As I proceeded with -the explanation of the subject, he proposed that I should accompany -the party, and said that they rode until two o’clock in the afternoon -every day, but that after that hour they always had plenty of leisure, -during which he wished to learn grammar. Moreover, he offered to pay me -suitable fees and give me food during the journey, if I would consent -to his request. This was just what I was longing for; even if he paid -me no fee, I should have been glad to comply with his wish. - -When I awoke at four the next morning the party were making tea on a -fire of dry yak dung. Presently everybody was up, and seven or eight -men went out to collect the mules and horses, which had been left -during the night to find pasture for themselves. These animals often -wander over the mountains, and it will take at least one hour to bring -them back, and at times three hours. But these horses did not try to -get away from the men who went to fetch them, for they knew that they -would be well fed with beans as soon as they reached the tents and -before being loaded. The meal served to the caravan consisted chiefly -of the flesh of sheep, yaks and goats, and occasionally pork. The -grooms had thus to catch and feed the horses, strike the tents, load -them on the horses, harness the horses for their own use, and drive -up their own especial charges. My companions were sixteen in number, -fifteen of whom rode, and one walked. The latter was going to Lhasa for -the purpose of prosecuting his studies, and was in company with the -caravan simply for the reason that they came from the same province. -He and I, being pedestrians, took tea before the caravan packed its -effects, and left the place in a south-easterly direction. - -My walking companion was a pedantic scholar. He had a very high -opinion of himself, but he knew nothing of the essential principles -of Buḍḍhism, nor did he recognise the existence of any sectional -differences. It seemed as if he had only a vague notion of the -doctrines. I was glad to have his company, such as it was, but he vexed -me greatly by his evident animosity towards me, which unfortunately -grew more violent as time progressed. The cause of this animosity -was, as I learned afterwards, the fact that I had explained on a -previous evening the Tibetan grammar, which, scholar though he was, -was all untrodden ground to him. He was of opinion that the knowledge -of grammar, unaccompanied by that of true Buḍḍhism, was a worthless -acquisition, which only fools would take the trouble to make. As his -manner disclosed his jealousy, I treated him with circumspection. - -On that day we passed over a large hill and spent the night at a swampy -place, after having walked nearly twenty miles in all. A lecture on -grammar was again given, by request. On the 5th, I again walked in -company with the pedantic monk. After we had arrived at Lhasa he fell -into a destitute condition, and I, being then in happier circumstances, -did all I could to help him. But this occurred long afterwards. During -the journey, after some interesting conversation was held in connexion -with religious questions, the monk applied himself to the work of -systematically investigating my personality. Apparently he suspected -that I was an Englishman, or at least a European, on account of my -complexion, and his suspicion speedily grew into conviction. But as -his questions did not soar above what I had expected, I was able to -reply in a manner which dissipated his doubts. After we had traversed -the desert for five miles, we again reached the Brahmapuṭra, and a thaw -having set in at that time, we found the water was flowing on smoothly. -The clashing sound of the blocks of ice was inspiriting, and the sun -was beautifully reflected on the surface of the river. We walked -eastward along the bank for about seven miles, and then, leaving the -river, walked in a north-easterly direction by an up-hill road along -the Brahmapuṭra for another seven miles. Then we crossed the river on -horseback. A post-town called Niuk-Tazam stood a little to the north -on the river bank, but we did not visit it. We travelled two miles and -a half in an easterly direction and encamped on the slope of a hill. -That day I walked about twenty three miles. Until we had come to the -neighborhood of a town called Lharche the caravan which I accompanied -avoided stopping in towns, for the grass on which their horses fed was -not to be found abundantly in such places. - -That night I felt for the first time safe from the man whom I had left -behind at Tadun, which was now sixty-five miles off. I felt that it -had been most fortunate that he had not awaked from his drunken sleep -until it was too late for him to inform the authorities of my presence, -for if he had had the least suspicion of my escape, he would not have -missed the opportunity for making money, enough to enable him to -indulge himself in a good bout of drinking. - -The usual lessons in the Tibetan grammar and Buḍḍhism over, the -suspicious monk, who posed for a learned scholar, suddenly addressed -me, saying that having been in India, I must have seen Saraṭ Chanḍra -Ḍās, who explored Tibet. I replied that I did not know him, even by -name. There were three hundred millions of people in India, and however -famous a man might be, he must always be unknown to some. There was -a great difference between India and Tibet, and I asked to hear -something about the man the monk referred to. The monk then narrated -how Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās, twenty-three years ago, had cheated the Tibetan -authorities with a passport; how he had robbed Tibet of her Buḍḍhism, -with which he had returned to India; how on the discovery of the -affair, the greatest scholar and sage in Tibet, Sengchen Dorjechan, had -been executed, not to mention many other priests and laymen who were -put to death and many others whose property was confiscated. - -After this the monk added that as Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās was a renowned -personage in India, it was impossible for me not to be acquainted with -him. Probably I pretended not to know him. These words were spoken in a -most unpleasant manner, but I put him off with a smile, saying that I -had never seen the face of the Queen of England, who was so renowned, -and that such a big country as India made such investigations hopeless. -The stories about Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās are quite well known in Tibet, -even children being familiar with them; but there are few who know him -by his real name, for he goes by the appellation of the ‘school bābū’ -(school-master). The story of the Tibetans who smuggled a foreigner -into Tibet and were killed, and of those who concealed the fact from -the Government and forfeited their property, are tales that Tibetan -parents everywhere tell to their children. - -Owing to the discovery of the adventures of Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās, all the -Tibetans have become as suspicious as detectives, and exercise the -greatest vigilance towards foreigners. I was fully acquainted with -these facts, so that I too exercised great caution even in dropping a -single word, however innocent and empty that word might be. But the -Tibetans were very cunning questioners; and the monk was one of the -most cunning. When I tried to laugh away his questions, he put other -queries on every imaginable point. Other Tibetans who were equally -suspicious joined him in harassing me. I felt for the moment just -as though I were besieged by an overwhelming force of the enemy. I -thought myself in danger, and with the view of changing the subject -of the conversation I turned the tables on them by asking them which -they revered more, the Buḍḍha or Lobon Rinpoche, the founder of the -old religion of Tibet. There is a saying in Tibet: “Padma Chungne is -superior to Buḍḍha,” Padma Chungne meaning “born from the Lotus,” -the founder of Lamaism. This question is an old one, and one about -which Tibetans are never tired of disputing, so when this subject was -introduced a most violent debate was started, and no one questioned me -any more about my personality. - -But the incident was sufficient to put me on my guard. The Mongols have -a saying “Semnak Poepa,” meaning “black-hearted Tibetans.” Tibetans are -extremely inquisitive, and one of their characteristics is to conceal -their anger behind a smile, and to bide their time for vengeance. The -word, ‘Poepa’ means Tibetans, and they call their own country ‘Poe’. -They do not know that their country is called Tibet. ‘Poe’ means in -Tibetan ‘to summon’. The founders of that country, according to the -tradition, were a man of the name of Te-u Tonmar (red-faced monkey) -and a woman named Tak Shimmo (stone she-devil). The former was the -incarnate God of Mercy, and the latter the incarnate Yogini, who -induced Te-u Tonmar to be her husband. To them were born six sons, -whom they summoned into being, respectively, from the six quarters -of the universe: namely: Hell, Hunger, Animalism, Asura (fighting -demon), Humanity and Heaven. Thus the Tibetans called their country -‘the summoned’ or ‘Poe’. This tradition was perhaps fabricated by some -inventive Lama, for the purpose of connecting Tibetan religion with -Buḍḍhism. But it is a tradition which is believed by the natives. -The Hinḍūs do not call this country by the name of Tibet. They call -it Boḍha, one of the meanings of which is ‘knowing’ or ‘idea’. It is -not known how they came to call Tibet Boḍha, but according to their -scholars Poe is a contraction of Boḍha. The Hinḍūs have another name -for Tibet, namely, the country of ‘Hungry Devils’. This is clear even -from the fact that Paldan Aṭīsha invented, as I have already mentioned, -the name of Preṭapurī (town of hungry devils). Tibet has many other -names which deserve study, but which are too peculiar to be expounded. -At all events the ‘pa’ of Poepa means men, so that Poepa means the -Tibetans. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXVII. - -Across the Steppes. - - -On November 6th, 1900, we took our way to the south-east, and marched -up and down several rolling hills, till after walking more than -twenty miles we reached the foot of a great snow-covered peak and -lodged there. On the 7th we again climbed up and down the spurs of -the Himālayas for a distance of over five miles, and arrived at the -Chaksam Tsangbo (river of the iron bridge). It was no fine suspension -bridge, but an iron rope, fastened to the rocks on either side, by -which travellers crossed the river hand over hand, and which gave the -river its name. For I heard that there is in the vicinity of Lhasa -another iron bridge, which consists of two iron chains, by means of -which one can very comfortably pass over the river. The bridge over -the Chaksam does not now exist; but the name of the river of the iron -bridge seems to have been derived from the fact that it was crossed -by one of these iron ropes, though which kind it was is more than I -can say. The river had a tremendously rapid current, thickly strewn -with blocks of ice; but I easily crossed it on my horse. Then we had -to travel through a plain between the hills, which were generally bare -and devoid of vegetation except when there was a swamp where grasses -were seen growing. The scene was exceedingly dismal, and there was -nothing to relieve the eye. We went on for some four miles, and came -to a rivulet, and at the end of another four miles arrived at a castle -called Sakka Zong. We lodged beside a swamp on the west of the castle, -which stands upon the summit of a hill. The style of its architecture -differs not much from that of a temple, though it presents a certain -martial aspect. There were no regular troops stationed there. When -needed the people in that vicinity, some two hundred in number, take -up arms. I was told that the year before last a tribe on the northern -plain had made an attack on this locality, with the result that the -latter lost twenty or thirty men and about two thousand yaks. The -trouble was still pending as a subject of litigation. Thus the castle -seems to be a fortification against the attacks of roaming tribes, -though it also has a revenue office in it. That day we travelled some -fifteen miles, and the evening was spent in my lecture on grammar, as -were many succeeding evenings. - -The following day, after we had travelled eight miles, we passed the -southern fort, on a snow-clad mountain called Chomo-Lhari. Then we -travelled five miles more in a south-easterly direction, and encamped -for the night. Nothing occurred worthy of mention. - -On the 9th we travelled for seventeen miles along the same lonely -mountain-pass leading to the south-east, and reached a valley in which -we observed an exceedingly large animal ahead of us. This strange beast -resembled a yak, though there was no doubt that it was not an ordinary -yak. On asking its name, I was informed that it was what the Tibetans -called a dongyak (wild yak). Its size was twice or three times that of -the domesticated animal, and it stood about seven feet high. It was -smaller than the elephant, but its eyes looked dangerous. Its horns -measured twenty-five inches in circumference and five feet in length. -These measurements were taken afterwards at Lhasa, where I saw the -horns of a wild yak. It is described as graminivorous; when it becomes -angry it will attack men or animals with its horns, often inflicting -fatal injuries. Its tongue is extremely rough and anything licked by -the animal would be torn to pieces. Once I saw the dried and very large -tongue of a young dongyak, which was being used as a brush for horses. - -[Illustration: MEETING A FURIOUS WILD YAK.] - -An honest fellow in the party asked me to prophesy, by my art of -divination, whether that night was to be passed in safety or not. I -thought he was afraid of the dongyak, but the truth was not so. He -pointed to a place a little below the slope, and said that in the -preceding year six merchants had been killed by robbers there. He was -therefore going to keep watch that night, and wished to know whether -robbers were coming. In order to pacify him, I said that nothing of the -kind was going to take place that night. But the features of the place -were anything but agreeable, as may be guessed from the fact that the -dongyak was quite at home there. The night was, however, spent without -any accident. The following day we travelled over the steppes for a -distance of fifteen miles, and again lodged near a swamp; we always -preferred swampy places for lodging, on account of the abundant grass. - -On the 11th we travelled again for fifteen miles, and on the 12th -crossed a steep pass called Kur La, seven miles in length, and walked -seventeen miles eastwards, lodging again beside a swamp. It was about -that time that a change for the better came over the relations between -the pedantic monk and myself. Proud as he was, he seems to have thought -that hostility could not be maintained without serious loss to himself, -as the majority of the party had come to entertain a sincere love for -and confidence in me. He approached me with a kindly face, which could -not be repelled; whatever his motives may have been, it would have been -very ill-advised for me to quarrel with him, so I reciprocated his -kindness, with the result that our relations became perfectly smooth, -and I was glad to get rid of the fear that he might inform the Tibetan -authorities of his suspicions about me. - -The following day, November 13th, we passed over two long slopes, and -the night was spent at the foot of a steep and rugged mountain. On the -morrow we proceeded about seven and a half miles in a south-easterly -direction, along a river flowing between rocks. A gentle slope of about -twelve miles was then accomplished, and the night was spent on the bank -of the river. On the 15th we proceeded further to the south-east along -the river-side route. When five miles were covered, we came out upon a -plain, which we crossed in an easterly direction. A journey of about -seven and a half miles over the plain brought us to a post-town called -Gyato Tazam, where I found a far greater number of stone buildings than -at any other post-town I had visited _en route_. I was informed that -the inhabitants of the town numbered about four hundred, representing -sixty families. The people differed much from the nomadic population -found in the Jangthang which we had visited before, something of -urbanity being visible in their manners. While the nomads are so rude -and vulgar that, whenever they speak, they speak bluntly, without any -regard to the persons addressed, the inhabitants of Gyato Tazam have a -more refined tone in their language, though it is of course modified by -the local dialect. After making some purchases in the town, we resumed -our journey. Wending our way about five miles into a mountain region, -we reached the bank of a stream, where we decided to pass the night. - -Being the middle of November it was pretty cold, but fortunately my -companions proved themselves so obliging that, on our arrival there, -they went to the trouble of gathering a great mass of yak-dung, which -was burnt within the tent throughout the night. As I gave them lectures -on Tibetan grammar, the head priest of the party and a junior Lama were -very hospitable towards me and provided me with bedding, so that I felt -no cold at all. The following day, after proceeding a little less than -fifteen miles over two long steep slopes, we found ourselves on the -edge of a plain. We went about four miles further, and found in the -centre of the plain a temple standing upon two large pillar-like rocks, -which stood together and towered high into the sky. As these rocks -alone are 360 yards high, the entire height may well be imagined. The -temple is called the Sesum Gompa, and belongs to one of the old schools -of Lamaism. Passing under the temple, we proceeded further and reached -a marsh lying to the east, where we stopped for the night. - -The following day we made a journey of about twenty miles through a -mountain district situated to the south-east, at the end of which -journey we found ourselves at a post-town called Sang Sang Tazam. We -did not take lodging in the town, but encamped upon a plain in the -eastern suburb, where we made as big a fire as we could, and yet felt -pretty cold, especially late at night. We awoke in the morning to find -ourselves completely frost-bound; indeed I wondered, at first sight, -if it had not snowed during the night. Thereupon I produced a short -_uta_, which may be rendered into English thus: - - How beautiful - It is to see grass dead, but blooming yet - With frost, upon a high plateau. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXVIII. - -Holy Texts in a Slaughter-House. - - -Heading in a south-easterly direction as before, we proceeded about -four miles, now over hills and then across moorland, and arrived at -the base of a mountain, where there stood three buildings. A strange -sensation came over me when I saw dozens of sheep’s hides dangling -from the eaves of these buildings. Nor was that all. They were also in -the habit, so I was told, of butchering yaks on the premises. It is -the custom of the Tibetans, I was told, to butcher cattle towards the -latter part of autumn, and dry the meat for preservation, there being -no fear of decomposition, owing to the cold climate of the country. The -Tibetans esteem this dried meat as quite a luxury, and claim that it -is the best food in the world. Not infrequently I heard people speak -anxiously about their stocks of preserved meat in summer. I was told -that autumn was the best time for killing cattle, because they yielded -excellent meat after their feast upon the rich summer grass. Tibetans, -however, dare not slaughter animals in their own villages, or near -their tents, and the three buildings in question are used as a common -slaughter-house by neighboring inhabitants. Generally the slaughter is -not carried out on behalf of a single individual or family, but of the -whole village. The beasts butchered on the day we visited the place -included two hundred and fifty sheep and goats, and thirty-five yaks. -Of the latter, fifteen were despatched after our arrival there. They -told me that the cries of the yak were very strange, and invited me to -witness the scene of the slaughter. What cruelty! how could I bear to -see it? Desirous, however, of knowing something about the operations, I -stood and watched the spectacle. Sadly and slowly a yak was conducted -into the yard, two men pushing the animal on from behind. As soon as -the proper point was reached, the legs of the poor creature were tied, -and tears were seen standing in its eyes, as if it were conscious of -its impending death as soon as it found itself in the pool of blood -left by its companions. The scene was indeed unbearable. I wished I had -money enough to redeem their lives, but I could see no help for it. -Just then a priest came in, Holy Texts in hand, and read them for the -doomed animal, on whose head the book and a rosary were placed. The -natives believe that this religious proceeding will enable the poor yak -to enter into a new state of existence and also absolve the doer of the -cruel deed from the evil consequences which might otherwise follow. I -hoped so, too, but even the Holy Texts read by the priest were now too -much for my endurance. A flood of tears came into my eyes, and I could -no longer stand the ghastly spectacle, but ran indoors. Presently, -thump! something fell outside the doors; alas! the poor creature was -beheaded. The natives handle a sharp knife so dexterously, that a -single blow with it is said to be sufficient to finish the deadly work. - -The blood gushing forth from the body of the dead beast was received in -a pail, and afterwards boiled down into a kind of food said to be very -delicious. When desirous to obtain this food, the Tibetans often draw -blood even from the bodies of living yaks; this is done by means of a -gash made in the neck of the poor beast, wide enough to cause a flow of -the blood, but not to kill it. The blood taken in this way is said to -yield much less delicious food than that obtained from the slaughtered -animal. I then thought that the scene was the very extreme of cruelty, -but afterwards found that I had been miserably mistaken, for I observed -during my subsequent residence at Lhasa that more than fifty thousand -sheep, goats and yaks were slaughtered there during the three months -ending in December every year. - -But to return to my itinerary. Leaving the scene of this tragedy, we -had to proceed up a very steep slope about nine miles long, and then -down another, seven and a half miles long. At the end of the latter -distance we found a river, on the banks of which we passed the night. -The next day, November 19th, we skirted the base of a mountain (upon -which there stood a big temple of the Old School, called the Tasang -Gompa) until we reached the bank of a river where we encamped for the -night. On the 20th we made a journey of five miles, again in a mountain -region, at the end of which we found ourselves at a village called -Larung, which was situated on the western shore of a lake bearing the -name of Manuyui Tso. It was about twelve miles in circumference, and -appeared to be very deep. For the first time during my journey, I -observed in this village patches of wheat-fields, dotted with cottages. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIX. - -The Third Metropolis of Tibet. - - -Owing to the cold season I could not observe the condition of the wheat -actually growing in the fields, but I learned at the above village that -in that locality the wheat crop was considered ordinary when it was at -the rate of two bushels from two pecks of seeds, and unusually abundant -when the rate reached three bushels. In the neighborhood of Lhasa four -or five bushels are obtained from two pecks of seeds, if the weather -proves favorable, but three bushels are passed as fair. - -This testifies to the primitiveness of the methods of farming obtaining -in Tibet. One cannot but be surprised at the ill-kept condition of -the fields which, with their ‘rich’ deposits of pebbles, cannot be -termed cultivated land in the proper sense of the word. I do not mean -to speak ill of the Tibetans, but this curious neglect of cleaning -the land is a fact; indeed, it is a universal feature of the country. -I once suggested to a native farmer the advisability of removing the -pebbles, but the reply was simply that such practices were not endorsed -by tradition. Tradition is to the Tibetans a heavenly dictate, and -controls all social arrangements. Those residing in more civilised -parts of the country, however, entertain somewhat more progressive -ideas, and have learned to utilise the products of modern ingenuity -from the West. The case is quite different with the mass of the people, -who are still laboring under a thousand and one forms of conservatism. -A very curious story, in a way substantiating the foregoing statement, -was told me by a village paṇdiṭ whom I could hardly credit, because -of the apparent absurdity of his narrative. The story, which is given -below, was subsequently confirmed, quite to my surprise, by more than -one citizen of Lhasa. - -In Tibet, as in other countries, taxes are assessed on cultivated -fields, but, as the Tibetans are practically strangers to mathematics, -as stated in a preceding chapter, a very curious and primitive method -is adopted with regard to the land-measuring which forms the basis of -the assessment. - -The method consists in setting two yaks, drawing a plough, to work upon -a given area, the assessment being made according to the time taken in -the tillage. In other words, the different plots of cultivated lands -are classified as lands of half a day’s tillage, or a day’s tillage, -and so on, as the case may be, and assessed accordingly. - -After being entertained by the aforesaid scholar with many other -interesting stories concerning the manners and customs of Tibet, -as well as the conduct of native priests, we left the village and, -proceeding for twelve miles along the edge of the lake mentioned above, -reached a spot where we passed the night. On November 21st we struggled -on our way through a gorge extending over a distance of five miles, -till we found ourselves again on the edge of a big lake, called Nam -Tso Goga. It measured about twelve miles in circumference, and its -water was very pure. Proceeding along the northern bank of the lake, we -passed into a valley commonly called the Senge Rung, or Lions’ Vale. -This name must have been derived from the surrounding rocks, which -somewhat resemble the figure of the king of beasts. After a journey -of seven and a half miles through the vale, we arrived at a village -bearing the same name, and then at another, where we took lodgings. -We covered more than twenty-five miles that day, this forced journey -being due to the necessity of altering our travelling arrangements. -The fact was that, while our previous journey was through Jangthang, -so that it was necessary for us to stop early and graze our horses -sufficiently, we had now entered into a more peopled and cultivated -part of the country, where pastures were few, so that we could not stop -until we reached a village where we could secure sufficient fodder for -our animals. The fodder, which in Tibet usually consists of wheat and -barley stalks and the stems of bean plants, is generally purchased from -inn-keepers. The latter, however, extort such high prices, that fodder -enough to feed a horse during a night often costs the traveller full -thirty sen, though in some cases half that sum will be sufficient. In -addition, beans and a solution of butter are sometimes given to horses, -so that the caravan trade in the interior of Tibet is at once trying -and expensive. - -On November 22nd we proceeded about twelve miles over a steep slope -and across plains, and arrived again on the northern bank of the -Brāhmapuṭra. At this place the river was not quite as it was when we -crossed it on our way. It now appeared quite fathomless, with its -waters azure-blue, though it was only about two hundred yards wide. -There was no hope of negotiating the stream on horseback, and we were -told that the river-bed would become much wider in summer. There was, -however, a ferry-boat service, a rectangular flat-bottomed boat, -resembling those we see used for the purpose in India. The boat had in -the middle of her stern a figure representing the head of a serpent, -and had capacity enough to accommodate thirty or forty persons and -twenty horses. When we landed on the opposite bank of the river, we -found ourselves in the outskirts of Lharche, the city which is the -third in importance in Tibet. Once there, we could fairly claim that we -had gone far into the interior of the forbidden country, for it is only -five days’ journey thence to Shigatze, the second Tibetan city. - -Looking southward, we could see a caravanserai erected by the Chinese. -It is spacious but unfurnished, no one being in charge of it. It -serves the double purpose of accommodating the Chinese itinerant -traders and the native soldiers on march. We betook ourselves to the -building for the night, which proved a jolly as well as a noisy one. -It was thought very fortunate for us to have escaped from the dangers -of robbers and wild beasts which infested the north-western regions, -and my companions decided to celebrate the successful journey to their -hearts’ content. - -Throughout the night they indulged themselves in a carouse, which was -enlivened by the attendance of several girls. During the next day, -November 23rd, I was still staying with the rest of our party at the -caravanserai, but as I was to part company with them on the 24th I read -the gospel of _Hokekyo_, as a mark of appreciation of the kindness -accorded to me by them throughout my journey with them. When the date -of my departure came, the head Lama gave me ten tankas as a reward -for my lectures on Tibetan grammar, while the rest of the party also -collected among themselves a certain sum of money which they presented -to me. A few of the party were to accompany me, for the Lama, with the -junior Lama and a servant, decided to go with me, so that I was not -alone on my road. We then set out, taking the road leading to the grand -Sakya monastery. As for the men of the caravan, they were to proceed to -Shigatze through Puntso-ling by the highway. Besides kindly carrying -my personal effects together with their own, the senior Lama and party -offered me the use of one of their horses, so that my trip with them -was a very comfortable one. - -We proceeded in a southerly direction, and for a distance of five miles -our way passed through wheat-fields, the soil of which appeared to be -very rich. Of all the districts in Tibet, Lharche can supply barley, -wheat, beans, and butter at the lowest possible prices, which testified -to the position held by it with regard to agricultural products. We -then ascended a rapid slope for another five miles, again traversed -cultivated fields for about eleven miles, going in a south-easterly -direction, and reached a hamlet called Rendah. The next day, after we -had proceeded along a river for some eighteen miles, we saw before us -the imposing monastery of Sakya, which was surrounded by high stone -walls of about two hundred and twenty yards square, twenty feet high -and six feet thick. All the structures were of stone, painted white, -and the main edifice alone measured sixty feet in height, two hundred -feet from east to west, and two hundred and forty feet from south to -north. Over the walls, which were bow-shaped, rose a dark-colored -castle, crowned with _Saisho-doban_ (the victorious Standard of -Buḍḍhism), and _rodai_ (the disc for the dew of nectar) of dazzling -gold. The spectacle was sublime and impressive, at least so far as -outward appearances were concerned. - - - - -CHAPTER XL. - -The Sakya Monastery. - - -We lodged at a neighboring inn which placed a cicerone at our service, -and proceeded to pay a visit to the celebrated monastery. Going through -the front gate and past several smaller buildings, we arrived in -front of the main edifice. At first sight the interior of the latter -appeared to be completely enclosed, but a closer examination showed -that light was let in through a courtyard. Entering the front hall, -seventy-eight feet by forty-two, we saw standing on both sides statues -of Vajrapāni, each about twenty-five feet high, one painted blue and -the other red, such as are seen on each side of the gate of every great -Japanese Temple. Each image has its right leg a little bent and the -left one put forward, while the right hand is raised towards the sky -and the left one vigorously stretched downward. The workmanship seemed -even to my lay eyes representative of Tibetan art, the muscles, for -instance, being very excellently moulded. There are also images of the -four heavenly kings, each thirty feet high, standing on the right side. -Again, looking to the left, we saw on the wall (which was of stone -over-laid with mud and then with some lime-like substance) beautiful -pictures of deities and saints, which covered a space twenty-four -feet by twenty-one. There is no fissure visible in the pictured area, -in spite of its dimensions. The structure as a whole is in good -repair. The front hall opens to an inner courtyard, paved with stone, -thirty-six feet by thirty, where the priests of the inferior orders -gather to dine and to read the scriptures, while the higher Lamas have -the privilege of living inside the building. Passing this courtyard -we entered the main chamber (which faces west) where the images of -Buḍḍhist deities are placed. There are two entrances to this chamber, -the southern one being open to the priests and the northern one to the -visitors. Once inside, we were lost in a sea of dazzling gold; the -splendor was simply beyond description. The ceilings and pillars are -all covered with gold brocade, and the images, more than three hundred -in number, are emblazoned with very fine gold. In the centre of the -room there stands a statue of Shākyamuni Buḍḍha, thirty-five feet high, -which, we were told, is made of mud covered with gold. In front of this -image are placed seven water-trays, some candle-sticks and a table for -oblations, all of pure gold, with the exception of a few articles made -of silver. - -The disorderly manner in which the images are arranged, however, -greatly detracts from the impression produced by their intrinsic -merits. The spectacle is a grand exhibition of Buḍḍhist fine arts, but -put together without much order. In short, the chief feature of the -chamber consists in its splendor, but its effect is greatly impaired by -the tasteless and excessive decorations. - -At the rear of this chamber there is another, sixty feet high and two -hundred and forty feet wide, which is full of valuable collections of -ancient Buḍḍhist manuscripts, some written in gilded letters on dark -blue-colored paper and others in Samskṛṭ on the leaves of the fan palm -tree (_Borassus flabelliformis_). Many of these scriptures were brought -all the way from India by the founder of the temple, Sakya Panḍiṭ, and -his successors, who sent their priests to that country for the purpose. - -With regard to the scriptures in the Tibetan language, I was told that -they had a great number of them there, and that they were all written, -not printed. We left this chamber, and while we were again looking -round the main chamber I was struck with a strong and offensive smell -which, as my subsequent experiences taught me, is a curious feature of -every monastery in Tibet. I wondered how I had been insensible to such -a stench up to that time. Where did it come from? you may ask. Well! in -Tibetan temples clarified butter is used in lighting the lamps offered -to Buḍḍha, and the priests are so careless as to throw away upon the -floor the residue of tea and butter, which not only keeps the floor -always wet but also putrefies. This is why the chamber is filled with -such a sickening odor. Strangely enough, Tibetans regard this smell as -a sweet one, but I declare myself emphatically to the contrary. On both -sides of the main chamber we found two more chambers where different -figures were also kept. Of these images, the one which especially -attracted my attention was that of Padma Chungne, the founder of the -old school of Lamaism, for it is made entirely of precious stones. The -surrounding walls and the floor are also inlaid with gems, which are -amazingly beautiful. - -Outside the main edifice there are several dormitories where some -five hundred men of the order live. Then standing to the south is the -stately residence of the ‘great instructor’ of the temple, Chamba -Pasang Tinle, who looks after the spiritual education of five hundred -souls. - -We had an interview with this spiritual superior, who looked very -saint-like, seated on a dais covered with two mats in one of the -upper rooms. I wanted to ask him a few questions with regard to the -difference between the Sakya doctrines and those of the other sects -of Lamaism, but he told me that he was busy then and asked me to come -again the next day. We then retired and left the temple grounds. - -I noticed several palatial buildings rising above a far-off willow -plantation. My companions told me that these buildings were the -residence of the Abbot of the temple, Sakya Koma Rinpoche, and we -proceeded to pay our respects to him. Koma Rinpoche means the ‘highest -treasure’ and is used only in addressing the Chinese Emperor and the -Abbot of the Sakya Monastery, whom Tibetans esteem as one of the two -sacred beings of the world. This being so, the natives who are honored -with an audience by the Abbot pay special respect to him, and when he -gives them his blessing in return it is not infrequently accompanied -by some presents. But in reality the Abbot is a layman, the essential -point of his excellence being that he is the descendant of Sakya Panḍiṭ -himself. He is married, takes meat for dinner, and even drinks wine, as -do all the secular people. In spite of these facts, not only the public -at large but also priests salute him with the rite of ‘three bows’ -which as laid down by Buḍḍha is a mark of reverence due only to high -priests and not to laymen. - -When we were received by the Abbot, I therefore paid him only such -respect as would be due to a personage of his rank. He has, however, a -very dignified mien, which bespeaks his noble descent. - -While we were returning to our lodgings, I was blamed by my companions -for my failure to give the Abbot the ‘three bows,’ and when I told them -the reason of the omission they were astonished at my rigid observance -of the Buḍḍha’s teachings. The next day, when I called upon the ‘great -teacher’ at the appointed hour, I found him playing with a boy who was -behaving toward him in a very familiar way, as if he were his son. I -could not think that such a man, who was a genuine priest, was married, -and yet I very much suspected some such relation--a suspicion which was -afterwards confirmed during my sojourn at Lhasa. - -At first I had intended to stay and study at the temple for at least -two weeks, but after this discovery I was now loath to remain with -such a degenerate priest. I left the town the next day, and as I was -now separated from my companions I had to carry my effects myself. For -a distance of two and a half miles the road gradually ascended along -a mountain rivulet in a south-easterly direction and then, turning -eastwards, became a steep descent of five miles. Proceeding ten miles -further in a south-easterly direction and along the stream I found -two dwellings, in one of which I lodged for the night. The next day I -again ascended a steep slope, two and a half miles long, and climbed -down another twice that length. As the day was snowy and my baggage got -wet, I was obliged to take lodgings at the first house I could find. -The next day, November 30th, I fortunately met seven or eight men who -seemed to be transport agents, and were driving forty or fifty asses, -and I was glad to place my things in their charge. Thus freed from -encumbrances, I, with the party, descended the Tharu river for five -miles. It then turned to the south-east, and after proceeding fifteen -miles further along the riverside, we found a village where we stopped. - -The drivers, however, encamped in a neighboring meadow, where they -unburdened their animals and surrounded themselves on all sides -except one with the goods thus unloaded. As was customary with them, -the men improvised a kind of fire-place. On the first of December we -proceeded along the river for about ten miles and then left it; again -for ten miles, we ascended the eastern mountain called Rangla with -its perpendicular peaks of red rock. We lodged under the rock and on -the following day we ascended Rangla for five miles and marched more -than another five miles on the mountainous plains; we reached a big -monastery named Kang-chen and passed that night in a field south of the -monastery. At first, when I saw my drivers recklessly making their -way through the cultivated fields, I expressed my fear to them that we -might be caught by the farmers. “No,” was their reply, “you need not -bother yourself on that score.” They explained to me that these fields -were fallow ones, “which were enjoying their holidays” for this year, -so that any person might choose them as roads. It was a custom in this -locality to raise the wheat-crop every other year, leaving the fields -unemployed for the intervening year--a custom which did not obtain in -Lhasa and the neighborhood. Moreover, I was told, it was winter, when -the privilege held good in any year, and no one need entertain any fear -of intruding. At night I preached to my drivers, and the next day we -set out together, taking an easterly direction. We proceeded seven and -a half miles, when we found rising among the mountains a magnificent -temple, still under construction. On making enquiries I learned that -the work had been undertaken by the Tibetan Government, which is acting -under the advice of a soothsayer. - -The latter had, I was told, declared that there exists a spring just -beneath the site of the building, that it is the mouth of a monstrous -dragon, and that unless a temple be erected over it, it will ultimately -burst out and deluge the whole country. Unfortunately this idea -is supported by a book of prophecies brought from China, which is -apparently the work of some priest with hidden motives. I read the book -and found it to be full of awe-inspiring predictions. It states, for -instance, that as wickedness obtains on the earth, a flood of water -will be brought upon it and everything on the face of it destroyed; -that fatal calamities, such as a great famine or war, will break out -as a prelude to such a flood. In addition, it is stated that the book -had been sent from heaven, and that therefore any one who is so -careless as to doubt its truth will be punished with immediate death. -I declared that these prophecies were all false, but of course nothing -extraordinary happened to me. The book may be well meant, but it is -full of nonsensical sayings. But Tibetans believe in it so firmly that -translated copies are being circulated all over the country. It is most -surprising that such superstitions should have led the Government to -begin a foolish undertaking at a great cost. But indeed, oracle-mongers -are held in high esteem, not only by the Government but also by the -general mass of the people, who consult them whenever they are at fault. - -Passing under the above-mentioned temple we proceeded further, and -before we had gone far, we found some five vultures (known among -the natives by the name of Cha-goppo) perched on a hill-side. On -questioning my companions, I was told that there exists in Tibet a very -curious and unpleasant custom of offering the corpses of dead men to -vultures as a part of the funeral ceremony; that as in this locality -the people do not bring enough carrion to these birds, the latter are -always hungry; and that therefore they are granted an allowance of meat -from the kitchen of a temple called the Tashi Lhunpo. How they are fed -on human flesh at a funeral ceremony I shall relate later in my account -of Lhasa. - -After some further journeying we arrived at an “abstinence house” (Nyun -ne Lhakhang in Tibetan), in the neighborhood of which there stood a -temple called the Nartang. Wanting to make some enquiries, I decided -to stay at this house, so that I parted company with my carriers, who -proceeded towards Shigatze. This house is used both by priests and -laymen for observing the ‘Eight rules of abstinence’ enjoined by the -Buḍḍha, or other forms of religious self-denial, such as silence or -abstinence from meat. Abstinence from flesh is considered an austerity -by Tibetan priests, because they eat meat, contrary to the ordinary -usages of Buḍḍhist monks. - -The next day I visited the Nartang Temple, where I inspected the -most valuable of its treasures, which are immense heaps of wooden -printing-blocks, comprising the collection of all the Buḍḍhist writings -in Tibet, divided into two departments--Buḍḍha’s own preachings and -the works of the saints. In addition, they have an equally large -number of printing-blocks for the commentaries prepared by the native -Lamas. These blocks are kept in two large buildings, one of which -measures about 180 feet by sixty. This temple is the sole publisher -of the ‘collection of all the Buḍḍhist writings,’ the three hundred -priests who live there being printers. I called upon the head priest -of the temple, who had been specially sent from the Tashi Lhunpo -Temple, and found him very clever in conversation. The interview was -at once very instructive and agreeable to me, for the priest not only -gave me valuable information on Buḍḍhism but also accorded me cordial -treatment. - - - - -CHAPTER XLI. - -Shigatze. - - -[Illustration: OUTLINE OF THE MONASTERY OF TASHI LHUNPO.] - -The next day, December 5th, I proceeded for about eight miles across -a plain in a south-easterly direction, when the gold-colored roof of -a palatial building, with many white-painted dormitories for priests -close by, presented itself before my view. In addition, temple-like -buildings in red paint were seen rising amidst these structures, -making in all a grand and beautiful spectacle. The town before me was -Shigatze, the second capital of Tibet, and the palatial building was -the Tashi Lhunpo Temple. The name means ‘a glorious mass’ or ‘Mount -Sumeru,’ a legendary mountain mentioned in Buḍḍhist Scriptures. The -monastery owes its name to its founder, Gendun Tub, who thought that -the mountain at the rear of the temple resembled Sumeru. There were -altogether three thousand three hundred priests in the temple, but -sometimes the number increases to over five thousand; and though it -is but the second temple in the country it maintains the same dignity -as the papal see. The secular part of the city lay beyond the temple -and consisted of some three thousand five hundred dwellings. The -number of the inhabitants was stated by the natives to be over thirty -thousand, but this calculation cannot be much trusted, as the science -of statistics is utterly unknown in Tibet. I visited the temple, where -I asked for the dormitory called Peetuk Khamtsan, which is allotted to -the Lamaist monks from the north-eastern plateau, since I had feigned -myself to be one of these. At length I found it and settled myself -in it, for I intended to stay there for some time and to pick up any -knowledge I could from those with whom I might come into contact. - -The Lama Superior of this temple is regarded as the second Grand Lama -of Tibet, for, though he does not possess any political influence, yet -with regard to the rank bestowed by the Chinese Emperor he is superior -even to the Dalai Lama himself. Sometimes a kind of regency under this -‘second Grand Lama’ takes place during the interval between the Dalai -Lama’s death and the enthronement of what in Tibet is believed to be -his re-incarnated self. - -This second Grand Lama is commonly called Panchen Rinpoche, but his -real title is _Kyab-kon Chen-bo_, meaning ‘Great Protector,’ while -his name is Lobsang Choe-ki Nima, the ‘noble-minded religious sun’. I -was told he was eighteen years old, having been born in the year of -“sheep,” and was believed to be an incarnation of Amida-nyorai. At -the time of my visit he was away at a distant palace, so that I could -not see him. During my stay in the town my only business was to visit -various Lamas and scholars, with whom I discussed the teachings of -Buḍḍha. - -One day I called upon the tutor of the second Grand Lama, Tsan Chenba, -a venerable priest, seventy-four years of age, who was very kind to me. -As he was reputed to be the highest authority on Tibetan grammar and -rhetoric among the three thousand priests in the temple, I asked him -several grammatical questions, and in doing so I took care to select -such questions as were familiar to me, for I wanted to know in what -way my host would try to explain them. I was, however, disappointed, -as he confessed that he could give no answer and said that he could -only refer me to a learned physician living at Engon on the road to -Lhasa, who, he was inclined to believe, could give me a satisfactory -answer. I was, therefore, glad to take leave of him. _En passant_ it -may be stated that five branches of science--phonetics, medicine, -logic, engineering and religious science and philosophy--were centuries -ago introduced into Tibet from India, but now-a-days very few--I will -almost say no--Tibetans are proficient in them, or even in one of them. -Under present circumstances, those who take to the study of grammar -belong to very limited classes, the majority of them consisting of the -men in the Government service who learn just the elementary rules of -grammar, in order to be able to prepare official documents. It is not -wonderful therefore that there should be scholars who, in spite of -their zeal in the investigation and exposition of Buḍḍha’s doctrines, -are absolute strangers to history and other branches of science. - -After a stay of several days at the temple, I was one day thinking of -leaving the town, when I was informed that the Grand Lama was expected -home presently, so I went out to witness his procession. It must be -noted that owing to the absence of roads in Tibet the procession -passed through the more beaten parts of the country, which served -as roads. On both sides of the route there stood cylindrical posts -upon which incense was burnt by the waiting crowds, both sacerdotal -and secular, most of whom prostrated themselves on the advent of the -_cortège_. The second Grand Lama was borne in a palanquin decorated -with gold brocades and gorgeous kinds of silk, and was accompanied by -about three hundred mounted attendants who, instead of being armed, -carried Buḍḍhist utensils. The procession was heralded by the native -band, using some kind of wind instruments and drums. The spectacle was -so splendid that I congratulated myself on my good fortune in having -witnessed it. - -During that night, in compliance with the request of the priests -in my dormitory, I delivered a sermon on the ten Buḍḍhist virtues, -which seemed to please them greatly. They confessed to me that, -priests as they were, they found no interest in the theoretical and -dry expositions of Buḍḍha’s teachings to which they had been used to -listen, but that my delivery was so easy and pleasing that it aroused -in them a real zest for Buḍḍhism. This fact is a sad commentary on the -ignorance of the average Tibetan priests. - -I learned subsequently, however, that the priests in this temple were -very rigid in their conduct, except in the habit of drinking. With -regard to this latter an amusing story is told. One day the Dalai -Lama of Lhasa met with the Grand Lama of the Tashi Lhunpo monastery. -In the course of conversation, the former said he was very sorry that -his priests were addicted to the use of tobacco. Panchen Rinpoche -sympathised, but stated that he was no less sorry that his own priests -were exceedingly partial to alcoholic drinks. They then discussed which -of the two luxuries was the more sinful, and also whether or not some -effective measures could be taken to prevent these vicious habits. But -even their great influence could do nothing, and the vicious practices -were open secrets. A curious rule was however enacted in order to -prevent the habit of drinking. Every priest returning from the street -was bound to present himself before the priestly guard at the gate of -the temple, who examined his breath, any disclosure of his drunkenness -being followed by an immediate punishment. Some impudent priests often -attempted to conceal their inebriation by eating a good deal of garlic, -the strong smell of which impregnated their breath and thus might -prevent detection. - -Leaving the temple at ten on the morning of December 15th, I proceeded -about two miles across the city of Shigatze, when I reached the Tsanchu -river. The great bridge erected over it is called the Samba Shar, which -means eastern bridge. It measures about three hundred and sixty yards -in length and eight yards in breadth. It is unlike our own bridges, -for it consists of slabs of stones covered with earth, which are in -turn placed upon rows of long wooden boards spanning stone structures -erected in the water at equal distances of about ten yards. The bridge -has parapets made of stone. Passing over the bridge, I proceeded four -miles to the north, till I found myself on the bank of the Brahmapuṭra. -The road now turned to the east along that river, and a further journey -of about twelve miles brought me to a village called Pe, where I lodged -at a poor farmer’s. There I noticed with curiosity that turf instead of -the usual yak-dung was heaped besides the fire-place. I was told that -in that locality the dried roots of grasses were used as fuel; hence -the heaps of turf. - -I also found a boy of about twelve years old sitting beside the -fire-place and learning to write. He had a bamboo stick for his pen, -and was writing with it upon white powder sprinkled over a small piece -of wood. Every now and then he presented his work to his father -and had its ill-done portions corrected by him, this process being -repeated over and over again. I wondered at the care with which the -child was taught to practise penmanship, in spite of the poor condition -of the family, but I soon learned the secret. Agriculture was the -sole industry in this locality, and if the tenant did not know how to -write and count, he would possibly be imposed upon by his landlord in -the payment of his rent. As to the art of counting, it was taught in -a very primitive way, stones, sticks or rosaries being used for the -purpose. With respect to writing and counting the poorer classes of -this locality were far above those in Lhasa, who were totally ignorant. - -At night I preached to the members of the family, and the next day I -proceeded about five miles along the river already mentioned. The road, -which sloped eastward, now became very narrow, with the river on the -left and a very steep and rugged mountain on the right. I struggled -on for about four miles further, and then came out upon a wide space. -Looking to the right, I saw two large buildings standing on the summit -of a mountain. These buildings constitute the Engon temple where, as -the old priest of the Tashi Lhunpo temple had kindly informed me, -lives the celebrated grammarian. I climbed the mountain, and reached -the temple after an arduous ascent of more than two miles. There I -learned that the larger of the two edifices accommodates two hundred -and thirty male priests, while the other, situated a little lower, is -a nunnery where live seventy-two nuns. The history of this temple is -very interesting, but I need not dwell on it here in detail. I stayed -at the temple for the night, and the next day I had an interview with -its principal priest. The latter, however, talked only something of -Buḍḍhism, being ignorant of grammar and rhetoric, but was kind enough -to refer me to the physician, Amdo Ka-sang, of whom the old priest of -the Tashi Lhunpo had such a high opinion. - -I then called upon this physician and grammarian, to whom I gave some -presents in token of my respect. After the usual greetings had been -exchanged, the host questioned me how long I had been studying the -Tibetan language. “Three years,” I replied. My host declared that the -study of grammar and rhetoric greatly depended upon the method used -and that, if the method were a poor one, the period of three years -would prove too short to accomplish anything. He then asked me a few -questions on grammar, which, as they were very simple, I answered -quickly. I asked him to put to me some more difficult questions on -rhetoric, but, to my great disappointment, he confessed that he had -no knowledge of rhetoric. I next asked him which of the Tibetan -grammarians he thought the best, to which question he answered that he -preferred Ngul-chu Lama’s grammar (Ngul-chu being the name of a temple) -which, in reality, is very imperfect. I almost doubted his sincerity, -so that I again asked him why he did not follow the views taken by Situ -Lama, who is well-known as the highest authority on Tibetan grammar. -To my great surprise, my host had never read Situ’s works, though he -had heard something of the grammarian. I then turned my questions to -the number of vowels in the Tibetan alphabet, about which there are -two different opinions among grammarians. This question, simple as it -may appear, has been the subject of much discussion, so that the study -of the Tibetan language must be started with this theme. My question -on this subject seemed to embarrass my host who, after some pondering, -said that there were sixteen vowels in the Tibetan alphabet, and began -to enumerate them. Curiously enough, all the vowels mentioned by him -were those of the Samskṛṭ alphabet, so I asked him what he thought of -the opinion that the number of the Tibetan vowels was five. - -The doctor seemed abashed. He apologised for his mistake in having -mentioned the Samskṛṭ vowels, and admitted that the Tibetan vowels -numbered only five. (This five-vowel opinion is erroneous, though -several western scholars maintain it in their works. It must be noted -that the Tibetan characters were invented by Thumi Sambhota, who tells -us in his work that there were only four vowels in his language.) In -short, the interview proved a disappointment. The doctor possessed -very limited knowledge, being a great grammarian and rhetorician only -in the eyes of ignorant native priests. I returned to my room, where I -was asked by a priest on what subject I had talked with the ‘learned’ -doctor. When I answered him that I had discussed some grammatical -questions with the doctor, the priest said with an air of importance -that the doctor was the highest authority on grammar and rhetoric -throughout the province of Tsan, that one or two interviews with him -would be insufficient to secure any benefit, and that I should stay -with him for at least two or three years if I really wished to study -grammar. In addition, the priest confessed that, long as he had had -the fortune to listen to the doctor’s lectures, he was still a total -stranger to grammar. I was so much tickled by these remarks that I -burst out laughing, which seemed somewhat to embarrass the priest. - -The next day, December 18th, I proceeded about five miles over an -undulating country, going in a south-easterly direction, when I again -reached the Brahmapuṭra river. Crossing a vast plain which stretched -along the river, I made my way eastward, and was within some two miles -and a half of the Pombo Ri-o-che, a temple belonging to an older sect -of Lamaism, and situated upon a towering peak, when I was unexpectedly -called and stopped by someone. - - - - -CHAPTER XLII. - -A Supposed Miracle. - - -Turning about to see what it could be, I caught sight of two stout -fellows armed with Tibetan swords. On their approach, I asked them -what they wanted. Abruptly picking up a stone, the younger of them -threatened me and said: “What do you mean?” - -“Run off,” he menaced, “or you shall die.” - -Then I took my seat on a stone by the roadside and gave myself up for -lost. The men strode toward me, and violently seized my stick. - -“Tell us what you have and where you come from,” they said. - -“I am a pilgrim,” I answered, “and I come from Tise.” - -“You have money?” - -“I have a little,” I said, “not worth taking, as I was robbed at -Jangthang.” - -“What have you on your back?” - -“Some food and the Scriptures.” - -“Unpack it and let us see; you may have much money there.” - -“No, the money is in my pocket,” I said “and not in the baggage. Being -a priest, I never tell a lie. You may have either the money or the -baggage, if you wish.” - -I was just going to give them money when three horsemen appeared riding -towards us, and at sight of them the highwaymen took to their heels, -leaving the stick and everything else. Thus I was saved. - -“Who are they?” asked the horsemen, and on my answering that they had -demanded of me my money and baggage, they expressed their disgust. - -“Go to yonder temple,” they added after a little pause, “and you will -find a village. Be quick and we will see you safe there.” - -I thanked them and walked on toward the village, and the horsemen went -away westward after a little while. Instead of stopping there for the -night, I proceeded eastwards as far as Nya-mo-Hotta, a little village -about seven miles off, where I lodged. The following day I took lunch -at Teshok, and stopped at Tak-tsu-kha in the evening. On December 20th -at dawn, I went south-east through the deep snow, it having snowed very -hard the night before. While going along the river Brahmapuṭra, I saw -some cranes walking in the snow, and was so delighted that I forgot -that I was in so cold a climate. - -Then I amused myself with composing _Utas_, of which the following is -one: - - With crystals of the snow, how white the sand - All spotted gleams upon the river banks! - The flocks of cranes to me appear to sing - The changeless glories of the Path of Truth - In their melodious joyful bursts of song: - On those bejewelled banks they tread in pride; - With gait majestic slow they strut about. - -Amid such beautiful scenes I went down along the southern bank of the -river, and after about eight miles’ walk I came to Kurum Namse, where -I took lunch. I proceeded still further east along the same stream for -about five miles, and found the river running north-east, while my road -lay south-east into the mountain. I went up the hill about four miles, -and stopped at Shab-Tontub. - -On the following morning I went eastwards again along a clear stream, -and after about four miles I could see from its banks a rocky mountain, -at the foot of which there was a temple called Cham Chen Gompa (meaning -‘the monastery of the great image of Charity’, _i.e._, the Boḍhisaṭṭva -of that name), where there was an image of the Buḍḍha Maiṭreya -about thirty-five feet high. Boḍhisaṭṭva Maiṭreya (which name means -‘Charity’) is honored as next to Buḍḍha in rank, but in Tibet he is -worshipped as a Buḍḍha who will hereafter appear again on earth. I -worshipped at this temple, and then at the shrine of the divinities, -and of Shākyamuni Buḍḍha beside the temple. Then I entered a lamasery. -This temple, which is the largest between Lhasa and Shigatze, has two -hundred dormitories, with three hundred priests. The chief priest of -the house where I stopped was in great distress on account of some bad -dreams which he had had on several successive nights. He had dreamed -that he was dying, and this troubled him much, for he had immense -wealth. So he asked me to read the Scriptures to him, so that he might -be free from the supposed evil. I knew of no gospel specially suitable -for such purposes, but I thought that the reading of the Buḍḍhist canon -might do him good, so I told him that I would do as he wished, and from -the following day began reading _The Aphorisms of the White Lotus of -the Wonderful Law_ and other Scriptures in Tibetan. - -It was on the 28th of December, as I remember, that a priest was going -to Kātmāndu in Nepāl, and I seized the occasion to send a letter home -by him, addressed to my bosom friend Tokujuro Hige. I paid him a -comparatively large sum of money and asked him to send it registered -from the post office of Nepāl. The man was reputed so honest that he -had never been known to tell a lie, but strangely enough the letter -failed to reach its address, as I have since discovered. - -During the afternoon of the 31st I was sped on my way by the head -priest, who lent me a horse. I got on the horse, loaded it with my -baggage, and going east for about three miles, came to Ta-mi-la, where -I was asked to read the Scriptures. While riding to the village, I -lifted up my thanks to Buḍḍha for the grace by which I had been saved -through so many calamities and afflictions during the year, it being -the last day of the 33rd year of Meiji according to the Japanese mode -of reckoning (A.D. 1900). I did not know what adversities were yet in -store for me, but I could not but think that I might be kept safe to do -all I could for the cause of Buḍḍhism. - -The New Year’s Day dawned, but I met with nothing special to mark the -day, as the Tibetans use the old calendar. Still I got up early at -three o’clock in the morning, and turning east, as I had done every -New Year’s Day, I began the New Year’s reading of the Scriptures. -For, as Buḍḍhism teaches us, it is our duty to pray for the health of -the sovereign, and every Buḍḍhist reads the Scriptures on New Year’s -Day, in however remote a place he may happen to be, and prays for the -welfare of the Imperial Family. I read the Scriptures at the village -till the 5th, and on the following day I proceeded seven miles to Omi, -where I stopped for the night. In a temple of this village there was -an image called in Tibetan _Sung Chung Dolma_ (the Mother of Salvation -who utters a command) which was about three feet high, and so beautiful -that it seemed as if it might even speak. The Tibetans told me that -the image at one time actually spoke. I read the Scriptures there for -two days, and received many gifts. I had met the highwaymen, and had -been robbed of my money, but money was constantly given to me, and my -reading the Scriptures earned me so many gifts, that I had now laid by -a considerable sum of money, and I was living on the food given to me -by others. - -On the 12th of January, at 5 o’clock in the morning, I set out on my -journey with a coolie, who carried my baggage. We went on south-east -along the bank of a stream flowing through the mountains. Here we -found the snow turned into ice, and so slippery was the ground that -we had to take great care, lest we should fall. Going on for about -twelve miles, we found ourselves at Choe Ten, where there were many -hot springs, three of them warm enough to bathe in. I do not know for -what disease they might be really efficacious, though they seemed to -me to be good for rheumatism. I saw several places in the stream where -steaming springs could be seen boiling up. We took our lunch and again -went on eastward for about nine miles, till we came in sight of a -temple called Mani Lha-khang, in a willow plantation along the river. -This temple was so called, because it enshrined a large bronze cylinder -holding many pieces of paper each bearing the spell _mani_, consisting -of the following six sounds ‘Om-ma-ni-pad-me-hum’ and meaning “all will -be as we will.” The tube was beautifully wrapped in copper foil, and -ornamented with gold and silver. It had an iron axle through it and -was so formed that it would revolve from left to right. This temple -is among the most famous in Tibet. The founder of the temple was Je -Tsong-kha-pa, who started a new sect. His memory is held in great -esteem in the country, and especially in this temple, mostly because he -was the inventor of the “prayer-cylinder”. - -I stopped at this temple, the keeper of which was very rude; without -any scruple he asked me to read his face for him, for he said I -looked out of the common. I had never studied physiognomy, but I -thought that I might thus teach a lesson to the Tibetans, who are -very superstitious. So I told him that I was very sorry for him, for -he seemed to be a man who, though often given money and other things, -would sustain much loss through other men, and for whom the future -would have nothing but debt. Singularly enough, this exactly told his -past life, and he was so surprised at my words, that he told all about -me to his richest neighbor, called Dorje Gyalpo (Prince Diamond). That -very evening a fine lady, who I was told was the wife of the rich -man, came to me with a child, and asked me to tell its fortune. This -troubled me not a little. But when I saw the sickly and feeble state -of the child I could easily guess what would happen, so I ventured to -tell her that I was very sorry, for the child seemed likely not to live -long, and I also told her about the philosophy of retribution. She -asked me if there was no way of saving its life. I thought how glad -I should be if I could have an opportunity of reading the ‘complete -Text,’ as I knew that I should have very little chance of doing so -after reaching Lhasa. I said therefore that a long reading of the -Scriptures might do some good. She went home early that evening. - -Very strange indeed! the child fell so ill the following morning that -the whole family was struck with my chance prediction, and I was asked -to come to the house to read the Scriptures, even though it might take -several days to do so. I said I would, but as they had no copy of the -‘complete Scriptures’ I asked for a man to be sent to Rong Langba, a -little further up the hill, to borrow a copy. In the meanwhile I sat -in the usual religious meditation, when suddenly my ears caught the -sound of weeping and crying women in the kitchen. What could all that -mean? Something serious must have happened in the house. Still I kept -quiet, as it was none of my business to go and see. Soon, however, -the mistress of the house came to tell me that the child had died as -predicted, and she asked me to save it. I was also surprised to learn -how my words had come true, and hurried into the room, only to find the -child quite senseless and cold. - -I felt the child’s pulse, which was beating faintly, though his body -was not warm and his neck was nearly stiff. I thought the disease might -be congestion of the brain, as I had read a few books on medicine. So -I called for some cold water, and put on to his head a piece of wet -cloth, while, at the same time, I rubbed his neck and head vigorously -for twenty minutes. It was only a short faint, and the child began -to come to his senses. You can easily imagine how glad was his -grandmother, who was almost beside herself with joy to see restored -to life the child whom they had supposed to be dead. I told her to -keep quiet and to continue rubbing till the child was perfectly well. -This won for me no small respect from all present, and I was asked to -stay for a long time to read the Scriptures. I, too, was glad to stay -there over two months during the cold season, enjoying my reading. -Besides reading the Scriptures, I often took walks among the hills and -valleys and on these occasions many children, with the one I had saved, -followed me in my walks quite as if they were my own children. I loved -the children so much, or rather was so loved by them, that my only -business besides my reading was to take them for walks. - - - - -CHAPTER XLIII. - -Manners and Customs. - - -The Tibetans are very foul in their habits, some of which I may mention -here. In the house in which I stayed there were some twenty servants, -and they brought me a cup of tea every morning. They never washed the -cup which I used, but brought tea in it every day, and they would say -that it was quite clean, for I had used it only the night before, -though it was as dirty as it could be. They think cups are unclean -if they have been used by their inferiors, but they never wash those -used by themselves or their equals, for these are clean in their eyes, -though it is disgusting even to look at them. If I asked a servant to -wash my cup, it was wiped with his sleeve, which might be quite wet and -dirty from being used as a handkerchief. Then he said it was clean, and -poured tea into it. Just think of it! It is impossible to drink out of -such a cup, but still one must do so, for it would only arouse their -suspicions to be too strict about such matters. It seems to be nothing -compared with his other unclean habits that the Tibetan does not wash -his plates and dishes. He does not even wash or wipe himself after the -calls of nature, but behaves like the lower animals in this respect. -To this there is no single exception, from the high priest down to the -shepherd; every one does the same. I was, therefore, much laughed at -and suspected when I followed the Japanese custom in this particular, -and even the children would laugh at me. I was much troubled at this; -still I could not do otherwise. This was a still greater trouble in -the tents, for in Jangthang I used to have four or five dogs beside -me whenever I retired for private purposes. You can well imagine how -terrified I was at first, though I soon got accustomed to them. And no -sooner had I gone away than the dogs devoured the excrement. For this -reason there is little or no filth lying about in Jangthang. - -Nor are these the Tibetan’s only unclean habits. He never washes his -body; many have never been washed since their birth. One would scarcely -believe that they boast in the country, if not in towns or cities, of -never having been washed. It calls forth laughter from others to wash -even the hands and face, and so the only clean part about them are -the palms of the hands and eyes, all other parts being jet-black. The -country gentlemen and the priests, however, have partially cleaned -faces, mouths and hands, though the other parts of their bodies are -just as black as can be. They are quite as black on their necks and -backs as the African negroes. Why then are their hands so white? It -is because they make dough with their own hands with flour in a bowl, -and the dirt of their hands is mixed with the dough. So Tibetan dishes -are made of dirt and flour, and the Tibetans eat with their teeth -black with sordes. It is a sickening sight! Why do they not wash their -bodies? Because they have a superstitious belief that it wipes off -happiness to wash the body. This belief is not quite so prevalent among -the inhabitants of Central Tibet as among those of the remote provinces -north of the Himālayas. - -It is necessary at betrothal to show not only the countenance of the -girl, but also to show how black she is with filth. If she is all black -except her eyes, and her dress is bright with dirt and butter, she -is regarded as blessed. If she has a white face and clean hands she -will be less fortunate, for she is said to have washed away her luck. -Girls are equally superstitious about this, for they too attach much -importance in courting to the blackness of the boys. I know it is -difficult to credit what I have just stated; even I myself could not -believe it until I had visited several places and seen Tibetan habits -for myself. People below the middle class have no change of clothes, -but generally dress themselves in torn and filthy rags. They blow -their noses into their clothes in the presence of others. Their dress -is often as hard as hide with dried dirt. It is as it were a concrete -of butter, filth and mucus. But people above the middle class are a -little less untidy. The priesthood especially are instructed to wash -their hands and faces and keep their clothes clean. They are somewhat -cleaner, therefore, but only in comparison with their people. It was -often very difficult for me to accept invitations to dinner and tea -amid these foul habits. While at Tsarang I tried very hard to get -accustomed to them, but it is difficult to overcome physical revolt. - -Still, amid these disagreeable things, the natural beauty of the -country often much comforted me. Once before the Tibetan New Year I -was reading as usual at my desk, while the people were busy preparing -for the New Year. I looked out of my window to see the snow. Oh the -splendor of the sight! You can little imagine how much I was delighted -when a crane appeared, strolling along in the snow, and filling me -with sentimental and poetical reminiscences of my native land. In this -wise I was comforted, amid the unpleasant habits of the people, by the -beautiful charms of nature, as well as by some interesting things which -I noticed among the ceremonies of the New Year. - -The Tibetans use neither the Indian calendar, nor the Chinese, but the -Turkistan, which resembles the Chinese in that it has one leap year in -every four, but it is always one year behind the latter. We find many -strange things in its way of counting days. There are often given, -say, two seventh days, or we sometimes find the eleventh day after -the ninth but without the tenth. I could not quite make out what all -these meant. Upon inquiring from an astrologer, I was told that it was -sometimes necessary to add one day, or to leave one out, because they -were lucky or unlucky, and a lucky day was duplicated, while an unlucky -one must be omitted. In this convenient way is constructed the calendar -as generally used in Tibet, though some disagreements are found between -the calendars used in different parts of the country, as for instance -in fixing the New Year or other great days. But this is a matter that -should cause little wonder. The Tibetan calendar is computed by four -officials appointed by the Government, who count days with black and -white stones or shells. When their calendars differ, the best ones are -chosen, and an oracle is consulted to decide which is the proper one -to be adopted. The New Year’s ceremony is generally held on the day -given in the Government calendar, but it is very rarely that the New -Year’s Day of the Tibetan calendar falls on the same day as that of the -Chinese, there being generally a difference of one, two, or even three -days between them. - -On New Year’s morning a piece of fire-colored silk, or handkerchiefs -sewn together in the shape of a flag, is put over a heap of baked -flour, on which are strewn some dried grapes, dried peaches and small -black persimmons. The head of the house first picks up some of the -fruits with his right hand, tosses them up three times, and eats -them. Then his wife, guests and servants follow his example one after -another. Next comes Tibetan tea, with fried cakes of wheat flour -for each. These are brought in on a tray, something in the shape of -a copper plate, gilded and white at the centre. They drink the tea -and eat the cakes, but, unlike the Japanese, exchange no words of -congratulation, and seem mostly to enjoy the eating. They take meat -dried, raw, and boiled, but roast meat is regarded as unceremonial. - -Tibet produces fresh-water fish, but the Tibetans do not usually eat -it; they subsist chiefly on the meat of the yak, goat, and sheep, -for they consider it sinful to kill fish. Pork is eaten, but only by -the Tibetans who have dealings with the Chinese. After the morning -ceremony, they again meet at about ten o’clock to drink tea or wine, -and eat cake or fruits. At two in the afternoon they have dinner, at -which they eat, if rich, a sort of macaroni mixed with eggs. The soup -has mutton or something else dipped in it. At nine or ten o’clock in -the evening they make a sort of meat gruel, commonly composed of wheat -flour, wheat dumplings, meat, radishes, and cheese. But the course of -dishes mentioned above is not settled, for they sometimes eat the gruel -in the morning, though generally in the evening. The above are the -dishes taken by the Tibetans of the higher circles. - -The lowest class find it hard to get cheese and meat for their gruel, -and put fat in their stead. Nor is it less difficult for them to get -radishes. If they put wheat dumplings in the gruel, which they make -on special occasions, it is reckoned among their best dishes; their -usual gruel is made very thick with baked flour with some herbs and -flowers put in it. In the winter, when they have no fresh herbs or -flowers, they use what they have stored and laid by during the summer. -The radish is however much grown in some parts of Tibet, where it is -largely used. The Tibetan is fonder of baked flour than of rice, all -classes generally living on the former. The Tibetans at Darjeeling live -on baked flour from Tibet, for they fall ill if they live on rice. -Baked flour can of course be had in India, but the Tibetan seems much -superior to the Indian, for they send orders to Tibet for their native -productions. - -In this way I passed the festive New Year season, and, while reading -my Scriptures amid these charming scenes, learned much about Tibetan -customs and homes, and found good material for my study. - -[Illustration: READING THE TEXTS.] - -A little white and black bird like a crow, called _Kyaka_ in Tibetan, -used to come to my window. It was a knowing bird, and could tell one -man from another, and was very regular in its ways. One day while I was -looking out of my window I saw one of a flock, seemingly their head, -pecking another to death, as if angry with the latter because it had -quarrelled with the other members of the flock. I was surprised and -told my landlord about it, when he told me that birds were more regular -than men, and related several stories which showed how strict the birds -were. It is a common saying, he added, that one might deviate from -human laws by the breadth of a log, before a hair-breadth’s deviation -from bird’s law would be tolerated.--(_Cha tim ta nga tsam shikna mi -tim nya shing tsam shik go._) - -Having stayed in this place a long time in order to read the -Scriptures, I was determined to leave on the 14th March, as it was -getting warmer. In the morning the family asked me to recite to them -the Three Refuges, and the Five Commands or moral precepts of Buḍḍhism, -which I did with pleasure. After dinner as I was leaving the house I -was presented with some money and a priest’s robe, red in color and -made of wool, which must have cost some thirty-five yen. I departed -accompanied by a servant, who carried my luggage, for they told me they -could not send me off on horseback, much though they desired to do so, -for all their horses were away on trading journeys. - -Up the Yak-Chu river I went for about ten miles eastwards, till I came -to a post village called Che-sum, where I stopped for the night. I -started at six o’clock the next morning, and went on along the river -for another seven miles. It was a narrow pass, walled up between high -mountains; the snow lay deep in the valleys and the water of the -streams was frozen. At the end of about seven miles I came to a little -opening and, looking up to the top of a mountain on the left, I noticed -a white building which looked neither like a temple nor like the -dwelling of a priest. What could it be? Upon inquiring of my companion -I was told it was a hail-proof temple. - -I had never heard of such a temple, and was surprised at seeing one. -When I heard the name for the first time I could not believe my own -ears, but when I asked more particularly about it at Lhasa, I found -that what had been told me was true. I will now relate the strange -method which the Tibetans have for keeping off hailstones, which they -dread exceedingly, especially in summer, for then the crops of wheat -and barley, which they can reap only once in a year or two, may be -entirely destroyed. So they naturally try to find some means to keep -off the hailstones, and the method they have discovered is certainly -curious enough. - -The nation is so credulous in the matter of religion that they -indiscriminately believe whatever is told to them by their religious -teachers, the lamas. Thus for instance they believe that there are -eight kinds of evil spirits which delight in afflicting people and -send hail to hurt the crops. Some priests therefore maintain that -they must fight against and destroy these evil demons in order to -keep them off, and the old school profess that in order to combat -these spirits effectually they must know when the demons are preparing -the hail. During the winter when there is much snow, these spirits, -according to the priests, gather themselves at a certain place, where -they make large quantities of hail out of snow. They then store the -hail somewhere in heaven, and go to rest, until in the summer when -the crops are nearly ripe they throw down the hail from the air. -Hence the Tibetans must make sharp weapons to keep off the hail, and -consequently, while the spirits are preparing their hail, the Tibetans -hold a secret meeting in some ravine where they prepare ‘hail-proof -shells,’ which are pieces of mud about the size of a sparrow’s egg. -These are made by a priest, who works with a servant or two in some -lonely ravine, where by some secret method he makes many shells, -chanting words of incantation the while, whereby he lays a spell on -each shell he makes. These pellets are afterwards used as missiles -when hail falls in the summer, and are supposed to drive it back. -None but priests of good family may devote themselves to this work. -Every village has at least one priest called Ngak-pa (the chanters of -incantations of the old school) and during the winter these Ngak-pas -offer prayers, perform charms, or pray for blessings for others. But -the Tibetans have a general belief that the Ngak-pas sometimes curse -others. I was often told that such and such person had offended a -Ngak-pa and was cursed to death. - -Having spent the winter in this way, the Ngak-pas during the summer -prepare to fight against the devils. Let me remark, in passing, that -Tibet has not four seasons, as we have, but the year is divided into -summer and winter. The four seasons are indeed mentioned in Tibetan -books, but there are in reality only two. - -The summer there is from about the 15th of March to the 15th of -September and all the rest of the year is winter. As early as March or -April the ploughing of the fields and sowing of wheat begins, and then -the Ngak-pa proceeds to the Hail-Subduing-Temple, erected on the top -of one of the high mountains. This kind of temple is always built on -the most elevated place in the whole district, for the reason that the -greatest advantage is thus obtained for ascertaining the direction from -which the clouds containing hail issue forth. From the time that the -ears of the wheat begin to shoot, the priest continues to reside in the -temple, though from time to time, it is said, he visits his own house, -as he has not very much to do in the earlier part of his service. About -June, however, when the wheat has grown larger, the protection of -the crop from injury by hail becomes more urgent, so that the priest -never leaves the temple, and his time is fully taken up with making -offerings and sending up prayers for protection to various deities. The -service is gone through three times each day and night, and numberless -incantations are pronounced. What is more strange is that the great -hail storms generally occur when the larger part of the crops are -becoming ripe, and then it is the time for the priest on service to -bend his whole energies to the work of preventing the attack of hail. - -When it happens that big masses of clouds are gathering overhead, the -Ngak-pa first assumes a solemn and stern aspect, drawing himself up -on the brink of the precipice as firm as the rock itself, and then -pronounces an enchantment with many flourishes of his rosary much in -the same manner as our warrior of old did with his baton. In a wild -attempt to drive away the hail clouds, he fights against the mountain, -but it often happens that the overwhelming host comes gloomily upon -him with thunders roaring and flashes of lightning that seem to shake -the ground under him and rend the sky above, and the volleys of big -hailstones follow, pouring down thick and fast, like arrows flying in -the thick of battle. The priest then, all in a frenzy, dances in fight -against the air, displaying a fury quite like a madman in a rage. With -charms uttered at the top of his voice he cuts the air right and left, -up and down, with his fist clenched and finger pointed. If in spite -of all his efforts, the volleys of hail thicken and strike the fields -beneath, the priest grows madder in his wrath, quickly snatches -handfuls of the bullets aforementioned which he carries about him, and -throws them violently against the clouds as if to strike them. If all -this avail nothing, he rends his garment to pieces, and throws the -rags up in the air, so perfectly mad is he in his attempt to put a -stop to the falling hailstones. When, as sometimes happens, the hail -goes drifting away and leaves the place unharmed, the priest is puffed -up with pride at the victory he has gained, and the people come to -congratulate him with a great show of gratitude. But when, unluckily -for him, the hail falls so heavily as to do much harm to the crops, his -reverence has to be punished with a fine, apportioned to the amount of -injury done by the hail, as provided by the law of the land. - -[Illustration: PRIEST FIGHTING WITH HAIL.] - -To make up for the loss the Ngak-pa thus sustains, he is entitled at -other times, when the year passes with little or no hail, to obtain -an income under the name of “hail-prevention-tax;” a strange kind of -impost, is it not? The “hail-prevention-tax” is levied in kind, rated -at about two _sho_ of wheat per _tan_ of land, which is to be paid to -the Ngak-pa. In a plentiful year this rate may be increased to two and -a half _sho_. This is, indeed a heavy tax for the farmers in Tibet, for -it is an extra, in addition to the regular amount which they have to -pay to their Government. - -There is another custom even more singular than that. The power of -jurisdiction over the district resides in the person of the Ngak-pa, -this being founded on the belief that the plentitude or deficiency of -the crops each summer is dependent entirely on his power. The Ngak-pa -being thus the administrator of justice receives a large salary in -that capacity in addition to his income as preventer of hail. It might -therefore be supposed that this class of priests is quite wealthy, but -the Tibetan Ngak-pas are most of them singularly poor. Their gains, -coming from deception founded upon the superstition of the people, are -soon dissipated, for what is ill-got is ill-spent, as the saying is. -But the influence they exercise over the people is very strong. For -instance, when a poor-looking Ngak-pa, attired like a beggar, meets -with a fine gentleman on the road, the latter is sure to stick out his -tongue and to bow down in profound respect. So these Ngak-pas gain much -in peaceful days, though they are at the same time subject to a heavy -penalty when the hail season sets in. Occasionally too, some of them -are flogged on their naked bodies. The Tibetans are very strict in this -respect, and no nobleman who has committed wrong is spared a flogging -because of his caste. So far about the hail tax. - -From this temple I went eastwards for about seven miles, when I came to -a village called Yase. From the mountains east of this village flows a -river called Yakchu, which, running north-west, empties itself into the -Brahmapuṭra. Some European maps incorrectly give the Yakchu as having -its source in lake Yamdo. Going on some two miles, I found one of the -strangest lakes in the world. It is called lake Yamdo-Tso in Tibetan, -but some foreign maps call it lake Palti. Palti however is not the -name of the lake, but of the village on the western side. The lake is -about one hundred and eighty miles in circumference, and has an island -with a mountain range in its centre. Many lakes have small islands in -them, but authoritative geographers state that none has so large a -mountain as this. I must, however, here say that the land in the lake -is connected with the main land at two points on the south, so that it -is not actually an island. No words can describe the beautiful scenery -here. The lofty peaks of the Himālayas stand high in a line from the -south-east to the south-west of the lake, and add to its magnificence, -and the tempest often lashes it into high waves, which dash roaring -upon the shore. Standing on a high rock by the shore, I marvelled to -see the terrible scene of the angry lake waves, with the peaks of the -Himālayan mountains amidst the clouds, looking like a superhuman being. - -I proceeded for about four miles to the east, and then the road turned -to the north-east. On the left stood a wall of high mountains, while -on the right I could see the peaks of mountains in the lake. I went -east and then north along a rather wide path by the lake for about -six miles, till I came to Palti. There is a castle on a hill in this -village, and very beautiful the lake looks when the castle throws its -shadow on the water. - -I lodged at a house at the foot of this castle. I had walked -twenty-five miles that day, but the invigorating mountain scenery -dispelled my fatigue, though I had been very tired. On the following -day, March 16th, I started at four o’clock, in the snow and ice, and -went north-east along the lake. There were mountains on the left and -the lake on the right, as before. The path went pretty nearly north, -but straight up and down in a zig-zag along the mountain. Often I -slipped on the ice, or went deep into the snow, and I encountered much -trouble, which was, however, almost nothing when compared with those -which I had met in passing over the Himālayas. - -At dawn I climbed up the mountain in deep snow, and looked down upon -the surface of the lake. I could see among the shadows of the mountains -the crescent moon beautifully reflected dimly and faintly on the water. -The bright day was soon coming, the moon began already to lose its -dim light, and the morning star twinkled on the surface of the water. -Amid the charms of nature I lost all my fatigue and weariness, and I -stood quite entranced. Soon the water-fowl were heard on the sands -along the lake, and some mandarin ducks were amusing themselves in -the water, while cranes were wildly flying about with noisy cries. -What a contrast it was with the scene of the day before! No pleasure -on a journey can be greater than travelling in this way at dawn. I -still went on for about twelve miles along the lake and came to a -little stream in the mountains at about nine o’clock. It is here that -travellers make tea, and bake their wheat for eating. The lake is full -of water, but it is poisonous. - -A strange story is told about how it turned poisonous. About twenty -years ago, as the Tibetans tell, the famous Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās, an -Indian by birth, who passed for an Englishman, came from India and -pronounced a spell upon the lake; the water at once turned as red as -blood. A lama, they say, came along and turned the water back to its -original color, but it still remained poisonous. One cannot believe -anything that the Tibetans say, but the water seems to have really -turned red. Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās cannot have done that, but, unfortunately -for him, it was just after his return from Tibet that the water thus -changed. Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās, as every one knows, is an Indian, but -Tibetans, with few exceptions, think him to be an Englishman. Any way -the water of the lake must have been poisonous for a long time, for -the water is stagnant, there being no current, and there are divers -poisonous elements near the lake. - -There also seem to be places where I think there must be coal; I saw -several kinds of strange ores and many kinds of herbs which I think -may have dissolved in the water and have colored it. I have seen some -foreign maps in which the water of this lake is made to flow into the -Brahmapuṭra, which is quite false. - -I found several persons taking lunch as we did amid this beautiful -scenery. This being the way that runs between Lhasa and Shigatze there -were travellers on it, among whom was a soldier from Nepāl. He was one -of the most humorous fellows I ever saw, and was very good company for -me. - - - - -CHAPTER XLIV. - -On to Lhasa. - - -The soldier, whose company proved not altogether unwelcome in a travel -like mine, happened to be one of the Legation Guards of the Minister of -Nepāl at Lhasa. His love of his mother had tempted him from his duty, -but at Shigatze on his way to Nepāl his thought turned to his love of -a woman at Lhasa and this was so much greater than his love for his -mother that he suddenly changed his mind and determined to go back -to Lhasa. Among other things I asked him how many soldiers the Nepāl -Government kept stationed at Lhasa, and he answered that it was but a -few years ago that his Government first sent a guard to the Tibetan -capital. He told me that a great calamity befell the capital over ten -years ago. - -It seems that there were about three hundred merchants of the Palpo -tribe of Nepāl at Lhasa. They are the most active and alert of the -Nepālese tribes, with regard to trading, and follow Indian, not Tibetan -Buḍḍhism. They engage in trade at Lhasa in woollen cloth, cotton, silk, -coral, jewels, dry goods, rice, beans and corn. - -Some thirteen years ago, a Palpo merchant at Lhasa searched a Lhasa -woman on the charge that she had stolen a piece of coral from his shop. -When the coral was not found he became so angry that, in spite of her -protesting tears, he took her by force into his house. When she was -allowed to go out again, she told the people all that had happened. -The ‘warrior-priests’ of the Sera monastery heard of the affair and -became so irritated about the ill-treatment of the woman that some of -them came to enquire into the matter, and having ascertained what they -wanted went back to Sera and told their chief, who at once called out -the warrior-priests. - -These warrior-priests are under one chief, at whose summons they gather -themselves together. Many of them were not in residence at that time, -but about one thousand assembled. These were preparing to march on -Lhasa to wreck vengeance on all the Palpo merchants, when the latter -got wind of the matter, Sera being only about four miles from the -capital. So they had fled from the city before the bellicose priests -entered Lhasa, each armed with sword or a large iron hook. These men -broke into the deserted houses of the merchants, and carried off -what they found. Among the raiders there were, besides the priests, -vagabonds of the city, who dispersed with their spoil the next morning -at daybreak. Presently the merchants returned to their houses, and were -much distressed to find their merchandise gone--their only property, as -they owned no land. Their loss was estimated at something under 230,000 -yen. - -This affair became a diplomatic question, and it took over five years -to settle it. The Tibetan Government had to compensate the merchants -and a party of twenty-five Nepālese soldiers came to be stationed at -Lhasa. The chief diplomatist in this affair on the Nepāl side was -Jibbahaḍur, whose name has already been mentioned; he was the Clerk of -the Nepālese Government, and is the present Nepālese Minister to Tibet. - -As we walked on we found ourselves at the foot of a steep hill called -Genpala, which has an incline of about two and a half miles to its top, -from which I obtained my first view of Lhasa. From the summit I could -see, to the north-east, the Brahmapuṭra running south-east. There is -a large tributary called Kichu running from the north-east that flows -into this river. It runs through a large plain, in the middle of which -is a mountain with a high building; and this I saw showing beautifully -in the golden sunshine. This was the residence of the Dalai Lama of -Lhasa, and is called Tse Potala. Beyond the castle are to be seen roofs -towering high in the air, which look like those of a town. These are -the streets of Lhasa, which look very small, when seen so far off. I -rested for a while, and then gradually went down a great slope for -about seven miles till I came to Pache, where I stopped for the night. -Having walked all day in the snow and ice I was very foot-sore and -fatigued, as well I might be, for I had made twenty-five miles on foot -that day. - -The following day, the 17th of March, I descended for another two -miles and a half and found myself on the banks of the Brahmapuṭra. I -walked some six miles along the southern bank of the river before I -came to the ferry of Chaksam, where I had to cross the river. Formerly -there was an iron bridge at this place, the remaining chains of which -may still be seen a little lower down the stream. The ferry boats are -rectangular in shape like Indian boats. But it is only in the winter -that these boats are used, for in the summer large vessels cannot pass -across. The Tibetans then use instead the yak-hide canoe. They sew -together the hides of three yaks, and the seams are painted over with -a sort of lacquer, to make them waterproof. These hide canoes float on -the water, and are used as ferry-boats even in the winter when there -are not many passengers. In Tibetan the word _Kowa_ (meaning ‘hide’) -also signifies a boat. The hide boat naturally absorbs much water and -soon gets too soft and heavy for use, and the Tibetan therefore dries -his hide boat in the sun after he has used it for half a day in the -water. It is so light that a man can easily lift it, and the Tibetan -will carry it on his back to the higher part of a stream, and will -float it down for a day or two loaded with goods or men. When the boat -is unloaded, it is again carried up the stream. But our party being -too many for a hide canoe I was ferried over the river in one of the -regular wooden boats. - -Walking for about three miles on the dry sandy bed of the river, I -came to a beautiful place where I saw rocks and high trees casting -their shadows on the water. The ground about Lake Yamdo, of which I -have spoken elsewhere, is so elevated that it looks as much as 13,500 -feet above sea level, but here it is only 11,500 feet high. Here, in -sunny places beside the water, the buds of the willows were already -out. After seeing only bald mountains and dead leaves for a long time, -the green leaves were a delightful sight. Though my coolie carried my -baggage, and I was not much troubled on that score, the old wounds on -my feet began to smart again, and I could hardly walk. In the midst of -my trouble there came along a horseman, to whom I gave a little money -to carry me on horseback. About two miles and a half further on we came -to a town called Chu-shur, a rather bustling place, situated in the -delta formed by the rivers Kichu and Brahmapuṭra, the former running -from the north-east and the latter from the north-west. - -I hardly know any town on the way to Lhasa worse and more wicked -than this. The people of the town are indifferent, even unkind, to -strangers, and are much skilled in robbing them of their luggage. They -will steal both luggage and goods in transport in such a skilful manner -that they can hardly be detected. It is widely known in Tibet that no -place is richer in thieves than Chu-shur and I had often been warned to -be on my guard against them. There being so many skilful thieves and -the place being so much frequented by travellers, there is consequently -a good circulation of money, and one would suppose that Chu-shur had -many rich men; but strange to say, I was told upon enquiry that there -were more poor men in that town than in most of the other towns and -villages of Tibet. After dining there, I started towards the north-east -(on foot, as I could procure no horse) along the stream of the Kichu -river and walked on until I felt so much pain in my feet that I could -proceed no further. I had laid myself down on the grass to rest when, -to my boundless joy, a donkey-driver came along and I was given a lift -on the back of his animal for some ten miles, till I arrived at Jang. -At Jang something happened that prevented my coolie from following me -any further, and he deserted me. My feet were aching worse than ever, -for I had travelled about twenty-five miles that day by the help of -the donkey; but what to do on the following day I was at a loss to -conceive. Happily I was told of some men who were going with tax-meat -to the Government at Lhasa, and I asked them to take me on one of -their horses. They were going to pay the tax to the Government, yet -they did not take their horses from their own village, but hired them -elsewhere. They did not travel more than eight or nine miles a day, and -I, too, hired a horse for myself, placed my luggage in their charge, -and started together with them. We halted at a little village named -Nam to take rest, and here stopped for the night. On the following day -we went about six miles along a narrow rocky mountain path, which ran -north-east along the Kichu river, till we came to Nethang. - - - - -CHAPTER XLV. - -Arrival in Lhasa. - - -At Nethang there is a temple of the Mothers of Salvation, who are most -devoutly worshipped in Tibet, and it is said that it was founded by an -Indian hermit, Shrī Aṭīsha by name, who organised a new sect in Tibet. -I went there to worship the twenty-one Mothers of Salvation (Dolma -Nishu tsa chik in Tibetan) whose images I found very well made. On the -following day, the 20th, I again went on towards the north-east, along -the river, over a plain of about five miles, till I came to a large -bridge which I crossed, went on north-east for another four miles, and -came to a village called Sing Zonkha, where I stopped for the night. I -was to arrive at Lhasa, the capital of the country, on the following -day, March 21st. - -I hired a horse at the village, and asked my companions to take care -of my baggage while I rode on amid the beautiful scenes of the place. -After about two miles, I saw on the left a splendid monastery, which at -first sight looked more like a large village, though it was in reality -the Rebung monastery, the largest of the kind in the vicinity of Lhasa. -It is indeed the largest monastery in the ecclesiastical district under -the Dalai Lama, and has an army of priests who number some 7,700 as -a general rule, though sometimes their number rises as high as nine -thousand. During the summer, when the priests go out into the country -on pilgrimage, there remain some six thousand only. This is one centre -of Tibetan learning, and has a college. I saw in all three colleges in -Central Tibet, the other two being the Sera college in Lhasa and that -at Ganden. - -The former has 5,500 students, and the latter 3,300. But these numbers -are only nominal, and the colleges can, like the Rebung monastery, -take in either more or fewer students than their fixed number. At the -side of the road below this monastery is a place where yaks, sheep, and -goats are killed for the table of the Dalai Lama, and the Tibetans have -so superstitious a regard for the sheep (seven in number) the meat of -which is offered to the Dalai Lama daily, that they ask for such things -as the wool and other parts of the animal as keepsakes. Besides sheep, -the Dalai Lama eats other kinds of meat, which is also sent from the -same place. - -It is not very sensible of the Pontiff to get his meat from such a -distant place, while he lives in the city of Lhasa; but he takes -another view. Lhasa is too near to his palace for the slaughter of -animals, and he does not want to have it thought that the animals are -killed for him. He desires to get his meat without being responsible -for giving the order to kill the animals. This looks very good, -but since it is settled that the meat served to him shall be taken -from this place, special care is taken in selecting the animals for -slaughter, and at bottom, therefore, it makes no difference whether his -meat is bought at Lhasa or at that particular place. - -I went on for another five miles, and came to the foot of the hill on -which stood the palace of the Grand Lama, the place which I had seen -from Genpala. - -[Illustration: OUTLINE OF THE RESIDENCE OF THE DALAI LAMA.] - -The palace is so splendid that even its picture looks beautiful. I -am not going to describe it in detail, but there is a quaint little -story about it which shows the impression it creates at first sight. -A certain countryman once drove to Lhasa some asses heavily loaded -with butter. He saw the magnificent palace, and was so struck with its -beauty that he stood gazing at it, thinking that it must be a palace -of the Gods. When he recovered himself, he was mortified to find that -his asses had strayed away. When he had gathered them, he found that -there were nine instead of ten, and looked about anxiously to find the -lost one. When asked what he was looking for, he answered that some one -must have stolen his ass while he was looking at the palace, for he -had come thither with ten asses. It was some time before he found that -he had not counted the ass on which he was riding. This shows how the -magnificence of the palace had affected him. I went half a mile along a -wide road, south-east of the palace hill, and came to a bridge called -Yuthok Samba, a hundred and twenty feet by fifteen, over which is built -a roof in the Chinese style. I crossed the bridge and went on another -hundred and twenty yards before I found myself at the western gate of -Lhasa, constructed somewhat after the Chinese fashion. I passed through -the gate and rode on some two hundred and fifty yards, when I came to -a sort of large open court. Here I had to alight, for I was before the -large temple of Buḍḍha. I enquired how the image of Buḍḍha came to be -placed in the temple. It was before king Srong-tsan Gambo (who later -introduced Buḍḍhism into the country) was won to the religion, and -when he was engaged to Princess Un-ching, a daughter of the Chinese -Emperor Ta-sung of the Thang dynasty. She demanded a promise from his -father that Buḍḍhism should be widely preached in Tibet, and required -at the same time that she might be permitted to take with her an image -of Buḍḍha, which had just been brought from India. The request being -granted, the Princess took it to the city of Lhasa, where it has -remained ever since. - -The image was thus brought into the country by the Princess at the -same time as Buḍḍhism itself. It was soon found necessary to preach a -new form of Buḍḍhism and to invent new characters in which to write -its teachings. So learned men, sixteen in number, were sent to India -to study Buḍḍhism, and to invent new characters. Consequently, new -Tibetan letters were formed, and Buḍḍhist doctrines were translated -into Tibetan. Budḍḍhism was thus taught for over thirteen centuries, -to the great advantage both of Tibet and of Buḍḍhism. This image of -Buḍḍha was not originally carved in China, but was made by a Buḍḍhist -sculptor, Vishvakarma by name, in India, whence it was introduced into -Tibet through China. When I lifted up my thanks before this image of -Buḍḍha for my safe arrival in Tibet, I could not help shedding tears -over the goodness of Buḍḍha, which enabled me to see His image at this -temple as well as at Buḍḍhagayā in India. I need not say, for the whole -story shows it, how great is my faith in Buḍḍha. I do not mean that I -do not respect other Buḍḍhist deities; still Buḍḍha claims the greatest -worship from me, and I have entirely given myself up to Him and His -religion. - -There are many cheap inns and hotels in Lhasa, but as I had been -informed that they were not respectable, I desired to stay with a -friend, a son of the premier of Tibet. While at Darjeeling I had become -acquainted with this young noble, and he had offered me a lodging -during my stay in Lhasa. I liked him, and did many things for him, and -now, though I did not mean to demand a return for what I had done for -him, I had no alternative but to go to him. So I called at his house. -It was known as Bandesha--a magnificent mansion on a plot of about -three hundred and sixty feet square. I entered the house and asked if -he was in, but heard that my friend had become a lunatic. They told me -that he had gone out of his mind two years before, and that he went -mad at regular periods. I learned that he was staying at his brother’s -villa at Namsailing, and was obliged to go there for him, but there -also I could not find him, and was told the same thing. I waited there -for over two hours, as I was told he might come, and then I reflected -that it would be of no use for me to see a madman, on whom I could not -depend, so I made up my mind to direct my steps to the Sera monastery, -for I thought it would be better for me to be temporarily admitted -in the college, and then to pass the regular entrance examinations. -So I at once hired a coolie to carry my baggage, and started for the -monastery. - -Like the Rebung monastery, it was built on the slope of a hill, and -when seen from a distance looked like a village. Guided by the coolie, -I arrived at the monastery at four o’clock and at once called at the -dormitory of Pituk Khamtsan, giving myself out as a Tibetan, as I came -from Jangthang. Hitherto I had passed for a Chinaman, but as such I -should have had to go to Pate Khamtsan, where I feared I might be -detected. I had not trimmed my hair nor shaved my face, nor bathed -for a long time, and I cannot have been much cleaner than a Tibetan, -so I made up my mind to pass for one and to live among them. The -examinations for a Tibetan might be too difficult for me; still I could -command the Tibetan language almost as well as a native, and I was -often treated as one. I thought, therefore, that I could pass without -detection, and so for my own safety I entered the monastery in this -guise. The dormitory is occupied by several priests, who in turn, by -the year, take the charge of the house. The then head of the dormitory -was a very kind and simple old man, called La-toe-pa, and when I told -him about my desire to obtain temporary admission, he gave me every -particular as to what to do. - -Before I go any further in my narrative, I must say something -briefly about the Sera college. It is divided into three -departments--Je-Ta-tsang, Maye Ta-tsang, and Ngakpa Ta-tsang. The first -department contains 3,800 priests, the second 2,500 and the third five -hundred. The former two departments have eighteen dormitories, named -Khamtsan. They differ in size, for the small ones have about fifty -priests in them, while there are over a thousand priests in the largest -ones. There were two hundred priests in the house at which I stayed. -Each Khamtsan has its own property, and all the Khamtsans as a whole -are called Sera. These are the largest divisions of the monastery, but -I will not enter into the sub-divisions. - - - - -CHAPTER XLVI. - -The Warrior-Priests of Sera. - - -In Tibet there are two classes of priests, scholar-priests and -warrior-priests, who in Tibetan are called Lob-nyer and Thab-to -respectively. The former class of priests come to Sera, as their name -shows, with the purpose of study, at an expense of three yen or, if -they take the regular course, of eight yen a month. They graduate from -the college after a study of twenty years, during which time their -special study is the Buḍḍhist Catechism and philosophy, the principal -course of the Sera college. As they come to the college after they -have finished the study of the regular courses, most of them are from -thirty to thirty-five or thirty-six years of age when they graduate, -though a few clever priests receive the decree of doctor at the age of -twenty-eight years. - -The warrior-priests have no money to pay for a course of study in the -college. They earn their way by gathering yak-dung from the fields or -by carrying from the bank of the river Kichu to the monastery wood -which has been brought in boats from Sam-ya-e or Kongbo. Then they -serve the scholar-priests as their servants. It is also among their -daily tasks to play flutes, lyres, harps, flageolets, to beat drums, -and to prepare offerings for the deities. The above tasks may not be -too humble for a low class of priests, but the warrior-priests have -another strange daily task to do by which they deserve their strange -name. Every day they repair to certain hills and practise throwing -large stones at a target, and thus test their muscles. They jump, run -up mountains, or leap down from high rocks. At intervals they sing -popular songs as loudly as they can, for they are proud of their good -voices. Then they practise fighting with clubs. When they have no fixed -task in the temple, they are seen going by threes or fives to their -respective places of practice. The reader may wonder of what use these -priests are in Tibet, and will perhaps be surprised to know that they -are of great use. When, for instance, the higher class Lamas travel -in the northern plains or in some remote district, they take these -priests as their body guards. They are very daring. Having no wives -to look after, they meet death calmly. So invincible and implacable -are these fighting priests that they are the most feared of any in -Tibet. They are very quarrelsome, too, though they rarely fall out -with one another without some serious provocation. They scarcely ever -fight for a pecuniary matter, but the beauty of young boys presents -an exciting cause, and the theft of a boy will often lead to a duel. -Once challenged, no priest can honorably avoid the duel, for to shun -it would instantly excommunicate him from among his fellow-priests -and he would be driven out of the temple. There are chiefs among the -warrior-priests, and they have rules of their own, with officers to see -them well carried out. This is an open secret, and the warrior-priests -are therefore allowed sometimes to do things quite unbecoming to -priests or anybody else. When any grave matter occurs, the chiefs are -often ordered to attend to it with the other warrior-priests. - -A duel being agreed upon, both the fighters go to the appointed place, -mostly in the evening. They fight each other with swords while the -umpires judge their way of fighting. If either of the combatants -does anything cowardly or mean, the umpire leaves the fighters to -themselves, till one or the other is killed. If both fight bravely till -they are wounded, the umpire bids them stop fighting. He tells them -to make peace, and takes them to Lhasa, where they make friends over a -cup of chang (beer or wine). The use of all intoxicants being strictly -prohibited in the Sera monastery, many warrior-priests, when they go to -Lhasa, take the opportunity of drinking much of them, and under that -influence they do many rude things. - -One day, some one accidentally discovered that I was a doctor, and -from that time I came to be paid undeserved respect by these priests. -When they were wounded in their feet or hands during their practice -they came to me for cure, and I was strangely successful with them. I -think that half-civilised people are more easily cured of wounds than -civilised people. A sprained arm was so easily set right, that the -warrior-priests began to consider me to be a doctor indispensable among -them. Besides, I scarcely ever took fees from them for their recovery, -and I gave them medicine gratis, except when they offered me something -in return and compelled me to accept it. This kindness won me their -hearts. They saw that it often made them worse to go to a native doctor -when they were wounded in a duel, while I treated their wounds, or -set their bones, gratis and far better than their native doctors did. -This pleased them so much that I became a great favorite among them. -Everywhere I was greeted with the protruded tongue of salutation. - -Besides, I was helped and guarded by them in many respects. They are -very true to their duties and obligations. They may look a little -rough, but they are much more truthful than the nobles and other -priests of the land, who, though kind and truthful at first sight, are -deceitful and crafty in seeking their own benefit and happiness. The -warrior-priests are as a rule not deceitful and cunning at heart, and I -have found in them many other points that claim my respect and liking. -On the other hand, I was often troubled in my intercourse with the -Lamas, who hide a mean and crafty behavior under their warm garments of -wool. So far for the two classes of priests. - -I had trimmed and shaved neither hair nor beard in my journey of over -ten months, so that they had grown very long. On the day after my -arrival, therefore, when I got a priest to shave my head, I asked him -to shave off my beard also. He wondered why I wanted to have it shaved -off, and told me that it would be very unwise of me to do so when it -had grown so beautiful. He seemed to think that I was joking, and I was -obliged to let it grow. A beard is much valued by the Tibetans, because -they generally have none, though the inhabitants of Kham and other -remote provinces grow beards. They are so eager to have a beard, that -after I was known to be a doctor I was often asked to give medicine to -make the beard grow. They would say that I must have used some medicine -to make my beard grow so long. - -As my object was to be a student priest I bought a hat, a pair of -shoes, and a rosary, according to the regulations of the monastery. I -did not buy a priest’s robe, as I could in time use the one which had -been given to me. So I went to Je Ta-tsang, chief professor of the -department which I was to enter, for him to question me before I was -admitted as a probationary student; but I found that no examinations -were to be given. I called on the professor with a present of the best -tea to be procured in Tibet. His first question was: “Where are you -from? You look like a Mongolian; are you not one?” Being answered in -the negative, he asked me several geographical questions, for he was -well acquainted with the geography of the country. But I answered well, -as I had travelled through the provinces on my own feet. It was thus -settled that I might be admitted on probation. So I saluted the Lama -with my tongue out, and he put his right hand on my head, as usual, -and put a red cloth about two feet long round my neck as the sign of -my admission. The reader must know that one has to put such a piece of -cloth round the neck in the presence of all noble Lamas in Tibet. I had -then to appear before the priest who sees that the laws are carried -out, and to get his permission, and I found that as I had a permit from -the professor I could easily get the sanction of the priest, and thus -I was admitted into the college. I had then to prepare myself for the -regular entrance examination of the department of logic. - -On the following day I found a teacher to help me in my preparation. -Finding however that one teacher was not sufficient for the many -subjects I had to study, I engaged a second, and I was thus soon busy -preparing myself. There was a Lama living in the dormitory opposite -to mine, a stout priest who seemed to be very learned. One day I was -called to his room to see him, and among other questions I was asked -if I had not come with a caravan of Ruto from Jangthang to the Sakya -temple. I was told that among the disciples of the Lama there was one -Tobten, a nice gentle Tibetan, and this person happened to be the one -who had treated me very kindly during my journey with the caravan. It -was this man who had asked me if I would take meat, and whom I had told -that I did not take it. I had hitherto been supposed to have come from -Jangthang, but now I was entirely unmasked. - -“Then you are not from Jangthang,” said the Lama, and then he told -me that he had heard I was a Chinaman and good at writing Chinese -characters. On my confessing that I was not a Tibetan he was grieved, -because he feared that my deceit might bring trouble upon the -dormitory, for a Chinaman must go to Pate Khamtsan. He then asked -me why I had violated the regulations of the place, and I replied -that I had been robbed, as he might have heard from his disciple, at -Jangthang, and that I had not money enough to enter into the Pate -Khamtsan as a Chinaman. Besides, I said, I should have to pay something -for service every year, if I went to the Chinese house. Having told -him all these secrets, I then asked him to help me to stay with him, -as I could not go to the other house. The Lama said that his disciple -had told him of the robbery, and that he was very sorry for me, adding -that he would leave the matter till objection should be made. So I -was left there without further trouble, and I passed for a man from -Jangthang. In this way I kept on studying day and night, till I had a -great swelling in my shoulders. I was obliged to draw some blood from -the shoulders by a device of my own, and then I went to a druggist in -the city to buy some medicine, which soon cured the swelling. - - - - -CHAPTER XLVII. - -Tibet and North China. - - -On the 7th of April I went to see a great service of prayer for the -Chinese Emperor in connexion with the “Boxer” war. It was held not only -at Sera, but at every temple in Tibet. At the monastery where I lived -they held a secret meeting for seven days, during which time special -priests offered secret prayers. They were then to perform something -secret for the victory of China. On enquiry I was told that Peking -was invaded by the troops of several foreign countries, and that the -Chinese seemed to have been beaten. They might be too late, they said, -but they prayed for the safety of the Emperor of China. I was quite -anxious to know more particulars, but they were all kept secret, and no -one would tell me any more. - -The prayer service was held in the Tsochen Hall at Sera, and -commenced with a long warlike procession. First came the players on -lyres, flageolets, drums, and large flutes, followed by men carrying -incense-burners. Then came ten nice looking Tibetan boys, still in -their teens, all dressed in fine Buḍḍhist robes ornamented with colored -Chinese crape, and each burning incense. Next followed fifty spear-like -objects on each side of the road, each surmounted with a movable blade -like that of a Chinese spear. These blades had hilt guards, under which -hung gold brocade or fine colored Chinese crape, sixteen feet long, -thus making the spear twenty-five feet long altogether. The spear, the -handle of which was either of gold or gilt, seemed rather heavy, for -two strong warrior-priests carried each of them. Then came a triangular -board about six feet high, with various figures made of butter on it, -and after it another triangular board, four feet high, with some red -figure made of a mixture of baked flour, butter and honey. These boards -were borne by seven or eight men. After them came some two hundred -priests, dressed in handsome robes and scarfs quite dazzling to the -eye. Half of these beat drums, while the other half carried cymbals. -After these priests came the chief Lama, who was to offer the secret -prayer. He had dressed himself in the splendid robes of his high rank. -Last of all his disciples followed. - -Thus the procession presented a grand sight, and the people of Lhasa -came out in great crowds to see it. It marched out about two hundred -yards from the great hall to an open yard outside the stone fence, -where the view opened as far as Lhasa. Another two hundred yards -further, the procession came before a grass-roofed shed, built of -bamboo, wood and straw. There the chief Lama recited something in front -of the triangular figures of butter and of baked wheat, and of the -spear-shaped objects, while the two hundred priests around him chanted -verses from the Buḍḍhist Scriptures, and beat drums and cymbals. A -priest with a pair of cymbals walked through the lines of the priests; -he seemed to be a sort of band-master, for he marched through their -ranks beating time. His steps and gait were very odd and different -from any dancings that I had ever seen. Soon the chief Lama was seen -pretending to throw away his rosary, at which signal the spear-bearers -threw their spears at the shed and then the triangular board of baked -flour was thrown at it also. They then set fire to the shed, at the -burning of which the priests as well as the spectators clapped their -hands, crying out “_Lha-kyallo! Lha-kyallo!_” This is a Tibetan word, -meaning “surely the Gods will triumph.” Thus was the ceremony over, -one of the most splendid I had ever seen in Buḍḍhism. On the following -day all the priests of the monastery were invited to Lhasa to attend -the _Cho-en Joe_ service, which lasted a month, to pray that the Dalai -Lama of Tibet might be kept from all evil during the year. This was a -celebration said to be only second in importance to the other. I also -went to Lhasa, and took lodging in the house of a Palpo merchant. - -In the capital I got more definite information about the Boxer trouble. -Perhaps some merchants who had returned from China, or some who had -came from Nepāl or some who had been to India, might have brought the -news; but it was all very laughable and unreliable. Some would say the -Emperor of China had bequeathed his throne to the Crown Prince and -absconded, while others told me that the Emperor was defeated and was -then in Sin-an. The trouble was brought about, some said, by a wicked -minister, who married an English lady to the Emperor, while others -asserted that there was a country called Japan, which was so strong -that her troops took possession of Peking. Another said that a famine -prevailed in China and people were all famished; indeed, every sort of -rumor was abroad in the Tibetan capital. - -I was especially pleased to hear something about Japan, even the very -name of which had not yet been heard in Tibet, and some merchants told -me that Japan was so powerful and so chivalrous that even when her army -had taken possession of Peking, she had sent shiploads of rice, wheat -and clothing to the Chinese capital to relieve tens of thousands of -natives who were suffering from famine. But others would say against -Japan that she could not be such a friendly country, but must have done -what she had done merely out of her crafty “land-grabbing diplomacy,” -as the British nation did. Rumor after rumor was making its way through -Tibet, and I did not know what to believe. Only I was pretty sure that -a war had broken out between China and other Powers. In the meantime -the Palpo merchant with whom I was staying was going to Nepāl. I -utilised the occasion and through his kindness sent two letters, one -to Rai Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās in India, and the other to Mr. I. Hige of my -native province. I was glad to find afterwards that they reached their -destination, but it was very difficult to send a letter in that way; -one must first see that the man by whom it is to be sent is honest -and not likely to betray one’s secret, and one cannot easily trust a -Tibetan. But my Tibetan had more than once been shown to be true to his -trust. - -The Cho-en Joe was a meeting of a kind I had never seen before. In -the first place there was a Sakya temple over two hundred and forty -yards square, with another and central Sakya temple, one hundred and -twenty yards square. A wide pavement ran along inside the walls, where -the ordinary priests sat. The same kind of pavement was found on the -second and third floors. No priest was admitted into the Sakya temple -but the Dalai Lama or the “greater” professors, though they did not -always attend the meetings. Some twenty thousand priests attended -that celebration, while over twenty-five thousand assembled on the -occasion of the festival held at Lhasa for the safety of the Emperor -of China. About five in the morning the sound of flutes called all the -priests in Lhasa to the place of meeting. They chanted the Scriptures -and were given butter and tea, as usual, three times, at intervals of -thirty minutes. Of the twenty thousand very few were regular priests, -the rest being either warrior-priests or loafers, who came only with -the mean object of filling their stomachs. Instead of reciting from -the Scriptures, therefore, they were openly doing all sorts of things -during the meeting, such as singing profane songs, or pushing each -other about. One could see the rowdiness of these warrior-priests, who -sat there making obscene jokes, and often quarrelling with one another. - -The warrior-priests being so lawless, some guard-priests are detailed -to keep order among them. The guard-priest does not judge between -the quarrelling priests, but strikes them any time he sees them -quarrelling. So he is much feared by the other priests, who take to -their huts at the first sign of his presence. Still he often takes -them by surprise, and thrashes them most mercilessly on head, limbs -or body, so that occasionally they even die from the effects of his -rough treatment. This is not, however, considered to be murder, the -perpetrator of the deed is not punished, and the body of his victim is -simply thrown away for the birds to devour. - -Warrior-priests train themselves for two hours in the morning. They -take baked flour in tea during that time, and at the end they are given -some gruel. Usually the gruel is made of rice, with much meat in it, -and is given gratis. Each priest brings a bowl which holds a pint or -more, and he takes a bowlful of gruel and three cups of tea. On their -way back to their respective lodgings, they receive _ge_, which in -Tibetan means ‘alms,’ from the officers. It is said that some believers -give as much as twenty-five sen or fifty sen per head to each of the -priests. In this respect some Tibetan merchants, landowners and high -officers are very generous, for they are sometimes known to give eight -or nine thousand yen in alms to these priests. There are many who give -that sum in that way, and much money is known to be sent for that -object from Mongolia. - -There once was among these priests a Russian spy from Mongolia. He -had the degree of doctor, and held the office of _Tsan-ni Kenbo_. He -often made such donations, and his fame had spread far and wide. Such -alms-giving, without religious faith, did not improve his spiritual -condition in the least; but so many merchants give money for the sake -of their business, that this doctor was content to think his alms had -also promoted his virtue. In these ways the priests get much money, and -the festival season is the best time of the year for them. Sufficiency -begets bad conduct, and it is during such times that the priests are -most contentious and vindictive, and that duels are most frequent. -A duel is not generally fought in Lhasa itself; as a rule they only -appoint the place and time for it and fight it after they get back to -their own dormitories, because while they are in Lhasa they are under -the authority of the magistrate priest of the Rebung temple, and not -of their own temples. This magistrate is known to be so severe, strict -and exacting, that they are afraid to fight a duel before him, and they -patiently wait till they return to their own temples. - -On the day that the great celebration was over, I saw a festival -procession. First came groups dressed as the four divine kings, -followed by the eight devil kings, each with a special mark. Each group -was followed by three or five hundred priests, differently dressed. -Unlike a religious procession in Japan, which is as a rule very solemn, -the Tibetan procession marched in a sportive manner, for the persons -in it played with one another while moving. They would even joke with -the spectators. They carried in the procession various treasures and -musical instruments, such as drums, lyres, pipes, flageolets and Indian -flutes, the most attractive objects being some imitations of dragons. -There were many strange figures formed, as they told me, after the -model of the treasures of the submarine dragon’s palace. Imitations -were there of every instrument, treasure, or dress found in Tibet, and -of the old costumes that are found in Tibetan history; and several -Indian tribes were to be seen in the long procession of over two and a -half miles. It is impossible to enter into details, as I saw it only -once; my memory does not serve me for other particulars. - -This procession had one of the strangest of origins. It is said that -Ngak Wang Gyamtso, the fifth Pontiff of the New Sect, devised the -procession after one which he saw in a dream in the Buḍḍhist Paradise, -and it seemed quite fitting that such a curious procession should have -so vague an origin. - - - - -CHAPTER XLVIII. - -Admission into Sera College. - - -I did not see as much of the festival as I might have done, because I -had to go through my formal entrance examinations before the festival -was entirely over, and I devoted all spare moments to preparation. Once -more I overworked myself, but I bought some more medicine, and was -soon well again. This caused no little wonder among my neighbors, and -I was often asked if I had studied medicine. I must have studied it, -they would say, because I could cure my own illness, and I was obliged -to tell them that I had read a few books on medicine. This led me to -practise it among them afterwards. - -Before the celebrations were over, I went back to my own monastery -for my examination. It was on April 18th that I presented myself -with forty other candidates. I was given both written and oral -examinations, besides the recitation of a passage from the Scriptures. -The examinations were such as are generally given to those who have -finished the common course in Tibetan schools. They were not so -difficult for me as I had expected, and I was admitted to the college, -though all were not equally fortunate, for only seven out of the forty -passed. Among the successful members were a few warrior-priests also. -They had run into debt, and had since studied hard to be admitted. -But, let me say, their object was something more than mere study. -Scholarships were awarded, from fifty sen to one yen and sometimes -two yen a month per scholar-priest. The amount was not fixed, but it -generally came to some ten yen a year. It was on account of that sum of -money that many warrior-priests tried to pass the examination. I was -admitted as a student of the first class, in which priest-students -varying from boys in their teens to men in the forties and fifties were -studying the Buḍḍhist catechism, according to the Tibetan fashion. -Their way of studying was so interesting and active, and they were so -earnest and fervent, that one would have thought they were quarrelling -with one another while discussing. - -The catechism is a very pleasant performance, and the ways of -questioning, emphasis, and intonation are quite interesting. The -catechised sits in a certain attitude, and the questioner stands up -with a rosary in his left hand, and walks towards him. He stretches -out his hands with the palm of the left hand downwards and that of the -right hand upwards and claps them together, uttering the words, _Chi! -chi tawa choe chan_. Here ‘Chi’ means the heart of the Boḍhisaṭṭva -Mañjushrī and its utterance is supposed to make the questioner one -with Him, whose real body is knowledge. The rest of the utterance -literally means, “in that nature of the truth.” The sense of the whole -is “We shall begin the discussion following the nature of Truth as it -is manifested in the Universe.” Then the discussion begins in earnest -according the rules of the logic of Nyāya. The first question, for -instance, may be whether Buḍḍha was human or not. Whether the answer -is in the affirmative or the negative, the questioner goes on to ask; -“But he was not above mortality, was he?” If he be answered in the -affirmative, he will say that it could not be so, for Buḍḍha was no -more than mortal. The answerer, if bright enough, will then reply that -Buḍḍha, though himself above death, submitted himself to it in his -incarnated body. He must say also that Buḍḍha had three bodies, called -in Saṁskṛṭ Ḍharmakāya, Sambhogakāya and Nirmānakāya, and in Tibetan, -Choeku, Lonjoeku and Tulku. These terms mean: ‘The all pervading body -consisting of the purest virtue of Truth in him’, ‘the body derived -from his countless virtues, enjoying complete happiness with the -light of Truth,’ and ‘the body derived from his boundless mercy and -transcendental knowledge for the good of all beings.’ - -[Illustration: A VEHEMENT PHILOSOPHICAL DISCUSSION.] - -If the catechised shows any weak point in his answers, the questioner -never fails to take advantage of the opportunity, and drives him on, -saying for example that Buḍḍha was a real man born in India. Whether -the answer be in the affirmative or negative, he will go on asking many -questions in succession, and that with so much animation that, when he -utters the words of a question, he beats time with hands and feet. The -teacher always teaches the catechists that the foot must come down so -strongly that the door of hell may be broken open, and that the hands -must make so great a noise that the voice of knowledge may frighten the -devils all over the world, by a fearless heart and a brave attitude. -The object of the questions and answers is to free the mind from all -worldliness, and to get into the very bottom of Truth, giving no power -to the devils of hell in the mind. - -To show how excitedly the catechism is carried on, it is said that a -countryman once came to see the scene. The question happened to be -about physiognomy (kan-sa), which in Tibetan is synonymous with a -tobacco-pipe. The countryman thought that they were disputing over -a tobacco-pipe, and was very much surprised that a pipe should be -the matter of the quarrel, for the priests were seemingly very much -provoked and railed at each other and exchanged blows! Three years -later, the same countryman came to worship at the temple of Sera, -and again happened to see the priests disputing hotly about what he -thought to be a pipe. He saw them strike each other at the end of the -dispute, and felt very sorry for them. So he thought he would settle -the dispute by arbitration. He then walked among the priests, holding -out his pipe, which he meant to give them. Though it was none of his -business to come among the priests, he offered the pipe and begged them -to settle the dispute, thereby causing great laughter among them. It is -with such excitement and with hardly any formality that the questions -are asked and answered. Still it must not be supposed that one could -answer these questions without a knowledge of Buḍḍhism. One has to -read many texts and reference books before one can go through these -questions. It takes the natives twenty years of hard and unceasing -study, with examinations every year, to obtain the degree of a doctor. - -The catechism forms the chief part of the education of Tibetan priests. -This method seems to excite so great an interest among priest-students -that there are always many Mongolians in Tibet, who come so far and -through so much hardship with the sole object of receiving education -there. There are three hundred Mongolians at the Sera college, and -hardly fewer at other large temples, such as that of Tashi Lhunpo. The -New Sect of Buḍḍhism owes a great deal of its fine prospects to its -catechism, while the Old Sect has already lost popularity and is now -tottering. It is by this spirited Catechism that the naturally dull and -lazy Tibetans are goaded on to understand Buḍḍhism, and are very rich, -for a half-civilised nation, in logical ideas. But let me add, it is -only the learned that are rich in logical ideas; the people at large, -who have received little education, are far from being intelligent. - -The Catechism is generally held at some beautiful place, where there -are many fine trees, such as elms, willows, nuts, peaches and various -others which are not found in Japan, though on the whole Tibet does -not possess a large variety of trees. The ground under the trees is -covered with beautiful white sand. When the first Catechism is over, -the priests have what is termed the Garden of Truth, at some equally -well-wooded place, where there are varieties of flowers. The ground -there is also covered with white sand, and enclosed by stone walls five -or six feet high with a gateway constructed in Chinese fashion. The -priests gather themselves there to read from the Scriptures, and after -the reading, they begin questioning one another. Here they make no -difference of classes, but ask one another concerning their text books -and everything else. This helps them a great deal to improve their -knowledge and wisdom. - -At the other place, there may be no more than one questioner and one -answerer, the rest keeping silence, whether the class consist of fifty -or a hundred priests. The questioner and the answerer might change, but -they could be taken only from that one class. In the garden, however, -there are no such limitations, there is no difference of classes, and -young and old priests are seen questioning each other. So one may -easily fancy how noisy and excited they are. While I was having a -Catechism among them under a peach-forest in blossom, snowflakes began -to fall on us. I stopped questioning and, struck with the beautiful -scene around me, I wrote two Japanese poems which served to give my -friends at home some idea of my thoughts. - - In spring the blooming flowers of the peach - Are fully blown in “Dharma-garden” there, - Greeting with welcome glee the friendly snows. - Under their shades the wrangling priests discuss, - With their vehement, uncouth gestures strange, - Their doubts to melt, like to the melting snows - Beneath these trees emitting odours sweet. - -Day and night I studied in this way. But finding soon that it left me -too many precious hours to have only one teacher, I now found another -priest to teach me. I went to them to receive their instruction, while -they too sometimes came to teach me. I thus made considerable progress -in my learning. - -There is a strange custom which a new college student has to observe -as a sign of his admittance. I had to go to Lhasa and to travel, as -a sign of my admittance, for two days to beg for fuel. But one day a -young priest next door quarrelled with another young priest and hit him -with a stone, which dislocated the bone of his upper arm. The wounded -lad was a special favorite of his instructor, who feared very much that -he might be deformed. Bone-setting is quite unknown to the Tibetans, -and their doctors, who have no knowledge of how to set a dislocated -bone, apply heated iron, or give some medicine to drink or use. I was -on my walk and happened to hear the pitiful cries of the wounded boy, -and was told, when I asked why they did not send for a doctor, that it -was far better not to do so, as it would only be a heavy expense for -nothing. They were not going to have one. When I asked if no doctor in -Tibet could set a dislocated bone, they seemed to be much surprised -at my improbable question. It was with some difficulty that I made -them believe that a dislocated bone can be easily set. So going to the -wounded boy, I easily set his bone, while a Tibetan held his head and -left hand. Then I acupunctured that part where the muscle was a little -swollen, and the boy was soon cured. - - - - -CHAPTER XLIX. - -Meeting with the Incarnate Bodhisattva. - - -This healing made me an object of much talk, and I soon found myself -surrounded by many patients. I now began to fear that I should thus -be prevented from studying, and so fail to accomplish my chief end. -So I tried every means to keep the patients from me, but the more -I declined, the more patients I found brought to me, and I was at -last obliged to get some medicines from Thien-ho-thang (a Chinese -druggist) in Lhasa. I gave the medicines to these patients, most of -whom recovered either through their faith in me or through the efficacy -of the drugs; for I had studied the rudiments of medical science (of -the old school, it is true) and this enabled me to use the medicines. -There is one disease which is most feared as fatal by the Tibetans. -It is dropsy, little, if at all different from _beri-beri_. No one -in the neighborhood of Lhasa seemed to know how to cure the disease. -I prepared for it a medicine of which I had been told by a Tibetan -hermit, and gave it to some patients suffering from dropsy. I am glad -to say that this medicine cured six or seven patients out of every ten, -though I could not heal cases that were far gone. - -This made me quite famous and my name, known only in my own monastery -at first, began to be known in the whole city of Lhasa and in the -country as far as Shigatze. Often two horses were sent on for me from -places of three days’ journey distant to take me to patients. I took no -reward from the poor, but gave them medicine gratis. This may have had -a great deal to do with my popularity, and I came to be regarded as a -God of medicine. - -There are many cases of consumption in Tibet. I gave my medicine to -those patients who were in the first stages of the disease, but chronic -cases I left without any medicine, to meditation or religious services -that they might gain salvation, and die at ease. This, I was told, -made some patients fear to come to me, for it was said that those to -whom medicine was given recovered, while the others, whom I taught -about death and the future, without giving them any medicine, were -sure to die. Some did not like to be told that death was near them, -and women especially were frightened to come before me. The Tibetans -have a strange habit. When they fall ill, before any doctor is sent -for, a sorcerer is asked to see which doctor is best and what kind of -medicine is good. Some doctors, therefore, are so wicked as to bribe -the sorcerer to recommend them to the patients. The sorcerer, too, -being pleased enough to see the patients cured by the doctor whom he -suggested, began to recommend me to his patients when he saw my name -was making so great a stir in Tibet. He would tell his patients to be -sure to come to me. I never asked him to mention me, nor even saw him -in person; nor is it probable that he ever saw me. His recommendation -must have come out of his love of fame. When, therefore, a high officer -or priest fell ill and was told by his sorcerer to see me, I was sure -to be sent for. A horse was sent to bring me, generally with a letter -of introduction. Often I received a letter politely requesting me to -come, and wherever I went, therefore, I was very kindly received, for -the life of the patient was supposed to depend entirely on me. - -Fame travels surprisingly fast, and at last mine reached the Royal -Court, so that I was one day called there. The Dalai Lama was not in -reality ill, but desired to see what I looked like. In Tibet it is no -easy matter to see His Holiness. He may be seen while passing, but no -ordinary priests or even high priests can have the privilege of talking -to him. This was, therefore a great honor to me, and I took the liberty -of riding the horse sent to take me to the Royal palace. The Grand Lama -was not then at Potala, but at his country palace called Nolpu Lingka, -in a forest along the Kichu, south-west of Potala. This palace is much -newer than the other, and the Pope enjoys the coolness there in summer. - -I rode along a wide road in the forest for about three hundred and -fifty yards, till I came to a high stone wall over twenty feet high -and three hundred and fifty yards square. I went west through the -large gate in the wall, and found on both sides of the road inside the -gate many white boxes in the shape of post pillars about six yards -apart. In them incense is burned when the Dalai Lama goes along the -road. Lofty trees are grown in the courtyard on both sides of the -road, though there is a very wide lawn within the court. After about -a hundred yards, I came to a square piece of ground enclosed by stone -fences about one hundred and fifty yards square, along which were seen -many beautiful stone houses for the priest officials to live in. These -houses have each a flower garden which is beautifully decorated with as -many trees and plants as can be found in Tibet. What is stranger still, -at the four corners as well as some other parts of the stone fences are -found little kennels, in which two or three score strong Tibetan dogs -are chained. They bark terribly from their high pens. The Dalai Lama -is said to be so fond of dogs that whoever brings him a strong hound -is treated very kindly and receives great rewards. Hence many dogs are -brought from great distances. None of his predecessors, however, have -had such a liking for dogs. The gates to the Papal palace are at the -east and west corners of the walls and face south. About thirty yards -from the gate was a large house into which my horse was led. Then I was -taken to the house of the Court Physician. - -This residence of the Court Physician has four large rooms, parlor, -study, servants’ room and kitchen. The house is approached through a -garden full of beautiful flowers, and one then comes to a curtain of -white linen. Going under the curtain, one enters another garden, at one -side of which is the entrance to the parlor. - -The parlor has Chinese sliding doors in white, with panes of glass. In -the room were two images, one of Buḍḍha and the other of Tsong-kha-pa, -the founder of the New Sect, set on a gilt stand, with pictures of -dragons, peacocks, and flowers. Such images are found in most shrines -of the New Sect. Before the images were Tibetan candlesticks of silver, -with three butter-candles that were left burning both day and night. -The Physician was sitting on a Tibetan carpet with painted flowers, and -there were two beautiful high desks before him, in front of which there -was a fur cushion for the guest to sit upon. I was told to sit on this -fur cushion, and very soon a servant priest brought in the very best -tea, which he poured into the physician’s cup and then into mine on the -desk. The physician was said to be very kind and gentle, and his face -resembled mine so much that we might be taken for brothers. - -The physician told me that the Dalai Lama was not seriously ill and -that it was because I had healed so many patients that he wished to see -me. But, he added, as he was very busy, I must not talk long with him. -He said that the Dalai Lama might have something that the physician -must consult me about. - -After this talk with the physician, I was led by him to the Palace, -and we went north towards the gate mentioned above. There was a -guard-priest at the gate, who was dressed in a tight-sleeved priestly -cloak, which no common priests are allowed to put on. He keeps guard -with a club. Inside the gate there was a stone pavement some twenty -yards square, surrounded by covered ways, where there were some things -in the shape of stools. There was another gate about nine yards wide in -front of this. The inner gate was guarded by four priests, each with -a short club instead of a long one. Walking about ten yards from the -inner gate into the inner court, I found on both walls a picture of -a fierce looking Mongolian leading a tiger by a rein; and the walls, -which were roofed over, had a court between them. Instead of going -straight through the court, I went left along the covered way till I -came to the end of the western wall, when the Dalai Lama appeared from -his inner chamber. - -He was preceded by _Dunnyel Chenmo_ the Lord Chamberlain, and _Choe Bon -Kenbo_ the Papal Chaplain. After His Holiness came _Yongjin Rinpoche_ -the Papal Tutor. The Dalai Lama took his seat on the right hand chair -in front, and the two former attendants stood on each side, while the -Tutor sat on the chair a little below them. Seven or eight high priests -sat before His Holiness. The Court Physician leading me a little to -one side, in front of the Dalai Lama, saluted him. I saluted him three -times, and taking my robe off one of my shoulders I stepped before him, -when His Holiness stretched out his right hand to put it on my head. -Then I withdrew about four yards and stood beside the physician. - -[Illustration: AN AUDIENCE WITH THE DALAI LAMA.] - -The Dalai Lama then began by praising me for having healed many poor -priests at Sera. He told me to stay long at Sera and to do as I had -done, and I answered that I would do with pleasure as he wished me. -I had been told that the Pope was well versed in Chinese, and I -feared that he might speak in Chinese, for then my imposture would be -discovered. I had made up my mind, therefore, that I would in that -case frankly tell him to what nationality I belonged, that I might be -worthy of a Japanese, for I deemed it to be a great honor to be granted -an interview with him. - -Luckily, however, he did not talk Chinese, but instead inquired in -Tibetan about Buḍḍhism and Buḍḍhists in China, which I answered to -his satisfaction. He was pleased to tell me that he was thinking of -appointing me to some high office. After the talk I was honored by a -cup of tea in the presence of the Dalai Lama and drank it with much -ceremony, though he retired to his chamber before I had finished -drinking. - -The Dalai Lama was dressed in a cloak different from that of a common -priest. He had on a silk hood and a great robe called saṅghāṭi and -under it a fine _putuk_ of Tibetan wool about his waist. His under -dress was what is called _tema_ woven of the best Chinese sheep wool. -He wore a fine Papal crown on his head though he is said to be often -bare-headed, with no crown at all. He held a rosary in his left hand. -He was then aged twenty six. He is about five feet eight inches high, -a moderate height in Tibet. - -The Dalai Lama looks very brave. His eye-brows are very high, and he is -very keen-eyed. Once a Chinese phrenologist remarked that the Tibetan -Pope would bring about war one day, to the great disturbance of the -country, for though brave-looking, he had an unlucky face. Whether the -prophesy comes true or not, he really looks the very man of whose face -a phrenologist would be sure to say something. He has a very sharp -and commanding voice, so that one could not but pay reverence in his -presence. From my long acquaintance with the Dalai Lama, during which I -heard and saw much of him and had frequent interviews with him, I judge -that he is richer in thoughts political than religious. He was bred in -Buḍḍhism, and in it he has great faith, and he is very anxious to clear -away all corruption from the Buḍḍhism and Buḍḍhists in Tibet. - -But political thoughts are working most busily in his mind. He seems -to fear the British most, and is always thinking how to keep them from -Tibet. He seems to give full scope to all designs calculated to check -the encroaching force of the British. I could plainly see this while -remaining near him. Had he not been on his guard, however, which he -always is, he must have been poisoned by his retainers. He has often -been on the point of being poisoned, and each time his caution has -detected the conspiracy and the intriguers were put to death. - -None of the five Dalai Lamas from the fourth to the ninth in Tibet -reached their twenty fifth year; all were poisoned when eighteen or -twenty-two years old. This is almost an open secret in Tibet, and the -reason is that, if a wise Dalai Lama is on the throne, his courtiers -cannot gratify their selfish desires. Some of these seem to have been -wise Dalai Lamas, for they received special education until they were -twenty-two or three years old. History proves that they have written -books to instruct the people. - -I could not help shedding tears when the ex-Papal Minister of Finance, -at whose house I was staying at one time, told me about the fate of -the predecessors of the present Dalai Lama. The Papal Court is a den -of disloyal thieves who go by the name of courtiers, and they do all -they can to neutralise the force of the few loyal courtiers, who are -too weak to do anything against them. The ex-Minister for Finance was -among the ill-fated party driven out of the court by these toadies, -who pretended to pay great reverence to the sacred Monarch before the -people, simply because they could not otherwise stay in their offices. -When anything happened against their interests, they conspired to -communicate with one another and to accuse falsely the loyal courtiers. -They would often go so far as to slander them shamelessly, and say that -such and such a person had been guilty of a disrespectful act against -the Dalai Lama. - -In this subtle way some wicked courtiers turned honest scholars or -priests out of the court, and the Dalai Lama is surrounded by these -pretended loyalist devils. Hence he is so dangerously situated, that -he is obliged to pay the greatest attention to what is offered him to -eat, lest some poison should have been put in it. I could not but shed -tears for him, when I thought that there could be no court on earth so -full of wicked courtiers. But the present Dalai Lama is so prudent and -particular that these evil doers can get no chance of doing anything -against him. Still, he is really in great danger. He is wise for his -age, for, young as he is, he seems to have great sympathy with the -afflicted, and is much respected, and indeed almost worshipped, by his -people, though much disliked by the evil local governors, whom he has -been known to punish, to deprive of their estates, and to imprison for -their evil deeds. - -[Illustration: INNER ROOM OF THE DALAI LAMA’S COUNTRY HOUSE.] - -I often had occasion to see the inner chamber of the palace and found -that it was magnificent. It is built in the Indian, Chinese and Tibetan -styles. The garden has an artificial hill in it after the Chinese -fashion, while, as is seen in a Indian garden, it has a lawn outside -with some charming flowers. The place seems very good for walks. The -inside of the palace is built after the Tibetan style, while a part of -the roof is Chinese and the rest purely Indian. The royal garden has -various rocks and has here and there such trees as willows, peaches, -elms and many other strange trees found only in Tibet. In Tibet only -few flowers bloom in summer, though there are many in winter. A variety -of flowers, such as chrysanthemums, poppies, magnolias, tulips, and -others are planted in front of the palace veranda. The pavement is -decorated here and there with glittering jewels, and the walls are -painted by the best painters in Tibet. The papal throne stands on two -Tibetan mats at the farther side of the room, and beside the throne is -spread a thick Tibetan carpet, over which is a Chinese carpet of wool. -A table of costly wood is set on the carpets. There is a tea-bureau, -over which hangs a picture of Je Rinpoche, painted on a gold-dusted -canvas. There are many such rooms, besides, which I was not allowed to -enter, but which looked very beautiful from the outside. I was often -invited to the chief physician’s to talk about medicine with him. He -taught me several things about medicine that I did not know, though the -medical knowledge which I had gained from my own books enabled me to -keep up with him in the talk. This must have done a great deal to make -the chief physician welcome me so much. He even said he would be most -glad to recommend me as a Court Physician. - -He said that he would do his best to that end, telling me at the same -time to see the premier and some other Ministers of State. My answer -was however that I could not very well stay long in Lhasa, for I was -most earnest to study Buḍḍhism. I told him also that I intended to go -to India to study Samskṛṭ, and at this he felt very sorry, for when I -left there would be no good doctor in the city. When I said that my -object was not medicine, but to study Buḍḍhism, the physician very -plausibly argued that as it was the ultimate object of Buḍḍhism to save -men, I might as well stay in the city as a doctor to practise medicine. -The doctor, I said, only relieved men of earthly pains, but could -hardly do anything toward the salvation of souls. What doctor, however -skilful, could save a dying patient? Besides, I feared I might do them -more harm than good, for I had only a smattering of medicine after all. -I might heal them of their diseases, but I could not give peace to -their souls, while a priest could free them from the most painful and -durable of all diseases. It was more urgent to study how to heal this. -Buḍḍha was the greatest doctor, who had given eighty-four thousand -religious medicines to eighty-four thousand mental diseases, and we, -as His disciples, I said, must study His ways of healing. On these -grounds I declined his offer. Finding me so firm in my resolution, the -physician went on to say that, if I ever tried to leave the city for -India, or some other far-off country, the Dalai Lama would give orders -to keep me in the country, and that my only happiness lay in staying to -work among the priests. When I heard this I began to repent that I had -been telling him my secrets rather too plainly. I feared it would put -me to some inconvenience to insist on going to India, and soon changed -the subject of our talk. So far about my medical practice; but now, -something took place of which I had never dreamed. - - - - -CHAPTER L. - -Life in the Sera Monastery. - - -What happened was this. It became a matter of hot discussion among the -priests of our dormitory Pituk Khamtsan whether they should leave me to -stay there or not, because I was being received by the Grand Lama, the -noblemen and the Ministers, as a great doctor. After a long discussion, -the priests came to an agreement that they should make a special rule -on my account, and put me in one of the best rooms. I was, of course, -pleased to be removed from my strangely smelling, dark and dirty room -to a free, clean apartment. I saw the Dalai Lama on July 21st, and was -removed into the good room toward the end of the same month. It is -one of the regulations of the college that no new-comer shall have a -separate room for himself, but that he shall live with some one else -in a room, though occasionally a rich student may enjoy the possession -of a dirty room for himself on admission. Though not among the poor, -I was not eligible to have a room, even a dirty one, all to myself. -A priest must reside there some ten years before he is allowed to -live in a room of the fourth class; after three years more he may be -removed to a study room of the third class. But it must be remembered -that everything depends on money. When he receives the degree of a -doctor, he is given a second-class room. The rooms of the first class -are used only by incarnate Lamas, who come to study. As things were I -was given a second-class study. It was a cosy structure of two storeys -with a kitchen and a closet. Some studies have third floors, but my new -quarters were only two-storied. The room upstairs was the best. To live -in such a house, however, one must have articles of furniture as well -as some servant-priests. I was now like a poor boy, who had grown up -all of a sudden and had been given a house to keep. I was obliged to -procure many articles needed for my new condition, all of which I had -fortunately money enough to buy. - -The priests, though diverse in studies, may be classified into three -large divisions, higher, middle, and lower. By the middle class of -priests, I mean those who spend about seven yen a month for their -keep. They do not pay for their dwellings, which are provided by their -temple, though some Khamtsans, which are in debt, take rents from -their priests for their studying-rooms. When a Khamtsan is too full of -priests, some of them go to seek rooms for themselves in some other, in -which case they pay from one to three yen a month, or twenty-five sen -for a dirty room. - -A suit of clothing as used by student-priests consists of a hood of -common wool cloth, a shirt, and a priest’s robe, besides a pair of -shoes. It costs twenty yen to provide all these articles. At breakfast -they take butter-tea and baked flour. Rich priests make tea for -themselves every morning, though three large bowlfuls are given in the -hall of the monastery. In the afternoon they drink tea again, this time -with some meat, chiefly dried, though at times raw. In the evening -they take some gruel of baked flour, cooked with cheese, radishes and -fat. Butter-tea is always found in a bowl on the table. The Tibetan -in general drinks much tea, because very few vegetables are eaten as -compared with the amount of meat. A tea-cup is covered with a silver -lid. When it gets cool, it is drunk and new tea is poured in again and -left some twenty minutes to cool, though in winter no more than five or -six minutes are needed, during which time those at table will talk to -one another, or read from the Scriptures or do some private business. -Such are the meals of a middle-class priest. Most priests have some -landed property, and some of them breed yaks, horses, sheep and goats -in the provinces, though it would be rare for one of the middle-class -to have more than some fifty yaks and ten horses. These animals are -also employed in ploughing the fields, but no more than ten lots of -land may be ploughed by two yaks in a day. The priests can hardly lead -a well-to-do life without such property or some private business, for -what they are given from their temples and by the believers is not -sufficient for them. - -Few priests are without some private business or other--indeed, most -of them are engaged in trade. Agriculture comes next to trade, and -then cattle-breeding. Manufacturers of Buḍḍhist articles, painters -of Buḍḍhist pictures, tailors, carpenters, masons, shoemakers and -stone-layers are found among the priests; there is hardly any kind of -business in Tibet, but some of the priests are engaged in it. There -are, besides, many kinds of business in which none but priests engage. -The lower class of priests as well as the middle-class engage in -trade, but some rich priests have as many as from five hundred to four -thousand yaks and from one to six hundred horses. They have from one -to six hundred lots of land, each lot being as large as will take two -yaks to cultivate in a day. But there are not more than three or four -of the priests who have started in trade with a capital of five hundred -thousand yen. They live very luxuriously, wear priestly cloaks of the -best woollen texture produced in Tibet, and use very thick butter-tea -every morning, which is considered a great delicacy. - -To make the best butter-tea, the tea is first boiled for half a day, -till it gets dark brown. After being skimmed, it is shaken several -times in the cylinder with some fresh yak butter and salt. This makes -the best tea, and a tea-pot full of such tea costs thirty-eight sen -to make. Tea-pots, or jars, are made of clay in the shape of ordinary -Japanese tea pots. I could not at first drink the tea, when I saw that -it looked like thick oil. Still, it is one of the best drinks among -the best circles in Tibet, who drink it every morning. It is usually -taken mixed with what is called _tsu_ and baked flour. The tsu is a -hardened mixture of cheese, butter and white sugar. The Tibetan puts -this substance into his tea. He eats meat dried, raw or cooked, even -at breakfast. At dinner the priests eat rice imported from Nepāl, the -price of which is about fifty sen per _sho_. They do not however eat -boiled rice by itself, but a bowlful of it mixed with grapes and sugar -and butter. After the rice, baked flour or egg macaroni is sometimes -eaten. In the evening wheat dumplings with gruel are served at table; -what they call gruel has in it some meat, radishes, cheese and butter. -The above is the usual course of dishes at the tables of the highest -circles. They cannot live a day without meat, and if on some occasion -they are kept from it, they are sure to say they are getting thinner. - -The priests of the higher class live very comfortably, for they -build their own villas, or have their own temples; besides, they -have always the best dwellings of the temples to which they belong. -They are supported by their estates, as I said, and they keep, each -one of them, from five or six to seventy or eighty servants in their -houses. From among these servants are often selected treasurers and -stewards. The lower class of priests, on the contrary, live pitifully. -No words can half describe their poor condition. The warrior-priests, -though among the poorest, are still able to keep the wolf from their -doors, for they are employed as farmers or as guards, or in some other -private business, so that they earn money with which they live from -hand to mouth. There is another and far poorer class of priests--the -scholar-priests who have to support themselves in their studies, but -who must earn their living as well as their expenses as students. -They are too busy with their study to go out to make any money. What -they receive as offerings from the believers and as salary from their -temples, does not together amount to a little more than two or three -yen a month, and it is insufficient to support them. They can drink -tea gratis every morning at the temple, but they cannot get any baked -flour, which makes the chief part of a meal. Baked flour costs at least -one and a half yen a month. During the catechisms they go to Ta-tsang -where they are given three cups of tea for dinner. But it takes them a -month to review what they study in a month in catechisms. During the -period of review they must get some one to help them, and they have to -pay some fifty sen a month in return. Then they must have some fire -to keep them warm in the evening besides something to refresh them. -For refreshments they get tea-leaves with which the richer priests -have made their tea. Then they must get fuel to make tea out of these -leaves. The fuel is generally yak-dung, which costs thirty-five sen a -bag of two and a half bushels. A priest will burn three or four bagfuls -a month if he is not particular and careful, while a poor priest may -have to manage with a bagful a year. - -The poorest priest has in his room a sheep’s fur, a wooden bowl, a -rosary and a dirty cushion, which makes a bed at night. In a corner are -found a stove, an earthen pan, and a pot or jar, which all belong to -the room. A bag hanging in one corner contains the baked flour which -supports his life; but it is very rarely full. The most precious items -of their property are the text books of the catechism. There are no -priests, however poor, but have five or six copies of the catechism. -These books, however, are not their permanent property, for they will -sell them as soon as their examinations are over. At night their bed -consists of their hood, an underdress and a bed covering, besides an -old blanket, which, however, is in the possession of only a limited -number. He who has a room of his own is among the best of this poor -class of priests. In most rooms of nine feet square, three or four -priests often have a pan in common. I felt so sorry sometimes when I -was called to see a patient among them that I not only gave medicine -for nothing, but sometimes gave him some money. Such is the condition -of the poorest priests, and I was told that they often passed a couple -of days without eating, when they were given little in the way of help. -When they receive a little money they will hurry to Lhasa, over three -miles off, to buy some baked flour. Some of them do not come home -directly from the city, for hunger often takes them to some little -restaurant, where they eat some macaroni. The consequence is that they -spend their money and are plunged again into such poverty that they -must live another couple of days without anything to eat. I hardly ever -passed them without giving them something, so that they at last came to -pay so much respect to me that they would stop when they saw me, and -wait in reverence while I passed. - - - - -CHAPTER LI. - -My Tibetan Friends and Benefactors. - - -To go back a little in my story, my prosperity as a doctor obliged -me to buy much medicine, and I often went to Thien-ho-thang, a drug -store which was kept by Li Tsu-shu, a Chinese from Yunnang. In China -they make decoctions of their medicines, but the Tibetans take every -medicine in powdered form. Every medical herb and root is pulverised, -as well as some kinds of horns and stones. To get some of these -medicines I was often obliged to stop a couple of days in his house; -and as I bought great quantities of medicine, I came to be treated -very civilly as a good customer. He lent me a book on medicine, the -reading of which added not a little to my small knowledge, and I boldly -undertook every kind of patient. I know I made a very dangerous doctor, -but I was obliged to go on as a pedant domineering over a society of -ignoramuses. Still, I admit I possessed more knowledge of physiology -than most of the doctors in Lhasa, and I was in consequence more -trusted than they. - -I frequently went to this druggist, who owned the largest of the three -Chinese drug stores in Lhasa. Li Tsu-shu was about thirty years old and -had a very fine house. He lived with his wife, a son and a daughter, a -mother-in-law and three maids. They treated me as if I were a member -of the family, probably because I was kind to them and gave them all -sorts of things that I received from my friends and clients. When, -for instance, somebody gave me too much cake, sugar, milk or grapes, -for my own use, I used to take them to the druggist to give them to -the children, who were consequently quite impatient to see me. If I -happened not to visit the house for a couple of days, they became -anxious about me. I was soon so much beloved by the children that we -seemed to have been friends for over ten years, and I was sometimes -asked if I had known them in China. This acquaintance with the children -helped me very much afterwards, when I was leaving Tibet. - -This _Gyami Menkhang_ or Chinese druggist had his house in the street -of Wan-dzu Shing-khang, in Lhasa. Among those who used to come to his -store was Ma Tseng, Secretary to the Chinese Amban. He was a great -scholar and a man of worldly knowledge. He had a Tibetan mother and -was born in Tibet. He spoke Tibetan without a shade of Chinese accent, -while he spoke and read Chinese quite as well. He had read much in -Chinese, and had been twice in Peking. Three times he had gone to -India, visited Calcutta and Bombay as a peddler, and come back with -a great store of knowledge about foreign affairs. His office hours -being very short, he had much time to spare, and as he was a great -friend of the druggist’s, he came to him very often. This led me to -get acquainted with him, and I found him very amusing. He told me many -Tibetan secrets and many of their habits and customs both good and -bad. I soon found that what was told by him was always true. Being the -Secretary of the Chinese Amban, he was also acquainted with the secret -relations of the Tibetan and Chinese Governments. He was so talkative, -that he would tell me anything before I asked. His acquaintance pleased -me so much that when I was tired of reading I would take a walk to the -druggist’s, with no other object than to talk with this Secretary. - -Once while standing at the door of the druggist’s, I saw a man -apparently of quality come towards me with his servant. The store -stands at the corner where the streets leading to Panang-sho and -Kache-hakhang meet, and this man came along Ani-sakan street toward -Panang-sho. He passed a few steps by me, when he turned and looked at -me. Then I heard his servant say that I must be the man. Walking to me -the nobleman said “Is it you?” I looked at him and found him, though -much thinner than before, to be the son of Para the Premier, whom I had -met at Darjeeling. He did not look like a man out of his senses, as I -had been told. He said that he was much pleased that I had come to his -country. He was on some important business, but went with me into the -house of the druggist. The wife of the druggist, who knew him, gave him -a chair, and the young noble seemed to be desirous to talk with me. -I hinted that it was not good for us to let it be known that we had -seen each other at Darjeeling, and began our talk by saying that it -was about half a year since we had met each other at Gyangtze. He also -was aware that his staying at Darjeeling should be kept a secret, and -carefully avoided talking about our having met in that town. - -From what he said and did there, I could not find anything in him that -showed him to be an idiot; on the contrary, he was evidently a man of -much sense. Among other things he told me that three months before, -one of his servants committed theft and, when reproved severely, had -pierced him through the side with a sword with the result that a part -of his intestines could be seen. This, he added, made him so haggard. -When, after a long talk, he went on his way, the wife of the druggist -told me that the young man had hoodwinked me about the wounds, which -really were given him for wrong-doing on his side. She told me that -everything concerning his family was known to her, for she had before -been wife to his brother, who, not being allowed to live long with her, -simply because she was of birth too humble for his family, divorced -her and was now adopted at Namsailing. The young man, she told me, was -very prodigal, and deeply in debt, on account of which he was wounded. -To my question whether he was then beside himself, she answered that -he was mad or otherwise as it suited him, and not a man to be easily -trusted, for he was very good at taking money from others. - -In Tibet, when people go out to enjoy the flowers (for the -flower-season is very short there) they pitch tents in the wheat-fields -or in a forest, and have every sort of merriment. This is called a -picnic of _lingka_, or forest party, and forms one of the merriest -amusements in Tibet. I was invited once to one of these villas in the -wheat-fields. I found there an old nun of about sixty years of age, -with seven or eight nun-attendants beside her. Hers was not a tent, but -a splendid house of wood, the walls of which were covered over inside -with painted cloth and outside with white cloth. Though temporary, -the building was well furnished. This old lady had been ill for over -fifteen years, and was aware that she was sinking. She said she knew -that her disease was incurable, but nevertheless desired to have such -a famous doctor as myself to feel her pulse, and would be satisfied -if I could only relieve her a little of her pain. I examined her and -found that her trouble was rheumatism, so I gave her a little tincture -of camphor, besides some medicine for her stomach, which was a little -out of order. Faith works wonders. My medicine told well and, her pain -of fifteen years gradually abating, she was soon able to enjoy sound -sleep, which had long been desired by her. Finally she became so well -that she could walk a little. Her raptures can be imagined, and she at -once reported the condition of her health to her family. It seems that -she was married, though not legally, to the Ex-Minister of Finance, -who was also a priest of the New Sect. Shame on Buḍḍhism therefore -that he was living with the nun. Priest nobles are generally supposed -to have wives, though not legally married to them; most of them keep -such women somewhere, and the nuns are the best class of women to be -their wives--at least so had thought the Ex-Minister of Finance. This -particular nun was old now and bent with age, though she was stoutly -built. - -When one of the man servants in the residence of the Minister of -Finance fell ill, I was sure to be summoned, for they put great faith -in me and I could not but believe that the Lord Buḍḍha was working -through me to cause me to succeed so wondrously among them. In this -wise I became acquainted with the Ex-Minister of Finance, who was a -deeply learned scholar, as well as an experienced diplomatist. Aged -sixty-two, he was about seven feet six inches in height--taller than -any other Tibetan I saw. - -His dress took twice as much cloth as that of an ordinary person. -He knew men well, and was shrewd in business, exceedingly kind and -faithful and never deceitful. His only fault was his living with the -nun. While talking with me, they often repented with tears of the -folly they had committed with each other when young. He was not bad at -heart, but his passionate behavior soiled what should have been his -stainless purity, and also he was much influenced by worldly thoughts. -He had great sympathy with my condition, and often said that he was -very sorry for me to have to see a patient, who had been sent to me -from Lhasa, when the patients in Sera were keeping me so busy. Besides -being sorry for my lack of time for study, he warned me to be on my -guard. Upon my asking him what he meant, he disclosed his fear that I -might be poisoned like many other envied persons, for I had already -robbed many doctors of their business. When I expressed my concern, -he asked me if I should be contented with a moderate living. Being -assured that I should be quite satisfied if I could only obtain a mere -living, he said that he would support me, and offered me a dwelling in -his residence. It was not pretty, he said, but quiet and comfortable. -It was situated out of the way, so that few patients, except those who -were very dangerously ill, would be likely to trouble me, and I could -then study more devotedly. Not only, he said, could I give more time to -study, but I should also be on better terms with the city physicians, -if at the cost of some inconvenience on the part of general patients. I -was very glad to accept this kind offer, for I had been much regretting -the little time and opportunity I had to study Buḍḍhism, which was the -sole object of my coming to Lhasa through so many hardships. - - - - -CHAPTER LII. - -Japan in Lhasa. - - -Everything went well with me, for I had earned much money, and -besides everything needed for my livelihood was to be given to me -by the Ex-Minister. So at last, leaving a young lad in charge of my -quarters at Sera, I removed to the residence of the Ex-Minister with -my furniture. I told the lad never to let it out of his mouth that I -was with the Ex-Minister, and to try to send most patients to some -other doctor in the city. I provided for him some way of living and -study. Still, I went to Sera occasionally to have my catechism. My -new dwelling was six yards by four. It was divided in the middle into -two rooms, and being the dwelling of a noble, the walls were brightly -colored green with various pictures. The thick carpet had flowers of -gold woven in it in the Tibetan style. There was a desk of ebony, as -well as a little Buḍḍhist shrine. The accommodation was very complete, -and everything was clean. Beside this residence there was another, -that of the present Minister of Finance. It was three storied, the -Ex-Minister Cham-ba Choe-sang’s being a two-storied house. It was quiet -there and my priest friends no more troubled me in my study by their -calls, but it was a little too far for me to go to my teacher’s. - -[Illustration: ROOM IN THE FINANCE SECRETARY’S HOUSE.] - -Now it happened that I found a very good tutor. The Ex-Minister had -a natural half-brother, Ti Rinpoche (the present ruler of Tibet) by -title, whose father was a Chinaman. He was of Sera extraction, and had -been made a priest when seven years old, and was then sixty-seven years -of age. The previous year he was created the highest priest in all -Tibet. The title of his priestly rank is Ti Rinpoche of Ganden. There -is, in the temple of Ganden, a priestly seat on which Je Tsong-kha-pa, -the Founder of the New Sect, had sat, and on which none may sit but the -Dalai Lama and this highest priest. The former, however, cannot always -seat himself on it, while the latter, living at Ganden, can sit on it -any time. The Grand Lama had the right to sit on it by birth, while Ti -Rinpoche had had to have a secret training of thirty long years after -he had received the degree of doctor in Buḍḍhism, before he was given -the privilege. When this training of long years had made him a priest -perfectly learned and virtuous, he was elected the highest priest in -Tibet and given the privilege to sit on the seat. Any person or priest -who has attained moral and intellectual perfection after a study and -training of some fifty or sixty years may use this seat, except sons of -butchers, blacksmiths, hunters, and men of the lowest caste. - -Hence in reality, the highest priest must be more learned and virtuous -than the Grand Lama. I was very fortunate to have as my tutor such a -high personage. This is a privilege denied to most people in Tibet, -where the distinction of castes is given so much importance, that it -is among the most difficult things for any one to have an interview -with such a great man. In this way, I succeeded in learning much about -the secrets of Tibetan Buḍḍhism. The highest priest at the first -glance at me seemed to know what kind of a man I am, and treated me -as what I suppose he thought me to be. He hinted, if indirectly, that -he felt some fear for me, and I, too, began to fear him. Still, he -must have found faithfulness in me, for he taught me Buḍḍhism in its -true form, and I felt correspondingly grateful to him, for none of the -many doctors, learned scholars, religionists, and hermits with whom I -studied Buḍḍhism influenced me half so much as this highest priest. -It must have been this virtuous Buḍḍhist, I believe, who influenced -the Ex-Minister, his brother, when fallen into so great a folly, to -repent of his sin and to live a peaceful life. And the nun-wife of the -Ex-Minister, let me add, was of hardly less active temper, though she -had not so many ideas as her husband. - -This nun-wife had made a pilgrimage of repentance about twenty years -before to Kātmāndu in Nepāl. I was much delighted to hear the story -of this pilgrimage and its hardships, the more so as I had been in -Nepāl myself. I could not but be moved by the charitable deeds of both -the Ex-Minister and the nun, and instead of blaming them for their -bad behavior, which brought shame on Buḍḍhism, I rather sympathised -with them for it, as they had so many things in common. They taught -me how great was the power of charming love, and warned me against -it. The more acquainted I became with this family, the more fully I -began to know about it. I came to understand the state of the family, -the conditions of the servants, and every particular of the house. -On the other hand, I had little opportunity to talk with the present -Minister of Finance, who lived next to my house, for he was too busy -to receive guests. His name was Ten-Jin Choe Gyal; he was quiet and -very strong-willed, but when he talked to me he smiled and made me -feel quite at home with him. He put off all the dignity of a Minister, -mainly because, I believe, I was being treated by the Ex-Minister -and his nun-wife as if I were their son. Being in the Ministerial -chair, he was often able to disclose to me some important secrets of -the Government, and we talked quite confidentially with each other. -If any grave subject presented itself at the court, he usually gave -no opinion of his own there, but would consult with the Ex-Minister, -whom he regarded as his superior, and the Ex-Minister then gave him -his opinions about the subject, discussing it from various points -of view. The Ex-Minister would have been by that time promoted to -the position of the highest priest had it not been for his ill-famed -deeds of love, which were a cause of impeachment against him. Had this -strong man been appointed Premier under the present able Grand Lama, -we might have expected much wiser government in Tibet. I was often -present at the meetings of the two Ministers, and was requested to give -my humble opinions about the subjects discussed. This gave me a good -opportunity of studying Tibetan politics. While in the monastery, where -was discussed only the philosophy of Buḍḍhism, I could hear little or -nothing about the Government of the Grand Lama, which was generally -supposed to be good. The priests know only how reverently to bend their -heads before the Dalai Lama, but are entirely ignorant of the secrets -of their Government, or I should say the secrets are kept from the -priests; but now I succeeded in hearing many of the diplomatic secrets -about the relations of the Government with China, Britain, Russia and -Nepāl. - -I have already told how I met the Prince of Para at the druggist’s; now -I met no less unexpectedly a merchant of Darjeeling, Tsa Rong-ba by -name, who also proved afterwards a great help to me at the time of my -departure from Tibet. I think before I go on further I shall do well to -narrate how I happened to meet him. Once I was walking along Parkor, -the ‘Middle path for the circumambulation of the holy temple of the -Buḍḍha’ and the busiest street in Lhasa. At the sides of the street are -many shops, not very different from those in most other countries. Many -portable shops or stalls may also be seen in the street, in which daily -necessaries are sold, and articles of food, clothing and furniture. -Most of these things are of course made in Tibet, though some are -imports from Calcutta and Bombay as also from China. But the thing that -attracted my eye most was a box of Japanese matches. Japanese matches, -manufactured by Doi of Osaka, are imported into the capital of Tibet, -besides some other kinds without the names of the manufacturers on -them. There were to be seen, among others, those which have the trade -mark of two elephants and of one, as well as the wax candles with the -trade mark of an elephant coming out of a house. The paper was red -with a white picture on it. Some matches of Swedish make were also -imported, but they are now ousted by the Japanese. Some Japanese bamboo -blinds with pictures of women may also be seen in Tibet. Some _kutani_ -porcelain is seen in the high circles, but rarely in stores or shops. -Japanese scroll pictures too are often found hanging in the houses of -rich families. These inanimate Japanese articles are more daring than -the people who made them! - -Wishing that these articles, an outcome of Japanese civilisation, -might be conducive to light in dark Tibet, I walked along the street, -till I came to a shop where I saw a cake of soap. It looked as good -as any that could be found in the Tibetan capital. I walked into the -shop and asked how much it cost, and I noticed the master staring at -me. He looked very much like a merchant with whom I became acquainted -in Darjeeling but I could not believe that he could be settled there, -and wondered if he were a kinsman of that merchant. No, it was, as I -found afterwards, the man himself, whose name was Tsa Rong-ba. But I -had then so different an appearance myself that he too could not easily -recognise me. For while in Darjeeling I had usually dressed myself in -Japanese dress and scarcely went out in a Tibetan costume, though I -often put it on indoors. After my arrival in Tibet, I clothed myself -entirely as a Tibetan. Moreover I now had my beard growing long, which -I had not at Darjeeling. The man told me that the soap was too dear, -and showed me another cheap and good kind, but I liked the dearer one -better and bought two cakes of it. When I came home and showed them to -the Minister of Finance, he was so pleased with them for their good -smell that he asked me to let him have one cake, so I gave him both. - -[Illustration: UNEXPECTED MEETING OF FRIENDS.] - -A couple of days afterwards I again went to Tsa Rong-ba’s to buy a few -cakes of the same soap, as I feared it might soon be out of stock. -Instead of selling me the soap, the master stared me in the face. When -I tried to pay the price, he began asking me if I knew him. The sound -of his voice plainly told me his identity and I laughed as I replied -that I knew him. He looked much surprised and told me to come into his -house. Telling his servants to close the doors of the shop, for it was -now getting dark, he led me into his house, which was small in size -but neat and clean. I was led into his parlor upstairs, and found his -wife who came with him from Darjeeling. I recognised her at once, but -she seemed to have quite forgotten me. Even when her husband said she -must know me, as she had received much kind treatment from me, she -could not recollect me, until he told her how she had received medicine -from me when ill at Darjeeling. She then expressed her joy at seeing me -in such a strange place and so unexpectedly. - -Then the husband and wife expressed their great wonder that I, a -stranger, had succeeded in entering Tibet, when it was exceedingly -difficult for even a Tibetan to come or go to the capital. They did not -believe me when I told them that I had come by the way of Jangthang; -for they said there were soldiers placed on guard all along the road. I -said I had come through pathless wilds, but they refused to believe me. -But now I thought myself to be within a hair’s breadth of the danger -of detection, which would bring everything in my plan to naught. Were -I known to be a Japanese, some evil or other would certainly befall -me, and all the kindness of the Ministers and the priests at Sera to -me would end in air-bubbles. I feared this merchant might betray me to -the Government for his own benefit. I must get the better of him, I -thought, and I tried to do so. - -Assuming a serious attitude, speaking in a determined tone of voice, -and looking the man and the woman straight in their eyes, I said: -“Here is a fine job for you; you can give me up to the authorities; -tell them that I am a ‘Japan Lama’ in disguise, who smuggled himself -into the country against its laws. By so doing you may serve a double -purpose, for I have been thinking that sooner or later I shall have to -do the same thing myself, only I was afraid that they might not believe -me. But if you do it for me you will save me the trouble, while the -authorities will believe; besides, you may come into a nice bit of -fortune; for they will reward you for your information with a large sum -of money. I have long made up my mind.” - -I noticed a change come over the looks of the woman first: she turned -pale and even began to tremble; but the man spoke first, and, in a -tone of both appeal and reproach, earnestly protested that he had no -such intention as that of which I seemed to suspect him. Indeed he -went the length--quite voluntarily--of swearing by “Cho-o Rinpoche” -that he would never betray me, lest he should die. Still I urged them -both. He once more gave his pledge, in which the woman joined in the -most fear-stricken manner, both raising their hands, with which they -pointed in the direction of the ‘Buḍḍha temple’ of Lhasa. I knew what -the latter act with the words of the oath meant. I became convinced -of their sincerity, and saw that I was safe in their hands. For Cho-o -Rinpoche means “Holiness of the Savior” and forms in Tibet the most -solemn words of swearing which, when uttered in the manner described, -furnish the strongest possible proof of sincerity. It is true that -Tibetans are much given to swearing, and possess a great variety of -expressions for the purpose, there being forty-five of them to my own -knowledge. Those most commonly in use are “_Konjogsum_” (Holy three -treasures) and “_Ama tang te!_” (separate me from my mother). The -natives are in the habit of using these oaths as words of interjection. -But when, in all seriousness, they subject themselves to the form -observed by my host and his wife, they may safely be depended upon -for their absolute sincerity. As it was, I pressed them no further, -and they seemed to be well pleased at the final dispelling of all my -suspicion against them. - -Before I took leave of them they asked me about my lodging, and finding -out I was the “_Serai amchi_,” the doctor of Sera, they were most -astonished and pleased--pleased to know that they had as acquaintance -a man of so great renown as I was then in Lhasa. From that time onward -I was a frequent visitor and trusted friend at Tsa Rong-ba’s, with -always something to give the good couple, as was the case with me at -Gyami menkhang’s, the Chinese druggist. - - - - -CHAPTER LIII. - -Scholastic Aspirants. - - -First, to speak of the nationalities of the aspirants; the students -in the three great colleges are not solely natives of Tibet; they -comprise Mongols proper, and also Khams, who belong to a somewhat -different race. In fact it is customary to place Mongols first in point -of numbers, then Tibetans, and last of all Khams. These three groups -of students are as distinct in their characteristics as they are in -their nationalities. Tibetans, generally speaking, are a very quiet, -courteous, and intelligent set of students, but are not at all inclined -to be diligent--indeed they are as a rule as lazy as they can be. -The fact that they are very dirty in their habits seems to come from -this their national weakness of being extremely and eternally idle. -During winter days, for instance, a Tibetan bonze who possesses the -ordinary means of living will simply do no work, beyond attending to -the routine of chanting the sacred text in the service-hall, and making -trips to the monastery kitchen for his ration of tea. When the weather -is fine he spends all his leisure hours basking in the warm sun and -squatting naked in front of his cell. Nothing can be more significant -of his instinctive indolence than the sight of him as he sits dozing -there the whole day long, putting on his head to dry a waste scrap of -some woollen stuff, with which he occasionally blows his nose. Such -behavior, excusable only in an old or decrepit person, is nothing -unusual in many of the young Tibetan priests. How lazy and sluggish the -average Tibetans are, it is almost beyond the power of Westerners to -imagine. - -Not so with the Mongols: one never sees them enjoying themselves in -such an indolent fashion. They study very hard and always take a very -active part in the catechetical exercises, principally because they -are alive to the purpose for which they have come so far from their -home and country. Four hundred out of the five hundred Mongols are -generally fine students; while the ratio has to be inverted in the case -of Tibetans, four hundred and fifty out of five hundred of whom are -but trash. In consequence of this, the bulk of the “students militant” -or warrior-priests of whom I have already spoken are Tibetans, Khams -and Mongols being seldom found among them. Mongols are studious and -progressive, but one common fault with them is that they are very -quick-tempered, so that the slightest thing causes them to flare up -in tremendous rage. Being always conscious of the fact that they are -the most assiduous of the students, and that the largest number of the -winners of the doctor’s degree always come from amongst them, they are -very proud and uppish. This Mongolian pride makes most Mongols, even -those that try to be calm and well-balanced, to be pitied for their -narrow-mindedness and petulance, in spite of all their other numerous -good qualities. A Mongol has it in him to become a great leader -like Genghis Khan; but the career of that great conqueror was but a -meteoric burst of short-lived splendor, and, like him, the Mongols as a -nation seem to be incapable of consolidating their national greatness -on anything like a permanent basis, or of carrying out any schemes -calculated to secure the permanent progress and improvement of their -country. - -The Khams, on the other hand, are infinitely superior in this respect -both to the Mongols and the Tibetans, and this in spite of the fact -that their country is generally supposed to be no better than a den -of thieves and robbers. A Kham is excitable, but he does not lose -his temper like a Mongol: indeed, he can be admirably patient and -persevering when he wills. In point of physique, too, he is far ahead -as a rule of both the others. The Khams are chivalrous men, blunt -and outspoken, and averse to flattery. My observations among the -students of Sera lead me to infer that more open-hearted, unaffected -students are to be found among the Khams than among any other of the -nationalities represented there. Mongols will occasionally demean -themselves by fawning upon others in order to gain some object dear -to their hearts, but the worst sinners in this respect are the -Tibetans--so much so that the Khams, unless they are thoroughly -Tibetanised Khams, are unwilling to enter into friendship with them. It -is said to the honor of the Khams that even their robbers are honorable -and will often give a helping hand to the poor and weak, and rescue -those who stand in imminent peril. The Kham women and children, as a -rule, share in the apathetic appearance of the men. They are often very -unbecomingly dressed and have none of the attractiveness of the Tibetan -women, who, like their husbands, fathers, and brothers, are generally -well-spoken and affable in outward demeanor, however full of thorns and -brambles their innermost hearts may be. - -I have been able to give here only a brief and cursory notice of some -of the characteristic features of the principal tribes that inhabit -these unfrequented regions of Central Asia, with a few of the most -essential of the points of difference between them. I might carry -my subdivision much further, and speak of the Khams as Mankhams, -Bas, Tsarongs, etc., but that would involve a very long and not very -profitable discourse, and I therefore pass on to topics of greater -interest. - -To interpret correctly the aspirations of Tibetan Lamas, their ideals, -or the final goal which they strive to attain, it may safely be said -that their main purpose in entering the priesthood is only to procure -the largest possible amount of fortune, as well as the highest possible -fame in that entirely secluded world of theirs. To seek religious -truth and to practise religious austerities with a view to acquiring -knowledge and character sufficient to carry out the noble work of -delivering men and leading them to salvation, is not at all what they -wish to do. If they study, they do so as a means of gaining reputation, -of extending their influence, and mainly of accumulating wealth. They -simply desire to escape from the painful struggle of life in the world -of competition, and to enjoy lazy and comfortable days on earth as well -as in heaven. Nine hundred and ninety-nine out of a thousand seem to -have no conception of the problems of the future life, and there is -nothing deep in their religious life. “It is more blessed to receive -than to give” is their motto, and hence the monastic life, study and -service, in its fullest sense, goes in their eyes for nothing. The -reason why these priests and scholars, who ought to be the noblest and -most unselfish of all men, have been brought to this state of apostasy, -seems to be this. - -In Tibet, the social estimation of priest and scholars is made, not -according to their learning or virtue, nor yet according to the amount -of good they have done for their fellow-men, but entirely according to -the amount of property which they possess. Thus, a priest who owns an -estate of a thousand dollars, however mean and ignorant he may be, is -much more influential and far more highly esteemed in society than a -learned and virtuous priest who lives on a small income. They believe -in the almighty dollar, and twist S. Paul’s saying: “Though I have the -gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and -though I have all faith, so that I can remove mountains, and have not” -money, “I am nothing.” They are earnest therefore in making money, in -whatever way they find profitable. Some of them, as I have said, are -engaged in trade or industrial enterprises, and others in agriculture -or stock-farming. Besides, it is their custom to appropriate to -themselves the remuneration which they receive when they visit laymen’s -houses for the purpose of chanting the Sacred Text for them, in -accordance with their priestly duty. - -It is pitiful to contemplate the condition of the students who, without -scholarship or support, are preparing in the colleges for their -degrees. They live hard struggling lives of study in the midst of want, -and yet the only stimulus that encourages them is the expectation that -they will be able to enjoy the comfortable life of high priests, when -they have got through the prescribed course of study and have achieved -the Doctorate. They do really suffer, but their sufferings are not, so -far as I know, those of the man of self-denial who strives hard and -struggles against difficulties for the noble ambition of winning souls -to salvation, or for some humanitarian purpose; they are exceedingly -patient in suffering, simply with the hope of reaping ease and comfort -in the latter part of their lives. After a hard monastic life of some -twenty years when they have completed the whole course of study, these -poor students will have the honor of getting the Doctor’s degree, a -title implying the highest learning, but in undue proportion costly; -for besides spending nearly half their lives in toils and struggles to -get it, they have to give a grand feast to all their schoolmasters to -celebrate their graduation. It is true, the feast consists only of meat -gruel, a sort of porridge of meat mixed with rice, but the quantity -given is enormous, as there are many capacious stomachs to be filled. - -To give a feast of this sort requires some five hundred yen at the -very least, each bowlful costing over twenty-five sen. Of course, the -poverty-stricken priests cannot possibly provide the money themselves, -but fortunately the diploma has its use this time; their credit has so -much improved that the wealthy priests who turned up their noses at -needy students are very willing now to supply them with the necessary -money, simply because they have the degree and chance to pay interest. -By the means of this convenient credit transaction they can procure the -means of giving the necessary banquet and the wealthy priests get not -only credit for their generosity, but also interest for their money. -But nothing is more disappointing than the future life of those poor -priests, who will probably never succeed in paying off the burden of -debt, or, if exceptionally fortunate, they may succeed in doing so only -after long and hard struggles. It is a sad thing to contemplate, but -such is the hard lot of most Tibetan priests. - - - - -CHAPTER LIV. - -Tibetan Weddings and Wedded Life. - - -As I was lodging at the house of the Minister of Finance, I had the -good fortune to become acquainted with and occasionally to call on the -other Ministers of State, among whom was one of the Prime-Ministers, -of the name of Sho Khangwa. (In Tibet, there are four Prime-Ministers -and three Ministers of Finance; the senior Minister, in either case, -taking the actual business and standing responsible for the conduct -of affairs, while the others hold only nominal portfolios, assisting -in the work of the Department as vice-Ministers. Sho Khangwa was the -second Prime-Minister). During my stay in Lhasa, his daughter married -the son of a noble called the Prince of Yutok. I was invited to the -wedding, a ceremony most solemnly performed, which I attended with -curiosity and interest. Before proceeding to relate what I saw on -that occasion, I may make a few observations on Tibetan marriages -in general. No general statement can be made however with regard to -marriage-customs, as they vary vastly according to the different -localities. There are several books containing descriptions of Tibetan -marriages, but these are from the pens of European travellers, who -may perhaps have been in Chinese Tibet, or on the northern frontier -of Tibet proper, but were surely not permitted to visit Lhasa. So -although their descriptions may be correct, so far as they go, yet no -detailed account of a marriage in Lhasa is, so far as I know, to be -found in any of these books. It is next to impossible for a passing -visitor, especially in such a country as Tibet, where marriage-customs -and manners differ so much with the widely separated tribes, to give -any really trustworthy descriptions; still, as circumstances have -given me special opportunities of observing minutely the people’s life, -social and domestic, in Lhasa, and even of attending several wedding -ceremonies of the natives, it is not only proper, but may also possibly -be of some value, to relate my observations and experiences during my -stay in the city. - -It is generally known that a peculiar system of marriage prevails in -Tibet--a plurality not of wives but of husbands. The cases of polyandry -are; first, when several brothers take the same woman as their wife at -the same time; second, when two or more men not brothers, marry the -same woman by mutual agreement; and thirdly, when a woman, already -married to one man, gains influence over her husband, and, with his -consent, marries another in addition. In case the mother of a family -dies, either the father or the son takes a new spouse, who becomes at -the same time the wife of the other male members of the family without -infringing the law of the country. They are quite insensible to the -shame of this dissolute condition of matrimonial relations, which can -scarcely be even imagined by people with a civilised moral sense; -and yet there do exist some restrictions: marriage of brothers with -sisters, or between cousins, is not only censured by the public as -immoral, but also prohibited by the law as criminal. - -The wife’s authority over her husbands is something surprising. All -the money which the husbands have earned has to be handed over to -their wife, and if one of the husbands is found less clever or less -successful in making money than the others, she will give him a severe -scolding. When a husband needs money, he has to beg his wife to give -him so much for such and such a purpose, just as a child does to its -mother. If she happens to find any of her husbands keeping back his -earnings, she will break out in anger, and give him slaps instead of -caresses. In short, a wife generally exercises a commanding authority -over her husbands. - -She will order them to go out shopping and to do this or that, and -husbands are quite obedient to the wife, too, and quite ready to do -everything that is required, or that they find suitable to soothe her. -When two or more men have anything to agree upon among them, they do -not decide for themselves, but run home and ask their wife’s opinion -before coming to a final decision, and, if she has no objection, -they will meet again and settle the matter. Though polyandry is the -prevailing system of marriage in Tibet, there are a few exceptional -cases of monogamistic couples, generally in cases where the husband is -in a comparatively influential position. - -Another peculiarity in connexion with marriage is that an agreement, to -the effect that either husband or wife may divorce the other whenever -he or she has become averse to continuing as the other’s partner, is -acknowledged as a legitimate condition of a matrimonial contract. - -I come now to a description of the marriage ceremony as observed in -Lhasa. The Tibetans, whether men or women, marry generally between the -twentieth and twenty-fifth years of age. - -Although there are some exceptions (especially in the case of couples -married late in life, where the husband’s age much exceeds that of his -wife) usually both bride and groom are of about equal age. If a woman -who has five brothers as her husbands gives birth to a child, the -eldest of the brothers is called the father of the child and the rest -the uncles. One European writer says that in Tibet the eldest of the -brothers, who have the same woman as their wife, is called the great -father of her children, and the younger brothers their small fathers; -but this I have not been able to verify. - -There is almost no such thing, so far as my experience of the Tibetans -has gone, as a woman choosing her own husbands. The choice of husbands -and all decision connected therewith are made by the parents only, and -the daughter herself who is going to be married is never permitted -to make any choice of her partner, nor even to take any part in the -consultation regarding her own marriage. She is compelled to marry -whomsoever her parents decide upon for her husband. Not only so, but -parents never tell their daughter at all that a proposal has been made, -or that they are going to give her in marriage, until the very day of -the wedding. These compulsory marriages, therefore, frequently end in -divorce. However, in the remote country or even in the city, sometimes -a girl selects her partner and obtains permission from her parents to -marry the man of her choice. Such cases, however are very exceptional. - -It is the universal usage throughout the country for the parents of a -young man of marriageable age to make enquiries for a suitable bride -among families equal in lineage, fortune and rank with their own. When -such a girl is found, they at once communicate through a middleman with -the girl’s parents, asking whether she may be given as wife to their -sons. If the answer is a simple negative, the middleman understands -that the case is an entirely hopeless one; but if they say: “We will -see about it” or something to that effect, he will call on them several -times and talk of all the good qualities of the young man, his parents -and everything about him. Then the girl’s parents, after giving a -conditional consent to the proposal, go to a fortune-teller or a high -priest to ask his judgment and advice in this important matter, or they -will go to a sorcerer who is believed to be able to give information -about the future, and then only will they give a definite answer to the -middleman. - -The parents on each side keep the whole thing a secret from their son -or daughter, even after the betrothal has been decided upon. Thus both -bride and groom go to the very day of their wedding, without knowing -anything of their own marriage--neither the preliminary consultations -nor the name of the bride or groom; they are brought face to face for -the first time on the wedding day. There is no custom of exchanging -presents between bride and bridegroom, or of the bride’s bringing a -dowry to her husband as in Japan, and no consultation or arrangement is -made, or anything like a marriage-contract regarding the property of -the parties concerned; only the bride’s parents, to keep up the honor -of the family, have to furnish their daughter with all things needed -for her marriage, suitable to their social standing; else they would -be disgraced in the public eye. On the groom’s side also his parents -send a present of some money to the bride’s mother as ‘breast money’ or -nurse expense, remuneration for her marriage and care in bringing up -the girl. Then, again, the parents on both sides go and enquire of a -fortune-teller or sorcerer, before fixing upon the day of the wedding -or of beginning to make the necessary preparations. - -On the morning of the wedding, the girl’s parents, who have already -been informed of the time when the middleman is to come from the -groom’s house, casually tell the girl that the weather being very fine -they intend going to the Temple, and that she had better go with them, -and that as they are going to have a “lingka feast” she had better -have her hair done, or words to that effect. The girl is generally -much delighted at hearing this, and starts at once to dress herself -quite unconscious of the stratagem. But sometimes a clever girl sees -through the artifice and breaks into tears of sorrow at her unexpected -departure from her old home. - -[Illustration: GIRL WEEPING AT BEING SUDDENLY COMMANDED TO MARRY.] - -A girl who is unaware of this artifice will wash and scrub her face and -body as her parents bid her, and make herself as smart as they please. -It is to be noted that, as a general custom in Tibet, ordinary people -never wash their faces or bodies at all, though the nobles do so every -morning just after leaving their beds. The manner in which they wash -their faces is almost more like a joke. When a nobleman gets up in the -morning, a maid or attendant will bring him a ladleful of warm water -which he first takes in the palms of his hands and then puts into his -mouth. After holding it in there for a while he spits it back into -his palms little by little and then washes his face with it. When the -water in the mouth is all gone, he will spit several times on to his -palms and again rub his face. It is true that basins are used by some -Tibetans: the above is however the normal way. - -To return, the girl, knowing nothing about the trick in store for her -and expecting to go out for amusement, is cheerful and gay, busily -engaged in her toilet, and adorning her hair with her old comb and -pins, when her parents come to her with a new comb, pins and other -toilet articles (all of which have been secretly presented by the -groom’s parents through the middleman) and say to her: “Your pins and -comb are too old, my dear, we have some new ones for you; here they -are; and a good bottle of hair-oil too. You must dress yourself up -as nicely as possible,” and so on. Then when at last the toilet is -complete, the parents tell her for the first time that an engagement -has already been made with so and so, whom she has to marry that day. -This is the general custom not only in Lhasa, but also in Shigatze and -other towns. - -But, as I have already said, a sagacious girl who can see through her -parents’ artifices is not generally willing to dress herself up for -the occasion, but will be found weeping at her unforeseen calamities -and sets herself to complaining in this strain “Oh! dear me! I don’t -want to leave my home. It is not fair of father and mother to marry -me off to a person whom I shall probably not like. How can I get out -of it?” And then she becomes very depressed, and devotes absolutely -no attention to her hair-dressing. In this case, however, the girl’s -friends, who are there to help in the preparations for her wedding, try -to cheer her up and encourage her to obey her parents, and even help -her to adorn and dress herself. - -After all these preparations are over, the bride’s parents have to -give a series of farewell banquets for their daughter, which will last -two weeks, or even more sometimes, if their family is rich or high in -social rank, but two or three days only in the case of the poor. During -these festivities, the relatives and acquaintances of her parents visit -the family with presents of money, food, or clothes, to congratulate -them on their daughter’s happy wedding, the value of the presents -differing according to the visitor’s wealth as well as their intimacy -with the family. These visitors are cordially entertained with Tibetan -tea and cold spirits, which they drink to excess, visitors and host -alike enjoying the good things provided, and having a regular good time -or what they call a chachang pemma, the happiest state in the world. - -While drinking, they eat nothing at all; but at the afternoon meal they -take some meat and wheat-cakes. The meat they eat is generally the -flesh of the yak, or that of goats or sheep; pork is sometimes used in -Lhasa, but beef is very rare throughout the country, and is especially -rare in the case of wedding feasts. Their cooking and bill of fare -are very simple: three dishes of meat, raw, dried and boiled (roast -meat is never seen at a wedding). The boiled meat is cooked in oil and -salt, or sometimes in salt and water and is brought in first, together -with _tsu_, a concoction of cheese, butter and sugar. When these are -all gone, a big dish of boiled rice mixed with butter, sugar, raisins -and Chinese persimmons is served. In the evening, again, the guests -are entertained to a dinner in which a sort of vermicelli, made of -wheat-flour and eggs, or pure Chinese cookery is set before the guests. -In this manner they have three or four meals a day; and besides these, -tea and intoxicants are constantly served during the intervals between -the meals. While eating and drinking the guests are regaled with -pleasant talk, and when the feasts begin to flag they revive the fun by -singing and dancing. It is very interesting to see men and women like -the moving beads of a rosary, dancing and jumping promiscuously round -and round the circles. They dance in a regular and systematic manner, -each keeping step with the music as carefully as if he were a soldier -at drill, and yet the regularity and solemnity of the dance does not -in least interfere with the keenness and zest of their enjoyment. The -instrument used in their dance music is called _damnyan_, and is often -used in accompanying singing as well as dancing. - -Towards the close of the festive time (I may observe that it is only -the poorest folk that dispense with the prenuptial feasts), usually -on the eve of the wedding, the parents of the bridegroom send their -representative and the middleman, with a number of attendants, to the -bride’s home to receive the bride. They bring with them a present -of some money as _nurin_ or ‘breast money’ for the bride’s parents, -who are obliged to seem a little backward about taking it, etiquette -demanding that they should require a good deal of coaxing before -accepting such a present. The nurin may vary in amount from a couple of -dollars to two hundred or even five hundred dollars. Some parents (not -many) refuse it absolutely, saying that the girl being their beloved -daughter, it is not their expectation or their desire to receive any -nurin, but that they “only hope heartily that their daughter will be -loved by and enjoy a happy life among the family to which she is given -in marriage.” - -Then the middleman gives the bride the dress, belt, Chinese shoes and -all other articles necessary for a bride during the wedding ceremony, -these too being presented by the groom’s parents, and these the bride -cannot refuse; she must wear them even though they do not suit her. -In addition to these gifts the bride generally receives a precious -gem, such as is usually worn by a woman of Lhasa on the middle of her -forehead. This gem is said to be a sign of a woman’s being married, -though in Lhasa there seems to exist no strict discrimination in the -matter, for unmarried women in that city often wear it as a mere -ornament. In Shigatze and the neighboring provinces, however, the use -of the gem is strictly restricted, as a matter of fact, exclusively to -married women, who wear it high up at the back of the head, so that -they can be easily distinguished from single females. In the case of a -divorce, a husband has simply to pluck off the gem from his wife’s head -without the trouble of going to court, or asking the authorities to -alter the census. This single act on the part of the husband properly -and perfectly certifies and legalises the divorce. - -Besides the things necessary for a bride to wear during the ceremony -which the bridegroom’s parents have to provide, many valuable -ornaments, a fringe, neck-rings, ear-rings, finger-rings, ornamented -armlets and breast-jewels, are given by the bride’s own parents, for -what the groom’s parents send the bride-elect is confined to the dress, -belt, under-wear and shoes, to be worn on the occasion of the wedding -ceremony. - -Then, those who come to receive the bride stay at the bride’s house -that night, and enjoy a few pleasant hours drinking with the family. - -An interesting feature of this drinking feast is that the middleman -and the representatives of the bridegroom’s family have to be very -careful not to drink too much that night, because it is the custom -for the friends and relatives of the bride’s family to try to steal -something from them if the drink should happen to make them drowsy. If -they succeed, they show what they have stolen before all the guests -assembled the next morning, and boast of the success of their trick, -and their victims have to pay them some twenty tanka of Tibetan silver, -or two dollars and a half in American gold, as a penalty for their -carelessness. So the middleman and the others do all they can not to -be tempted to drink, while the bride’s friends and relatives ply their -guests with liquor and will take no refusal. The reader can imagine the -noise and uproar that sometimes ensue. But in urging their guests to -drink, the friends of the bride must strictly observe the old ancestral -customs, or else the middleman and the representatives of the groom’s -family will ridicule them for their ignorance, and thus everlasting -shame will come upon the bride’s family. The others, in their turn, -have to arm themselves with suitable reasons for abstinence. They have -to say that chang is the worst of all sorts of poison, that it is a -maker of quarrels or a robber of wisdom. The refusal to drink must -always be clothed in some proverbial expression of this kind, according -to the old time-honored customs, and the ordinary Tibetan would be very -much disappointed and almost feel that he had not been to a proper -wedding, if it was not accompanied with their friendly wranglings over -the cups. - - - - -CHAPTER LV. - -Wedding Ceremonies. - - -Early in the morning of the nuptial day the father and mother give -a farewell banquet in the house of the bride. At the same time the -priests of the Old School, generally known as the ‘Scarlet-Hoods’ or -Red-Caps, are asked by the family to hold a festal service in honor of -the village and family Gods. The object of the festival is to inform -the Gods of the daughter’s being engaged and to take leave of them, -and further to pray the Gods not to do any injury to their family -because of their daughter’s leaving them for ever, as in return they -promise to make offerings to them and recite the Sacred Text for their -pleasure. Such ceremonies in general are held at the temple to which -the ‘Scarlet-Hoods’ belong. Simultaneously with the above another -festival is held in the house of the bride by the priest of the Bon -religion (pronounced Pon, but written Bon), the old religion of Tibet, -to propitiate the God Lu-i Gyalpo, or King-Dragon, who according -to the Tibetan mythology is the protector of the fortunes of each -individual family. It is a constant fear with Tibetans that if it -should ever happen that a man should provoke this God’s anger by any -means whatever, the consequence will be the entire destruction of his -fortune. Therefore lest the God should leave the family and follow -the daughter to whom he is affectionately attached, and thus abandon -the family to utter poverty, no efforts whatsoever are spared by the -family to keep him away from the daughter. The passages from the Bon -scripture which are read on the occasion of the ceremony are very -interesting. In most of the cases the sentences are the same, and, in -the main, are to the effect that the family to which the daughter has -been engaged is not enjoying such happiness as the maiden’s own family -enjoys; and again that it is not dignified for the King-Dragon to go -to another house in pursuit of a girl: it is advisable for the God to -stay with the present family and look after its interests, as before; -for boundless will be the happiness that he shall enjoy in case he -stays with the present family as hitherto. After all, this is not a -matter of mere traditional formality, for among the people of Tibet the -superstition is common that if the King-Dragon should leave a family -for ever to follow a daughter on her marriage, the family will be -reduced to utter poverty; hence these customs are universally observed -by the people. - -The banquet over, there enters the preacher who is to exhort the -bride. He stands in front of the bride, and instructs her by means of -a collection of maxims which he has well committed to memory previous -to the ceremony. The preacher is a kind personage, selected from -people who are accomplished in such things. In almost all cases the -words of exhortation are about the same, and they are composed of very -easy expressions, so that anybody can understand them. The sentences -say that when the bride goes to the house of her husband, she must -behave with uniform kindness; that, as it is the duty of a woman to -be obedient to her superiors, once she goes to her husband’s she must -not only be obedient to her parents-in-law, but must also wait upon -her husband and his brothers and sisters with equal kindness, and more -especially must she love her husband’s younger brothers and sisters -with the same kindness that she has for her true brothers or sisters; -she must treat her servants as if they were her own children, and the -like. Here and there in the intervals of the exhortations is inserted -a story, which is told by the preacher with such skill that the bride -is generally deeply impressed. When the exhortation is over, the -father and mother of the bride sit before her, and with tears repeat -exhortations similar to those previously recited by the regular -preacher. Then also come the relatives and friends of the bride, who, -bursting into tears, and taking the bride by the hand, make their -exhortations most tenderly and in a most caressing manner. After these -ceremonies, the bride has at last to leave her old home. There is no -fixed standard as to the property which a bride takes with her to her -husband’s on the occasion of her marriage. Some are rich enough to take -a piece of land as a dowry, but some can afford only to take a few -clothes. - -When she leaves her house, the bride weeps bitterly, and all efforts to -get her on horseback are in vain, she prostrates herself on the ground -and lies there obstinately helpless. Her features become those of one -whose heart is too heavy to part with her parents and her home. In such -a case, the bride is lifted up and placed by friends on horseback. She -does not ride in the same manner as westerns do, but astride, after the -Japanese fashion. Women in Tibet are very good riders; they do not ride -with long stirrups, but with legs bent back, as if they were astride on -a very low bench, and use an extremely short stirrup leather. There is -no difference between men and women in the manner of riding. While in -Tibet I used to ride in the same manner, and during the first part of -my experiences I had a hard time of it, more especially in the case of -a long ride, after which I often felt much pain about my legs. - -Now the bride, thus placed on horseback, makes her way to the house of -the bridegroom. She is dressed in the wedding garment which has been -presented to her by the bridegroom, and also wears the ornaments for -head and arms which have been presented to her by her own parents, and -her head and face are covered with _rin-chen na-nga_, the precious -cloths woven from sheep’s wool, in stripes of yellow, green, red, -white and black. On account of the cloth, no glimpse of her face can -be caught. The back of her neck is also covered with a small banner, -called the ‘banner of good omen’. This ‘banner of good omen’ is made of -a fine silk stuff dyed in five different colors, and is some fourteen -inches or so in length; it is inscribed with good wishes for her future. - -The people who have come to see the bride off and those who have -come to receive her all go on horseback, and on their way to the -bridegroom’s house six banquets altogether are given by the relatives -of the bride and of the bridegroom. Those who have come to see the -bride off give three banquets at three different points on the road, -and those who have come to welcome her give three similar banquets. -Sometimes the banquets are given at places two miles apart, and -sometimes three, as the case may be, and after the sixth banquet -has duly taken place, the gate of the bridegroom’s house is at last -reached by the wedding procession. In these banquets, however nobody -drinks anything to excess, because every one is impressed with the -fact that he has been entrusted with the very important duty of taking -the bride in safety to the house of the bridegroom, and so the others, -recognising the situation, never press any one to drink to excess. -As a rule, it is customary in Tibet to press one’s guests to eat the -dainties which have been set before them, while for the guests it is -considered very impolite to taste such dainties immediately; to do so -without a great deal of pressure is to be as vulgar as a Chinaman. The -banquets are given by the friends of the bride and bridegroom at the -houses of their friends or at their own, but on the whole it is more -usual to have tents erected at convenient places in fields on the way -to the bridegroom’s house, and to entertain the wedding procession -there. - -[Illustration: AT THE BRIDEGROOM’S GATE.] - -[Illustration: THROWING AN IMITATION SWORD AT THE BRIDE.] - -Thus the gate of the bridegroom’s house is reached. It would not occur -to anybody that there should be any question as to whether the bride -could at once be admitted to the house of the bridegroom or not, as -those who had come to receive the bride on the way were the relatives -of the bridegroom. However, the fact is quite the reverse. This is -where the Tibetan custom appear so strange in the eyes of a foreigner. -When the bride reaches the gate, she finds it locked, bolted, and -barred against her ingress. In the crowd gathered in front of the gate -of the bridegroom’s house, there is a man whose duty it is to drive -away the evil spirits, or epidemic diseases, which, it is believed by -the people, may have followed the bride on her way to the bridegroom’s. -Hidden under his right hand, the man has a sword which is called the -_Torma_, or the sword of the secret charm, with which he tears such -evil spirits or epidemic diseases to pieces. The sword is made of a -mixture of baked flour, butter and water, fried hard and colored with -the red juice of a plant. Its shape is long and triangular, like a -bayonet; it looks like a sword, and is said to have some secret charm, -pronounced by a priest, concealed in it. The spectators do not know -which one in the crowd has the sword, but some one must have it, and as -soon as the bride arrives the man, taking advantage of any opportunity -that may offer, throws it in the face of the bride, and runs inside -the gate, the door of which opens to receive him as he discharges -this duty. No sooner has the man fled inside the gate, than the door -is again closed, and the bride is left standing outside, all covered -with the red fragments of the stuff that has been thrown at her. One -may wonder what can be the origin of such a custom, and one is told -that the bride, on taking leave of her family, has lost the protection -of the Gods of the village and of the house in which she has been -a resident, and the people are afraid that, for want of the divine -protection, the bride must have met with a crowd of evil spirits, or -epidemic diseases, on her way to the bridegroom’s house, and that these -might cause some injury to the new couple; hence the use of the Torma -to conquer such evil spirits, or epidemic diseases. - -Then one wants to know why the man fled inside the gate, and caused -the door to be closed after him, immediately after throwing the sword -in the face of the bride. There is a peculiar sort of custom prevalent -at weddings, by which every one caught by the bride’s friends is bound -to pay them a penalty of twenty tanka, and therefore the man flies -inside the gate lest he should be caught by the people who have come to -see the bride off. By this time the people inside the gate, who have -been waiting for the arrival of the wedding procession, demand that -the bride’s party give _sheppa_ (explanation) at the gate, or else the -bride cannot be admitted. The sheppa consists of many beautiful words -and fine phrases, indicating wishes for good luck and happiness. In -response to their demands, the man in the wedding procession whose duty -it is to say the ‘explanation’ has to say: “We want to say sheppa, but -for lack of the kata we cannot do so.” On hearing this the man inside -the gate shows a tiny piece of kata through a chink in the gate and -says: “Here is the kata,” but no sooner has he done so than he promptly -pulls it back again. One may wonder why the people should pull the -cloth in so quickly, and one is told that it is in consideration of a -peculiar custom, that the man must pay twenty tanka as penalty to any -of the bride’s friends that can catch hold of the cloth; naturally -therefore, it is quickly pulled away. On seeing the kata, the man in -the wedding procession whose duty it is to say sheppa solemnly says as -follows: “This is the gate which leads to the store-house where many -precious and valuable things are kept; the pillars are built of gold -and the door of silver and inside the gate there is a hall of worship -which is made of natural cloisonné; there is also a palace, the inmates -of which are as virtuous and beautiful as angels and Gods.” - -Words similar to these are said, and at the termination of the sheppa -the gate is open. - -I must here not omit to say that on her way to the bridegroom’s, as she -is riding past a certain village, the bride is sometimes caught hold -of and carried off by the people of the village, on the pretext that -her coming will cause some injury to them, as it is believed by them -also that the bride has lost the protection of the Gods of her native -place, and that during her journey many evil spirits and epidemic -diseases must have taken hold of her, and that these, on arriving at -the village, will do great damage to its farms and cause much injury -to the inhabitants. So the people of the village carry off the bride -as a compensation for such prospective damage, and in order to get a -safe passage through the village the attendants of the bride must pay -ransom. I may say that this is a very rare occurrence in a town, but in -lonely parts of the country it will sometimes take place. It must be -understood that it is generally in the case of a family which is not -popular with its neighbors that the bride receives such treatment. - -Upon the gate being opened, the mother of the bridegroom comes out with -some sour milk and _chema_ in her hands. Chema is a mixture of baked -flour, butter, sugar and taro-root. Taro-root is a kind of potato, -produced in Tibet, as large as a man’s little finger, and very nice to -eat. Chema and sour milk are used only when there is a celebration of -some extraordinary occasion. A little of this is distributed to each -person in the procession, who receives it on his palm and eats it. This -ceremony over, the mother leads the party into her house and gives a -banquet in honor of the bride, when the priest of the “Old School” is -called upon to inform the Gods of the village and of the house that an -addition has been made to the members of the family by the arrival of -the bride, and that, therefore, the Gods are prayed to extend their -arms to the bride, and to be her protectors henceforward. - -These prayers over, the father and mother of the bridegroom give a -piece of kata to the couple, and to all the other people who have come -to see the bride off or to receive her. Such is the ceremony that makes -the happy couple husband and wife. Before the feasting has begun to -flag the newly married couple are removed to an adjacent room. The -people who have come either to see the bride off or to receive her, -stay in the house of the bridegroom, and attend the banquets which are -given daily, and during this time the friends and relatives come to -join the banquet, every one bringing with him a reasonable amount of -presents. The feasting lasts for two or three days at least, and for -a month at most. Tibetans are very fond of meat, and most of their -food is more fatty even than Chinese cookery. They give long banquets -richly furnished with such food, and the reader can well imagine how -foolishly idle are the people of Tibet in their habits. The feasting -over, the people who have come to see the bride off, or to receive her, -say good-bye to the house, but still, for several days following, the -friends and servants of the bride remain in the house with the bride, -this being the custom. If the bride is from a well-to-do family, she -takes with her a servant from her father’s house, and make her stay -with her in the new family to serve her as long as she lives. In this -way the wedding ceremonies come to an end. In one month or one year -after the marriage the bride, together with the bridegroom, comes to -her old home, and they stay there as long as she likes, sometimes for -one month and sometimes for three. When making the first visit to her -father’s house, the bride takes with her not more than two or three -persons. Her husband stays with her for several days, and then returns -to his house, but when the day comes on which the bride has promised -her husband to return to his house, the husband comes for her and takes -her home again. - -In case the bridegroom has a brother, the bride must marry him also in -six or twelve months after marrying the eldest brother. The wedding -ceremony in such a case is carried on privately at the house of the -bridegroom, the mother of the bridegroom acting as the middleman. In -this case the eldest brother, to whom the bride was first married, -takes himself off from the house on business, or for pleasure, so as -to let the bride and his younger brother marry during his absence. -It makes no difference if the bridegroom has three or more brothers; -the bride has to marry each one of them separately, and in the same -manner. Sometimes the bride and her brothers-in-law live together at -their pleasure, without having any formal ceremonies to celebrate their -weddings. - -Such is the polyandry practised by the people of Tibet, and called the -_sa-sum_. In a family where the bride has more than one bridegroom, it -is very seldom that we find the brothers living together. If one of the -brothers is at home the other absents himself, either on business, if -he is a merchant, or on official duties. In this way all possible means -are taken to keep only one of the brothers at home, each in his turn. - -Polyandry flourishes in Tibet even at the present time, and it is -considered by the general public to be the right thing to follow and, -in consequence, if ever a merchant (having been out of the country and -seen much of the outside world and observed how shameful his habits -at home have been) should protest against this sort of wedlock, he is -shunned by his fellow-men as a crank, and his protest brushed away with -“Luk-su-mindu,” which means “there is no such a custom (in Tibet).” -This peculiar and ridiculous wedlock, as well as this unreasonable -relationship between a husband and wife, has its origin in the Bon -religion, and in spite of the introduction of true Buḍḍhism into Tibet -the habit has come down to the present time and remains flourishing. -The fact is that among the Buḍḍhist believers there has scarcely -been any one who has ever given any thought to social problems, and -moreover, as the priests of ancient times were generally recluses, -who paid no attention whatever to the application of their religion -to the needs of the practical world, or to making the principles of -true Buḍḍhism as distinct as possible, the natural outcome has been -that this shameful custom, altogether contradictory to the principles -of Buḍḍhism, has remained in this part of the world. The blame lies -entirely with the priests; it must not be laid at the door of Buḍḍhism. - - - - -CHAPTER LVI. - -Tibetan Punishments. - - -One day early in October I left my residence in Lhasa and strolled -toward the Parkor. Parkor is the name of one of the principal -streets in that city, as I have already mentioned, and is the place -where criminals are exposed to public disgrace. Pillory in Tibet -takes various forms, the criminal being exposed sometimes with -only handcuffs, or fetters alone, and at others with both. On that -particular occasion I saw as many as twenty criminals undergoing -punishment, some of them tied to posts, while others were left fettered -at one of the street crossings. They were all well-dressed, and had -their necks fixed in a frame of thick wooden boards about 1-1/5 inches -thick, and three feet square. The frame had in the centre a hole -just large enough for the neck and was composed of two wooden boards -fastened together by means of ridges, and a lock. From this frame was -suspended a piece of paper informing the public of the nature of the -crime committed by the exposed person, and of the judgment passed upon -him, sentencing him to the pillory for a certain number of days and to -exile or flogging afterwards. The flogging generally ranges from three -hundred to seven hundred lashes. As so many criminals were pilloried -on that particular occasion, I could not read all the sentences, even -though my curiosity was stronger than the sense of pity that naturally -rose in my bosom when I beheld the miserable spectacle. I confess -that I read one or two of them, and found that the criminals were men -connected with the Tangye-ling monastery, the Lama superior of which is -qualified to succeed to the supreme power of the pontificate in case, -for one reason or another, the post of the Dalai Lama should happen -to fall vacant. The monastery is therefore one of the most influential -institutions in the Tibetan Hierarchy and generally contains a large -number of inmates, both priests and laymen. - -Shortly before my arrival in Lhasa this high post was occupied by a -distinguished priest named Temo Rinpoche. His steward went under the -name of Norpu Che-ring, and this man was charged with the heinous crime -of having secretly made an attempt on the life of the Dalai Lama by -invoking the aid of evil deities. Norpu Che-ring’s conjuration was -conducted not according to the Buḍḍhist formula, but according to -that of the Bon religion. A piece of paper containing the dangerous -incantation was secreted in the soles of the beautiful foot-gear -worn by the Dalai Lama, which was then presented to his Holiness. -The incantation must have possessed an extraordinary potency, for it -was said that the Grand Lama invariably fell ill one way or another -whenever he put on these accursed objects. The cause of his illness was -at last traced to the foot-gear with its invocation paper by the wise -men in attendance on the Grand Lama. - -This amazing revelation led to the wholesale arrest of all the persons -suspected of being privy to the crime, the venerable Temo Rinpoche -among the rest. Some people even regarded the latter as the ring-leader -in this plot and denounced him as having conspired against the life of -the Grand Lama in order to create for himself a chance of wielding the -supreme authority. At any rate Temo Rinpoche occupied the pontifical -seat as Regent before the present Grand Lama was installed on his -throne. Norpu Che-ring was the Prime-Minister to the Regent, and -conducted the affairs of state in a high-handed manner. Things were -even worse than this, for it is a fact, admitting of no dispute, that -Norpu was oppressive, and mercilessly put to death a large number of -innocent persons. He was therefore a _persona ingrata_ with at least a -section of the public, and some of his enemies lost no time in giving -a detailed denunciation of the despotic rule of the Regent and his -Prime-Minister as soon as the present Grand Lama was safely enthroned. -Naturally therefore the former Regent and his Lieutenant were not -regarded with favor by the Grand Lama, and such being the case, the -terrible revelation about the shoes was at once followed by their -arrest, and they were thrown into prison. - -All this had occurred before my arrival. When I came to Lhasa Temo -Rinpoche had been dead for some time, but Norpu Che-ring was still -lingering in a stone dungeon which was guarded with special severity, -because of the grave nature of his crime. The dungeon had only one -narrow hole in the top, through which food was doled out to the -prisoner, or he himself was dragged out whenever he had to undergo -his examinations, which were always accompanied with torture. Hope -of escape was out of the question, and the only opportunity offered -him of seeing the sunshine was by no means a source of relief, for -it was invariably associated with the infliction of tortures of a -terribly excruciating character. The mere description of it chilled -my blood. The torture, as inflicted on Norpu Che-ring, was devised -with diabolical ingenuity, for it consisted in driving a sharpened -bamboo stick into the sensitive part of the finger directly underneath -the nail. After the nail had been sufficiently abused as a means of -torture, it was torn off, and the stick was next drilled in between the -flesh and the skin. As even criminals possess no more than ten fingers -on both hands the inquisitor had to make chary use of this stock of -torture, and took only one finger at a time, till the whole number was -disposed of. Such was the treatment the ex-Prime-Minister received at -his hands. - -Norpu Che-ring bore this torture with admirable fortitude; he -persisted that the whole plot originated in him alone and was put in -execution by his own hands only. His master had nothing to do with -it. The inquisitors’ object in subjecting their former superior and -colleague to this infernal torture was to extort from him a confession -implicating Temo Rinpoche, but they were denied this satisfaction by -the unflinching courage of their victim. It is said that this suffering -of Norpu Che-ring had so far awakened the sympathy of Temo Rinpoche -himself that the latter tried, like the priest of noble heart that -he was, to take the whole responsibility of the plot upon his own -shoulders, declaring that Norpu was merely a tool who carried out his -orders, and that therefore the latter was entirely innocent of the -crime. Temo even advised his steward, whenever the two happened to be -together at the inquisition, to confess, as he, that is Temo, had done. - -The steward, on his part, would reply that his master must have made -that baseless confession from the benevolent motive of saving his, the -steward’s life, but that he was not so mean and depraved as to seek an -unmerited deliverance at the cost of his venerable master’s life. And -so he preferred to suffer pain rather than to be released, and baffled -all the attempts of the torturers. By the time I reached Lhasa Norpu -had already endured this painful existence for two years, and during -that long period not one word even in the faintest way implicating his -master had passed his lips. From this it may be concluded that Temo had -really no hand in the plot. At the same time it must be remembered that -Temo was an elder brother of Norpu, and the fraternal affection which -the latter entertained towards the other might therefore have been too -strong to allow of his implicating Temo, even supposing that the late -Regent was really privy to the plot. Be the real circumstances what -they might, when I heard all these painful particulars, my sympathy -was powerfully aroused for Norpu, whatever hard words others might -utter against him; for the mere fact that he submitted so long to such -revolting punishments with such persevering fortitude and with such -faithful constancy to his master and brother, appealed strongly to my -heart. - -The pilloried criminals whom I saw on that occasion were all -subordinates of Norpu Che-ring. Besides these, sixteen Bon priests had -been executed as accomplices, while the number of laymen and priests -who had been exiled on the same charge must have been large, though -the exact number was unknown to outsiders. The pilloried criminals -were apparently minor offenders, for half of them were sentenced to -exile and the remaining half to floggings of from three hundred to -five hundred lashes. The pillory was to last in each case for three to -seven days. Looking at these pitiable creatures I felt as if I were -witnessing a sight such as might exist in the Nether World. My heart -truly bled for the poor, helpless fellows. - -Heavy with this sad reflexion I proceeded further on, and soon arrived -at a place to the south of a Buḍḍhist edifice; and there, near the -western corner of the building, flooded by sunshine, I beheld another -heart-rending sight. It was a beautiful lady in the pillory. Her neck -was secured in the regulation frame, just as was that of a rougher -criminal, and the ponderous piece of wood was weighing heavily upon her -frail shoulders. A piece of red cloth made of Bhūtān silk was upon her -head, which hung very low, for the frame around her neck did not allow -her to move it freely. Her eyes were closed. Three men, apparently -police constables, were near by as guards. A vessel containing baked -flour was lying there, and also some small delicacies that must have -been sent by relatives or friends. All this food she had to take from -the hands of one or other of the three rough attendants, for her -own hands were manacled. She was none other than the wife of Norpu -Che-ring, whose miserable story I have already told, and was a daughter -of the house of Do-ring, one of the oldest and most respected families -in the whole of the Tibetan aristocracy. - -[Illustration: THE WIFE OF AN EX-MINISTER. PUNISHED IN PUBLIC.] - -When her husband was arrested, he was at first confined in a cell less -terrible than the stone dungeon to which he was afterwards transferred. -But this early and apparently more considerate treatment only plunged -his family into greater misery. His wife was told that the jailer of -the prison in which her husband was incarcerated was not overstrict and -that he was open to corruption, and what faithful wife, even though -Tibetan, would resist the temptation placed before her under such -circumstances, of trying to seek some means of gaining admission to the -lonely cell where her dear lord was confined? And so it came to pass -that Madame Norpu bribed the jailer, and with his connivance was often -at her husband’s side; but somehow her transgression reached the ears -of the government, and she also was thrown into prison. - -On the very morning of the day on which I came upon this piteous sight -of the pillory, she was led out of the prison, as I heard afterwards, -not however for liberation, but first to suffer at the gate of the -prison a flogging of three hundred lashes, and then to be conducted to -a busy thoroughfare to be pilloried for public disgrace. - -Poor woman! she seemed to be almost insensible when I saw her, and -the mere sight of her emaciated form and death-pale face aroused -my strongest sympathy. The sentiment of pity was intensified when -I saw a group of idle spectators, among whom I even noticed some -aristocratic-looking persons, gazing at the pillory with callous -indifference. They were heartless enough to approach her place of -torture and read the judgment paper. The sentence, as I heard it read -aloud by these fellows, condemned her to so many whippings, then to -seven days pillory, and lastly to exile at such-and-such a place, there -to remain imprisoned, fettered and manacled. The spectators not only -read out the sentence with an air of perfect indifference, but some of -them even betrayed their depravity by reviling and jeering at the lady: -“Serve her right,” I heard them say; “their hard treatment of others -has brought them to this. Serve them right.” These aristocrats were -giving sardonic smiles, as if gloating over the misery of the house of -Norpu Che-ring. - -Really the heartless depravity of these people was beyond description, -and I could not help feeling angry with them. These same people, I -thought, who seemed to take so much delight in the calamity of the -family of Norpu Che-ring, must have vied with each other in courting -his favor while he was in power and prosperity. Even if it were beyond -the comprehension of these brutes to appreciate the meaning of that -merciful principle which bids us “hate the offence but pity the -offender,” one would have expected them to be humane enough to show -some sympathy towards this woman who was paying so dearly for her -excusable indiscretion. But they seemed to be utterly impervious to -such sentiments, and so behaved themselves in that shameful manner. I, -who knew that political rivalry in Tibet was allowed to run to such an -extreme as to involve even innocent women in painful punishment, felt -sincerely sorry for the Lady Norpu, and returned to my residence with -a heavy heart. My sentiment on that particular occasion is partially -embodied in this _uta_ that occurred to me as I retraced my heavy steps: - - You, everchanging foolish herds of men, - As fickle as the dew upon the trees, - To blooming flowers your smiling welcome give; - Why should your tears of pity cease to flow - When blooms or withering flowers pass away? - -On my return, when I saw my host, the former Minister of Finance, I -related to him what I had seen in the street, and asked him to tell -me all he knew about the affair. He fully shared my sympathy for the -unfortunate woman. - -While Norpu Che-ring was in power, my host told me, he was held in -high respect. Nobody dared to whisper one word of blame about him and -his wife. Now they were fallen, and he felt really sorry for them. -It was true, he continued, that some people used to find fault with -the private conduct of Norpu Che-ring, and the former Minister could -not deny that there was some reason for that. But Temo Rinpoche was -a venerable man, pure in life, pious and benevolent, and had met -with such a sad end solely in consequence of the wicked intrigues of -his followers. My host was perfectly certain that Temo Rinpoche had -absolutely no hand in the plot. He said that he could not talk thus to -others; he could be confidential to me alone. - -Tortures are carried to the extreme of diabolical ingenuity. They are -such as one might expect in hell. One method consists in drilling a -sharpened bamboo stick into the tender part of the tip of the fingers, -as already described. Another consists in placing ‘stone-bonnets’ on -the head of the victim. Each ‘bonnet’ weighs about eight pounds, and -one after another is heaped on as the torture proceeds. The weight at -first forces tears out of the eyes of the victim, but afterward, as the -weight is increased, the very eye-balls are forced from their sockets. -Then flogging, though far milder in itself, is a painful punishment, -as it is done with a heavy rod, cut fresh from a willow tree, the -criminal receiving it on the bared small of his back. The part is soon -torn open by the lashing, and the blood that oozes out is scattered -right and left as the beater continues his brutal task, until the -prescribed number, three hundred or five hundred blows as the case may -be, are given. Very often, and perhaps with the object of prolonging -the torture, the flogging is suspended, and the poor victim receives a -cup of water, after which the painful process is resumed. In nine cases -out of ten the victims of this corporeal punishment fall ill, and while -at Lhasa I more than once prescribed for persons who, as the result of -flogging, were bleeding internally. The wounds caused by the flogging -are shocking to see, as I know from my personal observations. - -A prison-house is in any case an awful place, but more especially so -in Tibet, for even the best of them has nothing but mud walls and a -planked floor, and is very dark in the interior, even in broad day. -This absence of sunlight is itself a serious punishment in such a cold -country. - -As for food, prisoners are fed only once a day with a couple of -handfuls of baked flour. This is hardly sufficient to keep body and -soul together, so that a prisoner is generally obliged to ask his -friends to send him some food. Nothing, however, sent in from outside -reaches the prisoners entire, for the gaolers subtract for their own -mouths more than half of it, and only a small portion of the whole -quantity gets into the prisoners’ hands. - -The most lenient form of punishment is a fine; then comes flogging, to -be followed, at a great distance, by the extraction of the eye-balls; -then the amputation of the hands. The amputation is not done all at -once, but only after the hands have been firmly tied for about twelve -hours, till they become completely paralysed. The criminals who are -about to suffer amputation are generally suspended by the wrists from -some elevated object with stout cord, and naughty street urchins are -allowed to pull the cord up and down at their pleasure. After this -treatment the hands are chopped off at the wrists in public. This -punishment is generally inflicted on thieves and robbers after their -fifth or sixth offence. Lhasa abounds in handless beggars and in -beggars minus their eye-balls; and perhaps the proportion of eyeless -beggars is larger than that of the handless ones. - -Then there are other forms of mutilation also inflicted as punishment, -and of these ear-cutting and nose-slitting are the most painful. -Both parties in a case of adultery are visited with this physical -deformation. These forms of punishment are inflicted by the authorities -upon the accusation of the aggrieved party, the right of lodging the -complaint being limited, however, to the husband; in fact he himself -may with impunity cut off the ears or slit the noses of the criminal -parties, when taken _in flagrante delicto_. He has simply to report the -matter afterwards to the authorities. - -With regard to exile there are two different kinds, one leaving a -criminal to live at large in the exiled place, and the other, which is -heavier, confining him in a local prison. - -Capital punishment is carried out solely by immersion in water. There -are two modes of this execution: one by putting a criminal into a -bag made of hides and throwing the bag with its live contents into -the water; and the other by tying the criminal’s hands and feet and -throwing him into a river with a heavy stone tied to his body. The -executioners lift him out after about ten minutes, and if he is judged -to be still alive, down they plunge him again, and this lifting up -and down is repeated till the criminal expires. The lifeless body is -then cut to pieces, the head alone being kept, and all the rest of the -severed members are thrown into the river. The head is deposited in a -head vase, either at once, or after it has been exposed in public for -three or seven days, and the vase is carried to a building established -for this sole purpose, which bears a horrible name signifying -“Perpetual Damnation.” This practice comes from a superstition of the -people that those whose heads are kept in that edifice will forever be -precluded from being reborn in this world. - -All these punishments struck me as entirely out of place for a country -in which Buḍḍhist doctrines are held in such high respect. Especially -did I think the idea of eternal damnation irreconcilable with the -principles of mercy and justice, for I should say that execution ought -to absolve criminals of their offences. Several other barbarous forms -of punishment are in vogue, but these I may omit here, for what I have -stated in the preceding paragraphs is enough to convey some idea of -criminal procedure as it exists in the Forbidden Land. - -I stayed in Lhasa till about the middle of October 1901, when I decided -to return to Sera. My host kindly placed at my disposal one of his -horses and on this I jogged towards my destination. The snow had been -falling since the previous evening, and already the road was covered -with a thick layer of its crystal carpet. It was the first snow of the -season. On the road from Lhasa to Sera, by Shom-khe-Lamkha (priest’s -road), there is a river about half a mile on this side of Sera. This -river dries up in winter, and on the day I am speaking of its bed -was covered with snow. There I noticed a party of five or six young -priestlings of Sera, absorbed in the innocent sport of snowballing. -This highly amused me, calling forth in my mind’s eye the sights I had -frequently come across at home, and reminding me that human nature is, -after all, very much alike the world over. And so these little fellows -were pelting each other with soft missiles, running and pursuing, -shouting and laughing, forgetting for once the stern reprimanding -voices of their exacting masters, and I amused myself with composing an -_uta_, as follows. - - On yonder fields of snow the children play, - And fight with snow-balls in great glee. - They throw and scatter these amongst themselves, - And in these heated contests melts the snow. - -While I was watching the snow-fight, a burly fellow coming from -the direction of Lhasa overtook me and began to stare at me. I at -once recognised in him one of my old acquaintances, the youngest of -the three brothers whom I accompanied on the pilgrimage round Lake -Mānasarovara, who gave my face a sharp parting smack, as already -told. He seemed to be quite astonished, even frightened, when he saw -me, his whilom companion of humble attire, now transformed into an -aristocratic-looking personage, such as I must have appeared to him. -At any rate he avoided my eyes, and was about to walk off with hurried -steps, when I bade him stop, and asked him if he had forgotten my -face. The man could not but confess that he had not, and told me that -he was going to Sera. I made him come along with me, and treated him -quite hospitably at my quarters in the monastery, besides giving him a -farewell present on parting. When I thanked him for all the trouble he -had taken for me during our pilgrimage, the man bowed his head as if -in repentance, and even shed tears, no doubt of remorse. Before taking -his departure he told me that his brothers were living together at -their native place, and that they were all doing well. - - - - -CHAPTER LVII. - -A grim Funeral and grimmer Medicine. - - -It was just previous to the grand monthly catechising contest that I -returned to the Sera monastery. While I was busy with preparation, and -in eager expectation of taking part in this important function, one of -my acquaintances died and I had to attend his funeral. Incidentally -therefore I took part in a ceremony which is perhaps unique in the -world. I may observe here that in Tibetan funerals neither a coffin -nor urn is used in which to deposit the corpse. It is simply laid on -a frame made of two wooden poles, with a proper space between and two -cross pieces tied to them. The rectangular space thus described is -filled in with a rough sort of network of ropes, and over the netting -is spread a sheet of cloth for the reception of the corpse. Another -piece of cloth, pure white in color, is thrown over the corpse, and -that completes the arrangement. The whole burden is then carried on the -shoulders of two men, who insert their heads between the projecting -ends of the two longer poles. - -Generally a funeral is performed on the third or fourth day after -death, the interval being spent in observances peculiar to Tibet. First -of all a properly qualified Lama is consulted as to the auspicious day -for performing the ceremony; then as to the special mode of funeral -and the final disposal of the corpse. The Lama consulted gives his -instructions on all these points after referring to his books, and bids -the relatives of the deceased read such and such passages in the Sacred -Texts, conduct the funeral ceremony on such and such day, and take the -bier from the house at such and such an hour of the day. The priest -also advises on the mode of burial, of which there are four in vogue; -the four modes being distinguishable from each other by the agencies to -be brought into service, namely: water, flame, earth, and birds of the -air. This last corresponds to the “air-burial” of Buḍḍhism. - -Of the four kinds of burial, or more properly modes of disposing of -corpses, the one generally regarded as the best is to leave the corpse -to the vultures, known under the name of Cha-goppo in Tibet; then -comes cremation; then water-burial, and last land-burial. This last -method of interment is never adopted except when a person dies from -small-pox. In this particular case alone the Tibetans observe some -sanitary principles, though probably by mere accident and not from any -conviction, for they think that this dreadful epidemic is likely to -spread if the corpse of a person stricken down by small-pox is left -for birds or consigned to a river. Though cremation is considered -as a superior way of disposing of dead bodies, the process is by no -means easy in a country where faggots are scarce, for the dried dung -of the yak is hardly thought proper for the purpose. Hence cremation -is confined to the wealthier class only. Water-burial generally takes -place near a large stream; but, in consigning a dead body to the water, -it is first thoroughly dismembered, and thrown into the water piece by -piece. This troublesome course is adopted from the idea that a dead -body thrown in whole will not speedily disappear from sight. - -These four processes of disposing of corpses originate from Hinḍū -philosophy, according to which human bodies are believed to consist -of four elements, earth, water, fire and air, and it is thought that -on death they should return to these original elements. Land-burial -corresponds to the returning to earth, cremation to fire, water-burial -to water, and the bird-devouring to the air, of which birds are the -denizens. The bodies of Lamas are mostly disposed of by this last -process, while those of a few privileged persons only, such as the -Dalai Lama, sub-Dalai Lama and other venerable Lamas, believed to be -incarnations of Boḍhisaṭṭvas, are given a special mode of burial. - -‘Air-burial’ was chosen for the friend whose funeral I attended, and -I shall briefly describe how this ‘burial’ was performed. Leaving the -college at Sera, the _cortège_ proceeded eastward till it reached -the bank of a river near which, in a small valley formed between two -contiguous hills, stood a big boulder about twelve yards high. The top -of this stone was level and measured about fifteen feet square. This -was the ‘burial-ground’ for this particular kind of interment. On the -summits of the surrounding hills, and even on the inaccessible parts -of the rock itself, were perched a large number of vultures, with -their eyes glistening with greed. They are always waiting there for -‘burials’. When the bier was placed upon this rock, the white sheet was -taken off, and the priest who had come, with the rest of the mourners -and sympathisers, began to chant their texts to the accompaniment of -drums and cymbals. At the same time one man approached the corpse with -a broadsword, with which to ‘dress’ it. In ‘dressing’ the abdomen was -first cut open and the entrails removed. Next all the various members -of the body were severed, after which some other men, including a -few priests, undertook the finishing work of final ‘dressing’, which -consisted in separating the flesh and bones, just as butchers do with -slaughtered cattle. By this time the vultures had gathered in a flock -round the place, and big pieces, such as the flesh of the thighs, were -thrown to them and most voraciously did they devour them. Then the -bones had to be disposed of, and this was done by first throwing them -into one of the ten cavities on the rock, and pounding the heap with -big stones. When the bones had been fairly well pulverised a quantity -of baked flour was added to the mass, and this dainty mixture was also -given to the birds. The only thing that remained of the dead body was -the hair. - -[Illustration: FUNERAL CEREMONIES: CUTTING UP THE DEAD BODY.] - -The Tibetans may practically be considered as a kind of cannibals. -I was struck with this notion while witnessing the burial ceremony. -All the cloths used in the burial go as a matter of course to the -grave-diggers, though they hardly deserve this name, as their duty -consists not in digging the grave but in chopping the flesh of the -corpse and pounding the bones. Even priests give them help, for the -pounding business is necessarily tedious and tiresome. Meanwhile the -pounders have to take refreshment, and tea is drunk almost incessantly, -for Tibetans are great tea-drinkers. The grave-diggers, or priests, -prepare tea, or help themselves to baked flour, with their hands -splashed over with a mash of human flesh and bones, for they never wash -their hands before they prepare tea or take food, the most they do -being to clap their hands, so as to get rid of the coarser fragments. -And thus they take a good deal of minced human flesh, bones or brain, -mixed with their tea or flour. They do so with perfect nonchalance; in -fact, they have no idea whatever how really abominable and horrible -their practice is, for they are accustomed to it. When I suggested that -they might wash their hands before taking refreshment, they looked at -me with an air of surprise. They scoffed at my suggestion, and even -observed that eating with unwashed hands really added relish to food; -besides, the spirit of the dead man would be satisfied when he saw them -take fragments of his mortal remains with their food without aversion. -It has been stated that the Tibetans are descendants of the Rākshasa -tribe--a tribe of fiendish cannibals who used to feed on human flesh; -and what I witnessed at the burial convinced me that, even at the -present day, they retained the horrible habit of their ancestors. - -While the burial ceremony is going on, a religious service is also -conducted at the house of the deceased, and when the ceremony is -over, those who have attended it call at the house of the bereaved -family, where they are feasted by its members. I noticed that at -this entertainment intoxicants are served only to the laity. This -discrimination is not observed, however, in the country districts. - -I shall next describe the mode of burying a Dalai Lama or a high-priest. - -When a person of high distinction dies, his body is put in a big box -and marsh salt is copiously sprinkled over it till it is thoroughly -imbedded in this alkaline padding. All this while, religious chanting -goes on, accompanied by the music of flutes, pipes and other -instruments. The box is then kept in a temple for about three months, -during which time offerings are made regularly, as when the deceased -was yet alive, and his disciples keep vigil over it by turns. Before -the coffin lights are kept burning in several golden burners containing -melted butter, while holy water is offered in seven silver vessels. -Flowers of the season are also offered with other things. Every one -allowed to worship near the remains is expected to make some offering -in kind, accompanied by a small sum of money. By the time the three -months have elapsed, all the watery portion of the corpse has been -absorbed by the salt, and it has become hard and dry. It seems to me -(though I am not quite sure) that the Tibetan salt contains a large -percentage of soda or other alkalies; at any rate it is somewhat -different from the salt found in Japan. Perhaps some special -ingredients are mixed in the salt, when it is used for packing a corpse. - -Be that as it may, when it is taken out of the coffin the corpse is -thoroughly hardened, and has all its parts shrunk up, owing to the loss -of all fluid elements, and the eyes are sunk in their sockets. Then -follows the process of ‘dressing’ the hardened corpse. The ‘dressing’ -in this case is made with a compound of a certain kind of clay and -pulverised particles of white sandalwood, and also probably certain -drugs of foreign production. This compound is carefully spread over -all parts of the body. It is finally gilded, and a ‘natural’ image -is the result. This image is put in a tabernacle enclosed in a small -outer structure, which is highly decorated, and the whole thing, image -and all, is kept in a shrine. Such shrines are found in many parts -of Tibet; in the premises of the Tashi Lhunpo monastery at Shigatze -five such edifices are found, their roofs resplendent with gold. In -construction these roofs very much resemble the double roof of a palace -or similar building in China, and of course the decoration and size of -the edifice and tabernacle are different according to the rank of the -canonised Lamas, some of these structures being inlaid with gold and -others with silver. - -At any rate, these images are objects of veneration to the Tibetans; -both priests and ordinary people visit and worship them. This peculiar -mode of embalming high Lamas has been wittily commented upon by a -certain Chinaman, who remarks that the practice is inconsistent with -the strong prejudice which Tibetans possess against earth-burial, as -this mode of burial, according to their superstition, sends the dead -person to hell. For the treatment accorded to the dead body of a Grand -Lama, or other distinguished priest, is in fact a sort of earth-burial, -in that the corpse is not given to birds or consigned to rivers or -flames, but is preserved in clay after it has been salted and hardened. - -Now I come to the most wonderful medicines in the world. The first -is the salt used in packing corpses. This salt is considered as an -article of great virtue, and accessible only to a limited number of the -privileged class. It is distributed only among aristocratic people, and -among priests of distinction. - -Only the wealthy merchants and great patrons of temples may hope, -through some powerful influence, to obtain a small quantity of this -precious dirt. The salt is a panacea for the Tibetan, who swallows a -small dose either by itself or dissolved in water for all kinds of ills -that flesh is heir to--from a slight attack of cold to a serious case -of fatal disease. Whatever medical quality this loathsome compound -possesses, one thing is certain--that it exercises a powerful influence -upon the untutored minds of the ignorant Tibetans, and so excellently -serves the purpose of “mental cure”. The salt medicine reminds me of -the existence in Tibet (and happily nowhere else) of another sort of -panacea equally abominable. The mere mention of the real nature of this -second series of so-called medicines, would, instead of curing the -people of other countries, infallibly make them sick, as the essential -ingredients are nothing less than the excreta, both liquid and solid, -of the Grand Lama or other high priests. These are mixed with other -substances and are made into pills, which are gilded over and sometimes -colored red. These pills, known under the name of _Tsa Chen-norpu_ -(precious balls) are not on sale, they being accessible to ordinary -people only through some powerful influence, and even then only by -paying for them a large sum of money. The Tibetan is glad, however, -to procure these pills at any cost, for he is under a fond delusion -that they possess a most effective curative power. They are kept as -something like a family treasure, and are used as the last resort, -when all other means of treatment have failed. When, by some accident, -a patient despaired of by doctors recovers after he has been dosed with -a few of the ‘precious pills,’ the people of course extol their merit -to the skies; while if he dies, his case is regarded as having been -beyond cure, and the pills remain therefore the object of undiminished -faith. To do justice to this superstition, I ought to add that the -common Tibetans are kept entirely in the dark as to the ingredients -of the pills; they are taken as medicines prepared by the Grand Lama -himself according to a certain secret formula, and the shocking secret -is known only to a select few, who are entitled to attend the Dalai -Lama’s court. - - - - -CHAPTER LVIII. - -Foreign Explorers and the Policy of Seclusion. - - -During the first decade of November, 1901, I returned to Lhasa to enjoy -as before the hospitality of the ex-Minister. At that time the Finance -Minister of the day was somewhat less occupied, and being, as I stated -before, a nephew of the nun who was mistress of the house where I was a -guest, and a gentleman of refined and affable manners, he used often to -call on and be invited to sit with the ex-Minister, the nun and myself, -and to take part in our chats. Sometimes I called upon the Minister -of the day in his apartments to talk with him. On one occasion our -conversation touched on the subject of a British female missionary, who -attempted to visit Lhasa. - -“I wonder why British people are so desirous to come to our country,” -observed the Minister in the course of our talk. “I cannot at all -understand their motive. For instance, a British woman arrived some -eight or nine years ago at a place called Nakchukha on the boundary -between Tibet and China. She came there with two servants determined to -enter Tibet.” - -It at once occurred to me that the Minister was referring to the case -of one Miss Annie R. Taylor, a missionary, who attempted to travel -from northern China to Darjeeling via Lhasa. My host did not know, or -could not remember, her name, but I knew it very well, having been -told of her bold venture while I was staying at Darjeeling, where I -accidentally met with one of the guides who had accompanied her. But I -prudently kept what I knew to myself, and listened to the Minister as -one eager to hear a strange and interesting story. The Minister went -on to tell me how the lady was stopped by the natives of the place -from proceeding further. It was very fortunate that the chieftain of -the local tribe was a man of a merciful turn of mind, as otherwise -she would have been murdered there and then. A report on the matter -was soon forwarded to Lhasa by the magistrate of the district, and my -host was then ordered by his Government to hasten to the spot, and -deal with the foreign adventuress in a suitable manner. In other words -his commission was to cause the lady at once to quit Tibetan soil. -The Minister took with him two of his servants, besides a number of -coolies, the party altogether numbering about thirty. - -Arrived at Nakchukha, he at once caused the lady to be brought to him; -but when he saw her, he at first could not understand what she was -saying, for although she spoke Tibetan, it was in a dialect differing -from that in vogue at Lhasa. At last he succeeded in gathering the -drift of what she had to say, which was to this effect. She had come to -Tibet in order to acquaint herself with the sacred teachings of Tibetan -Buḍḍhism. With that object she wanted to make a pilgrimage to Lhasa and -to return home by way of Darjeeling. She then showed to the Minister a -passport she had obtained from the Emperor of China. The Minister told -her that personally he highly appreciated the lady’s purpose, but he -was under strict orders from the Grand Lama’s Government to forbid the -entrance of the lady and of any other foreigner within his dominions. -Should she, in disregard of this intimation, dare to push her way into -the interior, she would be sure to meet with some terrible mishap, -perhaps death, for the Grand Lama’s Government could not extend its -protection to a foreigner who, in defiance of its well-meant warning, -should attempt a journey through the wild districts of Tibet. His -Government did not like the idea of being entangled needlessly in -trouble with another country, and therefore absolutely demanded the -withdrawal of the lady from Tibet. As a messenger of the Grand Lama’s -Government, especially despatched for this purpose, he must ask the -lady to retrace her steps. The Minister dwelt on this point courteously -but firmly. - -The lady on her part equally remained unyielding in her original -declaration, and persisted on repeating her request, not for one or -two days only, but even for four or five days in succession. When the -Minister pointed out how foolhardy she was in her desire, and why she -should rather return the way she had come under the protection of the -Grand Lama’s Government, which would, in that case, escort her back as -far as some safe place, the lady demanded an explanation as to why a -person, possessing a passport obtained from the Emperor of China, could -not travel through Tibet, which was a protectorate under that Emperor. -The Minister admitted the suzerainty of the Chinese Emperor, but said -that, at the same time, they were not obliged to obey the Emperor’s -will in everything, and that especially in the matter of seclusion they -were determined to oppose even the Emperor, should he try by force to -set aside this traditional policy. He further added, as he told me, -that if the lady should still persist in her intention, he would be -constrained to put her two Tibetan guides under arrest, and punish them -according to the laws of the land. This punishment would be waived, -however, if the lady desisted from her purpose and withdrew from Tibet. - -After all these protracted negotiations, the lady was at last induced -to give up her point, and in about half a day’s time after their last -meeting she came to acquaint him with the change in her resolution. As -it was ascertained that the lady and her guides were subject to much -discomfort, having suffered robbery on the way, the Minister kindly -gave her some necessaries before she left Tibet for China. - -After having narrated all these things the Minister once more gave -vent to his feeling of wonder at the inexplicable eagerness which -foreigners were wont to show in their desire to visit his country. I -for my part replied discreetly that neither did I know why they should -wish to enter it, but that I had heard that such attempts on the part -of foreigners were not a novelty. The Minister himself knew that cases -of strangers making attempts similar to that of the British lady were -not rare, and our conversation next turned to this part of Tibetan -history. - -The first authentic story of the arrival of a foreigner in Tibet is -recorded in the year 1328, when a priest of Pordenone, named Friar -Odoric, entered Tibet as a propagandist of the Roman Catholic Church. -His attempt failed, chiefly because the Tibetans of the time had -nothing in particular to learn from Odoric, for Tibet possessed many -priests of its own, who were able to perform many things differing -little from those recorded of Jesus Christ in their miraculous -character. Indeed Odoric himself seems to have profited by what he -saw in Tibet, instead of imparting anything new to the natives. He -took notes of many wonderful things performed by Tibetan priests, and -took them home, but he burnt most of those notes, for fear that their -publication might compromise the interests of his own religion. So only -a fragment of the account of his travels was preserved. - -Some persons attribute this destruction of his own notes by Odoric -to the inaccuracies which he had subsequently discovered, and claim -that he destroyed them in order not to mislead future generations. -This explanation has generally been accepted in preference to the -other--that the Tibetan Buḍḍhism of the fourteenth century possessed a -larger number of miracles than those of Christianity. That the latter -was the more correct explanation of the two may be inferred, however, -from the fact that the Roman Catholic Church, while devoting great -energy to propagating its doctrines in China, kept itself aloof from -Tibet, having come to the conclusion that that country was beyond its -evangelising power. - -In 1661 two brothers named Grueber and D’Orville, probably Frenchmen, -entered Tibet. It is doubtful whether they proceeded as far as Lhasa, -though it is stated that they went from Pekin to Lhasa and thence -through Nepāl to India. When Warren Hastings was the Viceroy of India, -he conceived the idea of establishing a regular trade connexion between -India and Tibet, and dispatched a commissioner, named George Bogle, -to the latter country in the year 1774. Bogle was accompanied by his -wife. He failed to reach Lhasa, but remained at Shigatze, and his -account of the journey is still extant in print. In 1781 Hastings again -dispatched a commissioner, this time under Captain Turner, who stayed -in Tibet for two years. Only one English explorer reached Lhasa from -India. That man was Thomas Manning, and it was in 1811. - -About that time trade between India and Tibet had grown active, but -with the termination of Hasting’s viceroyalty and his return to England -the trade began to flag for lack of encouragement, till it ceased -altogether. All channels of communications have since that time become -almost closed between the two countries. Meanwhile other Christian -missionaries had begun pushing on their work with great activity, even -up to Lhasa, which they entered freely, and also to other places, -some of them not far from that city, and this movement on the part of -foreign propagandists put the Grand Lama’s Government on its guard. -Coming down as late as 1871, a Russian Colonel named Prejevalsky -entered Tibet across its eastern border through Kham, and reached -a place about five hundred miles from Lhasa. But he was compelled -to return thence homeward, at the bidding of Tibet’s hierarchical -Government. Apparently he at first passed through the Chinese region -of Tibet, but was stopped as soon as he had set his feet in the Dalai -Lama’s dominions. This Russian Officer, undaunted by his first failure, -next tried to enter Tibet from the north, and this time he reached a -place about one hundred and seventy miles from Lhasa on the boundary -line between the Chinese and the Tibetan territories, but was again -obliged to withdraw. - -In 1879 an Englishman named Captain Hill entered Tibet from the -direction of Ta-chien-lu, but he also had to withdraw from Ba-lithang -on the boundary between the Chinese and Tibetan dominions. It was at -this place also that the Japanese priests, Messrs. Nōmi and Teramoto, -were driven back. My host the Minister once incidentally referred to -Mr. Nōmi’s attempt, and said that two priests from a country named -Japan reached Ba-lithang some years ago, but they were ordered to -withdraw, as it was not sufficiently clear whether they were really -Buḍḍhist priests or persons of other callings. - -The last exploration I would mention here is that undertaken in 1881 -and 1882 by Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās, my own teacher, of whom mention has been -made several times already. This Hinḍū had obtained in a very ingenious -way a pass from the Tibetan Government, and, armed with it, he first -proceeded as far as Shigatze, where he remained for two months; after -awhile he returned to India. That was in 1881. The result of his -exploration was reported to the British Government, and he was for a -second time asked to undertake another trip into Tibet in the following -year, having secured as before a Tibetan passport. On his second visit -he first reached Shigatze and afterward entered Lhasa. As I heard -from a Tibetan, he conducted his mission with extreme caution, seldom -venturing abroad in the daytime, and when obliged to do so he took -every care to avoid attracting the attention of the natives. He spent -most of his time in a room of a temple, and there secretly carried out -his investigations. In this way he stayed in Lhasa for twenty days; -then he went back to his sphere of work in other parts of Tibet and at -last returned to Darjeeling after an absence of less than a year. - -I have mentioned, in a preceding chapter that when the real nature -of the mission of Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās had become known to the Tibetan -Government, it caused extraordinary disturbance, involving all the -officials who had been on duty at the barrier-gates through which the -Hinḍū had passed, as well as all the persons who had extended any sort -of hospitality to him during his stay in the country. All these persons -were thrown into prison and their property was confiscated. A number -of those whose complicity, unwitting though it was, was judged more -serious than that of the others were condemned to death and executed. -After this memorable occurrence, Tibet resolved more than ever to -enforce strictly the policy of exclusion against all foreigners. - -In 1886 a Secretary of the American Legation at Peking, Mr. Rockhill, -tried to enter Tibet, only to repeat the failure of others, and all -other Christian missionaries who made similar attempts about that time -were also unsuccessful. The number of abortive Tibetan explorers must -be quite large; I myself heard of some twenty-five or twenty-six. I -should not wonder if the number would reach forty or even fifty, when -all the would-be explorers are taken into account. I have frequently -seen in our Japanese magazines and newspapers articles about Tibet, -which are highly misleading and often fictitious. The fact must be -that those articles are written on the incorrect information found in -most works on Tibet, and that the inaccuracy is further aggravated -by the inventive brains of the writers of the articles. One of the -most conspicuous instances of this kind is furnished in the case of -A. Csoma de Körös, a Hungarian, who first compiled a Tibetan-English -dictionary, having learned the language from a Lama in Ladak, a -district on the south-western boundary of Tibet, next to British India, -where the compiler resided for more than three years. The author -wanted to study the Tibetan language on its native soil and for that -reason attempted to enter Tibet. He found it impossible to carry out -his plan from Ladak, as the Tibetan frontier guards there forbade the -entry into their country of a stranger. Then it occurred to him that -he might succeed in his project if he started from Darjeeling, and -thither he went. Unfortunately, he caught jungle-fever while travelling -in the neighborhood of Darjeeling and died there, never having put -his foot on Tibetan soil. His tomb even now stands at a place near -Darjeeling, probably at the place where he fell ill. Writers on Tibet, -both Japanese and Western, mostly represent this Csoma as having spent -many years in Lhasa, and that is where the fiction comes in. Another -lexicographer, Jaeschke, compiled a Tibetan dictionary based on, but -much better than Csoma’s. Jaeschke never entered Tibet, and yet he is -generally credited with having successfully crossed the border and -reached Lhasa, and lived there for a considerable period. All such -errors being made by Western writers as well as by the Japanese, I do -not of course mean to blame the latter alone. - -Besides the attempts at Tibetan exploration already referred to, -there have from time to time been a number of missionaries or spies -despatched by either Russia or England, who have frequently appeared at -Tibetan frontier stations only to arouse the suspicions of the Grand -Lama’s Government, until the latter has become irrevocably committed -to the policy of absolute seclusion. To do justice to the Tibetans, -they were originally a people highly hospitable to strangers. This -sentiment was superseded by one of fear and even of antipathy, as the -result of an insidious piece of advice which, probably prompted by some -policy of its own, the Government of China gave to Tibet; it was to -the effect that if the latter allowed the free entrance of foreigners -into her territories, they would destroy her Buḍḍhism, and replace it -with Christianity. The simple-minded Tibetan became dreadfully alarmed -at this warning; but even then he did not all at once put the policy -of exclusion into full force. The absolute exclusion dates from the -discovery of Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās’ mission. Since then, the enforcement of -the exclusion policy has become so strict that it now seems as though -Tibet has been converted into a nation of detectives and constables. - -Especially for European people, with such visible marks of racial -distinction on the surface and also because they are accustomed to make -their attempts on a large scale, it has become morally impossible to -enter Tibet. Dr. Sven Hedin, for example, tried to enter repeatedly -from the north, while I was staying at Lhasa, but each time the -renowned explorer was baffled in his attempt, and he finally gave it -up altogether[3]. In view of such repeated attempts on the part of -foreigners, both the Lamas and ordinary people could not but suspect -the motive of these adventurers, and they have therefore naturally -come to the conclusion that all those foreigners must be entertaining -some sinister designs on Tibet. The popular idea about the supposed -designs of England is interesting, for the natives attribute it to -the desire on the part of English people to take possession of gold -mines which are plentifully found in their country. This is of course -a very superficial view, so far as the interest England seems to feel -toward Tibet is concerned; for the Tibetan policy of that country, in -my own humble opinion, comes from the desire to prevent Russia from -bringing Tibet under her sway and from using that highland as a base of -operations in carrying out her ambitious projects on India, for it is -evident that, with Russia securely established up there, England would -hardly be able to feel secure about the safety of India. - -[3] Dr. Sven Hedin succeeded in entering Tibet from Kashmir in 1906. - -The Tibetan Minister of the Treasury once said to me that it would -indeed be a great humiliation to Tibet if ever she were reduced to -being a tributary of another country, but that there might be another -calamity far more disastrous and unbearable in its effect, and that -was the danger of her national religion being superseded by a strange -faith. Therefore, the Minister continued, Tibet must oppose, at all -costs, any plans made by foreigners against her, and consequently the -latter should be prevented from hearing of the existence of factious -rivalries in the Hierarchy, for should they get an inkling of this -state of affairs, it would not take them long to turn this internal -dissension to serve their own mischievous ends. Hence it was absolutely -necessary for Tibet that she should forbid the entry of all foreigners -and keep them in the dark as to the real condition of the country. It -will thus be seen that the seclusion policy, which primarily originated -in religious motives, has since acquired a greater force from political -considerations, and it is not strange that no foreigners have been -allowed to enter Tibet since the revelation of the secret mission of -Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās. That incident, the then Minister of Finance told -me in referring to it, impressed the Tibetans more strongly than ever -with the necessity of locking their door against the intrusion of all -foreigners. - - - - -CHAPTER LIX. - -A Metropolis of Filth. - - -Shortly after I had the conversation recorded in the last chapter -with the Finance Minister, I went out with the ex-Minister and his -attendants for a walk round the _lingkor_ (circuit) of Lhasa, this -being the outermost circuit surrounding the city, and measuring about -six miles. The journey round this circuit is considered as a highly -pious act by Tibetans, who believe that it amounts to visiting every -temple and sacred stone house contained within the circuit. There are -several modes of performing this journey--walking steadily along, -making a bow at each step, or making one at every three steps. Our -journey on that occasion had no such religious meaning; it was merely a -walk. The walk, however, was rather trying to me, for my host was very -tall and had very long legs, so that I had to hurry to keep pace even -with his leisurely steps. - -By the side of this circuit and to the east of Lhasa stood a queerly -shaped high fence, made of countless yak’s horns. The fence measures -from one hundred and twenty to two hundred and forty yards in length -and as it is entirely composed of the horns, it is hardly possible -to form an idea even in imagination of how many horns went to the -construction of the fence. The enclosure is used as a slaughtering -place for yak. It was not the first time that I had seen that fence, -but on that particular day I was able to observe it with greater care -than ever before. When I remarked to the ex-Minister how immense must -be the number of the beasts that had been slaughtered in the enclosure, -my host replied that he felt pity for the beasts. We soon arrived at an -opening in the fence and, peeping in, I saw some thirty yaks brought -there for slaughter. The work was done in a manner quite improper for -such a Buḍḍhist country as Tibet, for no pious ceremony was performed, -such as the touching of the head of a beast about to be slaughtered -with a Buḍḍhist Text. It was butchered quite unceremoniously, in a -thoroughly business-like manner. I subsequently learned that the -slaughter of animals is undertaken in Lhasa exclusively by Chinese -Muhammeḍans, who are of course not expected to care much about such -ceremonies. As it was, I saw a slaughterman chop off the head of a yak -in a very impious manner, and in the presence of the other poor beasts, -which were staring with tearful eyes at the butchery of their comrades. -I really felt pity for the beasts. - -The ex-Minister was apparently impressed with a similar sentiment, for -he told me that he felt as though he could hardly swallow a morsel of -meat after he had witnessed such a horrible scene; yet such is human -depravity, he continued, that people soon forget this tender feeling -of compassion when they return home, and are displeased if no meat is -served to them at table. He could not but conclude therefore that the -Tibetans must be the descendants of Rākshasas or devils, and that the -blood of those impious savages must be still running in their veins. - -The circuit is kept in excellent repair (comparatively speaking, -that is to say) for the Hierarchy maintains a regular staff of -road-commissioners who are charged with the duty of keeping the circuit -in good condition for the benefit of the pilgrims, who not unfrequently -have to kneel on the ground for their devotions. - -The contrast which the condition of the circuit makes with that of -ordinary thoroughfares is beyond description. It is not merely that -the other roads are full of holes, but also that they have in their -midst open cesspools, specially constructed and openly frequented by -both men and women. The filth, the stench, the utter abomination of -the streets are extremely loathsome, especially after rains in summer, -for though there are plenty of dogs feeding about in the streets they -are not enough for the supply. Then remember that the Lhasa people -drink water from the shallow wells standing amidst such abominable -surroundings. The meaning of the word Lhasa itself is indeed absolutely -inappropriate; it signifies the ‘ground of deities,’ and therefore -supposedly a place of purity. As Panden Aṭīsha remarked, a place in -Tibet is really a city of devils, who subsist on vile substances. I -have often heard of the filthy condition of the streets in Chinese -cities, but I hardly believe they can be as filthy as the streets in -Lhasa, where the people live in utter defiance of all rules of hygiene -and even decency. The wonder is how they can escape being exterminated -by pestilence, which would be sure to visit most other places that -neglected, even in a far lesser degree, the laws of sanitation; and -yet, from what I observed during my residence in Lhasa, the people -did not seem to suffer to any perceptible extent from such unhygienic -surroundings. My own theory is that this immunity from epidemic must -be due to the extremely healthy climate of Lhasa. The winter there is -sufficiently cold, but is less uncomfortable than in our Hokkaido, for -though at night the mercury falls below freezing point, it rises to -forty or fifty degrees Fahrenheit in the daytime. In summer, too, the -thermometer rarely rises much above eighty. Indeed of all the places I -have travelled in or heard of, Lhasa seems to come first in point of -a healthy climate. It is owing to this precious gift of nature that -the people of Lhasa can live with impunity amidst filth and general -contaminations. - -All these thoughts occurred to me while I walked round the circuit with -the ex-Minister, and also whenever I took a walk in the city. - - - - -CHAPTER LX. - -Lamaism. - - -I must here give a brief description of the Tibetan religion, for -without it any intelligent explanation of the political system is -impossible, while some notice, however cursory, of the administrative -organisation must precede an account of Tibetan diplomacy, upon which -I also wish to touch briefly. - -In describing the Tibetan national religion, I must confine myself -only to a popular exposition of the subject, and must leave out of -consideration as much as possible other matters that are ulterior and -technical. - -With that premise I must first of all state that Lamaism is divided -into two main branches, one older and the other more modern, the -former being popularly known as the ‘Red Cap Sect’ and the latter as -the ‘Yellow Cap.’ The older Sect is subdivided into a large number of -sub-sects, such as Sakya, Karmapa, Dukpa, Zokchenpa, and others, but -they all agree upon cardinal points and in the formula for attaining -perfection. - -The founder of the Old Sect was a Ṭānṭric priest named Lobon Padma -Chungne in Tibetan. That name was derived from a popular tradition -that he was born into this world out of a lotus flower in the Pond of -Ḍanakosha, in a Royal garden of the Kingdom of Urken, now in Cabul. -His career is full of myths far more fantastic than any of those in -the Japanese mythology, and there is very little that is tangible -and rational about it. One thing seems to be certain--that, although -a priest, he strictly enjoined on his disciples the practices of -flesh-eating, marriage and drinking. He ingeniously grafted carnal -practices on to Buḍḍhist doctrines, and declared that the only secret -of perfection for priests consisted in leading a jovial life, and that -by this means alone a man born into this world of ‘five impurities’ can -hope to attain quickly to Buḍḍhahood and salvation. - -[Illustration: LOBON PADMA CHUNGNE.] - -The doctrine that it is necessary to satisfy carnal desires is based -on the theory that great desires partake of the nature of Mahāboḍhi; -that as the greatest of human desires is sensuality, therefore man -can attain Mahāboḍhi by indulging this passion, for by it he can best -realise the first essential of the reality of Āṭman, that is oblivion -of self. The eating of animal flesh, another craving of men, conforms -to the principle of mercy, because the soul of the animal can be -brought under the beneficial influence of the Boḍhi in the eater, and -is thus enabled indirectly to attain this supreme state. Liquors give -pleasure to men, so that to enjoy ourselves by drinking them and to -live a pleasant life is an ideal state obtained by an intelligent act. -In short, according to the doctrines of the Old Sect, men can attain -Buḍḍhahood by holy contemplation accompanied by drinking liquors, -eating flesh, and indulgence in carnal desires. Such are, in the main, -the fundamental tenets of this particular Sect, the details of which I -could not give here even if I had ample space at my disposal, for they -are too full of obscenity. I may say, however, that this Sect tries to -justify the indulgence of human desires under the sanction of Buḍḍhism. - -In Japan also there once existed the Tatekawa school of the Shingon -Sect, which did much to corrupt social order and morals by preaching -similar pernicious theories, though it is not possible to speak -authoritatively on this subject, as very few fragments of the texts and -canonical writings of that suppressed school are now extant. However, -the scope and plan of that quasi-religion must have been extremely -limited. - -The Old Sect of Tibet is, on the other hand, on a large scale and its -doctrine has obtained a wide credence throughout the country. - -The texts of this sect are still extant in Tibet and the Samskṛṭ texts -prepared in India with Tibetan translations are fairly numerous. -The Old Sect has undergone considerable modifications since its -introduction into Tibet, for the Lama priests have freely modified the -original according to their own views and opinions. In fact the Tibetan -texts of this particular Sect are far from preserving the original -forms of teaching and expression. - -I have brought home, among other Lamaistic writings, quite a large -number of volumes treating on the esoteric side of the doctrines of the -Old Sect, which are credited as being most authentic, but I have to -keep them in a closed box, for they are too full of obscene passages to -allow of their being read by the many. - -These degenerate doctrines were widely spread throughout Tibet until, -about five hundred years ago, they proved to be too pernicious even for -such a corrupt country as Tibet. A reaction arose against the Old Sect, -which took the shape of the so-called New Sect. - -This was founded by Paldan Aṭīsha, a priest from India, in the eleventh -century A. D., and was after three centuries further perfected by Je -Tsong-kha-pa, who was born in a house “amidst onion plots” in Amdo, -a Chinese part of Tibet, situated to the north of Tibet proper. This -priest, perceiving the fearful state of corruption into which the -Tibetan religion had fallen, assigned to himself the Herculean task of -purging that Augean stable. - -He took his ground on the fundamental proposition that priesthood -must stand on asceticism, that priesthood devoid of asceticism was -also void, and that of all the conditions of asceticism abstinence -from carnal desires was the most important, for a priest indulging in -these had nothing to distinguish him from a layman. Je Tsong-kha-pa -set an example of following his own precepts, but first he declared -for the necessity of enforcing rules of moral discipline for priests. -But there were not a sufficient number of priests qualified to -receive ordination. At last a number of his first convents and of the -supporters of his precepts were collected to form the nucleus of the -new movement, and they raised the standard of a spiritual campaign at -Ganden, a place about forty miles from Lhasa. - -[Illustration: JE TSONG-KHA-PA.] - -But the New Sect, in superseding the degenerated national religion, had -to conform itself to the national partiality for esoterism, which -is more or less present in every form of religion or cult prevailing -in Tibet, and it therefore included in its system certain esoteric -forms as distinct from the esoterism of the Old Sect. The New Sect did -not denounce the images worshipped by the followers of the Old Sect, -although they all consisted of dual figures of men and women, often -represented in offensive postures; it had, however, to give to them a -new interpretation of an abstract nature. Thus men were explained as -representing ‘proper means’ and women as representing ‘transcendental -knowledge,’ and it was said that the proper combination of the two -elements gave birth to Buḍḍhas. Therefore the birth of Buḍḍhas, -according to this interpretation, did not come from carnal indulgence. -Animal flesh, again, was interpreted as representing mercy, and -therefore not intended for eating, while liquors were considered as -embodying human intelligence, and as giving an object-lesson to teach -men how to exercise their inborn intelligence. - -In that symbolic way the New Sect explained the precepts inculcated by -its older rival. The images that had been used by the latter were also -adopted, only with a new interpretation, so that externally the two -sects do not differ much from each other. Strange as it may appear, it -is highly probable that worldly circumstances obliged the New Sect to -assume this anomalous position. I have to stop here in my description -of the doctrinal side of the Tibetan religion, for to go further would -lead me into technical and abstruse points. - -I shall describe next that peculiar practice or belief of the Tibetan -religion which is called incarnation. - -The idea embodied in the doctrine of incarnation is that the Buḍḍhas, -or saints whose bodies are invisible to man, are reincarnated in the -shape of priests of pious virtue for the salvation of the people. -The scope of this incarnation is rather comprehensive in Tibet, for -almost every lama with any pretensions above the common level believes -that he is destined to be reborn into the world to work for salvation. -This idea seems to have undergone considerable modifications since it -was first conceived, so that such incarnations as are accepted to-day -appear quite different from those of older days, as I shall describe -further on. - - - - -CHAPTER LXI. - -The Tibetan Hierarchy. - - -More than four centuries ago there lived a priest named Gendun Tub -who was a disciple of the founder of the New Sect. It was this -priest who first originated the practice of invocation of oracles -which was subsequently elaborated into a peculiar habit of selecting -incarnations. It happened in this way. When Gendun Tub was about to -expire, he left word that he would be reborn at such and such a place. -Enquiry was made, and the birth of a boy was ascertained to have taken -place at the specified place. This would not be particularly marvellous -were it not for the fact, as recorded in tradition, that, as soon as he -could articulate, the boy declared his wish to return to his temple, -the name of which he declared to be Tashi Lhunpo, the very temple where -the venerable Gendun Tub had died. There was no longer any doubt in the -minds of his faithful disciples and followers that their master had -been reborn in that boy. The boy was conveyed to the temple, was there -brought up, and was finally installed as the second Grand Lama, called -Gendun Gyamtso. - -Nothing particular occurred in this matter of incarnations during the -periods of his third and fourth successors, but they grew quite popular -afterwards, especially in the days of the fifth and the sixth Grand -Lamas, till at last the whole system of the consultation of divine -oracles assumed the shape in which it is found to-day. The fifth Grand -Lama was a great promoter of the oracle system. His name was Ngakwang -Gyamtso, and though the head of the New Sect, he investigated the -texts and all matters of the Old Sect and introduced into his own sect -many things pertaining to the Old. Oracle-invocation was extensively -practised in his time, and the privilege of undertaking this solemn -work was entrusted to four temples, or rather the deities presiding -over them, namely Nechung, Samye, Lamo and Gatong. From the fifth Grand -Lama also dates another innovation of far greater importance, that is -to say, the establishment of Hierarchical Government. - -Before his time, the Grand Lamas held only spiritual power, and had -nothing to do with temporal or administrative affairs, for the Grand -Lamas had no territories to administer except a small glebe. - -About that time a powerful Mongolian chieftain named Shrī Gaumi -Tenjin Choe Gyal invaded Tibet and subdued all the petty tribes that -had hitherto existed there. These numbered thirteen, each counting -according to tradition ten thousand families. Tibet may thus be -considered to have contained one hundred and thirty thousand families, -and, strange to say, this is also believed to be the present number of -the population, according to popular accounts. - -The Mongolian conqueror disposed of the districts he had subdued in -a very interesting manner, for instead of bringing them under his -direct control he presented the whole region to the Grand Lama of the -day. Thus originated the system of the Hierarchy, which therefore -dates only about three centuries back. But to return to the subject of -oracle-consultation. - -By this time the process of consultation had to undergo considerable -modifications, owing to the fact that the high Lamas who were to be -reborn not unfrequently omitted the trouble of enlightening others -about the places of their re-appearance on the earth. These places had -to be discovered therefore, for the Tibetans firmly held, as they do -even to-day, that high Lamas who die are sure to re-incarnate somewhere -after the lapse of forty-nine days from the day of death. Hence arose -the necessity to determine the place of such re-incarnation, and this -task devolved on the oracle-invokers of one of the four particular -temples mentioned before. - -The process as it is in vogue at present is essentially identical with -that prevailing in former times, and is exceedingly strange, to say the -least of it. The mediums or invokers who perform this holy business -behave themselves in such an extravagant way that the uninitiated would -consider them to be stark mad. - -The consultation of the oracle is performed by a number of priests, one -of whom is a medium, the rest being assistants. These beat drums and -strike cymbals, whilst others chant the Texts. The medium is attired -in a gorgeous fashion. He wears a big head-cloth with silk pendants of -five hues hanging from behind. Sometimes strips of glittering brocade -are used instead. The garment is not unlike that worn by Japanese -priests, and is of yellow or red satin, decorated with figures of -flowers. From the knot of the sash hang long strips of cloth. Thus -attired, the medium waits for response from the deities, remaining -with closed eyes in a half sitting posture, while all the time the -discordant sounds made by the orchestra are kept up. After a while he -begins to tremble and shake, this movement gathering force, till all of -sudden he either falls on his back or jumps up, according to the nature -of the deity who responds to the invocation, and has now descended -into the body of the medium. He will then say, still continuing to -shudder, that the particular Lama has re-appeared at such and such a -place, and in such and such a house which faces in a certain direction; -that the family consists of a certain number of members; that a baby -born on a certain day is a re-incarnation of the dead Lama, and so on. -An enquiry is then made according to the direction and of course the -pronouncement of the oracle is confirmed, and a baby corresponding to -the description given is found in the house. The boy is left under the -care of his mother till he can be weaned, and then he is brought to the -specified temple where he is educated. In education special care is -taken to inspire in him the strong self-confidence that he is a holy -re-incarnation. - -At any rate the practice of invoking divine oracles extensively came -into vogue from the time of the fifth Grand Lama, and is used for all -matters great or small, from vexed international problems to trifling -questions that easily admit of solution. - -The oracle-giving deities, as I mentioned before, are four, and they -are regarded as the guardian angels of the Lama Hierarchy. Of the four -Nechung is the most powerful. - -Suppose a Grand Lama dies, and a necessity arises to determine the -place of his re-incarnation. The four temples dedicated to the four -deities are ordered by the authorities to undertake the mysterious -business of identification, this order being generally issued about -a year after the death of the august Lama. All the priests of the -four temples are summoned on that occasion, and they separately -consult their own respective oracles. Their deities are, however, -not infallible, and often prove just as divided in their judgment as -ordinary mortals are, for very rarely do the four oracles coincide, and -usually those oracles produce three different candidates. The choice -has therefore to be made from among the three. - -The three or four boy-candidates (as the case may be) are brought to -Lhasa, when they have reached the age of five years. The ceremony of -selection is next performed. This is of course conducted with great -pomp and solemnity. The dignitaries who are privileged to take part in -it are the Chinese Commissioner residing in Lhasa and the Regent Lama; -also the Prime Ministers and all the Ministers, Vice-Ministers and a -number of high Lamas are allowed to be present. First the names of -the boy-candidates (three or four in number, as the case may be) are -written on so many pieces of paper, and put in a golden urn which is -then sealed. For the period of a week a kind of high mass is performed -in the ceremony-hall, in order to entreat the divine intercession for -the selection of the real re-incarnation. When this period expires all -the dignitaries before-mentioned are once more assembled around the -sealed urn. This is carefully inspected and the seal is then taken -off. The Chinese Commissioner then takes a pair of tiny ivory sticks -something like ordinary chop-sticks in shape and size and, with his -eyes shut, puts them into the urn and solemnly picks out one of the -papers. The name written on that paper is read, and the bearer of that -name is acknowledged as Grand Lama-elect. - -From what I have described, there is apparently little room, if any, -for trickery, but I have heard from the Secretary of the Chinese -Commissioner that dishonest practices are in reality not infrequent. -Indeed the temptations are too strong for greedy and dishonest -minds to resist, owing to the keen rivalry among the parents of the -boy-candidates to have their own boys selected. Strong interest urges -them on in this rivalry, for the parents of the Lama-elect are not only -entitled to receive the title of Duke from the Chinese Government, -but also enjoy many other advantages, above all the acquisition of a -large fortune. Under these circumstances the parents and relatives of -eligible boys are said to offer large bribes to the Chinese Amban, and -to others who are connected with the ceremony of selection. I do not -affirm the fact of bribes, but at least I have heard that cases of such -under-hand influence have occurred not unfrequently. - -The selection of the Grand Lama is thus made by an elaborate process, -in which the influence of the oracle-invokers plays an important part. -The priests who have charge of this business are in most cases men -who make it their business to blackmail every applicant. Most of the -oracle-priests are therefore extremely wealthy. - -The Nechung who are under the direct patronage of the Hierarchy, are -generally millionaires, as millionaires go in Tibet. This, taken in -conjunction with another fact, that the re-incarnations of higher Lamas -are generally sons of wealthy aristocrats, or merchants, and that it -is only very rarely that they are discovered among the lowly, must be -considered as suggesting the working of some such practices. I have -even heard that some unscrupulous people corrupt the oracle-priests for -the benefit of their unborn children, so as to have their boys accepted -as Lamas incarnate when born. From a worldly point of view the expense -incurred on this account not unfrequently proves a good ‘investment,’ -if I may use the profane expression, for the boys who are the objects -of the oracles have a good chance of being installed in the temples -where their spiritual antecedents presided, which are sure to possess -large property. This property goes, it need hardly be added, to the -boys, after they have been duly installed. Whatever may have been the -practical effect of incarnation in former times, it is, as matters -stand at present, an incarnation of all vices and corruptions, instead -of the souls of departed Lamas. - -I once remarked to certain Tibetans that the present mode of -incarnation was a glaring humbug, and that it was nothing less than an -embodiment of bribery. - -To do justice to the incarnations themselves, they grow up, in eight -cases out of ten, to be Lamas of more than average ability, perhaps -because they are brought up with special care. Their teachers and -guardians treat their wards with kindness and never use rough language -to them even when they behave as they ought not to behave. In such case -the teachers and guardians appeal to their sense of honor and great -responsibility. - -This reminds me of the necessity of treating children with -consideration, and that to abuse them as blockheads or fools, when they -err in their conduct or over their lessons, deprives them of the sense -of self-confidence, and hence prevents its natural development. They -must be educated in such a way as to allow full play to their sense of -self-respect. - -The Tibetans have not adopted this particular mode of education for -their boy-incarnations from any deep conviction as to educational -policy; they are doing so out of their respect towards their -boy-masters. - -I should add, also, that the general mass of the people are left in -complete ignorance of all the tricks and intrigues that are concocted -and extensively carried on in the higher circles. With guileless -innocence the ordinary people swallow all the fabulous tales that are -circulated about the alleged evidences fabricated for establishing -the re-incarnation of Lamas. Those only who are acquainted with what -is going on behind the scenes at Lhasa and Shigatze treat those -‘evidences’ with scorn, and denounce the re-incarnation affair as -downright imposture and a mischievous farce. To them the re-incarnation -is an embodiment of bribery, nothing more nor less. At best it is a -fraud committed by oracle-priests at the instance of aristocrats who -are very often their patrons and protectors. - -Oracles are not confined in their operation to matters of incarnation; -they are consulted for many other purposes. A Cabinet Minister who -has committed some error will hasten to those priests, especially to -the Nechung, to prevent his being punished, or to have the punishment -modified. In such a case a Minister has to pay to the priests a sum -varying from the minimum of one thousand yen to ten or twenty times -that amount, according to the gravity of the offence. When in time -that offence comes to the ears of the Government, and the question of -punishing the offender is brought on the _tapis_, the latter can sit -silent without much perturbation, secure in the thought that he has -forestalled the Government and has secretly ‘purchased’ a favorable -understanding with the consulters of the oracles. For to these -consulters the matter is sure to be brought, sooner or later, for their -decision, or more properly for the decision of their deity. The priests -will then consult the oracles, but with a foregone conclusion as to the -nature of the response, being bound by the accused party with fetters -of gold. The oracles will say: “Don’t punish the man, for to do so will -be to invite calamity on the country. Only reprimand is enough, for the -man is at heart well-meaning. His fault came from inadvertence.” And so -the Minister is absolved from the charge, or is sentenced merely to a -nominal punishment. - -On the other hand, a Minister or any other high personage who is a -_persona ingrata_ to the Nechung priests is in danger of bringing down -on his head an oracle of terrible nature at any moment, and in the -presence of the Grand Lama himself. The unscrupulous priests will even -turn the virtues of their unfortunate victim into a means of denouncing -him. The power which those oracle-priests wield in the official circles -of the Grand Lama’s Government is therefore a formidable one, and the -officials hold them in even greater awe than they do their supreme -chief. The Nechung priests may be even regarded as wielding the real -power in the Hierarchical administration. It is true that the present -Grand Lama, being a man of great force of mind, does not blindly adopt -in all cases the insidious advice of the priests; still in the great -majority of cases he has to follow it, for to reject the Nechung’s -words is contrary to the traditions of the country. - -The Nechung, who exercise such power even in small affairs, very often -prove to be broken reeds when they are confronted with grave national -questions. Suppose, for instance, they are asked to consult the -oracles about a diplomatic trouble, in the presence of the Dalai Lama -and other great dignitaries. The priests proceed to do so with pomp -and solemnity, attired in gorgeous dress befitting the occasion. In -time the deity responds to the invocation, and is consulted about the -policy which the Government has to adopt, say, about the trouble which -is supposed to have appeared between it and England. The medium will -remain silent, and simply continue to tremble for some time. He will -next make one high jump, and then drop down apparently unconscious. -The attendants of the medium are then thrown into consternation, -all whispering to each other with significant nods and head-shakes -that the deity must have been offended at the impious question put -to him, and must have therefore gone off in holy wrath. And so for a -grave question, for which the aid of the oracle is most needed, the -Hierarchical Government is left in the lurch and is compelled to give -decision according to its own mother-wit. Such is the farce of the -oracle-system. - -[Illustration: A SOOTHSAYER UNDER MEDIUMISTIC INFLUENCE FALLING -SENSELESS.] - -Men of learning and priests of sincere piety and honest conviction are -therefore bitterly (though not openly) opposed to the doings of those -oracle-priests, whom they denounce as Ministers of devils, and as -the worst enemies of religion. Fortunately, however, the two Lamaist -chiefs are not installed only by the agency of the Nechungs, as above -mentioned. - -I may, for instance, refer in passing to the supposed parentage of -the present Tashi Lama, the second Grand Lama, of Tashi Lhunpo. He is -said to have been born of a dumb woman by some unknown father. Some -say that his father was a hermit, while others are of opinion that he -was a priest, but the most probable account is the one which I heard -from a certain authority, who informed me that a learned doctor, one -Meto-ke-sang (chrysanthemum-flower) of the monastery of Sera, was the -real father of the present head of the Tashi Lhunpo. This doctor became -a monomaniac after having studied the literature of the Old Sect, -roamed about the country, and at last cohabited with a dumb woman. The -result was the birth of the boy on whom fell the great honor. The Lama -is therefore, said to bear a great personal resemblance to that mad -doctor. Though this opinion was held by a reliable authority of the -Sera monastery with whom I was acquainted, of course I cannot vouch for -the authenticity of his explanation. - - - - -CHAPTER LXII. - -The Government. - - -I shall next describe the system of the Hierarchical Government, and -other matters relative to it based on the information I incidentally -obtained on those subjects during my stay in Lhasa. The information -is far from being complete, for besides the fact that the subjects -were entirely foreign to the primary objects of my Tibetan expedition, -and therefore I was not impelled to make any systematic inquiries, I -could not without inviting strong suspicion put any questions to my -friends in Lhasa about matters of Tibetan politics. Whatever knowledge -I could gather on the subject was derived incidentally in the course -of conversations with my distinguished host and some others, and as -the result of enquiries made in a highly guarded and roundabout way. -Hence there still remain many points in the Government system of which -I myself am ignorant. - -With this reserve, I may state first of all that the Hierarchy is -composed of both clerical and lay departments, each consisting of an -equal number of men. The priests of higher rank who attend to the -affairs of State bear the title of “Tse Dung” and they number one -hundred and sixty-five, and there are lay officials of corresponding -rank and number known under the title of “Dung Khor”. The priestly -functionaries of higher rank are subject to the control of four Grand -Secretaries, bearing the title of “Tung yk chen mo” but the real power -is vested in the senior priest. Similarly four “Shabpe” (Premiers) are -appointed over the head of the higher lay officials. Of these four -“Shabpe” the one enjoying precedence in appointment holds the real -power, the other three being his councillors and advisers. - -The Cabinet is composed of four Prime-Ministers, three Ministers of -Finance, two Ministers of War, a Minister of the Household, a Minister -of Religion, a Minister of Justice, and four Grand Secretaries -belonging to the Order. - -All these higher posts, both of priests and laymen, are in most cases -filled only by men belonging to the privileged classes; very rarely do -they fall to the Ngak-pa, Bon-bo and Shal-ngo castes. - -The Tibetan administration is of an anomalous description--a hybrid -partaking of feudalism on the one hand and of the modern system of -Local Government on the other. - -The relation between Peers and commoners apparently resembles -feudalism. The first recipient of the title was granted a certain -tract of land in recognition of his service, and there at once sprung -up between this lord of the manor, as it were, and the inhabitants of -that particular place a relationship akin to that between sovereign and -subject. This lord is an absolute master of his people, both in regard -to their rights and even their lives. - -The lord levies a poll-tax on the inhabitants, and even the poorest -are not exempted from this obligation. The levy varies considerably -according to the means of the payer, from say one tanka paid by a -poor inhabitant to even a hundred paid by a wealthier member of the -community. Besides, every freeholder must pay land tax, the land held -by him being understood theoretically to belong to the lord. However -heavy the burden of the poll-tax may be, each person is obliged to -pay it, for if he neglects to do so he is liable to be punished with -flogging and the confiscation of his property to boot. The only means -of escape from this obligation consists in becoming a monk, and there -must be in the Tibetan priesthood a large number of men who have turned -priests solely with this object of avoiding the payment of taxes. -The witty remark once made to me by my teacher, Ti Rinpoche, on this -subject may illustrate the state of affairs in the Tibetan priesthood. -He said: “I do not know whether to rejoice at or to regret the presence -of so many priests in Tibet. Some seem to take this as a sign of the -flourishing condition of the national religion and on that ground seem -to be satisfied with it. I cannot quite agree with this argument; on -the contrary I rather hold that it is better to have even two or three -precious diamonds than a heap of stones and broken tiles.” The motives -that lead people to become priests lying in that region, it is not -strange that the Tibetan priesthood should contain plenty of rubbish -with very few diamonds among them. - -However, when it is remembered how heavy are the burdens imposed on -the shoulders of the people, it is not strange that they should try to -evade them by entering the Order. The condition of even the poorest -priest presents a great contrast to that of other poor people, for the -priest is at least sure to obtain every month a regular allowance, -small as it is, from the Hierarchical Government, while he can expect -more or less of extra allowances in the shape of occasional presents -from charitable people. But a poor layman cannot expect any help from -those quarters, and he has to support his family with his own labor and -to pay the poll-tax besides. Very often therefore he is hardly able -to drive the wolf of hunger from his door, and in such case his only -hope of succor lies in a loan from his landlord, or the lord of the -manor wherein he resides. But hope of repayment there is none, and so -the poor farmer gets that loan under a strange contract, that is to -say, by binding himself to offer his son or daughter as a servant to -the creditor when he or she attains a certain age. And so his child -when he has reached the age of (say) ten years is surrendered to the -creditor, who is entitled to employ him as a servant for fifteen or -twenty years, and for a loan which does not generally exceed ten yen. -The lives of the children of poor people may therefore be considered as -being foreclosed by their parents. Those pitiable children grow up to -be practically slaves of the Peers. - -The relationship existing between the Peers and the people residing -on their estates, therefore, partakes of the nature of feudalism in -some essential respects, but it cannot be said that feudalism reigns -alone in Tibet to the exclusion of other systems of Government. On the -contrary a centralised form of Government prevails more or less at the -same time. The Peers, it must be remembered, do not generally reside -on their own estates; they reside in Lhasa and leave their estates in -charge of their stewards. And they are not unfrequently appointed by -the Central Government as Governors of certain districts. - -Consequently the Tibetans may be said to be divided into two classes -of people, one being subject to the control of the lords of the manors -and other to that of the Central Government. Not unfrequently the two -overlap, and the same people are obliged to pay poll-tax to their lords -and other taxes to the Central Government. - -The work of revenue collection is entrusted to two or three -Commissioners appointed from among the clerical or lay officials of -higher rank, and these, invested with judicial and executive powers, -are despatched every year to the provinces to collect revenue, -consisting of taxes, imposts and import duties, these being paid either -in money or kind. - -The demands on revenue are many and various, and among the items -of ordinary expenditure may be mentioned first of all the sums -required for supporting, either wholly or partially, a large number -of priests residing both in Lhasa and in the provinces, the former -alone numbering about twenty-five thousand. The outlay on account of -building temples and religious ceremonies is not small, but that on -account of salaries paid to the officials of the Central Government -appears to be less. A Premier draws the yearly salary of about six -hundred _koku_ or four thousand bushels of wheat, the stipend being -generally paid in this grain. The first Lord of the Treasury draws -three hundred and sixty koku. What is very interesting about these -salaries is that the State functionaries very often relinquish the -right of receiving their salaries, and leave them unclaimed. My -host, who continued to hold for ten years the post of the Minister -of Finance, had persistently refrained during that long period from -claiming what was his due. When I marvelled at this strange act -of disinterestedness on his part, he replied that his own estate -supplied what he wanted and so he did not wish to give trouble to the -Grand Lama’s Exchequer. And he further informed me that most of his -colleagues who were men of means generally omitted to claim their -salaries wholly or in part, though there were some who punctually -received the money to which they were entitled by right. Not that even -those who showed themselves so disinterested in the matter of official -stipends are above corruption, for I heard that some of the Ministers -who declined their salaries did not scruple to receive or even to exact -bribes. In justice to them I may add that bribery is a universal vice -in Tibet, and is not regarded in so serious a light there as in more -enlightened countries. My host was a gentleman of strict integrity and -morals, but he used to accept presents offered out of respect to him. - -The clerical and lay high functionaries, each numbering one hundred and -sixty-five, attend to the various affairs of State. They are sometimes -appointed as Governors of provinces, while at other times they are sent -on judicial business. In such cases appointments are never given to -clerical or lay officials only, but both are invariably appointed as -associates, and in equal number, one each or two, or sometimes four. -The Judicial Commissioners were formerly often guilty of injustice -and open to the charge of judging cases, not according to their real -deserts, but according to the amount of bribes offered. They are no -longer so now, thanks to the vigilance and energy of the present Dalai -Lama who, whenever such a case of wrong-doing comes to his ears, does -not hesitate to confiscate the property of the offending parties and -to deprive them of their rank. Sometimes when a case of grave moment -occurs it is submitted to the personal judgment of the Grand Lama -himself. - -The Grand Lama is therefore placed in a highly anomalous position, -for while he is the dispenser of benevolence and the supreme head -of a religion preaching mercy and forbearance, he is obliged to -pass judgment and to sentence persons to exile or even to capital -punishment. As head of a religion he is positively forbidden by its -teachings to pass a decree of that nature, whether that decree is -justifiable in the worldly sense or not. But the Grand Lama does -issue decrees of this irreligious description. He is not, however, a -political chief, inasmuch as he faithfully adheres to the rules of -mortification enforced by his religion; he has no wife, for instance, -nor does he drink intoxicating liquor. His position is really highly -anomalous. - -And yet all the priests in Tibet take from the Grand Lama the holy -vow of discipline; I myself was advised by my Tibetan friends to pass -that ceremony, but my religious scruples stood in the way, so I did -not follow the advice. However I was initiated by the Grand Lama in -the ‘Hidden Teaching,’ for this ceremony had nothing to do with my -religious convictions. - -The Grand Lama himself being placed in this false position, all the -priests under him are naturally open to a similar charge. They are -partly priests and partly men of the world, and sometimes it is hardly -possible to distinguish them from ordinary laymen. For instance, the -Tibetan priests, as I have mentioned elsewhere, undertake farming or -business, while the young rowdies among them attend to the work of -ordinary soldiers. The only things that distinctly distinguish the -priests from laymen are that the former shave their hair and wear -priestly robes, and the latter do not; that is all. I am compelled -to say that Lamaism has fallen, and that it has assumed a form quite -contrary to that to which its great reformer Je Tsong-kha-pa elevated -it, and I am sincerely sorry for this degeneration. I shall next -describe the education and the caste system in Tibet. - - - - -CHAPTER LXIII. - -Education and Castes. - - -Education is not widely diffused in Tibet. In the neighborhood of -Shigatze children are taught comparatively well the three subjects -of writing, arithmetic and reading, but in other places no provision -exists for teaching children, except at monasteries, so that the boys -and girls of ordinary people are generally left uneducated, especially -the latter. - -As might naturally be expected, educational establishments are few and -far between. The only institutions worthy of the name are found on the -premises of the Palace at Lhasa, and of the Tashi Lhunpo monasteries in -Shigatze; all the rest are only ‘family schools’. - -From the important position which priests command in Tibet, the system -of training them is pretty well developed, and it is only at religious -schools that one can obtain even a comparatively advanced education. -Sons of ordinary people can enjoy the benefit of that education only -by joining the order, for otherwise they are refused admission to -Government schools. - -The doors of those schools are, of course, shut against boys of -humble origin. In Tibet there exists one class which is the lowest in -the scale of social gradation. This lowest grade is subdivided into -fishermen, ferry-men, smiths, and butchers. Smiths are relegated to -this grade in Tibet just as in India, and for the same reason--that -they pursue an objectionable occupation in making edged tools used for -slaughtering living things, the most sinful occupation of all. People -of this lowest grade are even prohibited from becoming priests, and if -ever they enter the privileged order it is by some surreptitious means -and by concealing their real rank. In this way some men of the lowest -origin have become priests at places remote from their native villages. -Compared with these despised classes, the ordinary people may be said -to enjoy a great advantage. - -The classes who are entitled to enter the Government institutions are -only four: - -1. _Ger-pa_, Peers; 2. _Ngak-pa_, the manṭra clan, 3. _Bon-bo_, the Old -Sect clan; 4. _Shal-ngo_, families of former chieftains. - -The Peers consist of the descendants of former ministers and generals, -and contain the supreme class called _Yabshi_ which is composed of -families of the thirteen Grand Lamas, past and present, and also of -the descendants of the first King of Tibet, called Tichen Lha-kyari. -They all hold the rank of Duke. The descendants in the direct line of -that King still exist to this day, and their head is entitled to occupy -the same rank as the Grand Lama, only he does not possess any power in -public affairs. The highest posts in the Tibetan Hierarchy are within -the easy reach of the Yabshi men, who can become Prime Ministers or -other great dignitaries of state provided they are judged to possess -qualifications for undertaking those high functions. Even when they do -not occupy such elevated positions, they at least hold posts that are -of next in importance. All the remarks about the Yabshi apply to the -families of the Dalai Lamas, installed at Lhasa, for though the other -Patriarchs at Tashi Lhunpo also possess Yabshi of their own, they do -not enjoy the same privileges as the others. The descendants of the -Dalai Lama’s relatives, and those of the former King, may therefore be -considered as forming in practice the royal families of Tibet. These -should, for convenience, be set apart as a distinct class, though there -are other families that do not differ much from them in origin and -privilege. Of these, one called _De-pon Cheka_ (families of generals) -represents the descendants of the generals and captains who rendered -distinguished services when Tibet engaged in war. The merits of those -warriors, long since dead, obtain for their descendants great respect -from the public and they enjoy great privileges. - -The next grade of the Peerage, but considerably below these, consists -of the descendants of families of great historic renown, or of -ministers of distinguished service. Though occupying the lowest grade -in the herald-book of the Peerage, even the portfolio of the Premier is -accessible to these Peers, provided that they are men of ability. - -In general, honor and ability seldom go together in Tibet, for official -posts are freely sold and purchased, though buyers are limited. High -officials of real ability are even regarded as a nuisance by their -colleagues, and are liable to be dismissed through their intrigues. -Such being the case, by far the greater majority of high official posts -are held by men who have obtained them in exchange for money. - -The class that ranks next to Peers is that of the Ngak-pas or miracle -workers, who are the descendants of Lamas who worked miracles, not -the least of them being their marriage in violation of the rules -of Lama priesthood. Those Lamas transmitted their ‘hidden arts’ -exclusively to this social grade, which thus possesses hereditary -secrets. The Ngak-pas play an important part in the social organism -of Tibet. For instance they are entitled, as already mentioned, to -levy the ‘hail-tax’ in summer, and therefore to assume the function -of administrators. They are also held in great awe by provincials and -townsmen, as being magicians of power. The simple-minded folk believe -that if once they incur the displeasure of a Ngak-pa they may be cursed -by him, and therefore may bring upon themselves some calamity. As I -mentioned before, the Ngak-pa people occupy the advantageous position -of being able to procure money in the shape of proceeds of the -‘hail-tax,’ and of presents coming from all classes of people. Strange -as it may appear, the Ngak-pa men, while commanding such advantages, -are notoriously poor; they even stand as synonyms for poverty. Their -sole consolation is that they are conscious of the great power they -hold over all classes of people; and even Peers are often seen to -dismount from horseback and give a courteous salute when they happen to -meet a beggarly Ngak-pa in the street. - -The third caste is the Bon-bo the name of an old religion which -prevailed in Tibet long before the introduction of Buḍḍhism. The -priests of this practically extinct religion were allowed to marry, -and have left behind them the class of people who represent this old -social institution in Tibet. The Bon-bo people have to play a certain -distinct rôle in public affairs. This is more of a ceremonial than -of a religious nature. It consists in worshipping local deities, and -undertaking ceremonies intended to secure their favor. When people -marry, they ask a Bon-bo man to pray for them to their local deity. -Sometimes he undertakes other kinds of prayer or even performs symbolic -rites with a benevolent or malevolent aim, according to circumstances. -Families of this particular class are found almost everywhere -throughout the country, though in limited numbers. In some remote -villages, as Tsar-ka in the Himālayas, all the villagers are said to -belong to this class, but in most cases only one or two families are -found in one village or in one district. In such cases the Bon-bo are -objects of great respect, and they sometimes act as local magistrates -or administrators. Even when they pursue any other kind of business, -they still command great respect from their neighbors as descendants of -ancient families. - -Though the Bon-bo are descendants of an old religious order, their -present representatives are no longer priests, for they do not preach -their tenets to others, nor try to persuade them to become converts. -They are simply content to hand down their ancestral teachings and -traditions to their children and so maintain their distinct position in -society. Not unfrequently the young Bon-bo enter the priesthood, and -these take precedence over all the other Bon-bo. Strictly speaking the -respect which the people belonging to this particular class enjoy over -others at present is due to their honorable lineage. - -The fourth class is “Shal-ngo” and is composed of the descendants of -ancient families who acquired power in the locality on account of their -wealth in either money or land. The Tibetans are in general a highly -conservative race, and therefore they succeed in most cases in keeping -intact their hereditary property. Their polyandrous custom too must -be conducive to that result, preventing as it does the splitting up -of family property among brothers. By far the great majority of the -Shal-ngo people possess therefore more or less property; and even a -poor Shal-ngo commands the same respect from the public as his richer -confrère. - -Common people are divided into two grades, one called _tong-ba_ and the -other _tong-du_. The former is superior, and includes all those common -people who possess some means and have not fallen into an ignoble state -of slavery. Tong-du means etymologically “petty people,” and their rank -being one grade lower than that of others, the people of this class are -engaged in menial service. Still they are not strictly speaking slaves; -they should more properly be considered as poor tenant-farmers, for -formerly these people used to stand in the relation of tenant-farmers -to land-owners, though such relation no longer exists. - -Some tong-ba are reduced to more straitened circumstances than the -tong-du, but, generally considered, the tong-ba are distinguished from -the others by the possession of property, greater or less as the case -may be, while poverty is a special feature of the tong-du. - -However low the tong-ba may fall in the worldly sense of the word, -and, on the other hand, however thriving the tong-du may become, a -strict line of demarcation still continues to separate the two classes. -Society continues to treat them as before, and as if nothing had -happened in their relative fortunes. No ordinary people deign to eat -with one belonging to the tong-du class, nor do they ever intermarry -with them. - -This strict rule of social etiquette is in force even among the four -divisions of the lowest class, that is to say, ferry-men, fishermen, -smiths and butchers. Of the four, the first two rank higher than the -other two. Thus, though smiths and butchers are not permitted to eat in -the same room with common people, the other two classes are allowed to -do so, only they may not sit at table with a privileged plebeian, but -must eat or drink from their own vessels. - -It is hardly necessary to add that a strong barrier is set up between -these four kinds of social outcasts and the ordinary common people, to -prevent their intermarriage; a man or woman belonging to the latter -class, who is so indiscreet as to obey the bidding of his or her heart -and to marry one of the despised race, is socially tabooed from his or -her own kith and kin. This punishment is permanent, and even when the -bond of this _mésalliance_ has been dissolved by divorce, or any other -cause, the fallen man or woman can never hope to regain the caste which -he or she has forfeited. The mark of social infamy will follow him or -her to the grave. - -It is curious, however, that the issues of these _mésalliances_ form a -social class of their own. They are called _tak ta ril_, which means a -‘mixed race produced by black and white twisted together’. They occupy -a position even lower than that of the four despised classes mentioned -above, and are in fact the lowest caste in Tibet. - -There is one interesting feature in regard to this rigid canon of -social caste, and that is the presence of gentlemen-smiths, who, being -men of a mechanical turn of mind, have become smiths from preference. -These gentlemen-smiths do not forfeit their birth and rank on this -account. - -Both by law and custom the higher classes enjoy special privileges, -and these go a long way. The children of aristocrats, for instance, -are entitled to exact from their humbler playmates great respect and -courtesy. When the latter so forget themselves in their disputes and -quarrels with their noble associates as to use rough language, they -are at once punished, even when they are in the right. It is evident -therefore from what has been stated that a plebeian, no matter how -wealthy, is obliged to behave respectfully under all circumstances to a -man belonging to the Ngak-pa or Bon-bo, even though the latter may be -as poor as a church mouse. As each social class forms practically one -distinct community with its own particular etiquette, customs and so -forth, ranks are more plainly visible on the surface in Tibet than in -most other countries. The Tibetan proverb corresponding to the western -saying that “blood will out” gains a special significance when applied -to the state of affairs prevailing in that semi-civilised country. - -The aristocrats of Tibet are distinguished by noble mien and refined -manners. Conscious of their elevated position, they possess on the -whole a high sense of honor. The other privileged castes occupying -a lower plane, such as the men of the Ngak-pa and Bon-bo races and -the descendants of ancient grandees, still bear the marks of their -respectable birth and can easily be distinguished even by strangers -from the common people. - -The common people are plebeian in their general bearing and appearance, -but one thing to their credit is that they are known for strict -honesty, and even extreme poverty seldom tempts them into committing -arts of larceny. On the other hand, the lower classes or social -outcasts are notorious for their criminal propensities to robbery and -murder. In practice they are characterised by crime and wretchedness; -they are criminals and beggars. Beggars in fact form a community -of their own, the profession being hereditary. These classes are -deservedly held in contempt by the public, and their faces even seem to -justify such treatment, for they are remarkable for ferocity, depravity -and vileness. - -As I have mentioned before, lads belonging to the higher ranks are -entitled to enter Government schools, but the subjects taught there -are at best imperfect. The lessons consist only of learning by memory, -penmanship and counting. The first subject is the most important, next -comes penmanship, the latter receiving even a larger allotment of -hours than the other. Counting is a primitive affair, being taught by -means of pebbles, pieces of wood, or shells. The subject matters of -learning by memory are Buḍḍhist Texts, the elements of grammar, and -lastly rhetoric. This last is a subject of great ambition for Tibetan -scholars, who are just like Chinese in their fondness for grandiloquent -expressions. Documents to be presented to the Dalai Lama and other high -personages bristle with high-flown phraseology and with characters -rarely used in ordinary writing, and not found even in Buḍḍhist Texts. -The fact is that Tibetan scholars at present hold strange ideas about -writing, being of opinion that they should aim at composing in a style -unintelligible to ordinary persons. The more characters they can use -which cannot easily be understood by others, the better proof, they -think, have they given of the profundity of their scholarship. The -most scholarly compositions are practically hierographic so far as -their incomprehensibility is concerned. - -[Illustration: FLOGGING AS A MEANS OF EDUCATION] - -The birch-rod is considered to be the most useful implement in -teaching; not exactly a birch-rod, however, but a flat piece of bamboo. -The cramming of difficult passages of rhetoric being the principal mode -of learning imposed on pupils, their masters are invariably of opinion -that they must make free use of the rod in order to quicken their -pupils’ progress. The relation between masters and pupils does not -differ much from that between gaolers and convicts. The latter, poor -fellows, hold their masters in such dread that they find it exceedingly -trying, at the sight of them and their formidable pedagogic weapons, to -compose their minds and to go on unfalteringly with their lessons. They -cower with fear, and are filled with the perturbing thought that the -rod is sure to descend upon them for the slightest stumble they make -in the path of learning. The ordinary way of using the rod is to give -thirty blows with it on the left palm of the pupil. Prudence counsels -the pupil to stretch out his hand with alacrity at the bidding of his -hard master, for in case he hesitates to do so the penalty is generally -doubled, and sixty blows instead of thirty are given. It is a cruel -sight to see a little pupil holding out his open hand and submitting to -the punishment with tearful eyes. Surely this is not education but mere -cruelty. - -I once made an earnest remonstrance on this subject with the Minister -of Finance who, in common with the rest, used to teach his boys with -a liberal application of the rod. To do justice to the Minister, his -method of teaching was much more considerate than that of most of his -countrymen, and he very seldom resorted to rough handling, such as -binding pupils with cords over-night or compelling them to go without -dinner or supper. When however I remonstrated with him on the ground -that the infliction of corporal punishment was entirely opposed to all -sound principles of education, he at first defended the Tibetan system -with great earnestness. We had a somewhat animated though courteous -dispute on the subject; but at length, being a man of great candor of -mind, he seemed to perceive the merit of my position. At any rate he -ceased to use the rod as he did before, and generally confined himself -to giving a reprimand when any of his boys went astray with his -learning. The Minister afterward informed me that his boys seemed to -make better progress when they were spared the rod. - -Abuse is also considered as an efficient means of educating boys. -“Beast,” “beggar,” “devil,” “ass,” “eater of parents’ flesh,” are -epithets applied to backward boys by their teachers, and this custom of -using foul language is naturally handed on from teachers to pupils, who -when they grow up are sure to pass on those slanderous appellations to -the next generation. - -While the education of the sons of laymen is conducted with such -severity, that of boy disciples by Lama priests is extremely lenient, -and is quite in contrast to that of the others. The disciples are not -even reprimanded, much less chastised, when they neglect their work. -The priests generally leave them to do as they like, much as uxorious -husbands do towards their wilful wives, so that it is no wonder that -the disciples of Lamas very seldom make any good progress in learning. -They are spoiled by the excessive indulgence of their masters. Some of -these masters own the evil of their way of education, and are careful -not to spoil the youthful pupils placed under their care, and it is -precisely from among these latter disciples that priests of learning -and ability may be expected. - -The memorising part of the Tibetan system of education, as mentioned -above, is a heavy burden on the pupils. To give some idea of what an -important part this work occupies in their system, I may note that -a young acolyte, who has grown to fifteen or sixteen years old, has -to commit to memory, from the oral instruction of his teachers, from -three hundred to five hundred pages of Buḍḍhist texts in the course of -a year. He has then to undergo an examination on what he has learned. -Even for a lad of weak memory, the number of pages is not less than one -hundred in a year. For those who have grown older, that is for those -whose age ranges between eighteen and thirty, the task imposed is still -more formidable, being five to eight hundred and even one thousand -pages. I was amazed at this mental feat of the Tibetan priests, for I -could barely learn fifty sheets in six months, that being the minimum -limit allotted for aspirants of poor memory. - - - - -CHAPTER LXIV. - -Tibetan Trade and Industry. - - -I shall now describe the trade of Tibet, though my account must -necessarily be imperfect for obvious reasons. - -I shall begin with an interesting incident that occurred to me in -November, 1901, when I was enabled to send home letters for the first -time after my arrival in the country. That was on the 18th of the -month, and through the agency of Tsa Rong-ba, a Tibetan trader with -whom I had become acquainted at Darjeeling. This man started for -Calcutta on Government business to buy iron, and as I knew him to be -trustworthy I entrusted him with a letter addressed to Saraṭ Chanḍra -Ḍās, in which were enclosed several others addressed to my friends and -relatives in Japan. - -The iron which he was commissioned to procure was for the purpose -of manufacturing small arms at an arsenal situated at Dib near -Che-Cho-ling, on the bank of the river Kichu, which flows to the south -of Lhasa. - -This industry was an innovation in Tibet, and in fact had begun only -about eight years before that time. It was introduced by a Tibetan -named Lha Tse-ring who had lived for a long time at Darjeeling and, -at the request of his Government, brought back with him about ten -gunsmiths, mostly Hinḍū and Cashmere Mohamedans. Only two of these -smiths remained in Tibet at the time I reached Lhasa, the rest -having returned home or died; but as several of the Tibetan smiths -had acquired the art from them, no inconvenience was experienced in -continuing the industry. This was a great improvement on the old -state of affairs, for Tibet had formerly possessed only flint-lock -muskets, and even these could not easily be introduced from India. -The manufacture of improved firearms was therefore a great boon to -the country, and the Government did not spare expense and trouble to -encourage the development of the art. Hence it came about that my -acquaintance was authorised by the Government to proceed to Calcutta -and procure a supply of iron. - -It ought to be mentioned that about this time the departure of Tibetan -merchants to foreign countries for the transaction of business had -become quite frequent. They proceeded first of all to British India, -next to China, and lastly to the Russian territories. The trade with -the last was, however, quite insignificant as yet, and whatever -relations Tibet may have with Russia are in most cases political and -very rarely commercial. - -I shall first describe the Tibetan trade with British India and Nepāl. - -Of Tibetan products exported to India wool is the most important, and -next musk and the tails of yaks, furs and leathers. Buḍḍhist images and -books, being liable to confiscation when discovered, seldom go abroad, -though they are more or less in demand in India. Other goods exported -to India are insignificant. Formerly more or less Chinese tea for -consumption by the Tibetans residing at Darjeeling used to go to India, -but this is no longer the case. - -The quantity of wool sent abroad is quite large. From five thousand -to six thousand mule-packs go to Darjeeling, about one thousand five -hundred to Bhūtān, about two thousand five hundred to Nepāl and about -three thousand to Ladak. These figures are of course far from precise, -for (reliable official returns being wanting) I based my estimates on -information obtained from the traders. Besides the figures given above, -there are quantities, greater or less, sent to China and also westward -to Mānasarovara, but as I did not visit either district, and moreover -had no means of making an estimate about them, I have nothing to say -on the subject. - -Musk is obtained in Tibet, but from a certain species of deer and -not from civet-cats. The musk-deer is found almost everywhere in -that country. It is of about two and a half times or three times the -size of an ordinary cat, and though resembling the Japanese deer in -shape, it is not so tall as the other. The musk-deer subsists on -herbage, and is covered with light and soft fur of a deep grey color. -It has an exceedingly amiable face indicative of its mild nature. -One characteristic feature is that it has two small but pretty tusks -somewhat curved projecting from the upper jaws. The musk is found only -in the male, and is contained in a little pouch attached to the hinder -part. A strange fact is that the pouch is said to grow gradually in -size from the beginning to the middle of each lunar month and then -gradually to be reduced again until the end of the month, this periodic -change appearing with great regularity. The musk-deer is therefore shot -about the middle of the month, generally between the 13th and 15th. - -The musk-deer is shot with a gun, but in preserved forests such as are -found round about Lhasa and other Buḍḍhist headquarters, where shooting -and hunting are strictly forbidden on pain of severe penalties, -hunters catch the animal, clandestinely of course, by means of traps. -Though the deer is found almost everywhere in Tibet, its principal -habitation is in such remote districts as Kong-bo, Tsari and Lo. Musk -is very cheap in all those districts, costing about one-tenth of the -price given in Japan. The musk produced there is also purer than that -produced in more prosperous places, for the people being simple-minded -do not tamper with it nor adulterate it with other substances. The -musk coming from Lo, for instance, is especially reputed for purity -and cheapness. The district is inhabited by half-naked aborigines, -who resemble in outward appearance both Tibetans and Hinḍūs, though -ethnologically they are more akin to the former than to the latter. - -The musk produced by these savages is bartered against articles either -of ornament or domestic utility, such as mirrors, glass beads, iron -pans, sickles, knives, flour, confectionery and foreign trinkets. - -Though the musk is obtainable at a very reasonable price in these -districts, the risks and dangers from highwaymen which traders -encounter on the road are so great that only those who are uncommonly -adventurous proceed thither to get a supply from the natives. - -The Tibetan musk is sent in larger quantities to China than to India, -notwithstanding the fact that transport to the latter is easier. Almost -all goods from Tibet to China travel through Ta-chien-lu. However, even -at present, more or less is sent to Yunnan, whence Japan has been used -to obtain its supply. The so-called ‘Yunnan-musk’ so much prized in -Japan therefore comes originally from Tibet. - -The ‘Blood-horn’ of the ‘Precious deer’ is the most valuable item among -the commodities on the export list to China. This horn makes a medicine -highly valued by Chinese physicians, being considered to possess the -power of invigorating the body, prolonging life and giving lustre to -the face. It is in fact used as an elixir by the Chinese. The horn -therefore commands a high price, and even in Tibet a Chinese merchant -will give as much as five hundred _yen_ in Japanese currency for a pair -of good horns. The inferior horns, however, can be bought at even two -or three _yen_ a piece, these being used not for medicine but only for -ornament. Sharp, experienced eyes are required to distinguish a good -and valuable horn from an inferior one, and even in Tibet there are not -many such experts. - -This special kind of deer is found in the wild districts of the -south-eastern and north-western parts of Tibet, especially in the -former. It is a large animal, larger than an average horse, but in -shape it resembles an ordinary deer, only that it is plumper. As a rule -it is covered with greyish hair, though some are covered with fur of -other hues. - -The horns are renewed every year, the growth beginning from about -January of the lunar calendar. The new horns are covered with a hairy -epidermis and consist of nothing but thickened blood. They continue to -grow, and about March or April produce one ramification. At the same -time the base becomes hard and bony, whilst the upper parts remain of -the same consistency as before. They are further ramified and elongated -with the lapse of time, and the growth reaches its climax by about -September, after which the counter process of decay commences and the -horns, now grown quite long, drop off about the middle of December. -The largest specimens I saw measured thirteen inches in length with -the main stem of about 1-4/5 inches in girth, and even such horns are -completely covered with hairy integument. - -The best season for the horns, that is when they are medically most -efficacious, is believed to be April or May, and it is then that -the natives go out to hunt the animal. The shooting should be done -with accurate aim so as to drop the animal at once, and the hunters -therefore generally aim at the forehead. This is owing to the fact -that when the animal is only wounded, instead of being brought down by -a single shot, he invariably knocks his head against rocks or trees -and breaks the precious horns to pieces. About the month of April or -May, the animal, probably from the necessity of protecting his horns, -sojourns in less remote and rocky places, and this habit makes him fall -an easy prey to the hunter. - -I may mention that I brought home a fine specimen of these horns -which I bought at Lhasa. They are genuine, for I had them judged by a -competent expert. - -The exports to Nepāl comprise wool, yak-tails, salt, saltpetre, -woollen goods and a few other articles. To the districts lying to the -north-east of Tibet, that is to the north-western parts of China and -Mongolia, go various kinds of woollen goods; Buḍḍhist books also go -largely to Mongolia, as do also Buḍḍhist images, pictures and various -paraphernalia. These, considered as objects of art, are worthless, -though formerly Tibet produced images and pictures of high artistic -standard. The contrast between old and new images and pictures, both -of which are to be seen in most temples in Tibet, is sufficiently -glaring, for the latter are as a rule clumsy performances, offensive to -the taste and also to the sense of decency, being invariably bi-sexual -representations of men and women with one common body. I was once -struck with the notion that the Tibetans are characterised by four -serious defects, these being: filthiness, superstition, unnatural -customs (such as polyandry), and unnatural art. I should be sorely -perplexed if I were asked to name their redeeming points; but if I -had to do so, I should mention first of all the fine climate in the -vicinity of Lhasa and Shigatze, their sonorous and refreshing voices -in reading the Text, the animated style of their catechisms, and -their ancient art. But to cut short my digression, and to resume the -description of Tibetan trade, I must next give an account of the import -business. - -Of the imported goods, those coming from India are mostly in evidence. -Among them may be mentioned woollen cloth for decorating the rooms of -temples and for other uses, silk handkerchiefs, Burma _crêpes_, Benares -brocades, silk tissues, and cotton fabrics. White cotton piece-goods -are mostly in demand, next piece-goods of light blue and of russet -color. Figured chintzes of various patterns are also imported more or -less. - -Imports from China comprise first of all silk fabrics of sundry kinds, -as brocades, tussore silk, _crêpes_ and satins of various kinds. Silver -bullion and drugs are also imported, but in respect of value tea -stands first on the list of Chinese imports. From what I have roughly -estimated, the quantity of tea arriving at Lhasa alone will cost not -less than six hundred and fifty thousand _yen_ a year approximately, -while the import to Eastern Tibet, which is more thickly inhabited than -the other half of the country, must of course reach a larger figure, -for the Tibetans are great tea-drinkers and both high and low imbibe -a large quantity of the beverage all through the year. The poorest -people, who cannot afford to buy, are satisfied with a thin decoction -obtained from the refuse of the tea-pots of wealthier people. Tea is -rather costly, for one brick of inferior quality measuring about one -foot long, 6-1/2 inches wide and three inches thick costs two _yen_ -seventy-five _sen_ at Lhasa; a brick consisting of only leaves without -any mixture of twigs cannot be obtained at less than five _yen_. The -prices rise as we go westward, owing to the cost of transportation, and -for a brick costing two _yen_ seventy-five _sen_ at Lhasa as much as -three _yen_ twenty-five _sen_ has to be paid in Western Tibet. - -The imports from Bhūtān or Sikkim comprise tussore-silk goods, woollen -fabrics, and cotton goods. - -Then from India, Kashmīr, or Nepāl are imported copper utensils, -grains, dried grapes, dried peaches, dates, medical drugs, and precious -stones of various kinds, as diamonds, rubies, agates, turquoises and -corals. Of these turquoises and corals are the most important, being -widely used by the Tibetans as a hair decoration. For this purpose the -best quality of turquoises are even more prized than diamonds, and a -good turquoise of the size of the tip of the small finger fetches as -much as one thousand two hundred _yen_. Coral without spots is rather -rare, and most of those seen on the heads of the Tibetan women are -spotted more or less. The Tibetans are fond of the reddish or deep -reddish variety, which are not popular among the Japanese. Superior -kinds come from China, and one good coral ball from China commands -from one hundred and twenty to two hundred and thirty _yen_. Indian -specimens are usually inferior in quality. Coral-beads are also -imported from that country. Glass beads do duty for corals for poorer -folk, and imitation corals made in Japan are sold also. These were -formerly passed off as genuine by dishonest merchants, and were sold -at comparatively speaking fabulous prices. They are now taken at their -proper value. Cheap foreign fancy goods and Japanese matches also find -their way to Tibet through India. - -Several queer customs prevail in Tibet concerning business -transactions. The mode of selling woollen and cotton piece-goods is -particularly singular. The standard of measurement is the length of the -two outstretched hands, while another measurement based on the length -from the elbow to the tip of the fingers is also used. This measurement -is determined by the buyers, so that a large person enjoys the -advantage of getting a longer measure, while the merchant is subjected -to so much disadvantage. However, this primitive mode of measurement -is generally applied to the native products only, as for foreign cloth -the unit of measurement is a square, each side of which is equal to -the breadth of the cloth to be sold. This is called a _kha_, and a kha -varies with the breadth of each piece of cloth. - -Very seldom are native merchants honest in their dealing; even the -most trustworthy ask a price ten to twenty per cent higher than is -reasonable, and the price asked by the more dishonest is really -monstrous, being double or even as much as five or six times the real -rate. - -Another interesting feature in Tibetan transactions is the blessing -which the merchants bestow on anything which people buy from them. The -most common formula of blessing is to this effect: “May the goods you -have bought from me avert from you disease or any other suffering; may -your purchase bring good luck and prosperity, so that you may grow -richer, build storehouses, and buy more and more goods from us!” - -The blessing accompanying the parting with sacred books is more -ceremonious. The merchant reverentially lifts the book over his head in -both hands, and then hands it over to the purchaser (a priest in most -cases) with this blessing: - -“May your reverence not only seek the true light from this sacred work, -but may you conduct yourself according to that light, so that you may -attain better intelligence, wisdom and morals, and fit yourself for the -holy work of salvation, for the good of all beings!” - -The purchaser has also a ceremony to perform in this transaction, and I -must confess that his performance is more obviously selfish, outwardly -at least; for in handing the price he just touches the dirty coin with -his tongue, then wipes it on the neck of his garment, and finally hands -it to the merchant after having cast upon it one lingering glance -indicative of his reluctance to part with it. This act of licking and -wiping signifies that the purchaser has licked off and wiped away for -his own benefit all the good luck that was contained in that piece. -The coin that goes to the merchant is therefore considered as a mere -empty thing, so far as the virtue that was originally contained in it -is concerned. - -Though these tedious processes are omitted by big merchants, such as -those engaged in dealing in tea, all the others faithfully observe -them, especially those in the country. - -It may be supposed that with so little to export and so much to import, -the country would be impoverished. This, however, is not the case, as -I shall explain. Tibet has been used to obtain a large amount of gold -from Mongolia--more as donations to Tibetan Lamas than as the price -paid for Tibetan goods. This influx of gold from Mongolia has done much -thus far in enabling the country to keep the balance of her trade. She -therefore cannot adopt an exclusion policy economically, even though -she may without much inconvenience do so politically. In fact the -enforcement of economic exclusion would be followed by serious internal -trouble, simply because it would put a stop to the inflow of gold from -Mongolia. - -However, so far as this Mongolian gold is concerned, it seems as if -circumstances were about to bring Tibet to a result tantamount to the -enforcement of economic exclusion, for since the war between Japan and -China and especially since the Boxer trouble the inflow of Mongolian -gold to Tibet has virtually ceased, so much so that the Mongolian -priests who are staying in Tibet for the prosecution of their studies -are sorely embarrassed owing to the non-arrival of their remittances -from home. Some of them have even been obliged to suspend regular -attendance at lectures, and to seek some means of earning their -livelihood, just as the poorer native Buḍḍhist students are accustomed -to do. - -Another thing that adds to the economic difficulties of the Tibetans -is their tendency to grow more and more luxurious in their style of -living, a tendency that began to be particularly noticeable from -about twenty years ago. This has been inevitably brought about by the -foreign trade of Tibet and the arrival of goods of foreign origin. All -these circumstances have impressed the Tibetans with the necessity -of extending their sphere of trade with foreign countries instead of -confining their commercial operations within the narrow bounds of -their own country. The consequence is that a larger number of the -inhabitants have begun to proceed every year to China, India and Nepāl -on commercial enterprises. - -Now suppose that Tibet should prohibit her people embarking in this -foreign trade, what would be the consequence? In the first place she -would be unable to get any supply of goods from India, China and other -countries, goods which are now articles of daily necessity for her -people. This, though sufficiently hard, might be endured; but what -would be unendurable would be the closing of Indian markets to the -wool of Tibet, India being the most important consumer of this staple -produce of the country. More wool being produced than can be reasonably -consumed at home, the close of foreign markets is certain to bring -down prices, and therefore to rob the sheep-farmers, or more properly -the nomadic people of that country, of the greater part of the income -they are at present enabled to get from their wool. The supply for food -is, on the other hand, less than the demand, and as the prices of this -essential of life cannot be expected to go down in proportion to those -of wool, the sheep-farmers who constitute the greater part of the whole -population would be threatened with starvation. - -The incoming of gold from Mongolia being suspended, Tibet cannot, even -if she would, cut off her commercial relations with the outside world. - -Urged by necessity, trade is advancing with great strides, judging at -least from the larger number of people engaged in it, for as matters -stand at present the Forbidden Land may without exaggeration be -considered as a “nation of shop-keepers”. - -In fact all the people, with the exception of those who are -disqualified through physical defects and age, are engaged in business -of one kind or another. Even farmers are partly traders. In winter -when farm-work is slack they proceed to northern Tibet to lay in their -stock of salt, obtained from the salt lakes that are found there. Then -these men start for Bhūtān, Nepāl or Sikkim, to sell their goods in -those places. - -Priests are not too proud to deal with secular dollars and cents, and -monasteries often trade on a large scale. - -[Illustration: PRIEST TRADERS LOADING THEIR YAKS.] - -The Government itself is a trader, not directly, but through its -regular agents, who in virtue of the important trust reposed in them -enjoy various privileges, such as the liberty to requisition horses for -carrying their goods or to take lodgment _gratis_. - -Peers are also traders, mostly by proxy, though some of them refrain -from making investments and are content to subsist on the income -derived from their land. None the less the business spirit permeates -the whole Peerage, and even these non-trading Peers are ready to make -small bargains now and then. Suppose a visitor to a Peer’s house takes -a fancy to some of the furniture or hall decoration in it. In such a -case it is not considered impolite for the visitor to ask the host -the price of that particular article, and to ask him, if the price is -considered reasonable, to sell it to him. Nor is it thought derogatory -for the host to sell his belongings, and so the bargain is struck when -both parties can come to terms. The whole proceeding is conducted with -the shrewdness and vigilant attention to details which characterise -regular businessmen. - -It is interesting to note that even boy-disciples in monasteries are -traders in their own way, and do not hesitate to invest their money -whenever they happen to notice in the shops or other places articles -that appeal to their fancy. These they bring home and either sell, -(generally at a large profit) to other boys, or exchange for other -objects. - -One great evil attends this propensity, and that is the danger of -stimulating cunning practices, each party trying to impose upon the -other in all those dealings. - - - - -CHAPTER LXV. - -Currency and Printing blocks. - - -Commodities are either bartered or bought with regular coins. I should -more strictly say _the coin_, there being only one kind of coin, and -that is a twenty-four _sen_ silver piece. That is the only legal tender -current. Transactions have to be conducted therefore in a rather -complicated manner, inasmuch as that coin admits of being divided in -two ways only. In the first place it may be cut into two, thereby -producing two twelve-_sen_ pieces; or it may be divided into a 2/3 -piece and a 1/3 piece, the former passing at sixteen _sen_ and the -latter at eight. The cutting is far from being exact, and cut pieces -are in most cases perforated in the centre or worn down at the edges. -These however are passed and received without complaint. - -In Lhasa and other prosperous places the unit of transactions is four -_sen_, but there being no four-_sen_ piece one must take with him in -making a purchase of four _sen_ one 2/3 piece valued at sixteen _sen_, -and receive in return for it one 1/2 piece valued at twelve _sen_. When -the seller happens not to possess this one-half piece, the buyer then -produces one 1/2 piece and one 2/3 piece, and receives in return for -the two one whole piece called a tanka which is valued at twenty-four -_sen_. For a purchase of eight _sen_ a buyer produces one tanka and -receives a 2/3 piece in change. - -The unit of transaction being four _sen_ there are six gradations of -value between this minimum and a tanka, each possessing a distinct -denomination. Thus four _sen_ is called a _khakang_, eight _sen_ a -_karma_, twelve _sen_ a _chyekka_, sixteen _sen_ a _shokang_, twenty -_sen_ a _kabchi_ and twenty-four _sen_ a _tanka_. - -In less prosperous places, and indeed everywhere except in Lhasa and -Shigatze, it is impossible to make a purchase of less than one tanka, -owing to be the absence of divided pieces of smaller value. - -In some places are found silver pieces which are locally circulated, -as in the north-western steppes which form the boundary line between -Tibet and India. These pieces are semi-circular in shape, but are not -accepted in the Grand Lama’s dominions. - -Here I should like to recount what occurred to me in my monetary -dealings. It was not an ordinary transaction, but a sort of blackmail -carried out at my expense. - -I have spoken before of the prodigal son of the house of Para. One day -this man sent his servant to me with a letter and asked for a loan -of money, rather a large sum for Tibet. Of course he had no idea of -repaying me, and his loan was really blackmail. I sent back the servant -with half of what he had asked, together with a letter. I was told -that he was highly enraged at what I had done, exclaiming that I had -insulted him, and that he had not asked for the sum for charity, and so -on. At any rate he sent back the money to me, probably expecting that I -would then send him the whole sum asked for. But I did not oblige him -as he had expected, and took no notice of his threat. A few days after -another letter reached me from that young man, again asking for the sum -as at first. I decided to save myself from further annoyance and so I -sent the sum. Like master, like servant; the latter, having heard most -probably from his spendthrift master that I was a Japanese, came to me -for a loan or blackmail of fifty _yen_. I gave that sum too, for I knew -that they could not annoy me repeatedly with impunity. - -About that time I chiefly devoted my leisure to collecting Buḍḍhist -books, for I had a fairly large amount of money. I must remark here -that Buḍḍhist works not in ordinary use are not sold by booksellers in -Tibet; they are kept in the form of blocks at one monastery or another, -and any person who wishes to get a copy of any of such works must -obtain from the owner of the copyright permission to get an impression -of it. In return for this permission an applicant has to forward -some fee and some donation to the monastery which owns and keeps the -particular set of blocks from which he wishes to get an impression -or impressions, this donation generally consisting of a quantity of -tussore silk. The fee, more or less differing in rate according to -monasteries and kind of blocks, ranges from about twenty-five _sen_ -to about one _yen_ twenty _sen_ per hundred sheets. The permission -obtained, the applicant next engages either three or six printers, -two printers and one assorter forming a special printing party, so to -say. Wages for the men are generally fifty _sen_ a day without board, -and as they work in a very dilatory manner, the cost of printing is -rather heavy. The paper used in printing is of native origin, made of a -certain plant, the leaves and roots of which are poisonous. The roots -are white and produce excellent tough fibres. The Tibetan paper is -therefore sufficiently strong and durable, but is not white, owing to -bad bleaching. - -Booksellers in Tibet, at least so far as I observed at Lhasa, do -not sell their books at their own houses, but at open stalls in the -courtyard in front of the western door of the great temple-shrine of -the Buḍḍha Shākyamuni, called Cho Khang. I saw ten such bookstalls -in Lhasa and two or three at the bazaar in Shigatze, and those -stallkeepers arranged their stock in trade in heaps instead of leaving -their books open to invite inspection, as booksellers of other -countries do. - -The books which I collected either through purchase, or by getting -special impressions from the original blocks, were at first kept in -my room at the Sera monastery, and my collection was a subject of -wonder and curiosity to the priests who were quartered in the rooms -not far from my own. The collection, they were heard saying to each -other, contained three times as many books as even a learned doctor -possessed in Tibet, and they could not but wonder how I, a student from -a remote country, could carry home so many books. I therefore kept all -my subsequent purchases in my room at the house of my host, in order to -avoid suspicion. - -Meanwhile the end of the month of December drew near and at last the -New Year’s eve arrived. I made an arrangement to keep the day according -to the Japanese custom. Accordingly I sent my boy to the Sakya Temple -in the city with clarified butter to make an offering of light to the -Buḍḍha enshrined in the edifice. This is done by putting clarified -butter into the gold lamps placed before the tabernacle. Any one who -wishes to make this offering has simply to pay in the usual charge -of two tanka to the keepers of the edifice, and on that particular -occasion I therefore sent my boy with two tanka pieces. - -I arranged my own room in a manner suitable to the occasion. I hung -a roll on which was painted an image of Buḍḍha, set in front of it a -tiny sacred tabernacle, then three stands of silver lamps, and lastly -various offerings. After the preliminary service had been concluded, -I began, after the hour of midnight, a regular service and kept it -up till four in the morning of the New Year’s Day. Then I performed -a ceremony in order to pray for the prosperity of their Imperial -Majesties the Emperor and Empress, H. I. H. the Crown Prince, and -also for the greater prosperity and glory of the Empire of Japan. I -thought that during the three thousand years that had elapsed since the -founding of the Empire this must be the first time that one of its own -subjects had offered such a prayer in that city of the Forbidden Land; -then a strange sensation came over me, and somehow I felt grateful -tears rising in my eyes. - -[Illustration: NEW YEAR’S READING OF THE TEXTS FOR THE JAPANESE -EMPEROR’S WELFARE.] - -As I turned my eyes outward, while continuing the service, I noticed -the New Year’s sun beginning to ascend in the eastern sky, reflecting -its golden rays on the snow that covered the surrounding hills and -plains. Nearer before my eyes and in the spacious court of the -monastery, several snow-white cranes were stalking at leisure, now and -then uttering their peculiar cry. The whole scene was exquisite and -quite captivating; how I should have liked to invite my own countrymen -to come and share this pleasure with me! The service, the thought about -my dear home, the snow-scene, the cranes, and the New Year’s Day--these -roused in me a chain of peculiar sentiments at once delightful and sad, -and this strange association of thoughts I embodied on that occasion in -a couple of awkward _utas_ freely rendered into prose thus:-- - -“Here on this Roof of the World and amidst the ascending dawn heralded -by the cry of the cranes, I glorify the long and prosperous reign of -our sovereign liege who reigns over his realm in the Far East. - -“I hear in the garden of the holy seat the voice of the pure-white -cranes, glorifying the triumph of the Holy Religion.” - - - - -CHAPTER LXVI. - -The Festival of Lights. - - -On January 4th, 1902, that is to say, on November 25th of the -lunar calendar, the festival of Sang-joe commenced, this being the -anniversary day of the death of Je Tsong-kha-pa the great Lamaist -reformer. This may be called the “Festival of Lights,” every roof in -Lhasa and in all the adjoining villages blazing with lights set burning -in honor of the occasion. Hundreds, even thousands of such butter-fed -lights were burning on the roofs of monasteries, and presented a unique -sight, such as is rarely seen in other parts of the world. - -The Sang-joe is one of the most popular festivals, and lasts for two -weeks. It is the season when the Tibetans, priests and laymen, give -themselves up to great rejoicing, when dancing, singing and feasting -are the order of the day, and when people put on their gala dresses. - -The arrival of the season is announced by an interesting custom, a sort -of religious blackmail, enforced at the expense of people of position -from about the second decade of the month of November according to -the lunar calendar. According to this custom every person enjoys the -privilege, for the sake of the coming festival, of begging a present of -money from any superior in rank or position who may visit his house. -Even people of good position and means do not think it beneath them to -exercise this privilege of begging. I myself felt the effect of this -custom and was obliged to present here a _tanka_ and there two tanka. -In this way I spent about five _yen_ in Japanese money during this -season of public begging. I did not doubt it when I was told by some -acquaintance that my Sang-joe item next year would be threefold what -it was in the present year, owing to the enlargement of the circle of -my acquaintances. - -The religious side of Sang-joe is a sort of vigil, performed every -night from about midnight to early dawn, the service consisting of the -reading in company of holy Texts. This midnight ceremony is a solemn -affair which every person in the monastery is obliged to attend. - -As I attended this ceremony in the Sera monastery I was highly -impressed with the solemnity of the function, and felt that the -peculiarly subdued tones of the chanting exerted upon my mind a -powerful effect. It seemed to me as if angels were conducting the -service. - -The whole surroundings were in keeping with the solemnity of the -occasion. The lofty hall was hung with tapestries of glittering brocade -and satin; the pillars were wound with red woollen cloth with floral -designs in blue and white; while on the walls and from the upper parts -of the pillars were hung religious pictures regarded as masterpieces in -Tibet. All these were lighted up by several thousand lamps containing -melted butter, the lamps shining bright and clear with pure-white rays, -not unlike those of gas-burners. - -Sitting in the hall amidst such sacred surroundings, and listening -to the chanting of the holy Texts, thoughts of profound piety took -possession of my mind, and I felt as if I were transported to the -region of Buḍḍha. - -The Sang-joe is also a great occasion of alms and charity, and the -priests, especially the acolytes and disciples, go round at dawn to -collect alms in the temple when the service is concluded. The people -being more generously disposed at this season than at other times -give quite liberally. I am sorry to say that this pious inclination -on the part of the people is often abused by mischievous priests, -who do not scruple to go, in violation of the rules, on a second or -even third or fourth round of begging at one time. I was astonished -to hear that the priests who are on duty to prevent such irregular -practices are in many cases the very instigators, abetting the younger -disciples in committing them. The ill-gotten proceeds go into the -pockets of those unscrupulous ‘inspectors’ who, urged on by greed, -even go to the extreme of thrashing the young disciples when they -refuse to go on fraudulent errands of this particular description. -Now and then the erratic doings of these lads come to the ears of the -higher authorities, who summon them and inflict upon them a severe -reprimand, together with the more smarting punishment of a flogging. -The incorrigible disciples are not disconcerted in the least, being -conscious that they have their protectors in the official inspectors, -and of course they are immune from expulsion from the monastery. - -These mischievous young people are in most cases warrior-priests. -These warrior-priests, of whom an account has already been given, are -easily distinguished from the rest by their peculiar appearance and -especially by their way of dressing the hair. Sometimes their heads are -shaved bald, but more often they leave ringlets at each temple, and -consider that these locks of four or five inches long give them a smart -appearance. This manner of hair-dressing is not approved by the Lama -authorities, and when they take notice of the locks they ruthlessly -pull them off, leaving the temples swollen and bloody. Painful as -this treatment is, the warriors rather glory in it, and swagger about -the streets to display the marks of their courage. They are, however, -cautious to conceal their ‘smart’ hair-dressing from the notice of the -authorities, so that when they present themselves in the monastery -they either tuck their ringlets behind the ears or besmear their faces -with lamp-black compounded with butter. When at first I saw such -blackened faces I wondered what the blackening meant, but afterwards -I was informed of the reason of the strange phenomenon and my wonder -disappeared as I became accustomed to the sight. - -I am sorry to say that the warrior-priests are not merely offensive -in appearance; they are generally also guilty of far more grave -offences, and the nights of the holy service are abused as occasions -for indulging in fearful malpractices. They really seem to be the -descendants of the men of Sodom and Gomorrah mentioned in the bible. - -They are often quite particular in small affairs. They are afraid of -killing tiny insects, are strict in not stepping over broken tiles of a -monastery when they find them on the road, but walk round them to the -right, and never to the left. And yet they, and even their superiors, -commit grave sin without much remorse. Really they are straining at -gnats and swallowing camels. - -There lived once in Tibet a humorous priest named Duk Nyon, a Tibetan -Rabelais, who was celebrated for his amusing though none the less -sensible way of teaching. This priest met on the road a priest of the -New Sect, and it may be imagined that sharp repartees must have been -exchanged between the two. On the road Duk Nyon noticed a small stone, -which he carefully avoided and instead of walking over it walked round -it. Next they came to a big rock, which hardly admitted of walking -over. The humorist stooped low to give momentum to his body and the -next instant he jumped over it. His companion marvelled at this -strange behavior of Duk Nyon; he could not understand why he should -have avoided a small stone and then should jump over a large one. So -the New Sect priest bantered Duk Nyon on what he considered a silly -proceeding, but Duk Nyon replied that he had been merely giving an -object-lesson to the New Sect folk, who were meticulously exact about -small things, but were wont to leap over grave sins without remorse. -The story goes that his companion was much abashed at this home-thrust -of the humorist. This witty remark of the old priest may be said to -hold true even at the present time, for though the Sang-joe presents a -solemn and impressive front outwardly, it is full of abominable sights -behind the scenes. It is merely a season of criminal indulgence for the -warrior-priests and other undesirable classes. - - - - -CHAPTER LXVII. - -Tibetan Women. - - -As the position of women bears a vital relation to the prosperity and -greatness of a country, I shall devote a chapter to this subject. Of -the women of Tibet those residing in Lhasa are regarded as models of -Tibetan womanhood, and they therefore demand most attention. - -First let me describe the Lhasa ladies, beginning with their mode of -dress. - -It is interesting to note that the women’s garments do not differ much -in appearance from those of men; both are cut in the same way, and the -only perceptible difference in appearance, if difference it be, is -that women are attired with more taste and elegance than men. Another -distinguishing mark in Tibetan attire is a sash, a narrow band about -an inch and a half wide and eight feet long, terminating at one end in -a fringe. The sash is not tied, as in Japan, but is merely wound round -the body with the end tucked in. Some persons wear a belt made of a -piece of silk cloth, passing it three times round the body. - -The ladies of Lhasa dress their hair somewhat like their sisters of -Mongolia, though this fashion is not followed by those in Shigatze and -other parts of Tibet. They use a large quantity of false hair, imported -from China, their natural supply being rather scanty. The hair is -divided into two equal parts down the middle, and each half is plaited -into a braid and left flowing behind. The ends of the braids are tied -with red or green cords with fringed knots, and these two cords are -connected by other beaded cords, the cords consisting usually of seven -or eight threads on which pearls are strung as beads with a larger -pearl or turquoise in the middle. - -They also wear a head-ornament made of turquoises or corals, with -one large piece surmounting the rest; and they put on the middle of -the head a cap made of small pearls. Then there are usually golden -ear-rings and a breast ornament (which may cost as much as three or -four thousand _yen_), besides a necklace of precious stones. The -pendant is generally a miniature golden tabernacle which may cost -from two hundred to three hundred _yen_. The arms are decorated with -bracelets, the right one made of pretty shells and the left one of -engraved silver. I must not omit to mention that all the Lhasan women, -both rich and poor, use an apron, which in the case of the ladies is -made of the best Tibetan wool woven in variegated hues. Finger-rings -are comparatively plain, being generally of silver, excepting those -worn by ladies of the highest class. Shoes are also pretty, and are -made of red and green woollen fabrics. - -With all their splendid attire, the Lhasan ladies follow a strange -custom in their toilet, for they often paint their faces, not with -white powder as their sisters of other countries do, but with a -reddish-black substance. The Tibetans think that the natural color of -the flesh peeping from underneath the soot adds very much to the charm -of the appearance. - -The complexion of the Lhasan women is not quite fair, but very much -resembles that of their Japanese sisters. In general appearance too the -two cannot be easily distinguished, but the women of Lhasa, and indeed -of all Tibet, are taller in stature and stronger in constitution than -the women of Japan. Indeed one hardly ever finds in Tibet women who -are so short and frail as are the average Japanese ladies. The Tibetan -ladies being moreover attired in loose and capacious garments look very -imposing. - -The ladies of the higher classes have fair complexions and are as -pretty as their sisters of Japan. - -The women of Kham and the surrounding districts are especially -fair-complexioned, but they generally lack attractiveness, and look -cold and repellent. Their way of speaking also strikes one as inelegant -and uninviting. In contrast to them, their sisters of Lhasa are -charming to look at, and full of attraction. Their only defect is that -they lack weight and dignity, such as commands respect from others, -and their daily conduct is not quite edifying. For instance, they do -not mind eating while walking in the streets. They are also excitable, -or pretend to be excited by trifling circumstances, are prone to flirt -and to be flippant, and seldom possess such nobleness as befits women -of rank. If one criticises them severely, one would say that they are -more like ballet-girls than ladies of high station. They are therefore -objects more to be loved and pitied, than to be respected and adored. -Altogether they lack _character_. Probably this singular defect may -have been brought about by the polyandrous custom of the country. - -There are many things which I might cite to the discredit of the fair -sex of Tibet, but of these I will single out only two, their love -of liquor and their uncleanly habits. Uncleanliness is, it is true, -universal in Tibet, but it naturally stands out more conspicuously in -contrast to the general habits of women in other countries, especially -in Japan. Most of the Tibetan women are content with simply washing -their faces and hands, but this washing is seldom extended to other -parts of the body; the ladies of the higher classes however, are less -open to this charge; having no particular business, they have plenty of -time to devote to their toilet. - -That which is particularly noteworthy about the women of Tibet, and -probably constitutes their chief merit, is their great activity, both -in the matter of business and also in other respects. The women of -the middle and lower classes, for instance, regard trade as their -own proper sphere of activity, and they are therefore very shrewd in -business of every description. They even choose their husbands from a -business point of view. - -As ladies are not required to engage in such kind of work, their -activity is more shown in the form of counsels to their husbands, -whether invited or not. It seems that the Tibetan ladies enjoy great -influence over their husbands, for not only are they allowed to have -a voice in the affairs of men, but are often taken into confidence by -them about matters of importance. - -The ladies, perhaps, command even more leisure than their sisters in -other countries. They have practically no special and public duties, -while their domestic cares are also very light, as they do not -undertake sewing. Sewing is considered in Tibet as men’s work, and even -for a little stitching they rely on the tailor. Nor do the ladies of -Tibet care much about weaving and spinning, though some women of the -lower classes pursue either one or both as their regular profession. -Spinning is done with primitive distaffs, and is a tedious and awkward -process, incapable of producing yarn of an even and fine size. Yarns -such as are produced by spinning jennies are never obtained from native -distaffs. - -The condition of Tibetan women with regard to men, especially in -the provinces, may be considered as surpassing the ideal of western -women, so far as the theory of equality of rights between the sexes -is concerned. For their stout sisters of Tibet enjoy from the public -almost equal treatment with men. They receive, for instance, equal -wages with men, and indeed there is nothing wonderful in this when it -is remembered that the women of Tibet, being strongly built and sturdy, -can work just as well as the rougher sex, and therefore are perfectly -entitled to receive the same remuneration. These women, though looking -modest and lovely, are nevertheless very courageous at heart, so that -when they fall into a passion their husbands are hardly able to keep -them under control. They rage like beings possessed, and no soothing -words or apologies can pacify them. Cases in which husbands were -apologising on bent knees to wives furious with passion often came to -my notice while I was staying in Tibet. They are demure as cats when -they are at peace, but when their passion is roused they are dreadful -as tigers. They are very selfish and really rule the roost. What is -worse, they are not always faithful to their husbands, but regard acts -of inconstancy as something of quite ordinary nature; and they are -often audacious enough to lay the blame on the shoulders of their poor -hen-pecked husbands, alleging their inability to support their own -wives! - -The whole attention of the Tibetan women is concentrated on their own -selfish interests, and they do not care a straw for the good of their -husbands so long as they are satisfied. The shrewdness they exercise -in promoting their own selfish aims is something remarkable. From the -highest to the lowest, they are allowed to have their own savings, more -or less, according to their position and circumstances, and fortified -with that source of strength they receive a decree of divorce from -their husbands without any sense of regret. They will, in that case, -pack up their belongings and leave their husbands’ doors with alacrity. - -On the other hand, Tibetan women are extremely affectionate and -considerate to the men of their own liking, as if to make amends for -their lack of virtue towards the husbands they do not love. They lavish -their love upon them, devote their whole attention to pleasing them, -and spare neither pains nor money to anticipate their wishes and so to -give them satisfaction. In short, the women of Tibet seem to possess -two antagonistic qualities, and are disposed to run to extremes. - -Perhaps this apparent anomaly comes from their immoral habits, and -also from the fact that the sense of chastity in women must have been -seriously affected by the polyandrous custom of the country. Though -sufficiently shrewd to protect their own interests, they are never -self-dependent; they invariably lean on the help of one man or another, -even when they have sufficient means at their disposal to support -themselves and their children. If a husband dies and leaves his widow -and children enough to live on, very rarely does the bereaved woman -remain faithful to the memory of her departed husband. Only very ugly -or old women remain widows; all the rest marry again with indecent -haste. Indeed the idea of fidelity to the husband of her first love -never seems to enter the mind of even a well-educated woman, for -such stories of faithfulness as are common in other countries are -conspicuous by their absence in Tibet. - -I shall touch only briefly on the occupations of Tibetan women of the -middle and lower classes. The women in the provinces attend to farming -and rear cattle, sheep or yaks. But the commonest business for them -is the making of butter and other substances obtained from milk, the -process being in this wise: first the milk is subjected to heat, and -then left to cool till a coating of cream appears on the surface. This -cream is skimmed off, and to the remainder a quantity of sour milk -is added and the mixture left for about a day in a covered vessel. -The mixture becomes curdled, and this curdled milk is transferred to -a narrow deep vessel and a small quantity of lukewarm water is added -to it. A piece of wood of the same shape as, and in size slightly -smaller than, the vessel is put into it, and is moved up and down by -a handle. When the curdled mass is sufficiently churned in this way, -the fat begins to separate from the watery portion. According to the -condition of that separation, more or less lukewarm water is added and -the stirring is resumed, till the butter-fat and water are completely -separated. The butter is then strained, and the remainder is boiled -till coagulated clots appear, easily separable from the sour watery -portion. These clots are known as _chura_, and they are very nice -to eat. The water or whey, though sour, is not unpalatable, and is -especially good for quenching thirst. The chura is used either fresh or -in a dried form, the latter corresponding to the cheese used by western -people. - - - - -CHAPTER LXVIII. - -Tibetan Boys and Girls. - - -Boys enjoy better treatment in Tibet than their sisters, this -discrimination beginning soon after their birth. Thus the naming -ceremony is almost always performed for boys and very seldom for girls. -Though differing more or less according to localities, this naming -ceremony is generally performed after the lapse of three days from the -time of birth. One strange custom about the birth is that a baby is -never washed, nor is there a regular midwife. The only thing done to -the new-born baby is the anointing of its body (especially the head) -with butter, this being carried out twice a day. As this anointing is -rather copiously applied, the Tibetan baby may perhaps be described as -being subjected to butter-washing. - -On the naming-day, a priest is asked to perform the ceremony. The -process commences with the sprinkling of holy water on the baby’s head. -The water is first blessed by the priest, and a quantity of yellow -powder made of the saffron flower is then added to it. - -[Illustration: NAMING CEREMONY OF A BABY.] - -The name is generally determined according to the day of the birth, and -especially according to the nomenclature of the days of the week. For -instance a boy or a girl who is born on Sunday is named Nyima, this -meaning Sun in Tibetan. The babies born on Monday bear the common name -of Dawa; those on Saturday Penba; those on Friday Pasang; and so on. -This general use of the same names giving rise to confusion, a specific -individual surname has to be given to each baby. The individual -appellation either precedes or follows the common designation. One baby -bears the name of Nyima-Chering meaning “Sun longevity,” another -Dawa-pun-tsuok, meaning “Moon-all-perfection.” - -The choice of such individual names is usually made by the Lama who -attends the ceremony, or is determined by an oracle-consulter, and only -rarely by the father of the baby. - -Sometimes the week nomenclature is disregarded and names of abstract -meaning are given to the babies; sometimes also names of animals are -used. On the whole the surnames are of an abstract nature as in the -case of Japanese names. I may add that the boys take a religious name -when they enter the priesthood. - -On the naming-day of boys a great feast is held in honor of the -occasion, and the relatives and friends of the family are invited to -it. These of course bring with them suitable presents, such as casks -of liquor, rolls of cloth, or money. The ceremony and the banquet that -accompanies it are chiefly observed by people residing in or near a -city, for in the provinces only wealthy people can afford to follow -this custom. - -When the naming ceremony is concluded, the officiating priest reads -a service, in order to inform the patron deity of the place or of -the family of the birth of a baby, and of the fact that that baby -has received such and such a name, and praying that the baby shall -be taken under the protection of that patron deity. This service may -be undertaken by a priest of either the New or Old Sect or by an -oracle-consulter. The last named functionary performs with his own hand -all the ceremony of name-giving, when a baby is born to him, and does -not entrust this business to another priest. - -The beginning of school-attendance is another great occasion for boys, -and it arrives when the boy attains the age of eight or nine. This day -also is celebrated with a feast, to which the relatives and friends of -the house are invited, and these present to the boy a kata, which the -boy hangs around his neck with the two ends suspended over his breast. -If the boy is sent to a teacher residing at some distance from his -home, he leaves his paternal roof and lives under that of his master; -but when his master lives in the neighborhood he daily attends his -lessons from home. - -The other great occasions for boys are at the end of school life, and -the admission to official service, the latter requiring a ceremony of -far greater importance and a more splendid banquet than the other. - -The ceremonies performed for the benefit of female children are fewer -in number than those for their brothers. Generally only one ceremony -is performed, this being a festival for celebrating the advent of -girlhood, and consists of dressing her hair for the first time since -her birth. The dressing is done in a simple style. The hair is tied and -made to hang down behind in four braids, surmounted with a pretty hair -ornament made of red coral and turquoises. On this occasion a large -number of people are invited to a feast, and these bring to the house -various kinds of presents. - -Boys’ amusements are much like those in Japan. In winter, for instance, -they play at snow-balling, and in summer their favorite sport is -wrestling. Throwing stones to a distance, pitching at a target with a -stone, skipping, either singly or in company, hitting from a distance -a small piece of hardened clay with another piece, or the striking -out from a circle marked on the ground a silver piece placed in its -centre by means of a stone or any other hard object--these are some -of the popular games of boys. Sometimes both boys and girls join -in theatricals. Ball-games are now and then seen, but not often. -Horse-riding too is a great amusement for boys, but only the sons -of rich families can indulge in this. Poorer boys have to content -themselves with mounting on improvised horses, such as rocks or logs of -wood. - -The Tibetan girls do not differ much from those of other countries -in preferring quiet and refined games to the rough sports of their -brothers. Dolls are a favorite amusement, and then singing, which is -either theatrical (Aje-lhamo) or religious (Lama-mani). The latter -is associated with an interesting custom, and is an imitation of -“Lama-mani,” who go about the country singing or reciting in quaint -plaintive tones the famous deeds of the Buḍḍha, or high priests, or -even great warriors. These Lama-manis do not use instruments, but -possess pictures illustrating the popular historical accounts of those -mighty persons. The Tibetan girls sing those pieces, in imitation of -the recitation of the minstrels, one girl acting as conductor and the -rest of the juvenile company reciting in chorus, with now and then a -religious chant interposed. - -I may mention here that Lama-manis are quite numerous in Tibet. In -winter and when the field work is suspended, they go on tour in the -provinces, but about the month of May, when the field-work is resumed -and the provincials are busy with it, the minstrels return to Lhasa -and ply their trade there. Their arrival at the capital generally -coincides with the appearance of the red dragon-flies, so these flies -are popularly known by the rather respectable name of ‘Lama-mani.’ - - - - -CHAPTER LXIX. - -The Care of the Sick. - - -The tending of sick persons is a task assigned to women in Tibet, -and the peculiar notions prevailing about the treatment of patients -makes this task doubly onerous. Tibetan doctors strictly forbid their -patients to sleep in the day-time, and so those who tend them have to -follow this injunction of the doctors and keep the unfortunate patients -awake. The patients are not allowed to lie in bed but are made to -remain leaning upon some supports specially prepared for them. One or -more nurses sit by their sides to give them any help they need, and -above all to prevent them from going to sleep. These nurses cannot long -stand the strain of constant watching, and therefore they are relieved -in turn, to resume the task after they have taken more or less rest. -The nurses faithfully attend to their duty, are very quiet so as not to -annoy the patients, wakeful as they are, and above all to satisfy any -of their wants, to comfort and humor them, and also to keep the rooms -clean. This cleaning must be judged strictly by a Tibetan standard, for -viewed from the Japanese standpoint it hardly deserves the name. The -patients are also kept comparatively clean, considering the general -filthy habits of the Tibetans. The effect of this insanitary condition -at once makes itself felt to the olfactory sense of a foreigner who -is accustomed to more perfect arrangements at home, for as soon as he -enters the room a peculiar offensive smell greets his nose. - -But the most important and tiresome part of the nursing duty is to keep -the patient awake, and sometimes nurses are specially appointed to -attend to this work. These nurses keep beside them a bowl containing -cold water and one or two wooden sprinklers. When the patient is about -to fall asleep, a nurse sprinkles water on his face, and this has the -effect of preventing sleep. When this water-sprinkling fails, the nurse -embraces the patient from behind and slightly presses him forward. -Sometimes they call the patient by name and cause him to recover -consciousness. The patient is thankful for the trouble taken by the -nurses, being well aware that they do it in obedience to the doctor’s -orders, and from their wish to ensure his recovery. - -The idea that a patient must not be allowed to sleep in the day-time -is strongly impressed on the minds of Tibetans, both professional and -non-professional. The doctors enjoin both on him and on the nurses to -observe this point strictly as the first essential for his recovery, -and any person who comes to visit him first of all gives a similar -warning. “Don’t allow him to fall asleep,” repeats the visitor to the -nurses, and reminds them that they are principally responsible for -carrying out faithfully this cardinal necessity in the treatment of the -patient. - -When a patient dies, the neighbors suspect that his nurses may not have -been strict enough, and must have suffered him to fall asleep! - -I tried to find out the reasons that have brought about this strange -medical custom, and it was easy for me to make enquiries, having -been obliged to play the part of a quack doctor through the earnest -importunities of the simple-minded Tibetans. So far as I could -ascertain from those enquiries, the idea seems to be that patients -suffering from some diseases are liable to develop more fever when -they sleep in the day-time, while patients suffering from a local -disease, resembling dropsy, not unfrequently die while asleep or -while in a state of coma. It seems to have been derived from some -cases that occurred some time in the past, the unscientific doctors -of Tibet having jumped to a general conclusion from certain specific -occurrences. I need hardly add that this non-sleep prescription is -efficacious (if ever it is efficacious at all) for the Tibetans only. -When at times I suffered from disease while in Lhasa I slept as freely -as I wished, and of course I found myself feeling all the better for it. - -The fact is that, in Tibet, superstition plays a far more important -part than medicine in the treatment of diseases. - -People believe that a disease is the work of an evil spirit which -enters the body of a person, and therefore they conclude that that -spirit must first be exorcised before a patient may be entrusted to the -care of a doctor. There being various kinds of evil spirits, some high -Lama must be consulted in order to determine which particular one has -possessed a given patient. A priest before whom the matter is brought -consults books on demonology, then pronounces that the disease is the -work of such and such an evil spirit, and that for exorcising him such -and such a service must be performed. - -The consulting priest may specify the name of a Lama when the service -to be read is one of importance, but when it is an ordinary one it may -be performed by any Lama. At the same time the consulting priest issues -directions about medical treatment--that a doctor should be called in -after the service has been performed for so many days, or that such -and such a doctor should be invited simultaneously with the religious -performance, or that medical aid may be dispensed with altogether. - -These directions are given orally when the Lama who issues them is -one of secondary position, but when he is one of exalted rank the -directions are written by one of his attendants and the sheet is -authenticated by the mark of his own seal. - -The Tibetans put implicit faith in the directions issued by such high -Lamas, and follow them literally. For instance, when the Lama directs -them not to seek the aid of medicine, say for the first five days, and -orders the patient only to perform the rites of exorcism during that -period, they are sure to do so. A patient, who might have recovered -had the aid of medicine been at once invoked, may then die, but his -family will never blame the Lama for it. They will rather hold him in -greater respect than before, attributing to him an extraordinary power -of foresight. They will say that he had foreseen the hopelessness of -the patient’s case, and therefore told them not to take the unnecessary -trouble of calling in the aid of a doctor until after the lapse of five -days. The reverend priest knew, they think, that the patient would die -by that time. Anybody who should dare to hold the Lama responsible for -the death of the patient would run a serious risk of being denounced by -the faithful believers as a heretic and as a person of depraved mind. -Even those who at heart condemn the mischievous and fatal meddling of -the priests in the case of diseases prudently keep silence, for fear of -calling down upon themselves the wrath of the fanatical populace. - -To speak the truth, the Tibetan doctors hardly deserve to be trusted. -The word ‘doctor’ as applied to them is a gross outrage on the noble -science, for they possess merely the knowledge (and this too of a very -shallow kind) of the primitive medicine of ancient India. As even that -knowledge is the result of oral instruction transmitted from father to -son for many generations, and not acquired from studying medical works -or from investigation, the Tibetan ‘doctors’ are utterly incompetent -for the important function assigned to them. - -The doctors practically possess only one stock medicine, which is the -root of a certain poisonous herb called _tsa-tuk_ in Tibet. Being a -strong stimulant it is fatal in a large dose, and even a limited -quantity causes a temporary paralysis of the different parts of the -body and sometimes violent diarrhœa. A change of any kind is likely -to be taken as a hopeful sign by patients, and so the Tibetan doctors -always use more or less of this drug for all kinds of illness, just as -the Japanese doctors were accustomed to use liquorice-root in olden -days. - -Knowing as I do how untrustworthy and even dangerous the prescriptions -of Tibetan doctors are, I sometimes thought that if the choice between -the two evils had to be made I should rather recommend to sick people -an exclusive reliance on prayers and faith-cure instead of on the risky -medicines prepared by these quacks. - - - - -CHAPTER LXX. - -Outdoor Amusements. - - -There are various methods of feasting in Tibet, but the one which -appeals most strongly to the fancy of the people and is, I think, the -most refined, is the _Lingka_. This is a sort of garden party held in -woody places situated in the outskirts of the city of Lhasa. - -The Tibetans seldom behave respectably and with courtesy when they -meet in a social reunion; too frequently on such occasions disputes -or even quarrels are liable to occur. But in a Lingka party all those -who participate in it behave with decorum, and even people who are -generally regarded as quarrelsome characters appear genteel and affable -in deference to the best tradition of the country. A Lingka carried out -by a party of warrior-priests is sufficiently animated, but very seldom -do they mar the occasion with unseemly quarrels. - -The places where this refined amusement is held are, as before -mentioned, situated very close to the city, and are found in all -directions except the south, where flows a river. In the remainder of -the circuit woods and groves are scattered here and there, and also -patches of velvety lawns. Some of the groves are enclosed and are -attached to the private villas of wealthy people, but there are plenty -of groves and lawns which are left open to the public. - -These lawns and groves present a charming appearance in spring, and -the people of Lhasa, after having been chained to the town through the -desolate and dreary scenes of winter, feel themselves inspired with a -new life when they meet again on turf which is resuming its vigor and -putting on a new coat of velvet. There are peach-trees with their buds -about to burst open, while by the streams may be seen willow-trees -with their elegant pendant twigs covered with fresh green leaves. - -The whole city of Lhasa finds its heart beating with a new life, as it -were, in agreeable harmony with the fascinating surroundings of nature. -The season of pure and innocent amusements has arrived, and the people, -urged on by the natural cravings of their hearts, sally forth to the -fields in small parties or large, and enjoy themselves with picnics. - -The picnic outfit comprises baked flour, fried vegetables or meats, -cheese, raisins, dried peaches, dried animal flesh, sacks of liquor -and tea-sets. There are two kinds of native liquors, one being made of -barley or wheat and the other of rice. Of the two the former is used -to a greater extent than the latter. The barley liquor is brewed in a -very simple way. A certain quantity of barley, generally at the rate of -one _sho_ of the grain to five _sho_ of the liquor, is roasted, then -left to cool, and while it is being cooled a quantity of malt is added, -and the mixture is put in a jug and kept in a warm place. In three -days the mixture is converted into yeast, and to it water is added and -thoroughly stirred. The liquor is then ready, and it is ladled out as -occasion requires, or the whole watery portion is strained and put in -another vessel. In brewing a superior kind of the liquor, only about -two _sho_ of water is added to one _sho_ of the grain and the strained -liquid is left to ripen for some weeks. This superior liquor is used -only by wealthy people. - -The ordinary barley liquor is very weak and does not intoxicate unless -a large quantity is drunk. The climate too being comparatively cool and -the atmosphere very dry, the fumes of the liquor soon disappear even -when a man has imbibed a large quantity. - -So, prepared with all those provisions, the parties spread their mats -on the turf, and enjoy themselves to their hearts’ contents from nine -in the morning to six in the afternoon. - -[Illustration: A PICNIC PARTY IN SUMMER.] - -Let us suppose that a carpet is laid on the velvety lawn in a wood, -and that there are liquors and delicacies to which the party will -help themselves. There will also be singing and dancing. Dancing is -generally accompanied by vocal music, and it occupies in the eyes of -Tibetan people a very important place on the programme of a public -function of this kind. Everybody appears to think that there is nothing -more enjoyable in life than the art of cadenced steps and graceful -postures. Even the country people who from lack of opportunities cannot -learn the art, appreciate and enjoy it just as well as the inhabitants -of cities. Strangers like myself do not see any great merit in the -Tibetan dancing, but to their eyes it is certainly amusing. In short, -the picnic is a source of most refined relaxation to the Tibetans, for -on such occasions they sing and dance, they drink the best of liquors -and eat the best of delicacies, their enjoyment very much enhanced by -the exquisite environment. Here flows a limpid current drawn from -the river Kichu and on its banks are gambolling and running children -and adults. There stand majestic snow-capped peaks with their slopes -covered with verdant forests. Lhasa indeed seems to justify at such -time its classic name of the ‘Ground of Deities’. - -The above description applies to a picnic given by people of the higher -classes, but their inferiors also have picnics of their own. - -The picnics got up by people of the lower classes are of course -less refined, and the amusements include the drinking of liquors, -gambolling, and maybe wrestling. Tibetan wrestling possesses a -peculiarity of its own, quite distinct from that prevailing in Japan. -The wrestlers generally keep apart from their antagonists and do not -tug and close in as do their _confrères_ of Japan. Very seldom does -a Tibetan wrestler aim at throwing down his antagonist, the contest -consisting in the use of the arms. The picnickers also amuse themselves -with competitions of stone-flinging, which is a favorite game of the -warrior priests, and sometimes they try a foot-race. Dancing is a -favorite item of amusement in the picnics of the vulgar folks also, -and it does not differ much in form from that of people of the higher -circles, though it somewhat lacks elegance and at times it even strikes -one as scandalous. Still, one beautiful point about the picnics even -of the lower people is that very seldom does a quarrel or any such -unseemly incident mar the sweet pleasure of the occasion, and it is -evident that the _changsa_ of the lingka exerts upon them a high moral -influence and indirectly leads them to good. Whether for people of the -higher circles or for their inferiors, among the changsas the lingka -is the purest and most refined of their amusements and is the one most -conducive to fraternal feeling and good fellowship. - - - - -CHAPTER LXXI. - -Russia’s Tibetan Policy. - - -Before proceeding to give an account, necessarily imperfect, of -Tibetan diplomacy, I must explain what is the public opinion of the -country as to patriotism. I am sorry to say that the attitude of the -people in this respect by no means does them credit. So far as my -limited observation goes, the Tibetans, who are sufficiently shrewd in -attending to their own interest, are not so sensitive to matters of -national importance. It seems as if they were destitute of the sense -of patriotism, as the term is understood by ordinary people. Not that -they are totally ignorant of the meaning of “fatherland,” but they -are rather inclined to turn that meaning to their own advantage in -preference to the interest of their country. Such seems, in short, the -general idea of the politicians of to-day. - -The Tibetans are more jealous with regard to their religion. A few of -them, a very limited few it is true, seem to be prepared to defend and -promote it at the expense of their private interest, though even in -this respect the majority are so far unscrupulous as to abuse their -religion for their own ends. In the eyes of the common people, religion -is the most important product of the country, and they think therefore -that they must preserve it at any cost. Their ignorance necessarily -makes them fanatics and they believe that any one who works any injury -to their religion deserves death. The Hierarchical Government makes a -great deal of capital out of this fanatical tendency of the masses. The -holy religion is its justification when it persecutes persons obnoxious -to it, and when it has committed any wrong it seeks refuge under the -same holy name. The Government too often works mischief in the name of -religion, but the masses do not of course suspect any such thing--or -even if they do now and then harbor a suspicion, they are deterred from -giving vent to their sentiments, for to speak ill of the religion is a -heinous crime in Tibet. - -I have already stated how in general the Tibetan women are highly -selfish and but poorly developed in the sense of public duty. One -might naturally suppose that the children born of such mothers must -be similarly deficient in this important point. I thought at first -that the Tibetan men were less open to this charge than their wives -and sisters, but I soon found this to be a mistake. I found the men -not much better than the women, and equally absorbed in their selfish -desires while totally neglecting the interests of the State. A foreign -country knowing this weak point, and wishing to push its interests -in the Forbidden Land, has only to form its diplomatic procedure -accordingly. In other words, it has merely to captivate the hearts of -the rulers of Tibet, for once the influential Cabinet Ministers of the -Hierarchical Government are won over, the next step will be an easy -matter. The greedy Ministers will be ready to listen to any insidious -advice coming from outside, provided that the advice carries with it -literally the proper weight of gold. They will not care a straw about -the welfare of the State or the interest of the general public, if only -they themselves are satisfied. - -However, foreign diplomatists desiring to succeed in their policy of -gaining influence over Tibet must not think that they have an easy -task before them. Gold is most acceptable to all Tibetan statesmen, -but at times gold alone may not carry the point. The fact is that -Tibet has no diplomatic policy in any dignified sense of the word. -Its foreign doings are determined by sentiment, which is necessarily -destitute of any solid foundation, but is susceptible to change from -a trivial cause. A foreign country which has given a large bribe to -the principal statesmen of Tibet may find afterwards that its enormous -disbursements on this account have been a mere waste of money, and -that the recipients who were believed to have been secured with golden -chains have broken loose from them, for some mere triviality. It is -impossible to rely on the faith of the Tibetan statesmen, for they are -entirely led by sentiment and never by rational conviction. - -The Muscovites seem to conduct their Tibetan policy with consummate -dexterity. Their manœuvres date from a long time (at least thirty -years) back, when Russia’s activity towards Tibet began to attract the -public attention of the Powers concerned. Russia has selected a highly -effective instrument in promoting her interest over Tibet. - -There was a Mongolian tribe called the Buriats, which peopled a -district far away to the north-east of Tibet towards Mongolia. The -tribe was originally feudatory to China, but it passed some time ago -under the control of Russia. The astute Muscovites have taken great -pains to insinuate themselves into the grateful regard of this tribe. -Contrary to their vaunted policy at home, they have never attempted to -convert the Mongolians into believers of the Greek Church, but have -treated their religion with a strange toleration. The Muscovites even -went farther and actually rendered help in promoting the interests of -the Lamaist faith, by granting its monasteries more or less pecuniary -aid. It was evident that this policy of Russia originated from the -deep-laid plan of captivating the hearts of the priests, whose -influence was, as it still is, immense over the people. From this tribe -quite a large number of young priests are sent to Tibet to prosecute -their studies at the principal seats of Lamaist learning. These young -Mongolians are found at the religious centres of Ganden, Rebon, Sera, -Tashi Lhunpo and at other places. There must be altogether two hundred -such students at those seats of learning; several able priests have -appeared from among them, one of whom, Dorje by name, became a high -tutor to the present Dalai Lama while he was a minor. - -This great priest obtained from the Hierarchical Government some -twenty years ago the honorable title of “Tsan-ni Kenbo,” which means -an “instructor in the Lamaist Catechism.” There were besides him three -other instructors; but he is said to have virtually monopolised the -confidence of the young Lama Chief. Nor was this confidence misplaced, -so far as the relation of teaching and learning was concerned, for -the Mongolian priest surpassed his three colleagues both in ability -and in learning, and as he omitted no pains to win the heart of his -little pupil, the latter was naturally led to hold him in the greatest -estimation and affection. - -The Tsan-ni Kenbo returned home when, on his pupil’s attaining -majority, his services as tutor were no longer required. It is quite -likely that he described minutely the results of his work in Tibet to -the Russian Government, for it is conceivable that he may have been -entrusted by it with some important business during his stay at Lhasa. -Soon the Tsan-ni Kenbo re-visited Lhasa, and this time as a priest of -great wealth, instead of as a poor student, as he was at first. He -brought with him a large amount of gold, also boxes of curios made in -Russia. The money and the curios must have come to him from the Russian -Government. The Dalai Lama and his Ministers were the recipients of -the gold and curios, and among the Ministers a young man named Shata -appears to have been honored with the largest share. The name of the -Tsan-ni Kenbo had been remembered with respect since his departure -from Lhasa, and his re-appearance as a liberal distributor of gifts -completed his triumph. - -The Dalai Lama was now ready to lend a willing ear to anything his -former tutor represented to him, while the friendship between him and -the young Premier grew so fraternal that they are said to have vowed -to stand by each other as brothers born. The astute Tsan-ni did not -of course confine his crafty endeavors to the higher circles alone; -the priest classes received from him a large share of attention, due -to the mighty influence which they wield over the masses. Liberal -donations were therefore more than once presented to all the important -monasteries of Tibet, with which of course the priests of these -monasteries were delighted. In their eyes the Tsan-ni was a Mongolian -priest of immense wealth and pious heart, and the idea of suspecting -how he came to be possessed of such wealth never entered their -unsophisticated minds. So they had nothing but unqualified praise -for him. When at rare intervals some inquisitive priests asked the -Government officers about the origin of the Tsan-ni’s fortune, the -latter would inform them with a knowing look that the Mongolian Lama -was regarded with something like regal respect by his countrymen, who -vied with each other in presenting gold and other precious things to -that venerable priest. There was nothing strange about his acquisition -of wealth. And so the Government and priesthood placed themselves at -the feet of the Tsan-ni and adored him as their benefactor. - -The Zaune’s programme of ‘conquest’ was really comprehensive and -included a general plan intended for the masses. It was based on an old -tradition of Tibet and involved no extra disbursements on his part. It -must be remembered that a work written in former times by some Lama of -the New Sect contained a prophetic pronouncement--a pronouncement which -was supported by some others--that some centuries hence a mighty prince -would make his appearance somewhere to the north of Kashmīr, and would -bring the whole world under his sway, and under the domination of -the Buḍḍhist faith. Now Kashmīr and the places near it are districts -of great natural beauty and delightful situation, and Buḍḍhism once -attained a high prosperity in them, before they were subdued by the -Muhammadan conquerors. This would-be “prophet” must have concluded _a -priori_ that as the faith had once prevailed there, therefore it must -one day recover its original prosperity. Starting from this peculiar -surmise the prophet jumped to the conclusion that the place, from its -advantageous natural position, must in some remote future make its -power felt through the world, and that this would be achieved by some -powerful prince. - -This announcement alone was not sufficiently attractive to awake the -interest of the Tibetans, and so the unborn prince was represented -as a holy incarnation of the founder of the national religion of -Tibet, Tsong-kha-pa, and his Ministers were to be incarnations of his -principal disciples, as Jam yan Choeje, Chamba Choeje and Gendun Tub. -The prophet went into further details and gave the name of the future -great country as “Chang Shambhala;” Chang denoting “northward” and -“Shambhala” the name of a certain city or place, if I remember rightly, -to the north of Kashmīr. With a precision worthy of Swift’s pen, the -prophet located the new Buḍḍhist empire of the future at a distance -some three thousand miles north-west of Buḍḍhagayā in Hinḍūsṭān, and -he even described at some length the route to be taken in reaching -the imaginary country. This utopian account has obtained belief from -a section of the Tibetan priest-class, and some of them are said to -have undertaken a quest for this future empire, so that they might at -least have the satisfaction of inspecting its cradle. Now the Tibetan -prophet bequeathed us this important forecast with the idea that when -the Tibetan religion degenerated, it would be saved from extinction -by the appearance of that mighty Buḍḍhist prince, who would extend his -benevolent influence over the whole world. I should state that this -announcement is widely accepted as truth by the common people of Tibet. - -The Tsan-ni Kenbo was perfectly familiar with the existence of this -marvellous tradition, and he was not slow to utilise it for promoting -his own ambitious schemes. He wrote a pamphlet with the special object -of demonstrating that “Chang Shambhala” means Russia, and that the Tsar -is the incarnation of Je Tsong-kha-pa. The Tsar, this Russian emissary -wrote, is a worthy reincarnation of that venerable founder, being -benevolent to his people, courteous in his relations to neighboring -countries, and above all endowed with a virtuous mind. This fact and -the existence of several points of coincidence between Russia and the -country indicated in the sacred prophecy indisputably proved that -Russia must be that country, that anybody who doubted it was an enemy -of Buḍḍhism and of the august will of the Founder of the New Sect, and -that in short all the faithful believers in Buḍḍhism must pay respect -to the Tsar as a Chang-chub Semba Semba Chenbo, which in Tibetan -indicates one next to Buḍḍha, or as a new embodiment of the Founder, -and must obey him. - -Such is said to be the tenor of that particular writing of the Tsan-ni -Kenbo. It seems to exist in three different versions, Tibetan, -Mongolian and Russian. I have not been able to see a copy, but it was -from the lips of a trustworthy person that I gathered the drift of the -exposition given in the pamphlet. Indeed the Tsan-ni’s pamphlet was -preserved with jealous care by all who had copies of it, such care -as is bestowed by a pious bibliographer on a rare text of Buḍḍhist -writing. I knew several priests who undoubtedly possessed copies of -the pamphlet, but I could not ask permission to inspect them, for fear -that such a request might awake their suspicion. The one from whom -I confidentially obtained the drift of the writing told me that he -found in it some unknown letters. I concluded that the letters must be -Russian. - -Tsan-ni Kenbo’s artful scheme has been crowned with great success, for -to-day almost every Tibetan blindly believes in the ingenious story -concocted by the Mongolian priest, and holds that the Tsar will sooner -or later subdue the whole world and found a gigantic Buḍḍhist empire. -So the Tibetans may be regarded as extreme Russophiles, thanks to the -machination of the Tsan-ni Kenbo. - -There is another minor reason which has very much raised the credit of -Russia in the eyes of the Tibetans; I mean the arrival of costly fancy -goods from that country. Now, the fancy goods coming from British India -are all cheap things which are hardly fit for the uses for which they -are intended. The reason is obvious; as the Tibetans cannot afford -to buy goods of superior quality, the merchants who forward these to -Tibet must necessarily select only those articles that are readily -marketable. The goods coming from Russia, on the other hand, are -not intended for sale; they are exclusively for presents. Naturally -therefore the goods coming from Russia are of superior quality and can -well stand the wear and tear of use. The ignorant Tibetans do not of -course exercise any great discernment, and seeing that the goods from -England and Russia make such a striking contrast with each other they -naturally jump to the conclusion that the English goods are trash, -and that the people who produce such things must be an inferior and -unreliable race. - -I heard during my stay in Tibet a strange story the authenticity of -which admitted of no doubt. It was kept as a great secret and occurred -about two years ago. At that time the Dalai Lama received as a -present a suit of Episcopal robes from the Tsar, a present forwarded -through the hands of the Tsar’s emissary. It was a splendid garment -glittering with gold and was accepted, I was told, with gratitude by -the Grand Lama. The Tsar’s act in giving such a present to him is open -to a serious charge. If the Tsar presented the suit as a specimen -of an embroidered fabric, then that act amounted to sacrilege, for -the Bishop’s ceremonial robe is a sign of a high religious function, -and when a person receives it from the superior Head of the holy -church it means that that person has been installed in the seat of -a Bishop. On the other hand if the Tsar presented the suit from -religious considerations his act is equally inexplicable and deserves -condemnation, for he must have been perfectly aware that Lamaism is -an entirely distinct religion from the State religion of Russia, and -that the chief of the Tibetan religion therefore has nothing to do with -such an official garment. It was really a strange transaction. On the -part of the recipient there were extenuating circumstances. The fact -is, he must have been entirely ignorant as to the real nature of the -present. He must have accepted it merely as a costly garment with no -special meaning attached to it. I am certain he would have rejected -the offer at once had he had even a faint inkling of its nature. He -was therefore a victim of ignorance and perhaps of imposition, for the -Tsan-ni Kenbo, who knew all about this present, must have made some -plausible explanations to the Dalai Lama when the latter asked him -about it. Shata, the Premier and bosom friend of the Tsan-ni, probably -played some part in the imposture. - -[Illustration: PRIME MINISTER.] - -Who is Shata? Shata, whose name I have before mentioned, is the eldest -of the Premiers, and comes from one of the most illustrious families -of Tibet. His house stood in hereditary feud with the great monastery -Tangye-ling whose head, Lama Temo Rinpoche, acted as Regent before -the present Dalai Lama had been installed. At that time the star of -Shata was in the decline. He could not even live in Tibet with safety, -and had to leave the country as a voluntary exile. As a wanderer he -lived sometimes at Darjeeling and at other times in Sikkim. It was -during this period of his wandering existence that he observed the -administration of India by England, and heard much about how India came -to be subjugated by that Power. Shata therefore is the best authority -in Tibet about England’s Indian policy. His mind was filled with the -dread of England. He was overawed by her power and must have trembled -at the mere idea of the possibility of her crossing the Himālayas and -entering Tibet, which could hardly hope to resist the northward march -of England, when once the latter made up her mind to invade the land. -He must have thought during his exile that Tibet would have to choose -between Russia and China in seeking foreign help against the possible -aggression of England. Evidently therefore he carried home some such -idea as to Tibetan policy when affairs allowed him to return home -with safety, that is to say, when his enemy had resigned the Regency -and surrendered the supreme power to the Dalai Lama. Shata was soon -nominated a Premier, and the power he then acquired was first of all -employed and abused in destroying his old enemy and his followers. -The maladministration and unjust practices of which those followers -had been guilty during the ascendancy of their master furnished a -sufficient cause for bringing a serious charge against the latter. The -poor Temo Rinpoche was arrested for a crime of which he was innocent, -and died a victim to his enemy, as already told. - -Shata is an unscrupulous man and is resourceful in intrigues. But he -is nevertheless a man of vigorous mind and does not hesitate about the -means, when once he makes up his mind to compass anything. - -He is the best informed man in Tibet, comparatively speaking, in -diplomatic affairs, and so he must possess a certain definite view -about the foreign policy of Tibet, and his pro-Russian tendency must -have come from his strong conviction, though this conviction rested on -a slender base. This tendency was of course stimulated and encouraged -by the Tsan-ni Kenbo, who did not neglect to work upon the other’s -inclination when he saw that it was highly favorable to him. Shata -on his part must have rendered help to his Mongolian friend when the -latter wished to offer the strange present to the Dalai Lama. I do -not say that the other Ministers approved of Shata’s acts in this -significant transaction, or even of his pro-Russian policy. On the -contrary some of them may have deprecated both as being opposed to the -interests of Tibet. But they could hardly speak out their minds, and -even if they did they could not restrain Shata, for the simple reason -that the executive authority practically rests in the hands of the -Senior Premier. He very seldom consulted his colleagues, still less was -he inclined to accept advice coming from them. Under the circumstances -they must have connived at the acceptance of the bishop’s apparel, even -if they knew about it. - -China’s loss of prestige in Tibet since the Japano-Chinese war owing -to her inability to assert her power over the vassal state has much to -do with this pro-Russian leaning. China is no longer respected, much -less feared by the Tibetans. Previous to that war and before China’s -internal incompetence had been laid bare by Japan, relations like those -between master and vassal bound Tibet to China. The latter interfered -with the internal affairs of Tibet and meted out punishments freely to -the Tibetan dignitaries and even to the Grand Lama. Now she is entirely -helpless. She could not even demand explanations from Tibet when that -country was thrown into an unusual agitation about the Temo Rinpoche’s -affair. The Tibetans are now conducting themselves in utter disregard -or even in defiance of the wishes of China, for they are aware of the -powerlessness of China to take any active steps against them. They know -that their former suzerain is fallen and is therefore no longer to be -depended upon. They are prejudiced against England on account of her -subjugation of India, and so they have naturally concluded that they -should establish friendly relations with Russia, which they knew was -England’s bitter foe. - -It is evident that the Dalai Lama himself favors this view, and it may -safely be presumed that unless he was favorably disposed towards Russia -he would never have accepted the bishop’s garment from the Tsar. He is -too intelligent a man to accept any present from a foreign sovereign as -a mere compliment. - -The Dalai Lama’s friendly inclination was clearly established when in -December, 1900, he sent to Russia his grand Chamberlain as envoy with -three followers. Leaving Lhasa on that date the party first proceeded -towards the Tsan-ni Kenbo’s native place, whence they were taken by -the Siberian railway, and in time reached S. Petersburg. The party -was received with warm welcome by that court, to which it offered -presents brought from Tibet. It is said that on that occasion a secret -understanding was reached between the two Governments. - -It was about December of 1901 or January of the following year that -the party returned home. By that time I had already been residing in -Lhasa for some time. About two months after the return of the party -I went out on a short trip on horseback to a place about fifty miles -north-east of Lhasa. While I was there I saw two hundred camels fully -loaded arrive from the north-east. The load consisted of small boxes, -two packed on each camel. Every load was covered with skin, and so I -could not even guess what it contained. The smallness of the boxes -however arrested my attention, and I came to the conclusion that some -Mongolians must have been bringing ingots of silver as a present to -the Dalai Lama. I asked some of the drivers about the contents of -the boxes, but they could not tell me anything. They were hired at -some intermediate station, and so knew nothing about the contents. -However they believed that the boxes contained silver, but they knew -for certain that these boxes did not come from China. They had been -informed by somebody that they came from some unknown place. - -When I returned to the house of my host, the Minister of Finance came -in and informed him that on that day a heavy load had arrived from -Russia. On my host inquiring what were the contents of the load, the -Minister replied that this was a secret. I took a hint from this -talk of the Minister and left the room. I had however by good chance -discovered that the load came from Russia, and though I could not as -yet form any idea about the contents, I tried to get some reliable -information. - -Now I knew one Government officer who was one of the worst repositories -imaginable for any secret; he was such a gossip that it was easy -to worm out anything from him. One day I met him and gradually the -trend of our conversation was turned to the last caravan. I found him -quite communicative as usual, and so I asked him about the contents -of the load. The gentleman was so far obliging, that he told me -(confidentially, he said) that another caravan of three hundred camels -had arrived some time before, and that the load brought by so many -camels consisted of small fire-arms, bullets, and other interesting -objects. He was quite elated with the weapons, saying that now for the -first time Tibet was sufficiently armed to resist any attack which -England might undertake against her, and could defiantly reject any -improper request which that aggressive power, as the Tibetans believe -her to be, might make to her. - -I had the opportunity to inspect one of the guns sent by Russia. It -was apparently one of modern pattern, but it did not impress me as -possessing any long range nor seem to be quite fit for active service. -The stock bore an inscription attesting that it was made in the United -States of America. The Tibetans being ignorant of Roman letters and -English firmly believed that all the weapons were made in Russia. -It seems that about one-half of the load of the five hundred camels -consisted of small arms and ammunition. - -The Chinese Government appears mortified to see Tibet endeavoring to -break off her traditional relation with China, and to attach herself -to Russia. The Chinese Amban once tried to interfere with the Tsan-ni -Kenbo’s dealings in Lhasa, and even intended to arrest him. But it was -of no avail, as the Tibetan Government extended protection to the man -and defeated the purposes of the Amban. On one occasion the Tsan-ni -was secretly sent to Darjeeling and on another occasion to Nepāl, and -the Amban could never catch hold of him. It appears that the British -Government watched the movements of the Tsan-ni, and this suspicion of -England against him appears to have been shared by the Nepāl Government. - -Apparently therefore the Russian manœuvres in Tibet have succeeded, and -the question that naturally arises is this: “Is Russia’s footing in -Tibet so firmly established as to enable her to make with any hope of -success an attempt on India with Tibet as her base?” I cannot answer -this question affirmatively, for Russia’s influence in Tibet has not -yet taken a deep root. She can count only on the Dalai Lama and his -Senior Premier as her most reliable friends, and the support of the -rest who are simply blind followers of those two cannot be counted -upon. Of course those blind followers would remain pro-Russian, if -Russia should persist in actively pushing on her policy of fascination; -but as their attitude does not rest on a solid foundation they may -abandon it any time when affairs take a turn unfavorable for Russia. -For it must be remembered that by no means the whole of the higher -classes of Tibet are even passive supporters of the policy marked out -by the Dalai Lama and his trusted lieutenants. On the contrary, there -are some few who are secretly suspicious of the motives of Russia. The -Tsar, they think, may be the sovereign who is the incarnate Founder, -but his very munificence towards Tibet may have some deep meaning -at bottom. That munificence may not be for nothing; if it is, then -Russia must be regarded as a country composed of people who are -quite godly--a very rare thing in this world of give and take, where -selfishness is a guiding motive. Is it not more reasonable and safer to -interpret these repeated acts of outward friendship as coming from her -ambitious design to place a snare before Tibet and finally to absorb -the country? Such ideas are, I say, confined to only a very limited -section, and are exchanged in whispers between confidential friends. -They do not seem to have reached the ears of the Dalai Lama and the -Senior Premier. But those ideas already contain in them a germ of a -dangerous nature, which at some favorable opportunity may develop into -a powerful anti-Russian movement. Russia therefore will experience -a keen disappointment if she considers her footing in Tibet firmly -planted beyond any fear of shaking, and neglects to keep watch over the -state of affairs in that country. If she neglects this, all the gold -she has disbursed in the shape of presents and bribes will prove so -much mere waste. - - - - -CHAPTER LXXII. - -Tibet and British India. - - -The Tibetans are on the whole a hospitable people, and the unfavorable -discrimination made against England is mainly attributable to mutual -misunderstanding. On the part of England that misunderstanding -led to the adoption of a rough and ready method instead of one of -ingratiation, and so England is singled out as an object of abhorrence -by Tibet. England had opportunities to score a greater success in -Tibet than that achieved by Russia, and had she followed the Russian -method her influence would now have extended far beyond the Himālayas. -Instead, she tried to coerce Tibet, and so she failed. It is like -crying over spilt milk to speak of this failure at present, but I -cannot help regretting it for the sake of England. She would have saved -much of the trouble and money she has subsequently been obliged to give -in consequence of her too hasty policy, occasioned by her ignorance -of the temper of the Tibetans and the general state of affairs in -their country. As it was, since England sent her abortive expedition -of force, the attitude of Tibet towards that Power has become one of -pronounced hostility. The revelation of the secret mission of Saraṭ -Chanḍra Ḍās and the serious agitation that occurred in Tibet, including -the execution of several noted men, such as the virtuous Sengchen -Dorjechan and others, has completely estranged the Tibetan Government -from England. That revelation has had a far-reaching effect that has -involved the interests of other countries, for it confirmed the Tibetan -Government in its prejudice in favor of a exclusory policy. Tibet has -been closed up entirely since that time, not only against British -India, but even against Russia and Persia. The Lama believers of India -even are prohibited from entering the country. Such being the case, -should England ever wish to transact any business with Tibet she would -be obliged to do so by force. - -Not that England neglects to take measures calculated to win the -favorable opinion of the Tibetans. The Indian Viceroy is, for instance, -endeavoring to convey friendly impressions to such of the Tibetans as -may happen to come to frontier places, such as Darjeeling or Sikkim. -Thus the children of those Tibetans are at liberty to enter any -Government schools without paying fees, while boys of a hopeful nature -are patronised by the Government and are sent at Government expense to -higher institutions. At present there are quite a number of Tibetan -lads who, after graduation from their respective courses, are employed -by the Indian Government as surveyors, Post Office clerks or teachers. -Then the privilege of carrying on the business of palanquin-bearers, -quite a lucrative occupation, is practically reserved for the Tibetans, -at least at Darjeeling. Not even natives of India, still less people of -other countries, are easily allowed to start this business. The Indian -Police officers too are quite indulgent towards the Tibetans, and never -deal with them so strictly as with the Indian natives. - -The Tibetans residing at Darjeeling are therefore quite satisfied with -their lot. Most of them feel sincerely grateful towards the British -Government and are ready to repay it with friendly service. The -longer they remain under the British protection, the stronger grows -this sentiment. They are impressed with the treatment of the British -Government, its straightforwardness, veracity and benevolence, in -contrast to the merciless dealings of the Government at home, which -inflicts shocking punishments for even minor offences. They are well -aware that the Lama’s Government cuts off a man’s arms or extracts his -eye-balls for larceny, or similar minor crimes, while in India capital -punishment is very seldom inflicted even on offenders of a grave -character; the humane treatment of criminals by the British Government -is a thing that can hardly be dreamed of by the people of Tibet. The -roads in India are an object of marvel to the Tibetans who arrive there -for the first time. The presence of free hospitals, of free asylums, of -educational institutions, the railways, telegraphs and telephones--all -these are objects of wonder and marvel to those Tibetans, and it is not -strange that most of them become the more disinclined to return home -the longer they live in India. In the presence of these evidences of -material greatness, the Tibetans naturally come to the conclusion that -a Government which can afford to establish and maintain such splendid -structures must be immensely rich, and they therefore begin to nurture -the hope of having such a wealthy and great Government over them, and -of sharing in its prosperity. This sentiment seems to be especially -strong among those of the higher classes, who have seen India, and it -is shared by their inferiors who know that greatness only from hearsay. - -The policy of indirectly winning the goodwill of the Tibetans, so far -pursued by the Indian Government, has failed, however, to produce any -perceptible effect on the Government circles of Tibet. They are too far -engrossed with personal interests to be open to any great extent to -indirect suasion of a moral nature. They are far more inclined to gain -advantage for themselves directly from offers of bribes than to profit -by an exemplary model of administration. The main reason why they -are favorably disposed towards Russia is because they have received -gold from that country; it was never by the effect of any display -of good administrative method that Russia has succeeded so well. In -short, these greedy Tibetan officials offer their friendship to the -highest bidders, and they do not care at all whence the gold comes so -long as they grasp a large sum. The policy of the British Government -therefore rests on a pedestal set a little too high to be understood -and appreciated by the majority of the official circles of Tibet. - -The attitude of the priesthood towards England is a puzzled one. They -are puzzled to determine whether they should denounce the English -as devils incarnate, or respect them as the incarnations of saints. -The benevolent arrangements made by them, such as establishing -philanthropic institutions, laying of railroads and such like, lead -the sceptical Lamas to think that Englishmen must understand the ways -of Buḍḍhism and be a godly race. But when they think that these same -Englishmen did not scruple to annex other people’s land to their own -dominions, their favorable impression about Englishmen receives a -sudden and complete check. These two conflicting notions seem to have -taken a deep hold on their minds, and they try to solve the puzzle -without compromising their two convictions. They explain that there -must be two distinct kinds of Englishmen in India, one benevolent and -godly and the other infernal and quite wicked. Otherwise, they think, -such a marvellous phenomenon as that witnessed in India could hardly -have been possible. - -The same priests held a strange notion about the late Queen. They -believed her to be an incarnation of the patron Goddess of the -Cho-khang temple in Lhasa, and therefore endowed with a supernatural -power of subjugating and governing the whole world. Because of this -occult affinity the Queen entertained, they believed, a fraternal -feeling towards Tibet, but some of the courtiers about her were -wicked and obstructed her benevolent intentions, just as the great -Buḍḍha himself had among His disciples some wicked and incorrigible -characters. The Tibetans, they said, must get rid of those pernicious -persons for the Queen. - -When the news of the death of the Queen reached Tibet, the people, -while mourning for her, at the same time rejoiced, for they thought -that their Panden Lhamo, the Goddess in question, was once more -restored to them. - -I may add that I was frequently asked by the literates and other men of -learning of my own impression about British India, for they knew that -I had visited Buḍḍhagayā and other places in India. On such occasions -I merely confined myself as much as possible to general remarks, for I -feared that any accurate explanation might awake their suspicions about -my supposed personality. - -The existence of the Siberian railway can hardly be expected to give -any great help to Russia, if ever the latter should be obliged from -one reason or another to send a warlike expedition to Lhasa. The -distance from the nearest station to Lhasa is prohibitive of any such -undertaking, for the march, even if nothing happens on the road, -must require five or six months and is through districts abounding -in deserts and hills. The presence of wild natives in Amdo and Kham -is also a discouraging factor, for they are people who are perfectly -uncontrollable, given up to plunder and murder, and of course -thoroughly at home in their own haunts. Even discipline and superior -weapons would not balance the natural advantages which these dreadful -people enjoy over intruders, however well informed the latter may be -about the topography of the districts. Russia can hardly expect to -subdue Tibet by force of arms. It was in consideration of this fact -that the Tsan-ni Kenbo has been endeavoring to impose upon the Tibetans -that audacious fiction about the identity of the Tsar’s person with -that of the long dead Founder of the New Sect, so that his master might -accomplish by peaceful means what he could hardly effect by force. - -However, even the Tsan-ni’s painstaking efforts appear to have fallen -short of his expectations, and there is a danger of a reaction setting -in against him. - -It must be remembered that the sentiment of the common people towards -China still retains its old force, even though they know that the power -of their old patron has considerably declined lately. They are well -aware that Tibet has been placed from time immemorial in a state of -vassalage to China, that Prince Srong-tsan Gambo who first introduced -Buḍḍhism into Tibet had as his wife a daughter of the then Emperor of -China, while the Tibetans believe that the present Emperor of China -is an incarnation of a Buḍḍhist deity (the Chang-chub Semba Tambe -yang in Tibetan) worshipped on Mount Utai, China. And so both from -tradition and prejudice and from present superstition, the mass of the -people, who are conservative, cannot but regard China with a lingering -sentiment of respect and attachment, and the position which China still -occupies in the niches of their hearts can hardly be supplanted by -Russia, even when the Tsan-ni Kenbo ingeniously represents her as the -country indicated in the Tibetan _Book of Prophecy_. - -As I have mentioned before, some few of the influential Government -officials do not seem to approve of the Tsan-ni’s movement. They even -suspect that Russia might have some sinister object in view when she -presented gold and other valuable things to the Dalai Lama and others. -Tibet has no newspapers, but even without that organ of public opinion -the public become acquainted sooner or later with most important -occurrences, and so it stands to reason that the unfavorable view which -is secretly entertained by a limited number of thoughtful men must -have leaked out one way or other to at least a section of the public. -The result is that not a small number of priests have begun to side, -though not as an organised movement, with these prudent thinkers, and -therefore to rebel against Shata and his faction. The priests of the -colleges and the warrior-priests seem to be particularly conspicuous -in this reactionary movement. Indeed the fact is that Shata has never -been a _persona grata_ with those young men since the tragedy of Temo -Rinpoche, and so they were inclined to view anything done by the crafty -author of that tragedy with suspicious eyes. Then again the thoughtful -portion of the college-priests never tolerated the Nechung oracles. -They despised the oracle-priests as not much better than men of unsound -mind, as drunkards, and corrupters of national interests. The very fact -that Shata patronised this vile set further estranged him from the -college-priests. - -Under the circumstances, something like a reaction seems already to -have set in against the pro-Russian agitation ingeniously planned by -the Tsan-ni Kenbo. It remains to be seen what steps Russia will take -towards Tibet to prevent the Lama’s country from slipping away from her -grasp. - -In reviewing the relations that formerly existed between British -India and Tibet, it must be stated first of all that British India -was closely connected with Tibet many years ago. At least Tibet’s -attitude toward the Indian Government was not embittered by any hostile -sentiment. In the eighteenth century, during the Governor-Generalship -of Warren Hastings, he sent George Bogle to make commercial -arrangements between the two countries. This gentleman resided a few -years at Shigatze. Then Captain Turner also lived at the same place -as a commercial agent for some time. After that time India did not -send any more such commissioners, but till about twenty-four years -ago the Indian natives were permitted to enter Tibet unmolested. They -were generally pilgrims or priests bent on visiting the sacred places. -Quite a large number of such Indians must have entered Tibet. Prior -to the exploration of Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās it was not an uncommon sight, -I have been told, to see a party of naked priests, each carrying a -water-vessel made of gourd, and iron tongs, and with faces smeared with -ashes, proceeding towards Tibet. Though official relations had ceased -between Tibet and India, their people therefore were bound together by -some friendly connexions till quite recently. It is not unlikely that -if the Indian Government had made at that time some advances acceptable -to Tibet, it would have succeeded in establishing cordial relations -with the latter. - -The exploration of Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās disguised as an ordinary Sikkimese -priest, and the frontier trouble that followed it, completely changed -the attitude of Tibet towards India and the outer world and made it -adopt a strict policy of exclusion. The publication of the results of -that exploration directed the attention of the Indian Government to the -question of delimiting the boundary between Sikkim, its protectorate, -and Tibet. It was at that time that the Tibetan Government adopted -most indiscreet measures at the instance of a fanatical Nechung, and -proceeded to build a fort at a frontier place which distinctly belonged -to Sikkim. The Tibetan Government is said to have at first hesitated -to follow that insidious advice, but the Nechung was clamorous and -declared that his presence in the fort would disarm any troops which -the Indian Government might send against it. Tibet therefore, continued -the fanatic, need not be afraid of the Indian Government and must -proceed to construct a fort with all promptitude. He argued that the -presence of a fort would go far towards promoting Tibet’s cause in -settling the boundary dispute and the fort would become the permanent -boundary mark. - -Accordingly the fort was built at a place that was beyond the -legitimate boundary line of Tibet. Soon the Indian troops arrived -and, ‘infidels’ as they were, they made short work of it, in utter -defiance of the terrible anathema hurled by the indomitable Nechung -against them. The stronghold was carried by assault by the invaders. -The crumbled stone walls standing on a hill at a place about twenty -miles on this side of Nyatong, which marks the boundary between Sikkim -and Tibet, indicate the site of this short-lived stronghold built by -the Tibetan Government. Now in building a fort in a place which the -Tibetans themselves knew to belong to Sikkim, they may have reasoned -with self-complacency that as Sikkim formerly belonged to Tibet, -therefore they might not improperly revive their original claim on, -at least, a portion of that district now under the jurisdiction of -England. Of course England could never concur in such an arrangement, -and the trouble between her and Tibet at last culminated in war. This -was about sixteen years ago. The issue of that war was from the first -a foregone conclusion, and the troops sent by the Indian Government -easily put to rout the fighting men of Tibet. The latter held better -positions, but they lacked discipline, training and good weapons, -while they had the further disadvantage of being commanded by would-be -generals and captains who did not care to lead their men in person, but -contented themselves with issuing orders and leaving them to be carried -out anyhow. Needless to add that the orders could never be carried out, -but were invariably frustrated by the invaders. The Tibetan generals -and captains escaped unhurt, for the simple reason that they had -never exposed themselves to danger. After issuing orders, they always -remained in the camp and spent their time in gambling, leaving their -soldiers to be killed or wounded on the field. Thus the war ended -with some heavy casualty returns on the Tibetan side, and far shorter -returns on the part of the invaders. - -As the result of this war the frontier line was drawn through Nyatong, -and though the Indian Government would have been justified in extending -it further down to Chumbi Samba, it did not push its claim so far. - -Apparently the action of the Indian Viceroy of that time was crowned -with success, but when this complication is viewed with an eye to -a longer and more permanent end, I cannot approve of the measures -adopted by him. He should I think, have adopted a course of leniency -instead of one of stern punishment, and should have endeavored by -some clever manœuvres, not excluding a rather liberal disbursement -of secret service funds, to win the good-will of the ruling circles -of Tibet. I think the result would have been far more advantageous -for the future success of England than recovering at the point of the -bayonet a barren tract covering only thirty miles in area. Who knows -but that the influence of England might have been firmly established in -Tibet by this time if that patronising policy had been adopted then, -and that Englishmen might not be free to come and reside in and about -Lhasa to enjoy the pure atmosphere and cool and healthy climate of that -district? - - - - -CHAPTER LXXIII. - -China, Nepal and Tibet. - - -It requires the erudition and investigations of experts to write with -any adequacy about the earlier relations between China and Tibet. I -must therefore confine myself here only to the existing state of those -relations. - -Tibet is nominally a protectorate of China, and as such she is bound -to pay a tribute to the Suzerain State. In days gone by, Tibet used -to forward this tribute to China, but subsequently the payment was -commuted against expenses which China had to allow Tibet, on account -of the Grand Prayer which is performed every year at Lhasa for the -prosperity of the Chinese Emperor. As a result of this arrangement, -Tibet ceased to send the tribute and China to send the prayer fund. - -The loss of Chinese prestige in Tibet has been truly extraordinary -since the Japano-Chinese War. Previous to that disastrous event, China -used to treat Tibet in a high-handed way, while the latter, overawed -by the display of force of the Suzerain, tamely submitted. All is -now changed, and instead of that subservient attitude Tibet regards -China with scorn. The Tibetans have come to the conclusion that their -masters are no longer able to protect and help them, and therefore -do not deserve to be feared and respected any more. It can easily be -understood how the Chinese are mortified at this sudden downfall of -their prestige in Tibet. They have tried to recover their old position, -but all their endeavors have as yet been of no avail. The Tibetans -listen to Chinese advice when it is acceptable, but any order that is -distasteful to them is utterly disregarded. - -While I was staying in Lhasa a yellow paper, containing the Chinese -Emperor’s decree issued at the termination of the Boxer trouble, -was hung up in the square of that city. The decree was addressed to -all the eighteen provinces of China and all her protectorates. It -warned the people under pain of severe penalty against molesting and -persecuting foreigners, as they, the people, were too frequently liable -to do from their ignorance of the state of affairs abroad and their -misunderstanding of the motives of the foreigners who came to their -respective districts. These foreigners, the decree continued, have -really come to engage in industrial pursuits or in diffusing religion, -and for other purposes beneficial alike to the people and themselves. -In order to promote these aims of mutual benefit, the middle kingdom -has been opened so as to allow foreigners freedom of travelling to -any place they wish, and so, concluded the decree, this policy of -welcome and hospitality should be adopted in all the provinces and -protectorates. - -Two other decrees of like import arrived afterwards and were similarly -posted up, and I thought at that time that the allies must have entered -Peking, and that this decree must have been issued as a result of the -conclusion of peace between the Powers and China. - -The decree, however, failed to produce any particular impression on -the Tibetans. I asked a high Government official what Tibet was going -to do with the order set forth in the decree, and whether the Tibetan -Government, in the face of that injunction, could refuse, for instance, -to allow Englishmen to enter the country. The official scornfully -replied that his Government was not obliged to obey an order which the -Chinese Emperor issued at his own pleasure. And besides it was highly -doubtful whether the Emperor, who was an incarnation of a high saint, -could have issued a decree of that nature, which he must have known to -be utterly opposed to the interests and traditional policy of Tibet. -It was more probably clandestinely issued by some wicked men near the -Emperor’s person, as a result of bribes received from foreigners. It -did not deserve to be trusted, much less to be obeyed, declared my -Tibetan friend. - -Whatever be the motive, therefore, the Tibetans are utterly indifferent -to most of the decrees coming from China, and treat them like so many -gamblers’ oaths, neither more nor less. - -Whether it be from polygamous customs or from other causes, the fact -remains, though it is not possible to prove it by accurate statistical -returns, that the population of Nepāl is rapidly increasing. It must -be remembered that the Government takes great pains to increase its -population, in order to expand its interests both at home and abroad, -and, probably under the impression that polygamy is conducive to that -end, it is encouraging this questionable practice. In Nepāl therefore -even a man who can hardly support his family has two or three wives, -and one who is better off has many more. Apparently this policy is -attended with success, so far as the main object aimed at is concerned, -for I have never seen so many children anywhere as I saw in Nepāl, -where every family consisted of a large number of boys and girls. - -Be the cause what it may, the beneficial effect of this steady advance -of population is plainly visible in that country, where almost every -nook and corner of available land is brought under tillage, where woods -are tended with extreme care, and even the remote forests inhabited by -wild beasts are made to contribute their share to the stock of lumber, -of which a large portion is annually exported to lower India. Already -the population of Nepāl appears to be too large for the limited area -of the country, and so a considerable emigration is taking place. Thus -we find the Nepālese serving in the army of the Indian Government, or -pursuing trade or opening up wild lands in Sikkim or at Darjeeling. -Above all the Nepālese seem to cast their longing glances towards -Tibet as the best field for their superfluous population; for Tibet, -while possessing an area about twelve-fold that of Nepāl, is far more -thinly populated. They even seem to be prepared to go through the -ordeal of war, if necessary, to secure that best outlet for their needy -population, which cannot find sufficient elbowroom at home. Perhaps -the Nepāl Government has that contingency in view in maintaining, -as it does, a standing army which is evidently far above its home -requirements in numerical strength. - -In Nepāl the military department receives appropriations which are -quite out of proportion to those set apart for peaceful matters, as -education, justice and philanthropy. Indeed the Nepāl troops, the -famous Gurkhas, may even rival regular British troops in discipline and -effectiveness; they may perhaps even surpass the others in mountain -warfare, such as would take place in their own country. Certainly in -their capacity of enduring hardships and in running up and down hills, -bearing heavy knapsacks, they are superior to the British soldiers. -They very much resemble the Japanese soldiers in stature and general -appearance, and also in temperament. The one might easily be mistaken -for the other, so close is the resemblance between the two. In short, -as fighters in mountainous places the Gurkhas form ideal soldiers; and -it seems as though circumstances will sooner or later compel Nepāl to -employ for her self-defence this highly effective force. Russia is at -the bottom of the impending trouble, while Tibet supplies the immediate -cause. - -The Russianising tendency of Tibet has recently put Nepāl on her guard, -and when intelligence reached Nepāl that Tibet had concluded a secret -treaty with Russia, that the Dalai Lama had received a bishop’s robe -from the Tsar, and that a large quantity of arms and ammunition had -reached Lhasa from S. Petersburg, Nepāl became considerably alarmed, -and with good reason. For with Russia established in Tibet, Nepāl -must necessarily feel uneasy, as it would be exposed to the danger of -absorption. The very presence of a powerful neighbor must subject Nepāl -to a great strain which can hardly be borne for long. - -It is not surprising to hear that Nepāl is said to have communicated -in an informal manner with Tibet and to have demanded an explanation -of the rumors concerning the conclusion of a secret treaty between her -and Russia, adding that if that were really the case then Nepāl, from -considerations of self-defence, must oppose that arrangement even if -the opposition entailed an appeal to arms. What reply Tibet has made -to this communication is not accurately known, but that Nepāl sent an -informal message to this effect admits of no doubt. - -Nepāl may be driven to declare war on Tibet should the latter persist -in pursuing her pro-Russian policy, and allow Russia to establish -herself in that country; and it is quite likely that England may be -pleased to see Nepāl adopt that resolute attitude. She may even extend -a helping hand, for instance by supplying part of the war expense, and -thus enabling Nepāl to prosecute that movement. The reason is obvious, -for England has nothing to lose but everything to gain from trouble -between Nepāl and Tibet, in which the former may certainly be expected -to win. But even if Nepāl is victorious her victory will bring her -only a small benefit, and the lion’s share will go to England; Nepāl -therefore would be placed in the rather foolish position of having -taken the chestnuts from the fire for the British lion to eat. The -present Ruler of Nepāl is too intelligent a statesman not to perceive -that--judging at least from my personal observations, when I was -allowed to see the Ruler, the Cabinet Minister. He knows that it would -be far better for his countrymen to content himself with the reality -of benefit rather than with the glory of a successful but necessarily -costly war. He should confine himself to making some arrangements -with Tibet by which the Nepālese may be enabled to enter, or settle -in Tibet, and to carry on profitable undertakings there. If once his -countrymen establish their influence in Tibet by virtue of economic -undertakings, then they may regard with comparative complacency any -advance of Russian influence in Tibet, for Nepāl would be in a position -to counteract that influence by peaceful means or even by war if -necessary. - -Thus, it is hardly likely that Nepāl will go to extreme measures -towards Tibet, even if England should cleverly encourage her. - -It must be remembered that the relations between the two countries are -not yet strained. The Tibetans do not seem to harbor any ill-feeling -towards their neighbors beyond the mountains, nor do they regard them -as a whole with fear, though they do fear the Gurkhas on account of -their valor and discipline. The Tibetan Government also seems to be -desirous of maintaining a friendly relation with Nepāl. For instance, -when on one occasion the Ruler of Nepāl sent his messenger to Tibet -to procure a set of Tibetan sūṭras, the Dalai Lama, who heard of that -errand, caused a set to be sent to Nepāl as a present from himself, -which is now kept in the Royal Library of Nepāl. - -The Nepāl Government, on its part, appears to be doing its best to -create a favorable impression on the Tibetans. The Ruler, it must be -remembered, is not a Buḍḍhist but a Brāhmaṇa; still, he pursues the -policy of toleration towards all faiths, and is especially kindly to -Buḍḍhists. The Buḍḍhists from Tibet who are staying in Nepāl enjoy -protection from the Government, and the Ruler not unfrequently makes -grants of money or timber when Buḍḍhist temples are to be built in his -dominion. The care bestowed by the Ruler on the Buḍḍhists is highly -appreciated by their friends at home, and Nepāl is therefore favorably -situated for winning the hearts of the Tibetan people. It is easily -conceivable that with a judicious use of secret service funds Nepāl -might easily establish her influence in Tibet. This, however, cannot be -readily expected from that country, as internal conditions now are, for -order is far from being firmly established in that little kingdom, and -domestic troubles and administrative changes occur too frequently. Even -the Prime Minister, who wields the real power, has been assassinated -more than once, while changes have very frequently taken place in the -incumbency of that post. Nepāl is at present too deeply absorbed in her -internal affairs, and cannot spare either energy or money for pursuing -any consistent policy towards Tibet. Thus, though the military service -of Nepāl is sufficiently creditable, her diplomacy leaves much to be -desired. - - - - -CHAPTER LXXIV. - -The Future of Tibetan Diplomacy. - - -Tibet may be said to be menaced by three countries--England, Russia -and Nepāl, for China is at present a negligible quantity as a factor -in determining its future. The question is which of the three is most -likely to become master of that table-land. It is evident that the -three can never come to terms in regard to this question; at best -England and Nepāl may combine for attaining their common object, but -the combination of Russia with either of them is out of the question. -Russia’s ambition in bringing Tibet under her control is too obviously -at variance with the interest of the other two to admit of their coming -to terms with her, for Russia’s occupation would be merely preparatory -to the far greater end of making a descent on the fertile plains on the -south side of the Himālayas by using Tibet as a base of operation. As -circumstances stand, Nepāl has to confine her ambition to pushing her -interests in Tibet by peaceful means. This is evidently the safest and -most prudent plan for that country, seeing that when once that object -has been attained her interest would remain unimpaired whether Tibet -should fall into the hands of England or into those of Russia. After -all, therefore, the future of Tibet is a problem to be solved between -those two Powers. At present Russia has the ears of an important -section of the ruling circles of Tibet, while on the other hand England -has the mass of the Tibetan people on her side. The Russian policy, -depending as it does on clever manœuvres and a free use of gold, is in -danger of being upset by any sudden turn of affairs in Tibet, while the -procedure of England being moderate and matter-of-fact is more lasting -in its effect. Which policy is more likely to prevail cannot easily -be determined, for though moderation and practical method will win in -the long run, diplomacy is a ticklish affair and must take many other -factors into consideration. At any rate England is warned to be on the -alert, for otherwise Russia may steal a march upon her and upon Lhasa. - -If the Russian troops should ever succeed in reaching Lhasa, that would -open up a new era for Tibet, for the country would passively submit to -the Russian rule. The Tibetans, it must be remembered, are thoroughly -imbued with the spirit of negative fatalism, and the arrival of Russian -troops in Lhasa would therefore be regarded as the inevitable effect -of a predetermined causation, and therefore as an event that must be -submitted to without resistance. The entry of those troops would never -rouse the patriotic sentiment of the people. But the effect of this -imaginary entry would constitute a serious menace to India. In fact, -with Russia established in the natural strongholds of Tibet, India, it -may be said, would be placed at the mercy of Russia, which could send -her troops at any moment down to the fertile plains below. Thus would -the dream of Peter the Great be realised, and of course the British -supremacy on the sea would avail nothing against this overland descent -across the Himālayas. Some may think that what I have stated is too -extravagant, and is utterly beyond the sphere of possibility. I reply -that any such thought comes from ignorance of the natural position of -Tibet. Any person who has ever personally observed the immense strength -which Tibet naturally commands must agree with me that its occupation -by Russia would be followed sooner or later by that of India by the -same aggressive power. - -The question naturally arises: “Will Tibet then cease to be an -independent country?” It is of course impossible to come to any -positive conclusion about it, but from what I have observed and -studied I cannot give a reassuring answer. The spirit of dependence on -the strong is too deeply implanted in the hearts of the Tibetan people -to be superseded now by the spirit of self-assertion and independence. -During the long period of more than a thousand years, the Tibetan -people has always maintained the idea of relying upon one or another -great power, placing itself under the protection of one suzerain State -or another, first India and then China. How far the Tibetans lack the -manly spirit of independence may easily be judged from the following -story about the Dalai Lama, who is unquestionably a man of character, -gifted with energy and power of decision, who would be well qualified -to lead his country to progress and prosperity did he possess modern -knowledge and were he well informed of the general trend of affairs -abroad. He is thoroughly familiar with the condition of his own people, -and has done much towards satisfying popular wishes, redressing -grievances and discouraging corrupt practices. If ever there were a man -in Tibet whose heart was set on maintaining the independence of the -country, it must be the Dalai Lama. So I had thought, but my fond hope -was rudely shaken, and I was left in despair about the future of Tibet. - -This supreme chief of the Lama Hierarchy has recently undergone a -complete change in his attitude towards England. Formerly whenever -England opened some negotiation with Tibet, the Dalai Lama was overcome -by great perturbation, while any display of force on the part of -England invariably plunged him into the deepest anxiety. He was often -seen on such occasions to shut himself up in a room and, refusing food -or rest, to be absorbed in painful reflexions. Now all is changed, and -the same Dalai Lama regards all threats or even encroachments with -indifference or even defiance. For instance, when England, chiefly to -feel the attitude of Tibet and not from any object of encroachment, -included, when fixing the boundary, a small piece of land that had -formerly belonged to Tibet, the Dalai Lama was not at all perturbed. -Instead of that he is said to have talked big and breathed defiance, -saying that he would make England rue this sooner or later. His -subjects, it is reported, were highly impressed on this occasion and -they began to regard him as a great hero. - -For my part this sudden change in the behavior of the supreme Lama only -caused me to heave a heavy sigh for the future of Tibet. It cruelly -disillusioned me of the great hopes I had reposed in his character for -the welfare of his country. The reason why the Grand Lama, who was -at first as timid as a hare towards England, should become suddenly -as bold as a lion, is not far to seek. The conclusion of a secret -treaty with Russia was at the bottom of the strange phenomenon. Strong -in the idea that Russia, as she had promised the Dalai Lama, would -extend help whenever his country was threatened by England, he who had -formerly trembled at the mere thought of the possibility of England’s -encroachment began now to hurl defiance at her. He may even have -thought that the arrival of a large number of arms from Russia would -enable Tibet to resist England single-handed. In short, the Dalai Lama -believed that Russia being the only country in the world strong enough -to thwart England, therefore he need no longer be harassed by any fear -of the latter country. - -With the Dalai Lama--perhaps one of the greatest Lama pontiffs that has -ever sat on the throne--given up shamelessly, and even with exultation, -to that servile thought of subserviency, and with no great men prepared -to uphold the independence of the country, Tibet must be looked upon -as doomed. All things considered therefore, unless some miracle should -happen, she is sure to be absorbed by some strong Power sooner or -later, and there is no hope that she will continue to exist as an -independent country. - - - - -CHAPTER LXXV. - -The “Monlam” Festival. - - -_Monlam_ literally means supplication, but in practice it is the -name of the great Tibetan festival performed for the benefit of the -reigning Emperor of China, the offering of prayers to the deities for -his prosperity and long life. The festival commences either on the -3rd or 4th of January, according to the lunar calendar, and closes on -the 25th of the month. The three days beginning on New Year’s Day and -ending with the 3rd are given up to the New Year’s Festival, and from -the following day the great Monlam season sets in. - -In order to make arrangements for the coming festival, the priests are -given holiday from the 20th of December. Holiday however is a gross -misnomer, for the days are spent in profane pleasures and in all sorts -of sinful amusements. The temples are no longer sacred places; they are -more like gambling-houses--places where the priests make themselves -merry by holding revels far into the night. Now is the time when the -Tibetan priesthood bids good-bye for a while to all moral and social -restraints, when young and old indulge themselves freely to their -heart’s content, and when those who remain aloof from this universal -practice are laughed at as old fogeys. I had been regularly employing -one little boy to run errands and to do all sorts of work. In order to -allow him to enjoy the season, I engaged another boy on this occasion. -I might have dispensed with this additional boy altogether, for as the -two boys never remained at home, and even stayed away at night, it was -just as if I had had no boy at all. And so for days and days religion -and piety were suspended and in their places profanity and vice were -allowed to reign supreme. - -The wild season being over--it lasts about twelve days--the Monlam -festival commences. This is preceded by the arrival of priests at -Lhasa from all parts of Tibet. From the monasteries of Sera, Rebon, -Ganden and other large and small temples, situated at a greater or -less distance, arrive the contingents of the priestly hosts. These -must number about twenty-five thousand, sometimes more and sometimes -less, according to the year. They take up their quarters in ordinary -houses, for the citizens are under obligation to offer one or two -rooms for the use of the priests during this season, just as people -of other countries are obliged to do for soldiers when they carry out -manœuvres in their neighborhood. And as in the case when soldiers are -billeted, so the priests who come from the country are crowded in their -temporary abodes. Some of them are even obliged to sleep outside, -owing to lack of accommodation, but they do not seem to mind the -discomfort much, so long as snow does not fall. Besides the priests, -the city receives at the same time an equally numerous host of lay -visitors from the country, so that the population of Lhasa during this -festival season is swollen to twice its regular number, or even more. -In ordinary days Lhasa contains about fifty thousand inhabitants, but -there must be at least a hundred thousand on this special occasion. I -ought to state that formerly, and before the time of the present Dalai -Lama, the arrival of the Monlam festival was signalised not by the -inflow of people from the country but by the contrary movement, the -temporary exodus of the citizens to the provinces. Since the accession -of the present Grand Lama the direction of the temporary movement has -been reversed, and the festival has begun to be celebrated amidst -a vast concourse of the people instead of amidst a desolate scene. -This apparent anomaly was due to the extortion which the Festival -Commissioners practised on the citizens. - -This function is undertaken by two of the higher priests of the Rebon -Monastery, the largest of the three important establishments, who take -charge of the judicial affairs of the temple during the term of one -year, and are known by the title of Shal-ngo. The appointment to the -post of Shal-ngo was and still is an expensive affair for its holder, -for he must present to the officials who determine the nomination -bribes amounting to perhaps five thousand _yen_. As soon as the post -has been secured at such a cost the Shal-ngo loses no time in employing -it as a means of recovering that sum, with heavy interest, during his -short tenure of office and especially during the two festival seasons -of Monlam and Sang-joe, over which the two Commissioners exercise -absolute control. They set themselves to collect enough to enable -them to live in competence and luxury during the rest of their lives. -Driven by this inordinate greed, the dealings of the Commissioners -are excessively strict during those days. Fines are imposed for every -trivial offence; the citizens are frequently fined as much as two -hundred _yen_, in Japanese currency, on the pretext of the imperfect -cleansing of the doorways or of the streets in front of their houses. -The parties engaged in a quarrel are ordered to pay a similarly heavy -fine, and without any discrimination as to the relative justice of -their causes. Then too the festival seasons are a dreadful time for -those who have debts not yet redeemed, for then the creditors can -easily recover the sum through the help of the Commissioners, provided -they are prepared to give to them one-half the sum thus recovered. On -receipt of a petition from a creditor, the greedy officials at once -order the debtors and their friends to pay the money on pain of having -their property confiscated. The whole proceedings of the Festival -Commissioners, therefore, are not much better than the villainous -practices of brigands and highwaymen. It is not to be wondered at that -at the approach of the festivals the citizens began in a hurry to lock -away their valuable property in the secret depths of their houses, and -then leaving one or two men to take charge during their absence, left -the city for the country, the houses being given over as lodgings for -the priests. During the Monlam season, therefore, there did not remain -in the city even one-tenth of its ordinary population. - -[Illustration: A CORRUPT CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE MONKS.] - -The shark-like practices of the Shal-ngos are not confined to the -festival seasons or to the citizens; on the contrary, they prey even -on their brother-priests for the purpose of satisfying their voracious -greed, and extort money from them. The Shal-ngos are like wolves in a -fold of sheep, or like robbers living with impunity amidst ordinary -law abiding people. That such gross abuses and injustice should have -been allowed within the sacred precincts of a monastery is really -marvellous, but it is a fact. The Shal-ngos’ extortions from the -citizens were checked when the present Dalai Lama ascended the throne, -and the citizens were thus enabled to live in peace and to participate -in the festival during the Monlam season, but the sinful practices of -the Legal Commissioners in other quarters are still left uncurtailed. - -An interesting story is told which shows how the Shal-ngos are abhorred -and detested by the Tibetans. A certain Lama, superstitiously believed -to possess a supernatural power of visiting any place in this world or -the next and of visiting Paradise or Hell, was once asked by a merchant -of Lhasa to tell him with what he, the Lama, had been most impressed -during his visits to Hell. The Lama replied that he was surprised to -see so many priests suffering tortures at the hands of the guardians -of Hell. However he continued with an air of veracity, the tortures -to which ordinary priests were being subjected were not very extreme, -and they were therefore allowed to live in their new abode with less -suffering. But the tortures inflicted on the Shal-ngos of Rebon -monastery were horrible; they were such that the mere recollection of -them caused his hair to stand on end. Such is the story told at the -expense of these Lama sharks, and indeed from the way in which they -act during their short tenure of the office, Hell, and the lowest -circle in it, seems to be the only place for which they are fit. - -Lhasa puts on her cleanest and finest appearance with the advent of -this season. The filth and garbage that have been left accumulating -during the preceding months are carried away, the gutters are cleaned, -and the public are no longer allowed to drop dirt about or in any way -to pollute the streets. - -The grand service is performed at the magnificent three-storied edifice -which is so conspicuous in Lhasa, namely the Cho Khang, the celebrated -Buḍḍha’s Hall. During the service this hall is packed to overflowing -with priests and pious believers, and there is not space left to move -one’s elbows. Not infrequently, therefore, casualties are said to -happen. - -The service is performed three times a day, first from five to seven -in the morning, then from ten to a little before one and lastly from -three to about half past four in the afternoon. The second service -is the most important one for the priests who attend the ceremony, -as it is accompanied by monetary gifts. The gifts come either from -philanthropic folk or from the Government, and range on each occasion -from twenty-four _sen_ (Japanese) to seventy-two _sen_. The gifts -generally amount during the period of the Festival to about ten _yen_ -for ordinary priests. This sum is considerably larger on a special -occasion, as when a Dalai Lama is enthroned or dies, when it may -increase to about twenty _yen_. - -The receipts of the higher Lamas during this season are far -greater--often one thousand, two thousand or even as much five thousand -_yen_. - -On the other hand all the priests who arrive in Lhasa to attend the -ceremony are required to pay their own lodging expenses, at the rate -of twenty-five to fifty _sen_ a day. For a room or set of rooms better -furnished than usual the charge may be three to five _yen_, and of -course only aristocratic priests can afford to hire such rooms. The -lodging of the priests is somewhat exclusive, and they are forbidden to -stay at houses selling liquors, or containing many females. - -During this season, besides the Festival Commissioners who are the -Lama sharks of the year, a special office for supervising priests, -called _Khamtsan-gi Giken_, is created, commissioned with the duty of -controlling the conduct of the priests. Quarrels are, however, very -rare during the season, though from the ordinary behavior of priests -they might naturally be expected to occasion such troubles. At any -rate the priests maintain decorum externally. They are expected to -attend the three services performed each day, and they are not allowed -to attend the ceremony at their own temples, even when those temples -are situated near the city. They must live in the city, and remain -there, unless under exceptional circumstances, such as illness. The -attendance at the three services is not compulsory, yet it is very -rarely neglected, for a distribution of gifts is very often made at -each service. - -[Illustration: THE FINAL CEREMONY OF THE MONLAM.] - -On January 15th, according to the lunar calendar, the most magnificent -ceremony is carried out at night. The offerings are arranged around -the Buḍḍha’s Hall, and the most conspicuous object among them is a -triangular wooden frame with sharp apex, the structure measuring about -forty feet high and thirty feet long at the base. Two dragons in an -ascending position are fixed to the two sides, while about the middle -of the frame the “Enchanted Garden” is represented, peopled either with -figures of the Buḍḍha teaching human beings or of Princes and other -important dignitaries. These figures are all made of butter. Besides -human figures there are figures of several of the alleged birds of -paradise, such as are mentioned in Buḍḍhist books. All these are of -Tibetan workmanship, and creditably executed, probably as a result -of long experience. I should add that the butter figures are all -finely painted and even gilded, and as the butter takes color easily -the effect produced is very splendid, when those highly decorated and -painted figures are seen by the light of butter-lamps or torches that -are burning at a suitable distance from the figures. There must be as -many as a hundred and twenty such ornamental structures around the -Hall, while the lamps and torches that are burning are quite countless. -Indeed, it seemed to me as if some gorgeous scene such as we imagine to -exist only in Heaven had been transplanted to earth on that particular -occasion. To the Tibetans the scene as exhibited on this particular -night marks the high-water level of all that is splendid in this world, -and it is therefore quoted as an ideal standard in speaking of anything -that is uncommonly magnificent. - -This offering ceremony concludes at about two o’clock the following -morning, and two hours later the decorated figures are removed, for -they are in danger of being melted when exposed to the rays of the sun. -The ceremony, it must be remembered, is attended only by a limited -number of priests, probably three hundred at the utmost out of the -twenty-five thousand who are present in the city to attend the Monlam -festival. The privilege of inspecting this yearly show is therefore -regarded as a great honor by the Tibetan priests. - -The reason why this magnificent display is denied to the inspection of -the majority of priests and to the whole of the populace is because -formerly, when it was open to universal inspection, uncontrollable -commotion attended by casualties used to mar the function. And so -the authorities decided about thirty years ago to perform it in this -semi-private manner. - -The ceremony begins at about eight in the evening and closes, as -before mentioned, at about four the following morning. The function -is sometimes inspected by the Dalai Lama, while at other times he does -not come, as was the case when I had the good fortune to witness it -in the company of the ex-Finance Minister. The Amban however does not -omit to attend the ceremony. He was attired in the gorgeous official -garments of China, and sat in a carriage lit up inside with twenty-four -tussore silk lanterns in which were burning foreign-made candles. On -his head he wore the official cap befitting his rank. The procession -was preceded by a cavalcade of Chinese officers also in their gala -dresses, and behind the carriage followed another train of mounted -guards. It was really a fine scene, this procession of the Chinese -Amban as it passed through the streets lit up with tens of thousands of -butter-lamps; only I thought that the sight was too showy and that it -lacked the element of solemnity. - -After the procession of the Amban followed the trains of the high -priests, then high lay officials and last of all the Premiers. On that -occasion only two of the four Premiers attended, the other two being -unable to be present. - -The Premiers come to the function in order to inspect the offerings, -which are contributed by the Peers and the wealthy as a sort of -obligation. Butter decorations are expensive things, costing from three -hundred to two thousand yen in Japanese currency, according to their -magnitude and the finish of the workmanship; and here were over one -hundred and twenty such costly decorations arranged as offerings, and -that only for one evening. I believe no such costly butter decorations -are to be seen anywhere else in the world. - -[Illustration: A SCENE FROM THE MONLAM FESTIVAL.] - -During the festival I remained as before under the hospitable roof of -the ex-Minister, and though through the favor of my host I inspected -the offering ceremony, I did not attend the prayer services. The -former I saw from mere curiosity and as an outsider. The scene on -the occasion was sufficiently enjoyable; I went first to the quarters -assigned to the warrior-priests and observed that these young men were -spending their time in their own customary way even during the time of -the service, singing songs, trying feats of arms, or engaged in hot -disputes or even open quarrels. All at once the clamor ceased and order -was restored as if by magic, and the young priests were seen demurely -reciting the service; they had noticed some subordinates of the -Festival Commissioners coming towards them in order to maintain order. -Those subordinates were armed with willow sticks about four feet long -and fairly thick--sticks which were green and supple and well suited -for inflicting stinging blows. - -Then I moved on to the quarters where the learned priests were intently -engaged in carrying out the examination held for the aspirants to the -highest degrees obtainable in Tibet. The examination was oral and in -the form of interrogations put to the candidates by the examination -committee, the latter being composed of the most celebrated theologians -in the three colleges. The candidates too were not unworthy to be -examined by such divines, for those only are qualified to apply for -permission to undergo the examination who have studied hard for twenty -years, and have acquired a thorough knowledge of all the abstruse -points in Buḍḍhist theology and have made themselves masters of the art -of question and answer. The learned discourses delivered by examiners -and examinees awoke in me high admiration. The forensic skill of the -two parties was such as I had rarely seen anywhere else. The examiners -put most tortuous questions to entice the candidates into the snare of -sophistry, while the latter met them with replies similarly searching -and intended to upset the whole stratagem of the querents. So forcible -and exciting were the arguments offered by both parties that they -might be compared, I thought, to a fierce contest such as might take -place between a lion and a tiger. - -The examination was indeed an exhibition of a truly intellectual -nature, and was attended not only by the committee and candidates -but by almost all the learned theologians and their disciples. These -strangers were sitting round the examination tables and freely -criticised the questions put and replies made. They even raised shouts -of applause or of laughter, whenever either convincingly refuted his -antagonist or was worsted in the argument. I observed the laughter to -be especially contagious and the merry sound raised by two or three men -in the strangers’ quarters would spread to all the others in the hall, -till the walls resounded with the loud “ha, ha, ha” coming from several -thousand throats. - -Every year during the Monlam season sixteen candidates selected from -the three colleges are given the degree of _Lha Ramba_, meaning -‘Special Doctor,’ and this degree is the most honorable one open to -Tibetan divines. Only those of exceptional acquirements can hope for it. - -On the occasion of the _Choen joe_ festival also, sixteen candidates -of the secondary grade are sent from the universities to pass the -examination for the _Tso Ramba_ degree. Then there are inferior -degrees, which are granted by the monasteries to the young priests -studying there. There are two such degrees, one called _Do Ramba_ and -the other _Rim-shi_. Sometimes divines of great erudition are found -among the holders of the Do Ramba degree, men even more learned than -the ‘Special Doctors.’ The fact is that the examination for the highest -degree is expensive, when one wishes to procure that title at one jump -and without previously obtaining the intermediary Do Ramba. - -It is not rare, therefore to find among the Do Ramba men theologians -whose learning can even outshine that of the proud holders of -the highest degree, for there are often men who from pecuniary -considerations only are withheld from attempting the examination. -The holders of the Do Ramba degree therefore differ considerably in -learning, but this cannot be said of those holding the other title -of Rim-shi, the latter being in nine cases out of ten of mediocre -learning. This degree is easily procurable for a certain sum of money -when one has studied five or six years at the monasteries of Rebon -and Ganden, and so the young priests from the country generally avail -themselves of this convenient transaction and return home as proud -holders of the Doctor’s title, and as objects of respect and wonder for -their learning among the local folk. In Tibet therefore, as in other -parts of the world, cheap Doctors flaunt their learning, and pass for -prodigies among the simple-minded people of the country. - -The Doctors of the highest grade are unquestionably theologians of -great erudition, for knowledge of the ordinary Buḍḍhist text-books is -not enough for the aspirants to that title; they must study and make -themselves at home in the complete cycle of Buḍḍhist works. Perhaps -the Tibetan first class Doctors possess a better knowledge of Buḍḍhist -theology and are more at home in all its ramifications than are the -Japanese Buḍḍhist divines; for though there are quite a large number -of theologians in Japan who are thoroughly versed in the philosophy -and doctrine of their own particular sects it cannot boast so many -divines whose knowledge completely covers the whole field of Buḍḍhist -philosophy. - -During the festival I frequently went to the Hall to see the -function as a curious observer, but for the rest I devoted my time -to prosecuting my studies under a Lhakhamba Doctor and the learned -Mae Kenbo of the Sera monastery. Thus while the other priests were -attending to their worldly business of making money, I detached myself -from society and was absorbed in study. I had the more reason to -devote myself to this self-imposed task, for the time I had fixed -for my departure from Tibet was drawing nearer. Not that I had -hitherto neglected the main object which prompted me to undertake this -self-assigned expedition to Lhasa; on the contrary, even when I was -obliged, from unavoidable circumstances, to act the part of an amateur -doctor and prescribe treatment to Tibetan patients, I never suspended -my study; I either read Buḍḍhist works or attended lectures. - -On March 4th of the solar calendar (January 24th of the Tibetan -almanac) the sword festival was celebrated at Lhasa. I had the good -fortune to witness this performance also, though the function is not -open to general inspection. I observed it from the window of a certain -Peer, an acquaintance of mine, whose house fronted the Buḍḍha’s Hall. - -I may call the Sword Festival a sort of Tibetan military review. At -any rate the regulars in and about Lhasa participated in it, and also -the special soldiers temporarily organised for the occasion. They were -all mounted, and numbered altogether perhaps two thousand five hundred -men. They were quaintly accoutred, and seemed to be divided according -to the colors of the pieces of cloth attached to the back of their -helmets and hanging down behind. I saw a party of about five hundred -troopers distinguished by white cloths, then another with purple -cloths, while there was a third which used cloths of variegated dyes. -But irrespective of the different colors, they were all clad in a sort -of armor and carried small flags also of different colors. Some were -armed with bows and arrows and others with guns, and the procession of -the gaily attired soldiery was not unlike the rows of decorated May -dolls arranged for sale in Tokyo on the eve of the Boys’ Festival in -Japan. - -The proceedings began with a signal gun. As the booming sound subsided -the procession of soldiery made its appearance and each division went -past the Grand Lama’s seat constructed on an elevated stand to the west -of the Hall. With the termination of this march-past a party of about -three hundred priests, carrying a flat drum each with a long handle -and with the figure of a dragon inscribed upon its face, came out of -the main edifice. Each of them carried in his right hand a crooked -drum-stick. This party took its stand in a circle in front of the Hall. -Next marched out the second party of priests all gorgeously attired in -glittering coats and brocade tunics, each carrying a metallic bowl used -in religious services. I must mention that the function demands of the -soldiery and priests the washing of their bodies with warm water on the -preceding evening, and so on that particular occasion those Tibetans, -careless and negligent of bodily cleanliness at other times, are for -the first time in the year almost decently clean. - -The metallic-bowl party was arranged in a row around the drum party, -and soon the signal for the service was given by one of the bowl-men -who was apparently a leader. It was a peculiar signal, and consisted in -striking on the bowl and starting a strange dancing movement. On this -the two parties beat their drums and bowls in some sort of tune. After -this had gone on for some time the whole party burst out into a chorus -of ominous howls, not unlike the roar of the tiger. As the thousand -priests composing the two parties all howled to the fullest extent of -their throats, the noise made was sufficiently loud. - -After the howling parties had completed their part in this ceremony, -out marched a party of Nechung priests, those oracle-mongers of -Tibet to whom reference has been made more than once already. The -oracle-mongers’ party was heralded by a number of sacred-sword-bearers -in two rows, about a dozen in each. The sword carried measured about -four feet in length and was set off with pieces of silk cloth of five -different colors. The sword-bearers were followed by the bearers of -golden censers and other sacred caskets or vessels. Then followed the -oracle-monger, dressed _cap-à-pie_ in all the glittering fashion which -Tibetan ingenuity alone could devise. He was clad in gold brocade and -wore head-gear of the same cloth. He behaved like a man stricken with -palsy, was supported right and left by an assistant, and his eyes were -shut. Gasping like a fish out of water and walking with a tottering -gait not unlike that of a man who has lost his power of locomotion -through too much liquor, the Nechung slowly emerged from the Hall. By -the ignorant populace he was greeted as an object of veneration, but -there were seen not a small number of priests and laymen who looked -upon this peculiar appearance of the Nechung with eyes of undisguised -disgust. - -The part assigned to this Lama fanatic is one of semi-divine character, -he being required to act as a guardian angel, to prevent any mishaps -occurring during the ceremony of the ‘Sword Festival’. - -Last of all slowly marched forth the procession of the Ganden Ti -Rinpoche. I saw him under a capacious and highly decorated awning -which is the same sort of umbrella as that of the Grand Lama. He was -attired in the ceremonial robe befitting his rank of Ti Rinpoche. His -appearance was highly impressive and even those priests who had viewed -the oracle-mongers with well-deserved scorn were seen in attitudes -of sincere respect. That was also my sentiment as my eyes met him; -for he truly impressed me as a living Buḍḍha. To the Ti Rinpoche was -entrusted the most important function in this ceremony, the hurling of -the sacred sword in order to avert any evil spirits that may obstruct -the prosperous reign of the Chinese Emperor. With this sword-hurling -the ceremony was brought to a close. - -Though in principle this ceremony concludes the Monlam, in practice -it comes to an end only on the following morning and with a custom -of practical utility--that of carrying stones to the banks of the -river Kichu which flows by Lhasa, and is often liable to overflow and -flood the city. The stones required for this purpose are brought by -the country people, and are sold at ten or twenty _sen_ a piece, and -each priest or citizen who attends the ceremony buys one or two such -stones and conveys them to the banks either on his own back or by hired -carriers. The stones thus conveyed to the banks are supposed to possess -the effect of atoning for their sins. The banks must acquire great -strength in consequence of this stone-piling. - - - - -CHAPTER LXXVI. - -The Tibetan Soldiery. - - -The standing army of Tibet is said to consist of five thousand men, but -from my own observation I think this number somewhat exaggerated. In -any case, it is hardly sufficient to protect a country containing six -millions of inhabitants against foreign invasion and civil commotion. -However, in Tibet social order is not kept by soldiers, nor by the -despotic power of the ruler. Religion is the force that keeps the -country in good order. The mass of the people would never take arms -against the Pope whom they believe to be a living Buḍḍha. This idea -is so thoroughly infused into them that there have been really very -few cases of rebellion in Tibet, hence there is no necessity for a -great number of soldiers. The history of the country testifies that -civil commotions take place only when the chief Lama has died, and the -new master is too young to take up the Government for himself, and so -leaves the entire business to the Agent and Ministers, who abuse their -power, or when the regent tyrannises over and offends the people. But -when the master is old enough to manage the affairs of the country he -is revered as a living Buḍḍha, against whom no one protests. Minor -difficulties may arise, but they are easily settled without recourse -to arms. The real causes that have made Tibet feel the necessity of -having a standing army have been her two quarrels with Nepāl and one -with British India. Since then Tibet has ever had a regular army, -distributed as follows: at Lhasa one thousand men, at Shigatze two -thousand, at Tingri, an important fort on the Nepāl frontier, nominally -five hundred but possibly only three hundred (there are several hundred -Chinese soldiers here), five hundred at Gyantze, five hundred at Dam, -and another five hundred at Mankham, making five thousand in all. -The Chinese soldiers stationed in the country number two thousand -altogether, and are distributed equally at the four places--Lhasa, -Tingri, Shigatze, and Tomo. Every five hundred Tibetan soldiers are -under a chief called De Bon. The lower officers are one for every two -hundred and fifty, one for every twenty-five and one for every five. - -The Tibetan soldiers receive only one bushel of barley a month as -salary. They have no regular barracks to live in together, but live -in ordinary residences which, however, are built at the cost of the -citizens. They are scattered throughout the city, and keep stores or -carry on any kind of trade, as do the common people. They are obliged -to do some kind of work, for they cannot keep their wives and children -on the one bushel of barley a month. But they are free from house-rent, -and I have often heard the citizens complain of the burden of building -houses for the soldiers. The Chinese soldiers also live in ordinary -houses like the Tibetans, and are exempt from rent. - -In return for his paltry remuneration, the Tibetan soldier has to be -drilled four or five times a month, and to be present at the great -manœuvres once a year. The manœuvres are held in the vicinity of -a little village called Dabchi, which lies about two miles north -of Lhasa on the road leading to the Sera monastery. In the village -there is a shrine of Kwanti (a Chinese war-God) whom the Tibetans -call Gesergi Gyalpo (saffron king), and who is much revered as a God -for driving away evil spirits, though the Chinese settlers form the -greater proportion of his actual worshippers. Close by there is another -temple called by the name of the village, in which live priests who -take the services at the Kwanti shrine. Many objects of interest are -kept in the shrine, but the most curious things are the images of -blue demons, red demons, and other inhabitants of hell, all arranged -as if they were retainers of Kwanti. North of this shrine there is a -high mound about one furlong square, with an arsenal standing in the -centre. Thence spreads a vast plain five miles to the north, half a -mile to the west and five miles to the east. This is the scene of the -great parade. Soldiers are summoned from all parts of the country to -attend the parade, which is usually held towards the end of September -or the beginning of October, when the barley harvest is over, and the -crops safely out of harm’s way. The first two days are reserved for -the Chinese soldiers and the following two for the Tibetan. The review -is honored by the presence of the Amban and of the higher Tibetan -officers, who give prizes in money ranging from fifty cents to five -dollars, or silver medals, to any soldiers who have displayed notable -ability. In Tibet archery is still considered an essential art of -warriors, yet artillery has recently been introduced, and is taught by -Chinese officers or by Tibetans who have been educated in India. The -Tibetan artillery does not amount to much. - -My own observations lead me to suspect the valor of the Chinese and -Tibetan soldiers, and I doubt whether they can claim to have any -more strength than the ordinary citizens. Among the Chinese soldiers -pale countenances are very common, and though the Tibetan soldiers -look stouter, in courage I can see no difference. The cause of their -insignificance is to be traced to the difficulty they have in living -upon their small pay. The warrior-priests are far more soldier-like -than the regular soldiers; they have no wives nor children to take -care of, and have therefore nothing to fear. They are indeed far more -estimable than the professional soldiers, whose first business in -time of war is to plunder the natives instead of serving the country. -This is all because the soldiers have families, a fact which in my -opinion is the greatest hindrance to warlike purposes. The Tibetans are -emotional by nature, and out of such people, especially when they also -have to support families, it is no easy task to make a brave army. - -One exception must be made--the people of Kham. Outwardly wild, they -are natural soldiers. In this district all the inhabitants, not -excluding the women, may be called fighters. Their usual vocations are -trading, farming, and cattle-raising, but their favorite profession -is robbery. This is the business most admired by all; they deem it a -great honor to defeat other tribes and kill as many foes as they can. -In Kham they have robber-songs as we have war-songs: songs in which the -people take much delight, even the children singing the lively airs -to which they are fitted; and as there are no war-songs in Tibet the -robber-songs of Kham are substituted for them. Here is one: - - 1. - - Upon those boundless plateaux, green with grass; - Along those sloping tortuous pathless paths; - Amidst those pointed hornlike rocky steeps - My charger iron-hoofed I bestride - With daring valor to attack my foes. - - 2. - - When hail-storms rage their fiercest round my head, - With all their stones like bullets pelting me, - And when tempestuous snow-drifts roll in rage, - Like mighty greedy waves engulfing me, - I fear not--nay these perils great I like - To brave; for, clad in iron boots my feet, - I headlong rush, stout-hearted as I am, - Unwed, assured of final victory. - - 3. - - My wife, my children and my parents dear - Are not my refuge here; I trust not them; - My refuge only is my spirit brave - Adventurous, that can resist and stand - Against misfortunes and e’en dangers dire. - -These songs all begin with _A, la, la, la; la, la, la, mo_ and end with -_la, la, mo, la; la, la, la, mo_. Once when I met a Tibetan soldier of -my acquaintance, I asked why they used robber-songs instead of having -war-songs of their own. He was a talkative kind of man and proceeded to -explain in an oratorical tone. - -“As you well know, the meaning of the songs is very good and noble; it -is the courage praised in songs like these that strengthens a country. -But even good songs, when used for robbery, are indeed wicked weapons, -and the singers thereof great sinners. They are the same songs, but how -great is the difference in their results! In one case they promote, and -in the other they destroy, humanity and righteousness.” - - - - -CHAPTER LXXVII. - -Tibetan Finance. - - -I shall next briefly describe the finance of the Tibetan Government. It -must be remembered, however, that this subject is extremely complicated -and hardly admits of accurate explanation even by financial experts, -for nobody except the Revenue Officials can form an approximate idea -of the revenue and expenditure of the Government. All that I could -get from the Minister of Finance was that a considerable margin of -difference existed according to the year. This must partly come from -the fact that taxes are paid in kind, and as the market is necessarily -subject to fluctuation even in such an exclusive place as Tibet, the -Government cannot always realise the same amount of money from the sale -of grain and other commodities collected by the Revenue authorities. -Of course anything like statistical returns are unknown in Tibet, and -my task being hampered by such serious drawbacks, I can only give here -a short account of how the taxes are collected, how they are paid and -by what portion of the people, and how the revenue thus collected is -disbursed, and such matters, which lie on the surface so that I could -easily observe and investigate them. - -The Treasury Department of the Papal Government is called _Labrang -Chenbo_, which means the large Kitchen of the Lama. It is so-called, -because various kinds of staples are carried in there as duty from the -land under his direct jurisdiction, and from landlords holding under -a sort of feudal tenure. As there are no such conveniences as drafts -or money orders, these staples have to be transported directly from -each district to the central treasury, whatever the distance. But the -taxpayer has one solace: he can easily obtain, on his way to the -treasury, the service of post-horses, such service on such occasions -being compulsory. The articles thus collected consist of barley, -wheat, beans, buck-wheat, meal and butter. But from districts in which -custom-houses are established various other things, such as coral gems, -cotton, woollen and silk goods, raisins and peaches are accepted. Other -districts pay animal-skins, and thus the large Kitchen is an ‘omnium -gatherum.’ Truly a strange method of collecting taxes! - -One peculiarity in Tibet is the use of an abundant variety of weights -and measures; there are twenty scales for weighing meal, and thirty-two -boxes for measuring grain. Bo-chik is the name given to a box of the -average size, and it measures about half a bushel. But tax-collectors -use, when necessity arises, measures half as large or half as small as -these, so that the largest measure holds three quarters of a bushel, -while the smallest holds a quarter. The small ones are generally used -to measure the staples from provinces such as the native place of the -Dalai Lama, or such as have personal relations to some high officials -of the Government. Thus, though a favored district is supposed to pay -the same number of bushels as the others, it pays in reality only -one-half of what the most unfortunate district has to pay. Nor is the -measure used for one district a fixed one; it may change from year to -year. Suppose one of the most favored districts has produced a great -rascal, or rebel, or has done anything that displeases the Government. -The whole people of that district are responsible for it; they are -obliged to pay by the largest measure, that is, twice as much as they -did in the preceding year. Thus the various kinds of offences make -it necessary to have thirty-two varieties of measures and twenty of -weight. It is to be noted however that when the Government has to -dispose of those stuffs, it never uses the larger measures, though if -too small ones are used, it certainly causes complaints on the part of -the buyers; hence the middle-sized ones are mostly used. All expenses -of Government, such as salaries for priests and officers and wages for -mechanics and tradesmen in its service are paid with an average measure. - -The chief expense of the Government is, as I have stated before, -that for the service of the Buḍḍha Shākyamuni. The money used for -the repairing of temples and towers, and for the purchase of stone -lanterns and other furniture amounts to a large sum; but by far the -greater proportion is spent for butter, which is used instead of oil -for the myriads of lights which are kept burning day and night. The -stands arranged in rows in the temple of the Buḍḍha in Lhasa alone -number no less than two thousand five hundred and in some special -cases ten thousand or even a hundred thousand lamps are lighted, all -of them burning butter of a high price. In Tibet the substitution of -vegetable oil for _mal_ is considered, not exactly sin, but at least -a pollution and desecration of Buḍḍha; not a few Lamas leave a clause -in their wills that rapeseed oil should not be offered for their souls -after death. In front of the image of the Buḍḍha in Lhasa are placed -twenty-four large light-stands of pure gold. These and some others have -big oil-holders, large enough to hold five gallons of mal. Almost all -the mal used for the service of the Buḍḍha is furnished by the Treasury -of the Government, though a small part of it is offered by religious -people. - -Costly mal used, in former times, to be offered by Mongolians, to the -great relief of the Papal Treasury, but the offering has recently been -stopped entirely. The burdens of the Tibetan people themselves have -been proportionately increased, but as the fixed rate of the tax cannot -be increased the bigger measures are used more frequently. - -In each province there are two places where the collection of taxes is -made for the Government, one of which is the temple, and the other the -Local Government office; for the people are divided into two classes: -(1) those who are governed by the temple and (2) those who are governed -by the Local Government. They pay their taxes to the Central Government -through their respective Governors. In each local district, there is -what is called a Zong. This was originally a castle built for warlike -purposes, but in time of peace it serves as a Government office, where -all the functions of Government are carried on, so taxes are also -collected there. The Zong is almost always found standing on the top -of a hillock of about three hundred feet and a Zongpon (chief of the -castle), generally a layman, lives in it. He is the chief Governor of -the district and collects taxes and sends the things or money he has -gathered to the Central Government. The Zongpon is not paid by the -Central Government directly, but subtracts the equivalent of his pay -from the taxes he has collected. The Central Government does not send -goods or money to the Local Government except on such few occasions -as need special help from the national Treasury. The people under the -direct jurisdiction of the Central Government are sometimes made to pay -a poll-tax. The people who belong to the nobility and the higher class -of priests are of course assessed by their landowners, but there is no -definite regulation as to their payment to the Central Government; the -people of some districts pay, while others are exempt. - -Part of the work done by the Tibetan Minister of the Treasury is the -management of the subscriptions of the people. Everything offered to -the Buḍḍhist Temple and given to the priests at the time of the Great -Assembly is at once paid into the Treasury, to be given out only by -the order of the Minister of that department. Another business taken -by the Minister is the household expenses of the Pope. These expenses -are not fixed, and the Pope can draw out as much as he pleases within -the limit of usage, and his own moderation. It is said that since the -accession of the present Pope both the expenditure and the revenue have -been greatly increased. The Minister of the Treasury has also to pay -all the salaries of officials and priests in the service of the Papal -Government. These expenses for salaries are very small, as compared -with those of other countries, but the officials and priests derive an -additional income from the land in their own possession. - -Officers and priests in Tibet can each borrow fifteen hundred dollars -from the Government at an interest of five per cent a year and they -can lend it again at fifteen per cent, which is the current rate of -interest in Tibet, though usurers sometimes charge over thirty per -cent. Thus any officer can make at least ten per cent on fifteen -hundred dollars without running much risk. If an officer or priest -fails to repay the loan the amount is not subtracted from his next -year’s loan. Compound interest is unknown in Tibet however long the -debtor may prolong his payment; it is forbidden by the law. Another -subsidy given by the Government is six dollars extra pay per annum to -each priest of the Three Great Temples. In this connexion it must also -be stated that the Three Great Temples just mentioned receive a vast -amount of mal from the Government. - -The supplementary resources of the Pope’s revenue are subscriptions -from the members and laymen, the leases from meadow-lands in his -personal possession, and profits acquired by his own trading, which -is carried on by his own caravans. The Pope’s caravans must be -distinguished from those of the Treasury Department. - -The Treasury of the Grand Lama is called Che Labrang, which means the -Lama’s kitchen on the hill, because the Lama’s palace is located -on a hill. It is called Potala and the place is a castle, a temple, -and a palace at once. As a castle it has no equal in Tibet, in view -of the strength of its fortifications; as a temple, it can look down -upon all other lamaseries of the country for elegance and gaudiness. -As a palace, of course there is no building that surpasses it. But in -spite of all this, there is a deplorable defect in its water supply. -Within the high walls that defend the dwellers from the attacks of an -enemy there is no well or spring whatever. The people have to go far -away to get a bucket of water from a well which can only be reached by -descending a hundred and fifty feet of stone steps and crossing another -hundred and fifty feet of level ground. To reach the top of the hill -one has to climb another three hundred feet, making the journey three -quarters of a mile altogether. It is of course no easy work for the -residents to carry water so far, and there are therefore many workers -who make it their business to do this for them, charging about twelve -cents per man a month. The aristocratic priests, who bear the title -of _Namgyal Tatsang_, live in one part of the castle and number one -hundred and sixty-five. They represent the highest type of the Tibetan -priesthood and are all selected with great care, even physique and -physiognomy being taken into consideration. They live in good style at -the Pope’s personal cost. - -The property of the Grand Lama, after his death, is divided in the -following way: One-half of the property (in fact a little more than -half) has to be divided among his relatives in his native place, and -the remaining half is distributed as gifts among the priests of the -Great Temples and those of the New Sect. In the case of an ordinary -priest, if he leaves property worth five thousand dollars about four -thousand is used in gifts to the priests and for the expense of -lights, and almost all the remaining thousand is used for his funeral -expenses, leaving perhaps three hundred to his disciples. In cases when -a priest leaves very little money, his disciples are obliged to borrow -money to supply the want of gifts and money for lights in his honor--a -custom entirely foreign to the laity. - - - - -CHAPTER LXXVIII. - -Future of the Tibetan Religions. - - -The Tibetans are essentially a religious people. Foreigners call them -superstitious, and indeed my own observation also testifies that their -faith is veritably a mass of superstition. Yet it would be inaccurate -to say that there is no truth in their religion. A small but precious -jewel is often found among useless rubbish; wise men will not throw -away the jewel along with the rubbish, even though it may not be -found at the first glance. I can find at least two precious things -in the creed of the Tibetans. One of them is that they recognise -the existence of a superhuman being who protects us. They are also -sure of the possibility of communication with this being by dint of -religious faith. It is true that they have several unreasonable rites -of worship, which may be compared to the rubbish round the jewel, but -in the midst of them they know that Buḍḍha is all love, that He removes -calamities from us, and makes us happy at length. They also recognise -the existence of deities subject to the emotions of anger, and ready -to punish those that offend them; but even ignorant Tibetans know the -difference between the Gods and the Buḍḍha, the former to be feared, -and the latter simply an object of gratitude. - -The other precious thing I can point out is their belief in the law -of cause and effect. According to this law, each deed is rewarded -according to its deserts; whatever vices one commits will be followed -by suffering; on the other hand, every man shall enjoy the result of -the good that he has done. They also believe that the law of cause -and effect is everlasting, the seed making the fruit, and the fruit -the seed, and so on for ever. In the same way, they think, our mind -is imperishable, and often reproduced in the world. Thus far their -faith is worthy enough, but the doctrine of transmigration, of which -they have a too firm conviction, is apt to lead to superstition. The -Tibetans often really think such and such Lamas have been born again -in such and such places. But the precious Buḍḍhist creed that one’s -mind and body are everlastingly in accordance with the law of cause and -effect and self-compensation is so thoroughly taught to every Tibetan -from his childhood by his mother, that the home lessons of the Tibetan -children almost always take the form of sermons on their mythology and -miscellaneous stories connected with Buḍḍhism. In sooth, Buḍḍhism is -so deeply ingrained in the country that no other religion can exist in -Tibet, unless it be explained by the light of Buḍḍhism. Thus, the Old -Bon religion has been greatly modified and has indeed entirely lost -its original form and been replaced by the New Bonism, which resembles -the Ryōbu Shinto of Japan, in which the Sun God is interpreted as -the incarnation of Buḍḍha; but the Tibetan goes further than the -Ryōbu Shintoist did. By Bon is meant Shinnyo or Truth, or rather the -incarnation of Shinnyo, and it is considered to be one branch of -Buḍḍhism. - -One of the things which most struck me was that Muhammadanism is -found in Tibet, mostly among the Chinese and the descendants of the -immigrants from Kashmīr. They number about three hundred in Lhasa and -Shigatze, cling pertinaciously to their doctrines, and have two temples -in the suburbs of Lhasa, with two cemeteries on the side of a distant -mountain. One of the temples is for the Musulmāns from Kashmīr, and the -other for the Chinese. It is rather strange to see the calm existence -of Muhammadanism in a country where Buḍḍhism is so predominant. One -thing that the Musulmāns in Tibet say is very striking. They declare -that according to their religion there exist previous and future -worlds, but that man is reborn as man, never as a lower animal, as -Buḍḍhism says, and that the final destiny of the human soul is the -Kingdom of Heaven or Hell. I once argued with some of the Muhammadans -that no such doctrine as transmigration is to be found in the _Koran_, -in which mention is made of the future world, but none about the past. -Then I suspected that it might have been adopted from the Christian -religion, for in the bible the subject is just touched on. But I -doubted whether any doctrine of that sort had ever been pronounced upon -by the Muhammadan Kalifate. When they heard me speak thus they simply -said: “There is, there really is, the doctrine of future and previous -worlds in the Muhammadan religion,” and they said it with a straight -face. They really seemed to think so, but I think it a modification -derived from Buḍḍhism. - -Of late Christian missionaries have been trying to introduce their -religion into Tibet, and I can but admire their undaunted spirit. But -the country does not admit any foreigners, so their utmost efforts -have no effect on the interior. They attempt therefore to convert -the Tibetans who come to Darjeeling, or those who live about Sikkim. -For these purposes hundreds of thousands of dollars have already -been spent, and the bible and many other religious books have been -translated into the Tibetan language. There are also many books -written in Tibetan against Buḍḍhism. As soon as Darjeeling was opened -to foreigners, the first pioneers to the town were the Christian -missionaries, and ever since they have been preaching their religion -with utmost zeal. - -Notwithstanding all their endeavors, Christian missions have been so -far a failure. The so-called members are false members, and the more -earnest are not genuine Tibetans, but Sikkimese who pretend to be -Tibetans. It can truly be said that there is not a single Tibetan from -the interior of the country who really believes in Christianity, though -there are a few who declare themselves Christian because they can thus -get a living. Go to the house of a reputed Christian and you will -always find in some inner room of his house the image of Buḍḍha, before -which butter-lamps are burned in secret day and night. When he goes -out he pretends to be a Christian, and on Sunday he carries his bible -and goes to church! Such a Christian of course quickly turns his back -upon Christ when his pocket is full, or he is not likely to receive -any more. The missionaries make a mistake if they think that they can -easily convert a Buḍḍhist into a Christian; for the reverse is the -case. Let me state some fundamental differences between Christianity -and Buḍḍhism. By the ‘Enlightenment’ of Buḍḍhism one obtains absolute -freedom; the greatest spiritual freedom is to be attained by one’s -self, while in Christianity there is an infinite power called God who -prevents one from attaining absolute freedom. Again the nature of -cause and effect is not clear in the Christian religion. I read in the -bible “A good tree will bear good fruits and a bad tree will bear bad -fruits.” Therefore I cannot say that the doctrine of cause and effect -is not alluded to at all in this religion, but its scope is limited. -If they would extend the text and make it applicable to previous and -future lives, then I think they might open the way for Christianity to -reach the Tibetans. Furthermore the sentence “Thy faith has saved thee” -of Christ means exactly what Buḍḍha meant: “Of one’s own deeds, one’s -own reward.” But it seems to me that the true meaning of the words -of Christ is not fully developed and that its application is far too -narrow. I think this is one cause of the unpopularity of Christianity -among the Tibetans, who have a very deep belief in the theory of -“receiving according to one’s own deeds.” These are the chief reasons, -I believe, why Christianity obtains so few followers among the Tibetans -after so many years of hard work by scores of missionaries at the cost -of millions of dollars. - -To sum up what we have seen: The predominant religion at present is -Buḍḍhism, and the others are the Bon, the Muhammadan and the Christian. -We have seen how the old pre-Buḍḍhist Bon religion has been transformed -into the New Bon, which is now looked upon as a sect of Buḍḍhism, and -how the Muhammadan religion existing within a very small sphere of -influence has shown a gradual approach to Buḍḍhism, though unnoticed -by themselves. As to the Christianity of Tibet, it does not seem -probable that it can flourish in this land unless the present sectarian -prejudices of the Churches are entirely removed and a new form and -attitude be given it, so as to adapt it to the Tibetan people. The -present Tibetan Buḍḍhism is corrupt and on the road to decay; still -it has some jewels in it, and is almost naturally inherent in every -Tibetan, and it is probable that it will continue to be predominant in -the country by its own _vis inertiae_ until a great man comes to the -front to undertake the work of religious reformation and to restate the -truths of the Great Freedom of Buḍḍha. - - - - -CHAPTER LXXIX. - -The Beginning of the Disclosure of the Secret. - - -On the 30th of April 1901, Tsa Rong-ba, who had left for India in the -preceding year, came back. He was a Tibetan merchant, to whom I had -entrusted the letters to my teacher Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās at Darjeeling and -to a Lama called Shabdung of the same town. He had also been trusted -with the business of posting a letter to my native country. As soon as -he arrived he at once sent for me, but his messenger could not find -me at Sera, for I was at the treasury-minister’s on that day, and it -was rather late when I heard of his return. So early the next morning -I started for his house, expecting to receive answers from my old -acquaintances in Darjeeling. After exchanging a few happy words he said -to me: “At the time when I reached Darjeeling, both your teacher and -the Lama were away. So I had to carry the letters with me all the way -to Calcutta. On my way home, when I came back to Darjeeling I found -both of them at home, and handed them the letters. Saraṭ told me to -call on him again two days after to receive his answer. But I could -not see him again, because I had bought a large quantity of iron by -the secret order of the Government, and if the fact had become known -to the Indian Government I should have been arrested. Therefore I -could not stay long at Darjeeling and determined to start the next day -without securing an answer from Saraṭ. But here is the answer from Lama -Shabdung, who wrote it on the same day.” Saying this he handed me a -letter. In the letter, it was stated that the letter to my teacher had -been handed to him and another to my home had been registered. He also -thanked me for my present to him. (In Tibet it is customary to annex -some present to a letter, and if nothing suitable can be found, they -enclose a piece of thin silk cloth, a ‘Kata,’ and as I had acted in -accordance with this custom when I sent my letter to him, he thanked me -for that, and as a return present sent me some European sugar and a few -other things). As we talked I heard of the Transvaal war and various -other items of news from Darjeeling. - -[Illustration: PROCESSION OF THE PANCHEN OR TASHI LAMA IN LHASA.] - -The 13th of May (the 4th of April by the Tibetan calendar) was a grand -day for Lhasa, for on that day the Grand Lama Panchen Rinpoche, or -the second Pope of Tashi Lhunpo in the city of Shigatze in the Tsan -Province was to come up to Lhasa. He had completed his twentieth year -and was qualified to receive what in Tibetan is called the Nyen-zok, -which means investiture or ‘the deliverance of the Commands’. He was -now coming to the capital to receive the ceremony from the Pope Tubten -Gyam Tso in Lhasa. The ceremony is regarded as one of great importance, -in nowise second to the “Nyen-zok” day of the investiture or ‘the -Deliverance of the Commands of the Order’ of the Pope himself. The -citizens, men and women, young and old, all went out to welcome the -young prelate to Lhasa and I was also present in the crowd, accompanied -by Li Tsu-shu, a Chinese apothecary, and his children. The procession -of the day was magnificent and as splendid as was expected, but was -not much different from that which I saw at Shigatze. On our way back -I met Tsa Rong-ba, who invited me to tea at his house. I accepted, and -was sitting comfortably in his house, when a Tibetan gentleman came in. -The man was introduced to me as the Chief of the Pope’s caravan, by the -name of Takbo Tunbai Choen Joe. He also worked (as I learned afterward) -as an agent of the Government for buying iron and other articles as Tsa -Rong-ba did, and they were old acquaintances. As soon as he entered -the house he stared at me with his sharp eyes for a long time. As I -looked at him I judged him to be a black-hearted man, but at the same -time I recognised the presence of great smartness. - -Presently he came close to me. In the room were Tsa Rong-ba and his -wife, and I saw that the greatest danger was brewing. But here I must -diverge to tell a long story. Tsa Rong-ba had looked upon me with great -hope, as my influence increased, because he thought if I became a -family doctor of the Pope he would derive therefrom great benefit and -profit, and when he returned from India he found my fame as a doctor -greatly increased. Some people had exaggerated my reputation; if I -cured only three patients they would call it fifty, and went even so -far as to say that none could compete with me in the art of medicine. -Besides, he knew that I lodged with the Minister of the treasury, and -that I had also several friends among the higher officials and priests. -These considerations made him think me quite reliable. While he was in -Calcutta he heard much of the just and brave actions of the Japanese, -also that in the war between Japan and China, the Japanese were not -selfish, but had in view the benefit of China; at least I heard him -often say so. Thus his confidence in the Japanese in general and in -myself had been still more increased. - -Next, to speak of the intruder Takbo Tunbai Choen Joe, he was the clerk -of a great merchant named Takbo Tunba, and had often been to Peking, -sometimes in charge of the Pope’s caravan. At the time of the Boxer -Trouble he was in China and once unfortunately all his goods had been -captured by some Japanese soldiers. He explained to them that the goods -captured did not belong to the Chinese Government--on which suspicion -they had been seized--and begged to have them returned, but all in -vain. They were going to carry everything away. Then he hastened to the -Japanese general at headquarters, and complained that he was a Tibetan -and the goods had neither been brought for, nor were being carried -for the Chinese Government, and besought the general that they should -be given back. The general, seeing that he was a Tibetan, immediately -wrote a note in Chinese and in some peculiar characters (undoubtedly -Japanese) signed his name and handed it to him telling him to take -it to the soldiers. He did as he was told, and the goods which had -been seized were returned with no loss whatever. This event and other -experiences made him think that the Japanese were in the habit of -acting justly and righteously. At any rate he had spoken highly of the -Japanese when he told the above story to Tsa Rong-ba. When Tsa Rong-ba -heard the story and knew that the Choen Joe was an admirer of the -Japanese as he himself was, he thought it might do no harm to discover -to him the person of the Japanese Lama; he even thought it would be -profitable for himself to do so, but I never dreamed that such a fancy -had taken possession of his mind. - -The Choen Joe, who was keenly gazing at me, suddenly cried out: “You -are very strange,” to which I did not reply a word. Then he continued: -“At first I thought you were a Mongolian, but I found my judgment -mistaken. Nor are you to be taken for a Chinaman. Of course, you are -not a European. Of what nationality in the world are you then?” I was -about to reply to this impertinent question, when I was interrupted -by Tsa Rong-ba who spoke in a knowing way: “This gentleman is a -Japanese.” Just a few words, and all was over. It was the first time my -nationality had been mentioned in Lhasa. A very annoying truth had been -uttered, but I could not deny the impeachment, so continued silently -looking into the chief’s face, and wondering what would be the next -word I should hear from him. Then with a look as if relieved from some -uneasiness he turned to the host and said: “I see, I see, I thought he -must be a Japanese, but then I thought it was impossible for a Japanese -to penetrate into this country, and I hesitated to say so. Now that -I hear you say so, I doubt it not, for I have seen many Japanese at -Peking.” - -The sentence was given by these judges before the defendant could speak -a word, and thus the secret which had been kept for so long was brought -to light in a moment. The Choen Joe now turned to me and said: - -“This is very good news for me. I once thought that if I went to Japan -and brought strange goods to Lhasa I could make a great deal of money. -But I have heard that the Chinese language, which is the only foreign -language I can speak, is not used in Japan except among a few Chinamen -at the seaport towns. Besides, I know that foreign travellers are -liable to be deceived by bad people, who abound everywhere, and Japan, -I suppose, is not an exception. So I have abandoned my intention. But I -am glad to find here such a good Japanese as you. I have heard of the -fame of the Serai Amchi (doctor of Sera) and am very satisfied to find -the noted doctor in this house. As you are so good a man will you not -take me with you to Japan?” - -The prospect was not so bad as I had expected. I told him that as -I intended to go back to Japan once more, I would take him, and -spoke many things about Japan. The caravan chief talked of his hard -experiences in China, of the recovery of his goods by the favor of the -general, and of the superiority of the Japanese soldiers in valor to -those of the West. He spoke very highly of Japan, but did not seem to -mean to flatter me; it was most likely that the words came from his -real heart. Then I said: - -“You and Tsa Rong-ba are the only men that know that I am a Japanese, -but if you tell it to anyone else, I am afraid it may cause you both -some trouble. So you must be very careful about it.” - -“I appreciate your advice,” said the Choen Joe, “I will not tell it to -anyone. If I do, it will be only when it is positively to your benefit, -but not till then. When I disclose it you may be sure that you will -have a great name in Tibet.” With such pleasant talkings we closed the -day. I took my leave and lodged at the druggist’s for that night. - -On the following day, (May 4th) my friend the Secretary of the Chinese -Minister stepped into my room as usual. While we were talking together -there was something in his manner that put me on the alert. He said: -“You say you are from Foochee in China. Of course I don’t doubt it. But -I see a great difference in your character from that of the ordinary -people of China. It may sound strange, but did not your ancestors come -from a foreign country?” - -I replied that I had no definite knowledge about my ancestor’s original -home, and asked him what had made him think that my character did not -resemble that of the Chinese. Upon this he said: - -“The Japanese are very smart by nature and push on with great patience, -while most Chinese lack in quickness, of course with a few exceptions -like yourself. Moreover the Chinese have in general the characteristic -of sedateness which you see in me, but which I cannot see in you. -Instead of being calm, you are always hustling and active. It is too -delicate a distinction for words, but I am sure you have something -in you which I cannot trace to the Chinese. But from whom are you -descended?” - -From this way of talking I could understand that he was closely -examining me, and trying to find out my secret by my countenance and -expression. It seemed probable that he already knew that I was not a -Chinaman but a Japanese. But I did not give him any definite answer, -and he left me. - -Some while later on during the same day I had another startling story -told me by the wife of the apothecary. She began with: “Say, Kusho-la -(your lordship). Don’t you think the most awful thing in the world is -a madman?” - -I asked her reason, and she said: “Why, that mad son of Para has been -telling a strange story. It is a story told by a madman, so of course -I think it cannot be depended upon; but he said that though it was a -great secret, he knew of a horrible affair that was to take place in -this country. When I asked what it was, he whispered to me: ‘There is -a priest from Japan in this town. He calls himself a priest, but he -is surely a great officer of the Japanese Government, who has been -sent for the investigation of the country. It is no less a personage -than the Serai Amchi. I met and talked with him once when I went to -Darjeeling, and I found him a great man.’ This is what he tells me. Is -it not strange? Nobody knows he has ever been to Darjeeling, but what -do you think about it?” - -I thought the madman was not mad if he had spoken that way, but -answered her: “The story of a madman must be only taken as such.” - -The lady continued, “Anyhow my husband and many others seem to believe -it. I have told this to you as I heard it, and hope you will not mind.” - -This conversation occurred on the 14th of May. That night I returned to -the mansion of the Minister of the Treasury, and on the next day I came -to the monastery at Sera. At night when all were fast asleep, I took -out some paper and began to write a letter to the Pope. I did this as -a preparation against the day when my secret should be disclosed. - - - - -CHAPTER LXXX. - -The Secret Leaks Out. - - -Why did I write the appeal? you may ask. At that time I could not -tell how the matter would turn out, and unless some measures were -taken beforehand, incurable evil might be the outcome. So I must at -any rate make it clear to all that I had come to this country for -the study and cultivation of Buḍḍhism and with no other intentions. -For that purpose I thought it well to write the letter, which I have -still by me. I flatter myself that it was written very nicely. I have -written many compositions, both prose and poetry, in the Tibetan -language, but I never wrote one that pleased me better. It took me -three nights to complete it. I may summarise its contents as follows. -As is considered proper in Tibetan the letter begins with respectful -words to the master of the beautiful country which is purified with -white snow. Then I say: “My original intention in coming to this -country was to glorify Buḍḍhism and thus to find the way of saving the -people of the world from spiritual pain. Among the several countries -where Buḍḍhism prevails, the only places where the true features of -the Great Vehicle are preserved as the essence of Buḍḍhism are Japan -and Tibet. The time has already come when the seed of pure Buḍḍhism -must be sown in every country of the world, for the people of the -world are tired of bodily pleasures which can never satisfy, and are -earnestly seeking for spiritual satisfaction. This demand can only be -supplied from the fountain of genuine Buḍḍhism. It is our duty as well -as our honor to do this. Impelled by this motive, I have come to this -country to investigate whether Tibetan Buḍḍhism agrees with that of -Japan. Thanks be to the Buḍḍha the new Buḍḍhism in Tibet quite agrees -with the real Shingon sect of Japan, both having their founder in the -person of the Boḍhisaṭṭva Nāgārjuna. Therefore these two countries -must work together towards the propagation of the true Buḍḍhism. This -was the cause that has brought me to this country so far away and over -mountains and rivers. My faithful spirit has certainly wrought on the -heart of Buḍḍha, and I was admitted to the country which is closed -from the world, to drink from the fountain of Truth; the Gods must -therefore have accepted my ardent desire. If that be true, why should -your Holiness not protect me who have already been protected by the -Buḍḍha and other Gods; and why not co-operate with me in glorifying the -world with the light of true Buḍḍhism?” In conclusion I added that I -had been asked by Dhammapāla of Ceylon to present the Pope with a relic -of Shākya Buḍḍha and a silver reliquary, and begged his acceptance of -the gift. When the letter was finished I was in so much haste to copy -it on good paper that I did not think anything of the consequence if -it were presented--that my letter would disclose my person and that I -should be put to death accordingly. - -On the 20th of May I returned to Lhasa and lodged at the Minister’s. -That day I went with the ex-Treasury Minister to the garden-party held -at the forest of Tsemoe Lingka. This was my last good time in Tibet. -At the party there were many old friends of mine present, and many -country-gentlemen, who were still staying in Lhasa for the ceremony. I -talked freely with them and spent the whole day in the most pleasant -conversation on the subject of the lives of the ancient saints of Tibet -and on various other topics. While I was thus passing a pleasant day, -a very serious thing in regard to my person was occurring at the other -end of the city of Lhasa. - -On this same day, the caravan chief called on Yabsi Sarba (the house of -the father of the new Grand Lama). The present Pope had lost both his -parents, and his elder brother was looked upon as his father-in-law. He -was dignified by the Government of China with the title of Prince, and -lived in magnificence in the southern part of Lhasa. While they were -talking together over their glasses of wine, the caravan chief found -what he called a good opportunity to disclose my person. As I learned -it from Tsa Rong-ba, the dialogue between them ran as follows: - -“Has your Highness heard that there is a stranger in this country, who -is neither Chinese nor Mongolian?” - -“Tell me what he is,” said the Pope’s brother. - -“He is a true Lama from Japan. The Japanese Lama resembles a Chinese -Hoshang, but is far more praiseworthy. He takes only two meals a day -and after midday nothing touches his mouth. He eats no meat and drinks -no wine.” - -“Where is he living?” asked the brother of the Pope. - -“If I mention his name you must know where he is living. His name is -Serai Amchi; the famous Serai Amchi is a Japanese.” - -After a pause for consideration the Pope’s brother replied: “I have -heard of Serai Amchi. He must be an expert physician to be sent for -by the Pope, the nobility and the clergy. One who masters the art of -medicine so thoroughly as to gain such a great reputation in so short a -space of time cannot be a Chinese. I once suspected that he might be a -European. But now that I hear this from you, my doubts about him have -been removed. Yes, the Japanese can do quite as great things as the -Europeans. But” (shaking his head) “this is news that troubles me not -a little.” - -“What troubles Your Highness?” - -“If I am not wrongly informed, Japan is on very friendly terms with -England. When I consider this I cannot but suspect her. Besides, Japan -is so strong a country that she can bully China. Such a country is -very likely to think it easy to subdue a small country like our own. -Moreover the religion of Japan is the same as that of Tibet; is that -not a fact which might easily awaken the ambition for subjugation? -Therefore I cannot take him for anything but a spy sent by the Japanese -Government to investigate the state of things in Tibet for a sinister -purpose. Will not the nobility who are connected with Serai Amchi -suffer as did those who were connected with Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās when he -entered the country? Will not the Sera monastery be closed again? The -matter cannot be overlooked. Some measures must be taken about it.” - -This conclusion was an unexpected one for the caravan chief, for he had -thought the story would please His Highness. His disappointment was -immediately followed by the feeling of fear, and with an intention to -defend me he said: - -“He cannot possibly be taken for a spy. He lives in Lhasa, where meat -is considered necessary food, and he often goes to the temple of Sera -where meat and meat gruel are freely given as alms to the priests, but -he never touches them, and feeds only on scorched barley. Such a man is -surely a Lama of Japan.” - -This strong argument was at once denied by the Pope’s brother, who said: - -“You consider so, for you are short of wisdom. There are devils -that resemble Buḍḍha in this world; indeed, the greatest devil is -the one that can make himself most resemble a Buḍḍha. For example, -take the case of saint Upagupṭa. He was the fifth saint from Shākya -Buḍḍha. He was born after the death of the Buḍḍha, and thought how -he might see the real Buḍḍha, who is said to have been perfect in -physique and physiognomy. He heard that the devil-king of the sixth -heaven had often seen the Buḍḍha while the latter was passing through -His worldly life. So he thought he would go and ask the devil-king -whether he would, by his miraculous power, give him a glimpse of the -real Buḍḍha. He did so, and his request was granted at once. The -devil-king immediately put on the appearance of Buḍḍha and sat on the -‘Diamond-Seat.’ He looked so Buḍḍha-like that the saint could but -prostrate himself before the image. In a similar manner Serai Amchi, -who really is a spy, may have taken the form of a Lama to deceive -us. No, he cannot be trusted. The very fact that he could enter this -country, so strictly closed from the rest of the world, tells that he -is by no means an ordinary person. Did he alight from heaven? He must -have had superhuman power to perform such a miracle. Therefore he must -not be treated carelessly. At any rate this is a difficult problem to -solve.” This argument was strong enough to make Choen Joe sober and -pale. - -That day (20th of May) towards evening Takbo Tunbai Choen Joe called -on Tsa Rong-ba, as I learnt afterwards, with a rather melancholy face. -He had determined not to say anything about his conversation with the -Pope’s brother. But it was supper-time when he came in, and the host -persuaded him to share with him a few glasses of drink, as is customary -in Tibet. Pretty soon the host perceived that the caravan chief was -drinking with unusual haste and a sad look. Being intimate friends, Tsa -Rong-ba asked the reason, saying: - -“You must be uneasy in your mind to drink in such a way. I wish you -would tell me what is the matter with you.” - -The caravan chief said that nothing annoyed him. But in the meanwhile, -the drink had had its effect, and made the man who was resolved to say -nothing speak out the details of the whole thing as has just been -stated. When the story was over it was midnight, and Choen Joe left the -house, leaving the host and hostess in so much anxiety that they could -not sleep at all. The next morning (May 21st) Tsa Rong-ba sent me a -messenger accompanied by a horse to Sera, to take me back directly to -his house. But I was not in the monastery, and this messenger could not -find me at the Treasury Minister’s either, for on that day I did not go -there. The anxiety of Tsa Rong-ba increased when I was not to be found. -The special reason of his anxiety was this; I possessed a letter from -Darjeeling which had reached me through the hand of Tsa Rong-ba, and -if I were to be captured the letter would be confiscated, and it was -evident that he would also be put in prison. Evil might come to him as -well as to myself. No wonder he hunted for me everywhere, all over the -city of Lhasa. Tired with hunting for me, he had almost given up his -attempt, thinking that I must already have been captured, when towards -evening I called at his door. His surprise was great, and he came to -me almost trembling and with tears too, and said: “How lucky we are to -have you here! Buḍḍha must have led you.” - -[Illustration: CRITICAL MEETING WITH TSA RONG-BA AND HIS WIFE.] - -I comprehended that something unusual had happened, but telling them to -be quiet, I took my seat, and was ready to listen. Then they told me -the whole story, one supplying what the other omitted. When they had -finished, Tsa Rong-ba asked me: - -“What do you intend to do? At any rate, I hope you will burn the letter -I brought from Darjeeling. But, what are you going to do?” - -I replied: “For myself, my course is already determined. I have written -an appeal to the Pope. Whatever may befall me I have made up my mind.” - -“Do you know all about it then?” said he with a surprised look. - -“Yes, I know,” said I, “I could see such a thing.” - -“That is why I looked upon you with respectful awe,” he answered. “I -heard that the Pope’s brother said you have superhuman power, and I -believe his saying is true.” - -“No,” I returned “I have no superhuman power. Only I inferred that such -a thing must happen. So I have made what I thought preparation against -it.” - -Tsa Rong-ba, who followed a peculiar kind of reasoning, protested: “No, -do not say so; I know you heard the conversation between the caravan -chief and the Pope’s brother by some mysterious means. Otherwise how -would you come down to our house on such an occasion as this? But then -why have you not been kind enough to call on us a little earlier? We -could not sleep at all last night. But are you really going to present -to the Pope the letter you have written to him? In doing so, you little -think of what will become of us. I doubt not you are a venerable Lama, -but the Pope’s brother is by no means a good-natured man. We cannot -tell what he is going to say to the Pope, and if the Pope listens to -him who can tell the result? But I feel sure we must suffer, don’t you -think so?” - -“I cannot tell,” said I, “what I shall do until I try samāḍhi (go into -abstract contemplation). For the present I can only tell you that there -are four things to be considered in the ‘silent contemplation’. They -are as follows: - -(1) If the presentation of my letter to the Pope does not do any harm -to you, the Minister of the Treasury, and the Sera monastery, I will -present the letter though I should suffer from doing so, for I am the -only Japanese who has visited this country, and I think it would be -very sad to leave this country without telling the people who I am, and -what I have come for. - -(2) If the presentation of my letter causes any harm to any of you, I -will not present it, though I myself am free from danger. - -(3) If I can go to India without giving notice to the Pope, and it -does not cause any harm to any of my acquaintances, I will go to India -directly. - -(4) If the presentation of my letter would cause any harm to them -after my departure, I will stay here and present the letter, because -if it is the cause of evil whether I stay here or not, it is my duty -to stay here and share the evil with my acquaintances to whom I have -caused it. I will never be the only one to escape from danger. If I -come to the conclusion by the contemplation that there will be no -evil caused after my departure, I will leave this country. But as I -am not fully contented with my own decision on my own account, I will -go to my teacher Ganden Ti Rinpoche and consult with him. Of course I -shall not say that I am a Japanese, nor that I am going back for that -reason, but I will say that I must go on a pilgrimage and ask him his -judgment whether my departure is advantageous for many people who are -suffering; and if his judgment agrees with mine I will adopt it, and if -not, I will go and ask the same of the Lama of Tse-Moeling, and if the -latter’s judgment be the same as my teacher’s I will follow it, but if -it agrees with mine, I shall follow that.” - -The husband and wife, who were listening to me attentively, interrupted -me here and told me that I needed not to ask another’s opinion; my own -judgment would be good enough to be acted upon. - -“No,” said I, “that will not do. The thing is too serious to be -determined by myself; for it concerns others as well.” - -They agreed with me and we parted. That night I was seated all alone -in my room at the Treasury Minister’s and quietly entered into the -silent contemplation and tried to find the best course to be taken. -After some time I reached the ‘world of non-Ego,’ and the judgment -was: “If I stay in this country it will be harmful to the people, -whether I present the appeal or not; and on the other hand if I leave -the country, it is no great loss to these people.” Thus I came to -the conclusion to leave the country, though it was not quite decided -whether or not I should present the letter to the Pope before leaving. - -Early on the next morning (27th of May) I called on Ganden Ti Rinpoche, -and asked him to give me his judgment, simply stating that I was going -on a pilgrimage. The master with a smiling face judged for me and -said: “The sick people who (you say) are suffering, will get better -by your going on a pilgrimage. But by the sick people you do not mean -the bodily patients, do you? It may mean that if you stay here, other -doctors in Lhasa cannot live, and so you are going to save them by your -departure?” - -He gave his judgment half in joke, but I thought the teacher was -intelligent enough to perceive that I was leaving the country never -to come back. I heard there were many great Lamas in Tibet, but he -was surely the most respectable priest of all with whom I became -acquainted. This was the last time I saw this venerable teacher. - - - - -CHAPTER LXXXI. - -My Benefactor’s Noble Offer. - - -That day I returned to the Treasury Minister’s with a determination to -tell the secret to him. But it was the 22nd of May and the Pope was to -come back to Lhasa from his country-seat at Norbu Ling. The ex-Minister -had gone out to see the Pope return, and I was also obliged to go, -though I had many things to do for myself. The procession of the day -was magnificent. The four Prime Ministers and the Ministers of several -departments and other dignitaries were present, all dressed in new -suits of clothes. But before the Pope arrived in Lhasa it had begun to -rain heavily. Still no one but the servants and coachmen were allowed -to wear anything to protect themselves against the rain. It was a -pitiful sight to see the dignitaries dressed in silk on horse-back in -the rain, getting wet through. But when the procession marched along -the streets of Lhasa and the Pope entered his temple, the storm had -passed, and it was fine again. When we got home I asked the ex-Minister -and the nun to stay at home that evening, for I was going to tell them -a secret which must not be spoken in the presence of others. The nun -had treated me with motherly tenderness, and though we had been friends -only for one year, yet our acquaintance seemed age-long, and I felt I -ought to tell my secret to her and the ex-Minister, to whom I owed so -much. It was certain that I must leave Lhasa, but how could I leave -them without telling them all? - -When night came, I called on them at the appointed time and told them -that I was not a Chinese but a Japanese. Thinking, however, that they -would not believe me I set before them the passport which I had taken -with me. As the ex-Minister had learned to read Chinese characters a -little, he could read that part of the paper signed “Department for -Foreign Affairs of the Japanese Empire” in Chinese characters. Assuring -himself that I had told the truth, he said: - -[Illustration: REVEALING THE SECRET TO THE EX-MINISTER.] - -“At first I thought you were a Chinese as you said, but later I became -very doubtful, because among the many Chinese I have met, there is -none who equals you in earnestness of devotion to Buḍḍhism. I have -also often thought that most of the Chinese priests are ignorant of -the Buḍḍhist religion, and that even the so-called learned and famous -priests do not amount to much, but that the district of Foochee, from -which you said you came, might be an exception, and that Buḍḍhism might -be studied there with much zeal. Anyhow I thought it strange, but now -my doubts have been removed. - -“But I heard,” he continued after a pause, “that the Japanese are of -the same race as the Europeans. Is it really so?” - -I explained that they were entirely different races and that the -Japanese belong to the same stock of races as the Tibetan, which is -called the Mongolian. I also told him that the religion of the two -countries is the same. It seemed he knew such things as these without -waiting my explanation. - -After a few such questions and answers he said, “Is that all that you -call your secret? Is there anything else to tell me?” - -I answered: “There is another thing. I think I must tell the Papal -Government that I am a Japanese.” - -When he heard me say this he frowned a little, and said, “Why must you -talk? Is there any necessity for doing so?” - -I replied that there was, and told him how my secret had been betrayed -by Tsa Rong-ba, and how it had been told to the Pope’s brother, and -so forth. But I did not say anything about the silent contemplation, -because if I told it they would possibly have thought that I was -anxious to leave for India without caring for their future, though my -judgment said that my departure would cause no great harm to them. - -He considered in silence for some time after I had finished my story, -and then he said: “What are you going to do next?” - -“As I have come to this country,” said I, “after so much trouble, I -wish to inform the Pope that I am a Japanese, and here is the letter to -the Pope written for that purpose.” - -I took out the letter from my pocket and handed it to the ex-Minister, -and continued: - -“It is no difficult thing to present it to the Pope, but in doing so I -must consider whether you might suffer from it, for you have been my -friends and patrons for a long time. Therefore please bind me with a -rope, take me to the court and tell the officers that you have found -out that I am a foreigner. If you do so, you are surely free from -trouble. As to myself, I will explain to the Government the causes of -my intrusion into this country.” - -While I was speaking thus the frowns on his face had increased, and -when I concluded he interrupted: - -“That will not do, my Japanese friend. If you take such a measure you -will certainly be taken to prison, where you will die of hunger and -cold, and if you don’t die of such causes you will be killed. Of course -the Government will not sentence a foreigner to death, but then they -can procure the same effect by using poison in secret. You have no need -to hasten your destruction. What is the use of killing yourself?” - -I was somewhat surprised to hear of such awful means to be used in the -Tibetan jail, but I replied: - -“It is of no use for me to succeed if my success is gained by the loss -of others; it is far better to die and do others no harm. I shall not -fly from danger and allow my benefactors to suffer, who have shown me -as much kindness as parents show to their children.” - -The affectionate old woman, who was listening to me with a sorrowful -face and trembling limbs, could not bear any more, and threw herself -down and wept bitterly. - -Then the ex-Minister spoke to me in a determined tone: “It will never -do to allow such a noble mind to die in order that we who are not far -from the grave should survive. Though humble, I believe truly in the -Buḍḍha, and cannot do such an action as to sacrifice a man to save -myself. I know you too well to take you for a spy, or for a thief of -the national religion. I know it from my long intercourse with you. -Even I were to be killed for it, I could not rid myself of danger by -persecuting a man who came here to study Buḍḍhism. How could I do such -a thing? But now, in the present state of things in Tibet, it is not a -good opportunity to disclose your nationality. Therefore return home -for this time, and wait till the time will come. I am a brother and -disciple of Ganden Ti Rinpoche, from whom I received the lesson of the -‘Great Benevolence.’ I cannot expose you to death while I myself escape -from calamity. If we are to suffer after your departure, we must take -it as due to a cause existing in a previous life, and resign ourselves.” - -Saying this, he turned to the old nun and said: - -“Don’t you think so too, my beloved Ningje Ise (mercy and wisdom)?” - -The nun raised her face and said in a pleasant voice: “You have said -the truth. How glad I am to hear it!” Then turning to me she said: - -“As you are in danger, leave this country as quickly as you can. We can -find some means of protecting ourselves; therefore it is better for you -to cease thinking of us, and to start directly. Now is the best time to -steal out of the city, for the visit of the second Pope will keep the -city busy for this whole month, and no one will notice your departure. -No better opportunity can be found. If it were on an ordinary day, -you could not run away even though you were free from suspicion, for -Lamenba--the chief physician to the Pope--wishes to keep you long in -this country, and has already spoken to the Pope about it. Lose no time -in preparing for the journey. This is my sincere advice.” - -As she spoke thus I observed tears in her eyes. - - - - -CHAPTER LXXXII. - -Preparations for Departure. - - -When I heard them speak so kindly I was heartily pleased, and so -touched that I could not restrain my tears. Though their advice was so -reasonable and pleasing I was not inclined to take it immediately, and -begged them earnestly to deliver me over to the Government so that no -evil might befall them. They would not listen to me. - -At length the nun said: “As it is of no use to argue here, is it not -better to leave the matter to the judgment of Ti Rinpoche? and if -according to his judgment there is no evil to be feared for you and for -us, then you can present the letter as you wish. We are arguing in vain -unless we can foretell the result of the matter.” - -I was then obliged to tell them all about the ‘silent contemplation’ -and its agreement with the judgment of Ti Rinpoche. When I told this -their faces cleared and the ex-Minister said with a smile: - -“If this is the case, our anxiety and argument are useless. The only -course to be taken now is to leave this country immediately. It is of -course of no use to speak of binding you with a rope. You have spoken -such things because you thought of us, but it is all in vain. If Ti -Rinpoche said your departure was better for yourself and ourselves, it -is a sure thing, and if his judgment agrees with yours it is then the -will of the Buḍḍha, the breach of which will cause you certain evil. -Therefore proceed at once. Though we cannot protect you on your way, if -it becomes public and some one pursues you, we will try to find some -means for your escape.” - -Their unselfish kindness toward me I shall ever remember. I retired -with tears back to my room, and then I packed all my sacred books and -other writings which I had gathered and took them to the apothecary’s -and said to him: - -“I intend to go to Calcutta on a certain mission. I also want to make -some purchases there. If I can obtain sufficient money from home to buy -the books I want, I will soon be back. But if I cannot get the money at -Calcutta I must return home and get it, and will come back next year or -the year after next. I cannot say when I can come back, but at any rate -I must start immediately. But the thing that troubles me most is the -despatch of my baggage. I wish to carry these books home and show them -to my fellow-countrymen. If I take all of them they must be packed and -sent on a horse, or by some other means. Can you find any good way of -doing this for me?” - -Apothecary Li Tsu-shu was a man who believed in me so much that he -would do anything for my sake. If I had not had such a friend, my case -would have been undoubtedly hopeless. He was faithful to the end; if -his confidence in me had not been so strong, he would not have done -anything for me, or he might even have betrayed me to my undoing. He -seemed to know that I was a Japanese, for, once when he came to my -room, he saw some of the Japanese books in my library, and after that -he seemed partly convinced that I was not a Chinese. It was when people -began to talk much about my nationality that I saw him and told him -that I was going home. He knew it was dangerous to have anything to do -with me, but he willingly agreed to my request, and told me that he -knew a Chinese merchant who was from the same town as himself, and a -good friend of his; that I might go with him, for he was leaving for -Calcutta on business in four days, and that as he had probably a few -horses without freight he could take my things at a smaller charge than -anyone else. The apothecary was also kind enough to promise me that -he would go to see the merchant and talk over the matter. As we were -talking thus, the apothecary saw a man entering his house. He ran to -him and said: - -“We have just been talking of you. Lucky to see you here! Could you not -take about two horses’ load to Darjeeling for this gentleman?” - -As I saw the man I found that he was an old acquaintance of mine; I had -often bought musk and other things from him and made him some medicine -to sell in his store. He knew well that I was honest in transactions, -and would have acceded to my request with pleasure. But he said that he -could not take charge of my luggage, for he had no extra horses, but -that he knew a man who was going to Calcutta in four or five days, and -who would arrive at the city earlier than himself, and that as this -man was carrying the salary of soldiers to the Castle of Tomo by the -order of the Chinese Amban his horses were not loaded and might take -my baggage, but that probably I must pay him more money. I said that I -would willingly pay extra money if the baggage would arrive earlier, -and asked him to go to that man to get the business settled. I was very -glad to have everything thus arranged. - -It was about the evening when we parted, and I returned to the -monastery at Sera. The next thing to be done was to pack up my -religious books and bring them to Lhasa. That night I was so busy -packing up the books that I had no time for sleep, and the next day -before noon I was able to send away all the packages to the druggist’s -in Lhasa. This twenty-fifth day was fortunately the best for such a -purpose. On any ordinary day there were always six or seven thousand -priests in the temple, and if I were engaged in packing my things, it -would have attracted their attention, and caused many enquiries. But -on that day there were only two or three men in each boarding-house. -Therefore though I was busy all the night in packing and the next -morning in sending the things to Lhasa, it caused no suspicion. But -there was Chamba-ise, a little fellow who had served me for a long -time. I could not leave him without doing something for him. I used to -send him to a tutor for study while I was absent, and he would come -back when I returned and draw water, make tea and do various other -services for me. Now that I was leaving the Lamasery I could not leave -him without notice. In the first place I must dismiss him, otherwise -he would certainly think it strange to see me taking out my books. So -I told this boy and a few others that I must go on a pilgrimage to -Tsa-ri, as a younger brother of the ex-Minister lived there and had -invited me. Tsa-ri is called the second Sacred Place in Tibet. In Tibet -there are the three Sacred Places; the first is Kang Rinpoche or Mount -Kailāsa in the north-western plain; the second is Tsa-ri, a peak in -the Himālayas in the south-east which forms the frontier of Assam; the -third is the highest mountain in the world, the famous Gaurīshānkara -or Chomo Lhari, often called Mount Everest. As to the boy, I told him -that it would probably take me four months to go there and come back, -and that I would leave him money for four months’ tuition and board. -But I was afraid a little boy like him would use the money all at once -if it were handed him directly. So I took the money and deposited it -with his teacher. To a man who had been my security since I entered the -Sera seminary I sent a suit of priestly garments and some money; my -tutor whose lectures I attended and many others were all presented with -some money or things as souvenirs. When all these preparations were -finished, it was past four o’clock in the afternoon. Then I went to the -Great Hall of Je Tatsang to which I belonged, lighted butter-lamps, -made some offerings, and in front of the Image of the Shākya Buḍḍha I -read my prayer of farewell, which ran as follows: - -“Here in the Great Hall of Je Tatsang of the Sera Temple, Tibet, I, -Ekai Jinkō, prostrate myself before the Buḍḍha our benevolent Master -and pray. It is with great sorrow and regret that I see that the -different deeds of human beings have caused the different existences of -Buḍḍha among the believers: for the way to Buḍḍha is originally open -to all and accessible to everyone. I, Ekai Jinkō, bound by the chain -of deeds done in the previous world, have not been able to accomplish -the union and conformity of the Japanese and Tibetan Buḍḍhists, and now -am obliged to leave the country. May the good cause of the present day -be the beginning of success, and of the union of the Japanese and the -Tibetan Buḍḍhists at some future time, and also of illuminating the -whole world with the light of Buḍḍhism.” And calling upon the name of -Buḍḍha ten times together with an equal number of salutations I left -the temple. - -Coming down the steps of the Hall and passing the paved yard to the -left, there is a descent of long and steep stone steps which leads to -the front of the beautiful gate of Choe-ra (a Ḍharma garden) where the -student priests are catechised. The premises of the Choe-ra, which are -enclosed by white low walls, are very spacious. Here and there elms and -willow-trees are planted tastefully, and magnolia flowers perfume the -air in their season. A clear stream, which comes down from the rocky -hill on the other side of the buildings, runs through the premises, and -thus adds much to the beauty of the place, especially when the setting -sun shines upon the stream, as it was then doing. This was the seat I -loved best in Lhasa, and I could not leave it without paying a visit -to this favorite resort of mine. When I came here it was late in the -afternoon, and all was quiet while I roamed about the place. Here my -heart began to hesitate again. Though I had already bidden farewell -to the Buḍḍha, thinking I should leave this country, yet I confess my -determination was not strong enough. - -“Must I now leave,” thought I, “this quiet land of Buḍḍha to which -I have become attached; must I steal out of this beautiful country -without telling who I am, just as a spy would do? Are there no means -to say that I am a Japanese, without causing harm to others? Death -comes to all sooner or later. Why should I not run the risk of death, -presenting the letter to the Pope? When I have made such a good -composition, how sorry I am not to show it to him!” - -While I was thus confused in my mind, suddenly a voice ‘Giokpo peb’ (go -back quickly) was heard from somewhere about the Choe-ra. I wondered -who spoke those words, and to whom, and looked round, but nothing could -be seen but the green leaves of the trees shining in the rays of the -setting sun. Certainly it could not be a bird’s voice, and I thought -it must be only my fancy. When I went on only two or three steps, the -same “Giokpo peb” but in a louder and clearer tone reached my ear. -Thinking somebody was talking to me, I cried out to ask who it was, -looked about, and went round and behind the Choe-ra whence I thought -the voice came, but no one was to be found. Struck with a strange -feeling I was going in the direction of my boarding-place when I heard -the same strange voice again and again. This strange voice had much to -do with my final determination to go back quickly; and when I was fully -resolved the voice was heard no more. I hastened to my room and fetched -a few things left there, and went and lodged at the druggist’s in Lhasa. - -[Illustration: A MYSTERIOUS VOICE IN THE GARDEN OF SERA.] - -The next day was spent in collecting the books which I had asked many -booksellers to secure for me, and for some of which I had paid in -advance. By the evening I had obtained a large number. The following -day (May 26th) was employed in the same business as the day before. In -the afternoon, Li Tsu-shu made some boxes for me to put my things in. -He was also kind enough to get me three sheets of yak-hide in which to -wrap my boxes. In Lhasa many yaks are killed for food after two o’clock -in the afternoon every day. The pelt fresh from the butchery is much -used for packing and shipping goods. Things are wrapped in it while it -is yet soft with the fur inside and the still bloody and greasy side -out, and then stitched. When it gets dry it is hard and strong, and -well serves to protect the contents. - -When all was ready it was the 27th of May. As the next day was the -appointed day on which I could hire a horse from the Chinese merchant -and start with him, I went to take my leave of the ex-Minister. I -thanked him for the great favors I had for so long received from him, -and he gave me several hints and suggestions for my journey. I borrowed -a suit of priestly garments from him, for all my suits were packed up -together with other things. He also gave me a hundred rupees, telling -me to accept it as an acknowledgement of the favors I had done him. -Though I thought the thank-offering ought to have been from my side, -I was in much need of money, and so I accepted his present with many -thanks and returned to the apothecary’s. - -As I came back I learned from him that the merchant who was to go -with me on the following day would not accompany me. I must tell how -this unexpected hindrance came about on the eve of my departure. The -Secretary of the Amban, of whom I spoke before, was a great friend of -the merchant whom I expected to accompany. Now the Secretary, who was -already suspecting me, told the merchant that I was not a Chinese, but -must be a Japanese; that though he could not find the exact reason -why I came to Tibet, it might be possible that I was spying in the -service of the British Government, for now-a-days nobody would be so -much devoted to Buḍḍhism as to come to Tibet as I declared I had done, -and that if his suspicion proved to be true after my departure with -the merchant the latter would have his head out off. The merchant was -surprised at hearing such a story from a man who was regarded as the -most learned and experienced among the Chinese in Tibet, and of course -believed it, so it was not possible in any way whatever to persuade -him to take charge of my baggage. - -But after telling this story, Li Tsu-shu told me that he might probably -find some means to send off my baggage if I did not mind more expense, -by making a special application to the servants of the Chinese Legation -and calling the goods his drugs. I asked him to do so, and as to my -own journey, as I needed a coolie to carry my personal luggage day and -night, I asked him to hire one for me. The druggist went off directly -to negotiate with them, but came back disappointed saying that the men -whom he intended to see were not to be found. - -Early the next morning (the 28th) the druggist went out to see his -country-men who were going to the place called Tomo or Chumbi in -Tibetan and Sui-shi in Chinese, and arranged with them to carry -my goods to the place. I paid them the very high fare for the -transportation in advance. He sent my luggage to the Chinese Legation -that night. As for my coolie, Mrs. Li Tsu-shu secured a man called -Tenba after trying her best. So I made all preparations for my -departure for India by their kindness. I could feel certain of starting -from Lhasa on the very next day, the 29th of May (the 20th of April -according to the Tibetan calendar). - - - - -CHAPTER LXXXIII. - -A Tearful Departure from Lhasa. - - -Lhasa was at that time in a state of such intense excitement over -the festivities that the people hardly seemed to know what they were -doing. The police force of the city is not large: it consists of thirty -constables (Kochakpa) and thirty policemen (Ragyabpa), and the whole -energies of the force were devoted to the duty of guarding the persons -of the Grand Lama and his Co-adjutor. Every official and priest was -busily engaged in the duties of his office; none could spare even a -thought for anything outside his immediate sphere of occupation--in -short the time could not possibly have been more favorable for my plan -of escaping from the city. Still it was necessary to take precautions, -for there were many priests from Sera in the town, and I therefore -determined to divert attention by wearing, instead of travelling -clothes, a suit of ordinary ecclesiastical garments which I had -borrowed from the Minister a few days before. - -At eleven o’clock, on the day of my departure, my kind, host and -hostess of the Thien-ho-thang prepared for me a farewell dinner of -vegetables only. It was a very sad meal, and the two children, a boy of -five and a girl of eleven years old, were almost inconsolable at the -thought of my departure. Poor things, they did their best to retain me -and I must confess that I never before felt so strongly the force of -childish affection. - -Some of the members of the family were very anxious to testify their -respect by accompanying me for a mile or two on my journey, but as it -would have been hard to escape observation had we left the house in -a large party, we agreed to go out one by one, and meet again in the -grove in front of the Rebon Temple outside the capital. So, with a -coolie to carry my baggage, I started off by myself through the crowded -streets, and when right in front of the Great Temple was accosted by -a policeman. I felt sure that something had been detected, and gave -myself up for lost. - -He looked me straight in the face, and said “I congratulate you,” and -when he found I did not reply he repeated his congratulations. I did -not know what he was congratulating me about, but at least it did not -look as if he were going to arrest me, and I continued my silence, but -he made three low bows as signs of his congratulations, and made as -though I would pass on. Suddenly it occurred to me that I was wearing -a suit of ecclesiastical garments borrowed from the Minister, and that -doubtless the policeman had jumped to the conclusion that as I was -wearing such dignified robes I had been appointed physician to His -Holiness (as indeed it was rumored), and that he expected a reward of -money for his well-meant felicitations. So I gave him a ‘single-handed -blessing,’ and a tanka of money, which made him stick out his tongue -in gratitude, and so went on my way. I reckoned it as a thing most -auspicious that I should have met the man in front of the Temple, and -thus have commenced my journey with words of felicitation. - -There are some points about the Tibetan police which I must not omit -to mention. They receive no salaries, and live on the alms of the -community, though their methods of solicitation differ materially -from those of ordinary beggars. At stated periods they go, usually in -companies of three, through the streets, and standing at the gates of -private houses cry out as follows: - -“We have come to receive alms from the wealthy, and you are so wealthy -that you can easily relieve our distress. We therefore pray you, the -savior of the poor and the friend of the needy, to give thirty pieces -of gold to thirty poor men who with their wives live in miserable huts, -and the gift you give us this day shall be brought home to our women -and make them happy. We shall fill our broken cups with fragrant liquor -and let them lie down this evening in a state of blissful intoxication. -_Lha-kyallo._[4]” - -[4] The words “_Lha-kyallo_” mean: the virtuous God will be victorious. - -They will go on repeating these dirge-like petitions at the gate until -at last some one comes out and gives them a few silver coins and some -parched wheat-flour in a tin pan covered with a small kata. There is -no fixed amount to be given, but if a rich man does not give them what -they think they have a right to expect, they will let him know what -they think. They are not supposed to beg at Temples, but as a matter of -fact every Temple gives them something for the sake of its own credit, -and for peace and quiet. - -All the money that is thus collected is handed over to one of the -Kochakpa, who distributes it in regular monthly instalments to the -members of the Force. But the Lhasa police have also further sources -of income. When a wealthy pilgrim from the country arrives in the city -they ask for a donation from him, and if they do not get at least one -tanka they will set the worthless people of the city on to attack him -and not stir a finger for his protection. Every countryman therefore -finds it to his interest to pay this blackmail to the police, and when -I was in Lhasa as a layman I had paid my tanka like the others. But -since I had assumed the priest’s robe they had not been able to demand -anything from me, and therefore I suppose that my friend thought the -opportunity of getting a present in return for his congratulations was -too good to be lost. - -If a policeman goes on a journey, say to arrest a thief, he takes -nothing with him for the expenses of his journey. He goes to any house -he chooses and takes what they give him to eat and drink, and if -he is going on to a place where there is no entertainment to be had -he just orders the people of the house to provide him with whatever -he requires. The Kochakpa however are far superior to the ordinary -policemen. They have a regular salary from the Government, and so do -not live on blackmail. - -Having got rid of my policeman friend, I turned to the Temple for a -final act of worship, and then passing under the Palace of the Grand -Lama and over the bridge, came out upon the vast plain, where, by the -small grove in front of the Rebon Temple, I found the clerk of the -drug-store and a few friends waiting to take their leave of me. I had -had my dinner, and I never drink wine: there was nothing left for me -to do but to change my dress and commence my journey, which I did, -requesting my friends to return my clerical clothes to the Minister of -Finance. But my friends had brought some wine with them, and insisted -on drinking to me before I went, repeatedly expressing their great -sorrow at my departure and urging me to take great care of my health -in the trying climate of India. They were also very anxious to know -whether, after once returning to India, I should ever revisit Tibet -again, and they several times expressed their great indebtedness to me. -As for myself, I cannot say that I was very sorry to be leaving Lhasa, -but the sight of their sorrow made me sad as I passed out of the grove -of the Rebon Temple in the direction of Shingzonka, where I stopped for -the night. - -On the 30th of May, I hired post-horses and left Shingzonka. Here I -had been obliged to find serious fault with my luggage-carrier, Tenba. -Tibetans, as my readers must by this time be well aware, are prone to -lies, and will grossly exaggerate the most trivial and insignificant -matters. I had often spoken to Tenba about this, but in spite of my -frequent admonitions, he had told the master of the house where we -lodged at Shingzonka that I was an incarnation of a Lama. Of course the -innkeeper at once was all full of smiles and politeness, put me into -a better room and did all he could for my comfort, and as far as that -was concerned I had no reason for complaint. But I was afraid that by -and by trouble might come to me by reason of that lie, and I spoke to -him in severe terms not only about the wickedness but also about the -inconvenience of uttering falsehoods. - -“I only said ‘yes,’” urged the man in his own justification, “when -he asked me if you were not an incarnation. If you go round as an -incarnation, you are respected and honored, and can make lots of money. -There is no profit in going about just as you are.” - -“But, you miserable man,” I returned angrily, “I am not here for -the purpose of making money. It is unutterably bad to make money by -deceiving others.” - -“But,” he grumbled, “everybody wants to make money”. Nevertheless he -promised to be more careful with his tongue in the future. - -That day we had dinner at Ne-thang, and going six miles further on -arrived at the village of Nam. When my teacher, Rai Saraṭ Chanḍra -Ḍās Bahāḍur, visited Nam some twenty years ago, it was a village of -some thirty houses. It seems almost incredible that we stayed in the -single house now standing in the place. The fact is that some six years -after the Rai Bahāḍur’s departure from Tibet, some sixteen years ago, -the whole village was swept away by a flood of the river Kichu. The -villagers then removed their dwellings to a plateau between the ravines -where they would be safe from future inundations, erecting just one -house on the old site for the benefit of travellers. - -So, to return to my story, I passed through Nam and reached the village -of Jangtoe, where lived a priest whose acquaintance I had made at Sera. - -“Where are you going?” he asked, as he served me with tea. - -“On a pilgrimage to India,” was my politic reply, which was received -with great joy, and made my host most sympathetic and helpful. He -insisted on lending me a horse the next morning, and I was thus enabled -to make a rapid journey to Chaksam, where I found several boats, some -of hides and some of wood. I embarked on one of these latter, crossed -to the other side and arrived at the station of Pashe, under the high -and steep mountain of Genpala. At Pashe I hired another horse, (for I -had sent back the priest’s horse from the river), and the next morning, -1st June, at four o’clock, started again on my journey. Half-way up the -hill I found a Chinaman who had left Lhasa a day before myself. He was -feeding his horse by the roadside, and drinking tea, and when I asked -him about his luggage, he said that it was being sent after him. - -[Illustration: A DISTANT VIEW OF LHASA.] - -On reaching the top of the mountain and looking back, I was able, in -the clear air, to see not only Lhasa far away on the north-eastern -horizon, but even the Grand Lama’s palace above it, a dim vision of -heavenly beauty. Both in coming and in going I enjoyed this beautiful -sight, and saluted the Lama’s Palace in the distance. Genpala rises -fourteen thousand nine hundred feet above the sea, while Lhasa is -twelve thousand, so that the mountain is nearly three thousand feet -higher than the city. The distance, as a bird flies, between them is -thirty-five miles, and though some Tibetan travellers deny the fact, I -can vouch for it from experience that the Grand Lama’s Palace can be -distinctly seen from a point of vantage on the summit of the mountain, -though the slightest change in position causes the palace to disappear. - -[Illustration: FAREWELL TO LHASA FROM THE TOP OF GENPALA.] - -While speaking of Genpala I recollect an amusing story which I will -here relate. There is in the house of a rich man in Nepāl a Tibetan -servant of the name of Penba-pun-tso, who accompanied his master on one -occasion on a pilgrimage to Lhasa. There were several other Tibetans -in the company. Now, whereas in Nepāl food is cheap and plentiful and -every one gets enough, that is not the case in Lhasa. There, the Lama -gets a good meal with meats of various kinds, vermicelli, and eggs; but -the ordinary layman has to be contented with parched barley flour--not -unmixed with sand and grit--put in a bowl with tea and eaten. And often -there is not enough even of that. The pilgrims cannot always get all -they require, and many lose strength, while all lose flesh. - -At last the pilgrimage was over, all the noteworthy Lamas had been -visited, and the party of Nepālese, on their way home, reached the -summit of Mount Genpala. With one accord they all turned round to take -a last farewell of the Holy City. “We are indeed fortunate,” they -murmured, “to have been allowed to accomplish this pilgrimage, and we -pray (here they shed tears of pious fervor) that we may deserve to be -re-born in the Holy Land of Buḍḍha.” - -But Penba-pun-tso refused to join them in their prayers. He -deliberately turned his back on the Holy City, and took no pains to -conceal his disgust at the behavior of his companions. - -“How joyful it is, brethren,” he replied to their remonstrances, “to -have left behind Lhasa, the hateful abode of hungry demons and evil -spirits. My prayer is that I may never have occasion to see the place -again.” - -“You are very hard on Lhasa,” they said. - -“Not a bit of it,” was the reply. “I am only honest; that’s all. In my -master’s house in Nepāl I get plenty of food--good rice, with no sand -in it. Why should I call Lhasa the Holy City--a place where the greedy -Lamas are the only men who get enough to eat?” - -Penba’s pious companions were much shocked at his outspoken heresies. -But Penba did not mind their threats. - -“I may be punished for what I have said,” he calmly remarked; “but all -the same I am glad not to have been born in Lhasa. The devils of the -Holy City may punish me if they like.” - -There is a great deal of truth in what the man said. Lhasa swarms with -beggars and paupers, and may truly be called the City of hungry devils. - -There are even to be found in Lhasa professional mendicants who are -also usurious money-lenders. These men as a rule starve themselves in -order to save a little money, which they conceal in some secret place -underground and then lend out at exorbitant rates of interest. When -they die, their secret hoard is lost, until some one some day digs it -up by chance, when it is presented as treasure-trove to the priests -of Sera or to those of the Ganden or Rebon Temples. Can these men, -who starve themselves in order to make a little additional gain, be -called anything but hungry devils? Truly, I can witness that Lhasa is -the abode of these hungry spirits, and that the Lamas are flesh-eating -ogres. - -Penba-pun-tso, whose story thus amused me as I climbed over the steeps -of Genpala, is still living at Nyallam on the borders of Nepāl and -Tibet. I cannot say that I fully share his feelings against Lhasa, -which I know as well probably as he does; but it is indeed a city in -which wheat and tares grow together, a very few noble Boḍhisaṭṭvas -dwelling in the midst of many extortionate demons. It is my earnest -desire to return some day to the Holy City and there work for the -important object of bringing together into living unity the Buḍḍhism of -Japan and Tibet. - -On our way down from the summit of Mount Genpala we diverted our steps -a little in the direction of the village of Ta ma lung, a change of -route necessitated by the desire to dine and to change horses, before -proceeding to the post-station of Palte. - -Palte is, as I have mentioned before, a very picturesque town on the -shores of Lake Yamdo. We arrived towards nightfall after a long journey -southward through beautiful winding roads, and here I fancy that my -luggage coolie Tenba, who preceded me by a few minutes, must have -announced me as a physician from Sera, for soon after my arrival the -headman brought me a sick man for examination. I declined to prescribe -for the man at first, but the more I drew back the more did the headman -urge his suit, until I was at last reluctantly compelled to give him -some medicine. I was surprised to find with what great reverence the -people of the place treated “a physician from Sera”. - -It was almost as if he had been a God of medicine, so great was the -honor they paid him. - -The next day, June 6th, I left Palte on horseback at two in the -morning, and about eight o’clock reached the eastern extremity of Yase -through beautiful scenery, which I need not however describe again. -Some two miles to the east of Yase there is a river which empties -itself into the narrow arm of a lake, and is crossed by a stone bridge -which leads the traveller towards the south. As far as this bridge my -route had been the same as on my former journey through this country: -but after crossing the bridge, I diverged in a south-easterly direction -along the lake shore, and then turned to the south (still along the -lake) for five miles, where I struck off and reached Nankartse in time -for dinner. Here my servant, who was very tired, expected to stop, -but I pushed on westward, until we came out on an immense plain where -we beheld outspread before us the snow-clad mountains of the Bhūṭān -frontier. As we pushed on the scenery became more and more beautiful, -and the mountains closed in on both sides of us. At last, in the heart -of a narrow ravine, we came to a solitary house beside a river. We -should have had to go another five _ri_ before reaching another house, -so we determined to stop here. - -The next morning, soon after midnight, I got up and aroused my servant. -He did not want to leave his bed and grumbled about its being midnight -and a long way to dawn, but we had before made up our minds for an -early start so as to get ahead of possible pursuers, and so I kept -to my purpose. It was a very lonely ascent through deep snow, and my -servant was so scared by the darkness and the fear of pursuers that he -did not dare to walk behind me, and when I made him go in front, he -would often stop for me to reconnoitre some suspicious object ahead. -For the road, he said, was full of malicious demons, and there was no -knowing what harm they might not do to one. - -[Illustration: CROSSING A MOUNTAIN AT MIDNIGHT.] - -I did my best to re-assure him by the fact of my presence and the -example of my courage, and so, with slow and faltering steps we climbed -up the five _ri_ of steep mountain ascent and at daybreak reached the -small village of Za-ra, when we had breakfast and succeeded in hiring -horses. At these mountain-stations it is almost impossible to hire -an animal, for there are none kept there, and the traveller has to -depend on pack-horses and travelling horses that may happen to pass -by that way. What few post-horses there are, are all taken up by the -Government, and never come into the hands of ordinary travellers. And -yet it was very important for us to obtain animals, for we had to pass -along the snowy peak of Nechen Kangsang, and though there are several -places in the ascent as well as in the descent where riding is out of -the question, over the steep and ill-kept roads, there are also places -in the higher plateau of the mountains where the rarefied atmosphere -makes rapid travelling on foot a sheer impossibility. - -Thanks, however, to our good fortune in procuring horses at Za-ra, we -were able to push on towards the majestic mountain peaks as far as -to Ralung, where we rested till midnight. We then arose, mounted our -steeds, and following a stream for some ten and a half miles arrived at -Tsanang. In Tibet there is no beautiful scenery except that of snowy -mountains. When the snow-peaks disappear from sight, everything becomes -monotonous and lonely. - -The next day we rode into the post-town of Gyangtze, the third city -of Tibet. The city contains a large Buḍḍhist Temple, Pankhor Choeten, -inhabited by fifteen hundred priests, and in it was living the chief -financial agent of the Lama Government, who was married to the niece -of the old nun who once lived with me in the Minister’s residence. As -he was an old and intimate friend of mine, I ventured to call upon -him and was received with great joy. His residence, Serchok, was a -large building on the outskirts of the grounds of the great Temple, -and my friend was very urgent that I should spend some ten or twenty -days with him. This I declined, on the ground that I was going on a -pilgrimage; but as I was anxious to see the Temple, and as moreover it -was absolutely necessary to provide oneself with all necessaries of -life before attempting the trip across the mountains, I determined to -stay for one or two days at least. - -The temple is very large, and the tower is the largest in Tibet. -The number of priests is comparatively small, but the monastery is -about one-half the size of the Sera convent. Priests of the New Sect -predominate, but those of the Old Sect are allowed to reside there, -as are also the Sakya and Karma priests. I was shown a great number -of sacred articles preserved in the Temple, and then returned to my -friend’s residence. - -Gyangtze is a good emporium for trade. A large market is held every -morning outside the gate of the great temple, and people flock in -from the whole neighborhood to buy and sell. There are many shops, -stalls, and booths in which goods of all kinds are exposed for -sale--vegetables, meat, flower, milk, butter, cotton and articles to -tempt the fancy of the buyers. Also wool and yak’s tails, on their road -from the table-lands of the north-west to India, are brought here in -transit, and are distributed among the merchants who come so far to -obtain them. - -After stopping one night in the temple, we started on June 1st, 1902, -at five o’clock. By the kindness of my host, a horse was lent to me for -five days, and so I passed through the town of Gyangtze, crossed the -river Tsangchu, and gradually proceeded southward to the place where -the nunnery of Nening stands. I was told that in this nunnery there -was a living goddess called Dolma in Tibetan, only seven years of age. -I did not however see her. After taking dinner at the house opposite -the temple, we hurried on for about twenty-five miles, and came to the -native village of my luggage-carrier Tenba. That night we lodged in a -small temple where his brother was living, and my man and he had a good -carouse that night. - -“Your master’s complexion is unusually fair,” said his brother, “and -differs little from that of Mongolians. Is he not a European?” - -“No, no,” said my servant, eagerly trying to dispel his brother’s -suspicion, “he is an honorable physician in Sera.” - -“I know the physician in Sera,” answered his brother, entirely -forgetting that I was in the next room; “but he is a doubtful sort of -man, one that brings the dead back to life. No man can do such things -unless he is a European. Be careful, my good brother, that you come to -no harm.” - -“That is not so,” pleaded the other emphatically, relating what he had -heard from the owner of Thien-ho-thang, “he is a Chinaman, an intimate -friend of the owner of Thien-ho-thang.” - -I pretended not to have heard the last night’s talk between the -brothers, and early the next morning I left the house, and as we were -at the point of departure the brother whispered something in my man’s -ear. Walking toward the mountain south of us for about seven miles, we -came to the post-station of Kangma. While we were resting, twelve or -thirteen pack-horses led by a Chinaman, two of them with my baggage, -came towards us in great haste. It seemed to me that the Chinese did -not know the baggage was mine, and I was glad to see that it was on the -way to Darjeeling. - -The sight of my baggage may have increased Tenba’s suspicion. When it -was first packed in Thien-ho-thang, he thought it was going to be left -in the care of the drug-store, but now, to his surprise, he found it -was going off somewhere. He shut his mouth, hung his head thoughtfully, -and followed after me for a long while, till at last he suddenly broke -the silence. - -“As we are still some five or six days’ journey from the Phari -Challenge Gate,” he suggested eagerly, yet with some hesitation, “would -it not be better for us to take the other road? They are so very strict -with their enquiries at the gate that it will be hard for you to get -a proper passport, without a witness who can prove that you are only -going on a short trip to India and that you will soon be back. Such a -witness must be taken from the village itself, and it requires quite -a lot of money to get one. You will also have to do some bribing to -get a passport, and I very much doubt whether you have money enough -for the purpose. There is another way where I can get you through for -about half the money required at Phari, and if you will entrust the -matter to me I will take you to it. We must go by the secret path to -Khamburong, from which point it will be easy to get into India; but it -is a difficult road, and not altogether free from wild animals. If you -are afraid of it, there is another route, through Bhūtān, though, to be -sure, it is infested with highwaymen. Still, I dare say you will get -through unmolested, if you conceal your luggage and wear old clothes. -It is for you to choose.” - -“Do you mean to tell me,” I replied, “that I had better take some other -route than that of Phari on the ground of expense?” - -“Yes, sir,” replied Tenba; “it is nonsense to throw away money like -that.” - -“I don’t know how much money it will require,” I replied deliberately, -“but it is folly to risk one’s life unnecessarily. If we go by the -secret path or through Bhūṭān the chances are nine to one that we -lose our lives. It is better to lose money than one’s life. So don’t -dream of going by a dangerous road, for there is no need for it. I am -not without money; how much do you want? I promised to give you seven -yen fifty sen monthly, and I intend to give you a handsome present as -well for the work you undertake to do for me, but I shall not give you -anything unless you stick to your bargain.” - -The whole of this suggestion originated, I am sure, from his brother’s -parting whisper, and I was glad to be able to dispel his suspicions, -at least in some degree. Had I acted upon his suggestions, and given -him the money he asked for to take me round by the secret path, -his suspicions as to the shadiness of my character would have been -confirmed, and he would only have waited for me to fall asleep to steal -my luggage. It is impossible to trust oneself entirely to Tibetans, -for honesty is observed only among people who are well-known to one -another, and only so long as actions are done before the public gaze. -Social restraints are no sooner removed than the Tibetan is ready for -any crime or enormity. One has to keep one’s eyes constantly open in -travelling with such people. - -After a pleasant walk of about five miles along the mountain ridge, -we arrived at the village of Salu, where we stopped. We left at one -o’clock the next morning (June 8th), much to the disgust of Tenba, -who was again horribly afraid of the journey through the dark, and -proceeded southward towards the mountains. More accurately, we were -going to the south-west, and after proceeding for some seven and a half -miles, reached a high plain. Eleven miles further, we came to a small -lake with a river flowing to it. We kept along the east bank of the -river for another three and a half miles, which brought us to Lake Lham -tso, a sheet of water connected with the lower lake by the river. We -could reach Phari by going round the lake on either side; but we chose -to go along the left or eastern side. - -From this point the snowy peaks of the Himālayas look like a row of -beautiful maidens sitting in a line on a bench, and wearing snow-white -bonnets. They are not very high, but there are great numbers of peaks, -the lower slopes of which are covered in summer with grass, which would -I believe make excellent pasture, especially along the borders of the -lake where grass is profuse. We skirted the shores of the lake for -about twenty miles and at last reached the village of Lham-maye, on a -beautiful summer evening with the crescent moon shining faintly above -us. It reminded me of home. - -[Illustration: NIGHT SCENE ON THE CHOMO-LHARI AND LHAM TSO.] - -We stopped for the night in a large stone house, from which we had -a view towards the south over a great mountain known in Tibetan as -Chomo-Lhari (the mountain of the Mother Goddess). There are many -mountains of this name in Tibet, where nearly every snowy peak is -accounted sacred to the deity and is called by her name. Some say that -there are twenty-one Chomo-Lhari in Tibet, some give the number as -thirty-two; but as nearly every large mountain goes by that name, the -number must be far greater. This particular Chomo-Lhari sits, like the -Buḍḍhist deity Vairochana, with an air of great solemnity in one corner -of the plain, with its head in the clouds; while the snowy peaks which -range themselves on either side of it, embracing the lake as it were -with their gigantic masses, look like the Boḍhisaṭṭva Avalokiṭeshvara -(representative of the great Mercy of Buḍḍha) and Boḍhisaṭṭva Manjushrī -(representative of the great knowledge of Buḍḍha) offering before the -great Buḍḍha Vairochana a sacrifice of silent praise. The whole scene -seemed to me like a picture of the Buḍḍhist Heaven. - -On this plateau, as on the great north-western plain of Tibet, neither -wheat nor barley will grow, and the district is fit only for pasturage, -and that only during the summer months. Lake Lham tso abounds in fish -of all kinds, from seven to twelve inches in length, and it is much -frequented during the summer by fishermen who catch and dry the fish -for winter consumption. During the winter, when fishing is impossible, -they take to begging, and so the population around the Lake consists -mainly of people who are half fishermen and half beggars. - - - - -CHAPTER LXXXIV. - -Five Gates to Pass. - - -On June 9th we were as usual early on horseback, and on our road -towards the south. Tenba seemed to fall back into his old suspicious -mood. We were due to reach the first Challenge Gate on the following -morning, and he possibly feared that if anything leaked out he would be -arrested and put into jail. So he began his attacks on me again. - -“The other day,” he said, “you said that there was no need for us -to take the secret path, but there you were wrong. It is not nearly -such difficult travelling as you suppose. I have been over it twice -myself, and the wild beasts can always be scared away by lighting -fires. The officers at Phari are, as I have told you, both strict and -extortionate. Fourteen or fifteen _yen_ ought to be enough, but you may -have to pay thirty or even fifty. You will be detained for three or -four days at the very least, possibly for a week. If you are anxious to -get on quickly you had better take the secret path. Why waste money and -time?” - -“Well,” I replied, “if the officials want to bleed me, I suppose they -must. I have no objection to being bled. It will be one way of making -an offering to the Dalai Lama.” - -Again my feigned nonchalance cleared his mind of doubt, though it -surprised him not a little. But a short time later a most strange and -weird thing took place. We had gone some five miles further, when -suddenly a band of ill-favored savage-looking men, four in number, -stood in my path, made a profound bow, and begged me to do them a -favor. - -“We are on our way from the north,” they said in excited tones, “and -we were taking salt to sell at Phari. Last night, while our watchmen -were dozing, some robbers came up and drove off forty-five of our yaks. -We do not know whether they were Tibetans or Bhūṭānese, but we intend -to pursue them whoever they are, and we desire you to find out by -divination which way they have gone.” - -They had mistaken me for a soothsaying Tibetan priest, and there was -nothing for me but to act up to the _rôle_. So I struck an attitude -such as I had seen the native diviners assume, and said solemnly and -with decision: “Go towards the north, as quickly as you can: it may be -that you will catch them before evening.” - -So they hurried off with great joy, leaving us to proceed on our -journey to the village of Lham tso on the slope of Mount Chomo-Lhari. -It is a poor village, the soil of which is said to produce nothing that -is eatable, and the inhabitants are generally unable to pay taxes. - -Bhūṭān is an independent country under the nominal rule of a King, -whose power, however, does not go far over the various tribes within -his Kingdom. Each tribe pays a tribute to Tibet, directly, and not -through the King’s Government, and in return for the tribute receives a -present from the Tibetan authorities, so that it is really an exchange -of presents rather than a payment of tribute. - -We were now not very far from the first Challenge Gate. I had had to -tell Tenba repeatedly to stick to the public road, but I was obliged to -have recourse to religious meditation before I could get him to act in -accordance with my wishes. - -Fortunately for my authority the men who had lost the yaks on the -previous day came up to us. They had recovered every one of their lost -animals, and had come to express their gratitude and to make me a -present of two tankas and a kata. This incident impressed my servant -tremendously. He was now quite sure that I was a man gifted with -extraordinary powers, and was more willing to acquiesce in my decision. -That evening I recited the Holy Texts until all had fallen asleep. I -myself went into a religious meditation-trance, by the light of which -I decided to go by the public road. - -Travellers taking this road are subjected to a first and very strict -examination at the first gate-house at Phari. The first requisite is -a witness, who for a consideration swears that the traveller is going -into India on business for a short time, intending to come back. Then -a little palm-oil procures the passport, armed with which he goes on -to the second gate at Chumbi Samba. Here he produces the passport and -goes on to the third gate at Pimbithang, where he is examined carefully -by Chinese officials. The fourth gate is at Tomo Rinchen-gang at -which the traveller receives a written certificate, which he has to -show on reaching the great gate of Nyatong Castle. Here he has to do -much bribery, and is strictly cross-examined. If he comes through the -ordeal, he receives another paper which he has to take back to the -fourth gate to be countersigned and _viséd_. At the fourth gate he -gets some more papers which he has to take to the Chinese officer at -Pimbithang, from whom he receives another document written in Chinese, -which, together with the document received at the fourth gate, must be -taken once more to the gate house at Nyatong Castle. At length, on the -production of all these documents, he is allowed to pass through the -castle gate into the village of Nyatong. Here he crosses a small bridge -on the other side of which are some Chinese sentinels, the commander of -these Chinese troops receiving from him the certificate which he has -received at the third gate. The document from the fourth gate he takes -with him to his destination: its production on his return journey will -enable him once more to be admitted to the sacred soil of Tibet. - -Between Phari and Nyatong I came across a great number of friends and -acquaintances--some of them were chance acquaintances, others who had -known me at Darjeeling. There was a lady missionary, Miss Annie R. -Taylor, who was living with her servants near the Nyatong Gate, and -there were some ill-natured Tibetans who knew me so well that I was -obliged to keep my eye constantly open. I might, I felt, have the good -fortune to get into the gate-house, but whether I would come out again -was a more difficult problem. I could hardly expect to get through -without meeting any of my friends. If I were detained for any length -of time at Phari, there was the danger that I might be arrested by -messengers from Lhasa, though I knew that ten days must elapse before -my absence from that city would be detected. The period from April 20 -to April 30 (Tibetan style) is a period of confusion and bustle in -Lhasa, and during that period it was almost impossible that I should -be missed. The conclusion of the Panchen Lama’s rites would leave the -officials with leisure on their hands: then my absence would be noted, -and in the end they would send messengers after me. - -The day on which I held my meditation was May 3, according to the -Tibetan calendar, and I concluded therefore that two or three days more -must elapse before my pursuers could reach me. But a delay of four or -five days at Phari might be a very critical question for me, and it was -just possible that while we were kept cooling our heels in the last -of the gate-houses, the Government messengers might arrive, and all -our labour be lost. Yet it was very strange that, in spite of all the -difficulties of the way, it had been revealed to me in my meditation -that the public road was the one I ought to take. - -I had thought that the danger of the two roads was about equal; but I -thought that I would rather be arrested on the public road and possibly -be treated with violence, than fall among wild beasts or robbers on the -secret path. I had moreover on several occasions tried the method of -religious meditation, and always with success. I determined therefore -to follow the path that had been revealed to me. - -That night, I slept but very little, in a sitting position, and early -the next morning I started off on horseback towards the great snowy -peak of Chomo-Lhari. By going round the side of the mountain, and -gradually proceeding south, after leaving lake Lham tso, we at last -saw far to the east and south, the great peak towering up above the -clouds almost like a snowy image of sitting Ḍharma. It was summer; yet -the weather was so exceedingly cold that no plants could grow there, -except lichens of flattened kinds. By dint of whipping my horse all the -time, I tried very hard to reach Phari on that day; but as my servant -walked on foot and could not keep up with me, it was quite dark when -we came to the village of Chu-kya. It is on a very high plateau, and -the climate is exceedingly cold. The land here is not only high, but -large snow mountains stand round it on both sides in one continuous row -and it has been said to be the bleakest and most barren wilderness in -the Tsang district. At night unless dried yak dung can be collected, -piled up and burned continually, the cold is almost intolerable. -Notwithstanding that it was early summer, it was colder than our most -rigorous winter in Japan: indeed it is the coldest, wildest, most -barren place between Lhasa and Darjeeling. The next morning, June 11th, -we took tea and started at four o’clock, going about five miles south -along the river flowing through the wilderness. I came to the Phari -Zong just at sunrise. - - - - -CHAPTER LXXXV. - -The First Challenge Gate. - - -Phari is a large castle standing on a hill, in form like the Dalai -Lama’s palace in Lhasa, but not so elegant. All the houses standing -at the foot of it looked somewhat black. Phari is more or less of a -prosperous town, situated on the plain between the snow-mountains; -and as all the commodities imported from Darjeeling and Calcutta or -Bombay come to this town, there is a custom-house for levying taxes. -The customs duties for imported goods amount to one-tenth, two-tenths, -sometimes even four-tenths of the original cost according to their -nature. Most of the duties are paid in kind; but in cases where this is -impossible, they are paid in money after the value has been reduced to -the corresponding silver coins. - -As we went through the town we saw by the side of it a large pond. -On the road between the pond and the castle there were watchmen, who -asked me where I was going to lodge. As I did not know where to stop, -I requested them to find me a very good house, and when they saw my -dress (which was suitable for a man of high position) they mistook -me for a priest belonging to the nobility, and led me to a very good -lodging-house. - -There are no real inns or hotels in Tibet; what they call inns or -hotels being no better than our Japanese Kichin-yado. - -“Where are you going, Sir?” asked the inn-keeper respectfully, thinking -that I was a high priest. - -“I am going to Calcutta,” replied I; “and if circumstance allow me -to worship at Buḍḍhagayā, I will do so; but as I have some pressing -business, I am not sure whether I can or not.” - -“What is your service, Sir?” he asked again. - -“My service,” said I: “I have no need to tell it.” - -“Where do you come from, my noble priest?” said he, intending from my -reply to conjecture my station in life. - -“From Lhasa,” replied I. - -“Which part of Lhasa, Sir?” - -“From the Sera temple.” - -“I see,” said he, with sparkling eyes, believing that he had found out -my secret; “you are an incarnation of the Lama.” - -Before I could say “no,” my servant, who was sitting near me, spoke to -him instantly: “The Dalai Lama’s” ... but before he could say more I -stopped him with angry looks: “You must not talk nonsense; for it is no -use.” - -“Then, what is your station in life, Sir,” he asked me again, thinking -that it is very strange that I should conceal my social position, “are -you His Holiness’s chaplain?” “No” said I, “I am simply living in Sera -and nothing else.” - -The more he wanted to know about me, the more I tried to keep him in -the dark, and I told him I could not comply with his desire. - -“No, that is not good,” said the inn-keeper. “This is a very -troublesome place; your condition must be thoroughly investigated, your -dwelling and what position you hold, and all doubtful points must be -verified. You must also produce a witness that though you are going to -India you are sure to return here again. To get a witness is not an -easy task; and to do this, I must first hear everything about you.” - -“If that is so,” said I, “I shall make myself clear. I am a common -priest from Sera studying dialects in the university department.” - -“Your looks belie you,” said he. “From your circumstance and clothes, I -conjecture that you are either a high clergyman, or an incarnation of -the Lama.” - -“You may take me for such,” said I, “entirely at your own convenience; -but I am not what you think. The truth of what I say will be plain if -you enquire about me at my convent.” - -“Really?” said the inn-keeper, and withdrew, followed by the servant; -the house was small, and their conversation in the room opposite could -be distinctly heard. - -“Your master has told me this and that,” said the inn-keeper, “yet I -want to know his true status, otherwise it will be impossible for him -to get out of this place for ten or twenty days.” - -“But,” replied the servant, “I cannot tell you without making him -angry.” - -“In that case I shall do nothing more,” said the inn-keeper, “for a -month.” - -“He is in great haste,” replied the servant, “and he seems to have some -pressing business. We have travelled the whole night through.” - -“Is it not strange,” said the inn-keeper, talking very quickly, “that -he should travel the whole night through? I don’t know what kind of -business he has; but at any rate he is not a common priest; who is he?” - -“Well then, I will tell you,” replied the servant, “if you will keep -the secret, and not say you have heard it from me. He is, in truth, the -physician of Sera.” - -“Indeed;” said the host, “is he the physician who restores the dead to -life?” - -“Yes, he is,” replied the servant. “I am not quite certain, but -according to the popular rumor, he went to the Grand Lama, and has -been, I believe, appointed Court Physician. Properly speaking, I am -not the servant that always attends on him. To confess the truth, as I -came into his service only a little while before our departure, through -the introduction of a drug-store keeper with whom I am acquainted. I -don’t know my master very well; but at any rate, his influence as a -physician in Lhasa is immense.” - -“Well then,” said the inn-keeper, “by as quick processes as possible, -I must get him a passport within four or five days.” - -“It will be most embarrassing, if you cannot,” replied my servant. - -“By the way,” said the inn-keeper, with great earnestness, “talking -about the physician, I recall that, among my relatives, there is a -most distressing case. Would it not be possible for him to examine the -patient?” - -Said my servant, with an air of disgust, “He never treats a patient. -He is obstinate and stiff-necked. On our way here if he had treated -patients he would easily have made money, but notwithstanding my -urgency, he always refused to do so.” - -“Would you not be so kind,” said the inn-keeper, requesting him -eagerly, “as to intercede with him for me?” - -“As the inn-keeper,” said the servant, coming into my room somewhat -perplexed, “was enquiring about your person in various ways, I made a -slip of the tongue, and told him that you were a physician. Since I -have been told that there are many patients in this town, I request you -to examine them during our detention here for four or five days.” - -“If I were to act as you ask me,” answered I, with more or less anger -in my voice, “and examine patients, there would be no end to it; it is -impossible for me to see patients, as it would take too much time.” - -“As it is a means to deliver your person from death,” said the servant, -“I request you by all means to accept the suggestion.” - -I ended by giving my consent, but with an air of great reluctance. The -inn-keeper was delighted and hurried away; in a short time he returned -with another man, who took me to a black-looking house. All the houses -here look black; the reason is that they are made of turf cut up, like -bricks, into sections of fourteen inches in length, seven inches in -breadth, and three inches in thickness, dried and consolidated. It is -very durable though not as hard as brick, and houses constructed of -this material only are liable to be blown down by the wind. In order to -protect them from falling, posts are inserted here and there. With the -exception of one stone edifice, nearly all the buildings here are made -of this material. It seems to me that, as the mountains are very far -off and consequently great expense is required for the transportation -of stone, turf is selected as the only material for the construction -of houses. With the exception of one or two houses, all are only one -storey high, quite the reverse of what I found at Lhasa. In the case -of a two-storied building, only the lower storey was made of piled -stones, and the upper one of turf: this is owing to the danger of the -second storey coming down. I was conducted to such a two-storied house, -where I only felt the pulse of the patient, who after a little while -felt quite well again. The patient was the daughter of the house, -and her disease, as in the first stage of either nervous trouble or -consumption, was a feeling of melancholy, which kept her always in her -room. Taking out a little quantity of medicine I gave it to her and -also suggested to her to go to the temple to worship the Boḍhisaṭṭva -Avalokiṭeshvara day and night, and then went back to my lodging. After -a little while, the inn-keeper came to my room to express his thanks -for the trouble I had taken with the patient, who had greatly improved. - -“It is very hard here,” said he in answering to my request for a -witness for the passport I wanted. “What do you intend to do, Sir?” - -“I am greatly perplexed about it;” answered I, “but anyhow I must -get someone as my witness. I am ready to pay a proper amount of -remuneration for it.” - -“The Government forbids us,” he said, “to act as witnesses for others, -so I shall take you to a person who may act as your witness, and tell -him the circumstances. If he consents you need have no fear of being -made to pay an improper amount of money.” - -He then took me to the house of a man who was ready to become my -witness. This man was, contrary to my expectation, not a bad man; but -it is customary for a Tibetan to extort money from anyone who wears -good clothes. Notwithstanding my forbidding my companions to talk of -my position and rank in Tibet, he told the other person that I was the -venerable physician of Sera, and the Dalai Lama’s physician. As soon as -he heard this, he instantly consented to become my witness. - -“No remuneration is required,” said the man, “except a rupee and a -half, necessary for the process. It may not be possible to get a -passport at once. Whether the conference can be held to-morrow or the -day after to-morrow, is not known; yet, I shall request them to hold it -as quickly as possible. In that case, you may leave here within four -or five days; but, as it will cause delay if a written petition is not -presented to-day, I shall take you to the official at once.” - -The gate-house is constructed among the houses of the common people -at the foot of the castle. There was no room in it for holding a -conference. There were fourteen or fifteen officials; but I could not -tell whether there were any superior officials there or not. In Tibet, -delay is the rule, and even though all the officials are present they -never hold a conference, and sometimes will delay matters for four, -five or even ten days. This is done merely to extort as much money -as possible; the passport is given sooner or later according to the -amount of the bribe. On the advice of my witness, I handed in my -written petition to the most dignified-looking man among the officials. - -“Of course to-day,” said he, “no conference can be held; about the day -after to-morrow we shall open the conference; and on that occasion I -shall give you an answer any way. You need not come here; send the -inn-keeper to hear the result of our conference.” The meaning was that, -if I should send the inn-keeper on the appointed day, he would tell him -that a passport could not be given on that day, but that if I offered -so much money, it would be given within five days. Even this is the -result of much bribery, as it would otherwise take eight or ten days to -get it. - -“As I have urgent business,” said I, “will it not be possible, by -special permission, to obtain it to-day?” - -“I don’t know,” replied the official, “what kind of business you have, -but there is no precedent for giving a passport on the day of arrival. -We can’t deliver one now; you had better go home.” - -As the inn-keeper and the father of the daughter who received my -treatment were with me, they invited the official apart and told him -that I was the court-physician. - -“On what business,” said the official, coming to me again, and with a -great surprise, “are you going to India?” - -“On some urgent business,” replied I. “Is it not possible for you to -have the conference to-morrow?” - -I could see that though I waited till the day after to-morrow, it would -be quite impossible to get the passport, so I devised a scheme of my -own to suit my purpose. - -“If I wait till to-morrow,” said I in great excitement, “give me a note -mentioning that though I arrived here on this date there was no time to -open the conference, and you detained me here three days.” - -“No such precedent,” said the chief official. - -“I am not at all concerned about that,” said I; “I must get a note -anyhow showing the cause of my detention here. If you want to know -my position and my secret business, you may find it out by proper -processes from the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs in Lhasa.” - -“What is the business in general?” asked the chief official. - -“I may say this much. There is in Lhasa a patient of great eminence; -I am hurrying on the road to get the medicine for him. My going to -Buḍḍhagayā is only a pretext; really, I am in great haste to get -to Calcutta, and shall come back as soon as I get the medicine. -If I am detained here two or three days I cannot fulfil my great -responsibility; and if I must stay here for several days I must get a -note to explain my detention as a proof for a subsequent day.” - -“Properly speaking, what is your profession?” said the official. - -“At present, I cannot make it clear to you,” said I gravely, “but my -going to India may reveal my profession. Besides that, as I have very -important business, as I have told you again and again, I can hardly -stay here even one day. Please give me a note showing that I arrived -here, and handed in the written petition for a passport, and mentioning -my detention for some days.” - -“Dear me! I never came across such a case,” said the chief official, -greatly surprised, and turning pale. “Please wait for awhile. Having -heard that you are a great physician, I request you, while you are -waiting, to treat a patient here; but as you are unable to stay here -long, we will not detain you longer. As for the passport, I can’t -decide it myself, but we will consult together and as soon as we decide -the matter, we will let you know immediately.” - -While I was treating the patient at his request at three o’clock I was -called out and went there again. - -“To-day,” said the chief official, “we have broken our ordinary -rule, and considering your private circumstances, we held a special -conference and decided to give you a passport at four o’clock.” - -In a very short time, about four o’clock that day, I received my -passport. Even Government merchants who have their passport already -must go through various consultations, for the examination of goods -and other business, and are detained here for at least two or three -days. To my great joy, I got a passport the same day that I arrived. I -might have left that night, but as there was no house on the way I was -obliged to stop till the next morning. - -Departing early the next day, we gradually proceeded among the -south-western mountains. The snow-mountains began to project here and -there, leaving between them only small portions of plateau. After going -about three miles, when we reached the top of the plateau, the Phari -Castle was no more to be seen. On descending we found that last night’s -hail had moistened the ground very much, the snow-mountains around wore -white garments, and the reflexion of the sun-light was so bright that -it hurt my eyes. The temperature was exceedingly cold, and the whole -scenery was lonesome and lifeless, only various kinds of short grasses -growing here and there near the flowing water. The top of this plateau -forms the watershed, dividing on the one side the basins that drain on -to the Tibetan plain, and on the other to India. - -Beyond the steep ascent, and across the slope of the snow-mountain, -there is a very large stream. Its water was so clear and transparent -that all the pebbles at the bottom looked like white or black gems. -I quenched my thirst with a palm-full of it; it was very cold and I -felt as if my hand were almost shrivelled up. As I had sent the horse -back from Phari Castle, I could not cross the water on horseback. -While I was hesitating about taking off my shoes and crossing the -cold water, my servant carried the luggage to the other side and then -took me also. Although this stream did not differ in temperature -from the neck-deep-stream I had often crossed in the north-western -plain, I had now become accustomed to the easy and comfortable life in -Lhasa, so that I felt the cold almost unbearable. In times of distress -and hardship, it is not impossible to stand the severest pains and -sufferings; in times of ease and comfort, even the slightest discomfort -seems almost intolerable. - -After crossing the brook and descending about two miles we came to -the foot of a snow-mountain where, among the scanty bushes, yellow, -red, purple and light-pink flowers of various kinds were growing close -together almost like a spreading carpet. As I never studied botany, I -do not know the names of these plants; anyhow they were very beautiful. -I was attracted also by the surrounding scenery; the incessant change -of the snow-mountains was almost as if a fairy riding on the clouds -were rambling about here and there. As I descended step by step, the -rain fell quietly; and as the bodies of the snow-mountains gradually -disappeared, their snowy peaks presented a still finer aspect. Here and -there on both sides of the mountain path the dewdrops on the fragrant -red and yellow azaleas and other flowers looked like mountain gems -arranged in rows. - -Descending still lower along the mountain brook, the bounding current -dashed against the rock, and its spray splashing on our feet was -one of the most pleasurable sensations I ever experienced. To the -unrefined Tibetans such a delightful prospect often becomes the cause -of complaint. My servant grumbled at the rainy weather, and told me -that, if the sun were there, he might have changed the weather for us, -so as to keep my luggage dry and make our lodging easy and comfortable. -No doubt it was a great trouble for him, but if he had had any love of -nature, it would have diminished his trouble. As most of the Tibetans -are born and die on the stony plains and bald mountains, they do not -understand the idea of beauty in the least. Even in pictures, they have -none representing the scenery of their own country; or if they have, -their pictures are imitations of the Chinese style. For that reason my -servant was quite indifferent as to whether he was amongst mountains of -incomparable beauty, or on a barren wilderness with yak’s excrements -scattered everywhere. I had entirely forgotten the discomfort of the -rainy weather and my wet clothes in the pleasure of the scenery. If I -could have taken a sketch or a photograph of it for the entertainment -of my countrymen, my gratification would have been almost infinite. - -As I proceeded slowly, the picturesque view changed from time to time, -and the rhododendrons, the famous plants of the Himālaya mountains, -growing here and there among old trees and rugged rocks, opened their -bright flowers with indescribable beauty. Rare flowers and curious -plants were bestrewn along both sides of the roaring brooks, the water -of which was perfectly transparent and as cold as snow. - -[Illustration: BEAUTIFUL SCENERY IN THE TIBETAN HIMALAYAS.] - -“Shall I stay in this land and become a fairy in this fine scenery? If -I could describe the unutterable beauty of this fairy land, how much -should I gratify my parents and countrymen!” was the hearty expression -of the pleasure I felt, while I was sitting on a rock and enjoying the -whole scene before me. Whenever I recollect the pleasure of that hour -I feel as if I had been free from the cares of the dusty world. - -The rain was falling furiously, and there was no place to get shelter -or to cook our food. Having heard that a little further on there was a -cave near a brook, we hurried there, and kindled a fire by collecting -half-decayed branches of trees soaked with rain. We made tea, and -after finishing our meal gradually descended, and came to the village -of Dakarpo (the village of the white rock). That day we walked -twenty miles. The place can hardly be called a village. It is only a -small barracks, with sixteen soldiers, and one solitary house where a -number of soldiers’ wives were living at the side of the barracks. A -large white rock sixty yards in height stands out prominently. I did -not determine its nature; but it was an exceedingly white rock partly -covered with mosses and lichens. - -That night I stopped in the barracks. The duty of these soldiers did -not oblige them to examine the passports of travellers. - - - - -CHAPTER LXXXVI. - -The Second and Third Challenge Gates. - - -This station serves as a place for the transmission of letters between -Phari castle and the castle of Choeten Karpo; that is, a station where -the letters received from one place can be handed over to the other. -In Tibet, there is no more perfect plan than this for the transmission -of letters. In other places, for example, by going twenty or thirty -miles letters can be handed in for transmission. Even this is only for -letters from the Government to the local office, and not for private -correspondence. Consequently in the case of the transmission of private -letters, it must be done either by some one in the house or by some -hired man. - -That night I was allowed to sleep in a comfortable bed. It was the -first time since my departure from India that I lay on a European -bed. As it was in the rainy season, the next day was also rainy; but -having no necessity to stay there, in spite of my servant’s murmurs, we -started at five o’clock in the morning. This time we got into a very -lonely forest, where numerous trees of enormous size, requiring three -or four men to embrace them, were stretching up so close together that -the sun could not penetrate. Although this is a part of the Tibetan -dominion, yet they could not get timber from here on account of the -lack of means of transportation. All the large rivers run towards the -south; and in such a country as Tibet, where there is no good means -of transportation, it is natural to leave even such splendid and -exhaustless forests just as they are. In this forest of about four -miles in circumference, there is level ground and a river flowing from -a peak of the Phari in Tibet. This river begins with a very narrow -stream, but after receiving several small brooks and rivulets it -becomes larger and wider as it goes lower and lower down towards the -plains. After walking about six miles from Dakarpo, we arrived at the -castle of Choeten Karpo. - -This Choeten Karpo is not mentioned in any of the works of European -authors that I have read. As this castle is of very recent -construction, it is possibly not known to foreigners. It is occupied -by two or three hundred Chinese soldiers. It seemed that this place -was not well-known to the chief local official of Darjeeling; for he -enquired of me particularly, when I arrived at Darjeeling, about the -castle, its condition and the number of soldiers stationed there. - -“It must be well-known to you,” said I, “why should you ask me -questions like that?” - -“Our secret-service men cannot go there,” replied he, “it is utterly -impossible for us to know anything about it.” - -I am not sure whether what he said was true or not; but it is a fact -that even Tibetans living in Darjeeling seem not to know of the -existence of such a castle. The Tibetans are shrewd in money-saving, -but at the same time they are so entirely careless that though they -see the gate of a castle, they never enquire how many soldiers are -stationed there, what they are doing, and for what purpose they have -been provided. - -There is a passage right under the castle, which I entered without -meeting with any rudeness. In it there are the lodgings of the Chinese -soldiers, three hundred in number. Though the town is among the -mountains it is very prosperous. Some of the soldiers are engaged in -hair-dressing, others are selling vermicelli and toilet articles, or -making _tofu_ (a soft cream-like substance made from bean-curd). Most -of them have wives and children, and are engaged in some suitable -occupation. The barrack itself is the town and the soldiers in it are -moved here every half-year from Shigatze or Gyangtze. They not only -receive a salary from the Chinese Government, but also a sum of money -from the Tibetan Government; consequently they live fairly well on -their double income. - -On ordering our dinner on our arrival at the barracks in this -soldier-town, we were abundantly served with boiled rice and various -other foods cooked in Chinese style. As the feast principally consisted -of pork and yak flesh, my servant ate with gusto. I did not eat the -meat, and asked for salted vegetables instead. This was the first time -on the journey that I enjoyed pickles such as I had had in Japan. - -The castle is strongly constructed, and there are two gates at the -centre of a large stone wall which extends to the south along the -side of the mountain. On the door of the gate a notice is posted up -announcing the daily opening from six o’clock in the morning to the -same time in the afternoon. I heard from the neighboring people that -except when the gate is opened on the report of a soldier for some -urgent need, the notice is observed with strict accuracy, since the -people at night might be in danger of their lives from the attacks of -wild animals. - -We then passed a small bridge, and after ascending about half a mile, -and also descending through a forest along a river, we came out on a -plain of half a mile in circumference, where beautiful flowers carpeted -the ground, and many horses were grazing. - -After leaving the plain and passing the bridge we went about half -a mile, and arrived at the bridge of Chumbi. It is a large bridge -twenty-five yards long and two yards wide, having no railing. At -the eastern end of it stands a gate, in front of which there is a -small house where a number of soldiers keep watch. Passports have to -be handed to these soldiers, and if a man is considered by them a -suspicious person, he is sure to be sent back; also it is said that -without offering bribes one cannot pass through safely. - -As soon as I reached the gate, the soldiers asked me where I was going. -As my servant had shown my passport to the chief official, he directed -the inferior officials to admit me without any enquiry. This was owing -to the fact that it was said in the passport that no impolite treatment -was to be accorded to the bearer. I had now passed through two -guard-houses without the least hindrance, and must proceed to try for -the third. For the new trial I felt a great confidence arising from my -strong devotion, as I had passed my first trial with success according -to the revelation which I had received in religious meditation. - -After descending along a river for two miles and a half we arrived at -the barracks of Pimbithang, the third guard-house. This day the rain -fell in abundance, and we were so tired that we stopped in a building -attached to the barracks. As I heard that there was no necessity -for me to be examined here on the next day, I felt I must go to -Tomo-Rinchen-gang, in order to obtain a note from the chief official of -the guard-house. The note from the last guard-house being taken as a -proof of our respectability, we were allowed to pass through the gate -of Nyatong castle guarded by Chinese; and after enquiring about and -receiving a note from the chief of the castle, the fifth guard-house, -I was obliged to return to Pimbithang again. As I heard at Pimbithang -that a note can be given only between eleven and half-past eleven -o’clock, I had to go to Tomo-Rinchen-gang early the next day; but it -seemed almost impossible to finish the matter within one day; it would -certainly require three or four days to do so. - -If I did nothing at this crisis, I should not only be in the ordinary -danger of being overtaken by a pursuer, but as the information to catch -such and such a man comes direct to Nyatong and may arrive there at -all hours of the night, it might easily be utterly impossible for me -to accomplish my object; so I tried to devise means of escaping the -impending danger and avoiding trouble. Just at that time the wife of -the chief of Pimbithang (a Chinese military officer) came in to receive -medical treatment from me. Who brought her to me, and on account of -what statement she came to me, I do not know. She was a Tibetan woman, -long suffering from hysteria. She was a rare beauty, and had almost -unlimited influence over her husband. Military officers are of course -entrusted with power to command soldiers; yet in their families, the -wives are often the officers and their husbands are ready to obey their -command like private soldiers. So much I was told by a soldier, who -understood that his chief officer was a greatly henpecked husband. - -As she took the trouble to come to me, I examined this patient as -she desired. After describing the nature of her disease and the care -it needed, I gave her the medicine which seemed most suitable. It -gratified her so much that she asked me to receive something as a token -of thanks for my having served her. Hearing that I had no desire to -take anything from her, she returned home and then came back again -bringing with her something wrapped in paper, but this I refused to -receive. I told her that as I was to get a passport, I had to go to -Nyatong first, to get a certificate to be presented to the guard-house -here. - -Then I said to her: - -“Will you be so kind as to secure the immediate issue of a passport -from the chief officer?” - -“That can be easily done,” replied she; “though my husband is strict, -and never delivers a passport even in case of his own men going out -except from eleven to half past eleven o’clock, I will be responsible -for it.” - -“That is my request,” said I, returning the present in spite of her -strong objection to receive it; “and I shall see you again when I -return.” - -Thanking me again and again for my medical treatment, she returned home -with great joy. On the morrow if things in Pimbithang should come out -as smoothly and favorably as I wished, everything in Nyatong would be -done easily, for the arrangements for it were now made. But I was very -anxious about matters at Pimbithang, and when I asked the soldier’s -wife where I stopped whether all things would come out as I hoped, I -was told that in spite of her husband’s refusal they certainly would, -for she had almost unlimited power over her husband. - -The next day, June 14th, at three o’clock in the morning, in -spite of rain, I left and walked about two miles and arrived at -Tomo-Rinchen-gang. Even then day had not dawned and no one was astir, -and so I rested a while, the door of every house being fast closed. -Happily, the rain presently stopped, and while I stood still near a -closed shop doors began to be opened here and there. I asked the people -where the guard-house was, and was told that it stood at the end of the -village. - -The guard-house is a very poor one, having no gate, only a small room -in which to keep watch. I went there just at the time when the keeper -was getting out of bed. - -Telling the keeper my present circumstances, I asked for a note with -which I could obtain a passport from the other guard-house. The keeper -grumbled out that there had been no previous example of such a request. -My servant let slip that his master was a physician in Sera. As soon as -the keeper heard this, he asked the servant whether his master was the -famous physician of the Dalai Lama or not. When I answered him vaguely -and mysteriously as most of the Tibetan gentlemen do, he believed me -immediately and gave me a note more readily than I expected. - - - - -CHAPTER LXXXVII. - -The Fourth and Fifth Challenge Gates. - - -Leaving the village and walking about a mile, I climbed up step by step -alongside a broad river among the south-western mountains. There were -no tall trees, only here and there some small dwarf specimens and wheat -growing in poor soil. Going on about a mile farther there is a castle -which is the largest and last one of the three. The number of soldiers -stationed in this castle is two hundred; whereas in Pimbithang and -Choeten Karpo the number is respectively one hundred and two hundred, -altogether making five hundred in number. It is said that about fifty -soldiers are sometimes sent to Pimbithang. In this soldier’s town, -as in the case of Choeten Karpo and Pimbithang, many of the men are -engaged in various trades. Passing through the town, there is a very -large gate by the side of which two soldiers were watching. I showed -the note to them, and after fixing a seal on it, they readily allowed -me to pass through. Walking a little further from the gate I saw the -fifth guard-house where lay the greatest danger to my undertaking. - -The reason why it was specially dangerous to me was the number of -people who knew me. Of course there was no man who would act as my -enemy, but as most of the Tibetans are shrewd money-savers, it was not -certain that those who knew me would not tell my nationality to the -Tibetan officials and thereby make a little money. There had been two -English people there; one of whom was Miss Taylor, a missionary, who, -as I said before, tried to get into Tibet from China. Proceeding as -far as Nakchukha from which the distance to Lhasa is ten days’ journey -by horse, and fifteen or twenty days’ journey by walking, she was not -allowed to go any further. Every one can go to Nakchukha, which forms -the boundary between China and Tibet, but it is hard to step into -the Dalai Lama’s dominion. Miss Taylor returned with the object of -converting the Tibetan people, and now lives at the town of Nyatong, -which by some is called Yatung. - -As it is the boundary between British India and Tibet, there are many -Tibetans and British officials there. Among those I knew very well were -the Englishmen and their Secretaries hired by the Chinese Government -to examine both import and export goods; besides there are three or -four Tibetans from Darjeeling. If I had been detected by these men, -there was no way of escape for me; but committing myself to the will of -Buḍḍha, I proceeded rapidly onwards with firm steps. There were about -ten houses; the large and elegant ones were occupied by officials, -missionaries, or Chinese. - -Opposite the house of the missionary stands the mansion of a man known -by the official name Chyi Kyab (Superior), his personal name being -Sardar Dargye. Sardar means coolie-leader, Dargye his personal name. -In Darjeeling there are ḍanḍiwala or mountain palanquin carriers, -so-called from the rudest and simplest form of palanquin used in -mountain travel, which consists essentially of a basket carried by -means of a pole. This man was originally the chief of these coolies, -and the custom of this rascal was to deceive and threaten men and -extort money by violence. As I heard that all in Darjeeling had -suffered from his cruel treatment and reproached him vigorously, he -must be a very bad man. Now I had to meet this man. - -This upstart, who had been a coolie chief, being in Tibet appointed -to high rank by the Dalai Lama, is invested with such great power -and influence that he wears a hat adorned with coral beads. Like -all upstarts, his speech is more arrogant than that of a Minister -President in Lhasa, and it was thought almost certain that if I -should call at his mansion to see him, I should be driven out from his -gate. Just in front of his house stood an elegant and well arranged -house containing various chambers of convenient sizes, inhabited by -Europeans. In it many servants were busily engaged in working here and -there. Notwithstanding there were some among them who knew me, I passed -by without seeing them. We went to Dargye’s mansion, but we were not -allowed to go in. However one man came out, and looked at me awhile. - -“Who is he?” asked the man from my servant in a whisper. - -No sooner did the servant utter the words: “He is the physician of -Sera,” than “Oh!” said the man, “is he the famous physician of Sera? -Some say he is coming to this place.” - -“There is an urgent call for my master,” said the servant, “we can’t -lose even a day’s time. At Phari Castle we received our passport on the -day of our arrival; give us the note as quickly as possible.” - -As I was thinking that the servant for the most part had done well, the -man said “Step this way,” and happily we were received. - -The supervisor has two wives: one he married when he was coolie-chief, -and the other after appointment as a supervisor. - -Telling him the various circumstances of my journey, I requested him to -give me a note allowing me to pass out of the guard-house. - -“Tell me the whole truth of your business,” said the supervisor gravely. - -“I must go to Calcutta on secret business,” said I sternly, “concerning -the inner chamber of the Dalai Lama’s palace. It is so urgent that -if possible I wish to return within twenty days; but if you compel -me to spend more time on the way, you must give me a certificate -verifying my excuse to show when I return to Lhasa.” - -“It is my duty,” persisted he, “I must hear the nature of the secret -business.” - -“Have you the right to hear,” said I gravely and with dignity, “the -secret of the Prime Minister? Furthermore, have you the right to hear -the secret which no one knows but the Dalai Lama? If you compel me -positively, I shall tell you the secret of my business; but you must -give me a certificate signed and sealed with the chief’s stamp, and -assume the responsibility for my having told the secret. If you do so -and keep all men at a distance, I shall lay open before you the whole -of the Dalai Lama’s secret.” - -“If it be so,” said he, giving me a note addressed to -Tomo-Rinchen-gang, “I shall not ask to hear it. As it is a service of -such great importance that it is impossible to detain you even a day, -I shall arrange to get the passport as quickly as possible. I shall -write a note which you may send by your servant to Tomo-Rinchen-gang. -You will receive two copies of the note, which again must be taken to -the Chinese military officer at Pimbithang to get a copy of the note -there. By showing the one received from Pimbithang, you may pass this -guard-house without any trouble.” - -[Illustration: PASSPORT IN TIBETAN FOR THE AUTHOR’S RETURN TO TIBET IN -THE FUTURE.] - -As I previously said, one of the two copies of notes obtained from -Tomo-Rinchen-gang is written in Chinese, and the other in Tibetan. -The one written in Chinese is to be taken to Pimbithang, the third -guard-house, and handed in as a certificate to the Chinese military -officer there; while the other one, as shown in the picture, written -in Tibetan letters, is my return certificate which, when I re-enter, -must be handed to the supervisor of the fifth guard-house, serving as a -testimonial for the purpose of receiving a new passport there. But as I -went out of Tibet and have not yet returned, this return certificate -remains in my hands as a memento. - -To get a note from the supervisor Dargye was not an easy task. This man -has a bad reputation as a taker of bribes. His personal appearance is -disgusting. When I told him that I had secret business from the Dalai -Lama, he instantly prostrated himself and bowed low again and again. I -was surprised at his entire change of manner; but as I believe that, -in every country, those who are haughty to their inferiors are also -servile to their superiors and are usually hateful knaves, my feeling -was only deepened by the sudden change. - - - - -CHAPTER LXXXVIII. - -The Final Gate Passed. - - -I handed over to my servant the note received from the supervisor of -the fifth guard-house. - -“Take the note to Tomo-Rinchen-gang,” said I to the servant privately; -“you must get two notes there instead; but in Pimbithang, if it -requires a long time to get one, go to the wife of the Chinese military -officer, and rely on her; she will manage the matter exactly as we -want.” - -“That he gave it so soon,” said he, somewhat surprised, “was almost -like a dream. If you do not go with me, I shall never get consent from -Tomo-Rinchen-gang.” - -“I thought so too,” said I, “but when I told the supervisor so, he told -me that as everything is mentioned in this note, it is certain that the -Chief of Tomo-Rinchen-gang will write a note to be sent to Pimbithang. -He also said that I need not go there but should send the servant -there, and myself wait here.” - -The servant then, after receiving from me a note stamped with the seal -of the supervisor, went back to Tomo-Rinchen-gang as fast as he could. -On arriving there, he presented the note to the chief, and waited for -a while. As the special instruction from the supervisor was mentioned -on it, he at once made the two copies and gave them to the servant, -who took them, and again went back two miles further to Pimbithang, to -receive one written in Chinese characters. - -As the time was about half past one when the servant arrived there, -the keeper declined to give him a note. Consequently, according to my -instructions, he went to the house of the Chinese military officer -and requested his wife to obtain the immediate delivery of the note -he needed. She, without any hesitation, ran to the guard-house to see -her husband, and told him to give it at once. When he told her that -it was too late to give one and that he must wait till the next day, -she lost her temper and exposed the true character of a Tibetan woman. -Whereupon, the henpecked husband yielded to her demands and gave a -note to the servant, who came back with it about four o’clock in the -afternoon. - -Rain was falling that day, and though I had thought of stopping a night -there, it was better for us to depart if possible. If we left there and -walked about half a day we should enter British India. - -“To-day is rainy and walking is hard,” said the supervisor, “and -furthermore, the distance from here to Nakthang is somewhat great, -there being no inn on the way. But if you walk for about eight miles, -there is one house; and it would be a good plan for you to stop there -to-night. By doing so, to-morrow you may easily go to Nakthang; but if -not, even if you start from here at three o’clock in the morning, it -would be impossible to get there; I advise you therefore, though it is -troublesome, to start from here to-day, since you have very important -business to perform.” - -“I am very tired to-day,” said I, “so I should like to stop here -to-night. Is it possible for me to arrive at Nakthang if I leave -to-morrow?” - -“It is utterly impossible,” replied the supervisor somewhat gravely. - -“How about going there?” asked I of the servant. - -“It is almost impossible for me to walk,” replied the servant, who was -weary and exhausted. - -“As the servant of a master who has urgent business,” said the -supervisor, in a somewhat scolding tone of voice, “it is extremely rude -and impolite to say it is impossible to go.” - -“Pardon me,” replied the servant shrinking almost like a rat among -cats, “you are right, Sir.” - -Fearing that to stay that night might perhaps become the source of -subsequent evils, I bade farewell to the supervisor and departed. - -[Illustration: THE FORTRESS OF NYATONG.] - -The Nyatong castle, as shown in the picture, is strong and solid in -structure, yet also magnificent in appearance. Leaving the post-town -Nyatong and descending a little there is a river across which is a -bridge two yards in width. After passing the small bridge and going on -a little, there is a solitary house near which are stationed a number -of Chinese soldiers. I handed over the passport written in Chinese, -which I had received at Pimbithang. One of the soldiers examined it -carefully and permitted us to pass through. As we gradually ascended -the mountain, the rain fell furiously and the ascent became very steep. -The road hereabouts is pretty good, though the place forms the boundary -of Tibet, and does not belong to the British dominion. Most Englishmen -who are at present in Nyatong live on land rented from Tibet. - -Ascending about two miles up the steep slope thickly grown with trees, -it became dark, and then the servant commenced to complain. - -“There are a great many lodging houses,” he grumbled “besides the -supervisor’s. Can we not lodge somewhere to get out of such rain? I -can’t move a step on account of the heavy luggage.” - -“I will carry half of your burden,” said I, somewhat moved by his -difficulties. I consoled him with great trouble and made him move -on till eight o’clock in the evening; even then the distance to the -solitary house was two miles more and he told me that he was unable -to move even a step. Just at that point a small tent was pitched, and -someone had a fire inside. Around the tent many mules were grazing, for -mules are used by the people of Tomo-Rinchen-gang to convey wool to -Kalenpong. I stepped into the tent and asked the man inside to lodge -us. He declined my request, saying that the five of his party could -hardly sleep in the small tent and no space was left for us too. But -as my servant sat down on the ground and would not move, we at last -succeeded in getting into the small tent. - -It was so small in extent that we could not lie down and I was obliged -to sit upright the whole night. While thus meditating I was almost -overwhelmed by my feelings. - -To pass through that succession of five strict and vigilant -guard-houses in only three days must have been miraculous. Even a -Tibetan merchant accustomed to travel through there many times is -obliged to spend at least seven or eight days in passing them. In -spite of the rain, too, to pass through them safely in three days -and come to that place--it seemed indeed miraculous. No chief of any -guard-house had had any suspicion about me; even that shrewd and -penetrating supervisor who had lived in India for twenty years of -toil and hardship, not only did not suspect my mind and motive, but -refrained from argument, bowed his head low, and sent me out the same -day I arrived. This must have been entirely owing to the grace of -the protection of our Holy Lord Buḍḍha; shedding tears of gratitude -on account of it, I read the sacred books and passed the whole night -without sleeping. - - - - -CHAPTER LXXXIX. - -Good-bye, Tibet! - - -The whole distance through which I had passed from Darjeeling to -Lhasa was about two thousand four hundred and ninety miles. In the -first place, I started from Darjeeling on the 5th of January, in the -32nd year of Meiji, and passing through Calcutta by railway, came to -Segauli; hence also I travelled on foot, and on the 5th of February -arrived at Kātmāndu. The distance between Segauli and Kātmāndu was -about a hundred and fifteen miles. Leaving there on the 7th of March, -on the 11th of the same month I came to Pokhra. I left there on the -14th of the same month and on the 16th of April reached Lo Tsarang -at the distance of about eighteen miles from the boundary of Tibet. -From Kātmāndu to here, I walked about two hundred and sixty miles. -Staying a year there, on the 6th of April of the next year, I left -there and for the convenience of entering Tibet, returning a little, -I came to a mountain village Malba, situated on the eastern valley of -Mount Dhavalagiri. I started from this village on the 12th of June, -and passing half way up north of Mount Dhavalagiri at the height of -nineteen thousand feet, I proceeded to the north-western plain; and on -July 4th I reached the mountain gorge of the province of Hor-to-sho -in the north-western plain of Tibet. The distance from Tsarang to -Malba is about seventy miles, and that from Malba to the Province of -Hor-to-sho one hundred and fifty-five miles. In these places, as I -had to pass through thickets and round gorges, I walked more than the -actual distance. On December 5th I came to the temple of Tashi Lhunpo, -and after staying there a few days, departed. On the 21st of March, -in the 34th year of Meiji, just two years and three months after the -departure from Darjeeling, I arrived at the Temple of Sera in Lhasa. As -I took roundabout roads now and then from Hor-tosho to Lhasa I walked -about one thousand two hundred and fifty miles. - -When I got up the next morning I found that some fuel had been -collected during the night, so I boiled water and made some tea, and -at the same time we ate parched wheat-flour, and then departed. That -day, as we thought it might be impossible to get parched wheat-flour -on the way, we ate plenty of it before starting, and commenced to -climb up the mountain. The rain ceased, and the weather was very fine; -we climbed up three miles and came to a place covered with bushes -of various kinds. Ascending half a mile further, there was a lonely -house. It is placed there to detain men of suspicious character coming -from Darjeeling, while word is sent to the castle of Nyatong. In that -house there was a man and also an old woman. I was told that he went -backwards and forwards between the place and Kalenpong on some sort of -commercial business. I drank tea there, and as after ascending the high -and steep mountain I was somewhat hungry, I ate parched wheat-flour, -and again resumed the climb. After ascending about a mile among very -short dwarf trees, the path came out upon a snow-mountain called by -the name of Jelep-la or Jela. Before advancing over the snow, looking -towards the north-eastern sky, across the wide, dark plain appearing -and disappearing in the clouds, where stands Lhasa from which I had -departed, I bade farewell to Tibet. There is a lake there the water of -which was completely frozen over. While ascending, I looked down and -saw an immense volume of cloud rising from a vast wide plain moving to -and fro in a wide forest, and it was indeed beautiful. On the upper -part of it, rhododendron flowers in full bloom were to be seen. Walking -for a mile over the snow, I reached the summit which forms the real -boundary of Tibet and British India; a step on the other side of the -mountain, the people are not governed by Tibetan law. - -[Illustration: ON THE WAY TO THE SNOWY JELA-PEAK.] - -Since I had reached the boundary of Tibet, or Tsarang, in the Himalayan -range, three years had elapsed, and at last I had safely arrived in a -country where free communications are possible. The feeling that my -safe arrival in this country is entirely owing to the protecting power -of the Lord Buḍḍha was further deepened, and I worshipped Him with zeal -and earnestness. Then I composed _utas_, as follows: - - O Shakyamuni, Thou, my refuge dear! - Till now Thy guardian shield has guarded me - Through many devious dangerous paths and wilds - And snowy plateaux threatening instant deaths. - My grateful, fervent heart shall ever thrill - With deathless Dharma’s virtues taught by Thee. - In all my wanderings o’er the Himalayan range, - On all my paths beset with perils great, - The path of Dharma is the path for me. - Thus strengthened by the purest Dharma’s strength - Traversed have I these unknown wilds, secure, - And holiest Saints and Sanghas have I met. - Fore’er in Thee alone, O Lord, I live. - -At that time, at the summit of the mountain, I felt extremely cold; but -that feeling of coldness was entirely forgotten in the strong feeling -of gratitude for the grace of Buḍḍha, in the joy felt for the safe -passing of the manifold guard-houses. When I came to myself, I was -indeed very cold, but happily the day was bright and sunny, so that I -felt warmth more or less even among such snowy mountains. Descending -about a mile, I came upon a very good road three feet in width and -paved with stones. It was indeed a contrast, for even the idea of such -a one is quite unknown in Tibet. - -It was said that the year I came there especially large hailstones -fell. Hailstones are notable in these regions of snow-mountains, and -the hail I saw in Nepāl was very large. I dug out some imbedded in the -snow, and found many as large as a pigeon’s egg; while it was said that -at the time of falling they must have been as large as a hen’s egg. - -It is hardly credible that such large stones come down like rain; -but I believe it to be true from actually seeing some imbedded ones -as large as pigeon’s eggs. Many people coming from Darjeeling and -Tomo-Rinchen-gang for trade declare that what I have said about the -size of a hailstone is true. It is not seldom here that when hailstones -fall in abundance, the passage is stopped even for a month or more. - -Now leaving the snowy part of the mountain and descending two miles, -we again walked up an ascent of three miles; and descending still -three miles more, we arrived at the post-town of Naktang. There were -about twenty houses here, which, a long time ago, were constructed as -barracks for a soldier’s station, the large ones are at present used -as store-houses for woollen goods. As it rained that day, the road was -very bad, and I lodged there that night. - -In spite of rain falling furiously, we started on June 16th at five -o’clock, and descending through a luxuriant forest for thirteen miles, -we arrived at Lingtam and stopped there. If the weather had been fine, -we could have gone further that day; but it was rainy all the day, -and in addition to this, after leaving the Tibetan domain, we had no -necessity for being in a great hurry; and the consequence of slow and -loitering steps was that we were obliged to stop there. The next day -we again descended for about four miles and came to a place where we -felt extreme heat which by contrast was almost unbearable. I took -off my clothing and, giving it to the servant, walked on only in an -underdress; still abundant perspiration moistened my whole body. Going -up toward the south-west, we came to Tsom-Takba and stopped there, as -the weather was still rainy. The next day, in spite of rain, we walked -three miles, and passing over a bridge, we went another three miles, -and stopped in the town of Boetong. - -This town lies in the centre of a rich and fertile plain among the -Himālaya Mountains. Many people of Nepāl have immigrated to the -neighborhood of this town, and in addition to the old cultivated -fields, they have added many rice-fields here and there. Though it is -under the dominion of England, and taxes are paid to the Government of -British India, most of the people are Nepālese, besides a small number -of Sikkim people. Along the line of this road the most delightful thing -I saw was the planting of rice-fields in the rain. Though most of the -Indian rice is inferior and consequently disagreeable to the taste, yet -that produced in this part of the Himālaya Mountains is not different -from our Japanese rice either in quality or lustre. This Indian rice, -when boiled, gives a very agreeable smell and is very sweet to eat. For -the cultivation of it they were planting a rice-field that rainy day. - -In this town many Europeans are living, and most of them are engaged -in farming. It is a very flourishing post-town containing a fine -post-office, a Roman Catholic Church, and a school for poor people -connected with it. As I walked through the town and came right under -the building of the post-office, a Tibetan gentleman, standing on a -veranda and looking at the people passing by, turned his face and -stared at me with great surprise. - -“Come in, Sir,” said he, calling out to me suddenly in a loud voice. - -“No, thank you,” replied I, “I am too busy to enter. I am searching for -a house to stop in to-night. Will you be so kind as to lodge me?” - -“Any thing will do,” said he, “please come in, Sir.” - -“Though I go in,” replied I, “I shall be in great trouble if you do not -lodge me.” - -“Please come in,” said he, smilingly, “however it may be.” - -Thinking it was strange for him to treat me as his intimate friend, -I stepped in; and as soon as he saw me, “Do you forget me?” said he, -extending his hand, and showing me in every way that he was indeed -acquainted with me. - -While I was in Darjeeling, he was a teacher of the Tibetan language -in the Government High School there; but he was not my instructor. -Though he was a teacher of the second class, and not deep in learning, -yet he was a man of general knowledge having the power of quick -understanding. Of his change of position to be postmaster here I was -entirely ignorant. After exchanging our respective accounts of events -since we parted, he eagerly asked me how I had come through those -vigilant guard-houses without endangering myself. My servant sitting -near me, hearing us talking in English, looked almost stupefied. I at -once perceived that our conversation would arouse the suspicion of -my servant again, and tried to talk in the dialect of Lhasa. As the -postmaster knew the dialect of Darjeeling very well, but did not know -that of Lhasa, he did not answer me in the latter but consequently -talked in English and Tibetan. This, just as I thought, aroused the -suspicion which had been happily suppressed since our arrival at the -first guard-house. The servant instantly went to the wife of the -postmaster and asked her: - -“Speaking truthfully, where is my master from?” said the servant. - -“He is,” replied the lady, “a Japanese Lama.” - -“Where is Japan?” asked the servant eagerly, as he heard me talking -English, “is he not an Englishman?” - -“No, he is a Japanese,” replied the lady, “Japan is, at present, so -strong and powerful that even England looks at it with surprise. Her -name, like the rising sun, gleams even to the remotest part of the -world. So says my husband, who read it in a newspaper.” - -“That is a terrible matter,” said the servant, being frightened almost -into taking flight, haggard and pale; “I shall be killed.” - -This account of her personal conference with my servant was given to me -by the lady afterwards. It seemed to me that my servant almost trembled -with fear, as though he expected every moment to lose his life; but I -had no time to explain his misunderstanding. I slept that night in a -clean and comfortable European bed. - - - - -CHAPTER XC. - -The Labche Tribe. - - -The next day I arrived in the rain at Kalenpong, a distance of fifteen -miles. Kalenpong is a thriving town situated some thirty miles east of -Darjeeling, across a large valley and on a little lower level. Though -a cheap kind of goods forms the greater proportion of its business, -the total amount of trade carried on there is said to exceed that of -Darjeeling, for the merchants from Tibet, Sikkim, and Bhūtān generally -exchange their goods here. As in Darjeeling, many foreigners live here; -Tibetans, Hinḍūs, Sikkimese, Bhūtānese, Nepālese, and Europeans may all -be found. There are also large protestant churches, schools, hospitals, -Buḍḍhist temples, and smaller places of worship of various other -religions. In Kalenpong there lives a Tibetan named Pu-chung, who moved -here from Shigatze, where he had been a priest; but after his removal -to this town he became a merchant and is now in good standing in his -new way of living. It was to this man that my baggage had been directed -through the kindness of the Chinese druggist Thien-ho-thang. As stated -before, it was put under the care of a Chinese officer who was to carry -it, together with the allowance to the Chinese soldiers, as far as -Tomo-Rinchen-gang, whence it was to be trusted to some Chinese servants -and to be brought to Kalenpong. Therefore when I came to Pu-chung I -expected to receive it and start again directly, but I found that it -had not yet arrived, so I had to wait. - -When I arrived at his house, the host took me for a Tibetan and treated -me as such, but after some time he asked my servant who I was, and my -servant said that he knew nothing about me except that I was called -“Japan Lama”. Pu-chung came to me and told me what he heard from -the servant, and asked whether I was the Japanese Lama who had been -at Darjeeling, telling me at the same time that there was no need of -concealment now that I was at Kalenpong. I answered that there was no -concealment, for it had already been discovered at the post-office -of Boeton, and I asked him what my servant was thinking about me and -himself. Pu-chung informed me how surprised my servant was, and how -pale he turned when the host told him that the Japanese Lama must have -been an intruder into the Forbidden Land, and how he could not even eat -the whole day from fear of the punishment he would receive when he got -back for meddling with me. Poor fellow! I had to do something for him. -If he was anxious to return to his wife, who was pregnant at that time, -and to his children (of whom he had two) he must be sent back; but if -he was too much afraid of punishment to go home, it might be better for -him to stay and find some way of living at Kalenpong or Darjeeling, and -then his family must be sent for; I was willing to help him to do this. -Whichever he might choose he must settle it himself. So I told Pu-chung -to go and ask my servant which he would prefer. - -After a while my servant came to me accompanied by the host, and -requested me to divine for him by the art of ‘Eki’ whether or not he -should suffer if he were to go back to Lhasa. This request I refused, -because of his connexion with me. Were he entirely a stranger to me -I might try ‘Eki,’ but he was my servant; if ‘Eki’ were in favor of -his staying there, it might be suspected that I kept him for my own -advantage; if on the contrary, my ‘Eki’ predicted that it was better -to return home, he might take me as anxious to get rid of him. So I -told him plainly what I thought, and advised him to go to some noted -Lama in the neighborhood and get his advice on the subject. He would -not listen to me, and demanded my judgment again and again. At last -I firmly refused, saying that as there was no necessity to depend on -‘Eki’ now that I was out of Tibet, I should never do it again even if -any one else applied to me. Seeing my strong determination he went out. -After a while he came back and told me the judgment of a Lama was in -favor of his returning home. Thereupon I gave him thirty-five rupees, -some old clothes and provisions enough to carry him over the barriers, -and so sent him away. He was to go by the short road of the Peach -Valley, and he seems to have returned home safely and also to have -escaped punishment, as I heard nothing more, though I inquired after -him afterwards while I was in Nepāl. - -Four or five days passed after his starting, yet the Chinese to whom -I had entrusted my baggage did not come. I began to wonder about the -cause of the delay; even if he were stopped at a barrier, there could -be no arrest of the luggage. So it ought to be at Tomo at least, but I -heard nothing from Tomo for seven days. On the eighth day, I met with -a merchant from Tomo-Rinchen-gang and was told that there had been two -Chinese with several Tibetan coolies and about twenty horses and mules -coming south, but the road being very bad owing to the recent rains, -three of the horses slipped into a river and were killed, losing all -the loads on their backs, which consisted of musk and silver coins. -My anxiety still further increased when I heard that the horses that -dropped into the river belonged to the bigger Chinese of the two, for I -remembered that the Chinese who took charge of my goods was the bigger -one. Ten days passed, but nothing but similar tidings were to be heard. -At last I was almost in despair, when on the morning of the eleventh -day I heard of my goods, and that night both the Chinese made their -appearance and to my great joy, I received my luggage at their hands. -I paid thirteen rupees as freight from Tomo to Kalenpong. - -It was the first day of July when I received my baggage, and on the -next day I left Kalenpong. After about ten miles descent I came to the -river Tista, where an iron bridge of European style a hundred and fifty -feet long was laid across. The bridge has no intermediate supports, -probably because the river is too rapid to allow of them. From the -Siliguri station by the river side, a bullock-cart way runs by a very -roundabout way to Kalenpong and Boeton. It is chiefly used for freight. - -The Tista river has a mythological history, which I will mention here. -Among the Himālayas there is a savage tribe called Labche who live in -a primitive state. The tribe is subdivided into two classes, of which -one is much inferior to the other. The forefather of the advanced race, -according to their genealogy, was called Tikum Serrong, and is said to -have been born from the earth of the Himālayas, and his wife, whose -name was Domi, from the water of the Tista river; they call the river -Domi’s Rangni Unlam Hoklam. The river Tista runs through a large valley -to the north-east of Darjeeling and joins the Gaṇgā. - -The inferior tribe of the two is supposed to be descended from a -large stone, which is still to be seen in a little village called -Dalamthang, which is situated on a hill in the plain north-west of -Darjeeling. Their kinsmen are also scattered about Sikkim. The superior -and inferior tribes, though they have different supposed ancestors, -are really of the same race--the Labche, though the latter tribe is -much lower and as stupid as the stone their forefather. With a few -exceptions, the Labche (who have lived at Darjeeling long enough to -imitate in dress the Tibetan or the Nepālese style) all cling to their -original customs and manners. The covering of the body is only a cloth -wound crosswise around the waist. The cloth, known by the name of -Kusdom of Domi, is woven from the fibres of a grass called Sache in -Tibetan. Sewing with needles is entirely unknown among them. The Labche -women have their chins tattooed in three straight stripes, and those -who cannot afford tattooing are content to dye three stripes, in some -vegetable juice. - -Their food chiefly consists of grasses, seeds of grasses of wild -growth, and various kinds of mushrooms; meat and fish are very seldom -eaten. They are practically vegetarians, and are such good botanists -that they can discriminate with wonderful skill the poisonous -vegetables from the edible; they know that such and such grasses are -good against such and such diseases, and in what season they are or -are not good to eat, and they know the names of all grasses. In this -respect they are far more intelligent than the Hinḍūs, who know nothing -of the names of grasses, nor even those of flowers. The bamboo is the -plant most useful to the Labches. In the first place a section of -bamboo is used as a kettle, into which are stuffed the roots of grasses -or fruits, and sometimes corn well seasoned with salt and honey. -Then it is fastened with a lid and put on the fire (for fuel they -use bamboo) until the outside of the bamboo kettle turns black. When -it is removed and the lid opened, the contents are found well cooked -and ready for the table. This is the only way of cooking known to the -Labches in the mountains. Earthen and stone kilns and metallic kettles -are not known at all. The bowls which they use at dinner are also of -bamboo, the bucket in which they carry water, the basin in which they -keep provisions and milk, are all cylinders of bamboo. They also make -bows and arrows from the same useful plant, and are skilful archers -with bamboo bows and poisoned arrows. - -Among the Labche tribe polygamy is sometimes, but very rarely, to -be found; but polyandry is, in contrast to the Tibetans, entirely -forbidden. They are very timid by nature and are extremely inactive, -like other aboriginal races, but instead of diminishing, like the -American Indians or the Ainos of Japan, their number increases as much -as does that of the Tibetans. I believe their being monogamic counts -for something in their favor. I cannot say whether their ancestors -originated in the Himālaya mountains, but, judging simply from their -language, which seemingly has no relation either to Tibetan or to -Samskṛṭ, I may safely say that they are descendants of aboriginal -people settled there in a very remote time. Their faces are rather -white and fine, and they are the best looking among the Himālayan -mountaineers. But they have no courage or energy and look rather -consumptive. Though thieving is very common among this tribe, such -cruelty as manslaughter is utterly unknown. Most Labches who come to -Darjeeling now-a-days are of the superior tribe of the two. Some people -of the inferior tribe sometimes come up to the city, but they are too -timid to mingle with others, and unless the utmost care be taken they -run back to their old home. But both of these tribes have the finest -countenance in the Himālayas, and, sad to say, many of their women at -Darjeeling are slaves of soldiers, who are so numerous as to include -many of the women of the place in this infamous employment. In Sikkim -there are many immigrants both from Tibet and Bhūṭān, but they mostly -use the broken Tibetan language and can be distinguished from the -Labches, who differ from them not only in language, but in appearance, -customs, manners and everything. The Labches believe in Buḍḍhism, -but of a very simple kind. I think they are a people of the greatest -ethnological interest. If polygenists find here original man, it would -be of no small interest to investigate how his lines of descent have -branched off. Monogenists, on the other hand, would have to explain -what linguistic and ethnological relations they bear to the neighboring -tribes. No careful study seems to have been made of them yet. So we -must leave the thorough investigation to the scientists. - -[Illustration: THE AUTHOR AS A TIBETAN LAMA AT DARJEELING ON HIS -RETURN.] - - - - -CHAPTER XCI. - -Visit to my Old Teacher. - - -But I must continue my journey. I crossed the iron bridge over the -Tista river, and found a good and wide road on the other side. This -time it was an ascent of seventeen miles as far as Ghoom, where I -expected to arrive on that day. I quickened the pace of the horse on -which I was riding, but owing to the recent rain the two horses which -were loaded with my baggage could not go so fast, and I was obliged -to stop at a village for the night, after only seven miles’ journey. -The next day, I arrived at Lhasa Villa, the country seat of Saraṭ -Chanḍra Ḍās of Darjeeling, my old teacher, through whom I first became -acquainted with the Tibetan language. When I knocked at his door, one -of his children opened it. He had forgotten me and was asking my name, -when Mrs. Chanḍra Ḍās made her appearance and asked me on what business -I came. - -I replied with a smile, “Have you forgotten me? Can you not still -remember me?” - -Then the Rai Bahāḍur, who had probably recognised my voice, rushed out -and said: “Is it you, Mr. Kawaguchi? You are welcome.” - -My baggage was immediately unloaded and carried in by the servant, and -I was shown in. Great was his surprise and joy to see me again. He told -me that he had known of my whereabouts from my two letters to him, and -with what joy he had heard of my well-being as a doctor, but with what -apprehension he had considered my prospects of getting out of Tibet. He -also explained to me how Tsa Rong-ba came to him to hand him my letter, -but as he ran away without calling at his house again as he promised, -he could not give me his answer, adding that in his answer he had -intended to advise me to return quickly, because on seeing my letter -he had noticed there was no further need for me to study the Tibetan -language and religion. He also told me that Dr. Bunyiu Nanjio of Japan -had been very anxious about me and asked him in almost every letter -to tell all he heard of me; and he said he would write to the Doctor -directly. I talked of my experiences in Tibet and of the journey, and -it was midnight when we went to bed. - -Next morning I had bad fever, and when the fever went down it was -followed by palsy; my limbs began to lose power and I felt as if -the palsy was going to the heart. By and by I was unable to move my -hands or feet at all, and I thought it must be a kind of heart attack -of beri-beri from which it is generally believed death is almost -inevitable. Rai Saraṭ was much concerned about me, and attended me all -the time of my sickness. Meanwhile a physician came in and examined -me. I learned afterwards that the physician pronounced my disease -to be a Tista fever, the most frightful kind of malaria. I thought -myself dying, and thought how lucky it was to die here at Darjeeling, -for then my death could be announced to all my friends, whereas if it -had occurred in Tibet, no one would have heard of it. But I thought -that before I died I must make a will to the effect that the books -I brought from Tibet must be sent to Japan, either to the Japanese -Imperial University or to any other great library within easy reach of -my fellow-countrymen. Therefore though in an almost insensible state I -told my teacher to write a will for me, and began to talk in English -but with great difficulty. Rai Saraṭ told me it was needless, for he -understood what I meant to say. The physician also told me to keep -quiet and spare both bodily and spiritual exertion as much as possible. - -[Illustration: PERFORMING CEREMONIES IN TIBETAN COSTUME.] - -That night I felt a little better, but the palsy of the limbs remained -just the same, and I entered into samāḍhi, trying thus to remove the -root of the malady. If any one had seen me in that state, he would have -thought that I was indeed beside myself. After three days’ suffering, -thanks to the careful attendance of Rai Saraṭ, I was a little better, -and my limbs began to have some feeling in them, and after that, though -slowly, I grew better and better, and on the eighth day I could move -my hand a little. I wished to telegraph home of my whereabouts, but -from Darjeeling to Japan the charge is thirty-seven rupees for three -words, and two rupees was all the money I had left in my pocket now. -Nor was I bold enough to borrow the money from my teacher, so after -all, I did not telegraph home. But wishing to notify my return, I did -my best to use my hand and wrote a letter addressed to Hige Tokujūro -in my native town, though I do not quite remember what I wrote in it. -I was gradually recovering, but for a whole month I was unable to do -anything, and became very thin and weak. While in Tibet I had grown -fat and healthy, and they had often told me that I was another man -after ten months’ stay in Lhasa, and I had felt so too; but now I was -again quite lean. Happily, however, by the grace of Buḍḍha I survived, -and before another month had passed I was able to read and write. -After that I had a great many visitors with whom I had every kind of -conversation, to relate which would take another volume, but as they -have no direct connexion with the journey to Tibet they need not be -narrated here. - -I was obliged to stay at Darjeeling for some time, because after -having been accustomed to the cold climate of Tibet, I was afraid -in my enfeebled state to undertake a journey over the scorching -plains of India. My doctor also advised me to stay in Darjeeling for -three months at least, and I determined to do so. While I was thus -waiting for the recovery of my health, I heard nothing from Lhasa, -for in this season of the year the communication between Phari and -Darjeeling is almost entirely suspended from the fear of attacks of -fever on foreign travellers in the intermediate region. The natives -of Tomo-Rinchen-gang, who are accustomed to the climate, do not catch -it easily, but if Tibetans were to pass through the district in the -dangerous season they would surely be attacked by the malady. When I -left Tibet it was at the beginning of the season and the caravan which -I joined was the last but one. I knew the danger very well, but I had -no other choice; the affair which occurred in Lhasa drove me to come -across the dangerous path, and had caused my illness at Darjeeling. In -October the first caravan came from Tibet and brought me some shocking -news. - - - - -CHAPTER XCII. - -My Tibetan Friends in Trouble. - - -I learned that a month had hardly passed after my escape from Lhasa, -when many of my acquaintances were arrested and imprisoned. According -to this information, the ex-Minister of the Treasury with whom I lived, -the old nun living in his house, and one of his favorite servants, were -arrested and taken to prison; the new Treasury-minister was set free, -as he had not had much relation with me; the Sera Seminary was closed, -Tsa Rong-ba and his wife and Takbo Tunbai Choen Joe were taken to jail -and examined with terrible tortures; every house which I had frequented -was closely observed by the detectives, and the people in them were -expecting every moment to be arrested; therefore everybody who had -had any connexion whatever with me was endeavoring to conceal it, and -consequently bribery was prevalent in Lhasa. Such were the stories I -heard from the caravan, but the Tibetans are great story-tellers in -general, and are very fond of surprising people by lies. So I thought -they might be productions of their imagination, derived from the rumor -that I escaped from Lhasa, and I did not give them much credit, and -told them they were absurd stories; but still I had some doubts. - -Some story of this kind reached the ear of the Magistrate of -Darjeeling. One day he called me to his private house and asked me -several questions as to the number of the priests, and the educational -system, and the regulations of the Sera Monastery, and whether there -was any law by which a school could be closed for such occurrences as -had happened and whether I believed the stories. To this last question -I answered negatively, because not only the Tibetans, but even the -Chinese in Tibet, are very often fond of exaggerating truths and -circulating rumors at Darjeeling; for instance, they say Russians have -been seen striding along the streets of Lhasa in broad daylight, while -in fact there are none, but only a Mongolian employed by the Government -of Russia. - -The local English officers of these districts are very desirous of -knowing anything about Tibet, and they would write down any tidings -brought thence, not distinguishing whether they are true or not. At -Ghoom there is an officer whose special business it is to enquire into -anything occurring in Tibet. If there is anyone newly arrived from that -country, he would see him, ask various questions, and if he found any -important news he would take the man to the Governor’s to enquire more -minutely about the matter in his presence. The present Governor of -Darjeeling can speak the Tibetan language to some extent, but not with -much ease; so interpreters are hired in most cases. But the British -Indian Government greatly encourages these Governors of the districts -adjoining Tibet to study the Tibetan language, and they can take an -examination if they are able to speak colloquial Tibetan and explain -easy composition; and if they pass the examination they can obtain -a prize of a thousand rupees. Therefore most of them study Tibetan. -From these facts the reader may infer with what caution the British -Government is trying to get insight into the Forbidden Land. - -As I knew well that the Tibetans were liars, I did not much mind their -talk, but when another caravan which came two weeks later brought -similar rumors my uneasiness was greatly increased. Some days after a -merchant of my acquaintance came to Darjeeling, so I went to see him -and asked him whether these rumored stories were true. - -“Not exactly,” said he, “things are not so bad as that. It is true -that the ex-Minister of the Treasury was once arrested, but he was -set free without being taken to prison. However they say he will be -again arrested in the near future. When I started from Lhasa he dwelt -in his residence, not in prison; but I cannot tell what may have -happened since. Among those who are sure victims are your tutor and -your security at the Sera Seminary, Tsa Rong-ba and his wife, Takbo -Tunbai Choen Joe. Their torture is terrible indeed; they are to be -flogged every day, receiving three hundred blows daily with a willow -stick. We wished to pay them a visit, and do something for them, but -could not do so; for if we did, it would only arouse the suspicion of -the detectives, who were hunting after anything they could get hold of.” - -When I heard him I wondered what necessity there was for such cruelty -if it got out that I was a simple Japanese priest, and asked the -merchant whether he knew the cause of the persecution. Then he said -that they took me for an English spy and not for a Japanese. - -“But then,” said I, “did any one tell them that I was an Englishman?” - -“Yes, some one did,” said he. “In an official report Chyi Kyab, the -chief Guard of Nyatong, has stated to the Pope that the Lama who was -rumored to be a Japanese was in truth an Englishman and brother to -a high official of the British Indian Government, by whose request -he entered Tibet in the disguise of a Japanese or Chinese. He also -stated that the disguised English spy had, while in Tibet, several -communications from Darjeeling through Tsa Rong-ba and Takbo. -Furthermore, the report says you are by no means an ordinary man -and can work miracles. It says you did not come through the barrier -on the highway, and that even the bye-ways were watched with equal -care, so that you could not have passed through. It is said that you -must have flown to this side of the mountains when you came to the -neighborhood of the barriers. Since the report was read by the Pope, -the persecution of the prisoners is said to have been severe.” - -“By the way” he continued, “how did you come over from Nyatong? Did you -not fly?” - -“As I am no bird, how could I do such a thing?” - -“But they say you can do such a thing,” said he, “and I am one of those -who believe it, because for one who can revive the dead, it must be an -easy miracle to fly in the air. In Tibet they all believe what Chyi -Kyab has reported to the Pope.” - -“Then,” said I, “I will show you one thing that tells more than my -speech; it is the passport given by the order of Chyi Kyab himself.” - -The merchant seemed not to believe me yet, for by this time even in -Darjeeling the story that I could work miracles became current and he -had heard of it. I think that this was caused by the fraudulent report -of Chyi Kyab, who was afraid of the punishment which was likely to -befall him if he made a true one. Sometime later when the merchant came -to my place, I showed him the passport and he seemed to believe it. But -a new suspicion arose that I must have enchanted Chyi Kyab by magic -and stolen the passport. Ignorant people very often take a truth for a -miracle; and many Tibetans are no exception. - -I could not be calm now that I had heard such terrors were raging in -Tibet. In the first place, the ex-Treasury-minister’s fate caused me -much uneasiness. His acute and strong character made him many enemies -among his mean fellow-countrymen, who might now find an opportunity of -revenging themselves upon him. Tsa Rong-ba and his wife, my tutor at -the Sera Seminary and my security there, all of whom had shown me much -favor and kindness, were now suffering in chains; how could I sleep -in peace? How I wished I had been able to fly as they said I could, -and go to Lhasa to their rescue! Many considerations came to my mind -as to the way of delivering them; but only two of them seemed to be -practicable. The one was to go to Peking and to secure an order from -the Chinese Government to the Tibetan to suspend the hideous cruelty, -and the other was to go to Nepāl and ask the help of the Nepālese -Government. It took me a long while to decide which method I should -choose, but at last I determined to try the latter. - -First, it was doubtful whether the Chinese Government would admit -any application, either from myself or through the influence of the -Japanese Government. In the second place, China herself has ceased -to have credit in Tibet. In Tibet it is believed, even among the -Government officers, that the present Chinese Emperor has been married -to an English lady, and that since then, as she is on good terms with -England, the country is always disturbed. Besides they know that -China has become so helpless that they can disobey her without being -chastised. Lastly, the Tibetan Government does not like any diplomatic -interference from China, because China is a country that proclaims -herself as friendly with all foreign countries. On the other hand, -Nepāl is much feared by the Tibetans, for the people of Nepāl are very -strong, and their soldiers, disciplined in the English style, prove -themselves very brave in time of war. So the Tibetans are trying not to -offend her, and her advice is heard with more attention than that of -China. What made me think of the greater probability of success through -applying to the Nepālese Government was the fact that that country puts -so much trust in Japan that she sends many students to Japan for study. -Thus I was determined to go to Nepāl. - -To do this, however, some money was needed, of which I had none at -that time; indeed, I had even some small debts. Thanks to heaven, help -came in my need; my acquaintances at my native town were so kind as -to collect and send me three hundred yen, and with this money I was -ready to start. But there was one thing that held me back; it was the -compilation of a Tibetan grammar, which I had sometime ago begun at the -request of my teacher Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās, who needed a complete grammar -of the Tibetan language to append to his Tibetan-English dictionary. -I began at once, and wrote some twenty pages, but the complete study -of the grammar of a foreign language is not to be compared to writing -compositions for papers or magazines; books must be referred to and the -opinions of others must be consulted. And thus three months were spent, -but the completion of the grammar proceeded at a very sluggish pace and -I felt that it would take a year or more to finish it. But the present -prison affair in Lhasa required my immediate exertion, otherwise all -hope might be gone. So I told my teacher that I had to suspend the -work, and towards the end of November I left Darjeeling and came to -Calcutta. - - - - -CHAPTER XCIII. - -Among Friends. - - -I arrived at Calcutta and lodged at the Mahāboḍhi Society’s rooms, -where I found many priests from Ceylon and Burma as my fellow-lodgers -and conversational companions. One or two days after my arrival, I -called on Mr. Kōjun Omiya, one of my fellow-students in Japan, who was -now staying here for a long time for the study of Samskṛṭ. He had not -the slightest notion of my being in the same town, and I was dressed -in Tibetan clothes when I called on him. Being informed by his servant -that he was in the parlor, I entered the room without being announced. -Owing to the total disuse of Japanese for many years, it was some while -before I could utter a single word in that language, so I simply bowed -to him a little and stared at him. My old friend, who was also staring -at me and undoubtedly feeling offended by the intrusion of a strange -man in a Tibetan dress, addressed me in Hinḍusṭāni: “Whence have you -come?” - -I could not help laughing to hear him say this, but at the same time -the words in Japanese came back to me and I said: “Are you not Omiya?” - -He did not yet recognise me, and asked in Japanese: “You are a Japanese -who knows me? But who are you?” - -I replied: “I am Kawaguchi.” - -He was of course much surprised by so great a change in me that I could -easily have passed for a Tibetan. I was soon shown to his room, which -was kept very neat, and we talked about our own country. Mr. Omiya is -a priest of the Tendai Sect and a very agreeable companion, and from -this time I shared his room. On the evening of December 14th, Dr. E. -Inouye, the president of the Tetsugakkwan in Tokyo (where we were -instructed) came to Calcutta and called on us. I need not describe -here how delighted our kind teacher was to see me back safe from the -Forbidden Land. - -Next morning, about three o’clock, I waked up Dr. Inouye, and guided -him to the Tiger Hill near Darjeeling, the best place from which to -see the Himālayas; for though it was the best season of the year to -see the loftiest mountains in the world, it was generally impossible -to get a good view after nine or ten o’clock in the morning. With the -noblest work of Nature before us, our poetical interest was aroused -and we made several poems. After short trips here and there, on the -23rd of the month I returned to Calcutta with Dr. Inouye, and on the -same night we had to start on a pilgrimage to Buḍḍhagayā. Pilgrimage -was not my sole object in going to Buḍḍhagayā; I wished to go to Delhi -to see Lieutenant-General Oku of Japan, who was to be present at the -Durbar in honor of the coronation of the King of England and Emperor -of India, and to apply to him for a letter of introduction to the King -of Nepāl, through whose influence I intended to make my appeal to the -Tibetan Pope. So I had first to go to Buḍḍhagayā, and then to the holy -land of Benares, where I had to part with Dr. Inouye, he going to -Bombay and I to Delhi. We got into a train and the next afternoon we -arrived at Bankipur. Here we had to stay some five hours to change cars -for Buḍḍhagayā. Dr. Inouye went to send a telegram and I remained at -the station; there was a Hinḍū there also, who could speak English. He -approached me and asked: “Are you a Tibetan?” - -“No, I am not.” - -“Are you a Nepālese then?” - -“I am not that either?” - -“Do you not come from Tibet?” - -“Yes, I did.” - -“Do you say you have come from Tibet, and yet are not Tibetan?” - -“It does not necessarily follow that I am a Tibetan, though I came from -Tibet.” - -While I was thus talking, one man whose presence I did not notice came -running to me. Turning to the man, I found my old acquaintance the Rev. -Fujii Sensho. Extending his hand to me, he expressed his joy at the -unexpected meeting, and congratulated me on my safe return from Tibet. - -[Illustration: ACCIDENTAL MEETING! WITH A FRIEND AND COMPATRIOT.] - -“But what are you waiting for in such a place?” said he. - -“I am going to Buḍḍhagayā with Dr. Inouye.” - -“Then our destination is the same. I am going to call on the Rev. Otani -Kozui, who is staying at Gayā.” - -We despatched a telegram to Mr. Otani telling him that we should arrive -by the next train, and we three then entered the train which took us -to Gayā, where we found a carriage sent by Count Otani to meet us. -When we arrived at the Dak bungalow, we enjoyed a conversation with -the Honorable Count Otani and his suite. After various questions and -answers, His Highness asked me where I was going. I replied that I -was going to Nepāl. Mr. Fujii, whom I had not had an opportunity of -telling my object, was much surprised to hear it now, and asked me what -I wanted there. - -“I have two things to do there,” said I; “one is to bring back my -books, which I left with a certain person in that country. The other -is more serious. Many of my acquaintances and friends in Tibet are now -suffering in prison for having been friendly towards me. So though it -is doubtful whether I shall succeed, I am going to Nepāl to get help -from its Government to save them.” - -Mr. Fujii rebuked me, saying, “You are no more Kawaguchi of college -life. Your fellow-countrymen are anxious to see you come back and to -hear of the strange land you have visited. Therefore give up that idea -of going to Nepāl, where you can expect nothing but attacks of fever -or wild beasts or robbery, of which you have already had plenty of -experience; I tell you you had better prepare to start home.” - -Dr. Inouye, from whom I had heard such advice very often, but who found -me unpersuadable, now said to Mr. Otani: “What is the opinion of Your -Highness about the matter of Kawaguchi?” - -His Highness, who was listening to our discussion with interest, spoke -now: “I can but praise your courage, Mr. Kawaguchi; with such courage -only you could enter and return from the closed country. But think of -your personal position; you must not expose yourself to useless danger.” - -I was again obliged to expound my motive and intention to go to Nepāl, -and said: - -“All that has been said is very true. But if I follow the advice of you -all, where is ‘the Japanese righteousness?’ I am a servant of Buḍḍha, -and my duty is to save any one from misery, though he should have no -personal relations with me. But here are a great many men, to whom -I owe a debt of gratitude, by whose help I accomplished my escape. -They are suffering in jail; while I am enjoying myself in a warm -and comfortable room, what pains are they suffering? I can see them -shivering with cold in the unlighted prison of Lhasa. In the day-time -they are flogged, and the only food given them is a small quantity of -parched barley once a day. Knowing them to be in such a condition, how -should I abandon them, and start for home, even though my life is very -precious to me?” - - - - -CHAPTER XCIV. - -The Two Kings of Nepal. - - -Having made up my mind as to what I was going to do, I took a train -back to Calcutta a few nights after. Money has its power in India, as -elsewhere, and soon afterwards I was once more on my way to Nepāl. - -By some means I was introduced to a Professor Keḍarnāṭh Chatterji, -an old Bengalī gentleman who had once been the Principal of the -Municipal School of Kātmāndu, Nepāl, and was then living in Calcutta -and known to be in the good graces of the King of Nepāl. He readily, -even cheerfully, complied with my request and gave me a letter of -introduction to the King of Nepāl. I may observe that the natives of -Tibet, Bhūṭan and Sikkim are allowed to travel in Nepāl, so long as -they are in possession of a passport issued by the Commander-in-Chief -of Beelganji; but no other foreigners are admitted into that country -unless armed with the King’s own pass. Hence my negotiations with -Professor Chatterji, to whom I presented myself as one anxious to make -a pilgrimage to all the holy Buḍḍhist stations in Nepāl. - -On January 10th, 1902, I left Calcutta by train and reached Raxaul, a -station on the Nepālese border, at dusk of the following day. It was -about six o’clock then and, hiring a coolie to carry my luggage, I -crossed the Siman River which separated India from Nepāl. Landed on the -other side, I was refused further progress by the officers of a police -station there, on the ground that the King of Nepāl was soon coming -home, and that, consequently, no one from beyond the borders could be -allowed entrance into the country, until they had been subjected to -thorough examination and found harmless. I noticed that the natives -begged, begged, and were finally allowed to pass on. I thought that -here too bribery had its logic. But, no, I was a foreigner and could -under no circumstance be granted an immediate passage. I finally -produced Chatterji’s letter of introduction to the King of Nepāl. The -policeman on attendance, who until then had refused even to let me -interview the chief of the station, now took me to that functionary. -The upshot was that the station chief caused my letter of introduction, -together with a very carefully prepared description of my person, to -be forwarded to Beelganji and ordered me to wait for the result. At -Beelganji was the Commander-in-Chief, who was then acting there as -Regent in the absence of the King, and it was to this authority that -the documents were sent. - -The distance between the Siman police station and Beelganji is only -about a mile. I had waited in vain till eleven o’clock at night for the -expected instruction, and I had just set about making a hot cup of tea -in order to keep myself warm, when a policeman belonging to the Royal -Palace Force put in an appearance and ordered me to accompany him at -once to Beelganji. At Beelganji I was taken to a cottage in front of -the Local Hospital to lodge for the night. The next morning I presented -myself at the Regent’s court and there had to wait till five in the -afternoon before I could have an interview with His Excellency, who -informed me that the King was coming home on the 14th and that he would -then endeavor to secure for me an audience with his royal master. - -I may here explain why I have given to the present chapter the heading: -“The Two Kings of Nepāl.” Nepāl, indeed, possesses two Kings, a King -_de jure_ and a King _de facto_, in Nepālese respectively Pānch Sarkār -and Tīn Sarkār. The _de facto_ King is the real Ruler of Nepāl and -the _de jure_ King is only the figure-head, maintaining his court by -means of a civil list, or rather a pension allowed by the former. In -name the _de facto_ King is the Prime Minister of the country, but the -actual sovereignty is in his hands, and the nation knows only him as -its King. The existence of the King _de jure_ is known, it may be said, -only by a circle of Government officials, the general mass having but a -very vague idea about it. It was of the return home of the _de facto_ -King that I was informed. - -About sunset on the 14th, the Prime-Minister (the King _de facto_) did, -indeed, arrive in Beelganji, preceded and followed by a _cortège_ of -great splendor, the most conspicuous feature of which was a train of -enormous elephants, on which were seated the Princes and Princesses -of the royal family. Nepāl is a polygamous country, and the number of -royal scions is consequently very large. The entrance of the royal -procession into Beelganji was announced with a salvo of thirteen guns. -So the King returned, but the Regent advised me to wait another day, -promising me that he would manage to obtain an audience for me at about -ten o’clock the following morning, or more accurately, he would arrange -the matter for me if I should present myself at the palace at about ten -o’clock in the morning and patiently wait there till five o’clock in -the afternoon. This I did. - -It appeared that no person, as a rule, is granted an audience in the -palace on the occasion of a first presentation. However I was taken -into an inner court and was presented to the King as he came out on his -evening walk. Then I had the singular satisfaction of his accepting -from me a certain object of Japanese fine art. The Prime-Minister King -seemed to be very well pleased with my present, and even offered to pay -me its price. Whatever the King’s offer meant, I insisted on its being -a present on my part. Then I was invited to go in with His Highness, -who treated me like a ten years’ acquaintance. - -[Illustration: THE PRIME MINISTER OF NEPAL, H. H. CHANDRA SHAMSIR.] - - - - -CHAPTER XCV. - -Audience of the Two Kings. - - -Following the _de facto_ King into a royal apartment, I saw His -Highness take his seat first, followed by another who sat by him and -whom I took for a Minister of State. I subsequently found out that the -second gentleman was no less a personage than his Majesty the real -King of Nepāl. The audience took the form of a catechism, which was in -substance as follows: - -“I understand that you have been to Tibet: what made you undertake the -adventure?” - -“In order to complete my study of Buḍḍhism, Your Highness,” replied I. - -“I am told,” said the Prime Minister, “that while in Tibet you were in -friendly intercourse with the nobles and high priests of that country: -who is the most powerful person in Tibet just now?” - -“As a Buḍḍhist priest,” answered I, “I devoted all my time to the study -of Buḍḍhism and had no opportunity to make myself acquainted with the -political condition of that country.” - -“There is no occasion whatever for you to be reserved; Tibet and our -country are on the most friendly terms with each other, and your -divulgence will do no harm. I want to know these things only for my -own information: besides, I know that you are well posted on things -Tibetan.” - -“Your Highness, I am well aware of the amicable relations existing -between Nepāl and Tibet: I only wish to speak of nothing of which I -have no accurate information.” - -“I understand that;” said the Minister; “I do not mean to find fault -with you: I shall only be pleased to hear your opinion on the subject.” - -“May it please Your Highness, then, the most powerful personage in -Tibet at present is, I think, the Dalai Lama himself, and the man of -the greatest influence among his subjects, Shata.” - -“What do you think of the position of the Chinese representative in -Tibet in relation to the Hierarchy?” - -“I think his influence is in decadence now, Your Highness.” - -“How do you account for that, Mr. Kawaguchi?” - -“I imagine it all comes from the impotency of the Peking Government, on -the one hand, and from the fact of His Holiness being a man of great -ability, decision and political acumen.” - -“Do you know Tsan-ni Kenbo of Russia?” - -“No, Your Highness. He was not in Lhasa while I was there.” - -“But you must have heard something about him?” - -“That I have,” I admitted. - -“Who among the Government officials of Tibet is said to be on the most -friendly terms with him? Do you think he enjoys the confidence of the -Dalai Lama, as well as that of His Holiness’s high officials?” - -“Shata alone, with the Dalai Lama, seems to place infinite confidence -in Russia; but the latter is an object, as far as I know, of much -distrust and dislike to all others.” - -Here the true King, sitting next to the Prime-Minister, asked in -Nepālese whether or not what I was saying coincided with the stock -of information in this latter’s possession. The reply was a full -affirmative. Then the catechism was resumed: - -“Supposing,” asked the Minister “that Tibet concludes a secret treaty -with Russia, do you think that our neighbor will be able to give effect -to such a treaty?” - -“In my humble opinion, Your Highness, there will be nothing to prevent -the two Governments concluding such a treaty; but the moment it -is made public and an attempt is made to put its stipulations into -practice, one of two things will happen--either the poisoning of the -Dalai Lama, or a popular uprising.” - -“What makes you hold such a view?” - -“Because,” replied I, “so far as I can see, the majority of the -Government authorities and the people in general are opposed to such a -state of things, even though a few persons may be in its favor.” - -The Prime-Minister-King asked me some other questions, but these I -may omit here, with the answers which I made. The point he seemed to -be most anxious to know was the secret path I took in entering Tibet. -For a moment I thought of satisfying his curiosity, but prudence -counselled forbearance, and I kept silence; because I thought that the -divulgence on my part might involve some of my erstwhile friends and -acquaintances in serious trouble. Consequently I excused myself on the -ground that my poor command of English was not equal to the task of -narrating so complicated a tale, and that I might have an occasion, -when in the Nepālese capital, of imparting the whole story to some of -his Highness’s trusted officials who understood Tibetan. - -The last question I was asked on the occasion was: “What has -transformed Japan into so great a power as she is now?” I, of course, -answered that it was the result of education and patriotism. I was then -excused from the royal presence with the instruction that I should -return there at two o’clock the following afternoon. - - - - -CHAPTER XCVI. - -Second Audience. - - -At the appointed hour on the following day, I repaired to the -Government building, and the guards refused me admittance until about -five o’clock. When finally I was admitted to the royal presence, it was -only to be told that his Highness was extremely busy that day, and that -he would see and give me the necessary papers the following day at the -Lambān preserve. - -When I came back to my lodging that evening my servant expressed -himself as quite sure that I was being duped and that I would never -be allowed to reach Lambān on the morrow. That was bad. So I walked a -distance of about two and a half miles and back, in order to see and -be assured by the King’s Lord Chamberlain that I was only uselessly -worrying myself. - -On the 17th I hired an _ekka_ (a single seat carriage) and with my -servant drove to the foot of a mountain called Binbiti, going over a -distance of about four days’ journey on foot. On the way I went to the -royal preserve of Lambān, which is situated at the southern end of the -Dalai Jungle. The place presented a grand sight on this occasion, for -a hunt was being held in honor of the Coronation of the Emperor of -India. There must have been fully five or six hundred tents pitched, -covering an immense tract of land and forming an entrance to the famous -Dalai Jungle. The royal tents sheltering the Kings and their multiple -consorts, the Princes and Princesses, were conspicuously beautiful -to look at, while the sight of those of the Ministers of State and -others, variegated in colors of red, white, blue and yellow, dotting -the woodland, was both grand and picturesque. There were about two -thousand soldiers present, all of the Royal Bodyguard. Their uniform -was after the British pattern, and they all looked men of splendid -physique. - -Being refused admittance, I hung about the royal precincts for about -four hours, all the time looking for an opportunity to obtain an -audience. Ultimately I got a glimpse of the King, who was going out -on a hunt seated on a huge elephant. He recognised me, but had just -time enough to express his regret and tell me to come to him in the -morning; and he was gone! Then my servant again tried to make light of -my credulity; but I scolded him into silence. - -[Illustration: STRUGGLE WITH A NEPALESE SOLDIER.] - -At six o’clock on the morning of the 18th, I smuggled myself into the -royal enclosure, having chosen an unguarded spot for the purpose. -There was such a great number of tents that I in vain tried to locate -that intended for royalty. While wandering about I was challenged by -an officer. I explained the purpose of my presence there, only to be -told that the time for audience had not yet arrived. Eventually the -officer ordered a private to see me out of the enclosure. I thought -that, once out of the enclosure, I might never have an opportunity of -seeing the King, and feigning not to hear the remonstrances of the -private, I doggedly held my ground. Finally a guard came and ordered -me out. I said that I was there by the order of the King. But my words -were only wasted on the sturdy soldier, who forthwith collared me -and with a push on my back, as I staggered up, hurled me out of the -enclosure, handling me altogether as if I were a little child. Outside -the fence I became an object of the laughter of the soldiers and of -jeering remarks from the general spectators. Professor of resignation -and self-denial though I am, this treatment could not but displease -me. But on second thoughts I awoke to the fact of my still lacking -the spirit of patience and perseverance. Dead to my surroundings for -the time being, I sat in silence on the grass for hours, and in the -meanwhile I could not hold back my tears as I thought, if it was hard -for me to bear these insults, how great must be the suffering of my -Tibetan friends and benefactors, who because of me were even then, as -I imagined, undergoing dreadful tortures, having no one to vindicate -their innocence for them, and I composed an _uta_ for my consolation: - - My suffering surely I with ease must bear - Compared with all the tortures which my friends - Now undergo, for my sake prisoners made, - In distant regions far above the clouds. - -At about eleven o’clock I noticed the Lord Chamberlain passing by me, -and I hastened to acquaint him with the plight I was in. His Lordship -greatly commiserated me and at once gave orders that I should that -minute be taken to the tent of royal reception. After waiting another -two hours in the tent, the King was announced--the Prime-Minister-King -I should have said. - -The King wanted to know what I wished to have from him. The passport, I -said. Then he said that that I should certainly have, but that what he -had meant was if I was well provided with travelling funds. I replied -that I had then with me three hundred rupees. His Highness thought that -the amount was not enough for my purpose, and ordered his attendants to -give me two hundred rupees. I refused to accept his generosity, saying -that I had not come to his country to make money. What was it then that -I wanted in reality? I was on the point of making a direct reference -to my petition; but that spirit of caution and forbearance which I -have already mentioned counselled me once more to bide my time on that -score; and I disclosed a part of my desire, that I wished to secure a -complete collection of the Samskṛṭ text of the Buḍḍhist Scriptures in -existence in Nepāl, offering in return to forward the Japanese edition -of the same on my return home. That I should have, he said, and ordered -me to present a list of the texts I wanted to the Regent at Kātmāndu, -where His Highness was to return in twenty-five days. Henceforward I -became a sort of special traveller under royal protection, for a police -official was detailed to escort me to Kātmāndu. - - - - -CHAPTER XCVII. - -Once more in Katmandu. - - -After procuring my passport, escorted by the policeman, I came back -to a village called Simla where I had left my carrier and carriage. I -found that the carriage and its driver had absconded in my absence: it -had been paid for in advance. The policeman wanted to beat my carrier -for allowing the driver to abscond; but I interfered. It was then after -three in the afternoon, and my route to Khātmāndu lay for eight miles -at least through the jungle. I was warned about tigers; but I knew the -route, as I was going over it for a second time, and forthwith I set -out on the road. - -Every two miles, through the eight miles of the jungle, is a large -reservoir of drinking water, each reservoir being connected with the -one next to it by means of iron ducts. Originally not a drop of water -was obtainable in the jungle, and the ducts and reservoirs were built -in compliance with the dying wish of the late Queen of Nepāl, who in -that way wanted to benefit the travelling public. One reads the origin -and history of this benevolent institution engraved on stone tablets, -set up on the roadside; the language used on one being Nepālese, on -another Tibetan, on the third English, then Hinḍū and Parsī. - -Before night came on I arrived at Bichagori, where on the occasion of -my former visit I heard a tiger break the midnight silence with his -roars. I felt rather lonely on account of the absence of his roaring -now, and I made an _uta_: - - The same as once before the moonlight sleeps - On Bichagori fair; but whence is heard - Upon the stream the savage tiger’s roar? - -Crossing the Bichagori river, I travelled to Spalta, from Spalta to -Bahise, thence to Binbit and Tispanī during the next two days. Tispanī -is also known by the alternative name of Tisgari, which, I think, was -the one I mentioned before. Between Simla and Tispanī I had my passport -examined three times. Tispanī maintains a custom-house and all ordinary -ingoing travellers are detained here at least half a day. The case was -different with me: my stop here lasted no longer than half an hour. -My police-escort took leave of me here and his place was taken by a -soldier, who thenceforth accompanied me to Kātmāndu. - -As we reached the top of Tisgari, I once more stood an all-absorbed -admirer, struck by the wondrous grandeur of the Himālayas, which, seen -a second time, appeared to increase instead of diminish in their fresh -majesty and charms. - - To fitly paint the grandeur of the scenes - Words fail me quite; what can I, helpless, do? - These scenic beauties on the Himal’yan range - E’en human eyesight fails to comprehend. - -Thousands of years ago, Shākyamuni Buḍḍha, our Lord, spent six years in -the jungles and mountains, and I imagined that I was possibly treading -in His holy footsteps. I had spent the same number of years under the -shadows of the Himālayas, but neither had I attained Nirvāṇa, nor -become a Boḍhisaṭṭva! - - _Yuki yama-ni mutose heshi mino ikani-shite - Akatsuki-no Hoshi-ni awade sugoseshi?_ - - Upon these plateaux six years have I passed - But yet Illumination’s Morning Star - Have I not seen--the Star that flashed so bright - At that Illumination of our Lord, - The Holy Saint under the Bodhi tree.[5] - -[5] The Gospel teaches that the Buḍḍha attained His enlightenment as -He sat gazing up to the “Morning Star” on His last night of meditation -under the sacred bodhi tree. - -We next made a sharp descent of about three miles past the village of -Kurikane and an iron bridge, and entered Marku, where we lodged for -the night. Starting at three o’clock on the 21st we calculated upon -reaching Kātmāndu by the evening. The weird serenity of the great -mountain pass under the starry heavens of the early morning; the -bracing chill, the gradual revelation of the scenery around under the -rising sun, the famous rhododendron flowers almost in bloom, the climb -of Chandragiri, the vast plain at the height of six thousand feet above -the sea level--all the sights and scenes, awe-inspiring, entrancing and -interesting--were there as on the occasion of my former visit. - -Arrived in Kātmāndu, I at once proceeded to the official residence of -the Local Commander-in-Chief and Acting Prime Minister. His Excellency -was too busy to see me that evening, and sent me word asking to come -the next day. In the place of the one that had accompanied me to -Kātmāndu two fresh bodyguards were then given to me. Such being the -case, my arrival in the town had apparently become known to my old -friend of four years ago Lama Buḍḍha Vajra; for, as I came out of the -Commander-in-Chief’s residence, I was met by one of my friend’s sons -and some servants with a horse. I at once rode to the Kāṣyapa Buḍḍha -Tower and there renewed my friendship with its master, who, it will -be superfluous to say, received me with a right royal welcome and -placed me under fresh obligations by his great hospitality. I may add, -however, that the Nepālese custom is almost the reverse of that of -Tibet, in that all those who can afford to do so marry two, three, even -five wives. My friend, though a Lama, but belonging to the Old School, -has two wives and thirteen children. - -[Illustration: MEETING AGAIN WITH AN OLD FRIEND LAMA BUDDHA VAJRA.] - -I considered it a rare privilege to pass a night in a place of such -holiness, and availing myself of the opportunity I spent the best part -of the night in lighting up the butter-lamp and holding a service -in memory of my father and friends, who had died at home during my -absence. The next morning I saw the sun rising from the snows and felt -the emotions which are embodied in the following _uta_. - - In Japan was I born, my native land - Of cherry flowers fair, the cheerful home - Of birds e’er singing their melodious songs. - It is for this am I inspired to sing - Of that bright light reflected from the snows? - -That afternoon at one o’ clock, accompanied by my friend, I called on -His Excellency Bheem Shamsher, the Commander-in-Chief of Nepāl. We were -shown into the reception hall in the second floor of the building, in -which I found fourteen or fifteen chairs of Western style, while the -upper half of the floor was covered over with a rectangular piece of -thick Nepālese carpet, with a layer of white cloth over it. On the -walls of the room I noticed a number of pictures in occidental frames. -Trifling as these details may appear, I mention them here, because the -use side by side of native and western articles indicates the general -features of the national policy of Nepāl. - -[Illustration: THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF NEPAL, H. E. BHIM SHAMSIR.] - - - - -CHAPTER XCVIII. - -Interview with the Acting Prime Minister. - - -In His Excellency Bheem Shamsher I found a perfect gentleman, easy of -approach, but nevertheless of commanding presence. - -“How are you impressed with our country?” said he. - -“I am filled with a feeling of extreme pleasure,” I replied. - -“How can that be?” - -“Because not only your natural scenery, trees and plants, but even -your people look very much like those of my own country, and I cannot -help feeling quite at home here--a feeling which makes me forget the -difficulties of travel I have come through.” - -His Excellency smiled a little. “That may be, because we belong to the -same race; but are you quite sure about our flora?” - -“Why, yes, Your Excellency, not only your mountains and waters look -like ours, but you have pines, cedars, oaks, willows, keyaki (_Planeta -japonica_), cherries, peaches, pears, oranges, azaleas, elms, among -trees, and field products, such as rice, wheat, beans, millet, -buck-wheat and corn are as common with you as they are in Japan. I -also notice an equal similarity between the flowers and birds of the -countries. Above all I am profoundly impressed by the bravery of your -people and their kindness toward strangers.” - -Quite pleased at what I said, His Excellency now changed the course of -conversation: - -“I have been told that Tibet has concluded a treaty with Russia: do you -know of any evidence to prove this?” - -“I have not come across any definite proof,” I replied; “but judging -from what Tsan-ni Kenbo has done and the fact that the Dalai Lama has -accepted a present of a Bishop’s robes from the Russian Government, -one may think that there must be some foundation for the rumor. -Furthermore, since the return of a Tibetan envoy from his mission to -the court of S. Petersburg, the Tibetan Government has, it is said, -come to show great firmness, even to the extent of expressing its -determination to engage in war, if need be, with any other country, and -this fact may point to the existence of a secret Russo-Tibetan treaty.” - -“I have no doubt of its existence,” said my interlocutor; “but what do -you think has induced Tibet to conclude it?” - -“As a mere priest, I know nothing about politics and diplomacy, but -I may venture to presume that it all came from the unreliability of -China, and the skilful manœuvres of Tsan-ni Kenbo, who worked on -Tibetan sensitiveness as regards its relationship with the Indo-British -Government.” - -“Why is the Tibetan Government hostilely disposed toward England?” -asked the Commander-in-Chief. - -The other questions which he put to me may be gathered from the -answers I gave, which were to the effect, that Tibet believed that its -intercourse with Christian England would end in the destruction of its -Buḍḍhism and nationality, while it rejoiced in the delusion that Russia -was a Buḍḍhist Power, and that the reason why it did not befriend Japan -was because it knew practically nothing about the existence of such a -country. - -I next took my turn in leading the conversation, and as a beginning -I gave in detail the story of the causes which had led to the -incarceration and torture of my friends and benefactors in Tibet, -and appealed to His Excellency’s generosity to take the trouble -of forwarding my petition to the Dalai Lama. In the second place I -referred to the Samskṛṭ edition of the Buḍḍhist Scriptures, promised me -by the Prime-Minister-King. Thereupon the Commander-in-Chief cheerfully -gave consent to both my requests. He greatly pitied the ignorance of -the Tibetan authorities, and keenly sympathised with my position. He -promised me to do all in his power to have the petition forwarded, but -as the matter rested solely with the King _de facto_, he advised me to -wait for the latter’s return, when he would put in a good word for me. -As for the Scriptures, he saw no way of procuring for me the entire -collection within the period of time I intended to spend in Nepāl. I -then informed him of my determination to revisit Nepāl in two years’ -time, and that I should be most pleased to receive the remainder of the -Scriptures on the occasion of that second visit, I taking home for the -time being such portions of them as could be collected during my stay. -All this was agreeable to His Excellency, and before I took leave of -him he shook me warmly by the hand and flattered me by saying that he -was very glad to have met such an honored Japanese. - - - - -CHAPTER XCIX. - -Painful News from Lhasa. - - -A few days after my arrival at the Tower, I met many Tibetans who had -come to worship at the holy places in Nepāl. They told me positively -that the ex-Minister of Finance had been imprisoned on such and such -a day and had been tortured in the Court. I could not quite believe -the news, but I was very anxious to know the truth of the case. -Fortunately I saw a high Lama named Kusho Lokela from Lhasa, who was on -a pilgrimage in memory of his master Temo Rinpoche, whom I have already -mentioned. I enquired of him whether the rumor about the imprisonment -of the ex-Minister of Finance was true. - -“I left Lhasa a month and a half ago,” he said, “and then the -ex-Minister was at home. After my departure from Lhasa I heard of his -arrest, on my way to Nepāl. But I cannot say whether it is a fact, -for, as you know, in Tibet rumor often magnifies misfortune. But there -is really great misfortune for Tsa Rong-ba, who was somehow connected -with you. I saw him on the veranda of the Court waiting for his trial. -I wondered at his bonds, and asked him about his imprisonment. He -told me with tears, that he did not commit a theft, nor engage in any -quarrel, but he was acquainted with and asked medicine from a doctor of -Sera, and that was the cause of his arrest. But he did not know very -much about you personally. He was tortured every alternate day, and -he became so thin that his body was mere skin and bone. My sympathy -and pity became the greater when I heard from him that he bore all his -sufferings patiently in the belief that his tortures were due to the -sins of his former lives.” - -Kusho Lokela was a very honest gentleman, so I could not but believe -this. I was really very sorry to receive from him this sad information, -and I could not sleep through the night thinking about these Tibetan -friends of mine who were imprisoned. I composed an _uta_ about it, -which may be rendered in prose somewhat as follows: - -“To hear about the misfortunes and sufferings of my friends is to -me painful; to speak of them is still more painful and bitter; but -unbearable it is for me to write of them. But now for the sake of -reviving my recollection of them in my memories in the future, I shall -relate in verse all the details. - -“Six years ago, I remember, I determined to study Buḍḍhism, the -wonderful Pure Law. I left my Motherland, and traversing the snowy -range of the Himālayas I entered Tibet, and again have I arrived here -from my travels. My heart bleeds to hear now that in that hermit -country those friends of mine, as a result of their friendly services -to me and for no other offence, have been arrested and imprisoned ‘in -durance vile’ and confined within stone walls. - -“For these friends of mine I cannot but shed tears when I know that it -is for my sake that their sufferings are acute, their bodies shivering -within the stony walls of their prison-house in the snowy capital -city of Lhasa, sitting disconsolate and wretched on the wooden floor -unenlivened by the light of the sun. - -“Who will give them food? As a rule in the jails of Tibet, the -prisoners get but one meal a day--a handful of barley flour. If my -friends are the victims of this rule they will die of starvation, -benumbed with the cold. - -“Still worse misfortunes and excruciating sufferings they are -undergoing, I am sure, for the jailors, unfeeling and cruel, not only -starve them with insufficient food, but with insults beat them and -inflict bodily pain. My friends, I fancy, now desire to extinguish -themselves as a release from their sufferings. These painful -reflections on my part drive me to the desire of extinguishing myself -also in order to put an end to all my own tortures. - -“O how pitiful is my friends’ condition! When I was in Lhasa, you, -my friends, never thought that you would be treated as culprits for -my sake; your offence simply was the help you rendered me during my -sojourn in your country. Now how can I leave you helpless without -saving you? - -“Judging of men as they naturally are, I should fancy that you would -feel disgust towards me and hate me. I thought so, but I have since -heard from the man who has met you in the Court of Justice that you -said this: - -“‘I am not guilty of any theft or breach of the peace, but was told by -the Judge that I had acted against the law. I was simply acquainted -with a Japanese priest of whose antecedents I knew scarcely anything. -All these torments which I am now suffering are, to my mind, but the -results of the evil deeds (Karmas) of my past lives. Therefore it is I -have to bear them in order to get rid of them as such.’ - -“O my friends! you may mitigate your misfortunes with that kind of -consolation; but how is it possible for me to bear the galling thought -that I am the cause of all the misfortunes you have suffered for my -sake?” - - - - -CHAPTER C. - -The King betrays his suspicion. - - -[Illustration: THE AUTHOR AND HIS FRIEND BUDDHA VAJRA ENJOYING THE -BRILLIANT SNOW AT KATMANDU.] - -On February 9th at two o’clock, accompanied again by Buḍḍha Vajra, I -presented myself at the palatial residence of His Highness Chanḍra -Shamsher, Prime Minister or King _de facto_ of Nepāl. The residence -with its grounds must cover an area of at least three hundred and fifty -yards square, and it has a guarded gate, within which are barracks, -a small parade-ground, and a race-course. Proceeding over a broad -pavement for about seven hundred yards, we came to the main entrance of -the palace. Inside the reception hall, into which we were taken, I saw -three chairs and a thick piece of white cloth carpet of the Nepālese -style at the upper end of the room, and a teak-wood shelf of European -design standing against a wall, with a white statue of a Nepālese -Goddess riding on an elephant on its top. Other conspicuous objects -catching the eye at a glance were a pair each of the carved heads of -lions and deer, and a huge pendulum clock. From where we were seated we -saw to the south through the glass-paned windows a most enchanting view -of the “Moon Peak,” the “Dragon Tree Peak” and other great elevations. - -In the reception hall were many officers of the army and other -dignitaries. The Secretary for Foreign Affairs being one of the -company, took me to task--all by pre-arrangement as I suspect--and I -replied to his questions as well as I could. - -“I believe more than twenty days have elapsed since your arrival here,” -said he; “how have you been employing yourself in the interval?” - -“In religious meditation and in composing poems,” I replied. - -“What is your court rank and what office do you hold in Japan?” he -asked. - -“Nothing,” I answered. - -But he continued: “Don’t try to make a secret of those things; do you -think we can form no idea of our own about you? It will be better for -you to tell me all.” - -“Sir, I am a Buḍḍhist priest, and I possess no rank, nor order, nor any -office under the Japanese or any other Government for that matter.” - -“Oh! come, Mr. Kawaguchi; how do you happen to visit Tibet and Nepāl, -in spite of the great expense involved?” - -“I am absolutely free from all official connexions: I went to Tibet and -came to your country with the one sole object of completing my Buḍḍhist -study.” - -Next he asked “What route did you take in entering Tibet?” - -“By way of Mānasarovara,” answered I. - -At this he evinced signs of suppressed excitement, and asked quickly: -“And what was the route you took in reaching Mānasarovara?” - -“Sir,” I replied, “I cannot answer that question, except in the -presence of the King.” - -“Why?” - -“Because I do not wish to bring trouble on innocent parties.” - -The other officers then took turns in catechising me as to the manners -and customs, national characteristics, and military organisation of -Tibet and of Japan. I heard them say in Nepālese that I must be an -emissary of the Japanese Government. - -Presently we were told to proceed to the court of audience, whither -the rest of the assembly were now hurrying. I proceeded as far as a -portal, where I observed a large number of the provincial dignitaries -of Nepāl (as I subsequently found them to be) salāaming in the most -respectful manner. I also noticed one man in the crowd who appeared -greatly astonished to see me there: he was the chief of the district -of Tukje, in whose house I stayed when on my way to Tibet, and when I -went to him in no better capacity than a begging Chinese Lama. - -The Prime-Minister King had finished examining the horses sent in as -a tribute and sat down on a sofa, and I advanced to his presence. He -asked me: - -“What can I do for you now?” - -“My first appeal to Your Highness is the forwarding of my petition -to the Dalai Lama of Tibet, and the second is about Your Highness’s -promise as to the Samskṛṭ text of the Buḍḍhist Scriptures.” - -“We will talk about those things afterwards,” said he. “I understand -that you were in this country four years ago; is that true?” - -“Yes, your Highness, I was most certainly here four years ago.” - -He straightened himself up and said in a changed tone of voice--“Ha! -How was it that you did not tell me so when you saw me at Beelganji? Do -you not think that it was in the order of things that you should have -told me about your former visit to this country then?” - -“I do not deny that, your Highness; let me say, however, that much as I -wished to do so then, I abstained from doing so owing to a certain fear -I entertained.” - -“Might I know what you were afraid of?” - -“Certainly, your Highness. In the first place I thought then, that -should I open my mouth carelessly, I might invite your anger and -consequent punishment on the officers of your challenge gates and many -other people of this country. I should have felt unbearable sorrow of -mind, had my thoughtless divulgence of the fact at the time involved -my friends and acquaintances in Nepāl in the troubles and afflictions -now being undergone by those in Tibet. I most earnestly beseech Your -Highness that you will punish none of your subjects because of my -having passed through this country once before, or else I pray your -Highness to allow me to retract all that I have said about my former -visit.” - -“I grant your request; you may rest assured that I will not punish any -of our people on your account.” - -“Your Highness has greatly relieved me; I thank your Highness for your -magnanimity.” - -When truth speaks, it touches the heart; and I was gratified to notice -that the King seemed to believe my words. But when it came to the -question of the motive of my Tibetan and Nepāl journey, it was another -thing--as the King appeared to say, for he next asked me: - -“Who sent you to our country and Tibet--was it your Minister of Foreign -Affairs, or your Chief Marshal? Tell me the truth.” - -I was thunder-struck--I could see that even the King was laboring under -the suspicion that I was a political emissary of Japan. Never did I -feel more disgusted with what they call politics and diplomacy than -on that occasion; especially as I had always had a higher opinion of -Nepālese than of Tibetans. Absorbed in these thoughts I kept silence -for a while. The silence was misunderstood, for the King said: - -“So you cannot disclose your secret?” - -“Your Highness, there is no secret about me! I will tell your Highness -all the truth there is: it was my own self that sent me here.” - -The Minister laughed, and exclaimed: - -“Good; but you must know that one cannot travel abroad for six years, -unless he is well provided with money; and then you have given to me, -as well as to our Commander-in-Chief, presents which must have cost -you no small amount of money. Altogether the amount of money involved -cannot be such as is likely to be found in the pocket of a mere -Buḍḍhist priest with no worldly possessions. Then you seem to be a man -of scholarly attainments, besides being well informed of the affairs -of the world. You are now before me, and there is no necessity for you -to adhere to your secret. If however, you must keep your secret, I will -grant you a special audience the day after to-morrow, when you may see -me alone and tell me all. Should you still insist on being reserved, -then, I may withdraw all my promises to you; nor will I grant you any -protection.” - -“I have long since vowed my vow to our Lord Buḍḍha, and I tell no -falsehood. If your Highness refuses to believe me, I can only rest -contented with the fact that I have always adhered to the truth, and -beyond that I shall have no means, for the present at least, to prove -the truth of what I say. I can only hope that a day will come when your -Highness will be convinced of the truth of what I say.” - -“If you tell the truth,” replied the Minister, “nobody will suspect -you. I shall grant you another interview at half past ten on the -morning of the day after to-morrow, and I hope you will think well -about telling the truth in the meantime. I bid you good afternoon.” - - - - -CHAPTER CI. - -Third Audience. - - -It was on the 9th of February that I had had such an unpleasant -interview with the Nepālese Prime Minister, and was told to wait on -him again two days after. On the way back to the Tower, deeply moved -by what I had heard, I saw the grand appearance of Gaurīshankara, the -highest peak in the world, now mottled by clouds, and I gave vent to my -feelings thus: - - What gnawing torments do I suffer now? - Suspense, distrust and doubts o’erwhelm me. - These melt not or dissolve not from my heart - As yonder snows unmelted, hard to melt. - Those friends of mine, what fate attends them now? - ’Tis hard their painful destiny to guess: - Incarcerated and in durance vile - In regions far beyond those snowpeak clouds; - Communing with myself in dire suspense - I know not how to save them, in despair. - -But again: - - Should I such means adopt, perversely false, - Subversive of all Truth, dishonest, vile? - To utter falsehoods base would choke my throat; - But still to rescue them resolved am I - To seek for means, untainted by untruth; - To truth, unvarnished, perfect, will I cling. - -So on the 10th I spent much time in the company of my host, who tried -to persuade me into acting conventionally. He himself believed, -he said, that I was truly a Buḍḍhist priest and nothing more, but -counselled that I might better serve my purpose by acting on the King’s -suspicion than by adhering to the truth. Had I not already had occasion -to have recourse to falsehood, when it suited me, as for instance, in -passing myself off for a Chinese Lama? Was not the most important thing -in view the rescuing of my Tibetan friends, and did I not consider -that the prospect of enlisting the Nepālese King’s assistance in the -matter was greater by passing myself for a Japanese official than by -trying to be strictly truthful? That was all so, I replied; but I dwelt -on the points of difference between Tibet and Nepāl. - -“Stratagems or temporary plans,” I said, “may be used in war, or -in circumstances like war, or among rascals, in order to avoid -difficulties for others as well as for ourselves. Now the Nepālese are -not like the Tibetans, who do not allow a foreigner to enter into their -country. The civilisation of Nepāl permits the people to hear reason -and truth. How could I insult the Governor with falsehood? If he will -not believe me I shall be satisfied with my own truth, and I shall go -to Peking and there do my best for these Tibetan friends of mine.” - -My host finally acquiesced in the line of argument I pursued, but -nevertheless seemed quite concerned about my future safety. - -The 11th had come, and Buḍḍha Vajra and I reported ourselves at the -palace at the appointed hour. In the waiting-room I found a number of -officers and officials as before. A secretary came to me and took down -carefully in English what amounted to my _curriculum vitæ_. Presently, -and quite suddenly too, another high official who spoke English with -great fluency wanted to know from me if I had not drawn maps of Tibet -and Nepāl, and if he could see them. I denied the charge. The official -insisting, however, on the correctness of his suspicion, I told him -that he was welcome to cherish his own suspicion, as I for my part -could rest contented on the saying that detectives see thieves in most -people. He was saying that his suspicion was not his alone but was -shared by a large number of people, when we were summoned to the royal -presence. - -We were then shown into a fine room after going up four flights of -stairs. I saw the throne occupied by one whom I had taken to be a -junior member of the Cabinet at Beelganji. The King _de facto_ sat -by the King _de jure_. A few military officers and some Chamberlains -remained standing outside the room. I was told to sit before the -_de facto_ King and I took my seat after Tibetan fashion, sitting -cross-legged on the floor. The _de facto_ King opened the conversation -as follows: - -“You are ready now to tell me your secret, I suppose; what is it you -wish to tell me most?” - -“I possess no secret, Your Highness,” I answered. “What I most -earnestly solicit is that Your Highness will be kind enough to take the -trouble of forwarding my petition to the Dalai Lama of Tibet and also -procuring for me the Buḍḍhist Scriptures in Samskṛṭ.” - -The King appeared disappointed but not discomforted. He next wanted to -know the gist of my petition. I replied that I pointed out in it that -I was in truth a Buḍḍhist priest of Japan, that my Tibetan friends and -acquaintances in trouble had associated with me without knowing my -nationality; that I was the sole cause of all the trouble, and that -those Tibetans had committed no crime; that I would come to Tibet -in order to clear my friends and show their innocence, if the Dalai -Lama so willed; that if my coming into Tibet was not permissible, it -was incumbent on His Holiness to send to Japan a number of competent -scholars to ascertain the truth about me before he punished his -innocent subjects; that I was willing to find means to bear the cost of -the proceeding; and so on. - -After attentively listening to my recital, the King, who now seemed to -have more or less banished his suspicion, said: - -“I see; I shall then want two copies of your petition, one in Tibetan -and the other in Nepālese; I will forward the one in Tibetan to His -Holiness the Dalai Lama for you, and shall keep for myself the Nepālese -copy.” - -The order meant that I had not come to Nepāl in vain, and in secret -I wept with joy, and I thanked His Highness with all my heart. Being -then asked if I had not really disclosed my identity to any one before -leaving Tibet, I admitted that I had taken the ex-Minister of the -Treasury alone into my confidence. - -I was not yet safely through my ordeal; for the King was very curious -to know next how I had occupied my time during the twenty days that -had elapsed since my arrival in Kātmāndu. He accepted my reply, which -was to the effect that I had spent my time chiefly in literary efforts -to take home in verse and prose descriptions of the grandeur of the -Himālayan scenery. I then submitted to His Highness a list of the -Scriptures in Samskṛṭ that I wished to procure. The King took the -list from my hand and gave instructions accordingly to one of his -Chamberlains. He said that I should have all that could be collected in -fifteen days. - -On the way back to the Tower I again saw that highest peak, -Gaurīshankara, but its splendor was now far greater than it had been -that other day. Moreover my desires had been fulfilled by the grace of -our Lord Buḍḍha, and I thanked Him with _utas_: - - Till yesterday uncertain of their fate, - In doubts and painful anguish was I lost. - To-day means being found to rescue them - My doubts dissolve like snows upon the hills. - Of all expedients, honest Truth must be - The best; no doubt, whatever be the fruit, - E’en if the object aimed at be not gained, - But honest Truth itself is th’ object gained. - - I find no place where Buddha not exists. - Non-space, non-Buddha--this my constant thought. - These brilliant snowy mountains in the sky - The Lord Supreme pervades--the Lord of all. - -When I left Japan for Tibet, a friend of mine, Mr. S. Shimamura, had -sent in farewell a prophetic _uta_ which had been fulfilled, so I -mention it here with my reply. - - The path for you, you’ll find as you proceed - Across the pathless mountain-passes drear; - The Universal Leader, Buddha Great, your Guide - Shall be in all your rambles in Tibet. - -Reply: - - My heaped my sorrows and calamities - Now all are melted like th’ eternal snows - With that unfailing Beacon-light, my Guide; - The Universal Leader, Buddha Great, my Guide - Has been in all my rambles in Tibet. - - - - -CHAPTER CII. - -Farewell to Nepal and its Good Kings. - - -I had asked my host Buḍḍha Vajra to make a translation of my petition -to the Dalai Lama into Nepālese. He had finished the translation, taken -both copies to the palace and handed them to the King Chandra Shamsher. -He had come home and was talking to me: - -“Never before in my life,” said he, “have I felt so pleased as I did -to-day!” - -“Pray, what happened?” - -“When I handed up the petition and its translation, the King wanted to -know who had composed your Tibetan petition. I told His Highness that -you were your own author--which was nothing but truth--and he appeared -to be well pleased. I then said that His Highness might judge the high -merit of your composition by reading my translation of it, which was -but a poor effort. The King took up my translation and began to read -it. When he had finished going over the concluding part, where you -said: ‘The Dalai Lama of Tibet is the incarnation of the God of Mercy -and knoweth all. The fact that Ekai Kawaguchi, a priest of Japan, -was allowed personally to wait on and be taught by Your Holiness who -knoweth all, proveth that our Lord Buḍḍha willed that it should be even -so; not only that, but the same fact proveth that the Gods guarding the -four points of Your Holiness’ palace all willed so. Twenty years have -elapsed since Your Holiness’ country adopted the policy of absolute -seclusion, and no foreigner has been allowed to enter it during that -interval; and the fact that I alone was suffered to visit it proveth -that the Gods guarding the frontiers of your country had permitted me -to do so. Furthermore I discern something profoundly significant in -the combination of events which led Your Holiness that knoweth all -generously to overlook Ekai’s entry into your land and impart to him -the grand mysteries of your religion. Your Holiness knoweth as well as -I that the only two countries in the world that maintain the Mahāyāna -teaching of Buḍḍhism are the Empire of Japan and Tibet. There are -others indeed, but they are insignificant and are in decadence now. -The time is come when these two countries of Mahāyāna Budḍḍhism shall -become acquainted and open intercourse with each other, and join in -sending forth to the world the light of true Buḍḍhism. I think it was -the advent of this new epoch that paved the way for my entrance into -Tibet, and gave me an opportunity, most difficult to obtain, of being -initiated into the grand mysteries even by your Holiness.’ The King was -enraptured with the force and eloquence of your argument.” - -I was well pleased that things were so, and I praised our Lord Buḍḍha, -for by His protection and assistance my purpose in coming to Nepāl was -accomplished. - -I had to wait till about the 10th of March, in order to secure the -promised royal gift. I thought it unwise to spend the interval in doing -anything that would give an appearance of my being engaged in secret -observations; so openly obtaining permission, I made a trip to the -famous Nāgar Zong peak, a place sacred to Buḍḍhism. - -On the 12th of March, a few days after my return from the trip, I was -once more and for the last time summoned to the palace. I took with -me then a red and a white piece of crape, which had arrived in the -meantime from Japan, and presented them to the King, who accepted them -only after much protest. His Highness then caused the Samskṛṭ Texts to -be brought in and gave them to me. He at the same time signed to one of -his English interpreters and through him said in an authoritative tone -of voice: - -“Mr. Kawaguchi, these are rare volumes; I have been able to collect -only forty-one parts of the Scripture. I hope you will accept them from -me as a mark of my appreciation of your presents to me.” - -I tendered to His Highness my most heartfelt thanks and took leave of -him after a most respectful farewell. The volumes were forwarded for me -to Buḍḍha Vajra’s house, borne by two men. - -Everything was done to oblige me, even to passing all my luggage--which -had by that time become quite considerable--through the customs-house -in advance at Kātmāndu instead of at Tispanī or Chisapani, which is the -usual place where all outgoing freights are examined. - -On the 16th of March I left Kātmāndu, reached Raxaul station in the -night of the 21st, and on the following night arrived at Calcutta, -where I was met by my friend Mr. Omiya, who scolded me for spending -money recklessly. I spent some days in Calcutta, doing a good deal -of preaching among my countrymen residing there. Thence I went to -Bombay early in April, and there received a most hearty welcome. -There too I did some preaching and also lecturing, on one occasion -before an assembly of Japanese gentlemen resident in the port and on -another before the members of the local branch of the Asiatic Society. -Contributions and gifts given me in money during my stay there amounted -to a considerable sum, and with that money I purchased my passage home, -besides paying back the debts I owed to my friends in Calcutta. On the -24th of April I embarked on the _Bombay Maru_, and sailed for home. - -On May 19, 1902, the good ship passed Moji, and the next day she -came along side the Kobe pier, where from a considerable distance I -discerned the figures of my friends, relatives and members of my former -flock, with eyes that grew dimmer and dimmer as the distance shortened. - - - - -CHAPTER CIII. - -All’s well that ends well. - - -Something more than two years had elapsed since my return to Japan, and -in all that time the worry of my mind had kept on increasing, instead -of abating; in fact, every day that passed seemed to add to the misery -and to make more vivid the picture of the dreadful fate of my friends -and benefactors in Tibet. The reader may well imagine, therefore, with -what kind of feeling I read the following letter (from which an extract -only is given here): - -“Mr. Kawaguchi passed through Yatung (Tibet) on his way to Darjeeling -from Lhasa about June 1902. During his brief stay at Yatung, he, to my -personal knowledge, attended or prescribed for the wife of the local -Tibetan official there, commonly known as Dhurkey Sirdar. Soon after he -had crossed the Jelap pass into Sikkim (British protected territory) -an order was sent from Lhasa to the effect that he had been living at -the Gompa of Sera, Lhasa, for some fifteen months and had suddenly -disappeared, and was believed to be a foreigner. Therefore Dhurkey -Sirdar was instructed to compass his arrest. This in itself would seem -sufficient proof or corroboration of Kawaguchi’s statements, however, -they need not rest on this alone, for there is no Tibetan official -or merchant whom I have met who was not cognisant of Kawaguchi’s -lengthened residence at Sera Gompa and his flight therefrom.... - -“As I have already mentioned, I never yet met an official or merchant -who did not know of Kawaguchi’s lengthened residence at Lhasa, but I -have still to meet either one or other who has ever heard of Lander of -spiked-saddle fame! - -“Please tell Kawaguchi that from enquiries I have ascertained that his -Teacher and the merchants who befriended him have been released. I am, -however, instituting fuller enquiries and will do all in my power for -them and let him know as soon as possible.” - -The letter is dated “c/o Gratong P. O., Tibet Frontier Commission, -Tuna, 17 March, 1904,” and is from Captain Randal Parr, British Tibet -Frontier Commissioner, to whom I previously had the pleasure of -writing, through the introduction of Miss E. R. Scidmore of Yokohama. -It is addressed to the lady just mentioned, who has kindly placed at my -disposal the contents thereof. - -The present translation of my book on Tibet was near its completion -when I was allowed a perusal of the above, and never before had I -read any letter with so much genuine and mingled feeling of the -most profound joy and gratitude as I felt on that occasion. A great -tormenting load was suddenly taken off my mind--it will not be -necessary to say why. I am glad further that I am able to incorporate -this piece of good tidings in, and make it the concluding chapter of -this translation of my book. - - -PEACE TO ALL BEINGS. - -[Illustration: MOUNT GAURISHANKARA, THE HIGHEST PEAK IN THE WORLD.] - - - - -Transcriber's Note - - -Illustrations have been moved next to the relevant text. - - -The following apparent errors have been corrected: - - -p. xi "Third Challenge Gates" changed to "Third Challenge Gates." - -p. xi "from Lhasa" changed to "from Lhasa." - -p. xv "Bahaḍur" changed to "Bahāḍur" - -p. 7 "Ḍarjeeling" changed to "Darjeeling" - -p. 13 "Lāma Shabdung" changed to "Lama Shabdung" - -p. 53 "Paḍma Sambhava" changed to "Padma Sambhava" - -p. 66 "Ḍas" changed to "Ḍās" - -p. 142 "Bodhisaṭṭvas" changed to "Boḍhisaṭṭvas" - -p. 142 "Amiṭābha" changed to "Amitābha" - -p. 144 "just at" changed to "just as" - -p. 146 "than Mānasaṛovaṛa" changed to "than Mānasarovara" - -p. 172 "of Buḍḍhism" changed to "of Buḍḍhism." - -p. 196 "ice-blocks" changed to "ice-blocks." - -p. 218 "he would" changed to "He would" - -p. 229 "agreable" changed to "agreeable" - -p. 237 "priests" changed to "priests," - -p. 241 "twenty one" changed to "twenty-one" - -p. 244 "familar" changed to "familiar" - -p. 245 "two and half" changed to "two and a half" - -p. 256 "someone" changed to "someone." - -p. 258 "in one" changed to "is one" - -p. 263 "occasion" changed to "occasions" - -p. 295 "being trouble" changed to "bring trouble" - -p. 298 "in front of of" changed to "in front of" - -p. 321 "so much," changed to "so much." - -p. 370 "neigbors" changed to "neighbors" - -p. 395 "class" changed to "class." - -p. 425 "other which" changed to "other with" - -p. 440 "divisons" changed to "divisions" - -p. 453 "sen at Lhasa" changed to "_sen_ at Lhasa" - -p. 456 "inconvenience to" changed to "inconvenience" - -p. 487 "a fatal" changed to "fatal" - -p. 499 "Tsar in" changed to "Tsar is" - -p. 527 "agressive" changed to "aggressive" - -p. 535 "of a abiding" changed to "abiding" - -p. 535 "ngos' should" changed to "should" - -p. 535 "monastery" changed to "of a monastery" - -p. 572 "ancester's" changed to "ancestor's" - -p. 577 "Dās" changed to "Ḍās" - -p. 579 "determined" changed to "determined." - -p. 592 "aquaintance" changed to "acquaintance" - -p. 601 (note) "“_Lha-kyallo_" changed to "“_Lha-kyallo_”" - -p. 613 "road?”" changed to "road?" - -p. 614 "choose." changed to "choose.”" - -p. 626 "do so." changed to "do so.”" - -p. 654 "ollows" changed to "follows" - -p. 657 "disagreeble" changed to "disagreeable" - -p. 664 "Lapches in" changed to "Labches in" - -p. 673 "then," changed to "then,”" - -p. 674 "the air" changed to "the air." - -p. 674 "security, there" changed to "security there," - -p. 699 "fowarding" changed to "forwarding" - - -Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation have otherwise been kept as -printed. - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Three Years in Tibet, by Ekai Kawaguchi - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THREE YEARS IN TIBET *** - -***** This file should be named 52594-0.txt or 52594-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/2/5/9/52594/ - -Produced by Henry Flower and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Three Years in Tibet - -Author: Ekai Kawaguchi - -Release Date: July 17, 2016 [EBook #52594] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THREE YEARS IN TIBET *** - - - - -Produced by Henry Flower and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="transnote"> -<p>In the html version of this eBook, images with blue borders are linked to higher-resolution illustrations.</p> -</div> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[i]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<div class="break figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="map"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t723h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t723.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="439" alt="map" /> -</a> -</div> - - - - -<h1>THREE YEARS IN TIBET.</h1> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[iii]</a></span></p> - - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 543px;"> -<a id="AUTHOR_IN_1909"></a> -<a href="images/zill_a002bh.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_a002b.jpg" class="hires" width="543" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>AUTHOR IN 1909.</p></div> -</div> - - - - -<p class="break p4 center"> -<span class="x-large">Three Years</span><br /> -IN<br /> -<span class="x-large">Tibet</span><br /> - -with the original Japanese illustrations</p> -<p class="p2 center"> -BY<br /> -<b>THE SHRAMANA EKAI KAWAGUCHI</b><br /> -<i>Late Rector of Gohyakurakan Monastery, Japan</i>.</p> -<p class="p2 center"> -PUBLISHED BY<br /> -THE THEOSOPHIST OFFICE, ADYAR, MADRAS.<br /> -THEOSOPHICAL PUBLISHING SOCIETY, BENARES AND LONDON.<br /> -1909.<br /> -</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[iv]</a></span></p> - - - - -<p class="break p4 center"> -(<i>Registered Copyright.</i>)</p> -<p class="p2 center"> -PRINTED BY ANNIE BESANT AT THE VASANTA PRESS, ADYAR, MADRAS, S. INDIA.<br /> -</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE">PREFACE.</a></h2> - - -<p>I was lately reading the Holy Text of the <i>Saḍḍharma-Puṇdarīka</i> -(the Aphorisms of the White Lotus of the -Wonderful or True Law) in a Samskṛṭ manuscript under -a Boḍhi-tree near Mṛga-Ḍāva (Sāranāṭh), Benares. Here -our Blessed Lord Buḍḍha Shākya-Muni taught His Holy -Ḍharma just after the accomplishment of His Buḍḍhahood -at Buḍḍhagayā. Whilst doing so, I was reminded -of the time, eighteen years ago, when I had read the same -text in Chinese at a great Monastery named Ohbakusang -at Kyoto in Japan, a reading which determined me to -undertake a visit to Tibet.</p> - -<p>It was in March, 1891, that I gave up the Rectorship of -the Monastery of Gohyakurakan in Tokyo, and left for -Kyoto, where I remained living as a hermit for about three -years, totally absorbed in the study of a large collection of -Buḍḍhist books in the Chinese language. My object -in doing so was to fulfil a long-felt desire to translate the -texts into Japanese in an easy style from the difficult and -unintelligible Chinese.</p> - -<p>But I afterwards found that it was not a wise thing -to rely upon the Chinese texts alone, without comparing -them with Tibetan translations as well as with the original -Samskṛṭ texts which are contained in Mahāyāna Buḍḍhism. -The Buḍḍhist Samskṛṭ texts were to be found in Tibet -and Nepāl. Of course, many of them had been discovered -by European Orientalists in Nepāl and a few in other -parts of India and Japan. But those texts had not yet -been found which included the most important manuscripts -of which Buḍḍhist scholars were in great want. -Then again, the Tibetan texts were famous for being<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[vi]</a></span> -more accurate translations than the Chinese. Now -I do not say that the Tibetan translations are superior -to the Chinese. As literal translations, I think that -they are superior; but, for their general meaning, the -Chinese are far better than the Tibetan. Anyhow, it -was my idea that I should study the Tibetan language and -Tibetan Buḍḍhism, and should try to discover Samskṛṭ -manuscripts in Tibet, if any were there available.</p> - -<p>With these objects in view, I made up my mind to go to -Tibet, though the country was closed not only by the Local -Government but also by the surrounding lofty mountains. -After making my preparations for some time, I left Japan -for Tibet in June, 1897, and returned to my country in -May, 1903. Then in October, 1904, I again left Japan for -India and Nepāl, with the object of studying Samskṛṭ, -hoping, if possible, again to penetrate into Tibet, in search -of more manuscripts.</p> - -<p>On my return to Japan, my countrymen received me -with great enthusiasm, as the first explorer of Tibet from -Japan. The <i>Jiji</i>, a daily newspaper in Tokyo, the most -well-known, influential and widely read paper in Japan, and -also a famous paper in Ōsaka, called the <i>Maimichi</i>, published -my articles every day during 156 issues. After this, I -collected all these articles and gave them for publication in -two volumes to Hakubunkwan, a famous publisher in -Tokyo. Afterwards some well-known gentlemen in Japan, -Mr. Sutejiro Fukuzawa, Mr. Sensuke Hayakawa and -Mr. Eiji Asabuki, proposed to me to get them translated -into English. They also helped me substantially in this -translation, and I take this opportunity of expressing my -grateful thanks to them for the favor thus conferred -upon me.</p> - -<p>When my translation was finished, the British expedition -to Tibet had been successful, and reports regarding it -were soon afterwards published. I therefore stopped the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[vii]</a></span> -publication of my English translation, for I thought that -my book would not be of any use to the English-reading -public.</p> - -<p>Recently, the President of the Theosophical Society, my -esteemed friend Mrs. Annie Besant, asked me to show her -the translation. On reading it she advised me to publish -it quickly. I then told her that it would be useless for -me to publish such a book, as there were already Government -reports of the Tibetan expedition, and as Dr. Sven -Hedin of Sweden would soon publish an excellent book of -his travels in Tibet. But she was of opinion that such -books would treat of the country from a western point of -view, whilst my book would prove interesting to the -reader from the point of view of an Asiatic, intimately -acquainted with the manners, the customs, and the inner -life of the people. She also pointed out to me that the -book would prove attractive to the general reader for its -stirring incidents and adventures, and the dangers I had -had to pass through during my travels.</p> - -<p>Thus then I lay this book before the English-knowing -public. I take this opportunity of expressing my grateful -thanks to Mrs. Besant for her continued kindness to me -in looking over the translation, and for rendering me help -in the publication. Were it not for her, this book would -not have seen the light of day.</p> - -<p>Here also I must not fail to express my sincere thanks -to my intimate friend Professor Jamshedji N. Unwalla, <span class="smcap lowercase">M.A.</span>, -of the Central Hinḍū College, Benares; for he composed -all the verses of the book from my free English prose -translation, and looked over all the proof-sheets carefully -with me with heartiest kindness.</p> - -<p>I must equally thank those people who helped me in -my travels in a substantial manner, as well as those who -rendered me useful assistance in my studies; nay, even -those who threw obstacles in my way, for they, after all,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[viii]</a></span> -unconsciously rewarded me with the gift of the power to -accomplish the objects I had in view, by surmounting all -the difficulties I had to go through during my travels.</p> - -<p>With reference to this publication, whilst reading the -Aphorisms of the White Lotus of the Wonderful Law -this day, I cannot but feel extremely sorry in my heart -when I am reminded of those people who suffered a great -deal for my sake, some being even imprisoned for their -connexion with me when I was in Tibet. But on the -other hand, it is really gratifying to me, as well as -to them, to know that, after all, their sufferings for -my sake will be amply compensated by the good -karma they have certainly acquired for themselves -through their acts of charity and benevolence, that -have enabled me to read and carefully study with greater -knowledge, accuracy and enthusiasm, the most sacred -texts of our Holy Religion, than was possible for me -before my travels in Tibet. I assert this with implicit -faith in the fact that good deeds, according to the Sacred -Canon, have indubitably the power to purify Humanity, -sunk in the illusions of this world, often compared in our -Holy Scriptures to a muddy and dirty pond; at the same -time I believe that that power to purify rests with the -Glorious Lotus of the Awe-inspiring Law, suffusing all -with its brilliant effulgence; and with sweet odor, itself, -amidst its muddy surroundings, remaining for ever -stainless and unsullied.</p> - -<p> -<span class="sig">EKAI KAWAGUCHI.</span><br /> - -<span class="smcap">Central Hindu College</span>, <br /> -<span class="smcap">Staff Quarters</span>, <br /> -<i>Benares City, 1909</i>. <br /> -</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[ix]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS">CONTENTS.</a></h2> - - - -<div class="center"> -<table class="toc" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> -<tr><td><span class="small">CHAPTER</span></td><td></td><td><span class="small">PAGE</span></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">I.</td><td>Novel farewell Presents.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">II.</td><td>A Year in Darjeeling.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_11">11</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">III.</td><td>A foretaste of Tibetan barbarism.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_15">15</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">IV.</td><td>Laying a false scent.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_21">21</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">V.</td><td>Journey to Nepāl.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">VI.</td><td>I befriend Beggars.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">VII.</td><td>The Sublime Himālaya.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_40">40</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">VIII.</td><td>Dangers ahead.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_44">44</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">IX.</td><td>Beautiful Tsarang and Dirty Tsarangese.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_51">51</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">X.</td><td>Fame and Temptation.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_60">60</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XI.</td><td>Tibet at Last.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XII.</td><td>The World of Snow.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XIII.</td><td>A kind old Dame.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_81">81</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XIV.</td><td>A holy Cave-Dweller.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_86">86</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XV.</td><td>In helpless Plight.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_90">90</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XVI.</td><td>A Foretaste of distressing Experiences.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_96">96</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XVII.</td><td>A Beautiful Rescuer.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XVIII.</td><td>The Lighter Side of the Experiences.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_104">104</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XIX.</td><td>The largest River of Tibet.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_108">108</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XX.</td><td>Dangers begin in Earnest.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_112">112</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXI.</td><td>Overtaken by a Sand-Storm.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_116">116</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXII.</td><td>22,650 Feet above Sea-level.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_123">123</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXIII.</td><td>I survive a Sleep in the Snow.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_127">127</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXIV.</td><td>‘Bon’ and ‘Kyang’.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_131">131</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXV.</td><td>The Power of Buḍḍhism.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_135">135</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXVI.</td><td>Sacred Mānasarovara and its Legends.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_139">139</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXVII.</td><td>Bartering in Tibet.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_144">144</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXVIII.</td><td>A Himālayan Romance.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_150">150</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXIX.</td><td>On the Road to Nature’s Grand Maṇdala.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_162">162</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXX.</td><td>Wonders of Nature’s Maṇdala.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_167">167</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">[x]</a></span>XXXI.</td><td>An Ominous Outlook.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_178">178</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXXII.</td><td>A Cheerless Prospect.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_187">187</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXXIII.</td><td>At Death’s Door.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_191">191</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXXIV.</td><td>The Saint of the White Cave revisited.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_204">204</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXXV.</td><td>Some easier Days.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_211">211</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXXVI.</td><td>War Against Suspicion.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_218">218</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXXVII.</td><td>Across the Steppes.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_227">227</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXXVIII.</td><td>Holy Texts in a Slaughter-house.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_233">233</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XXXIX.</td><td>The Third Metropolis of Tibet.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_236">236</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XL.</td><td>The Sakya Monastery.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_241">241</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XLI.</td><td>Shigatze.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_249">249</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XLII.</td><td>A Supposed Miracle.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_257">257</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XLIII.</td><td>Manners and Customs.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_264">264</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XLIV.</td><td>On to Lhasa.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_280">280</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XLV.</td><td>Arrival in Lhasa.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_285">285</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XLVI.</td><td>The Warrior-Priests of Sera.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_291">291</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XLVII.</td><td>Tibet and North China.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_297">297</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XLVIII.</td><td>Admission into Sera College.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_304">304</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XLIX.</td><td>Meeting with the Incarnate Boḍhisaṭṭva.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_311">311</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">L.</td><td>Life in the Sera Monastery.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_323">323</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LI.</td><td>My Tibetan Friends and Benefactors.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_329">329</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LII.</td><td>Japan in Lhasa.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_335">335</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LIII.</td><td>Scholastic Aspirants.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_345">345</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LIV.</td><td>Tibetan Weddings and Wedded Life.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_351">351</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LV.</td><td>Wedding Ceremonies.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_362">362</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LVI.</td><td>Tibetan Punishments.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_374">374</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LVII.</td><td>A grim Funeral and grimmer Medicine.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_388">388</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LVIII.</td><td>Foreign Explorers and the Policy of Seclusion.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_397">397</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LIX.</td><td>A Metropolis of Filth.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_407">407</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LX.</td><td>Lamaism.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_410">410</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXI.</td><td>The Tibetan Hierarchy.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_417">417</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXII.</td><td>The Government.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_428">428</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXIII.</td><td>Education and Castes.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_435">435</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXIV.</td><td>Tibetan Trade and Industry.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_447">447</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXV.</td><td>Currency and Printing-blocks.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_461">461</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[xi]</a></span>LXVI.</td><td>The Festival of Lights.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_467">467</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXVII.</td><td>Tibetan Women.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_472">472</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXVIII.</td><td>Tibetan Boys and Girls.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_479">479</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXIX.</td><td>The Care of the Sick.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_484">484</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXX.</td><td>Outdoor Amusements.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_489">489</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXI.</td><td>Russia’s Tibetan Policy.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_493">493</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXII.</td><td>Tibet and British India.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_509">509</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXIII.</td><td>China, Nepāl and Tibet.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_519">519</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXIV.</td><td>The Future of Tibetan Diplomacy.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_526">526</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXV.</td><td>The “Monlam” Festival.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_531">531</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXVI.</td><td>The Tibetan Soldiery.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_549">549</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXVII.</td><td>Tibetan Finance.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_554">554</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXVIII.</td><td>Future of the Tibetan Religions.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_561">561</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXIX.</td><td>The Beginning of the Disclosure of the Secret.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_566">566</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXX.</td><td>The Secret Leaks Out.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_574">574</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXXI.</td><td>My Benefactor’s Noble Offer.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_584">584</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXXII.</td><td>Preparations for Departure.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_590">590</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXXIII.</td><td>A Tearful Departure from Lhasa.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_599">599</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXXIV.</td><td>Five Gates to Pass.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_618">618</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXXV.</td><td>The First Challenge Gate.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_623">623</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXXVI.</td><td>The Second and Third Challenge Gates.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_636">636</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXXVII.</td><td>The Fourth and Fifth Challenge Gates.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_642">642</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXXVIII.</td><td>The Final Gate passed.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_647">647</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">LXXXIX.</td><td>Good-bye, Tibet!</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_652">652</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XC.</td><td>The Labche Tribe.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_660">660</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XCI.</td><td>Visit to my Old Teacher.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_667">667</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XCII.</td><td>My Tibetan Friends in Trouble.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_671">671</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XCIII.</td><td>Among Friends.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_677">677</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XCIV.</td><td>The Two Kings of Nepāl.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_682">682</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XCV.</td><td>Audience of the Two Kings.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_685">685</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XCVI.</td><td>Second Audience.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_688">688</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XCVII.</td><td>Once more in Kātmāndu.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_692">692</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XCVIII.</td><td>Interview with the Acting Prime Minister.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_697">697</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">XCIX.</td><td>Painful News from Lhasa.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_700">700</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">[xii]</a></span>C.</td><td>The King betrays his suspicion.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_703">703</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">CI.</td><td>Third Audience.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_709">709</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">CII.</td><td>Farewell to Nepāl and its Good Kings.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_714">714</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">CIII.</td><td>All’s well that ends well.</td><td class="right"><a href="#Page_718">718</a></td></tr> -</table></div> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xiii" id="Page_xiii">[xiii]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2><a name="Illustrations_in_the_Text" id="Illustrations_in_the_Text">Illustrations in the Text.</a></h2> - - - -<div class="center"> -<table class="toc" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> -<tr><td colspan="2"></td><td><span class="small">PAGE</span></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">1.</td><td>Author’s departure from Japan.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t006">6</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">2.</td><td>The Lama’s execution.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t018">18</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">3.</td><td>On the banks of the Bichagori river.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t032">32</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">4.</td><td>A horse in difficulties.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t049">49</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">5.</td><td>Tsarangese village girls.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t057">57</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">6.</td><td>Entering Tibet from Nepāl.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t075">75</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">7.</td><td>To a tent of nomad Tibetans.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t079">79</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">8.</td><td>A night in the open and a snow-leopard.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t092">92</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">9.</td><td>Attacked by dogs and saved by a lady.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t100">100</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">10.</td><td>Nearly dying of thirst.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t114">114</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">11.</td><td>A sand-storm.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t117">117</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">12.</td><td>Struggle in the river.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t121">121</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">13.</td><td>Meditating in the face of death.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t125">125</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">14.</td><td>A ludicrous race.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t132">132</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">15.</td><td>Lake Mānasarovara.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t140">140</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">16.</td><td>Religion <i>v.</i> Love.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t151">151</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">17.</td><td>Near Mount Kailasa.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t169">169</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">18.</td><td>Quarrel between brothers.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t181">181</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">19.</td><td>Attacked by robbers.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t192">192</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">20.</td><td>The cold moon reflected on the ice.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t202">202</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">21.</td><td>Fallen into a muddy swamp.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t210">210</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">22.</td><td>Meeting a furious wild yak.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t229">229</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">23.</td><td>Outline of the monastery of Tashi Lhunpo.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t249">249</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">24.</td><td>Reading the Texts.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t266">266</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">25.</td><td>Priest fighting with hail.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t274">274</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">26.</td><td>Outline of the residence of the Dalai Lama.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t287">287</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">27.</td><td>A vehement philosophical discussion.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t306">306</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">28.</td><td>An audience with the Dalai Lama.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t316">316</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">29.</td><td>Inner room of the Dalai Lama’s country house.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t320">320</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">30.</td><td>Room in the finance secretary’s house.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t335">335</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xiv" id="Page_xiv">[xiv]</a></span>31.</td><td>Unexpected meeting with friends.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t341">341</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">32.</td><td>Girl weeping at being suddenly commanded to marry.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t356">356</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">33.</td><td>At the bridegroom’s gate. Throwing an imitation sword at the bride.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t366">366</a>, <a href="#zill_t367">367</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">34.</td><td>The wife of an Ex-Minister punished in public.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t378">378, 379</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">35.</td><td>Funeral ceremonies: cutting up the dead body.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t391">390, 391</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">36.</td><td>Lobon Padma Chungne.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t411">411</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">37.</td><td>Je Tsong-kha-pa.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t414">414</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">38.</td><td>A soothsayer under mediumistic influence falling senseless.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t426">426</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">39.</td><td>Flogging as a means of education.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t443">443</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">40.</td><td>Priest-traders loading their yaks.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t459">459</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">41.</td><td>New year’s reading of the Texts for the Japanese Emperor’s welfare.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t465">465</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">42.</td><td>Naming ceremony of a baby.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t480">480</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">43.</td><td>A picnic party in summer.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t491">491</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">44.</td><td>Prime Minister.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t502">502</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">45.</td><td>A corrupt Chief Justice of the monks.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t534">534</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">46.</td><td>The final ceremony of the Monlam.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t538">538</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">47.</td><td>A scene from the Monlam festival.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t541">541</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">48.</td><td>Procession of the Panchen or Tashi Lama in Lhasa.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t568">568</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">49.</td><td>Critical meeting with Tsa Rong-ba and his wife.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t580">580</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">50.</td><td>Revealing the secret to the Ex-Minister.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t585">585</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">51.</td><td>A mysterious Voice in the garden of Sera.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t596">596</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">52.</td><td>A distant view of Lhasa.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t605">605</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">53.</td><td>Farewell to Lhasa from the top of Genpala.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t606">606</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">54.</td><td>Crossing a mountain at midnight.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t610">610</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">55.</td><td>Night scene on the Chomo-Lhari and Lham Tso.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t616">616</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">56.</td><td>Beautiful scenery in the Tibetan Himālayas.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t634">634</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">57.</td><td>The fortress of Nyatong.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t649">649</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">58.</td><td>On the way to the snowy Jela-peak.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t654">654</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xv" id="Page_xv">[xv]</a></span>59.</td><td>Accidental meeting with a friend and compatriot.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t679">679</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">60.</td><td>Struggle with a Nepālese soldier.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t690">690</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">61.</td><td>Meeting again with an old friend, Lama Buḍḍha Vajra.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t695">695</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">62.</td><td>The author and his friend Buḍḍha Vajra enjoying the brilliant snow at Kātmāndu.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t704">704</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">63.</td><td>Nāgārjuna’s cave of meditation in Nepāl.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t716">716</a></td></tr> -</table></div> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak">Photogravures.</h2> -</div> - - -<div class="center"> -<table class="toc" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> -<tr><td colspan="2"></td><td class="right"><span class="small">TO FACE PAGE</span></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">1.</td><td>The Author in 1909.</td><td><i><a href="#AUTHOR_IN_1909">Frontispiece.</a></i></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">2.</td><td>The Author just before leaving Japan.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_a016b">1</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">3.</td><td>Rai Bahāḍur Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t010b">11</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">4.</td><td>Lama Sengchen Dorjechan.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t014b">15</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">5.</td><td>The Author meditating under the Boḍhi-tree.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t024b">25</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">6.</td><td>Passport in Tibetan for the Author’s return to Tibet in the future.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t644b">645</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">7.</td><td>The Author as a Tibetan Lama at Darjeeling on his return.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t666b">667</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">8.</td><td>The Author performing ceremonies in Tibetan costume.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t668b">669</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">9.</td><td>The Prime Minister of Nepāl, H. H. Chanḍra Shamsīr.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t684b">685</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">10.</td><td>The Commander-in-Chief of Nepāl, H. E. Bhim Shamsīr.</td><td class="right"><a href="#zill_t696b">697</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="right">11.</td><td>Mount Gaurīshaṅkara, the highest peak in the world.<br />(<a href="#zill_t721">At the end of the volume).</a></td></tr> -</table></div> - -<h2>Sketch-map.</h2> - -<div class="center"> -<table class="toc" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary=""> - -<tr><td class="right"> -1.</td><td>Chart of the Route followed by the Author. (<a href="#map">At the end of the volume.</a>)</td></tr> -</table></div> - - - - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 521px;"> -<a id="zill_a016b"></a> -<a href="images/zill_a016bh.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_a016b.jpg" class="hires" width="521" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>THE AUTHOR JUST BEFORE LEAVING JAPAN.</p></div> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Novel farewell presents.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>In the month of May, 1897, I was ready to embark -on my journey, which promised nought but danger and -uncertainty. I went about taking leave of my friends -and relatives in Tokyo. Endless were the kind and -heartfelt words poured on me, and many were the presents -offered me to wish me farewell; but the latter I -uniformly declined to accept, save in the form of -sincerely given pledges. From those noted for excessive -use of intoxicants, I exacted a promise of absolute abstinence -from “the maddening water;” and from immoderate -smokers I asked the immediate discontinuance of the -habit that would end in nicotine poisoning. About forty -persons willingly granted my appeal for this somewhat -novel kind of farewell presents. Many of these are -still remaining true to the word then given me, and -others have apparently forgotten them since. At all -events, I valued these “presents” most exceedingly. In -Osaka, whither I went after leaving Tokyo, I also -succeeded in securing a large number of them. Three -of them I particularly prized, and should not fail to -mention them here; for, as I think of them now, I cannot -help fancying that they had transformed themselves -into unseen powers that saved me from the otherwise -certain death.</p> - -<p>While still in Tokyo I called on Mr. Takabe Tona, a -well-known manufacturer of asphalt. Mr. Takabe had -been a born fisher, especially skilled in the use of the -“shot-net,” and to catch fish had been the joy and -pleasure of his life. On the occasion of the leave-taking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> -visit which I paid him, I found him in a very despondent -mood. He volunteered to tell me that he had just lost -a three-year old child of his, and the loss had left his -wife the most distracted woman in the world, while he -himself could not recover the peace of his mind, even -fishing having become devoid of its former charms for -him. I said to my host, who had always been a very -intimate friend of mine and a member of my former -flock: “Do you really find it so hard to bear the death -of your child? What would you think of a person who -dared to bind up and kill a beloved child of yours, -and roast and eat its flesh?” “Oh! devilish! The -devil only could do that; no man could,” answered he. -I quickly rejoined: “You are a fiend then, at least, to -the fishes of the deep”. Strong were the words I -used then, but it was in the fulness of my heart that -I spoke them, and Mr. Takabe finally yielded and -promised me to fish no more. He was very obdurate -at first; but when I pointed out to him that it was at -the risk of my life that I was going to Tibet, and -that for the sake of my religion, which was also his, he -stood up with a look of determination. He excused -himself from my presence for awhile, and then returned -with some fishing-nets, which he forthwith handed over -to me, saying that those were the weapons of murder -with which he had caused the death of innumerable -denizens of the brine, and that I might do with them -as I liked, for he had no longer any use for them. I -thereupon asked a daughter of the host’s to build a fire -for me in the yard; and, when it was ready, I consigned -the nets to flames in the presence of all—there were -all the members of the family and some visitors, -besides, to witness the scene. Among the visitors was -Mr. Ogawa Katsutaro, a relative of the family. This -gentleman had also been an excellent sportsman, with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> -both gun and nets. He had seen the dramatic scene -before him and heard me pray for my host. As the -nets went up in smoke, Mr. Ogawa rose and said -impressively: “Let me too wish that you fare well in Tibet, -by making to you the gift of a pledge: I pledge myself -that I will never more take the lives of other creatures for -amusement; should I prove false to these words let ‘Fudo -Myo-oh’ visit me with death.” I had never before felt -so honored and gratified as I felt when I heard this -declaration. Then in Sakai, while taking leave of Mr. Ito -Ichiro, an old and lifelong friend of mine, who, also, -counted net-fishing among his favorite sports, I -told him all about the burning of Mr. Takabe’s nets; -and he, too, did me the favor of following the example -set by my Tokyo friends. Then I called on Mr. -Watanabe Ichibei at Osaka. He is, as he has always -been, a very wealthy man, now dealing chiefly in stocks -and trade with Korea. His former business was that -of a poultry-man, not in the sense of one who raises -fowls, etc., but of one who keeps an establishment where -people go to have a poultry dinner. His business throve -wonderfully; but I knew that his circumstances were -such that he could well afford to forego such a sinful business -as one which involved the lives of hundreds of fowls -every day, especially as he had been a zealous believer of -our religion. Several times previously I had written him, -beseeching him to give up his brutal business, and I repeated -the appeal on the occasion of my last visit to him before -my departure for Tibet, when he promised, to my great -gratification, that, as speedily as possible, he would change -his business, though to do so immediately was impracticable. -I was still more gratified when I learned that -he had proved the genuineness of his promise about -a year and a half after my departure. Ordinarily -considered, my conduct in exacting these pledges might<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> -appear somewhat presumptuous; but it ought to be -remembered that the sick always need a medicine too -strong for a person in normal health, and the two classes -of people must always be treated differently in spiritual -ministration as in corporeal pathology. Be that as it may, -I cannot help thinking of these gifts of effective promises, -as often as I recall my adventures in the Himālayas -and in Tibet, which often brought me to death’s door. -I know that the great love of the merciful Buḍḍha -has always protected me in my dangers; yet, who knows -but that the saving of the lives of hundreds and thousands -of finny and feathered creatures, as the result of these -promises, contributed largely toward my miraculous -escapes.</p> - -<p>Farewell visits over, I was ready to start, but for -some money. I had had a small sum of one hundred -yen of my own savings; but this amount was swelled -to 530 yen, by the generosity of Messrs. Watanabe, -Harukawa, and Kitamura of Osaka, Hige, Ito, Noda, and -Yamanaka of Sakai, and others. Of this total, I spent -about one hundred in fitting myself out for a peculiarly -problematical journey, and the very modest sum of half -a thousand was all I had with me on my departure.</p> - -<p>It is curious how little people believe your words, -until you actually begin to carry them out, especially -when your attempt is a venturesome one, and how -they protest, expostulate, and even ridicule you, often -predicting failure behind your back, when they see that -you are not to be dissuaded. And I had the pleasure -of going through these curious experiences; for many -indeed were those who came to me almost at the last -moment to advise, to ask, to beg me to change my -mind and give up my Tibetan trip, and I could see -that they were all in earnest. For instance, on the very -eve of my departure, while spending my last night at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> -Mr. Maki’s in Osaka, a certain judge of the Local Court -of Wakayama came on purpose to tell me that I was -bound to end my venture in making myself a laughing-stock -of the world by meeting death out of fool-hardiness, -and that I would do far better by staying at -home and engaging in my ecclesiastical work, a work -which, he said, I had full well qualified myself to -undertake; to do the latter was especially advisable -for me, because the Buḍḍhist circle of Japan was in -great need of earnest and capable men, and so on. -Seeing that I was not to be moved in my determination, -the judge said: “Suppose you lose your life in -the attempt? you will not be able to accomplish anything.” -“But it is just as uncertain whether I die, or -I survive my venture. If I die, well and good; it -will be like the soldier’s death in a battle-field, and I -should be gratified to think that I fell in the cause of -my religion,” I answered. Then the judge gave me up for -incorrigible and went away, after wishing me farewell -in a substantial manner. That was on the night of -June 24th, 1897. Early on the following morning -I left Osaka, and on the next day I embarked on the -<i>Idzumi-maru</i> at Kobe, seen off by my friends and well-wishers -already mentioned. Among them was Mr. Noda -Giichiro, who told me that he was very glad as well as very -sorry for this departure of mine, and that his words could -not give adequate expression to the feelings uppermost in -his heart. I thought these touching words expressed the -feelings shared by my other friends also.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 579px;"> -<a id="zill_t006"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t006h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t006.jpg" class="hires" width="579" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>AUTHOR’S DEPARTURE FROM JAPAN.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>Hats and handkerchiefs grew smaller and fainter -until they went out of sight, as the good ship <i>Idzumi</i> -steamed westward. Past Wada promontory, my old -acquaintances, the peaks of Kongo, Shigi and Ikoma, -in turn, disappeared in the rounding sea. In due time -Moji was reached and then, out of the Strait of Genkai,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> -our ship headed direct for Hongkong. At Hongkong, -Mr. Thompson, an Englishman, boarded our ship, and -his advent proved to be a welcome change in the monotony -of the voyage. He said he had lived eighteen years in -Japan, and he spoke Japanese exceedingly well. I found -in him an earnest and enthusiastic Christian; and, as -may be imagined, he and I came to spend much of our -time in religious controversies, which, as they were carried -on, it may be needless to add, in a most friendly way, -became a source of much pleasure and information, not -only to ourselves, but also to all on board. Another -interesting experience which I went through during the -voyage was when I preached—and I preached quite a -number of times—before the officers and men of the -ship, who proved the most willing and interested audience -I had ever come across.</p> - -<p>On the 12th of July, the <i>Idzumi</i> entered the port of -Singapore, and I put up at the Fusokwan Hotel there. On -the 15th, I called at the Japanese Consulate in the port, -and saw Mr. Fujita Toshiro, our then Consul there. -Mr. Fujita had heard of me from the <i>Idzumi’s</i> captain, -and he said to me: “I hear you are going to Tibet. -I do not know how you have got your venture mapped -out, but I know it is a very difficult thing to reach -and enter that country. Even Col. Fukushima (now -Lieutenant-General, of trans-Siberian fame) made a halt -at Darjeeling, and had to retrace his steps thence, -acknowledging practically the impossibility of a Tibetan -exploration, and I cannot see how you can fare better. -But if you must, I think there are only two ways of -accomplishing your purpose: namely, to force your way -by the sheer force of arms at the head of an expedition, -for one; and to go as a beggar, for the other. May I ask -you about your programme?” I answered Mr. Fujita to the -effect that being a Buḍḍhist priest, as I was, the first<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> -of the methods he had mentioned was out of the -question for me, and that my idea at the time was -to follow the second course; although I was far from -having anything like a definite programme of my -journey. I told him, further, that I intended to wander on -as the course of events might lead me. I left the -Consul in a very meditative mood.</p> - -<p>I stayed a week in Fusokwan, and it was on the -last day but one before leaving it that I narrowly -escaped a serious, even mortal, accident. As a priest, -I made it, as I make it now, my practice to do preaching -whenever and wherever an opportunity presented itself, -and my rigid adherence to this practice greatly pleased the -proprietor of that Singapore establishment. In consequence -of this, I was treated with special regard while there, -and every day, when the bath was ready, I was the first -to be asked to have the warm water ablution, which is -always so welcome to a Japanese. On the 18th, the usual -invitation was extended to me, but I was just at that -moment engaged in reading the Text, and could not -comply with it at once. The invitation was repeated -a second time, but, somehow or other, I was not ready -to take my bath, and remained in my room. Meanwhile, I -heard a great noise, with a thud that shook the whole -building. A few moments later, I ascertained that the -sound and quaking were caused by the collapse and -fall of the bath-room from the second floor, where it -had been situated, to the ground below, with its bath, -basin, and all the other contents, among which the -most important and unfortunate was a Japanese lady, -who, as I had been neglectful in accepting the invitation, -was asked to have her bath first. The lady was, as -I afterward learned, very dangerously hurt, buried, as -she was, under <i>débris</i> of falling stones, bricks and -timber, and she was taken to a local hospital, where she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> -lay with very little hope of recovery. I often shudder -to think of what would have become of me and of my -Tibetan adventure, had I been more prompt, as I had -always been till then, in responding to all invitations -of the kind. I felt exceedingly sorry for the lady, who -met the awful accident practically in my stead; withal -I look back to the incident as one that augured well for -my Tibetan undertaking, which, indeed, ended in success.</p> - -<p>The day after the accident, on the 19th of July, I -took passage on an English steamer, the <i>Lightning</i>, which, -after calling at Penang, brought me to Calcutta on the -25th of the month. Placing myself under the care of the -Mahāboḍhi Society of Calcutta, I spent several days in that -city, in the course of which I learned from Mr. Chanḍra -Bose, a Secretary of the Society, that I could not do better -for my purpose than to go to Darjeeling, and make myself -a pupil of Rai Bahāḍur Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās, who, as I was -told, had some time before spent several months in Tibet, -and was then compiling a Tibetan-English dictionary at his -country house in Darjeeling. Mr. Chanḍra Bose was good -enough to write a letter of introduction to the scholar at -Darjeeling in my favor, and, with it and also with kind -parting wishes of my countrymen in the city and others, -I left Calcutta on August 2nd, by rail. Heading north, the -train in almost no time brought its passengers to the -river Gaṅgā. We crossed the mighty stream in a steamer, -and then boarded another train on the other side. -Heading north still, the train now passed through cocoanut -groves and green paddy-fields, over which, as night -came on, giant fire-flies, the like of which in size are not -to be found in Japan, flew about in immense swarms. -The sight was especially interesting after the moon had -disappeared. The following morning, that is, on the 3rd -of August, the train pulled up at Siligree Station, and -there its passengers, including myself, were transferred to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> -a train of small mountaineering cars, which, faring ever -northward, forthwith began its tortuous ascent of the -Himālayas, or rather, of the outer skirt of the mighty range. -With its bends and turns and climbings, as the train labored -onward and upward through the famous “ḍalai-jungle,” -it looked like some amphibian monster on its war -path, as I fancied, while the grind of the car wheels, -with its sound echoed and re-echoed, seemed to spread -quaking terror over peaks and dales. By 3 <span class="smcap lowercase">P. M.</span>, the -train had made a climb of fifty miles and then landed us -at Darjeeling, which place is 380 miles distant from -Calcutta. At the station I hired a <i>ḍanlee</i>, which is a sort -of mountaineering palanquin, and, borne in it, I soon afterward -arrived at Rai Saraṭ’s retreat, Lhasa Villa, which I -found to be a magnificent mansion.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t010b"></a> - -<img src="images/zill_t010b.jpg" class="lores" width="600" height="787" alt="" /> - -<div class="caption"><p>RAI BAHADUR SARAT CHANDRA DAS, C.I.E.</p></div> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">A year in Darjeeling.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>It was just after the great earthquake in Assam, India, -that I arrived in Darjeeling, and, as I could see from a -large number of entirely collapsed and partly destroyed -houses, this latter place also had had its share of the -seismic disturbances. As for the Saraṭ Villa, it too had -suffered more or less, and repair was already in progress. -For all that, I was received there with a whole-hearted -welcome. An evening’s talk was sufficient, however, to -make my intentions clear to my kind host, and, as my time -was precious, Rai Saraṭ took me out, the very next day -after my arrival, to a temple called Ghoompahl, where I was -introduced to an aged Mongolian priest, who lived there -and was renowned for his scholarly attainments and also -as a teacher of the Tibetan language. The priest was then -seventy-eight years of age, and his name, which was Serab -Gyamtso (Ocean of Knowledge), happened by a curious coincidence -to mean in the Tibetan tongue the same thing as -my own name Ekai meant. This discovery, at our first -meeting, greatly pleased my Tibetan tutor, as the old priest -was thenceforth to be. Our talk naturally devolved upon -Buḍḍhism, but the conversation proved to be a rather awkward -affair, for though Rai Saraṭ kindly acted the part of an -interpreter for us, it had to be carried on, on my part, in -very rudimentary English. As it was, the first day of my -tutelage ended in my making the acquaintance of the Tibetan -alphabet, and from that time onward, I became a regular -attendant at the temple, daily walking three miles from -and back to the Saraṭ mansion. One day, about a month -after this, Rai Saraṭ had me in his room and spoke to me -thus: “Well, Mr. Kawaguchi, I would advise you to give<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> -up your intention of going to Tibet. It is a very risky -undertaking, which it would be worth risking if there -were any chance of accomplishing it; but chances are -almost entirely against you. You can acquire all the -knowledge of the Tibetan language you want, here, and -you can go back to Japan, where you will be respected as -a Tibetan scholar.” I told my host that my purpose was -not only to learn the Tibetan language, but that it was to -complete my studies in Buḍḍhism. “That may be,” said -my host, “and a very important thing it no doubt is -with you; but what is the use of attempting a thing -when there is no hope of accomplishing it? If you -go into Tibet, the only thing you can count upon is -that you will be killed!” I retorted: “Have you not been -there yourself? I do not see why I cannot do the same -thing.” Rai Saraṭ’s rejoinder was: “Ah! That is just -where you are mistaken; you must know that the times -are different, Mr. Kawaguchi. The ‘closed door’ policy -is in full operation, and is being carried out with the -most jealous strictness in Tibet to-day, and I know that -I will never be able again to undertake another trip -into that country. Besides, when I made my trip, I -had with me an excellent pass, which I was fortunate -to secure through certain means, but there is no means, -nor even hope, any longer of procuring such a pass. -Under the circumstances I should think it is to your own -interest to go home from here, after you have completed -the study of the Tibetan language.” I knew that my -good host meant all that he said; but I could not allow -myself to be prevailed upon. Instead, I utilised the -occasion in telling him that further tutelage under Lama -Serab was not to my mind, because the aged priest -was more anxious to teach me the Tibetan Buḍḍhism -than the Tibetan language. I asked Rai Saraṭ to kindly -devise for me some way, by which I might acquire<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> -the vernacular Tibetan language. Finding me resolute in -my purpose, Rai Saraṭ, with his unswerving kindness, -cheerfully agreed to my request, and arranged for -me that I should have a new private teacher, besides -a regular schooling. It was in this way. Just below -Rai Saraṭ’s mansion was a residence which consisted -of two small but pretty buildings. The residence belonged -to a Lama called Shabdung, who just then -happened not to live there, but in a house in the -business quarters of Darjeeling. Rai Saraṭ sent for this -Lama and asked him to teach the “Japan Lama” the -Tibetan language, the Lama returning to his residence -just mentioned with his entire household. Lama Shabdung -was only too pleased to do as was requested, and I was -forthwith installed a member of his household, that -I might have ample opportunity of learning the popular -Tibetan language. On the other hand, I at the -same time matriculated into the Government School -of Darjeeling, and was there given systematic lessons -in the same language by Prof. Tumi Onden, the Head -Teacher of the language department of Tibetans in that -School. I should not forget to mention here that, while I -paid out of my own pocket all the tuition fees and school -expenses, as it was quite proper that I should, I was made -a beneficiary of my friend Rai Saraṭ so far as my board -was concerned, that good man insisting that to do a little -kindness in favor of such a “pure and noble-hearted man -as you are”—as he said—was to increase his own -happiness. Not too well stocked with the wherewithal -as I was, I gratefully allowed myself to be prevailed upon -to accept his generosity. Indeed, I had only three hundred -yen with me when I arrived at Darjeeling; but, as it was, -that amount supported me for the seventeen months of my -stay there. Had I had to pay my own board, I would have -had to cut down my stay there to half the length of time.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span></p> - -<p>At Lama Shabdung’s I lived as though back in my boyhood, -attending the school in the morning, and doing my -lessons at home in the company of the children of the -family in the afternoon. It is a well known thing that the -best way to learn a foreign language is to live among the -people who speak it, but a discovery—as it was to me—that -I made while at Shabdung’s was that the best teachers of -everyday language are children. As a foreigner you ask -them to teach you their language; and you find that, led -on by their instinctive curiosity and kindness, not unmingled -with a sense of pride, they are always the most anxious -and untiring teachers, and also that in their innocence they -are the most exacting and intolerant teachers, as they -will brook no mis-pronunciation or mis-accent, even -the slightest errors. Next to children, women are, I think, -the best language teachers. At least such are the conclusions -I arrived at from the experiences of my ‘schooling -days’ in Darjeeling. For in six or seven months -after my instalment in the Shabdung household, I had -become able to carry on all ordinary conversation in -the Tibetan tongue, with more ease than in my English of -two years’ hard learning, and I regard Tibetan as a -more difficult language than English. True, I made -myself a most willing and zealous pupil all through the -tutelage; withal, I consider the progress I made in -that short space of time as quite remarkable, and that -progress was the gift of my female and juvenile teachers in -the Shabdung family. The more progress I made in my -linguistic acquirement, the more eager student I became -in things Tibetan, and I found in my host a truly -charming conversationalist, himself fond of talking. -Evening after evening I sat, an absorbed listener to Lama -Shabdung’s flowing and inexhaustible store of narratives -about Tibet.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">A foretaste of Tibetan barbarism.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>To give one of Lama Shabdung’s favourite recitals -about Tibet: my host, while there, studied Buḍḍhism -under a high Lama of great virtues and the most profound -learning, called Sengchen Dorjechan (Great-Lion -Diamond-Treasury), who had been the tutor of the -Secondary or Deputy Pope, so to say, of Tibet. No man in -Tibet was held in higher esteem and deeper reverence -than this holy man. It was this holy man himself who -taught my friend and benefactor Rai Saraṭ, when he was -in Tibet. Though Rai Saraṭ’s pupilage under the high -Lama lasted only for a short time, it had the most tragical -consequences. For, after his return to India, the Tibetan -Government discovered to its own mortification that Rai -Saraṭ was an emissary of the British Government, and -the parties who had become in any way connected with -his visit, more particularly the man who had secretly -furnished him with a pass, another in whose house he -had lodged and boarded, and the high Lama, were all -thrown into prison, the last named having afterward -had to pay with his life for his innocent crime.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 593px;"> -<a id="zill_t014b"></a> - -<img src="images/zill_t014b.jpg" class="lores" width="593" height="800" alt="" /> - -<div class="caption"><p>LAMA SENGCHEN DORJECHAN.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>Many are the reminiscences of this holy Lama, which -show that he was indeed a person very firm and -enlightened in the Buḍḍhist faith, and to that degree -was the most lovable and adorable of men. But -more especially affecting, even sublimely beautiful, are -the episodes immediately preceding and surrounding his -death, for the truth of which I depend not on the narrative -of Lama Shabdung alone, but largely also upon -what I was able to learn from persons of unquestionable -reliability, during my disguised stay in the capital of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> -Tibet. To mention a few of these: when an unpleasant -rumor had just begun to be circulated, soon after -Rai Saraṭ’s departure from Tibet, about his secret -mission, the high Lama Sengchen knew at once that -death was at his door, but was not afraid. For, when it -was hinted at by his friends that he would become involved -in a serious predicament, owing to his acquaintance -with Rai Saraṭ, he replied that he had always considered -it his heaven-ordained work to try to propagate and -to perpetuate Buḍḍhism, not among his own countrymen -only, but among the whole human race; that whether -or not Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās was a man who had entered -Tibet with the object of “stealing away Buḍḍhism,” or -to play the part of a spy, was not his concern—the -question had in any case never occurred to him—and -that if he were to suffer death for having done what he -had regarded it as his duty to do, he could not help it. -That this holy Lama was an advocate of active propagandism -may be gathered from the fact that, besides -sending various Buḍḍhistic images and ritualistic utensils -to India, he had caused several persons to go out -there as missionaries, my teacher, the Manchurian Lama -Serab Gyamtso, in the Ghoompahl Temple of Darjeeling, -being one of these. Unfortunately, this undertaking did -not prove a success, but none the less it shows the lofty -aspirations which actuated the high Lama, who, as I was -told, had deeply lamented the decadence, or rather the -almost entire disappearance, of Buḍḍhism in the land of -its origin, and was sincerely anxious to revive it there. -It is nothing uncommon in Japan to meet with Buḍḍhist -priests interested in the work or idea of foreign propagandism; -but a person so minded is an extreme rarity in -that hermit-country Tibet, and that Lama Sengchen was -such a one indicates the greatness of his character, and -that he was a man above sectarian differences and inter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span>national -prejudices, solely given to the noble idea of -universal brotherhood under Buḍḍhism. Being the man -he was, he had many enemies among the high officials of -the hierarchical Government, who were in constant -watch for an opportunity to bring about his downfall. -To these, his enemies, the rumor about Prof. Saraṭ was -a welcome one, which they lost no time in turning to -account. In all haste they despatched men to Darjeeling, -and ascertained that, in truth, Rai Saraṭ had smuggled -himself into and out of Tibet, and that, as the fact -was, he had done so at the request of the British -Government of India. Then followed the incarceration, -already mentioned, of all those who had had anything to -do with Rai Saraṭ, the final upshot of which was -sentence of death upon the high Lama Sengchen Dorjechan, -on the ground that the latter had harbored in his -temple, and divulged national secrets to, a foreign -emissary. The holy man’s execution was carried out -on a certain day of June, 1887, and took the form of -sinking him till he became drowned in the river -Konbo, which is a local name given to the great -Brahmapuṭra. As I recall the scene of that occasion, as -I heard it described, I see before my eyes the tear-drenched -face of my friend Lama Shabdung, who, -struggling with emotion, would often tell me what he -witnessed on that day. Surrounded by an immense -crowd of sympathising and sobbing people, the noble -Lama was found seated, and reading the sacred Text, -on a large piece of rock overhanging a side of the -river, as the hour of his execution approached. He -was clothed in a coarse white fabric, and looked -serenely calm and perfectly composed, as he gave an -order to his executioners in these words: “When, in -a little while, I have finished reading the holy Text, -I will shake this my finger three times thus, and that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> -will be the signal for you to sink me in the river.” -The instruction was in response to a question, if the -high Lama wanted to say or have done anything ere -his execution, asked by one of the executioners, who -was already tying around the holy man’s body one -end of a thick rope, with which he was to be lowered -under the water. In the meantime, the suspense grew -intense and the great multitude that had gathered -around had become blind to everything but the mighty, -cruel waters of the Brahmapuṭra, the executioners, -and the holy priest, and deaf to all but their own -sobbings and wailings. They saw before them a man -of their hearts, of national esteem, profound in learning -and saintly in behavior, who, as a priest of the -highest order, should wear three layers of red and yellow -silk, but who was wrapped in an unclean prison-suit of -white, and was now to die a victim to his enemies’ -malice. They knew all was not right, but they knew -not how to undo the wrong, and they appealed to their -own tears. As it happened, the day had been cloudy, -and rain had even begun to come down in drops as -the high Lama raised one of his hands, the purpose -of which act was all too evident, and lamentation -became loud and universal. Once, twice, and three -times the noble prisoner had shaken his finger, but -none of the executioners dared to come forward—they -were in tears themselves. Then the high Lama -said: “My time is come: what are ye doing? Speed -me under water.” Thereupon, with heavy hands and -heavier hearts the executioners, after having weighted -the high Lama’s loins with a large stone, slowly -lowered the whole burden into the rushing waters of -the Brahmapuṭra. After a while they pulled up what -they expected to have become the remains of the saintly -man, but finding that life had not yet departed, they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> -again went through the drowning process. When for -a second time they raised the body, they found life -still lingering in it. The multitude, which saw how -things went, became clamorous in their demand that -the holy man be now saved; while the executioners -themselves seemed unnerved and unable to go to their -cruel duty a third time. As the moments of indecision -sped by, the high Lama, most wonderful to tell, -recovered sufficient strength to speak, and say: “Lament -ye not my death. For my phase of activity having -come to an end, I now depart with gratification, and that -means that my evil past ceases, so that my good future -may begin—it is not ye that kill me. All that I wish -for, after my death, is a greater and ever-growing -prosperity for Buḍḍhism in Tibet. Now make ye haste, -and sink me under the water.” Thus urged, the -executioners, sorrow-ridden, obeyed the order, and they -saw that life, in sooth, had departed at the third raising -of the body. Then, as the custom is in Tibet, they -severed all the limbs from the high Lama’s remains, -and threw the different parts separately into the stream, -thus ending the grim business of execution. It will -be admitted by all, especially by all Buḍḍhists, that -there was something loftily admirable in the personality -of a man who had done and given his all for his faith -and religion, and yet uttered not a word of complaint -against Providence or man, but, in serene, noble -meekness, met his most unmerited and most agonising -death. As for me, besides finding it most affecting, -I felt a peculiarly direct interest in the story of -this high Lama’s execution, from the moment when -I was told of it for the first time. For, was I not on -my way to Tibet? Should I succeed in my purpose? -Who could tell but that there might be a repetition -of that sad and cruel scene?</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 552px;"> -<a id="zill_t018"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t018h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t018.jpg" class="hires" width="552" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>THE LAMA’S EXECUTION.</p></div> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Laying a false scent.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>I rose early on the New Year’s day of 1898, and -spent the greater part of the morning, as was usual -with me, in reading the sacred Text in honor of the -day, and also in praying for the health and long life -of their Majesties the Emperor and the Empress, and -his Highness, the Crown Prince, and for the prosperity -of Japan. The New Year’s <i>uta</i><a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> which I composed on -the occasion was as follows:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">In glory yonder, lo! the New Year’s Sun,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">His coruscating grateful beams forthshoots,</div> - <div class="verse">Diffusing lucid roses on the snows</div> - <div class="verse indent4">That flash in dazzling spangles bright and clear;</div> - <div class="verse">That Sun, the symbol on the Japan-flag</div> - <div class="verse indent4">My fancy lights with patriotic thrills.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>I spent the twelve months following in closely -devoting myself to the study, and in efforts at the practical -mastery, of the Tibetan tongue, with the result that, -toward the close of the year, I had become fairly -confident of my own proficiency in the use of the -language both in its literary and vernacular forms; -and I made up my mind to start for my destination -with the coming of the year 1899. Then, it became a -momentous question for me to decide upon the route -to take in entering Tibet.</p> - -<p>Besides the secret path, the Khambu-Rong, <i>i. e.</i>, -‘Peach Valley’ pass, there are three highways which one -may choose in reaching Tibet from Darjeeling. These -are: first, the main road, which turns north-east -directly after leaving Darjeeling and runs through -Nyatong; second, that which traverses the western<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> -slope of Kañcheñjunga, the second highest snow-capped -peaks in the Range and brings the traveller to Warong, a -village on the frontier of Tibet; and the third, which takes -one direct from Sikkim through Khampa-Jong to Lhasa. -As, however, each of these roads is jealously guarded either -with a fortified gate or some sentinels, at its Tibetan -terminus, it is a matter of practical impossibility for a -foreigner to gain admittance into the hermit-country by -going along any of them. Rai Saraṭ was of opinion that, -if I were to present myself at the Nyatong gate, tell -the guards there that I was a Japanese priest who wished -to visit their country for the sole purpose of studying -Buḍḍhism, I might possibly be allowed to pass in, provided -that I was courteously persistent in my solicitations; -but I had reasons for thinking little of this suggestion. At -all events, what I had learned from my Tibetan tutors did -not sustain my friend’s view; instead, however, my own -information led me to a belief that a road to suit my -purpose could be found by proceeding through either -the Kingdom of Bhūṭan or of Nepāl. It appeared to -me, further, that the route most advantageous to me -would be by way of Nepāl; for Bhūṭan had never been -visited by the Buḍḍha, and there was there little to -learn for me in that connexion, though that country -had at one time or another been travelled over by -Tibetan priests of great renown; but the latter fact -had nothing of importance for me. I had been told, -however, that Nepāl abounded in the Buḍḍha’s footsteps, -and that there was in existence there complete -sets of the Buḍḍhist Texts in Samskṛṭ. These were -inducements which I could turn to account, in the case of -failure to enter Tibet. Moreover, no Japanese had -ever been in Nepāl before me, though it had been visited -by some Europeans and Americans. So I decided on a -route <i>viâ</i> Nepāl.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span></p> - -<p>The decision made, it would have been all I could -wish for, if it were possible for me to journey to Nepāl -direct from Darjeeling; there was on the way grand -and picturesque scenery incidentally to enjoy, besides -places sacred to Buḍḍhist pilgrims. But to do so was -not possible for me, or at least implied serious dangers. -For most of the Tibetans living in Darjeeling—and -there were quite a number of them there—knew that -I was learning their language with the intention of -some day visiting their country; and it was perfectly -manifest that the moment I left that town with my -face towards Tibet, they, or some of them at the least, -would come after me as far as some point where they -might make short work of me, or follow me into -Tibet and there betray me to the authorities, for they -would be richly rewarded for so doing. To meet the -necessity of the case, I gave it out that, owing to an -unexpected occurrence, I was obliged to go home at -once, and I left Darjeeling for Calcutta, which place I -reached on the 5th of January, 1899. I, of course, let -Rai Saraṭ into my secret, and he alone knew that -the day I left Darjeeling I started on my Tibetan journey -in real earnest, though back to Calcutta I took fare in -sooth. On leaving Darjeeling, my good host Rai Saraṭ -Chanḍra earnestly wished me complete success in my -travels to Tibet, and gave vent to his hearty and sincere -pleasure in finding in me one, who, as bold and adventurous -as himself, was starting on a perilous but interesting -expedition to that hitherto unknown country. Previous -to my departure from Darjeeling, I received there 630 -Rupees, which had been collected and forwarded to me -through the kind and never-failing efforts of my friends at -home, Messrs. Hige, Ito, Watanabe and others.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span></p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">Now over trackless snowy range I wend</div> - <div class="verse indent2">My lonely way to ‘Bhota,’<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> elsewhere named</div> - <div class="verse">Tibet, where Dharma’s glorious Sun pours forth</div> - <div class="verse indent2">His Light and melts the cheerless snows of Doubt</div> - <div class="verse">And Pain and Sorrow, vexing mortal men.</div> -</div></div></div> - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Journey to Nepal.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>During my second and short stay in Calcutta I had -the good luck of being introduced to a Nepālese named -Jibbahaḍur, who was then a Secretary of the Nepāl Government, -but who is now the Minister Resident of that -country in Tibet. He was kind enough to write two -letters introducing me to a certain gentleman of influence -in Nepāl.</p> - -<p>On the 20th of January, 1899, I came to the famous -Buḍḍhagayā, sacred to Holy Shākyamuni Buḍḍha, and -there met Mr. Dharmapala of Ceylon, who happened to be -there on a visit. I had a very interesting conversation -with him. On learning that I was on my way to Tibet, -he asked me to do him the favor of taking some presents -for him to the Dalai Lama. The presents consisted of a -small relic of the Buḍḍha, enclosed in a silver casket -which was in the form of a miniature pagoda, and a -volume of the sacred Text written on palm leaves. -I, of course, willingly complied with the request of the -Sinhalese gentleman, who expressed himself as being very -anxious to visit Tibet, but thought it useless to attempt a -trip thither, unless he were invited to do so. The night of -that day I spent meditating on the ‘Diamond Seat’ under -the Boḍhi-tree—the very tree under which, and the very -stone on which, about two thousand five hundred years ago, -the holy Buḍḍha sat and reached Buḍḍhahood. The feeling -I then experienced is indescribable: all I can say is that I sat -the night out in the most serene and peaceful extasy. I saw -the tell-tale moon lodged, as it were, among the branches -of the Boḍhi-tree, shedding its pale light on the ‘Diamond<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> -Seat,’ and the scene was superbly picturesque, and also -hallowing, when I thought of the days and nights the -Buḍḍha spent in holy meditation at that very spot.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">Whilst seated on the Diamond Seat, absorbed</div> - <div class="verse indent2">In thoughtful meditation full and deep</div> - <div class="verse">The lunar orb, suspended o’er the tree—</div> - <div class="verse indent2">The Sacred Bodhi tree—shines in the sky.</div> - <div class="verse">I wait with longing for the morning star</div> - <div class="verse indent2">To rise, the witness of that moment high</div> - <div class="verse">When His Illumination gained the Lord</div> - <div class="verse indent2">The Perfect Buddha, Perfect Teacher Great.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 522px;"> -<a id="zill_t024b"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t024bh.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t024b.jpg" class="hires" width="522" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>THE AUTHOR MEDITATING UNDER THE BODHI-TREE.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>After a few days’ stay in Buḍḍhagayā, I took the railway-train -for Nepāl, and a ride of a day and a night brought -me to Sagauli, on the morning of January 23. Sagauli is -a station at a distance of two days’ journey from the -Nepālese border. Here one boundary of the linguistic territory -of English was reached, and beyond neither that -language nor the Tibetan tongue was of any use—one -had to speak either Hinḍūsṭāni or Nepālese to -be understood, and I knew neither. So it became a -necessary part of my Tibetan adventure to stop a -while at Sagauli, and make myself master of working -Nepālese. It was like forging the chain after catching -a criminal. But up to then, my time had been -all taken up in learning Tibetan, and I had had no -moment to spare for anything else. By good fortune, -however, my stay there was not to be a long one. I -found the postmaster of Sagauli, a Bengālī, to be proficient -both in English and Nepālese. As the thing had to -be done in the most expeditious way possible, I started -my work by noting down every Nepālese word the -postmaster would teach me. The next day after my -arrival at Sagauli, while I was out on a walk near the -station with my note-book in hand, I noticed, among -those who got off a train, a company of three men, -one of whom was a gentleman, apparently of forty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> -years of age and dressed in a Tibetan costume, another -a priest about fifty years old, and the third unmistakably -their servant. Thereupon a thought flashed on me -that it would be a good thing for me if I could travel -with these Tibetans, as I took them to be, and I -immediately made bold to go up to them and ask -whither they were going. I was told that their -destination was Nepāl, that they had not just then come -from Tibet, but that one of them was a Tibetan. -It then became their turn to question me, their opening -enquiry being as to what country I belonged. I -replied that I was a Chinese. “Which direction did -you come from then?—did you travel by land or by sea?” -was the rejoinder sharply put to me next. That -was a question I had to answer with caution. For the -rule then in force in Tibet was to admit into that country -no Chinaman coming by the sea. So I answered: -“By land.” As we conversed, so we walked, and -presently we came in front of where I was lodging. -In that part of the world there is no such smart thing as -a hotel or an inn; all the accommodation one can get in -this respect is a shanty of a rather primitive type, -with bamboo posts and a straw roof. There are a number -of these simple structures there, standing on the roadside -and intended only for travellers, who have, however, -nothing to pay for lodging in them—they only pay the -price of eatables and fuel, should they procure any. It -was in one of these shanties that I was stopping, and -when I excused myself from the company of my newly -made acquaintances, the latter betook themselves into -another on the opposite side of the street. After a while -the gentleman and the priest came out of their shanty -and called on me, evidently bent on finding out who, or -rather what, I was. For the first question with which they -challenged me was to what part of China I belonged.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> -“To Fooshee,” I replied, realising full well that I was -to go through the ordeal of an inquisition. “You speak -Chinese, of course?” then asked the gentleman. My -reply in the affirmative caused him at once to talk to me -in quite fluent Chinese, which put me in no little -consternation in secret. Compelled by necessity, I -ventured calmly: “You must be talking in the official Peking -dialect, while I can talk only in the common Fooshee tongue, -and I do not understand you at all.” He was not to let -me off yet. Says he next: “You can write in Chinese, -I suppose.” Yes, I could, and I wrote. Some of my -characters were intelligible enough to my guests, and -some not, and after all it was agreed that it was best -to confine ourselves to Tibetan. As our conversation -progressed, my principal guest came to the crucial part -of the inquisition and asked: “You say you have come -from the landward side: well, from what part of Tibet have -you come?” “In sooth, from Lhasa, sir; I have been on -a pilgrimage through Darjeeling to Buḍḍhagayā, and from -thence here,” I replied. I was requested to say, then, -in what part of the city of Lhasa I lived. Being informed -that I was in the grand Sera monastery, he -wanted to know if I was acquainted with an old priest -who was the Tatsang Kenpo (grand teacher) of that -institution. I was bold enough to say that I was not a -perfect stranger to the priest in question, and made a -right good use of what I had learned from Lama Shabdung -at Darjeeling. So far I managed to keep up my -disguise, but each moment that passed only added to my -fear of being trapped, and compelled to give myself away. -To avoid this danger, I felt it important to head off -my inquisitorial visitors by dispelling their suspicion, if -they entertained any, about me. I was remarkably -successful in this, the information obtained from Lama -Shabdung again doing me excellent service. For, when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> -I told my guests, in a most knowing way, all about Shabbe -Shata’s intrigue against the Tangye-ling, which was -designed to increase his own power, and the secret of -which affair was not then generally known, the recital -seemed to make a great impression on them, and to have -had the effect of convincing them that I was the person -I pretended to be. So my ordeal was at an end; but -there was yet in store for me the most unexpected -discovery I was to make about these men.</p> - -<p>No longer curious as to my antecedents, my gentleman -guest now asked me: “You say you are going to Nepāl: -may I ask you who is the person you are directed to, -and if you have ever been in that country?” I had never -been there before, but I had a letter of introduction with -me. From whom, to whom, could that be? The letters, I -said—for I had had two given me—were written in favor -of me by Mr. Jibbahaḍur, an official of the Nepālese -Government, then residing in Calcutta, and addressed to -the Lama of the Great Tower of Mahāboḍha in Nepāl, -whose name, though I just happened to forget it, was on -the letters. This piece of information seemed greatly to -interest the gentleman, who could not help saying: “Why, -that is strange! Mr. Jibbahaḍur is a friend of mine: -I wonder who can be the person to whom the letters are -addressed; will you permit me to look at them?” And the -climax came when I, in all willingness, took out the letters -and showed them to my guest, for he ejaculated: “Well, -whoever would have thought it? These are for me!”</p> - -<p>I may here observe that in Nepāl, as I found out -afterwards, the word friend conveys a much deeper -meaning, probably, than in any other country. To be a -friend there means practically the same thing as being -a brother, and the natives have a curious custom of -observing a special ceremony when any two of them tie -the knot of friendship between them. The ceremony<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> -resembles very much that of marriage, and its celebration -is made an occasion for a great festival, in -which the relatives and connexions of the parties -concerned take part. To be brief, the ceremony generally -takes the form of exchanging glasses of the native drink -between the mutually chosen two, and they each have to -extend their liberalities even to their servants in honor -of the occasion. It is only after the observance of these -formalities—which signify a great deal to the natives—that -any two Nepālese may each call themselves the -friend of the other.</p> - -<p>It so happened that my erstwhile inquisitor proved to -be the official owner and Lama-Superior of the Great -Tower above mentioned, who stood in the relationship of -a ‘friend’ to Mr. Jibbahaḍur. It was most unexpected, -but the discovery was none the less welcome to me, and I -besought him to take me, henceforth, under his care and -protection. Thus I came to be no longer a stranger and a -solitary pilgrim, but a guest, a companion, to a high -personage of Nepāl. My newly acquired friend, as I -should call the Lama in our language, proposed that we -should start for Nepāl the next morning. This proposal was -agreeable to me, as was another that we should go -afoot instead of on horse-back, so that we might the -better enjoy each other’s company, and perchance, also, -the grand scenery on the way. I say that all this was -agreeable to me, because, in addition to the obvious benefit -I was sure to derive from being in the company of these -men, I entertained a secret hope that I might learn a -great deal, which would help me in executing the main -part of my adventures, yet to come.</p> - -<p>While our talk was progressing in this fashion, two -servants of the Lama’s came in, running and all pale, -with the unwelcome piece of news that a thief had -broken into their shed. This caused my callers to take<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> -precipitate leave of me. I afterwards learned that -the Lamas had had three hundred and fifty rupees in -cash, and some books and clothes, stolen between them. -I was in luck on that occasion, for the owner of my -shed told me subsequently that the thief, who caused -such a loss to the Lamas, had been on the look-out for a -chance to loot my lodging, and, as it happened, he finally -made my newly made friends suffer for me; I felt -exceedingly sorry for them.</p> - -<p>In the meantime I learned that the gentleman Lama’s -name was Buḍḍha Vajra (Enlightened Diamond), and that -the old priest, whose name was Mayar, and who was full -of jokes, was a Doctor of Divinity of the Debon monastery -in Lhasa.</p> - -<p>Early on the 25th of January we started on our journey, -and proceeded due north across the plain in which Sagauli -stands. The next day we arrived at a place called -Beelganji, where stood the first guarded gate of the -Nepālese frontier. There I was given a pass, as for a -Chinaman living in Tibet. We passed the night of the -following day in a village situated a little way this -side of the famous Dalai Jungle, which may be regarded -as an entrance to the great Himālayas. On the 28th we -proceeded past Simla, a village at the outer edge of the -great jungle, and thence, straight across the jungle itself, -which has a width of full eight miles, until we came to a -village on the bank of a mountain stream called Bichagori, -where we took up our lodgings for the night. About -ten o’clock that night, while writing up my diary, I happened -to look out of the window of my shanty. The moon -in her pale splendor was shining brightly over the great -jungle, and there was something indescribably weird in -the scene, whose silence was broken only by a rushing -stream. Suddenly I then heard a detonation, tremendous -in its volume and depth, which, as I felt, almost shook<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> -the ground. In reply to my query, I was told by our -innkeeper that the sound came from a tiger, which -evidently had just finished a fine repast on its victim, -and, having come to have a draught of river-water, could -not help giving vent to its sense of enjoyment. So an -<i>uta</i> came to me:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">The night sleeps still and calm,</div> - <div class="verse indent10">the moon shines bright,</div> - <div class="verse">What ho!—so loud a roar</div> - <div class="verse indent10">the stillness breaks,</div> - <div class="verse">Vibrating—ah! It is a tiger fierce!</div> - <div class="verse indent10">In ripples rough his roar terrific throws</div> - <div class="verse">The surface even of the mountain stream.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 554px;"> -<a id="zill_t032"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t032h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t032.jpg" class="hires" width="554" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>ON THE BANKS OF THE BICHAGORI RIVER.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>For two days more the road lay now through a dale -on the bank of a river, then across a deep forest, and -over a mountain, until we reached a stage station called -Binbit. So far the road was up a slow, gradual incline, -and horse-carriages and bullock-carts could be driven over -it; but now the ascent became so steep that it could be -made only on foot, or in a mountain-palanquin. We went -on foot, commencing our climb as early as four o’clock in -the morning. After an ascent of something more than -three and a half miles, we came to a guarded gate named -Tispance. Here was a custom-house and a fortress, -garrisoned by quite a number of soldiers, and we had to -go through an examination. Thence we climbed a peak -called Tisgari, from the top of which I, for the first time, -beheld with wonder the sublime sight of the mighty -Himālayas, shining majestically with their snow of ages. -The grandeur of the scene was so utterly beyond -imagination, that the memory of what I had seen at -Darjeeling and Tiger Hill came back to me only as a faint -vision. Down Tisgari we came to Marku station, where -we took lodging for the night.</p> - -<p>Early on the 1st of February, we climbed up the peak -C̣hanḍra Giri, or Moon Peak, whose sides are covered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> -with the flowers of the rhododendron, the chief characteristic -of the Himālayan Range. Thence I saw again -the snow-covered range of Himālaya, ever grand and -majestic. Just a little way down from the top of the peak, -I saw, spread before me like a picture, Kātmāndu the -capital of Nepāl and the country around. I saw also in that -panorama two gilded towers rising conspicuously against -the sky, and Lama Buḍḍha Vajra told me that one of -them was the tomb of Kāṣyapa Buḍḍha, and the other that -of Ṣikhī Buḍḍha. On coming down the steep slope of the -hill, we were met by four or five men with two horses. -They were men sent thither in advance to wait for the -return of Buḍḍha Vajra, and I was given one of the -horses, while my host took the other. We were met -by about thirty more men on entering a village, not -far from the foot of the hill. The distance from Sagauli -railway station to this spot is roughly one hundred and -twenty-five miles.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">I befriend Beggars.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>The village that surrounds the great Kāṣyapa tower -is generally known by the name of Boḍḍha. Lama Buḍḍha -Vajra, I found, was the Headman of that village as -well as the Superior of that mausoleum tower, which in -Tibetan is called Yambu Chorten Chenpo. Yambu is -the general name by which Kātmāndu is known in Tibet; -and Chorten Chenpo means great tower. The real name -of the tower in full is, however, Ja Rung Kashol Chorten -Chenpo, which may be translated into: “Have finished -giving order to proceed with.” The tower has an -interesting history of its own, which explains this strange -name. It is said in this history that Kāṣyapa was a Buḍḍha -that lived a long time before Shākyamuni Buḍḍha. After -Kāṣyapa Buḍḍha’s demise, a certain old woman, with -her four sons, interred this great sage’s remains at the -spot over which the great mound now stands, the latter -having been built by the woman herself. Before starting -on the work of construction, she petitioned the King of the -time, and obtained permission to “proceed with” building -a tower. By the time that, as the result of great sacrifices -on the part of the woman and her four sons, the groundwork -of the structure had been finished, those who saw -it were astonished at the greatness of the scale on which -it was undertaken. Especially was this the case with -the high officials of the government and the rich -men of the country, who all said that if such a poor -old dame were to be allowed to complete building -such a stupendous tower, they themselves would have -to dedicate a temple as great as a mountain, and so they -decided to ask the King to disallow the further progress<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> -of the work. When the King was approached on the -matter his Majesty replied: “I have finished giving the -order to the woman to proceed with the work. Kings -must not eat their words, and I cannot undo my orders -now.” So the tower was allowed to be finished, and -hence its unique name, “Ja Rung Kashol Chorten -Chenpo.” I rather think, however, that the tower must -have been built after the days of Shākyamuni Buḍḍha, -for the above description from Tibetan books is different -from the records in Samskṛṭ, which are more reliable than -the Tibetan.</p> - -<p>Every year, between the middle of September and the -middle of the following February of the lunar calendar, -crowds of visitors from Tibet, Mongolia, China and Nepāl -come to this place to pay their respects to the great temple. -The reason why they choose the most apparently unfavorable -season for their travel thither is because they are -liable to catch malarial fever if they come through the -Himālayan passes during the summer months. By far -the greatest number of the visitors are Tibetans, of -whom, however, only a few are nobles and grandees, the -majority being impecunious pilgrims and beggars, who -eke out their existence by a sort of nomadic life, passing -their winter in the neighborhood of the tower and going -back to Tibet in summer.</p> - -<p>In Nepāl I had now arrived, and the reason of my -presence there was, of course, to choose a route for my -purpose, for there are many highways and pathways -running between that country and Tibet. My purpose -was such that I could take nobody there into my -confidence, not even my kind and obliging host. For, -to Lama Buḍḍha Vajra I was a well-qualified Chinaman, -who was to go back to Lhasa by openly taking one of the -public roads, and go on thence to China. Besides, I knew -that the Lama was a Tibetan interpreter to His Highness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> -the King of Nepāl, and that were I to divulge to him -my secret, he was in duty bound to tell it to his royal -master, who, it was plain, would not only not lend -himself to my venture, but would at once put an end -to the further progress of my journey. I may note here -that the Nepālese fondly call Lama Buḍḍha Vajra, -Gya Lama, which means “Chinese Lama,” for he was -a son born to a Chinese priest who married a Nepālese -lady, after having become the Superior of the tower. -My host’s father belonged to the old school, and -enjoyed the privilege of marriage. It was thus that -Lama Buḍḍha Vajra came to take a fancy, and show special -favors, to me, considering me as a countryman of his. Be -that as it may, there remained for me the necessity of -discovering a secret path to Tibet. I was in luck again.</p> - -<p>It occurred to me that the begging Tibetans, who go on -pilgrimage in and out of their country, could not be in -possession of the pass that gave them open passage through -the numerous frontier gates. I remembered also that -no unprivileged person—even the natives—could obtain -permission to pass through these gates, either way, unless -he would bribe the guards heavily, and it was plain -that these homeless wanderers could not do this. Encouraged -by these considerations, I took to befriending -the Tibetan mendicants, of whom there was then a large -number hanging about the Kāṣyapa Buḍḍha tower, and -my liberality to them soon made me very popular -among them. Demurring at first, they became quite -communicative afterwards, when they had found out, as -I presume, that there was nothing to dread in me. I -learned of many secret passages, but none which I -could consider safe for me. For instance, they spoke -of the Nyallam bye-path. By taking this clandestine route -one may avoid the Kirong gate, but one is in danger of -being challenged at a gate further in the interior. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> -Sharkongpo path, on the other hand, brings the traveller -to the Tenri gate. So on with other paths, and it appeared -an impossibility to discover a route which would enable a -person to reach the capital of Tibet from that of Nepāl, without -having to pass through some challenge gate. The pass -and bribery being beyond them, the native beggars and pilgrims -have one more resource left to them, and that is -imploring a passage, with prayer and supplication, -when they come upon a challenge post, and they generally -succeed at the interior gates, I was told. It would -be different with me: there was every danger of my -disguise being detected while pleading with the guards. -My persistent efforts finally brought me, however, their -reward. I ascertained that by taking a somewhat roundabout -way I might reach Lhasa without encountering -the perils of these challenge gates. Ordinarily, one should -take a north-east course after leaving the Nepālese capital, -in order to make a direct journey to Lhasa; but the one -I have just referred to lay in the opposite direction of north-west, -through Lo, a border province of Nepāl, thence -across Jangtang, the north plain (but really the west plain) -of Tibet, and finally around the lake Mānasarovara. This -bye-route I made up my mind to take.</p> - -<p>So far so good. But it would be courting suspicion -to say that I chose this particularly circuitous and -dangerous route with no obvious reason for it. Fortunately -a good pretext was at hand for me. For I happened -to think of the identity of the lake Mānasarovara with the -Anavatapta Lake that often occurs in the Buḍḍhist Texts. -However divided the scholastic views are about this identity, -it is popularly accepted, and that was enough for my purpose. -The identity granted, it could be argued that Mount Kailāsa, -by the side of the lake, was nature’s Maṇdala, sacred -to the memory of the Buḍḍha, which formed an important -station for Buḍḍhist pilgrims. So one day I said to my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> -host: “Having come thus far, I should always regret a rare -opportunity lost, were I to make a stork’s journey from here -to Lhasa, and thence to China. The Chinese Text speaks of -Mount Kailāsa (Tib. Kang Rinpo Che) rising high on the -shore of lake Mānasarovara (Tib. Maphamyumtsho). I -want to visit that sacred mountain on my way home. So I -should be very much obliged to you if you would kindly get -men to carry my luggage for me.” The answer I got in -reply was not encouraging, though sympathetic. Gya Lama, -in short, bade me give up my purpose, because, as he said, -the north-west plain was pathless and full of marauding robbers; -it had been his long-entertained desire to visit the -sacred mountain himself, but the difficulties mentioned had, -so far, prevented him from carrying it out, and he would -strongly advise me against my rash decision; to venture a -trip through that region, with only one or two servants, was -like seeking death. My retort was that, it being one of -Buḍḍha’s teachings that “born into life, thou art destined -to die,” I was not afraid of death; in fact, death might -overtake me at any time, even while living comfortably -under the Lama’s care; so that I should consider myself -well repaid if I met death while on a pilgrimage to a holy -place. Finding dissuasion useless with me, my host complimented -me on the firmness of my resolution, and took it -upon himself to secure for me reliable carriers. Then, after -careful enquiries, he hired for me a pilgrim party, consisting -of two men and an old woman, the latter of whom, in -spite of her sixty years of age, was strong enough to brave -the hardships of an exceptionally difficult road. These people -were from Kham, a country noted for its robbers, but I -was assured of the perfect honesty and good intentions of -the particular three I was to engage. As a mark of his -special kindness, Gya Lama promised to let a trustworthy -man under him accompany me as far as a place called Tukje, -to see that my two pilgrim servants served me faithfully.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Sublime Himalaya.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>It was in the beginning of the month of March, 1899, -that, followed by a retinue of three men and one old dame, -I bade farewell to my kind host and, seated on a snow-white -pony, given me by my fatherly friend, left the Kāṣyapa -Buḍḍha tower. I was not in good health that day, on -account of fever and weakness, but I was obliged to start -from Kātmāndu, for it was very dangerous for me to stay -there any longer, as I was quite a stranger to the Nepālese, -and they might find out my nationality, and stop me from -proceeding further. So I took the assistance of the horse; -and the good animal proved to be a splendid mountaineer, -and carried me up steep ascents and down abrupt descents -in perfect safety. We directed our course towards the -north-west, through the British Residency, the most -beautiful and clean quarter in Kātmāndu, and through -Nagar-yon, a hill famous for a cave where Nāgārjuna, a -great Boḍhi-Saṭṭva, used to meditate. We arrived at a -village called Jittle-Pedee in the evening, and passed the -night under the eaves of a shop-keeper’s house.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t716"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t716h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t716.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="599" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>NAGARJUNA’S CAVE OF MEDITATION IN NEPAL.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>The present Ruler of Nepāl is a Hinḍū, and keeps the -caste system as rigidly as it is kept in India, where the -people belonging to that religion do not allow a foreigner -to enter their rooms, or to eat with them. Therefore we -were obliged to pass the night outside a house, or under -a rock, or in the forests. Here I must not omit some -interesting things about my travels among the Himālayan -mountains from Kātmāndu to the lake Mānasarovara -through Nepāl. The country being extra-territorial, I -believe no bold European or American had trodden this -precipitous path before me; hence I would like to mention<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> -everything connected therewith, but as my object is Tibet, -I cannot spend much space on the inner Himālayas of -Nepāl. I shall only mention briefly what will be considered -interesting by my readers in general.</p> - -<p>On the third day of our departure from Kātmāndu, -we travelled for more than forty miles, and arrived at a -small trading town called Chunge, situated on the west -bank of the Kirong river (Tirsuli Gandak). Just north -of the town, on the bank of that river there is a pretty -forest in which we slept well through the night, in a lonely -spot, lulled by the rolling sounds of the mountain-rivers’ -grand music. Early on the following morning we started -on the north-western path leading to Pokhra, although -there is a short way, only five days’ journey from the -place to Kirong in Tibet; but there the officers of the -frontier guard the passes against all strangers. In three -days’ journey after this we made about forty miles, passed -the villages Bareng-Bareng and Sareng, and, crossing -the river Agu, we arrived at a famous town, Algata. I -have not met with any maps which mention this name. -The town is situated on the west bank of the river -which the natives called Buri-Gaṅgā (Buria Gandak); -this river is crossed by an iron hanging bridge. The town -itself is important on account of its trade with Tibet; -I saw more than fifty people from Tibet and from Nishang—a -northern frontier province of Nepāl. During the nine -days after leaving Algata we passed many valleys, -rocky mountains, streams, hill pastures, forests full of -rhododendrons, and deep forests of fir, oak and pine, -with the peaks of the snowy range in view. We also -passed several villages—Nimareshi, Daramhaje, Rutel, -Manicheka and Sātmuni.</p> - -<p>We made a distance of something less than one hundred -miles, and then reached a town called Pokhra. Pokhra -looked like a town of villas at home, the site being chosen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> -for the beauty of its natural scenery. Bamboo-covered -ravines, flower-roofed heights, rich in green -foliage, picturesque because of a rushing and winding -stream, itself set in the midst of high mountains—such -were the characteristic features of Pokhra. The stream -I speak of has its source in the Machipusa (fish-tail) -peak, and its waters are milky white, probably on account -of their carrying in them particles of mountain clay. In all -my travels in the Himālayas I saw no scenery so enchanting -as that which enraptured me at Pokhra. Another thing -notable about that place was that it was the cheapest spot -in Nepāl for all kinds of commodities. Twenty-five <i>sens</i> -bought, for instance, four <i>sho</i> of rice there; while, in other -places, that amount would buy only two <i>sho</i> and a half at -the most. At Pokhra I made a rather long stay of six days, -as I had to have a tent made before I proceeded further, -and twenty-five rupees bought for me one made to order, -and large enough for cooking inside also.</p> - -<p>After leaving Pokhra we turned due north, and the -ascent became very steep, so steep at places that I had -to get off my horse, send the animal by a round-about -way through the valleys, and myself go afoot for -half-a-day. On one occasion I was proceeding on -horseback on a narrow path that ran along a very high -precipice, when, deeply engrossed as I was in thought -about the near future, I found myself all of a sudden -thrown down to the ground, before I had had time to free -myself from a branch of a tree, which had caught me -by the neck and caused the disaster, assisted by the -horse’s movement onward. Very fortunately my horse -came to a halt just then, and as I never let go my hold of -the bridle, I narrowly escaped from rolling a thousand -fathoms down a craggy precipice, to reach the bottom a -mangled carcass! Realising the danger I was in, I hastily -tried to pick myself up, but in vain; for evidently I had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> -struck my hip very hard in my fall, and could not raise myself -up. Consequently I had to requisition the backs of my -two servants in turn, thus making an ascent of about a mile -to the top of the mountains we were crossing over. On -reaching the top, I found the pain too great to permit the -continuance of my journey, and I camped there for two -days, during which time my diligent application of some -camphor tincture, which I had with me, to the injured -parts, gradually relieved me of my suffering. On resuming -our journey, now down the mountain, I could not help -being profoundly impressed with the power of impenetrable -solitude, for the path lay through a valley where -nature, in her wildest seclusion, reigned supreme. My -sense of loneliness was heightened by the note of the -cuckoo, which now and then broke the oppressive silence, -and an <i>uta</i> then came to me thus:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">In tortuous paths my lonely way now lies</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Among rough mountain tracks and scenes all wild;</div> - <div class="verse">The rocks and giant trees in silence stand,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">With naught to break the silent depths around</div> - <div class="verse">Except the solitary cuckoo’s notes,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">That makes the awful silence more profound.</div> -</div></div></div> - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Dangers Ahead.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>So the days passed and with these days I came to know -more or less of the different characteristics of my two -servants; I found one to be a rather impatient fellow, but -prompt of decision, and the other a quiet man with some -education, of which he was not a little proud. The latter -seemed occasionally to hurt the feelings of the impatient one, -and more than once collisions had already occurred between -the two. As for the old woman pilgrim, she was a -good honest soul, and that was all there was about her, -except that she seemed to know all about the two men. -I took pains to be strictly impartial in all my dealings -with the three, though her age entitled the old dame -to special consideration on my part, and she had it in -full when I thought fit. It came to pass that, -apparently because of this treatment, the old woman came -to think a great deal of me. I had noticed in her -manner something indicating that she wished to speak -to me, but was afraid to do so in the presence of her -two companions; so one morning I caused her to -go a considerable way ahead of us, and I started with -my servants afterwards. Burdened with my luggage -as the men were, and riding on a horse as I was, it was -only natural that I should soon leave them lagging far -behind, and overtake the old woman. The good soul turned -furtively back, and asked if the two men were a long -distance behind. I told her that they must be at least -five miles behind. Then she made a revelation to me, -and it was not of a very reassuring kind; for according -to her I was doomed to be killed. In short she told -me that the impatient fellow was a robber and murderer,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> -having committed many crimes while at home in Kham, -and that, though the quiet one was not so bad a man, -he had yet killed a fellow-creature in a quarrel. At -all events neither would think twice before taking a -man’s life. The old dame thought it certain that they, -or at least the impatient one, would pounce upon me -as soon as we reached the north-west plains of Tibet, -and rob me of all my money and effects, as well as -of my life! Thereupon I said: “That could not be; for -they are both men of great honesty and uprightness.” She -returned: “Konjogsum (Holy Trinity)! send to me death, -if I tell a lie!” These are words of adjuration to which -Tibetans attach great importance, and I could not persuade -myself to regard my informant’s warning as a mere string -of falsehoods. So another trouble ahead was added to -my burdened mind.</p> - -<p>After travelling twelve days more and only making a distance -of about one hundred miles, we reached a Himālayan -village called Tukje, where then lived the local Governor, -named Harkaman Suppa. Through Gya Lama’s introduction -I enjoyed the privilege of being received as a guest by -this Governor. Two days after my arrival there the special -man whom Gya Lama through his thoughtful kindness, -as already told, had sent to accompany me so far, took -leave of me, apparently well satisfied that my two -servants were and would be all right. But they were -far from being all right, and I felt that I would never -be able to accomplish my journey unless I got rid of -them. While I was worrying myself with these thoughts, -I came across information about the route that lay -before me that proved to me another source of -discouragement. In effect, it was that three months -before the Tibetan Government had detailed five soldiers to -guard, against all foreigners and any strange person, -the road in my route which lay through the State of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> -Lo; the same precaution had been taken on all the other -bye-ways and pathways leading into Tibet, however -secluded and narrow, even though narrow enough for just -one person to pass. And I had reason to believe that this -information was well founded; so that it became inevitable -that I should give up my idea of entering Tibet by -smuggling myself into its north-western plain. But there -is ebb and flow even in troubles.</p> - -<p>One evening, while still staying at the Governor’s, my -servants, having regaled themselves with the local drinks -even to boisterousness, began a-quarrelling, which largely -consisted of exposing each other. In brief, each accused -the other of a somewhat cheerless intention of making -short work of me when opportunity should arrive, with -the upshot that they both came to me, each with a -demand that he would like to be discharged if the other -were to continue in my service. I could not have had -a better opportunity, and I there and then dismissed -both of them, after having paid them off rather liberally. -I also gave some money with some little present in kind to -the old woman, and bade her go with the men. And thus -I got rid of an imminent danger to my life. But there -remained the greater problem of what to do next, -to retrace my steps back to Kātmāndu being out of -the question, while the route I had chosen for myself -had become unavailable.</p> - -<p>It happened that, enjoying the Governor’s hospitality -like myself, was a Mongolian scholar named Serab Gyaltsan, -who was acting as a doctor of medicine, besides -giving lessons in religious Texts to the local priests. I -had not been long at Governor Harkaman’s before I -became acquainted with this person, and soon found him -to be a man possessed of profound knowledge of not -only Buḍḍhism but also of literary subjects. Whatever -were the reasons on my part, he and I after a while<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> -came to an agreement for the exchange of knowledge, -he instructing me in Tibetan Buḍḍhism and literature -and I teaching him Chinese Buḍḍhism. This understanding -arrived at, we took leave of Tukje and set out -for Tsarang in the province of Lo, where the Mongolian -scholar had his home. On our way thither, we visited the -famous Chumik Gyatsa. Chumik Gyatsa means a hundred -fountains, and is the Mukuṭināṭh of Samskṛṭ, which Hinḍūs -as well as Buḍḍhists regard as a place of great sanctity. -The place apparently obtained the name it bears from -the numberless springs abounding thereabout, and a -spot of particular fame there was called Sala Mebar, -Chula Mebar, Dola Mebar, which means burning in -earth, burning in water, burning in rock. On seeing the -spot I found this mystery to be nothing more than the fancy -of the ignorant natives, who saw a burning jet of natural -gas escaping from a crevice in a slab of rock, that formed -a lid, so to say, over and close to the surface of a beautiful -crystal-like fountain, which was about one by two feet -in size, so that its prolonged flame looked, at the first -glance, as if it were crawling over the water. I noticed, -however, that the mountains round about bore ample -evidences of old volcanic eruptions, at one time or another, -an extinct crater now changed to a pond, lava-rocks, -and so on, being all present. We passed a night encamped -on the bank of the river Kālīgaṅgā, that flows at the -foot of the mountain which we had just descended, -after leaving the ‘hundred fountains’ behind us. The -following morning we had a disastrous time for three -hours in trying to cross a stream. In the first place -I made a blunder in attempting to wade across the stream -on my horse, which, with my weight on his back -and treacherous mud-beds under his feet, found himself -in a perilous condition as soon as he had -walked a few steps into the stream. I, of course, got<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> -off him at once and climbed upon the bank behind -me. I then set about throwing into the river, near where -the horse was, stones, rocks, and broken branches of -trees that I found lying about, in order to improvise there -a passable footway for myself as well as for the Mongolian -scholar and his animal. Stones flying and muddy water -splashing around him scared my horse, and, with a wild -effort, he struggled out and landed himself on the -opposite bank; but my friend’s pony remained immovable -till we had managed to build a way across for ourselves -and pulled him after us. That day we stopped in a -village called Samar (red clay). On the next we again -climbed half-way up a mountain, and proceeded due -north along a path that lay midway between the top and -bottom of its slope, that is to say, toward the north of -Dhavalagiri.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 553px;"> -<a id="zill_t049"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t049h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t049.jpg" class="hires" width="553" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>A HORSE IN DIFFICULTIES.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>In the mountains below Tukje I found common pines -and cedars growing in fair abundance, but now these -became very rare, the obtusa species of pine taking -their place, and even these attaining a height of not more -than twenty feet at the most, the ground being otherwise -covered with shrubby growths. Riding on the snow, -which was still on the mountain, we had made a distance -of about fifteen miles before we reached a hamlet named -Kirung, where I found willow trees growing luxuriantly. -The inhabitants hereabout were all Tibetans, and I saw -fluttering on every house-top a white flag with certain -religious texts printed on it. These flags are to be seen -everywhere in the interior of Tibet, as I afterwards found, -and that even where the people are living in tents. -Leaving the village, we rode on northwards, over snow, -through an obtusa-pine forest, till the night fell and the -moon rose, when I again heard a cuckoo. Then I had -an <i>uta</i>:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span></p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">While marching onwards now the night o’ertakes</div> - <div class="verse indent4">The pilgrim bold, the snowy floor his bed;</div> - <div class="verse">The moon-lit sky his canopy will be,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">His lullaby, the cuckoo’s notes.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>That night we put up in an inn in a hamlet called -Kimiyi (fountain of fortune), that nestles in the snow-covered -mountains. Ten miles on the following day brought -us within sight of Tsarang, which, on reaching, I found -to be a little town built on a plain which was about -eleven miles from east to west, and three miles or more -from north to south, enclosed by walls of snow-covered -mountains. More accurately, the plain has to its west a -snow-capped mountain, whence it extends in a very slow -incline towards the east, until it breaks off into a valley. -From Tsarang to the north-west plain of Tibet is a day’s -trip, and the physical features of these regions are -practically of the same character, devoid of large trees -and desolate in the extreme. It was in the middle of -May that I arrived in Tsarang, and I was told that -the farmers had just finished sowing wheat. Skirting the -town of Tsarang runs a stream, which has its rise in the -mountain that forms the western wall of the plain, and on -an elevated part of the town stands a castled palace, in -which lives the King of the Lo State. Before the Gūrkha -tribe had subjugated Nepāl, Lo was an independent State. -At a little distance, opposite to the royal castle, is a -temple of considerable size, belonging to the Kargyu-pa -sect of the old school of Tibetan Buḍḍhism. The temple is -a square structure of Tibetan style, built of stone and -painted red, and adjoining it is a stone building painted -white, which forms a dormitory for the priests of the -temple. On a piece of level land to the west of the palace -and the temple a group of about sixty large and small -houses constitutes the town of Tsarang.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Beautiful Tsarang and Dirty Tsarangese.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>At the foot of the mountain out of which we had -emerged, and where the plain began, we came upon a -stone-turreted gate about twenty-four feet in height. -Standing by itself and entirely unprotected, the gate was -not intended, as I was told, for any military purpose; -but it was used for housing Buḍḍhas and other deities -that would keep guard against the invasion of the locality -by evil genii. About a mile and a half to the rear of the -gate stood the town of Tsarang, at the entrance of which -we were met by fourteen or fifteen men, who, as it appeared, -anticipated our arrival. Serab Gyaltsan led me to -the house of the Chief of the town, which was of considerable -size. As in Tibet so in Tsarang, all well-to-do -people generally have a separate chapel in their -residence. When they have a visitor of rank and social -position, they, out of respect, put him up in their chapel, and -a person entitled to such distinction in these localities is -generally a Lama. So it was that, as a Chinese Lama, I -was given that privilege in the Chief’s chapel, which -I found to be a typical one of its kind, with its image-crowned -altar, a special depository for religious Texts, -etc., and altogether much superior in its general finish -and furnishings to the family dwelling. I may remark -that these folk generally keep a good store of the Texts, -not because they make use of them themselves, but more -as a matter of form, the form showing their deep reverence -for their religion; but it is apparently beyond their ken -that volumes of Texts are but so many sheets of waste -paper, if their possessors do not understand and live by -them.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span></p> - -<p>By the side of the chapel in which I was installed -there was another small building, in which lived Serab -Gyaltsan. My host was a widower, quiet and amiable, -and living with two grown-up daughters, about twenty-three -and eighteen years of age respectively, who between -them managed the household and the family business, -employing under them a number of servants, farm-hands and -cattlemen. I could not but admire the two young women -for the creditable manner in which they attended to their -business. I also observed that the chief amusement of -all the villagers consisted in spending evenings in -dances and comic songs, except when they went -to a sort of semi-religious meeting presided over by -a Lama Maṇi, who would narrate the stories of ancient -priests of great renown, or the biographies of the more -famous monarchs of Buḍḍhist States, to the great delight -of his audience.</p> - -<p>The days I spent in Tsarang were, in a sense, the days -of my tutelage in the art of living amidst filth and -filthy habits. In point of uncleanliness, Tibetans stand -very high among the inhabitants of the earth, but I -think the natives of Tsarang go still higher in this -respect. In Tibet people wash themselves occasionally, -but they almost never do so in Tsarang. In the course -of the twelve months that I lived there, I only twice saw a -person wash himself, the washing being confined even then -to the face and neck. Such being the case, the native’s -skin all over the body has on it a peculiarly repulsive shine -of polished dirt, so to say. I often noticed women, whose -complexion would have appeared quite fair if only an occasional -scrubbing were administered to the skin; but what -can they do when it is a custom, as it is among them, to -laugh at persons who wash their faces nice and clean, and -to deride them as being very dirty in their habits? Not only -in their appearance, but in all that they do, the natives<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> -seem to have absolutely no idea of cleanliness. To say -that they think nothing of making a cup of tea for you -with the same fingers with which they have just blown -their nose, is to give only a very mild instance of their -filthiness, and I have no courage to dwell here on their -many other doings, which are altogether beyond imagination -for those who have not seen them done, and are -too loathsome, even unto sickening, to recall to mind. As -it was, my life among these slovenly people did one good -thing for me, in that it thoroughly prepared me for -what I had to endure in Tibet.</p> - -<p>My work with Serab Gyaltsan consisted in this: a -lecture on Buḍḍhism for three solid hours in the morning, -which required much preparation, and exercises in -Tibetan rhetoric and penmanship for another three hours -in the afternoon, which was, however, of a very easy nature, -and gave me occasion to engage in discussions with my -teacher.</p> - -<p>There is in existence to this day in Tibet a sect of -Buḍḍhists which believes in a teaching originated by a -priest whose name may be translated into “born of the -lotus flower” (Padma Sambhava) or Padma Chungne in -Tibetan, and whom they regard as their savior and as Buḍḍha -incarnate. His teaching is a sort of parody on Buḍḍhism -proper, and an attempt to sanctify the sexual relations -of humankind, explaining and interpreting all the important -passages and tenets in the sacred Text from a sensual -standpoint. Indeed, Padma’s own life was simply his teachings -translated into actual practice, for he lived with eight -women whom he called his wives, drank intoxicants to his -heart’s content, and fed freely on animal food. Now in the -Tibetan rhetoric in which I took lessons under Serab -Gyaltsan I found this lewd and detestable teaching -largely incorporated, and it was on this account that hot -disputes not unfrequently arose between my instructor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> -and myself. At times I felt sorry, as I feel sorry now, -for my Serab, because, from what I was able to -gather, he is one of those on whom (as the result of -twenty years’ study, maintaining well the while his -undefiled priesthood) was conferred the title of Doctor -by the great monastery of Sera, but who, because of -having afterwards yielded to feminine temptation, lost -his qualification to go back to Mongolia as a respectable -Lama, while out of shame it became impossible for him -to continue to live in Lhasa, so that he was compelled -to pass his life in obscure seclusion. I felt sorry for -him all the more, because I found him to be a profound -and widely-read scholar, who could have risen in life -but for his carnal weakness. Another thing I noticed -about him to my pain was that he very easily became -angry, like all the Mongols I came across, but, like them -also, he was very quick in becoming reconciled.</p> - -<p>I said I had disputes with my Serab. It was on -one of these occasions that I differed from him with regard -to the real merits of a certain Buḍḍhist saint. Thereupon, -flying into a terrible rage, he caught hold of -my clothes near my throat with one hand, and, with the -other picking up a bar belonging to a table that stood -between us, was about to visit me with a blow. The -situation was very humorous, and I broke out into loud -laughter, saying the next moment that I had always -thought a little better of him than to suppose that he -was capable of such an exhibition as he was thus making -of himself, in defiance of the teachings of the saint he -revered so much. This took him aback, but he did -not let go his grasp. I saw him grind his teeth, and -fire glared in his eyes; he then removed his grasp and -withdrew as if too wroth to be near me. But reconciliation -followed. So time passed on, I spending seven to nine -hours a day in preparation, besides the six hours of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> -the regular daily lessons. Out of the twenty-four hours, -thirteen to fifteen were thus taken up for purposes of -study every day, with the exception of Sundays, my -other occupation being to take one meal a day with -some tea, and to go out for a walk. Sundays I invariably -spent in mountaineering of a somewhat unusual -character. I had an idea that I should never be able to -compass the arduous journey before me, toiling on -in a rare atmosphere through trackless wildernesses at great -heights while burdened with heavy luggage on my back, -unless I had a thorough training beforehand for the -purpose. Guided by these thoughts, I made a point of -carrying on my back a heavy load of stones when -making my Sunday climb, and of making the ascents -with all possible speed. I was in excellent health then, -and I felt that the mountaineering made it still better, -especially with regard to my lungs. Such was the life -I led for awhile, and I shortly became quite a famous man -in the locality. It was in this way.</p> - -<p>The natives hereabouts are merely, it may be said, -creatures of animal instincts. True, they engage in -agricultural work to some extent, which keeps them -occupied during the summer months, but at the other -seasons they think of nothing but eating, drinking and -sleeping, their minds being otherwise filled with thoughts -pertaining to sensual love. They occasionally spend their -evening in listening to a Lama Maṇi preaching or -lecturing, but only occasionally. They change their clothing -but once a year, casting off the old for the new; -but if any of them is brave enough to wear the same -suit for two years, that person is made an object of high -praise. And as they never wash their wearing apparel, -it is always shining with grease and dirt. Indifferent -as they are to their appearance, they are very painstaking -in preparing food, as also in making their sleep comfortable.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> -But their ruling passion is that of carnal love, and -that applies to all ages, from the young to the very old. -But as human beings they are subject to illness, and -like all uncivilised people they are intensely superstitious. -To them a Lama is omnipotent, for they believe that he -can cure diseases and divine all future events. So it came -to pass that the Chinese Lama—I myself—became an -object of great esteem and reverence among them. For -it was not long before my presence in Tsarang became -known among the inhabitants, and my doings in the mountain -on Sundays began to attract their attention. Especially -my altercations with Serab Gyaltsan, which were often -loud enough to be heard outside, furnished them with no -end of material for gossip, while the fact that the medicines -I gave away at their pressing request occasionally proved -of good effect contributed greatly to my fame. I knew -not of these things myself at first, but heard of them -from my host’s daughters, who frequently called to favor -me with tea and sweets, when they would inform me of -what people were saying of me. The most ridiculous -of all was their interpretation of the quarrels between -Serab and myself; they made out that these disputes -originated in Serab’s objecting to my giving away, to -the poor, things sent to me as presents, instead of giving -them to <i>him</i>, or to my giving some cash to beggars! -Idle tales as these were, they seemed to find ready ears -among the natives, who looked on me as a being of a -higher order.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 541px;"> -<a id="zill_t057"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t057h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t057.jpg" class="hires" width="541" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>TSARANGESE VILLAGE GIRLS.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>While treating of Tsarang, I may dwell a little on -the natural beauties of that place. Tsarang has but two -seasons, namely, summer and winter, and many are the -natives that do not know even the names of the other -seasons. In summer, simple as is the contrast between -the verdant fields of luxuriant wheat, interspersed with -patches of white and pink buck-wheat, and the majestic<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> -peaks that keep guard over the plain and look ever -grand in their pure white robes of perennial snow, the -combination makes a striking picture. Throw into the -picture a buoyant army of butterflies, that flutter up and -down, keeping time, as it were, to the stirring melody -of sky-larks, which is now and then softened by the clear -notes of a cuckoo, while the fields below are resonant with -the rustic melodies of joyous damsels, and the <i>tout ensemble</i> -becomes at once as enchanting as it is archaic; and this is -the picture of Tsarang in summer, when the day is bright -and warm. But more sublimely spectacular is the view on -its winter’s eve. The moment the sun begins to descend -behind the snow-covered mountains that rise about ten -miles to the west of the town, the equally snow-robed -peaks that tower above the eastern range become luminous -masses of coral-red, as the last rays of the sinking -sun strike them. The ruby color gradually changes into -a golden-yellow, but that only for a moment, and it fades -away to reveal huge pillars of silver-white, shining -out majestically against the cloudless clear blue sky. The -scene once more changes as the dusk deepens, burying -the peaks in faint uncertainty, and the moon in her -glory rises slowly from behind them, to spread again -an indescribable lustre of cold—if coldness has a color of its -own—over the mountain tops, which now look like a vision -of celestial seas hung in mid-air.</p> - -<p>But Tsarang has its horrors as well as its charms, as -when a snow storm rages. The wind is often so strong -that it blows away the tilled surface of a farm, and in -time changes it into a barren field of sand, while the snow -comes down in such abundance that it drifts itself into -huge mountains here and there on the plain. The cold is, of -course, intense on such occasions and nobody dares to -go out. But the scene on a moonlight night after a -blizzard is worth seeing. The sky is filled with clouds of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> -dusty particles of snow, moving ever onward like phantom -armies, now thickening into ominous darkness and then -thinning into vapory transparency, through which one -sees struggling, the lustre of the grey steely moon. No -scene so weirdly harrowing can be seen anywhere else.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Fame and Temptation.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Since I had arrived in Tsarang early in May, 1899, nearly -eight months had sped by, and I found myself on the -threshold of a New Year, whose advent I observed with my -usual ceremony of reading the Sacred Text, and praying for -the health and prosperity of my Sovereign and his family, -and the glory of Japan. The first day of the year 1900 -filled me with more than usual emotion. For was I not -then thousands of miles away from home, and was it not -the second New Year’s Day which I had spent on the -heights of the Himālayas? Yet I was hale and hearty, -both in mind and body, and ready to resume my journey, -the end of which the future alone could reveal.</p> - -<p>In order to give vent to my feelings of gratitude, not -unmixed with hope and fear, all deeply impressive, I -ended the day by entertaining the villagers of Tsarang, -having previously provided for them a full and liberal -store of such viands and delicacies as were considered to -be most rare and sumptuous. I have already described -how I had been gaining fame and popularity among the -villagers, my ascetic conduct in the midst of unbridled -licentiousness causing them to respect me, and my -generosity in the matter of medicines, of which I still -had a fairly large stock with me, making me much sought -after by them; and now, through my New Year’s treat, I -seemed to have reached a pinnacle of glory. For from that -time onward I gradually perceived that traps were being -set for me, so that I might be tied down to Tsarang for life. -The arch-spirit in this conspiracy was my own instructor -Serab, who insisted that I should marry the youngest of -my host’s daughters, or rather who brought all his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> -ingenuity to bear upon assisting her to make a captive of -my heart and person. Fortunately my faith proved -stronger than temptations, and enabled me to remain true -to the teachings of the Blessed One. Had I yielded then, -Tsarang would have had to-day one more dirt-covered and -grease-shining priest among its apathetic inhabitants, and -that would have been all.</p> - -<p>But, things having come to the pass which I have described, -it became urgent that I should make haste in discovering -some secret passage into Tibet. But it was as dangerous -for me in Tsarang as it had been in Kātmāndu to disclose -my real intentions, and whatever discovery I might make -for my own purposes, I had to make it in some indirect -and roundabout way. After having once more racked -my brains, I finally hit upon the plan of working upon the -weaknesses of the local people. The Tibetan Government -had began to levy customs duties even on personal valuables. -It was a most outrageous act; supposing one wanted to -do trade with the inhabitants of the north-west plain of -Tibet, and to take thither a stock of coral ornaments, -or some useful knick-knacks imported from Europe, how -could one avoid being unjustly set upon and robbed of the -best part of one’s would-be profit, on first setting foot upon -Tibetan soil? Ah! there must be ways and bye-ways by -which to accomplish this, and to be absolutely safe from -guards and sentinels! Surely the plains might be reached, -if one did not mind three days of hard trudging over the -trackless snow of the Himālayan Range, to the north of -the Dhavalagiri peak, and thence to Thorpo? Having once -got the villagers into the right humor, in some such way, -it was not necessarily a very hazardous job to keep on -tapping them for information. On the other side of that -mountain yonder, they would volunteer to tell me, there -was a river which might be forded at such and such a point, -but which was dangerously treacherous at others; or, that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> -if not very cautious, one might die a victim to the snow-leopard, -while crossing over this or that mountain. All -these bits of information, and hosts of others, were -carefully noted down, and a synthetic study of these -scraps finally convinced me that the route I should choose -was the one <i>viâ</i> Thorpo; and so I decided. This meant that -I had to retrace my steps almost as far back as Tukje, or -more accurately to Malba, a village in the immediate -neighborhood of Tukje. Nor was this retreat without -some advantages in itself, for it would have only been to -court suspicion and to run unnecessary risks for me to strike -off into pathless wilds in full view of the Tsarang villagers, -who were sure to come out in hordes to see me off on my -departure, not only out of respect for my person, but also -from curiosity to know whither I was bound after my -lengthened stay amongst them. The route decided upon, -I could not however yet start on my journey, because the -season was then against me, the peaks and defiles on my -way being passable only during the months of June, July -and August. The mountains were not, of course, entirely -free from snow even during those three months, but for -those thirteen weeks or so the traverser would, as I was -told, be secure as a rule from being frozen to death. And -therefore I bided my time.</p> - -<p>To go back a little in my story, there came to Tsarang -one Adam Naring, the Chief of the village of Malba, -whither I had to retrace my footsteps. That was in -October, 1899. Naring owned a yak ranch on the north-west -plains of Tibet, and he was openly privileged to have -free access thereto over the “King’s highway”. It was -on his way back from one of his periodic visits thither -that he stopped at Tsarang, and, as he put up at my host’s, -I was introduced to him. He had in his chapel, as he told -me then, a set of Buḍḍhist Texts which he had brought -home from Tibet, and he was very anxious that I should<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> -go with him to his house and read them over for the -benefit of himself and his family. The invitation was as -unexpected as it was opportune, and I accepted it. That -was in October, 1899, as I have just said, and if my -acceptance of Naring’s invitation had no definite motive at -the time, it stood me in good stead afterwards. In the -meantime, however, Naring had gone to India on business, -and it was not till March, 1900, that I had tidings of his -return to Malba. On the 10th of that month I bade good-bye -to Tsarang and its simple inhabitants.</p> - -<p>My stay in Tsarang was not entirely devoid of results; -for while there I succeeded in persuading about fifteen -persons to give up the use of intoxicants, and some thirty -others to abandon the habit of chewing tobacco. These -were all persons who had at one time or another -received medical treatment from me, and whom I persuaded -to give pledges of abstinence as the price they were to -pay for my medicine.</p> - -<p>Nearly a year’s stay in Tsarang had made me acquainted -practically with its entire population, and, on my departure, -all these people favored me with farewell presents of -buckwheat flour, bread, maru, butter, fried peaches—all -in various quantities—while some gave me kata and silver -coins. At three in the afternoon of that 10th of March I -left my residence on horse-back, with my volumes of -Buḍḍhist Texts and other baggage loaded on two pack-ponies. -The books I have just referred to were given to me -by one Nyendak, Lama-Superior of the principal Buḍḍhist -temple of Tsarang, in exchange for my white horse, which -had proved such a faithful animal on my journey from -Nepāl, and to which the priest had taken a great fancy. -The books were chiefly in manuscript, penned by a Sakya -Paṇdiṭ, and altogether were worth at least 600 rupees.</p> - -<p>On reaching the outskirts of the village, I found about -one hundred persons waiting for me, and to each of these<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> -I gave the ‘double-handed blessing’. The parting was -not easy, and time sped on. It was now five o’clock, and -I left my well-wishers in tears behind me. Reaching the -village gate, by which I had come in some eleven months -before, I turned round to take a last look at Tsarang, and -prayed in silence for the safety of the villagers and their -ever-increasing faith in Buḍḍhism. Before the darkness -set in I arrived at Kimiyi, and there put up for the night. -The next day’s journey brought me back to Tsuk, a -village on the Kālīgaṅgā, where I spent the evening in -preaching at the request of the inhabitants. At my -departure the following morning about twenty people -came forward and asked me to give them the ‘hand-blessing,’ -which they obtained with perfect willingness on -my part. My instructor, Serab Gyaltsan, had left Tsarang -a little time previous to my departure, but I had the good -fortune to come upon him at Tsuk, and to have an opportunity -of thanking him for what I owed him as a pupil of -nearly a year’s standing before I bade him a most heartfelt -farewell.</p> - -<p>The close of the third day after leaving Tsarang brought -me to the mountain-village of Malba and to the residence -of Adam Naring, who happened, however, to be away from -his home just then. But the village Chief’s father, Sonam -Norbu by name, who probably had heard of me from -his son, was there to welcome me, and I was given the -freedom of the family chapel, which consisted of two -neatly furnished apartments, the innermost of which contained -a fine set of Buḍḍha images, as well as the Tibetan -edition of the Sacred Text and other volumes of ecclesiastical -writings, while the windows of the front room commanded -a charming view of a peach orchard. I may note -here that the altitude of Malba being much lower than -that of Tsarang, the soil in the former place yields two -different crops in the year, wheat coming first and then<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> -buckwheat. Adam Naring owned a fine tract of land -for these crops. Five or six hundred yards beyond his -residence was the Kālīgaṅgā river, gliding serenely along -with a fresh green wall of small pine-trees to set off its -waters. Towering behind and above the emerald grove -stood a range of snow-capped peaks, the <i>tout ensemble</i> -making a view delightful for its primitive joys and natural -beauty.</p> - -<p>My old friend expressed his desire that I should -make my stay indefinitely long, so that he might have -the benefit of my reading for him the whole of -the Sacred Texts; but I could only encourage him -with an ambiguous reply, as I had come to Malba -only to wait for the time when the snow-covered -mountains should become passable. In the meantime -I spent my days in reading, and making extracts from -the Sacred Texts, and in so doing I could not help often -recalling, with a deep sense of gratitude, the six hours -a day which for nearly one year I had devoted to my -study of Tibetan, under the rigid instruction of Serab -Gyaltsan at Tsarang.</p> - -<p>About a fortnight after my arrival in Malba I received -a letter from Rai Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās, through a trader of -Tukje, with whom I had become acquainted while in -Tsarang, and to whom I had entrusted a letter to my -friend at Darjeeling, as well as others to my folks at home, -on the occasion of his going down to Calcutta on business. -Along with his letter Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās sent me a -number of the Mahāboḍhi Society’s journal, which -contained an account of an unsuccessful attempt by a -Buḍḍhist of my nationality to enter Tibet, and a well-meant -note of his in pencil to the effect that I must not -lose my life by exposing myself to too much danger. So -far so good; but next something which was not so good -happened. The Tukje man, my whilom messenger, had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> -apparently formed an opinion of his own about my -personality, and set the quiet village of Malba astir with -rumors about myself. Chanḍra Ḍās was an official of the -English Government, with a salary of 600 rupees a -month, and, as such, a very rare personage among -Bengālīs; and it was with this person that I corresponded; -<i>ergo</i>, the Chinese Lama (myself) must be a British agent -in disguise, with some secret mission to execute. So -went the rumor, and the public opinion of Malba had -almost come to the conclusion that it was undesirable to -permit such a suspicious stranger in the village, when -Adam Naring, who by that time had come home, sought -to speak to me in secret, with indescribable fear written -on his face. Poor honest soul! What he said to me, -when by ourselves, was of course to the effect that if -there were any truth in the rumor, he and his folks would -be visited with what punishment heaven only knew. I -had expected this for some time past, and had made up -my mind how to act as soon as Naring approached me -on the subject. I turned round and, looking him -squarely in the face, said: “If you promise me, under -oath, that you will not divulge for three full years to -come what I may tell you, I will let you into my secret; -but if you do not care to do so, we can only let the -rumor take care of itself, and wait for the Nepāl -Government to take any steps it may deem fit to take.” -I knew Adam Naring was a man of conscience, who could -be trusted with a secret: he signified his willingness to -take an oath, and I placed before him a copy of the sacred -Scripture and obtained from him the needed promise.</p> - -<p>Producing next my passport, given me by the Foreign -Office in Japan, which had on it an English as well as -other translations of the Japanese text, I showed it to -my host, who understood just enough English to follow -out the spelling of some words in that language, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> -explained to him the real object of my journey into -Tibet. I did more. I said to him that now that he -possessed my secret, he was welcome to make of it what -use he liked; but that I believed him to be a true and -devoted Buḍḍhist, and that it behoved him well to assist -me in my enterprise by keeping silence, for by so acting -he would be promoting the cause of his own religion. In -all this, I told my host nothing but truth, and truth -triumphed; for he believed every word I said and -approved of my adventure. Then we talked over the route -I was to take, and it was arranged at the same time that -I should restart on my journey in June or July.</p> - -<p>This taking of my host into my confidence seemed -to have greatly appeased his mind; withal, I did not -think it right for me to tax his hospitality by prolonging -my stay at his residence, and immediately after the above -incident I moved into the temple of the village, where, -nevertheless, I remained the object of his unswerving -friendship, in that he provided for me, while there, all -travelling requisites, from wearing apparel to provisions, -which altogether made luggage weighing about seventy-five -pounds. At my request he also secured for me a guide -and carrier, who was to convey my packages as far as -Khambuthang, or the ‘land of Genii,’ in the valley of -Dhavalagiri, while my part of the load was to consist -only of my collection of religious works. Thus equipped, -I left Malba on June 12th, 1900. By taking the direct -route, the North-west Steppe of Tibet may be reached -from Malba in ten days, but as I was to take in my way -places sacred to Buḍḍhist pilgrims, besides making other -observations, I set aside twenty-three days for the journey, -which I began by traversing trackless wilds for three days. -At my departure I made an <i>uta</i>:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">My roof will be the sky; my bed, the earth;</div> - <div class="verse indent2">The grass my downy pillow soft at night;</div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> - <div class="verse">Thus like the hovering clouds and wandering streams,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">These lonely wilds alone I must traverse.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Once on the road, I found, however, that the sentiment -of this effusion applied more to what I had come through -than to what followed, for there was for days nothing but -snow for my bed and rock for my pillow.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Tibet at Last.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>After leaving Malba my route lay north-west, up a -gradual ascent along the banks of the river Kālīgaṅgā. -We walked, however, only two and a half miles on the day -of our departure, the rain preventing our further progress. -Starting at about seven o’clock on the following morning, we -made a climb of about five miles up a narrow path, the -bed of which consisted of pointed stones and rocks of -various degrees of sharpness, and then refreshed ourselves -with a light repast. On resuming our ascent the incline -became very steep and, the atmosphere growing rarer and -rarer, we could proceed no more than six miles or so -before fatigue overcame us, and at three in the afternoon -we put up in a village called Dankar, where I was obliged -to stay and recuperate myself during the whole of the -next day. On the 15th we faced due north, and five miles -of a sharp ascent brought us to a glacier valley which we -crossed, and continued a climb of still steeper incline for -about four miles, after which we emerged on a somewhat -wide foot-path. At 11 <span class="smcap lowercase">A. M.</span> we stopped for a rest. Not -a drop of water was obtainable thereabouts, but espying -some herbs growing from under a light layer of snow in -a crevice of a rock, I pulled them up by the root, and, -on chewing them, found that the root tasted quite sour. -With the help of this herb-root we made a little lunch of -buckwheat biscuits.</p> - -<p>It was all ascent in the afternoon, and a very tortuous -task it was; now picking our foot-hold from rock to rock -up a craggy precipice—Mukhala Climb, where it made my -head swim to look down into the cañon a thousand feet -below—now trusting my dear life to my staff, when caught<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> -in a sand avalanche, if I may be allowed that expression for -the places where the thaw had caused the snow and rock -to slide down, leaving bare a loose sandy surface, which gave -way under one’s foot. As for my guide-carrier, he hopped, -and skipped, and balanced, and leaped, with the agility and -sureness of a monkey, his staff playing for him the part of -a boat-hook in a most skilful hand, and, in spite of his -seventy-five pounds’ burden, he was so much at home on the -difficult ascent, that he was ever and anon at my side -to help me out of dangerous plights into which I would -frequently fall, with my staff stuck fast between two rocks, -or while I involuntarily acted the <i>rôle</i> of a ball-dancer on -a loosened boulder. To add to the misery, with each step -upward the air grew rarer and my breath shorter, -making me feel a scorching sensation in the brain, -while burning thirst was fast overcoming me—a morsel of -snow, now and then taken, being utterly insufficient to -quench it. Many a time I had almost fallen into a faint, -and then my chronic tormentor, rheumatism, began to assert -itself. I could go no further; I wanted to lie down on the -snow and sleep for a long rest. But as often as I wished -to do so, I had a warning from my guide that a rest then -would be sure death for me, because, as he said, the air -thereabouts was charged with a poisonous gas, and I -would soon succumb to its effect; he was innocent of the -knowledge of atmospheric rarity. I knew full well -the weight of this warning, and I struggled on with -what was to me at that time a superhuman effort. By the -time we had finished wading across the sharp slope of -the treacherous sand, and landed upon a rock-paved flat, -even that effort failed me; I came to a halt in spite of -myself, and also of the guide, who said that water was -obtainable a little distance below. Finding me really helpless, -the man went down and fetched me some water, -which I took with a restorative drug. In a little while I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> -felt better, and during the rest thus obtained I liberally -applied camphor-tincture over the smarting parts of my -hands, which had more or less suffered from the rigorous -exercise they had had in the use of the mountaineering -staff. In the meantime night fell and, picking our way -by the uncertain star-light and the reflexion from the -snow, we made a sharp descent of some four miles, at the -bottom of which we came upon Sanda, a hamlet of about -ten cottages, in one of which we lodged for the night.</p> - -<p>Sanda is a literally snow-bound little village, open to -communication from the rest of the world only during the -three summer months, and that through the precarious -mountain path I had come over. I was profoundly -astonished to find any people making a permanent abode -of such a lonely secluded place, where the vegetation is so -poor that the inhabitants have no staple food but <i>tahu</i>, which -is a cereal somewhat akin to buckwheat, but much inferior -in its dietetic qualities. Nevertheless I must not omit to -pay a tribute to the grandeur of the natural scenery, the -ever present snow-clad peaks, the gigantic heaps upon -heaps of rugged rocks, the serene quietude, all inspiring -the mind with awe and soul-lifting thoughts.</p> - -<p>My exhaustion had been so great, that I was not able -to resume the journey until the 18th, on which day we had -again to wade over a treacherous slope, which yearly -claimed, as I was told, a pilgrim or two as victims to its -‘sand avalanche’. We headed north-west, and after -passing by a grand ancient forest of fir-trees, and then -descending along the bank of a shooting mountain -stream, we reached Tashithang (dale of brilliant illumination) -at about 11 <span class="smcap lowercase">A. M.</span> In the afternoon we proceeded -in the same direction along a path which overlooked now -a dangerously abrupt precipice of great depth, then a -beautiful valley overgrown with flowering plants and -stately trees, the home of ferocious wild animals, the least<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> -pugnacious of which are the musk-deer. We passed that -night under an overhanging piece of rock. Throughout -the 19th we kept on facing north-west, proceeding through -many similar scenes of nature, which grew, however, more -fascinating in their picturesque grandeur as we came nearer -to the great peak of Dhavalagiri. We had just reached the -head of a slope of the great snow-clad mountain called -Tashila, when—not only affected by the cold atmosphere, -but as the result of general exhaustion—I became so weak -that only by transferring my share of the luggage to the -shoulders of my guide-carrier, in addition to his own, was -I able to proceed slowly. I was thoroughly fatigued, but -the sublime beauty of the scenery was so inspiring that I -could not help standing still, lost in extatic admiration, and -fancying that I saw in the variously shaped elevations the -forms of giant deities of the Buḍḍhist mythology, sitting in -solemn mid-air conclave. I was only aroused from my -reverie by the warning of my guide that any further delay -would kill me—because of the atmospheric conditions—and, -allowing him to help me on by taking hold of one of -my hands, we thence made a descent of about ten miles, -and once more spent the night under a sheltering rock.</p> - -<p>On the 20th of June we began our journey with a climb -up another steep mountain, and in the valleys below I saw -a species of deer, locally called <i>nah</i>, ruminating in herds of -two or three hundred. Further up the mountain I came upon -a number of wild yaks at short distances, while on the far-off -mountain sides I occasionally discerned animals which, my -guide told me, were snow-leopards, or <i>changku</i> (mountain -dogs), both ferocious beasts that feed on their fellow-creatures, -including man. Scattered here and there on -our way I frequently noticed whitened bones of animals, -most likely victims of these brutes. At some places the -thawing snow revealed the bleached remains of human -beings, probably frozen to death. The curious thing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> -was that the skull and the leg-bones were missing from -every one of the skeletons I came across. It was explained -to me that the Tibetans manufactured certain utensils, used -for ritualistic purposes, from these portions of human bones; -and that it was their practice to appropriate them whenever -they came upon the remains of luckless wanderers! The -sight and the information could not but fill me with -an extremely uncomfortable feeling, mixed with one of -profound sympathy, and many a time I prayed in silence -for the repose of the souls of the poor neglected brethren, -as we went along our way.</p> - -<p>In due course we arrived at a village called Thorpo, -situated on the other side of the mountain we had crossed. -Another name of the village is Tsaka, and its -inhabitants are believers in Bon, the ancient religion of -Tibet. Thence we travelled on until July 1st, making -an occasional stop of one or two days for recuperating -purposes. On the way we passed through much the -same sort of scenery, abounding in picturesque views as -well as in various interesting plants and animals.</p> - -<p>We had now come to the outer edge of the skirts of -Mount Dhavalagiri. My luggage had become considerably -lessened in weight, owing to the absence of what we had -consumed on our way, and I now felt equal to taking over -the burdens on to my own back. I turned to my guide, and -told him that he could now go back, as I intended to make -a lonely pilgrimage to Khambuthang—the Sacred Peach -Valley—by myself. Nothing could have given him more -astonishment than this intimation, for he had all along -been under the impression that he was to accompany me -back to Malba. He stoutly opposed my venturing on such -a perilous expedition, which nobody, he said, but a -living Buḍḍha, or Boḍhisaṭṭva, would dare to undertake. -From the most ancient time, he continued, there had been -only one or two persons who had ever come out of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> -valley alive, and it was absolutely certain that I should be -torn to pieces and devoured by the dreadful monsters that -guarded its entrance and exit. But I was not to be moved, -and the man went back, with hot tears of farewell, thinking -no doubt that he had seen the last of me. A solitary -traveller, in one of the untrodden depths of the Himālayas, -and loaded with a dead weight of about sixty-five pounds, -my progress thenceforward was a succession of incidents and -accidents of the most dangerous nature, made doubly -trying by innumerable hardships and privations.</p> - -<p>On that first day of July, 1900, early in the morning, -after watching the form of my faithful guide on his -return journey until he had disappeared behind a -projecting rock, I then turned round and proceeded due -north. To my joy I found the pathway not so difficult -as I had expected, owing to the entire absence of rugged -rocks. Still, there was always enough to weigh me down -with anxiety, as I had to push my way over the trackless -field of deep snow, with a solitary compass and a mountain -peak as my only guides. One night I slept on the snow -under the sky, and another I passed in the hollow of a -cliff; three days’ jogging, after parting with my carrier, -brought me across to the other side of the northern peak -of the Dhavalagiri. It is here that the dominion of Nepāl -ends and</p> - - -<p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Frontier of Tibet Begins.</span></p> - -<p>As I stood on that high point, which commanded on -the south the snow-capped heads of the Dhavalagiri -family, and on the north the undulating stretch of the -North-east Steppes of Tibet, interspersed here and there -with shining streams of water, which appeared to flow -out of and then disappear into the clouds, I felt as if -my whole being had turned into a fountain of welling -emotions. Toward the south, far, far away, beyond -the sky-reaching Dhavalagiri, I imagined that I saw<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> -Buḍḍhagayā, sacred to our beloved Lord Buḍḍha, where -I had vowed my vow, and prayed for protection and -mercy. That reminded me of the parting words I left -behind me, when bidding adieu to my folks and friends -at home. I had then said that in three years I would be -able to enter Tibet. That was on the 26th of June, 1897, -and here I was stepping on the soil of Tibet on the 4th of -July, 1900.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 543px;"> -<a id="zill_t075"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t075h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t075.jpg" class="hires" width="543" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>ENTERING TIBET FROM NEPAL.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>How could I prevent myself from being transported with -mingled feelings of joy, gratitude and hope? But I was -tired and hungry. I took my luggage from my back and -gently set it on a piece of rock, after brushing off the -snow, and then, taking out my store of provisions, made -some dough out of baked flour, snow and butter. Morsel -after morsel, the mixture, with a sprinkle of powdered -pepper and salt, went down my throat with unearthly -sweetness, and I fancied that the Gods in Paradise could -not feast on dishes more exquisitely palatable. I made -away with two bowlfuls of the preparation with the -greatest relish; that ended my meal for the day.</p> - -<p>I should observe here that I have always adhered, as I -adhere now, to the rule of one full meal a day, besides -taking some dried fruits or something of that kind for -breakfast. I may also state that the bowl of which I speak -here was of a fairly large size, and two of them constituted -a full good repast, especially as the wheat produced in cold -latitudes seems to be richer in nutrition than that of -warmer countries.</p> - -<p>Well, I had dined grandly. The ocean of snow -stretched around me and below me, far away. I was still -in an extatic mood and all was interesting. But in which -direction was I to proceed in resuming my journey?</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The World of Snow.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>According to the stock of information I had gathered, -I was always to head north until I came to Lake -Mānasarovara, and the point I had now to decide was how -I might make the shortest cut to that body of fresh water. -There was nothing to guide me but my compass and a -survey I took of the vast expanse of snow to a great -distance before me. The best I could do was guess-work. -Following the impulses of instinct more than anything else, -except the general direction indicated by the compass, I -decided on taking a north-westerly course in making the -descent. So I restarted, with the luggage on my back.</p> - -<p>So far my route had lain principally on the sunny side -of the mountains and the snow, at the most, had not been -more than five or six inches deep; but from now onward I -had to proceed along the reverse side, covered over with -an abundance of the crystal layers, the unguessable -thickness of which furnished me with a constant source of -anxiety. In some places my feet sank fourteen or fifteen -inches in the snow, and in others they did not go down more -than seven or eight inches. This wading in the snow was -more fatiguing than I had imagined at first, and the staff -again rendered me great service; once or twice I found it a -difficult job to extricate myself, when my foot, after -stamping through the layers of snow, wedged itself tightly -between two large pieces of hard stone. This sort of -trudging lasted for nearly three miles down a gradual -descent, at the end of which I emerged on a snowless beach -of loose pebbles and stones of different sizes. By that -time my Tibetan boots had become so far worn out, that -at places my feet came into direct contact with the hard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> -gravel, which tore the skin and caused blood to flow, -leaving the crimson marks of my footsteps behind. -During the descent I felt little of my luggage, but now it -began to tell on me, as the foot-hold under me consisted of -loose round pebbles, when it was not sharp angular slabs of -broken rock. Five miles onward, I came upon a pair of -ponds formed of melting snow, and respectively about five -miles and two and a half miles in circumference. Both -the ponds were thick with immense flocks of wild -ducks of different sizes, brownish or reddish in -color, or spotted black on a white ground. Otherwise the -waters of the ponds were as clear as could be, and the -scenery around was picturesque in the extreme, so much so -that, though with lacerated feet and stark-stiff about my -waist with rheumatic pains, I almost forgot all that discomfort -as I stood gazing around. The prestige of the ponds, -if they had any, was of little matter to me then, but, as I -happened to chance upon them all by myself, I was destined -to introduce them to the world; and I christened the larger -pond, which was rectangular in shape, ‘Ekai,’ after my -own name, and the smaller, which described nearly a -perfect circle, ‘Jinkow,’ a name which I sometimes use -for myself. A little conceit you may call it if you like, but -it was only for memory’s sake that I did these things; and -when a little way down I came upon a gourd-shaped pond, -about a mile and a quarter in circumference, I gave it the -name of ‘Hisago Ike’—calabash pond. Still holding -to my north-westerly direction, after having gone some -distance I saw, to the north-west of a snow-clad mountain -that rose far in front of me, two or three tents pitched -on the ground. The sight aroused in me a sense of intense -curiosity mingled with anxiety. Suppose I went to them; -what would their occupants think of a stranger, suddenly -emerging upon them from pathless wilds? Once their -suspicion was roused, I might in vain hope to allay it;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> -what was I to do then? I espied a declivity below me, -which extended north-west in a gradual descent, far out -of sight of the tents, and I saw that unless I -took it, I should either come on those tents or have -my progress barred by a succession of high mountains. -With nothing else to help me to arrive at a decision, -I then entered on what is termed ‘Danjikwan sanmai’ -in Japanese-Buḍḍhist terminology, a meditative process -of making up one’s mind, when neither logic -nor accurate knowledge is present to draw upon for -arriving at a conclusion. The process is, in short, one of -abnegating self and then forming a judgment, a method -which borders on divination, or an assertion of instinctive -powers. The result was that I decided to take the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> -route that lay toward the tents, and by nightfall -I came within hailing distance of them, when a -pack of five or six ferocious-looking dogs caught sight -of me and began barking furiously. They were -formidable animals with long shaggy fur and very -cruel looks. I had before then been told that when -attacked by dogs of this kind I must not strike them, but -that I should only ward them off, quietly waving a stick -in front of their muzzles, and on this occasion I religiously -followed that instruction, and found to my entire satisfaction -that the dogs did not try to snap at me. Proceeding -thus, and coming outside one of the tents, I called -out to its occupants.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t079"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t079h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t079.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="443" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>TO A TENT OF NOMAD TIBETANS.</p></div> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">A kind old Dame.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>My call was responded to by an old woman who, coming -out of the tent and finding a tattered and tired wayfarer, -said more to herself than to me: “Why, it is a pilgrim, -poor, poor.” Seeing no reason to suppose that I appeared -an object of suspicion to her, I ventured to inform her -that I was from the direction of Lhasa, bound for Kang -Rinpoche, Mount Kailāsa, and besought her to give -me a night’s lodging in her tent, as it was unbearably -cold to sleep in the open air. My request was cheerfully -complied with and, inside the tent, the old dame -expressed her curiosity to know how I happened to -be there, as the locality was not one generally visited -by pilgrims. She easily believed my explanation to -the effect that I had lost my way while heading for the -abode of Gelong Rinpoche, and then gave me a cup -of tea out of a kettle that stood boiling over the fire; -accepting it with thanks, I declined the baked flour -offered immediately after. I may observe here that -the tea offered me was not brewed in the same way as -we take it in Japan, but it was more of the nature -of a soup, the ingredients of which were powdered tea-leaves, -butter and salt, forbiddingly offensive in smell, -until one gets accustomed to it, when it is found to -constitute a very agreeable beverage. The Tibetan custom -is to serve a guest with a cup of this kind of tea -first, and then to regale him with some baked flour. -I excused myself for declining the hospitality of my -kind hostess by informing her that I adhered strictly -to the Buḍḍhist rule of fasting hours, which piece of -information produced a very favorable impression on her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> -as to my personality, as she seemed to respect me all the -more for it. Then, leading in the conversation that followed, -she told me that Gelong Rinpoche’s abode was at a day’s -distance, and that this Lama was the holiest of all the -priests to be found throughout the whole Jangthang (<i>Jangthang</i>, -as I explained, literally means ‘northern plain,’ but -in Tibet itself the appellation is applied to its western -steppes). Continuing, the old hostess said that a visit to -the holy man always resulted in great spiritual benefit, and -urged me by all means to call on him. There was a river, -she said, in my way, the waters of which were too cold to -be forded, and she offered me the use of one of her yaks. -Her son was away just then, but she expected him back -in the evening, and he could accompany me in the morning, -as she wanted him too to pay a visit to the holy man. All -this was very acceptable to me, but one thing that troubled -me was the sorry condition to which my boots had -become reduced; and I asked the dame if I could not mend -them. Mending in this case meant, as I was told, patching -the worn-out places with yak’s hide, which required, -however, two days’ soaking in water before it became -soft enough to be sewn. My hostess said that they—she -and her son—were to stay only one more day in that -particular spot where I had chanced upon them, and -suggested that I might make a stay of two or three days -at Gelong Rinpoche’s, so as to give myself the time -to do some mending. She offered that I should, on -the morrow, put on her son’s spare pair of boots and -proceed to the holy Lama’s in them, saying that I might -give them back to her son after reaching my destination. -In the night, just as I was going to sleep, the son turned -up, and more conversation ensued amongst us, chiefly -concerning the saintly man, of whom the mother and the -son knew no end of wonderful things, altogether superhuman -in character.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span></p> - -<p>Early the next morning, by order of the good old -dame, the son busied himself in getting a yak ready for -me. The yak is a bovine somewhat larger than our bull, -though a little lower in height. Its hide is covered all -over very thickly with long shaggy hair, and its tail -terminates in a bushy tuft. The female yak is called <i>bri</i> in -Tibetan. Its face looks very much like that of common -cattle, but it has a pair of piercing eyes, which give you a -rather uncomfortable feeling when turned full on you, -while its horns are dangerously pointed and threateningly -shaped. A better acquaintance, however, shows the animal -to be a quiet and tractable one, even much more so than -our cattle. I may yet have occasion to tell what an -invaluable beast of burden the yak is for the Tibetan. My -hostess’ son brought out three yaks, one for me to ride, -another for himself, and the third to carry his presents, -consisting of dried milk, butter and other things, to the -holy man. As for the good old dame, she proved to be the -very essence of kindness, and on my parting from her she -loaded me with large quantities of baked wheat-flour, dried -milk, and butter, besides a farewell cup of tea, a treatment -which is considered great hospitality in Jangthang.</p> - -<p>So equipped, we started on our trip in quest of the holy -man of the plain. After a ride of about two and a half -miles, involving ascent and descent of equal length towards -the north-west, we were overtaken by a hail-storm, and had -to make a halt of two hours until it had blown over. -During the halt, we took down our luggage from the backs -of the yaks, so that it might not get wet, and I utilised that -interval quite profitably to myself by pumping the young -man for information regarding the routes and geography of -the regions I was to go through before I could reach my -final destination. Resuming our ride, we soon came to a -river which was sixty yards wide, and easy to ford for -men riding on yaks, as we were. Crossing two more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> -rivers of the like width, and making an ascent of -a little over six miles, we came in sight of a large -white cliff, which, as my companion informed me, -was the dwelling place of Gelong Rinpoche. Continuing -the ascent and approaching nearer, I found out -that what had appeared like a huge and solid piece -of rock was really a hollow cliff forming a large cave, -and that there was another concave cliff in front of it, -which was not white but greyish in color, and was -inhabited by one of Gelong Rinpoche’s disciples, as I -came to discover afterwards. It was about three o’clock in -the afternoon that we arrived at the entrance of the front -cave, where my companion asked if he could see Gelong -Rinpoche, though he knew that he was considerably -behind the regular hour, setting forth the hail incident as -an excuse for his delay. The answer he received was -absolutely in the negative; so he took down the presents -and entrusted them to the disciple, to be sent up to Gelong -Rinpoche as from Pasang (his mother’s name), saying that -he could not wait till the next day to see the Lama, as he -was going to strike his tent and move away there and then.</p> - -<p>Left alone with the occupant of the grey cliff, I found -him to be an ordinary Lama of rather good parts. In -the cave, put away in proper places, were articles of -daily use for devotional practices, bedding, the kitchen -utensils, etc. Having obtained the Lama’s permission to -make a few days’ stay, I commenced my mending work -by soaking in water a piece of yak’s hide which the kind -dame Pasang had given me on parting. On my asking -for information as to how I could reach Kang Rinpoche, -the answer I got was very discouraging. It was to the -effect that two or three days’ journey, after leaving the -cave, would bring me to a region inhabited by nomads; for -another two or three days I should be in the same region, -and then, for the next fifteen or sixteen days, I should<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> -have to go through a wilderness entirely destitute of human -kind. I was very fortunate, said my host, in that I had -chanced upon that ‘kind old dame,’ who was noted for -her charity; otherwise I should have had little possibility of -obtaining even lodging accommodation, still less of securing -a companion to the cliff; and it was out of the question for -me to secure anything like a guide for my onward journey; -human beings were too scarce in those parts for such a -luxury. Furthermore he assured me that I should be -pounced upon by robbers as soon as I should reach the inhabited -parts, as I seemed to be loaded with luggage worth -taking. I had nothing to fear on that score, I told my -host, because all I should do would be to hand over all -I had. My host then told me that he had been to Kang -Rinpoche two or three times himself, and gave me a -minute description of the route I was to take for that -destination. After a meditation exercise, in which my -host joined, we both went to sleep at about midnight.</p> - -<p>When I re-opened my eyes, I saw the Lama already -making a fire outside the cave. It should be remembered -that I passed myself off as a pilgrim from Lhasa, here -as elsewhere, and I had to be ‘Lhasan’ in all I did. -That morning, therefore, I got up and set about reading the -Sacred Text without rinsing my mouth. How foul I felt -in the mouth then! but then it was ‘Lhasan,’ you see! -When the usual tea, butter, and salt soup was ready, my -host gave me a bowlful of it, and then we breakfasted -on the regulation diet of baked flour, salt and -pepper, all with uncleansed mouths! After that, we whiled -away the morning in religious talk until eleven o’clock, -when the hour for being presented to Gelong Rinpoche -had arrived.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">A holy Cave-Dweller.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>“<i>Gelong lobzang gonpo la kyabs su chio.</i>” This is, as I was -told and as I observed myself, what the followers of the -dweller in the white cave—and that included natives living -within a hundred-mile radius of the cliff—said three times, -accompanied by as many bowings in the direction of the -cave, every night before going to bed, and it means: “I -take my refuge in the Gelong, named noble-minded Savior.” -This shows in what high esteem the holy man to whom I was -about to be introduced was held by the local people. There -had now gathered about twenty people in front of the grey -cave, waiting to be taken to the white one. During my stay I -noticed that a similar scene took place every morning, the -visitors passing the night before in their tents, pitched at the -foot of the mountain, on the top of which the caves are -situated. Outside the hours I mentioned before, the Lama -was under no circumstance whatever to be seen.</p> - -<p>Shortly before noon I walked up to the white cave, -together with the waiting crowd. I found the entrance -to the cave barred by a fence and a closed gate. -Soon after, a grey-haired old priest, of seventy years of -age, made his appearance, and, unlocking the gate, walked -out to where were the expectant devotees, each of whom -gave an offering or offerings, either of money or in kind, as -his or her turn came to receive <i>maṇi</i>. The <i>maṇi</i> is a -formula pronounced by the aged Lama, who spoke the -sacred words: “<i>Om maṇi padme hum</i>,” the recipient -repeating them. The <i>maṇi</i> came after a brief sermon. -Then followed the imparting by the Lama of various -instructive precepts to the audience; but just previous to -that, each person individually went up to a table, on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> -other side of which sat their venerable teacher. After three -bows, they proceeded with bent body and the tongue stuck -out—the mark of profound obeisance—and, stopping in -front of the table, held their heads close to the Lama. The -latter, with the palm of his right hand, gently touched their -heads by way of blessing, in acknowledgment of their -courtesy. In the case of an individual of social position, the -Lama used both hands in administering the blessing. I may -explain here the Tibetan mode of blessing. Tibetan -Lamas use four kinds of blessing, according to the rank of -the person to whom it is administered. These orders -of blessing, which are at the same time those of greeting, -which they call <i>chakwang</i> in Tibet, are first the ‘head -to head blessing,’ which consists in touching the other’s -head with one’s own forehead; second the ‘double-handed -blessing;’ third, the ‘single-handed blessing;’ both of -which are self-explanatory. The fourth is resorted to by -a Lama of the highest order toward his inferiors and -laymen, and consists in touching the head of the recipient -with the tufted end of a stick, which constitutes a special -article used in Buḍḍhist ritual. This last ceremony is -performed only by the Dalai Lama in Lhasa, and Paṇchen -Rinpoche in Shigatse. Gelong Rinpoche received -me with the double-handed blessing. I found in him a -stoutly built, strikingly-featured, grey-haired old man -of noble bearing, who, because of his well-preserved -physique, did not at first glance look like a person -who had passed the best part of his life in religious -meditation. But closer observation of what he did and -said convinced me that he was a man of true charity, -dearly loving his fellow-creatures, and I approached -him with a feeling of profound respect. The first thing -he said to me was that I was not a man to wander about -in a dreary wilderness, and he asked me what had -brought me to him. The dialogue that then followed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> -between Gelong Rinpoche and myself was substantially -as below:</p> - -<p>“I am a travelling priest making a pilgrimage through -different countries in quest of Buḍḍhist truths. I have -heard of your fame, and have come to be taught one thing.”</p> - -<p>“What can that be, friend?”</p> - -<p>“You are saving the souls of the multitude, and I wish to -learn the grand secret which serves so well for your purpose.”</p> - -<p>“Friend, you know that well enough yourself. All Buḍḍhism -is in you, and you have nothing to learn from me.”</p> - -<p>“True, all Buḍḍhism is in the Self, but in ancient days -Jenzai Dōji travelled far and wide in search of fifty-three -wise men, and we, the Buḍḍhists, are all taught to derive -lessons from the great hardships then undergone by him. -I am far from being a Jenzai Dōji, and yet I am privileged -to imitate him: it is thus that I have called on you.”</p> - -<p>“Good! I have but one means to guide me in saving -souls, and the ‘Grand Gospel of Salvation’ is that guide -of mine.”</p> - -<p>“May I have the pleasure of seeing that Gospel?”</p> - -<p>“Most certainly.” The Lama here went into his cave, -and, fetching out a volume, kindly lent it to me. On -asking what was the gist of the Gospel of Salvation, I -was told that it resolved itself into teaching that the three -<i>yānas</i> (vehicles) were but one <i>yāna</i>. I then withdrew and -went back to the grey cave, taking with me the borrowed -volume, and I spent the rest of the day in reading through -the Gospel, which I found to be a compilation, resembling -in its tenets the <i>Hoke-kyo</i>—the <i>Sūṭra Saḍḍharma Puṇdarīka</i>—and -in some places it even read like extracts -from the last mentioned Gospel. The next day I turned -cobbler, and mended my boots. On the morning following, -I revisited Gelong Rinpoche and returned the -Gospel. In so doing, the Lama and I had quite an -argument, which, in short, was an exchange of views, based<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> -on the Tibetan school of Buḍḍhism on the part of the -Lama, and on Japanese and Chinese schools on mine.</p> - -<p>On the 7th of July I made a parting call on the holy -dweller of the white cliff, when the good man presented -me with considerable quantities of baked flour, butter, -and raisins, saying that without a full and good supply of -them I might die on the journey. This was all very nice, -but it increased my load by twenty pounds, an addition -which always counts a great deal to a solitary peddler, -going a long distance over difficult roads, as I was to do. -Back in the grey cave, I once more set myself to repairing -my boots, but the work was new to me, and I was more -successful in sticking the needle into my finger than in progressing -with the job. The upshot was that the occupant -of the cave, taking pity on me, kindly did the greater part -of the work for me. Early on the 8th I bade good-bye to the -kind-hearted disciple of Gelong Rinpoche, and relaunched -myself on my journey, with eighty-five solid pounds on -my back, which in no time began to ache under the weight.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">In helpless Plight.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Some hours after leaving the grey cliff I reached a -river about 180 yards wide. Before plunging into it to -wade across, I took my noon-meal of baked flour: it was -then about eleven o’clock. The river was the one of which I -had been informed, and I knew it could be forded. After -the repast I took off my boots and trousers, and having also -tucked up the other portions of my dress, went down into -the river. Oh! that plunge! it nearly killed me; the water -was bitingly cold, and I saw at once that I could never -survive the crossing of it. I at once turned round and -crawled up the bank, but the contact with the water had -already chilled me, and produced in me a sort of convulsion. -What was to be done? I happened to think of ointment -as a remedy, as well as a preventive, under the circumstances. -I took out a bottle of clove oil I had with me, and -smeared it in abundance all over my body. What with -the sun shining and my giving myself a good rubbing all -over, I felt better. Then, equipped as before, I made a -second plunge. The water was cold, indeed cold enough -to make my feet quite insensible before I had gone half-way -across, and the rest of the fording I managed simply by -the help of my two staves. The river was about hip-deep -and the stream quite rapid, and when I reached the -opposite bank I found myself almost a frigid body, stiff -and numb in every part.</p> - -<p>The next thing to be done was, of course, to recover the -circulation of blood in the almost frozen limbs; but I -discovered this to be no easy task, for my hands were too -stiff to do anything, and it took full two hours to put -myself in shape to resume the journey. As it was, when I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> -started out at about two o’clock, my legs were so flabby that -I felt as if they were going to drop off. And my increased -luggage weighed so heavily on my back, that I was now -compelled to take it down and devise some new way of -carrying it. This I did by dividing the baggage into two -equal parts and, tying one to each end of my two staves -(which I had tied together), I slung them across my -shoulder. But two rough round sticks grinding against the -untrained flesh of the shoulder, with eighty pounds of pressure, -were not much of relief for a novice at this method of -carrying burdens, and at every hundred or two hundred -yards of my progress, which was tardy enough, I had to -alter my mode of conveyance. In the two hours which -followed, I made an ascent of half a mile and then a -descent of about a mile, and when I had arrived at the -bank of a river at about four o’clock, exhaustion made -further progress impossible for me for the day.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 554px;"> -<a id="zill_t092"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t092h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t092.jpg" class="hires" width="554" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>A NIGHT IN THE OPEN AND A SNOW-LEOPARD.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>Settled down for a bivouac, I set about making a fire to get -tea ready. In Tibetan wilds the only kind of fuel accessible -to travellers (except of course dead leaves of trees for -kindling purposes) is the dry dung of the yak (these animals -being set loose to graze for themselves) and the kyang, a -species of native wild horse. I gathered some of these -lumps, and built them up into a sort of partially hollow -cone, with a broad base and low elevation, and then three -pieces of nearly equal size placed tripod-like around this cone -completed my arrangement for putting my tea-pot over the -fire. But the fire was still to be made, and I may say that -making a fire of this description is not a very easy performance -until one acquires the knack of the thing; -even a pair of hand-bellows is of little help, especially -when the fuel is not sufficiently dry. Matches being unknown -in those regions, I had to resort to the old-fashioned -method of obtaining sparks of fire by striking a -stone against a piece of iron, and it is again a matter of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> -art to make those sparks kindle the tinder. The tea-pot I -carried with me then was one large enough to hold a quart -and a half of water. In those high regions water boils -very quickly, owing to the diminished atmospheric -pressure, and as soon as it began to boil I would throw into -it a handful of Chinese brick tea; but I had to let the -mixture stand boiling for at least two hours before I could -obtain a liquor of the right color and flavor. I should add -that it is the usual practice with Tibetans, which I followed, -to put some natural soda (which is found in Tibet) -into the water when the tea is thrown in. When enough -boiling had been done, I would put in some butter and -salt, and after a little stirring all was ready to be served. -It was this tedious process that I went through on that -river bank. After that, I went about gathering all the -dung I could find, and then, returning, piled it up all over -the fire to make it last the whole night—a precaution -which was necessary to keep off snow-leopards, which often -prove to be dangerous nocturnal enemies of man in -these parts.</p> - -<p>To keep a fire burning brightly through the night was, -however, to court a still greater danger, for it might attract -marauding robbers, on the look out from far-off hill and -mountain tops. Of the two dangers, that of robbers was -the worst, for whereas a snow-leopard will <i>sometimes</i> -leave a sleeping man alone, even with no fire, robbers will -<i>never</i> leave him alone. Under these circumstances I left -my fire smouldering, with a well-pressed layer of sandy soil -over it, so that it would last till the morning, giving me -at the same time enough warmth to keep me alive. When -the moon rose that night I saw it was nearly full. Its pale -light silvered the waters of the river before me. All was -quiet, save for the occasional roars of wild animals. With -all its dreary wildness, the scenery around was not without -its charms that appealed to the soul.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span></p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">When rising slow among the mountain heights,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">The moon I see in those Tibetan wilds,</div> - <div class="verse">My fancy views that orb as Sovereign Lord</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Of that Celestial Land, my country dear,</div> - <div class="verse">Those islands smiling in the far-off East.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>The night was extremely cold, and I could not sleep. I sat -up and fell to meditation; and while I was wandering over -the borderland, half-awake and half-asleep, the morning -came. With a start I got up, and on going to the river’s -edge I found its waters frozen. I then stirred up the fire, -and after due preparations made a hearty breakfast. -When ready to start on the day’s journey, I could not recall -the instruction given me before—whether to follow the river -up its course, which would lead up to a high peak, or to -proceed down stream. Here was a dilemma! but I felt sure -of one thing, and that was that, weak and exhausted, I -could not survive the ascent of the steep peak. By necessity, -then, I proceeded down the stream, but I failed to -come upon a rock upon which, as I had been informed, I -should find an image of Buḍḍha carved. No wonder! for -I took the wrong direction, as I afterwards found out. -Proceeding above five miles, I emerged upon an extensive -plain, which I judged must be seventeen or eighteen -miles by eight or nine, with the river flowing through it.</p> - -<p>On consulting the compass I found that, in order to -proceed towards the north-west, I should have to cross the -river, a prospect particularly unpleasant just then, as I -thought of the chilling effects of the icy waters. As I -stood taking a survey of the river in an undecided frame -of mind, I noticed a bonze wading across the stream -towards me. As he landed on the bank, I hailed him, and -eventually found him to be a pilgrim from Kham, bound -for Gelong Rinpoche’s cave. Then I negotiated with him -to assist me across the river, after having astonished him -with my generosity in giving him a comparatively large -quantity of dried peaches and flour, articles particularly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> -precious for a lonely traveller through those regions. I -made him understand that I was ill and weak, and not -equal to the task of crossing the river, heavily burdened -with luggage as I was. Whatever was the effect of this -piece of information, my liberality soon won him over to -my help, and, taking all my luggage on his back and -leading me by the hand, he assisted me to ford the stream. -Having landed me and my luggage safely on the other -side, and having also told me that, following the course -he pointed out, I should come to an inhabited place after -two days’ journey, he bade me good-bye and once more -crossed the river. I, for my part, started forthwith, -heading in the direction prescribed for me.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">A Foretaste of distressing Experiences.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>After parting with the Kham bonze, I had not proceeded -far before I began to feel a shortness of breath which -increased in intensity as I went along, and was followed -by nausea of an acute type. I made a halt, took -down my luggage (which, by the way, had by this time -produced very painful bruises on my back) and then took -a dose of <i>hotan</i>—a soothing restorative. The result was -that I brought up a good mouthful of blood. Not being -subject to heart disease, I concluded that I had been affected -by the rarity of the atmosphere. I think, as I thought then, -that our lung-capacity is only about one-half of that of the -native Tibetan. Be this as it may, I felt considerable -alarm at this, my first experience of internal hemorrhage, -and thought it would be ill-advised to continue my journey -that day. I had made only eight miles, five up and three -down, over undulating land; but I was so greatly fatigued -that, without courage enough to go and search for yak-dung, -I fell fast asleep the moment I laid me down for a -rest. I do not know how long I had slept, when something -pattering on my face awoke me. As soon as I -realised that I was lying under a heavy shower of large-sized -hail-stones, I tried to rise, but I could not; for -my body literally cracked and ached all over, as if -I had been prostrated with a severe attack of rheumatism. -With a great effort I raised myself to a sitting posture -and endeavored to calm myself. After a while my -pulse became nearly normal and my breathing easier, -and I knew that I was not yet to die. But the general -aching of the body did not abate at all, and it was out -of the question for me to resume the journey then, or to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> -go dung-gathering. Apparently there were some hours of -night yet left, so I went into the ‘meditation exercise,’ -sitting upon a piece of sheep’s hide and wrapped up in -the <i>tuk-tuk</i>, a sort of native bed-quilt weighing about -twenty-five pounds, and made of thick sail-cloth lined with -sheep’s wool. Sleep was no more possible. As I looked up -and around, I saw the bright moon high above me, the uncertain -shapes of distant lofty peaks forming a most weird -back-ground against the vast sea of undulating plain. Alone -upon one of the highest places in the world, surrounded by -mysterious uncertainty, made doubly so by the paleness of -the moonlight, both the scene and the situation would have -furnished me with enough matter for my soul’s musings, -but, alas! for my bodily pains. Yet the wild weirdness of -the view was not altogether lost on me, and I was -gradually entering into the state of spiritual conquest over -bodily ailment, when I recalled the celebrated <i>uta</i> of that -ancient divine of Japan, Daito Kokushi:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">On Shijyo Gojyo Bridge, a thoroughfare,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">I sit in silence holy undisturbed,</div> - <div class="verse">The passing crowds of men and damsels fair,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">I look upon as waving sylvan trees.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>In reply to this I composed the following:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">On grass among those lofty plains on earth,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">I enter meditation deep and wide,</div> - <div class="verse">I choose, nor such secluded mountain-trees,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Nor passing crowds of men and damsels fair.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>I was almost in an extatic state, forgetful of all my -pain, when another <i>uta</i> rose to my mind:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">O Mind! By Dharma’s genial light and warmth</div> - <div class="verse indent2">The pain-inflicting snows are melted fast,</div> - <div class="verse">And flow in rushing streams that sweep away</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Delusive Ego and Non-Ego both.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Thus in meditation I sat out the night, and when the -morning came I breakfasted on some dried grapes. I felt -much refreshed both in mind and body, and made good -progress on my journey that morning.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span></p> - -<p>Coming to a small clear stream, I went through the -process of fire-making and tea-preparing, and then took a -meal of baked flour. Crossing the stream and then -mounting an elevation, I saw far in front of me one white -and several black tents pitched in the plain. The sight -of a white tent puzzled me a good deal. Tibetan tent-cloth -is almost always dark in color, the natives weaving -the stuff with yak’s hair, which they first take between -their teeth, draw out and twist into a yarn between their -fingers, putting it on to the loom when a sufficient -quantity of coarse thread has thus been obtained. I could -not solve the mystery; but it mattered little after all to -me then; I only wanted to reach the tents as quickly as -possible, and to be allowed a few days’ rest there. I had -walked about five miles, and the last mile or so brought -back on me the now chronic trouble, the pain of fatigue -and shortness of breath. When, somehow, I had managed -to drag myself along to the threshold of the largest of the -tents, the welcome I received was in the shape of five or -six ferocious-looking native dogs, and it was a right hot -reception, to appreciate which I had to put all my -remaining energy into the gentle warning of my staff.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">A Beautiful Rescuer.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>While I was engaged in the pleasant work of warding -off the dogs, a woman, apparently roused by the loud -barking of the animals, put her head out of the tent. -Hers was a beautiful face, so beautiful that I was surprised -to see it in such a wilderness. For a while the woman -stood staring at me, and then, coming out of the tent, she -scolded the dogs. One word from her was enough, and -the beasts all ran away crest-fallen and with tails down, -so that I could not help smiling at them. And, smiling, -I asked the beauty of the wilderness for a night’s lodging. -Her answer was that she must first obtain the permission -of “her Lama,” and, so saying, she disappeared within -the tent. At her second appearance I was admitted into -the tent, and a very hospitable man “her Lama” proved -to be. It was a great relief to me. That afternoon and -evening I spent in pleasant conversation with my host -and his wife. For two days more I was allowed to -recuperate myself in their tent, and in the interval I -learned a good deal about my future route. Among other -things I was told that at half a day’s distance on horseback -there was a river called Kyang-chu (wild horse river), -a large tributary of the Brahmapuṭra, which I had to cross, -but that it admitted of fording only by those well acquainted -with its shallows. The necessity which thus arose of -having a qualified companion compelled me to prolong -my stay with my kind host till the 13th of July. It was -on the night of the 12th that, at the invitation of my host, -the occupants of the other tents, numbering about thirty -men and women, came to his tent to hear my preaching, as -they had been told by my host that I was a holy priest.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> -My sermon to the assembly procured for me various -offerings in kind. Among the audience was a young girl -who insisted on my accepting from her a neck ornament, -consisting of seven coral beads and a gem. I took it from -her hand for a moment, but with sincere thanks I returned -it her, as I really had no use for it. But she, with the -support of her companions, insisted on my accepting it, and -I was finally persuaded to take the gem alone, which -even now I keep, valuing it as a memento of a dear little -girl of the Tibetan wilds. The next day the owner of -the white tent came to my host and gave him some -raisins, dried peaches and dates, taking in exchange -sheep’s wool, butter and other local products. This man -proved to be a trader from Ladak and spoke but little -Tibetan. Apparently a devoted Buḍḍhist, he asked me a -great many things about my religion, and seemed to be -highly pleased with all my replies; so much so that he -begged me to come to his tent and dine with him. So -at noon I went to his tent, where he regaled me with -delicacies considered to be costly in those parts. It -was this Ladak trader who was to start on the day -following, and to be my guide in crossing the Kyang-chu.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 548px;"> -<a id="zill_t100"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t100h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t100.jpg" class="hires" width="548" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>ATTACKED BY DOGS AND SAVED BY A LADY.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>As for my host the Lama, I learned that he was really a -man of the order belonging to the new sect of Tibetan -Buḍḍhism, which by the way strictly enjoins celibacy -and abstinence on all its priests, so I was considerably -perplexed at seeing him living with a wife. He called -himself Alchu Tulku, which means ‘incarnation of Alchu’—the -name of a place on the plateau. His wife was -exceedingly beautiful, as I have already hinted. But it -was none of my business to pry into the matter any -further. It was enough for me that, after all my distressing -experiences, he received me with open arms, -treated me with the utmost kindness, and behaved in a -manner bespeaking a large heart and deeply charitable<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> -mind. I noticed that he owned about sixty yaks in -addition to two hundred sheep, and that he was very well -circumstanced, though he might not perhaps be called a -very rich man. Besides, his charming wife appeared to be -thoroughly devoted to him, and he seemed in every respect -the master of a very happy home. What more could I -wish for them?</p> - -<p>But I was much surprised at a discovery which I made -on coming back to them from a visit to the white tent. -When in the evening I approached the Lama’s tent, I -heard noises inside which suggested a fearful quarrel at its -height. On entering, I saw that a wonderful metamorphosis -had come over the erstwhile beauty. Her face was burning -red and undergoing the most disagreeable contortions I -had ever seen, as she went on calling her husband names -and otherwise insulting him in the vilest language imaginable. -It was all about “another woman” and also about -the husband’s partiality for his own relatives. A man of -quiet disposition as the Lama was, he heroically maintained -his self-composure and silence until she dared to call him -“beast,” when he rose and feigned to beat her. He probably -did so because he was irritated at my appearance on -the scene just at that juncture. But that was a blundering -move on his part, for the moment he raised his fist, the -now thoroughly maddened termagant threw herself at his -feet, and, with eyes shut, shouted, shrieked and howled, -daring him to kill and eat her! What could I do? I -played the part of a peace-maker, and it was lucky that -I succeeded in the office. I got the woman to go to bed -on the one hand, and persuaded the Lama to spend the -night with the Ladak trader, to whose tent I accompanied -him. And so the last night I spent with my kind host -brought me a rude awakening, which caused me to shed -tears of deep sympathy, not necessarily for Alchu Tulku -only, but for all my brethren of the Order, whose moral<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> -weakness had betrayed them into breaking their vows of -celibacy, and who in consequence were forced to go -through scenes as I have described.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Lighter Side of the Experiences.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>On the 14th of July I bade adieu to Alchu Lama, and, -riding on a horse he lent to me and in the company of -the Ladak trader, I resumed my journey, now heading -due north. My luggage was taken care of by my companion, -who had six men under him and some ponies. First, -we went through an undulating land where snow remained -here and there, and grasses were struggling to grow. -A ride of about fourteen miles brought us to the river -Kyang-chu, whence, about fifty miles to the north-west, -I saw a great snow-covered mountain. It was in that -mountain that the river had its rise, and, following its -course with my eye, I saw it flow into and disappear in the -upper part of another elevation on the south-east. The -Kyang-chu was about four hundred and fifty yards wide at -places, while it narrowed to sixty yards or so at others, where -its waters shot between walls of huge rocks. Before crossing -the river we took our noon-meal. I was now a guest of -my companion, and the latter’s men went about gathering -fuel and getting things ready, while I sat down and -read the Scriptures, and I had altogether an easy time -of it. Before our parting, Alchu Lama had given me about -five <i>go</i>, or about the fiftieth part of a peck of rice. I had -this cooked, and invited my companion and all his men to -partake of it. It was a grand treat; I had not tasted rice -for a long time. Rice, by the way, comes to these regions -from Nepāl, and costs about seventy sen per <i>sho</i>, -or ten <i>go</i>.</p> - -<p>The river had a sandy bed of considerable depth, and it -was judged dangerous to make the ponies wade across it -laden. All the baggage was therefore taken from their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> -backs, and carried across the stream piece by piece by the -men, who had stripped themselves naked. My companion -and I also divested ourselves of all our clothing, and began -to cross the icy stream. Where we forded it, the breadth -must have been more than four hundred yards. The -depth of the water was from three to four feet, and -another danger was from the blocks of ice floating -down from the upper reaches, which we had to take -good care to escape, for fear of receiving serious cuts. -After hard efforts we reached the opposite shore, where, -in the warm sun, I had time enough to recover myself -from the effects of the cold water while the men -repacked the baggage on the ponies.</p> - -<p>Once more in the saddle, we turned north-west along -the river, and after a jog of about fifteen miles we came -upon a nomad station, where seven or eight tents were -visible. We were lodged in the largest tent, the owner of -which was an elderly man named Karma. The intimation -that I had come from Alchu Lama at once secured me -most hospitable treatment from Karma. In the Karma -family I observed a very singular type of married life, -almost unique even in the wondrous land of Tibet, where -(as I will tell more in detail later on) nothing is more common -than three or five brothers with one communal wife. -In Karma’s case it was quite the opposite, for he was -about fifty years old and had three wives, all living. -The eldest Mrs. Karma was about forty-seven years -of age, and blind; the next about thirty-five, and the -third about twenty-five. Mr. Karma had a single child -by his youngest wife. Polygamy is only very rarely -practised in Tibet, though there are instances of two or -three sisters taking, or marrying, one common husband -for economy’s sake. Karma’s was the only instance I -came across in Tibet in which one man deliberately indulged -in the luxury of three wives.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span></p> - -<p>Mr. Karma asked me to read the Sacred Books for his -family, and I readily consented, for a couple of days’ rest -was not disagreeable to me. While staying with him I -bought an extra pair of boots, a precaution which I had -foolishly omitted to take before, to my great inconvenience. -I also purchased a sheep, to make it a beast of burden -for me.</p> - -<p>On July 18th I left Karma’s, with about fifty pounds of -luggage on my back and twenty-five more on that of the -sheep. I led the sheep with a yak’s tail rope tied to its -neck. The animal proved docile enough for a couple of -hundred yards, but not further. It wanted to go home, -and tried to assert its right to do so with tremendous -force. For my part, I stood on my own right, and there -ensued a tug of war between the sheep and its master, -and a very lively one it was. I argued with the animal, -adducing various proofs of my determination, among -which I may mention a rather free use of one of -my staves. But the sheep showed that he had a stronger -determination than mine, and I began to be dragged -backward. My severe exertions even threatened to cause -me some serious injury, and I finally gave in and -allowed myself to be led back to Karma’s, as I had a mind -to find out the best way of managing the animal. On -my second call on him, Karma expressed his opinion -that my sheep was not yet broken sufficiently for travelling -purposes, and that the purchase of a better-trained -one as its companion might induce the refractory animal -to obey my will. I followed the suggestion and paid -one yen twenty-five sen for an additional sheep; seventy -sen would have bought me a younger one, but I wanted -a fully grown and fully broken one, and I was obliged -to stay there that night, for all his sheep had gone to the -plains. On that very evening I bought another, and tried -putting on his back one half of my share of the burden<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> -of the morning; this one proved to be a very good -companion to my first sheep, and things went splendidly -on the trial.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The largest River of Tibet.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>On the day I left Karma’s, about three o’clock in the -afternoon I was overtaken by a party of men, the -leader of whom happened to be, as I afterwards found, -the chief of the district of Hor-tosho, through which -I was then travelling. They accosted me. I saw in -the glint of the chief’s eyes something that told me -that he had half a mind to suspect me. I perceived -at once the danger I might be in, and managed to -bring the conversation round to the subject of Gelong Rinpoche. -As good luck would have it, the chief happened to -be a great believer in Gelong Rinpoche. Had I met the -holy man? Yes! And more—I had been taught to study -the mysteries of Boḍhi-saṭṭva and Mahā-saṭṭva, besides -having been given many valuable presents by the saintly -Teacher. All these incidents, of which I gave full particulars, -had the effect of completely melting away the -suspicion which had almost formed in the chief’s mind. -He then invited me to come to his house-tent the next -day and read the Sacred Books for him. His name was -Wangdak.</p> - -<p>On the following day Wangdak lent me a horse and -caused his men to look after my luggage. A ride of something -over ten miles brought me to the chief’s habitation, -where I found his worldly possessions quite equal to the -weighty position he held as a district chief. All went well. -The next day Wangdak caused one of his men and a horse -to accompany me for a distance of about six miles, at the -end of which the servant with the horse took leave of me, -after informing me that one night’s bivouac and some -walking on a comparatively easy road would bring me to -another nomad station.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span></p> - -<p>In due time I reached this station, where I found -four tents, on approaching which I was, as usual, met by a -welcome-party of dogs. I shall say no more of the canine -welcome, which is an invariable thing on arriving at a -nomad’s tent. At one day’s distance from the station I -was to come to Tamchok Khanbab, which forms the upper -course of the Brahmapuṭra, and is the greatest of Tibetan -rivers, and I needed a guide, without whom I could not -think of any attempt to cross it. Unfortunately I found -no one willing to become my guide, although I made -liberal offers of money and other things of value. I was -almost on the verge of despair, when a sickly looking -old woman came to me. She said that she was very -ill and begged me to examine her, and to tell her -when she would die; a pleasant request, indeed! But I -took pity on her, for I could see that hers was a case of -consumption in its advanced stage. I granted her request, -to please her, and also gave her some harmless medicine to -ease her mind, besides telling her how to take care of herself, -and other things such as a good doctor would say when -he knows his patient to be in a hopeless condition, but not -likely to die immediately. The old dame was gratified beyond -measure, and wished to give me something in return, -and she implored me to say what that something should be. -Here was my chance. I told her the plight I was in, and -asked her to secure, if possible, a couple of men and some -horses—say three—to take me to, and help me to cross, the -river on the morrow. Nothing could be easier; she was -only too glad to be able to oblige so holy a Lama. When -the morrow came all was done as I had requested. It is a -general thing for a Tibetan pack-horse to carry on its back -its driver and thirty pounds more or less of baggage. In -my case the horses had an easier time of it, because my -luggage was distributed on three of them. We started at -five o’clock in the morning, and having covered about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> -seventeen miles by eleven o’clock, we arrived on the -banks of the Tamchok Khanbab. Here I prepared my -noon-meal in the usual manner, and took it before crossing -the river.</p> - -<p>This river was a mountain stream of considerable breadth, -with extensive sand-beaches on either side. The width of -the beach alone on the eastern side was about two and a -half miles, and that on the opposite side about half as -much; the width of the stream itself, when I crossed it, -was not more than a little over a mile. It was at the -water’s edge that we took our meal. When all was ready -for crossing, I once more felt the necessity of anointing -my body, but at the same time I also felt the undesirability -of letting my guides see what I was doing. Under a -certain pretext, therefore, I walked away from them, and -when out of their sight I quickly finished the operation. -Then we plunged into the water. The condition of the -stream with its cuttingly cold water was much the same -as that of the Kyang-chu (except for the greater width -to be forded) and the water in some places was not more -than seven or eight inches deep; but the sand was so -treacherous that we often sank in it right up to our hips. -In this case, as in the other, my guides took my luggage -on their backs, leaving the horses behind, and also -helped my sheep to cross. Upon <i>terra firma</i> on the other -side, my men pointed to a gorge between two mountains -rising to the north-west, and told me that I was to go -through the gorge, and thence to Lake Mānasarovara, -after traversing an uninhabited region for fifteen or -sixteen days; the road would take me to Mānasarovara -first and then to Kang Rinpoche. I thanked my guides -for their trouble and information, and gave them each a -<i>Kata</i>. A kata is a small piece of thin white silk, which -Tibetans present as a compliment. It generally accompanies -a present, but is also given away by itself. The men, after<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> -advising me to recite the Sacred Text from time to time, in -order that I might not be set upon and devoured by snow-leopards, -bowed their farewell and were gone, recrossing -the river.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Dangers begin in Earnest.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>After leaving the sandy beach of the Brahmapuṭra -behind, about a quarter of a mile’s trudging brought me -to the outer edge of another expanse of undulating plain, -the elevations here and there assuming the height of hills. -Following the upper course of the river to the north-west, -I saw the titanic heights of the Himālayas, rising one -above another. Here I had to pasture my sheep, and, -while taking a rest myself, I drank deep and full of the -grandeur of the scenery. The sight here obtainable of -the mighty peaks covered with glittering snow from the -top to the bottom was sublime in the extreme, incomparably -more so than what one sees from Darjeeling or Nepāl. -As for the Brahmapuṭra, it looked like a shining -streamer hung out from the bosom of a great mountain, -and waving down and across an immense plain, till -the eyes could follow it no more. The sight gave me -an <i>uta</i>:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">The distant clouds about the snowy range</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Pour forth the mighty Brahmaputra stream,</div> - <div class="verse">That darts into the farthest skies which meet</div> - <div class="verse indent4">The far horizon of the distant lands.</div> - <div class="verse">The river in its pride majestic seems</div> - <div class="verse indent4">The waving standard of the Buddha, named</div> - <div class="verse">Vairochana, all Nature’s Brilliant Lord.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Like all the others of my production, this may not be -worth the name of <i>uta</i>. Call it a silly conceit of imagination, -if you like; but when I made these lines, I was feeling -so jubilant that I could not help giving vent to my -emotion; for, conceit or no conceit, the imagination would -have been impossible to me, had I not succeeded in penetrating -into the untrodden wilderness of Tibet.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span></p> - -<p>The sheep had now finished grazing, and dividing the -burden of my luggage among the three—myself and the -two sheep—I started making easy progress onward. I -found the country around full of pools of water, varying -in size all the way from a hundred yards to a mile or so in -circumference, and I gave it the name of Chi-ike-ga Hara—Plain -of a thousand Ponds. About four o’clock in the afternoon -I finished the day’s journey by encamping near a -good-sized pond. I then went about to collect the usual -fuel, but found none, except the dung of the wild horse, -and I concluded that the neighborhood was never visited -even by yaks. The night was extremely cold, so much so -that I could not sleep at all, and the following is an <i>uta</i> -that occurred to me in the midst of shivering:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">On these high plateaux here no sound is heard</div> - <div class="verse indent6">Of man or beast, no crickets sing their tunes,</div> - <div class="verse">The moon above, and I, her friend, below.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>The following day I made about twelve miles before -noon, over a country much the same in topography. -Proceeding north-west in the afternoon, I came to the base -of a huge mountain of snow, which I could not think -of crossing. For a while I went into meditation, and -then wended my way in a direction which fortunately -proved to be the right one for my purpose, as I found out -afterwards. Right in the direction, but all wrong in other -respects, as what I have to tell will show.</p> - -<p>As I pushed onwards, I soon came upon a region -which was quite the opposite of the country I had -traversed in its entire absence of water supply; neither -a pool nor a brook was to be seen within the eye’s range. -I continued my progress until about seven o’clock in -the evening—I had walked about twenty-seven miles, all -told, that day—but not a drop of water could I find, and -I felt as withered up as could be. As for my sheep, -there was some green grass growing for them to graze on.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> -I had no tea—in fact could not have any—that evening -before I went to sleep. It is wonderful how one gets -accustomed even to hardships; I slept well that night.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t114"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t114h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t114.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="448" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>NEARLY DYING OF THIRST.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>Before sunrise the next morning, on resuming my -journey, I thought I espied a stream of water coursing -through a sandy country at a distance which I judged to -be about seven miles in the direction of my progress. -Not having had a drop of water, or anything whatever -in liquid form, since the afternoon of the previous day, -I was of course thirsty; but now I had prospect at least -of obtaining some quenching draught, and allaying the -thirst with a pinch of <i>hotan</i>, now and then, I made good -headway. On reaching the supposed river, what was my -disappointment and dismay! Instead of a stream of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> -water, I found there the dry bed of a river, strewn with -white pebbles glittering in the sun! Then I could not -help imagining myself to be a mere shadow, wandering -in mad quest of a soothing draught in the hot region of -the nether world, where all water turned into fire when -brought to the mouth. Once more I stood me unto my -full length, and looked round for water; but none could -be seen, nothing but some blades of grass growing here and -there to the height of about five or six inches. I could -do nothing but endure the thirst, and wend my way on in -the direction I had chosen—north-west. After proceeding -for some distance, I once more thought that I perceived -a body of water in the midst of another desert of sand, -but on coming to the spot the glittering specks of sand once -more disillusioned me only to intensify my thirst.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Overtaken by a Sand-Storm.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>The tormenting thirst which I experienced after my -second disappointment simply beggars description. To -say that I felt as if my entire internal system were becoming -parched is only to put it mildly. But, however -excruciating the torture might be, there was no help -for it after all but to move on in the hope of finding some -water; even the hope itself was now almost deserting -me. I really felt that I should die of thirst if I should -fail to get some moisture during the rest of the day, and -were to pass another night waterless. I had been constantly -taking some <i>hotan</i>; but even that cooling fragrance -seemed to increase the distressing dryness. Thank heaven! -about eleven o’clock I came within sight of a declivity, -and somehow I felt sure that I should find some water at -its bottom. Buḍḍha be praised! I was right: there was -some water. But alas! such water! To take the luggage -off my back, get out a wooden bowl, and run down into -the hollow was the work of an instant. But when I -fetched out a bowlful of the water, lo and behold! it -was vermilion red, thick and (what was worse) alive with -myriads of little creatures! In short, it was a stagnant -pool of water, which for all I knew might have been -becoming putrid for years. Imagine how I then felt! -I was dying with thirst, but the very look of the water -was forbidding. Then my religious scruples disallowed -my swallowing any water with living things in it. It -was not long, however, before I remembered a teaching of -the Blessed Buḍḍha, in which the Lord telleth that when -water which is to be drunk contains living things, it -should be strained through a piece of woven stuff. I went<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> -through the process; but the water remained red. There -were no more moving things in it, however, and I took a -good long draught of the vermilion liquid. That quenching -draught, how delicious it was! I imagine God’s nectar -could not be sweeter. But a second bowlful—no, I could -not take it. In the usual manner, then, I built a fire -and went about boiling the filtered water. It was well-nigh -twelve o’clock, however, before the kettle began to -boil, and it being against my rule, as already told, to take -any meal after noon, I prepared baked flour with the red -lukewarm water. And the lunch I then took was one of -the most enjoyable I ever had in Tibet.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 549px;"> -<a id="zill_t117"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t117h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t117.jpg" class="hires" width="549" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>A SAND-STORM.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>I had proceeded over the sandy desert for about two and -a half miles, after that memorable lunch, and it was now -past three o’clock in the afternoon, when a terrific sand-storm -arose. A sand-storm is something which one can -never experience, or form any idea of, in Japan. As -strong gust after gust of wind arose, the loose sand actually -surged into big billows, tossing, dashing, tumbling, and -sweeping, like the angry waves of the mighty ocean. The -wind burrowed deep into the ground here and built high -hills of sand there, filling the air with blinding particles, -which rested in heaps on the luggage, penetrated down the -neck, and made impossible any progress forward, while to -stand still was to risk being buried alive. Not knowing -what else to do, I kept moving just to shake off the -sand, and to avoid being inhumed, while reciting in silence -some passages of the Holy Text.</p> - -<p>Fortunately the storm lasted for only about an hour, -and it subsided with the same suddenness with which it -arose. Then I resumed my advance, and by about five -o’clock I reached a place grown over with creeping grass, -and low thorny bush, the leaves of which were not green -but dark to almost blackness, owing probably to the cold -climate. There I bivouacked for the night, and I had an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> -abundance of fuel with which to make a fire, and afterwards -thoroughly enjoyed my sleep, as I had not done for -many a night.</p> - -<p>The next morning, after traversing the bush-land, I came -to the foot of a mountain which I had to climb. When -half way up the slope I saw a mountain stream flowing -across my road, and it presented a rather curious sight. -For the river, at a very short distance, broadened into a -lake, and almost described a right angle when flowing out -of this and into another basin. Afterwards I ascertained the -name of this river to be Chema-yungdung-gi-chu, and that -its waters flowed into the Brahmapuṭra. I shuddered at -the thought of having once more to cross an icy mountain -stream, but there was no help.</p> - -<p>It was only nine o’clock in the morning when I reached -the Chema-yungdung-gi-chu, and I found ice quite thick -still along its banks. I waited till the ice began to melt, -and I finished the noon-meal before making a plunge into -the water, not forgetting of course the anointing process. -My intention was to make my sheep carry their shares of the -luggage across the river; but to this proposal they -strenuously objected, probably knowing instinctively the -depth of the water. In the end I gave in, relieved the -animals of their burden, and, leaving the luggage behind, I -led them into the water by their ropes. I tucked up my -clothes high, but the water proved to be much deeper than I -had judged; it came up to my shoulders, and all the clothing -I had on became wet through. The sheep proved good -swimmers, and we managed to get to the other side without -any accident; of course they might have been washed down -and drowned, but for the assistance I gave them by means -of the ropes. Once on the bank, I tied one end of the ropes -to a large boulder, and after taking off all my clothing to -get dry I, stark naked, made a second plunge and returned -for my luggage. The second crossing was comparatively<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> -easy. After a rest of about half an hour, and a thorough -anointing for the second time, I made all my baggage into -one bundle to be balanced on my head. With that acrobatic -equipment, I entered the stream for a third time. All -went well, until, in mid-stream, I lost my foothold, treading -on a slippery stone in the bottom, and, what with the -weight of the luggage on my head, and more or less exhaustion -after the repeated wadings, I fell down into the -water, while the bundle slid off my head. I had no time -even to bring my staff into service; all I could do was to -take firm hold of my luggage, and try to swim with one -hand; for I was being fast carried down into deep waters. -The thought then occurred to me that, if I tried to -save my luggage, I might lose my life. But a second -thought made it plain to me that to lose my luggage -would mean surer death, because my route lay for ten -days, at least, over an uninhabited tract of wilderness, -and thus it was wiser to cling to it while life lasted. -And cling to my luggage I did, but I was rapidly losing -the power of moving my free swimming arm, and, in only -one hundred yards down the swift stream, I should be -washed into one of the lakes, whence I might never be able -to get to dry land. I should have said that the river, at -the point where I was crossing it, was a hundred and eighty -yards wide, more or less. I had now had quite a course of -ice and water—all involuntarily certainly—and a feeling -of numbness was quickly coming over me. I began to think -that it might be just as well to be drowned then as to die -of starvation afterwards. In fact, I had spoken my last -desire: “O ye! All the Buḍḍhas of the ten quarters, as -well as the highest Teacher of this world, Buḍḍha Shākyamuni! -I am not able to accomplish my desires and to -return the kindness of my parents, friends, followers and -specially the favors of all the Buḍḍhas, in this life; but I -desire that I be born again, in order to requite the favors<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> -which I have already received from all.” At that moment, -with a thrill, I felt that the end of one of my staves had -touched something hard. In an instant courage returned to -me, and on trying to stand up I found that the water -was only up to my breast. I was at that time about forty -yards from the bank I had started for. Feeble as I was, with -recovered strength I finally managed to reach the “shore -of salvation”. As for the luggage, heavy with the soaking -water, it was impossible for me to rebalance it on my head, -and I pulled it along after me in the water; but when -I at last got upon the bank, it taxed all my remaining -energy to drag it out after me. Arrived on the bank, I -found that I had been carried more than two hundred -and fifty yards down the stream from the point whence I -started to cross it, and I saw my sheep leisurely grazing, -perfectly unconscious of their master’s sad plight. I had -no strength, then, even to crawl up to where my sheep were. -My fingers were stiff and immovable, and I rubbed the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> -regions over my heart and lungs with closed fists. After -an hour’s exercise of this kind, I more or less recovered the -circulation of blood in my limbs, and I was just able -partially to undo my baggage and to take out hotan—hotan, -my life-saving hotan, which Mrs. Ichibei Watanabe of -Osaka gave me, when bidding me farewell. A dose of -hotan sent me into a fit of convulsions, which lasted for -nearly three hours. It was now past five o’clock, and the -sun was going down. The convulsions had almost left me. -I then made two bundles of my luggage, and in two -crawling trips I carried them to where I had left my sheep -grazing. It was then that I thought of an ancient -method of torture, called <i>Oi-ishi</i>, which consisted in -making a suspect carry on his back an extremely heavy -load—so rackingly heavy I then felt to be the weight of -my divided luggage. That evening I had neither courage -nor energy to make any fire, and I passed the night -wrapped up in my half-wet <i>tuk-tuk</i>. The luggage -having been done up in hides and skins, the water had not -penetrated much into it, and I was thus able to go to -sleep dressed, and protected in partially dry apparel.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t121"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t121h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t121.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="445" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>STRUGGLE IN THE RIVER.</p></div> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">22,650 Feet above Sea-level.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>The sun shone out brightly the next morning, and I -dried my clothing and the collection I then had of the -sacred Scriptures. The latter I still have in my possession, -and every time I take them out, I cannot help wondering -how my life was spared when those things got wet. By -one o’clock in the afternoon I was ready to proceed, although -I had not half recovered from the effect of my experience -of the day before, and my things were far from -being dry. Consequently even my own share of the luggage -proved heavier than before, while circumstances compelled -me to relieve my sheep of a part of theirs. To make -things worse, I had managed to get a painful cut on one of -my feet during my last effort to cross the Chema-yungdung-gi-chu, -and altogether it was an inauspicious start which -I made on that afternoon. After all, however, a step forward -meant a step nearer to my destination, and with that -philosophical reasoning I dragged myself onward. In -that way I had proceeded for about five miles, when, to -increase my difficulties, snow began to fall thick and fast. -When I had arrived near a small pond and stopped to -bivouac for the night, fire and tea were entirely out of -the question, for the elements were now engaged in a fearful -strife—the dazzling lightning, the deafening thunder, -the shrieking wind and the blinding blizzard were at war -all at once. That which I had managed to dry tolerably -the day before became thoroughly wet again, and the -whole of the following morning was spent in repeating -the process of the preceding morning. No fire was -obtainable even then, and consequently no tea; so I allayed -my hunger with some raisins before resuming my journey<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> -shortly after noon. And little I dreamt of the danger -that was in store for me that afternoon and the day -following.</p> - -<p>I was still heading for the north-west, and in order to -adhere to that course I must now climb a snow-clad -peak towering into the sky; I saw no way of avoiding the -task, and encouraged by an uncertain hope—still a hope—of -emerging upon or near Kang Rinpoche, or in the neighborhood -of Mount Kailāsa, I began the ascent of that great -hill, which I afterward ascertained to be a peak called Kon -Gyu-i Kangri, that rises twenty-two thousand six hundred -and fifty feet above sea-level. By five o’clock in the afternoon -I had made an ascent of about ten miles, and then it -began to snow and to blow a gale. I thought it dangerous -to continue my ascent under these conditions, and turning -first north and then east, I essayed to make a rapid -descent. The sun had now gone down, and snow was -falling faster than ever. But I had not yet found a shelter -and so continued my descent, having made up my mind to go -on until I found a hospitable shelving cliff, or some such -haven. It was, however, nothing but snow, snow, everywhere -and all around—and presently there were twelve -inches on the ground. By and by my sheep refused -to proceed further, whether owing to hunger or not I -could not tell, though it was plain that they had not fed -the whole afternoon, because of the snow. At first I -succeeded in getting them to move on a little as the -result of some physical reasoning, but presently even that -process of pleading failed. But the prospect of being -frozen to death prevented me from yielding to their not -unreasonable obstinacy, and putting all my strength into -the ropes I dragged them onward. The poor animals -reluctantly obeyed me and walked on for about a hundred -yards, at the end of which, however, they came to a dead -stop and began to breathe heavily. Thereupon I felt<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> -no little alarm, thinking that the animals might die that -night. But what could I do? I knew that I was many a -days’ journey at least from the nearest human habitation. -A few more miles either way would not make much -difference: so let fate decide. Once in that frame of mind, -I took out my night-coverings and wrapped myself up -and, protecting my head with a water-proof coat, I sat -myself down between my two sheep, with the determination -to pass the night in religious meditation.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 553px;"> -<a id="zill_t125"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t125h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t125.jpg" class="hires" width="553" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>MEDITATING IN FACE OF DEATH.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>My poor sheep! They crept close to me and lay there -in the snow, emitting occasionally their gentle cry, which -I thought had never sounded sadder. Nor had I ever felt -so lonely as I did then. Wrapped up in the clumsy -manner that I have described, I still managed to smear -over my body the clove-oil, which seemed to prevent to -some extent the radiation of the heat of the body, and I -began to feel considerably warmer than I had been before. -For all that, the cold increased in intensity after midnight, -and I began to feel that my power of sensation -was gradually deserting me. I seemed to be in a trance, -and vaguely thought that that must be the feeling of a -man on the point of death.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII">CHAPTER XXIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">I survive a Sleep in the Snow.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>I was now wandering in a dream-land, if I may so -describe the mental condition of a man half-way on the -road of being frozen to death. Regret, resignation, and -the hope of re-birth took turns in my mind, and then all -became a blank. During that blankness I no doubt -looked exactly like a dead person. Suddenly I awoke, -fancying that somebody, something, was stirring about -me or near me. I opened my eyes, and saw the two sheep -shaking themselves; they were shaking snow off their -bodies. That was strange, I dreamily thought. I saw -the sheep finish shaking off the snow, and I wanted to -shake it off too. But I could not. I was rigid all over. -Mechanically I next endeavored to recover the use of my -limbs. Presently I became more myself mentally, and I -saw the skies still presenting a dismal and threatening -appearance, the immense patches of black, black cloud -still fleeing or pursuing, and the sun struggling to force -his life-giving rays between the intervals of the hurrying -vapors. On taking out my watch I found that it -was then half past ten—of what morning I could not -tell. Had I slept only one night, or two in the snow? -The question was more than I could just then solve. Nor -did I feel that there was any necessity for its instant -solution. My immediate desire was for nourishment, and -I took some baked flour, helping it down with snow. I -gave some also to my sheep, which, by that time, had -learnt to feed themselves on flour when green grass was -lacking.</p> - -<p>I felt that the condition of my health was not equal to -the task of making a second attempt to climb over the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> -Kon Gyu-i Kangri, and I continued the descent when I -resumed my journey, with the intention of taking a long -rest at the foot of the mountain. After going down more -than five miles I came to another mountain stream, and -at the same time down again came the snow. I almost -trembled at a prospect of spending another perilous -night in the snow. Just at that juncture I heard -some clear, ringing sounds, as of a bird’s cry. Turning -round, I saw seven or eight cranes stalking along -majestically in the shallow part of the river. Never -before had I seen a sight so poetically picturesque, so -representative of antique serenity. Some little time afterwards -I composed an <i>uta</i> in memory of that enchanting -scene:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">Like feathers white the snows fall down and lie</div> - <div class="verse indent4">There on the mountain-river’s sandy banks;</div> - <div class="verse">Ko-kow, Ko-kow! sounds strange—a melody</div> - <div class="verse indent4">I hear—I search around for this strange cry.</div> - <div class="verse">In quiet majesty those mountain cranes</div> - <div class="verse indent4">I find, are proudly strutting—singing thus.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>The river was about one hundred and twenty yards wide, -and crossing it, I still proceeded down the incline. I had -now come to the bottom of a valley, and I saw at a distance -what I took for a herd of yaks. But I had before been -deceived quite often by exposed boulders and rocks which -I had taken for yaks, and I was doubtful of my vision on -that occasion. But presently I saw the dark objects -moving about, and I was sure that they were yaks. The -discovery, wholly unexpected as it was, was delightful, for -their presence implied that of some fellow-creatures in -the neighborhood. Coming up to the spot, I found that the -herd consisted of about sixty yaks, attended by some -herdsmen. On my questioning the men, they informed me -that they had arrived at the spot the evening before, and -that a little further on I should come upon a little camp -of four tents. Towards these I forthwith directed my steps.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> - -<p>My arrival in front of one of the tents was, as usual, -hailed by a pack of barking dogs. I begged the occupants -of the first tent for a night’s lodging, but met with a flat -refusal. Probably my appearance was against me: I -had not shaved for two months, and my unkempt hair and -beard no doubt made me look wild, while under-feeding -and general exhaustion cannot have improved my features. -Still I pleaded for charity, but in vain. Dejectedly I -moved to a second tent, but there too I received no better -treatment. In fact the treatment was worse: for my -urgent pleading, with a detailed account of my sufferings -during the previous eight days or so, only seemed to -make the master of the tent turn colder, even to the -extent of finally charging me with an intention to rob -him. That was enough. I turned away, and a great -sadness came over me as I stood in the snow. My -sheep bleated pitifully, and I felt like crying myself. A -third tent stood near, but I could not muster courage enough -to repeat my request there. The sight of my sheep was -melancholy in the extreme, and with an effort I made an -appeal at the fourth and last tent. To my great joy, I -met a ready welcome. I was utterly tired out, but a quiet -rest near a comfortable fire made me imagine the joys of -paradise, and this I was allowed to enjoy all that evening -and through the next day. During that stay I occupied -my time in writing down the twenty-six desires which I -had formulated, with the hope of their accomplishment -proving helpful to the spiritual need of others as well as -myself.</p> - -<p>At five o’clock on the second morning I thanked my -host for his hospitality and left him. I now proceeded due -north and, after trudging over snow for nearly ten miles, I -came out upon a more or less grass-covered plain. By -noon I had arrived near a pond, and there took my midday -meal. A survey from that point showed me that I had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> -to cross a sandy desert, which appeared to be larger in -extent than the one I had traversed after crossing the -Chema Yungdung. The thought of another sand-storm -gave me new energy, born of fear, and I made no halt until -I had walked quite out of the desert.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV">CHAPTER XXIV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">‘Bon’ and ‘Kyang.’</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>I walked about five miles over the sand and then reached -a piece of grass-land. Beyond this I came to a plain of -stones of curious shapes, in the centre of which a solitary -mountain rose to a considerable height. I subsequently -learned that the mountain was the sacred abode of the -deities of the Bon religion. Bonism is an ancient religion -of Tibet, which commanded considerable influence before -the introduction of Buḍḍhism into that country. It has -still some adherents, but it continues to exist only for -its name’s sake. Originally Bonism very much resembled -Hinḍuism; but now, in theory, it is almost Buḍḍhism. This -similarity is explained in this way. When it was superseded -by Buḍḍhism, a certain Bon priest recast his religion after -the pattern of Buḍḍhism, and called the revised product -the New Bonism. Without attempting to give any special -particulars of its doctrines, I may say that the New -Bonism, when shorn of its sacrifices, its toleration of marriage -and of the use of intoxicants, is only Buḍḍhism -under another name. The Bon deities have no shrines -or temples dedicated to them, and are believed to inhabit -some particular mountain, or snowy peak, or pond, or lake. -And it was upon one of these divine abodes that I had -chanced, but lacking at the time all knowledge of Bonism, -my attention was soon diverted by coming in sight of a -couple of <i>kyangs</i>.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 550px;"> -<a id="zill_t132"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t132h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t132.jpg" class="hires" width="550" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>A LUDICROUS RACE.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>As I have already said, kyang is the name given by the -Tibetans to the wild horse of their northern steppes. -More accurately it is a species of ass, quite as large in size -as a large Japanese horse. In color it is reddish brown, -with black hair on the ridge of the back and black mane<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> -and with the belly white. To all appearance it is an -ordinary horse, except for its tufted tail. It is a powerful -animal, and is extraordinarily fleet. It is never seen -singly, but always in twos or threes, if not in a herd of -sixty or seventy. Its scientific name is <i>Equus hemionis</i>, -but it is for the most part called by its Tibetan name, -which is usually spelt <i>kyang</i> in English. It has a curious -habit of turning round and round, when it comes within -seeing distance of a man. Even a mile and a quarter -away, it will commence this turning round at every short stage -of its approach, and after each turn it will stop for a while, -to look at the man over its own back, like a fox. -Ultimately it comes up quite close. When quite near it -will look scared, and at the slightest thing will wheel round -and dash away, but only to stop and look back. When -one thinks that it has run far away, it will be found that -it has circled back quite near, to take, as it were, a silent -survey of the stranger from behind. Altogether it is an -animal of very queer habits.</p> - -<p>But to come back to my story: my two sheep, apparently -frightened by the approach of the rotating horses, made -a dash for freedom with such suddenness and simultaneity -that I lost my hold of the two ropes; I then proceeded -to run a race with them, in a frantic effort to recapture -them. And a ludicrous race it was, in which I finally -fell panting and giddy. While it lasted the horses seemed -thoroughly to enjoy it, and getting into the spirit of the -thing they galloped with me, but only to chase my sheep -further away from me. When I lay prostrate, the -sheep stopped running and began quietly to graze. The -horses also stopped, and appeared quite astonished -at the whole performance. I then perceived my -blunder. On rising, I quietly walked up to my sheep, and -without a movement they allowed me to regain their -ropes.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span></p> - -<p>All is well that ends well. But on that occasion one -thing was not quite satisfactory, for I soon discovered that -one of my sheep had lost a part of my luggage from its -back, no doubt during that memorable race. I then set -out to hunt after the lost bundle; but it was all useless, -for we had not run the race over any regular course, and -it was impossible to follow our footsteps. One may as -well look for a parcel lost in the sea, as try to hunt up a -small bundle, lying hidden under grass and leaves, somewhere -in an immense plain. Besides, I argued with -myself thus: the missing bundle contained some fifty -rupees in cash, my watch and compass, and an assortment -of western trinkets; it would have been better not -to lose the money, certainly, but it was, after all, a -small portion of what I had with me, and I could do well -without it. It was hard to part with the watch and the -compass, and the trinkets would have been of service in -making friends with the simple natives; but, looked at from -another point of view, the possession of these things might -arouse the suspicion of the more intelligent Tibetans, and -it was most likely that the Lord Buḍḍha, in His wisdom -and mercy, had caused me to be rid of them. Arriving at -this conclusion, I gave up my search in a spirit of meek -resignation.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXV" id="CHAPTER_XXV">CHAPTER XXV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Power of Buddhism.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>I had now walked about six miles to the north-west -after the singular proceedings which I described in the last -chapter, and I emerged upon a well-trodden road, which -on consulting my store of information I was able to -identify as the path that, deviating from the Tibetan -national high-way, led to lake Mānasarovara. The discovery -was as unexpected as it was pleasing, for I was -now within a pilgrim-frequented zone. A few more steps, -indeed, brought me in sight of a dark tent, standing on -the banks of a large river, named Gaṅgā by the Tibetans, -where my appeal for a night’s lodging was cheerfully -granted. I found the occupants of the tent to consist -of three men and two women, the men being brothers, -one of the women the wife of the eldest brother, and -the other a daughter of another of the brothers. My -first inclination on being received into the tent was to -feel easy in mind, for I had been told that parties comprising -women, even in Tibetan wilds, seldom commit -murder. But when I was informed that these people were -from Dam Gya-sho, I thought I was rather hasty in feeling -so secure, for that country, like the neighboring one of -Kham, is noted for its production of professional robbers -and murderers. I had heard before that they had even -such a saying in that country as: “No murder, no food; -no pilgrimage, no absolution. On! onward on your -pilgrimage, killing men and visiting temples, killing men -and visiting temples!” Even women of that country, I had -been told, think no more of committing homicide than -of killing a sheep. These reflexions did not bring much -cheer to my heart; but what could I do, since I was now<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> -in their hands? I could only bide my time. Fortunately, -they did not butcher me that night.</p> - -<p>Early on August 3rd, that is to say, on the morning of -the following day, I proceeded in a north-westerly -direction along the great stream, with my newly-made -companions, for such had the occupants of the tent become, -as they were heading for the same temporary destination -as myself. This river, I ascertained, had its rise in one -of the snowy peaks that I saw to the south-east, and -emptied its waters into Lake Mānasarovara. I judged it -to be about two hundred and fifty yards wide and fairly -deep. Following the stream for about three and three-quarters -miles and then making an ascent, we came to a -clear, bubbling spring, which went by the name of Chumik -Gaṅgā or the source of the Gaṅgā, and we drank deep of the -sacred water. Then we continued our climb, now facing -north, and arrived at another spring, which was welling -up in a most picturesque way from under an immense -slab of white marble. The natives call it Chumik thong-ga -Rangchung, or the fountain of joy, and it really made one’s -heart glad to look at the crystal-like water gushing up in -all its purity. Both these springs are regarded by the -Hinḍūs, as by the Tibetans, as forming the sources of the -sacred Gaṅgā, and are both looked up to with religious -reverence.</p> - -<p>After leaving the springs, we proceeded north-west again, -and came once more to the river Gaṅgā, which we forded at -the point where it was at its broadest in that vicinity, -and passed the night on its banks. We had travelled only -about nine miles that day. From the place of our bivouac -I saw to the north-west a great snow-clad mountain: it -was the Kang Rinpoche of Tibet, the Mount Kailāsa of -the Hinḍū. Its ancient name was Kang Tise. As far as my -knowledge goes, it is the most ideal of the snow-peaks of -all the Himālayas. It inspired me with the profoundest<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> -feelings of pure reverence, and I looked up to it as a -‘natural maṇdala,’ the mansion of a Buḍḍha and -Boḍhisaṭṭvas. Filled with soul-stirring thoughts and -fancies I addressed myself to this sacred pillar of nature, -confessed my sins, and performed to it the obeisance of -one hundred and eight bows. I also took out the -manuscript of my ‘twenty-six desires,’ and pledged their -accomplishment to the Buḍḍha. I then considered myself -the luckiest of men, to have thus been enabled to worship -such a holy emblem of Buḍḍha’s power, and to vow such -vows in its sacred presence, and I mused:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">Whate’er my sufferings here and dangers dire,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Whate’er befalls me on my onward march,</div> - <div class="verse">All, all, I feel, is for the common good</div> - <div class="verse indent4">For others treading on Salvation’s path.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>The sight of my performance of these devotional -practices must have been a matter of wonder and mystery -to my companions. They had been watching me like -gaping and astonished children, and were all intensely -curious to know why I had bowed so many times, and -read out such strange Chinese sentences. I was glad to -explain to them the general meaning of my conduct -and they seemed to be deeply struck with its significance. -They said that they had never known that -the Chinese Lamas were men of such Boḍhisaṭṭvic -mind! The upshot was that they asked me to preach -to them that night, a request to which I was very -glad to accede. The preaching which followed, which -I purposely made as simple and as appealing to the -heart as possible, seemed to affect them profoundly, and to -make the best possible impression on them; so much so that -they even shed tears of joy. The preaching over, they said -in all sincerity that they were glad of my companionship, and -even offered to regard me as their guest during the two -months which they intended to spend in pilgrimage to and -round the Kang Rinpoche. They thought that their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> -pilgrimage over such holy ground, while serving such a -holy man as I now was to them, would absolve them -completely from their sins. Imagine the state of my mind -then! These were of the people who took other men’s lives -with the same equanimity with which they cut their -vegetables; yet, touched now by the light of Buḍḍhism, -their minds had softened. I blessed the power of Buḍḍhism -more than ever, and could not hold back my tears as -my companions shed theirs.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXVI">CHAPTER XXVI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Sacred Manasarovara and its Legends.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>It was now August 4th. After proceeding about ten -miles over an undulating range of mountains we came -in sight of Man-ri, a peak of perpetual snow, which -has an altitude of 25,600 feet above the sea-level. The -view of Man-ri, rising majestically high above the surrounding -mountains (themselves of great elevation) was -sublimely grand. While standing absorbed in the -severe magnificence of the scenery, I was treated to -another experience, which was as soul-stirring as any -earthly phenomenon could be. A magical change in the -weather was heralded by a sudden flash of lightning, -followed by another, yet another and another, -new accompanied by rolling thunder. Heavy pelting -hail-stones then joined in the war of elements, which -literally shook the mighty mountains to their very foundations, -and filled the air with the utmost confusion of -terrific noises and lurid tongues of fire. Standing almost -alone upon a great height, I saw black clouds with fearful -suddenness envelope the world of vision in frightful -darkness, made doubly dark by the contrasts produced by -the momentary glare of pale, penetrating lightning, which, -in the same instant, revealed the glittering snow on the -grand peaks of the Himālayas, and the deepest chasms, -thousands of fathoms below!</p> - -<p>The awe-inspiring scene lasted for about an hour, and then, -with equally wondrous suddenness, the sky became blue and -the sun shone forth, serene and calm, with not a whisper of -wind to remind one of the mighty commotions of the moment -before. We did but little walking after this wonderful sight, -and, coming to the edge of a marsh-like pond, we pitched<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> -our tent there for the night. I was now the guest of my -companions, and I was not sorry that I had nothing to do -with gathering the yak dung, or fetching water, and -building the fire. I was given the seat of honor in the tent, -and nothing was exacted of me but to sit down like a good -priest, read the Sacred Text and then preach in the evening.</p> - -<p>On the 6th of August we had to go up a great slope -of extremely sharp inclination, and I was offered a ride on -one of my companions’ yaks, an offer which I readily -accepted with entire satisfaction. Furthermore, all my -share of the luggage, as well as part of the burdens of my -sheep, was transferred to the back of one of my fellow-pilgrims, -and both myself and my original companions had -altogether an easy time of it, as was the case through the -weeks that followed.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t140"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t140h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t140.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="452" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>LAKE MANASAROVARA.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>About thirteen miles onwards a view opened before us -which I shall never forget, so exquisitely grand was the -scenery. In short, we were now in the presence of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> -sacred Lake Mānasarovara. A huge octagon in shape, -with marvellously symmetrical indentations, Lake Mānasarovara, -with its clear placid waters, and the mighty -Mount Kailāsa guarding its north-western corner, form -a picture which is at once unique and sublime, and well -worthy of its dignified surroundings—calm, dustless and -rugged. Mount Kailāsa itself towers so majestically -above the peaks around, that I fancied I saw in it the -image of our mighty Lord Buḍḍha, calmly addressing His -five hundred disciples. Verily, verily, it was a natural -maṇdala. The hunger and thirst, the perils of dashing -stream and freezing blizzard, the pain of writhing under -heavy burdens, the anxiety of wandering over trackless -wilds, the exhaustion and the lacerations, all the troubles -and sufferings I had just come through, seemed -like dust, which was washed away and purified by the -spiritual waters of the lake; and thus I attained to the -spiritual plane of Non-Ego, together with this scenery -showing Its-own-Reality.</p> - -<p>Lake Mānasarovara is generally recognised as the highest -body of fresh water in the world, its elevation above the -sea-level being something over fifteen thousand five -hundred feet. In Tibetan it is called Mapham Yum-tso. -It is the Anavaṭapṭa of Samskṛṭ (the lake without heat -or trouble) and in it centre many of the Buḍḍhistic -legends. It is this Anavaṭapṭa which forms the subject -of the famous poetical passage in the <i>Gospel of Kegon</i>, -named in Japanese and in Samskṛṭ <i>Ārya-Buḍḍha-Araṭan-saka-nāma -Mahāvaipulya-Sūṭra</i>. The passage gives the -name of South Zenbu to a certain continent of the world. -<i>Zenbu</i> is a deflection of <i>jamb</i>, a phonetic translation of -the sound produced by anything of weight falling into -placid water. Now the legend has it that in the centre -of the Anavaṭapṭa is a tree which bears fruits that are -omnipotent in healing all human ills, and are conse<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span>quently -much sought after both by Gods and men. When -one of these fruits falls into the pond it produces the sound -<i>jamb</i>. Further, it is said that the lake has four outlets for -its waters, which are respectively called Mabcha Khanbab -(flowing out of a peacock’s mouth), Langchen Khanbab -(flowing out of a bull’s mouth), Tamchok Khanbab (flowing -out of a horse’s mouth), and Senge Khanbab (flowing out of a -lion’s mouth), which respectively form the sources of -the four sacred rivers of India. It is from these notions -that the sacredness of the Anavaṭapṭa is evolved, the name of -Zenbu derived, and the religious relations between Tibet -and India established. As regards these four rivers, the -legend says: “The sands of silver are in the south river; -the sands of gold are in the west river; the sands of diamond -are in the north river, and the sands of emerald are in -the east river.” These rivers are further said each to -circle seven times round the lake and then to take the -several directions indicated. It is said also that giant -lotus flowers bloom in the lake, the size of which is as large -as those of the paradise of the Buḍḍha Amitābha, and the -Buḍḍha and Boḍhisaṭṭvas are seen there sitting on those -flowers, while in the surrounding mountains are found -the ‘hundred herbs,’ and also the birds of paradise singing -their celestial melodies. In short, Anavaṭapṭa is described -to be the only real paradise on earth, with a living Buḍḍha -and five hundred saints inhabiting Mount Kailāsa on -its north-west, and five hundred immortals making their -home on Man-ri, that rises on its southern shore, all -enjoying eternal beatitude.</p> - -<p>Reading that magnificent description, I believe that -anybody would desire to see the spot; but the things -mentioned in the Scriptures cannot be seen with our -mortal eyes. The real thing is the region in its wonderfully -inspiring character, and an unutterably holy -elevation is to be felt there. On that night the brilliant<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> -moon was shining in the sky and was reflected on the -lake, and Mount Kailāsa appeared dimly on the opposite -bank. These impelled me to compose an <i>uta</i>:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">Among these mountains high here sleeps the lake</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Serene—“Devoid of seething cares”—so named</div> - <div class="verse">By native bards; its broad expanse appears</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Like the octagonal mirror of Japan.</div> - <div class="verse">The grand Kailas’ majestic capped with snow,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">The Moon o’erhanging from the skies above,</div> - <div class="verse">Bestow their grateful shadows on the lake.</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Its watery brilliant sheen illumines me;</div> - <div class="verse">All pangs of pain and sorrow washed away.</div> - <div class="verse indent2">With these my mind besoothed now wanders far</div> - <div class="verse">E’en to Akashi in Japan, my home,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">A seashore known for moonlight splendors fair.</div> -</div></div></div> - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXVII">CHAPTER XXVII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Bartering in Tibet.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>The origin of the four rivers is given in the story just as -I have related it; but in reality there is not one of them -that actually flows directly out of the Lake. They have -their sources in the mountains which surround it, and the -stories about the so-called ‘Horse’s’ and ‘Lion’s’ mouths -are only legends, incapable of verification. The head-waters -of the Langchen Khanbab flow in a westerly direction; -those of the Mabcha Khanbab to the south; the sources of -the Senge Khanbab may be ascertained with tolerable -accuracy; but those of the Tamchok Khanbab have hitherto -defied investigation. In India, the river that flows from the -Lake in an easterly direction is known as the Brahmapuṭra, -while the one that issues towards the south is the -Gaṅgā. The Sutlej flows away to the west, and the Siṭā, -or Inḍus, towards the north. It is, of course, possible that -actual surveys of Lake Mānasarovara have been made by -European travellers, but in all the maps that I have seen -it is represented as being far smaller than it actually is. -It is, in truth, a very large body of fresh water, and has a -circumference of some eighty <i>ri</i>, or about two hundred -miles. The shape of the lake also, as it appears in the -maps, is misleading. It is in reality a fairly regular octagon -with various indentations, very much resembling a -lotus-flower in shape. All the western maps, as far as -I know, give the student an idea of the Lake which is in -many respects misleading.</p> - -<p>I arrived that night at a Buḍḍhist Temple known as -Tse-ko-lo, on the shores of Lake Mānasarovara, and -in the evening heard from my host, the superior of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> -Temple, a story which surprised me greatly. This Lama, -I should say, was a man of about fifty-five years of age; -he was extremely ignorant, but did not seem to be a man -who would lie for the mere pleasure of lying. He was very -anxious to hear about the state of Buḍḍhism in China (the -reader will remember that I was supposed to be a Chinese, -Lama) and the readiness with which I answered his -questions warmed his heart and encouraged him to treat -me to the following story. He did not know, he said, -how it might be with the priests in China, but for himself -he could not help feeling at times thoroughly disgusted -with his brethren in Tibet. In the immediate vicinity, for -instance, an ordinary priest might, he said, indulge himself -in all manner of excesses with impunity, and without -attracting much attention, and from time to time cases -would arise of extreme depravity in a Lama. For instance, -there was the case of Alchu Tulku, a Lama supposed to -be an incarnation of Alchu, who had at one time been in -charge of a well-known temple in the vicinity of Lake -Mānasarovara. This Lama became so infatuated with a -beautiful woman whom he took to himself as his wife -that he was betrayed into transferring the greater part of -the temple property as a gift to her father; and not -content with that crime he afterwards absconded from the -temple, taking with him his wife, and everything that he -could carry away that was left of value in the temple. He -had heard rumors that this recreant priest was living -openly with his wife at Hor-tosho, and he asked me if I had -not heard anything about him when I was passing through -the place.</p> - -<p>The reader will be able to appreciate my astonishment -when I tell him that this absconding, dishonest priest was -none other than he who had induced the belle of -the place to treat me with so much kindness! Truly men -are not always what they seem to be.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span></p> - -<p>I did not conceal my astonishment from my host, but -related to him all the circumstances that had brought -me within the reach of their kind hospitalities, but he only -smiled at what I told him.</p> - -<p>“Ah! to be sure,” he said, “that’s just like the man; -gentle and lovable in outward demeanor, but at heart -an arch-sinner, a very devil incarnate, destroyer of the -faith.”</p> - -<p>It was a sad revelation to me. I had had every reason -to be grateful to the man and his wife for their hospitalities -and I could have wept to think that hypocrites of so black -a dye should be found amongst the followers of Buḍḍha. -It was at least a comfort to think that things in Japan were -brighter than this.</p> - -<p>The next morning I took a walk along the Lake, lost in -admiration of the magnificent mountain scenery that -surrounded me on all sides, and presently came across -some Hinḍūs and Nepālese, apparently Brāhmaṇa devotees, -who had plunged into the Lake—it was about ten o’clock—and -were engaged in the performance of their religious -ceremonies. To the followers of the Hinḍū religion, Lake -Mānasarovara is a sacred sheet of water, and they worship -Mount Kailāsa, which rises sky-high above the lake, as -being a material manifestation of the sacred Body of Mahā-Shiva, -one of the deities of the Indian Trinity. When they -saw me, they considered me to be a holy Buḍḍhist Lama, -and pressed me to accept from them presents consisting -of many kinds of dried fruits.</p> - -<p>I spent the next night at the same temple, and on the -following morning made my way to the range of mountains -that stands like a great wall to the north-west of the Lake. -A zigzag climb of ten miles or so brought me within view of -Lake Lakgal-tso, in Tibetan, or, as it is more commonly -called, Rakas-tal. It is in shape something like a long -calabash, and in area smaller than Mānasarovara. Another<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> -seven and a half miles brought me to a spot whence I -could see the whole of its surface, and here I made a further -discovery. A mountain, some two and a half miles round -at the base, stands like a wall of partition between the -two lakes, and where this mountain slopes into a ravine -it looks, for all the world, as though there were a channel -of communication for the water from one lake to the -other. I found, however, that there was actually no -such channel, but I discovered that the level of Lake -Lakgal is higher than that of Mānasarovara, and I was -subsequently told that, on rare occasions, every ten or -fifteen years, after phenomenally heavy rains, the waters -of the two lakes do actually become connected, and that at -such times Lake Lakgal flows into Mānasarovara. Hence -arises the Tibetan legend that every fifteen years or so -Lakgal, the bridegroom, goes to visit Mānasarovara, the -bride. This will account for the statements of the guide-books -to Kang Tise and Mount Kailāsa that the relations -between the two lakes are those of husband and wife.</p> - -<p>Keeping Lake Lakgal in view, I now proceeded easily -down hill for some thirteen miles or so, until I arrived at a -plain through which I found a large river flowing. The -river was over sixty feet wide, and was known as the -Mabcha Khanbab, one of the tributary sources of the -Gaṅgā. It is this river that, further south, flows through -the city of Purang on the borders of India and Tibet, and -then, after winding through many a defile and cañon of -the Himālayas, eventually joins the main stream of the -Gaṅgā flowing from Haldahal. Modern Hinḍūs revere the -Haldahal branch as being the main stream of their sacred -River, but in ancient times it was mostly this Mabcha -Khanbab that was considered to be the principal source.</p> - -<p>On the banks of this river we pitched our tent for the -night. In the neighborhood I found four or five similar -encampments, occupied by traders from Purang. Great<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> -numbers of nomads and pilgrims come to this place in July -and August of every year, and at these times, a very brisk -trade takes place which presents many curious and -interesting features.</p> - -<p>Tibet is still in the barter stage, and very little money -is used in trade. The people from the interior bring butter, -marsh-salt, wool, sheep, goats, and yaks’ tails, which they -exchange for corn, cotton, sugar and cloth, which are imported -from India by Nepālese and Tibetans, living in the -region of perennial snow on the Indian frontier. But sometimes, -especially in selling wool and butter, they will take -money, generally Indian currency, the reckoning of which is -a great mystery to them. Ignorant of arithmetic and possessing -no abacus to count with, they have to do all their reckoning -with the beads of a rosary. In order to add five and two, -they count first five and then two beads on the string, -and then count the whole number thus produced to make -sure that the total is really seven. It is a very tedious -process, but they are incapable of anything better. They -cannot do calculations without their beads, and they seem -to be too dense to grasp the simplest sum in arithmetic. -Thus business is always slow: when it comes to larger deals, -involving several kinds of goods and varying prices, it is -almost distractingly complicated.</p> - -<p>For such calculations they arm themselves with all sorts -of aids, black pebbles, white pebbles, bamboo sticks, and -white shells. Each white pebble represents a unit of one; -when they have counted ten of these they take them away, -and substitute a black pebble, which means ten. Ten -black pebbles are equivalent to one bamboo stick, ten -bamboo sticks to one shell, ten shells to the Tibetan silver -coin. But there is no multiplication or division; everything -is done by the extremely slow process of adding one at a -time, so that it will take a Tibetan three days to do what a -Japanese could do in half an hour. This is no exaggera<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span>tion. -I stayed on the banks of this river for three whole -days and watched the traders doing their business, and I -saw the whole painful tediousness of the transaction.</p> - -<p>These three days were memorable for another reason. -The pilgrims who had come with me became such warm -admirers of my supposed virtues and sang my praises with -so much fervor that a pilgrim girl fell in love with me.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXVIII">CHAPTER XXVIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">A Himalayan Romance.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>I was still in the company of the party of pilgrims I have -already referred to. It appeared that some of the party -had come to form a rather high opinion of me as a person -of reverend qualities. Among them was a young damsel -who, it was not difficult to perceive, had conceived a -passion for me. The moment the thought dawned on me, -I said to myself: “It may be; it is nothing uncommon, -rather is it quite usual for women to cherish vain thoughts. -She must have heard her elders talking well of me, and -have taken a fancy to me.” I at once set about raising a -barrier between us, which was none other than the teaching -of our common Buḍḍhism. When occasion allowed, I -explained to her all about the vows with which all true -priests bind themselves and why they do so. I depicted to -her the horrors of hell that sinners create for themselves -even in this world, and which follow them into eternity as -the price they pay for momentary pleasures. These things -I taught, not only to the girl but to the whole party. For -all that, I could not help pitying the little innocent thing. A -maiden of nineteen, with few or no restraints on her -romantic fancies, she must have thought it a grand thing to -be able to go back to her folk with a bride-groom of whom -all spoke so well. She was not beautiful, and yet not -ugly: a comely little thing was she. But I, though not old, -had had my own experiences in these matters in my -younger days, and I was able to conquer temptations.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t151"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t151h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t151.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="444" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>RELIGION <i>v.</i> LOVE.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>Here I may stop to observe that the country through -which we were travelling is called Ngari in Tibetan and -Āri in Chinese. The region is an extensive one, and -includes Ladak and Khunu.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span></p> - -<p>Purang, of which mention has been made more than once, -is its central mart and enjoys great prosperity, though located -rather to the south. Purang also forms a mid-Himālayan -post of great religious importance as a sacred spot for -Buḍḍhist pilgrims. The town boasts, or rather boasted, of -its possession of three Buḍḍhist images of great renown—those -of the Boḍhisaṭṭva Mahāsaṭṭvas Manjushrī, -Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapāni. According to tradition -these were brought thither from Ceylon in olden times. -Unfortunately about six months prior to my arrival in -Ngari a big fire broke out and destroyed two of -these idols, the image of Manjushrī alone being saved. -Much as I wished to visit Purang, I was apprehensive -of many dangers to my impersonation if I went thither,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> -as the Tibetan Government maintains there a challenge -gate. My companions went there, however, leaving -me behind, and I spent the days of their absence in -religious meditation. Joining them again on their return, -I continued my travels westwards, coming out in due -time to the north of Lake Lakgal. We next took our -way along the lake towards the north-west. Facing -west and looking over the lake, I saw islands spread -out on its surface like the legs of a <i>gotoku</i>, or tripod. So -I gave them the name of Gotoku jimu, or Tripod islands. -Several days afterwards we arrived at a barter port called -Gya-nima; it was the 17th of August, 1900.</p> - -<p>At Gya-nima barter is carried on only for two months -in the year, that is to say from the 15th of July to the 15th -of September. The traders chiefly come from the Indian -part of the Himālaya mountains and meet their Tibetan -customers there. I was just in good time to see brisk -transactions going on. I saw no less than one hundred -and fifty white tents covering the otherwise barren -wilderness, and some five or six hundred people rushing -about to sell and buy in their own fashion.</p> - -<p>The Tibetan articles offered for sale here were wool, -butter, yaks’ tails, and the like, while the purchases consisted -of about the same category of goods as I gave when -speaking of the Mabcha Khanbab mart. I stayed over night -and spent the whole of the next day at the fair, making a -few small purchases. On the day following we went back -to Gya-karko, another barter port. Gya-nima was the most -north-western point I reached in my Tibetan journey. -So far as reaching my destination was concerned, I had -hitherto been proceeding in an exactly opposite direction -to it, steadily going north-west instead of towards Lhasa, -the capital of Tibet. But from that point—Gya-nima—onwards, -each step I walked brought me nearer to the -main road into Tibet, as also to its capital. In Gya-karko<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> -I stayed for three or four days. Here there were about -one hundred and fifty tents, trade being carried on -even more vigorously than at Gya-nima. Gya-karko is a -trading port for people coming from the north-west plains -of Tibet on the one hand and the Hinḍūs inhabiting the -Indian Himālayas on the other, who are allowed by the -Tibetan Government to come as far as this place.</p> - -<p>Here I saw many merchants from the towns and villages -of the Himālayas. Among them was one from Milum, who -spoke English. This man invited me to dinner on the quiet, -so to say. I accepted his invitation, but the moment I had -entered his tent I at once saw that he took me for an English -emissary. When left to ourselves he immediately addressed -me thus: “As I live under the government of your country, -I shall never make myself inconvenient to you. In return I -wish you would do what you can to help my business when -you go back to India.” I thought that these were very -strange words to speak to me. On interrogating him, I -found out that he had conjectured that I was engaged in -exploring Tibet at the behest of the British Government. -When I told him that I was a Chinaman, he said: “If you -are Chinese, you can no doubt speak Chinese?” I answered -him boldly in the affirmative. Then he brought in a man -who claimed to understand Chinese. I was not a little -embarrassed at this turn of affairs, but as I had had a -similar experience with Gya Lama in Nepāl it took me no -time to recover sufficient equanimity to answer him, and I -felt much re-assured when I found that he could not speak -Chinese so well as I had anticipated. Then I wrote a number -of Chinese characters and wanted him to say if he knew -them. The man looked at me and seemed to say: -“There you have me.” Finally he broke into laughter -and said: “I give up; let us talk in Tibetan.” Then my host -was greatly astonished and said: “Then you are indeed a -Chinaman! What can be better? China is a vast country.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> -My father, who is now living in my native country, was -once in China. If there is any business to be done with -China I wish you would kindly put me on the track;” and -he gave me his address written in English. His manner -showed that he was in earnest, and that he was a man to be -trusted. So seeing that this man was going back to India, -I thought it would be a good idea to ask him to take with -him my letters and deliver them for me in India. It would -have been imprudent for me to write things in detail, but -I scribbled just a few lines to my friend and teacher, Rai -Saraṭ Chanḍra Dās, informing him that I had penetrated -the interior of Tibet as far as Gya-karko, besides asking -him to post some letters for Japan which I enclosed, -addressed to Mr. Hige Tokujuso and Ito Ichiso of Sakai. -A few coins put into the hand of the Milum man secured -a ready response to my request. The man proved the -honest fellow I took him for; for after my return to Japan -I found that my letters had been duly received by both -Mr. Hige and Mr. Ito.</p> - -<p>To return to my romance. We were still staying at -Gya-karko, and I was much embarrassed to find that little -Dawa—for that was my little maiden’s name—had by no -means given up her affection for me. Dawa, I may -perhaps mention here, though I shall have occasion to -refer to the matter at greater length in another chapter, is -a Tibetan name meaning moon, given to persons born on a -Monday; those born on a Friday being named Pasang, -and those on a Sunday, Nyima.</p> - -<p>Well, my little Dawa proved herself to be an adept -in the art of love-making. It is wonderful how a little -spark of passion, when once kindled, burns up and fashions -daring schemes and alluring pictures. The maiden was -always at my side, and spoke only of the good things she -would make mine, if I would only accompany her to -her native country. She said her mother was a lady<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> -of an exceedingly kind heart; that her father owned about -one hundred and sixty yaks and four hundred sheep; that -therefore her family was very rich and their life one -perpetual <i>chachang pemma</i> or round of pleasures. She -added that she was their only daughter, and that she had not -yet come across a man to her heart, save one. I may perhaps -explain that chachang pemma means drinking tea and -intoxicants alternately, and that in Tibet one is considered -to have attained the highest pinnacle of happiness when he -is able to indulge in a perpetual symposium—drinking, in -turns, tea with butter in it and then a spirit brewed from -wheat. Only rich persons can enjoy the luxury: but the -mass of Tibetans consider this to be the main object of life. -Consequently chachang pemma is generally used in the sense -of earthly beatitude. By the way, the method of manufacturing -the butter-tea is very curious: butter, boiled -juice of tea and salt are first thrown together into a -nearly cylindrical tub of three feet in height; then a -piston, if I may so call it, with a disc large enough -to fit the cask exactly, is worked up and down, to obtain -a thorough mixing of the ingredients. This pump-like -action of the piston is carried on by sheer force of hands -and arms, and, as may be imagined, requires a large -amount of strength. The motion of the piston transforms -the mixture into a new beverage which the Tibetans -call <i>solcha</i>. It is said that these people can tell whether -the solcha, or butter-tea, will prove good or bad by -listening to the sound produced by the piston as it -works up and down.</p> - -<p>But to return to my story: Dawa never tired of telling -me that her family was prosperous; that even Lamas were -allowed to marry in her country; that it was really an excellent -thing for every Lama to live happily with a wife in -this world; that it would be wise for me to do so, and so on. -Seeing that all her words were only wasted on me, she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> -seemed to imply that I was an incorrigible fool. Wiles -of temptation now came thick and fast upon me: but in -such moments I happily remembered the triumph of -our Lord Shākyamuni at Buḍḍhagayā. The wise One -was about to attain to the state of Absolute Perfection. -The king of all that is evil was very much afraid of this, -and sent his three daughters to tempt him. The women -tried all manner of allurements to secure the fall of the -Enlightened One, but in vain. When all had failed -the daughters of the King of Devils sang thus:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">How like a tender graceful flower am I,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">With all the lovely fragrance of my mouth,</div> - <div class="verse">And its melodious music soft and sweet!</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Am I not mistress of all mirth and joys?</div> - <div class="verse">Even Heav’nly bliss is naught to him who lives</div> - <div class="verse indent4">In amorous dalliance, dearly loved, with me.</div> - <div class="verse">If thou rejectest me, there’s none so dull</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And stupid in the world compared with thee.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>So sang the Sirens, but even they were powerless to -conquer the Lord. My Dawa could not of course approach -the charms of the arch-devil’s daughters, but her -plaintive pleadings were there. And I—a common -mortal struggling on, but far from the gate of emancipation—I -could not but pity the poor little creature, though I -strengthened myself by saying: “Let it be so—a fool let -me be.” I composed an <i>uta</i> then:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">You call me stupid; that am I, I grant;</div> - <div class="verse indent4">But yet in love-affairs being wiser grown,</div> - <div class="verse">’Tis safe for me to be more stupid still.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>It is true that women never let their mouths be the -doors to their mind; but they know a language unspoken, -which is far more telling, appealing and enticing, than -that which mere sound and articulation can convey. And -my Dawa had never yet said in so many words what -she yearned to say. It happened, however, that Dawa’s -father and brothers were out shopping one day, and that -the girl and I remained alone in the tent. She thought<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> -probably that she could not get a better opportunity for -her purposes and she tried to make the most of it. Just -then I was mending my boots, and she almost frightened -me with her boldness. I am neither a block of wood, nor -a piece of stone, and I should have been supernatural if I -had not felt the power of temptation. But to yield to such -a folly would be against my own profession. Moreover I -remembered with awe the omnipresence of our Lord -Buḍḍha, and was thus enabled to keep my heart under -control. I said to the maiden: “I have no doubt that all -is excellent at your home; but do you know whether your -mother is still living or dead?” The question was unexpected -and almost stunned her, put as it was at a moment -when she had allowed her mind to wander so far away from -her dear mother. She was just able to say: “I do not -know whether my mother is living or dead. I have been -on a pilgrimage with my father for one year and perhaps -more. My mother is a weak woman, and I parted with her -in tears, asking her to take the best care of herself, so that -she might be preserved. I do not know how she is faring -now.” Here was my chance—a chance of diverting the -girl’s attention from me. “H’m! you don’t know -that?” said I; “only now you were telling me of -the bliss of your home, and yet you don’t know how -your mother is faring now?” Poor little maiden, her -mind became disturbed. I almost scolded her, pleaded with -her, warned her. She, who claimed to be a good daughter, -to be so intent in the pursuit after ephemeral pleasures as -to let her thoughts wander away from her dear, good mother; -could it be possible? This somewhat highly colored statement -of mine seemed to cool down her passion and change -it into fear and apprehension. Nor was it extraordinary -that she should have become so affected. For in Tibet -nothing is supposed to be too great for the Lama; he -possesses superhuman powers and can work miracles.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> -Instead of an object of love, I had now become an awe-inspiring -Lama to my little Dawa. As such, I counselled -her with a good deal of earnestness, and finally succeeded -in subduing her passion and conquering the temptation.</p> - -<p>We prolonged our stay at Gya-karko for several days -more, and on the 26th of August I started again with the -pilgrims. As we travelled on in a north-easterly direction -we came to a marshy plain interspersed with pools of water. -Farther on the marsh became deeper. I tried to probe -its depth with my stick, but the solid bottom was beyond -my reach. Knowing then that the marsh could not be -forded, we retraced our steps for about three miles and -proceeded thence due east. Further on we found that the -waters flowing out of the marsh formed themselves into -three streams. We waded across them, and about ten -miles further on the marsh came to an end and we found -ourselves among mountains, and encamped for the night. -Here there were many merchants on their way to Gya-nima -and Gya-karko, and many were the tents they had -pitched all round. While there I went on a begging tour -amongst the tent occupants—a practice which I put into -execution whenever possible, in pursuance of the Buḍḍha’s -teaching. A day’s round, besides, generally earned me -enough to carry me through the next day. I may add -that the evening, whether after a day of journeying -or of begging, I used to spend in preaching among my -travelling companions. I had my own reasons for being -painstaking in these preachings. I knew that religious -talks always softened the hearts of my companions, -and this was very necessary, as I might otherwise -have been killed by them. I do not mean to say -that my life was in any immediate danger then, for there -were numbers of people always about, and besides, the -region we were going through was a country sacred to -Buḍḍhism, and, once within the holy zone, even the most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> -wicked would not dare to commit either robbery or murder. -But it was necessary for me to take precautions in anticipation -of dangers that might befall me as soon as I -should be out of this sacred region. Such were the reasons -why I did so much preaching, and fortunately my sermons -were well received by my companions.</p> - -<p>On the 28th of August we travelled about twenty miles -over an undulating country. Throughout that distance we -could not get a drop of water, and I had nothing to drink -except a cup of tea which I took in the morning just before -starting. We were of course all terribly thirsty; yet to me -the suffering was not half so great as that I had felt -during the former distressing experiences already narrated. -Towards the evening we came upon the upper course of -the Langchen Khanbab. This is the river called Sutlej in -English. It is the head-water of a river which flows -westward into India, and, after meeting with the Sitā, -forms the great Indus that empties itself into the Arabian -Sea. My companions volunteered to tell me that this river -started from Lake Mānasarovara. When I pointed out -to them that the Lake Mānasarovara was surrounded by -mountains on all sides and had no outlet, they replied: -“True, but the river has its source in a spring to be found -under a great rock, east of the monastery named Chugo -Gonpa (the monastery of the source of the river), in -a gorge on the north-western side of Mount Kailāsa. -That spring is fed by the waters of Lake Mānasarovara that -travel thither underground. Hence it may be said with -equal truth that the river flows out of the lake.” This was -indeed an ingenious way of accounting for the popular -belief. But judging from the position of the river, it seemed -to me that it must take its origin on a higher level than that -of Lake Mānasarovara and I was not (nor am I now) ready -to admit the correctness of the native contention. On -arriving at the bank of the river we pitched our tents as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> -usual and passed the night. On the following day, we -visited a sacred place of great fame in that neighborhood, -called Reta-puri in Tibetan pronunciation, but originally -in Samskṛṭ Preṭapurī. Having left our baggage, tents -and other things with two men to take care of them, I went -on the journey thither with Dawa, her father and -another woman, four of us in all. As we proceeded westwards -along the Langchen Khanbab, we saw large boulders of rock -making a walled avenue for a distance of about 400 yards. -Out of the rock region, we came upon a river flowing -down from the north to the Langchen Khanbab. There were -two others running parallel and at a short distance from -one another. They are called Tokpo Rabsum, which in -Tibetan means three friendly streams. We forded one of -them and went up a hill for about a hundred and twenty -yards, when an extensive plain lay spread before our view. -I noticed that the plain was thickly covered with low bush-growths -of some thorny family, and the sight reminded me -of our tea-plantations of Uji. About a mile and a quarter -further on we came to another stream, the name of which is -identical with that of the one we had already crossed. Both -these rivers were loin-deep and exceedingly cold, with -small ice-blocks floating in them. In fording the river -I was much benumbed, and on reaching the opposite -banks I found that I had almost lost my power of -locomotion. So I told my companions to go on while I -rested a few minutes, and applied burning moxa to my -benumbed limbs in order to recover their use. Off they -went, after telling me that nothing could go wrong with -me if I would only take the road in the direction they -pointed out to me. Tibetans are strong and healthy, and -extremely swift-footed into the bargain. I was no match -for them in this respect, especially with half-frozen feet and -that was why I told them not to wait for me. The smouldering -moxa had its effect on my legs. I felt then more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> -alive, and after an hour’s rest I proceeded westwards for five -miles to a place where the plain came to an end. Thence I -walked down stream along a river until the temple for -which I was heading rose into view. The sight was a -grand one, with its maṇi-steps of stone which looked, at a -distance, like a long train of railway cars. Nor was this -the only place where the maṇi steps could be found. -Many of them are to be seen in the Himālayas. I should -add that in that mighty range of sky-reaching mountains -there lives a species of strange birds, whose note is exactly -like the whistle of a railway engine. The maṇi-steps -looking like a train before me made me think of the whistle -of those birds, and I felt as if I had arrived once more in a -civilised country!</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXIX" id="CHAPTER_XXIX">CHAPTER XXIX.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">On the Road to Nature’s Grand Mandala.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Apart from these fancies, I really felt as if I had entered -a civilised region, for beyond I espied a main building -and priests’ quarters, and also what looked like a stone -tower.</p> - -<p>The whole sight was really impressive. The presence -of stone buildings especially attracted my attention, for -stones are very rare and costly on a Tibetan steppe.</p> - -<p>The place was the town just mentioned, called Reta-puri -(town of hungry devils), a name which Paldan Aṭīsha gave -to the place when he arrived here from India on the work -of evangelisation. The name is not inapplicable to the -Tibetans.</p> - -<p>The Tibetans may indeed be regarded as devils that live -on dung, being the most filthy race of all the people I have -ever seen or heard of.</p> - -<p>They must have presented a similarly filthy appearance -at the time of the visit of Aṭīsha, who therefore gave to -the place the not inappropriate title of Preṭa-purī. The -Tibetans, thanks to their ignorance of Samskṛṭ, are rather -proud of the name, being under the belief that it has some -holy meaning. After Aṭīsha had founded a temple, -several high Lamas resided in this place, and a Lama -called Gyalwa Gottsang Pa, of the Dugpa sect, founded a -most imposing Lamaserai, which stands to this day.</p> - -<p>It is, as I said, a very magnificent establishment, containing -four or five priests’ residential quarters, in one of which -I passed a night.</p> - -<p>My companion took leave of me after having completed -his visit to the holy places. I took a frugal lunch in my -lodging and then, under the guidance of one of the priests<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> -of the temple, sallied out to visit all the holy objects on -the premises. The main building was of stone and measured -about eight yards by ten. It was of one storey, and -was in this unlike most other Tibetan Lamaserais, which -are generally two or three storied. The most sacred relics -in the temple were the images of Shākyamuni and Lobon -Rinpoche (Padma Chungne), founder of the Old Sect of -Tibet. To this Lobon are attached many strange legends -and traditions, such as would startle even the most -degenerate of Japanese priests; but I cannot here relate all -those revolting stories. I already knew the strange history -of the founder of this Tibetan sect, and so, when I noticed -the two images worshipped side by side, a sensation of -nausea came over me. It was really blasphemy against -Buḍḍha, for Lobon was in practice a devil in the disguise -of a priest, and behaved as if he had been born for the -very purpose of corrupting and preventing the spread of -the holy doctrines of Buḍḍha.</p> - -<p>A curtain was hanging in front of the high altar, and -one <i>tanka</i>, about sixpence, was the fee for the privilege of -looking at the relic behind it. I paid the fee and found -that the relic was nothing else than the image engraved on -stone of that abominable Lobon. Tradition says that -Lobon’s image was naturally inscribed on the rock when -he came here and stood before it, and this fantastic story -is fully believed in by the simple-minded folk of Tibet. -They would not dare to look straight at the image, for -fear that their eyes might become blind. I had no such -superstition to deter me, and so I gazed with careful -scrutiny at the engraved image, and convinced myself -that some crafty priests must have drawn on a piece of -rock a picture of some priest and that the picture must -have been afterwards tricked out with suitable pigments. -The engraving too was a clumsy piece of workmanship -destitute of any merit whatever, and without even the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> -slightest technical charm, such as might persuade the credulous -to regard the image as a natural impression on a rock.</p> - -<p>I felt sorry for the sake of the Tibetan religion that -such wicked impositions should be suffered to prevail, -though the Tibetan priests may on their part reply that -Japan is not much better in this respect than Tibet, and -that such frauds are not unknown in Japan.</p> - -<p>Of whatever impious deeds the Lamas may be guilty, -the whole neighborhood was such as to inspire one with -chaste thoughts and holy ideas. This seems to be -widely accepted in Tibet, for the Tibetans have a saying -to this effect: “Not to visit Reta-puri is not to visit the -snow-capped Kang Rinpoche; not to go around Lake -Kholgyal is not to perform the sacred circuit around Lake -Mapham-yumtso.”</p> - -<p>This saying means that the visit to Kang Rinpoche only -completes one-half of the holy journey unless Reta-puri -is visited at the same time, and that the visit to Lake -Mapham-yumtso (Mānasarovara) will avail nothing -unless Kholgyal is visited at the same time.</p> - -<p>The place indeed deserves this high honor, and undoubtedly -it constitutes one of nature’s best essays in -landscape. Let me describe here a little of this enchanting -sight. First there was the river Langchen Khanbab, -flowing towards the west, with the opposite bank steep -and precipitous, and with rocks piled up here and there, -some yellow, some crimson, others blue, still others green, -and some others purple. The chequered coloring was -beautiful, and looked like a rainbow or a tinted fog, if such -a thing could exist. It was a splendid sight. And the rocks -were highly fantastic, for some were sharp and angular, -and others protruded over the river. The nearer -bank was equally abrupt and was full of queerly -shaped rocks, and each of those rocks bore a name given to -it by the priests of the temple. There was a rock which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> -was known by the name of the “Devil Surrender Rock;” -another was called the “Twin Images of the saintly Prince -and his Lady;” a third bore the name of “Tise Rock;” -a fourth “Goddess of Mercy Rock;” and a fifth “Kāṣyapa -Buḍḍha Tower.” All these rocks were objects of veneration -to the common people.</p> - -<p>I should have been deeply impressed by this unique -grandeur of nature, had it not been that I was scandalised -by the sight of the misguided veneration, if not worse, -paid to the memory of Lobon Rinpoche. As it was, even -the kind explanations of my cicerone jarred on my ears.</p> - -<p>About two hundred and fifty yards down the bank, from -a cavern known as the Divine Grotto, several hot springs -were gushing out from between the rocks. Three of them -were rather large, while the other three were smaller. The -water of all the springs was warm, indeed some was so hot -that I could hardly dip the tip of my finger into it. The -temperature of that particular spring must have far exceeded -100° Fahrenheit. The water of the springs was quite -transparent, and all about them there were many hard -incrustations, some white, others red, still others green or -blue. The visitors to the place are said to carry away -pieces of this incrustation, which are believed to possess -a high medicinal value, and so they must have, if properly -used.</p> - -<p>After having visited all the places of interest, I returned -to my quarters and passed the night in meditation. The -next morning I left the place, and resumed my journey -toward the tent.</p> - -<p>Somehow I lost my way in the plain, and when I -had already walked five hours I had not reached the -river which I ought to have reached in about three -hours. I looked round and noticed to my surprise that -I had been travelling towards the north, instead of -towards the north-east.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span></p> - -<p>Proceeding briskly onward in the right direction I at -last reached a river, which I crossed. By that time the -sun had begun to decline, and I had had nothing to eat -all that day. I afterwards heard that the people of the -tent began to be alarmed at my non-appearance, and feared -that I must have been carried away by the river and -drowned. When I arrived at the tent, weary with the -walk and with hunger, I saw the daughter of the family -coming out of the tent with some sheep. She was highly -delighted to see me, and I was told that she was about -to go out in search for me.</p> - -<p>On the following day we proceeded eastward and -arrived at the steppe lying to the north-east of Lake -Rakgal and north-west of Lake Mānasarovara. It was a -slope formed by the gradual descent of the spurs of Tise -toward Mānasarovara. That night we pitched our tent on -that plain, and then our journey towards the sacred -mountains began.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXX" id="CHAPTER_XXX">CHAPTER XXX.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Wonders of Nature’s Mandala.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>That evening it transpired that the pilgrims could not -perform the pilgrimage in company, for every one of them -declared his or her intention of performing as many -circuits as possible during a stay of four or five days. Now -the ordinary circuit—for there were three different routes—measures -about fifty miles, which was more than I could -perform in a day, even if I had wished to do as my companions -had resolved, and they intended to undertake -three circuits during the short stay; even the women -wished to go round twice.</p> - -<p>The pilgrims had to get up at midnight and to return -to the tent at about eight in the evening, after having -performed the arduous journey. I myself made -rather elaborate preparations, and started on the holy -journey carrying four or five days’ food on my back. -The route I selected for my circuit was what was called -the outermost circuit, and led me round a snowy peak -resembling in shape a human image, believed here to be -that of Shākyamuni, and around the lesser elevations rising -about that peak. Those elevations were compared to the -principal disciples of the Founder of Buḍḍhism. The route -was indicated by a narrow track, but it was really a breakneck -journey, for in several places the track went up to the -summit of the central peak or to those of some of the -elevations round it.</p> - -<p>The middle route is more difficult of accomplishment, and -the innermost route considerably more so. The last is therefore -regarded as fit only for supernatural beings, and -he who accomplishes twenty-one circuits round the outermost -route obtains permission from the Lamas of the four<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> -temples, to go round the middle route. This circuit is to -a large extent indicated by a more or less beaten track, but -is so steep and dangerous that ordinary persons hardly ever -dare to try it. Not unfrequently pilgrims who boldly -attempt this most perilous journey are killed by snow-slips, -while huge boulders obstruct their passage in several places. -Since therefore this route is very rarely attempted by pilgrims, -quite marvellous tales are told about it.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 274px;"> -<a id="zill_t169"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t169h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t169.jpg" class="hires" width="274" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>NEAR MOUNT KAILASA.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>The outermost route, round which I undertook my -circuit, has at each of its four quarters a temple. These -four temples are called the “Four temples of Kang Rinpoche”. -I first visited Nyenbo Rizon, which is the name of -the temple standing at the western corner. The temple is -dedicated to the Buḍḍha Amitābha and I heard that it is -a very good investment in a worldly sense, the donations -from pious folk amounting to as much as ten thousand yen -during the three months of the summer season. This -coincidence between Japan and Tibet, concerning the -receipts of temples, is exceedingly interesting, for even in -Japan temples dedicated to the Buḍḍha Amitābha are the -most popular and enjoy the largest share of donations. At -any rate such an income must be regarded as extraordinary -for a temple situated in a remote part of Tibet. The income, -I was told, all goes to the Treasury of the Court of Bhūṭān, -in whose jurisdiction are placed all the religious establishments -at Tise. This anomaly seems to have originated -from the fact that the priests of the Dugpa sect of Bhūṭān -formerly reigned supreme at this seat of religion.</p> - -<p>The image of the Buḍḍha Amitābha, as enshrined in the -temple, is made of a white lustrous stone, and it struck -me as a work of high technical merit for Tibet. The -features are of the Tibetan type, and looked mild and -affable, awaking in me pious thoughts.</p> - -<p>In front of the image are erected two ivory tusks -about five feet high and very thick, and behind them I saw<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> -a hundred volumes of Tibetan Buḍḍhist works arranged on -shelves. These books were not there for reading, but in -order to receive as sacred objects the offering of the burning -lamp.</p> - -<p>This use of Buḍḍhist books is peculiar, though it is -preferable to the outrageous treatment to which these -books are sometimes subjected by impious priests, who -do not scruple to tear out leaves and use them for various -improper purposes.</p> - -<p>After worship, I took from the pile a book that related -to the Buḍḍha Amitābha, read it, and then left the temple. -Then began my journey through Nature’s Tabernacles, -the first object in which was the ‘Golden Valley’.</p> - -<p>The adjective ‘golden’ should not be taken in a literal -sense, for gold is not found near this place. Rhetorically, -however, the valley deserves this distinction, the -scenery all round being really magnificent. There are -several fantastic rocks of great size towering far into -the sky, while beyond them peeps the snow-clad summit -of the peak of Tise. And from the crevices and -narrow grooves between those towering rocks shoot down -several cascades as much as a thousand feet in height. -There are quite a number of them, but only seven -are really large. Those seven waterfalls have each a -distinct individuality. Some shoot down with great force -and look not unlike the fabulous dragon descending -the rock, while others look milder and may be -compared to a white sheet suspended over the rock. I -sat down in rapture at the sight, and felt as if I had been -transported to some heavenly place. There are to the -left several falls and also a range of snow-capped peaks, -but they are not to be compared in grandeur with those -on the right, at which I had been gazing with extasy. -This one sight alone, I thought, well repaid the labor of -the journey. I wished to embody my sentiments in a few<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> -verses, but the inspiration would not come, and so I proceeded -on my way, and soon emerged on the northern section -of the Tise group. There I found another Lama monastery, -which bore the quaint name of ‘Ri Ra Puri’ (meaning, -‘The place of the female yak’s horn’). It originated in a -tradition that once, in ancient times, Gyrva Gottsang Pa, -from Bhūṭān, went round this natural Maṇdala in order to -find his way in the wilderness. Whilst he was going to -the mountain, he found a female yak which proceeded before -him and led him on an untrodden path over the snows.</p> - -<p>After finishing his route round the Holy Place, he -arrived at this spot; the female yak concealed herself in a -cavern, now in the temple, and accidentally one of her -horns struck against a rock. It was believed by the -Lama that the female yak was a disguised form of the -mother of the Buḍḍha named Vajra.</p> - -<p>This ‘Yak’s Horn Temple’ ranks next to the first -temple in respect to pecuniary income. It contains, -however, a larger number of priests than the other, -there being about fifteen, while the latter has only -four.</p> - -<p>It was towards dusk that I reached this temple, and I -was allowed to lodge there for the night. The priest who -appeared to be the senior man in the place was very kind -to me and offered his own chamber for my use. It faced -towards Mount Kailāsa. My host told me that the view -of the moon from this chamber was quite enchanting. He -brought me a cup of tea with plenty of butter in it, for I -had told him that I made it a rule to dispense with the -evening meal. I spent a few pleasant hours with my host, -who pointed out to me, on the south from the temple, -the high majestic snow-covered peak of Mount Tise, -representing the Buḍḍha Shākyamuni; the three small -snowy peaks before the mountain, he said, were the -Boḍhisaṭṭvas Manjushrī, Avalokiṭeshvara and Vajrapāṇi; he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> -then gave me a description in detail of other peaks, but I -need not narrate here what he explained to me, for the -account of the range is given in most works treating of -Tibet and its geography.</p> - -<p>That night I had one of the pleasantest experiences I -remember during my expedition to Tibet: it was a pleasure -of an elevating kind. My mind was subdued and captivated -as I looked, in that still night and in that remote and -far-off place, at the soft rays of the moon reflected on the -crystal-like current that was flowing with a pleasant murmur. -Just as, in the holy Texts, the soft breeze stirring -the branches of trees in paradise is said to produce a -pleasant note, that sounds to the ears of the happy denizens -of that blissful abode like the voice of some one -reading the Scriptures, so that sweet murmur of the moon-reflecting -stream deluded my enchanted ears into believing -that they were listening to the divine music of Buḍḍhism. -Staying in that sacred place, and surrounded by such soul-subduing -phenomena, my mind soared higher and higher, -till it flew up to the eternal region beyond this world of woe -and care. The holy Founder tells us that the most sacred -region lies in one’s own pure mind, but I, sinful mortal -as I was, felt elevated and chastened when I found myself -in such an environment.</p> - -<p>The next day I stayed at the temple and spent the time -with great enjoyment. The following day I left the hospitable -monastery and resumed my journey, which included -the surmounting of a steep hill, known under the name of -the ‘Hill of Salvation’. My host seemed to have had -some spiritual affinity with me in a past life, so considerate -was he in his behavior to me. For instance, he lent -me a yak to carry me over the hill, and moreover gave me -some articles of food and various delicacies. I took -friendly leave of him, and then started on my journey -on the back of the yak, which was led by a guide.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span></p> - -<p>On the hill I came across many Tibetan pilgrims intent -on displaying their religious zeal and piety, and their -behavior more than ever convinced me that a strong fanaticism -characterises the people of that land. Climbing -alone was no easy task, and was one that strained -even the sturdiest of legs, and yet I noticed several young -pilgrims of both sexes performing the journey according -to the ‘one-step-one-bow’ method, commonly adopted -as a penance. As for me I felt greatly fatigued, though I -was riding on the yak, for the atmosphere in that elevated -region is very rare and was highly trying to my lungs. -When I had ascended the hill for about five miles -my respiration became very rapid and I was much -exhausted. I therefore rested for awhile, and refreshed -myself by taking some medicine. It was while I was -taking rest that I noticed a burly fellow frantically -confessing to and worshipping the snowy Tise.</p> - -<p>My guide informed me that that man was a native of -Kham, a place notorious as being a haunt of brigands and -highwaymen. He really looked like a typical highwayman, -with ferocious features and fierce eyes, and was performing -his penance in a loud voice. He must have been a -notorious figure even in that land of universal crime.</p> - -<p>I was highly amused to find that this fellow was doing -penance not for his past offences alone, but also to obtain -immunity for any crimes he might commit in future. -His extraordinary confession was something in this way: -“O Saint Kang Rinpoche! O great Shākyamuni! O -all Buḍḍhas and Boḍhisaṭṭvas in the ten quarters of -the world and in the time past, present and future! I have -been wicked in the past. I have murdered a number of -men. I have taken a great deal that did not belong to me. -I have robbed husbands of their wives. I have quarrelled -ever so many times, and I have also thrashed people. Of -all those great sins I repent, and so I solemnly perform my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> -penance here on this hill for them. I believe that by this -act of confession and repentance, I have been absolved -from those sins. I also perform here penance for my prospective -sins, for I may in future repeat them, may rob -people of their goods and wives, or thrash and beat them.”</p> - -<p>This fellow, I thought, was decidedly original in his -conception of penance, and surpassed other sinners by -performing a prospective repentance instead of, as in the -ordinary method, confining himself to penitence for his -past sins. Yet I was told that this convenient mode of -repentance was universal in the robber district of Kham.</p> - -<p>Our path next lay over a hill known as the hill of -the Dolma-la, meaning the Pass of the Mother of -the Savior. On ascending the hill one sees to the -right a snowy range of the northern parts of Mount -Kailāsa, named in Tibetan Gyalpo Norjingi Phoprang, -which means the “residence of King Kuvera”, the -God of Wealth. The spot is very famous to Indians also; -even in early times in India the great poet Kāliḍāsa -described this magnificent mansion with its immense -views in his masterpiece of the <i>Meghaḍūṭa—The cloud-messenger</i>. -Seeing it, I said in my fancy: “Is it not really -the mansion of the God of Wealth—that crystal abode -shining in the emerald sky?” I mused furthermore that -a mammon-worshipper will certainly one day explore that -shining region, expecting to find a diamond mine. On -the crest of Dolma-la stands a natural stone image of the -Mother of the Savior. On the north-east of it a number -of queer-shaped rocks and fantastic stones are to be -seen, their points all looking like images. These were -explained by my guide as twenty-one images of the Mother -of the Savior. This crest of the hill is very high, and -indeed does not appear lower in height than the top of -Tise itself, the height of which is about 22,300 feet above -sea-level. The air is therefore very rarefied and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> -temperature very low. Even when I remained quiet I felt -the effect of the high altitude, for my heart beat rapidly and -I suffered much pain. I thought that I should hardly have -been able to perform the journey on foot, and that therefore -I was deeply indebted to my host for lending me a yak to -carry me over the series of hills. The Tibetan pilgrims did -not seem to suffer to any particular extent from the effects -of the rarefied atmosphere. They possess capacious -lungs and can therefore climb any elevated hill without -fatigue. Of course ordinary people, who do not possess -lungs half as large as those of the Tibetans, can hardly expect -to undertake this journey with so much ease. As it -was, I felt very much exhausted, even though I did not -walk on foot but rode on the yak. Near the foot of the -hill I found a large pond which was entirely frozen over—a -pond associated with an interesting legend. In -ancient times, says that legend, the God of Wealth and his -family used the water of this pond to wash their hands, -for in those days it was not frozen in summer. Afterwards -a woman pilgrim carrying a baby on her back -came to the pond. As she bent over to wash her hands, -the baby slipped off her back into the water and was -drowned. The guardian deities of the place then consulted -how to provide against such accidents, and they decided -that the pond should be frozen over all the year around.</p> - -<p>The descent is rather sharp, and it was uncomfortable -sitting on the yak’s back, so I dismounted and trotted -down after the animal.</p> - -<p>At last we reached the eastern part of Tise and arrived -at the Zun-tul phuk, which means the cave of miracles, -founded by the hermit Jetsun Milaraspa, one of -the most venerated saints in the Tibetan hagiology. -Various interesting traditions are told about this saint, -but these I need not give here, as they are too technical. -I may say, however, that Milaraspa is said to have led a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> -highly austere life, and that he did much to diffuse the -true tenets of Buḍḍhism. He was also a great poet, the -only poet who figures in the long history of Tibet. His -biography therefore reads like a romance or a great epic, -full of sublime conceptions. Milaraspa being such a -unique personality in the history of Tibet, his name has -attracted the attention of western explorers, and extracts -from his poems have been translated. After returning -to Darjeeling I explained his poems to a certain Russian -traveller and writer, who translated them into his national -tongue. He was much delighted with the information which -I gave him, and told me that my translation enabled him to -interpret something of the spirit of the great Tibetan epic.</p> - -<p>We stayed one night at that temple, and on the following -day proceeded along the banks of the river Ham-hung-gi-chu -(shoe-dropping river) and reached a place which -contained a temple called Gyang-tak-gonpa. This temple -is dedicated to Dorje Karmo, the Goddess named White -Vajra. The place is situated about one mile off the road -and near by is a postal station named Darchen Tazam. -This station contains about thirty houses built of stone, -besides about a dozen tents pitched here and there. It -is a business as well as a revenue centre for the whole -district. I lodged at one of the houses, and here the guide -took leave of me. That night I performed my usual -religious meditation, and on the morning of the following -day my pilgrim companions rejoined me.</p> - -<p>The station lies on a steppe between the north-western -corner of Lake Mānasarovara and the north-eastern -corner of Lake Lakgal. On the following day our party -left the station, and proceeded in a south-easterly direction, -to the west of Mānasarovara. We advanced in the -same direction the next day, till we reached the foot of a -snowy peak named Bon-Ri. This is, as I have mentioned -before, a place sacred to the Bon, or ancient religion of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> -Tibet. I saw a big temple in the place, which I found to -be not a temple belonging to that old religion, as I had -expected, but one belonging to the New Sect. It looked a -magnificent establishment as seen from a distance, but we -did not go near it. This neighborhood produced various -kinds of mushrooms, and some which were growing in damp -places were gathered by the women of the party. They -collected large quantities of the fungus, which was fried -with butter and eaten with salt. I tasted it and found -it delicious. By that time we had left the limits of the sacred -region, and my male companions no longer considered themselves -as pilgrims, but as men who had to face the stern realities -of the material world. They declared that they must -resume their worldly business, and proposed to start by -shooting deer. It seemed to me that their shooting not -infrequently included extraordinary kinds of game, and -I suspected, on good grounds, that the three brothers had -now and then turned highwaymen and either robbed or -murdered travellers. I therefore began to be afraid of -them, and thought that I had better separate myself -from them on some plausible pretext, and without -awakening their suspicion.</p> - -<p>On the following day we reached the brow of a hill, and -there one of the brothers in my presence shot an animal -called in Tibet <i>changku</i>. The shooting was done merely for -pleasure and not with the object of eating its flesh or using -its skin. The changku, or wolf, resembles a large species -of dog with rather thin fur, which in summer turns a fine -brownish color. In winter the color is said to be a whitish -grey. The ears are erect and the face appears ferocious. -It is said that this wild animal will attack solitary travellers -and even kill them. When the brothers brought down the -animal their eyes gleamed with delight, and I secretly -thought that their eyes would show that same cruel gleam -when they murdered a wealthy traveller.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXXI" id="CHAPTER_XXXI">CHAPTER XXXI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">An Ominous Outlook.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>The next day, September 14th, snow again fell, and so -we had to stay in the same place. The hunting-dogs went -out of their own accord on a rabbit-hunting expedition, and -came back with their mouths stained with blood. They -must have hunted down some rabbits and made a meal of -them. The snow ceased, and we left the place on the -following day. Proceeding eastwards, we now came to a -long undulating hill, and soon reached its summit. Here -the head of the family said that our pilgrimage must end -at this spot, and when asked why at this particular place, -he pointed to Lake Mānasarovara, situated to the west, -and also to the snow-capped peak of Manri that stood due -south from the middle of the Lake, and told me that we -should here bid farewell and express our good wishes -to the sacred region, for this was the last point -where we could have a full view of the Holy Place, -and that we should express in our prayers an earnest -desire to visit this sacred region again in the future. -Saying this, he bowed down and I and all the rest -followed his example.</p> - -<p>When I thought that I (the first Japanese who had ever -come to visit this district from a remote country thousands -of miles away) was now about to take leave of -Lake Mānasarovara after having been in its neighborhood -for several days, a peculiar sensation came -over me, and I stood gazing at the lake for some -time. As we were going down the hill, my host told -me that as they had already departed from the Holy -Place they should now earnestly engage themselves in -their worldly pursuits; therefore they thought it time<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> -that I should leave them. We soon reached a little -encampment of some twelve or thirteen tents, and -thither I wended my way to observe the condition of -the small community.</p> - -<p>Mendicancy was well suited for satisfying my curiosity, -and as a mendicant I entered the encampment. My -companions remained in the same place that day and the -next, the brothers occupied in shooting. On the latter day -I was reading a Chinese Buḍḍhist Text, and the two women -were outside engaged in some earnest talk. At first I did -not pay any attention to what they were saying, but when -my ears caught the word ‘Lama’ pronounced several -times my curiosity was awakened. Dawa was saying -that she had heard the Lama, that is myself, say that her -mother was probably dead. She wished, she continued, -to ascertain this of the Lama, and so she had been -pressing him for some definite information. Her aunt -received this remark with a laugh. He must have seen, -she said, that Dawa was in love with him, and had therefore -told her this fib in joke. She must not mind what -the Lama told her. However, the aunt continued, her -husband had been telling her that he must make the Lama -marry Dawa, and that should he refuse, her husband -would kill him. It was evident that this last portion of -the conversation was intended for my ears, for the aunt -spoke in a loud voice.</p> - -<p>When I heard that intimidatory warning I at first felt -alarmed, but the next moment I recovered my tranquillity. -I thought that if I should suffer death for having -resisted a temptation, my death would be highly approved -by the holy Founder. He would be displeased if I should -disobey my conscience for the mere fear of death. Internally -praying for strength of mind to resist the temptation, -even at the risk of my life, I resumed my reading. -However nothing occurred to me that day, nor the next,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> -when we struck our tent and proceeded for about five miles -close to the brow of a hill, from which I saw at a short -distance what appeared to be houses, and I was told that -this was another postal station called Tokchen Tazam. -Again I visited the place in the disguise of a mendicant -priest. I soon returned and found Dawa alone in the -tent; the rest were all gone out hunting, so she told me. -I at once saw that the conspiracy was developing, and that -matters were growing quite critical.</p> - -<p>I concluded that I must do my best to dissuade the girl -from pursuing the object of her misplaced affection. Some -spiritual affinity must have brought me into the company of -this girl, so it seemed to me that I was bound to administer -an earnest expostulation, so that she might recover -from her erring fancy. So thinking, I took my seat -in the tent. As soon as I did so, she brought me some -mushrooms she had collected for me in the morning, for -she said: “You seemed to be very fond of them.” I -thanked her for her kindness, took all the mushrooms and -a cup of baked flour, and then set myself to read my -books. The girl stopped me, saying that she had something -which she must tell me, for she had heard something -which filled her with fear. Then she narrated what one -of her uncles, that is one of my male companions, had said -about his intention to force me to marry his niece. When -she had concluded her story, I told her with the greatest -composure that I should be rather glad than afraid to be -killed by the brothers of her father. I had finished my -pilgrimage, I added; I had nothing to desire in this -world, and I was not in the least afraid to die. Moreover, -I continued, I would not harbor any ill-will, even if I should -be killed now by her father and uncles. I should rather -thank them for hastening my departure to the plane of -Boḍhisaṭṭvas; so I would pray for them when I was enabled -to reach that Happy Abode. I would therefore ask to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> -killed that very evening. The girl seemed surprised to -find her revelation producing an effect quite the reverse of -what she had expected. She tried to remonstrate with me -on what she considered a foolish resolution, and spoke some -commonplaces about death and the pleasures of life. -Of course I easily refuted them, and at last she gave up -the evidently useless task of persuading me.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t181"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t181h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t181.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="441" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>QUARREL BETWEEN BROTHERS.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>About four o’clock that afternoon the four returned. -They must have listened for some time to the conversation -between Dawa and myself, for as soon as they entered the -tent, the most wicked of the three brothers severely -scolded Dawa for flirting with a man. Upon this, the -girl’s father at once took her side, and snappishly told -his brother that his Dawa had a father to protect her, -and therefore wanted nobody to meddle with her, much -less an uncle who had never given her even so much -as one bowl of flour since she was born.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span></p> - -<p>The quarrel waxed hotter and fiercer, and the brothers -began to abuse each other and to divulge each other’s -crimes. One accused the other of being a robber, and of -having murdered men at such and such places, and was -met with the recriminating accusation of having attempted -to rob the Government and of having fled for fear of arrest. -The wordy warfare at last developed into actual blows, -and the brothers exchanged fisticuffs, and even began to -hurl stones at each other. I thought I must interfere, and -so I jumped up and attempted to hold back the youngest -brother as he was about to spring at Dawa’s father. -The fellow struck my cheek with his bony knuckles -with such force that I fell, and my whole frame shook -with pain. The confusion in the tent had reached its -climax, and Dawa was beginning to cry and so was also -her aunt. I remained a passive spectator of the rest of this -terrible scene, for I had to lie prostrate from the pain. -Presently the sun set and the quarrel too spent itself and -the night passed without any further outbreak.</p> - -<p>The next morning the party broke up, for each brother -wanted to go his way, the eldest with his wife, the -second with his daughter, and the third alone, as -was also the case with me; so we had to disperse, each for -his own destination. One thing that troubled me was the -lack of sheep to carry my effects. At last I purchased -two at six tanka each, and separating myself from the rest -proceeded in the south-easterly direction. One of the -brothers started for the north, while I could see the others -were retracing the road we had come along.</p> - -<p>I had heard before that I must push on rapidly, but -I purposely took the south-easterly direction, in order to -throw off the scent any of the brothers who might come -after me to rob me, or even worse. And so I proceeded in -this direction, and by about sunset I reached the brow of a -hill, where I was obliged to bivouac in the open, and on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> -a snow-covered plain. The change was too sudden after -having lived for so long in the tent, and I could not -snatch even one wink of sleep during the night. On the -following day, still continuing in the same direction, I -reached a small monastery of the name of Sha Chen -Khangba, where I remained that day and the next. For -the first time since I parted with the brothers and the -troublesome women, I felt safe, for I concluded that I was no -longer in danger of being pursued by one of the murderous -gang. I saw only two priests in the temple, and I spent -most of my time in stitching my worn-out boots and clothes.</p> - -<p>While I was staying in the monastery one of my sheep -suddenly fell ill and died. I felt sorely grieved at his -death, and read a suitable service for him. The other -sheep I had to sell, at half the price I had paid for him, -to one of four traders who arrived at the monastery soon -after I had reached it, for I could hardly manage him now, -as he was so peevish and disconsolate at the loss of his -partner. To the four men I also gave the flesh of the -dead sheep, and they accepted it with thanks. It happened -that the party was travelling in the same direction as -myself, and they proposed that I should go with them. -This was quite a welcome suggestion, especially as the men -were kind enough to offer their services to carry my -effects, for they had with them a number of yaks.</p> - -<p>So once more I had travelling companions, and I left the -monastery with a far more cheerful heart than I had when -I reached it. We proceeded in a south-easterly direction, -and soon came to a small round pond, a little over half a -mile in circumference. Proceeding along the right side -of the pond, we next came to a lake which is very -long from north-west to south-east, but very narrow. -The whole circumference is said to be about forty -miles. This lake is bounded by rocky hills on all -sides, and the blackish rocks scattered here and there<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> -were partially covered, especially in the crevices and -sheltered spots between the adjoining rocks, with a thin -layer of snow, so that they presented quite a pretty sight. I -ascended a small elevation close by the lake, and looked -down on it and also on the small pond. From that height -the serpentine lake looked just like the fabulous dragon in -the act of clutching a round gem, the pond corresponding to -the gem. The snow-streaked rocks were not unlike a -white fleece of cloud. This lake is known by the name -of Kong-gyu-i Tso, as I heard from my fellow travellers. -After proceeding about seventeen miles south-eastwards, -with the lake on our left, we reached its extremity. Here -we were to bivouac, as we had no tent, but I could not -sleep on the snow-covered plain. I therefore passed the -night in my usual style, that is to say, in religious meditation, -the best expedient for a sleepless night.</p> - -<p>Our road lay next day over a steep hill, and it was -indeed such a break-back ascent that it seemed to be -trying even to the sturdy legs and lungs of my Tibetan -companions. As for myself, I was lucky enough to get -permission to ride on a yak’s back, and so I could negotiate -the ascent with no great difficulty. Descending the opposite -slope of the hill we soon reached a plain which, together -with all the adjoining country, was situated in the Kong-gyu -district. On this plain I noticed a white spot, not unlike -a lake at a distance. My companions informed me that the -white thing was <i>puto</i>, and that the white spot indicated the -site of a lake which produced natural soda.</p> - -<p>When we reached the lake my companions eagerly -collected the deposit, put it in skin-bags and fastened it to -the back of the yaks. They told me that the soda was to -be mixed with tea.</p> - -<p>We then went on over several low undulating hills, and -finally reached the lower course of the river Chema Yungdung, -where I had narrowly escaped drowning a short time<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> -before. As the season was now well advanced, the river -was much shallower and we were able to cross it with -comparative ease. I indeed could do so with perfect -security, for I was carried on a yak’s back.</p> - -<p>We were travelling all these days at the rate of about -twenty-five miles a day, and I should hardly have been -able to make such good progress had it not been for the -fact that I could ride every now and then on a yak. -What distressed me most was bivouacking in the open, -where sleep was out of the question in the cold -autumn nights and on ground covered with snow. After -proceeding some twenty-five miles to the south-east, on -the following day we reached the Brahmapuṭra, known in -this region as Martsan-gi-chu or Kobei-chu, according to -the districts which it traversed. The lordly river was quite -shallow and could be crossed without trouble, and I did so -as before on the yak’s back. We found some tents by the -bank of the river where we were allowed to pass a night—quite -a cheering change after so many nights of bivouacking.</p> - -<p>It was a moonless night, but the sky was full of stars, -which threw their twinkling rays on the water of the river. -The vast range of the Himālayas was clearly silhouetted, -so as to make its sharp outline perceptible. The majestic -scene inspired me with poetic fervor:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">Like to the Milky Way in Heaven at night,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">With stars begemmed in countless numbers decked,</div> - <div class="verse">The Brahmaputra flashes on the sight,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">His banks, fit haunt for Gods, appear</div> - <div class="verse">In gorgeous splendors from the snowy height.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>The following day I had to part from my companions, -who were going to a destination different from mine, and -so I was again thrown on my own wits and my own legs -for continuing my journey. After having travelled for so -many days with the help of other people, I now had to travel<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> -alone with nothing but my back on which to carry my -effects, and my journey on the following day was a cheerless -and fatiguing one. The load weighed heavily on my back, -and the time I occupied in taking rest was perhaps longer -than that spent in actual progress. At last I was so -much exhausted that I could hardly move my limbs.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXXII" id="CHAPTER_XXXII">CHAPTER XXXII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">A Cheerless Prospect.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>While I was taking rest in that helpless condition, -I was fortunate enough to see a Tibetan coming along my -way leading a yak. When he came to where I was -sitting I greeted him, and asked him to carry my luggage -as far as he could without compromising his own convenience, -and promised him suitable pay for his trouble. He -willingly consented, and relieved my aching back of its load.</p> - -<p>After travelling about three miles, I observed three men -coming towards us on horseback. They were fully armed, -each with a gun, a lance and a sword, and as they approached -they looked like burly men, wearing Tibetan hunting -caps. I at once concluded that they must be highwaymen, -for evidently they were not pilgrims, the latter generally -travelling with a pack-horse or a yak to carry their necessaries; -nor could they be merchants, for they would travel -in a caravan, according to the fashion of the country. My -companion came to the same conclusion and began to show -signs of fear. To encounter highwaymen is not quite -agreeable under any circumstances, so I was not cheered at -the thought of meeting those three fellows, but I was -not at all afraid, for I made up my mind to surrender -whatever things they wished to have out of my effects. I -simply wished to keep my life, and for this the highwaymen -could have no use. With that idea I boldly advanced -and soon came face to face with the three cavaliers. They -asked me whence I came, and when I replied that I was -returning from a visit to Mount Kailāsa they further asked -me if I had not seen some traders on my way. The traders -were their friends, they continued, and they were searching -for them.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span></p> - -<p>When I replied that I had not met with any such persons, -the men then said that I must be a Lama-priest, and -as such they wished me to perform some divination for -them, to find out the whereabouts of their friends. Now -the meaning of their request was quite clear, they wished -to find the traders in order to assault and despoil -them. For my own part I was rather relieved when the -three fellows disclosed their intention, for I knew that highwaymen -who were after traders with rich goods would -scorn the idea of robbing a poor Lama-priest such as they -took me to be. On the contrary they might offer some -donation to such a priest, if they asked him to undertake -divination for their sake. Highwaymen who do business -on a large scale often prove a source of substantial profit -to Lama-priests, if a donation coming from such quarters -can be regarded as a legitimate profit.</p> - -<p>Well, placed under such peculiar circumstances, I was -obliged to give them a ‘direction,’ and of course the direction -I gave them was the one which I judged least likely -to be frequented by traders. The highwaymen were highly -pleased at my divination, thanked me, and then galloped -off in the direction I indicated. They did not offer me any -donation, however, for they said they had nothing to -present to me now.</p> - -<p>My companion had remained at a distance all the while -as a terrified spectator of this strange transaction between -the highwaymen and myself. When they had galloped -away he emerged from his hiding-place, and asked me what -I was talking about with those dreadful men. I told him -in detail what had passed between the highwaymen and -myself, and relieved his anxiety by assuring him that my -divination was a mere sham, and was really intended to -mislead them instead of giving them any probable direction.</p> - -<p>After having walked along a river bank for about eight -miles we came to a tent which belonged to my companion,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> -and there were two or three others besides. That night I -slept in the tent of my guide, and I also stayed there -during the following day in order to give rest to my -fatigued limbs. On the following morning (that is on -September 26th) I purchased a goat according to the -advice of my host, and packing my effects on the animal’s -back I left the place.</p> - -<p>I was soon after overtaken by a fearful snowstorm, -which obstructed my sight and blocked my progress. My -Tibetan garment was completely drenched, and I was wet -to the skin. I could not determine in which direction I -should proceed, for the storm blinded my eyes and I had -lost my compass; but though I could not be certain of the -right direction I had to move on as best I could, for to -stand still was out of the question. My situation was -growing more and more desperate, and I was at my wit’s -end, not knowing what to do. As luck would have it, just -at that moment I met with a horseman. He at once -noticed the plight I was in and kindly offered me the -hospitality of his tent. It was a little <i>détour</i>, he said, for -one going to Lhasa to go with him to his tent, but it -would be dangerous (though not probably fatal, as the -season was not yet far advanced) to pass that snowy night -in the open; the cold was too severe to expose oneself to -it with safety at night. I gratefully accepted the -hospitable offer, transferred, as he bade me, a part of my -goat’s load on to the back of his horse, and then, leading -the goat, followed the horseman and soon reached his tent.</p> - -<p>The following morning my host left quite early, and the -people of the tent, and of four or five others, broke up their -camp and moved on in the direction in which I also was to -proceed for my journey towards Lhasa. So I followed -them, and trudged along the snow-covered ground in a -south-easterly direction for about fifteen miles. I had not -yet had occasion to talk with any of them, but I felt sure<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> -that they would again extend to me their hospitality, and at -least allow me to share their tent at night, for they must -see, I thought, that it was impossible for me to sleep outside -among the snow-covered hills. In time the party -made a halt, selected a suitable site for pitching their camp, -scraped off the snow, and set up their tents. All that -while I was watching the people at work, or gazing at the -surrounding scenery. When the tent-pitching was finished, -I asked the people of the tent in which I had slept the -preceding night for permission to enjoy a similar favor -again. I was astonished to receive from them a blunt -refusal. Then I tried another tent, but with no better -success, and my earnest requests at the five or six other tents -were all in vain. I at last came to the only remaining tent, -and I thought that as this was my last chance I must -somehow or other persuade the inmates to admit me, -whether they were willing to receive me or not; so I -begged them—they were an old dame and her daughter—for -permission to sleep in their tent, on the ground -that I should probably be frozen to death if I were -to stay outside in the snow on that cold night, and -urged that they should take compassion on me. I -added that I might repay their kindness with a suitable -present of money. The old woman was not softened at all -by my appeal. On the contrary she was angry with me, -saying that I was insulting her by trying to force hospitality -from her. Why had I not tried other tents inhabited -by men, and why should I be so importunate with -her alone? I was insulting her because she was a woman, -she added, and she insisted on my leaving her tent. When -I tried to protest against this merciless treatment she stood -up in an awful passion, and raising aloft the Tibetan -tongs, with which she was scraping together the kindled -yak’s dung, she made as though she would strike me.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXXIII">CHAPTER XXXIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">At Death’s Door.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>No one would take me into his tent, and I was thus -quite at my wit’s end. I retired to a distance of some -dozen yards and, looking at the four or five tents which -appeared to be warm and cozy, remembered Buḍḍha’s -words: “For him who has no relationship to me, it is -very difficult to receive salvation from me.” These -people were perfect strangers to me, and therefore slept -comfortably in their tents, while I had to lie down on -the cold ground, exposed to the severe winds. But, I -thought, the fact that I had asked them for a lodging might -have created a certain relationship, by means of which -they might yet be saved, and that it would not be quite -in vain if I read the Holy Texts for their salvation. Of -course this was merely my duty as a follower of Buḍḍha, -whose love is universal. So I sat down on the ground and -recited the Buḍḍhist Text, with the kindest intentions. -After a while the girl whom I had lately asked for a lodging -peeped from her tent and stared at me, then hastily -withdrew. Presently she appeared a second time and, -approaching me, said that she supposed I was conjuring -evil spirits to punish her and her mother for their -refusal to lodge me. This must not be done, said she. -She and her mother had now agreed that they should -entertain me in their tent, and she had been sent for -me. There was something comical in the fact that my -kind intentions should be taken for revengeful motives, -and that those motives should be rewarded with kindness. -But I attributed all to the benevolence of Buḍḍha, and -thankfully accepted the girl’s invitation. A Buḍḍhist -service was held that evening.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span></p> - -<p>The following morning I left the tent very early, and -walked south-east for two miles and a half in a hilly district. -Quite unexpectedly, two men rushed out from -behind a rock and stopped me. As they did not seem like -robbers, though they were armed, I was simple enough to -think that they were natives of the place making a trip. -They approached close to me and asked me what I had. -I replied, “I had Buḍḍhism”. They did not understand -what I said and exclaimed:</p> - -<p>“What is that you have on your back?”</p> - -<p>“That is my food.”</p> - -<p>“What is that sticking out on your breast?”</p> - -<p>“That is my silver.”</p> - -<p>No sooner had the last answer been given, than the men -seized my sticks, and I understood at once that they were -robbers. Promptly making up my mind what to do, I -said:</p> - -<p>“You want something of me?”</p> - -<p>“Of course!” one of them said, showing his teeth.</p> - -<p>“Well, then, there is no use in hurrying. I will give -you all you want. Be calm, and say what you want.”</p> - -<p>“Produce your silver first.”</p> - -<p>I gave them my purse.</p> - -<p>“You seem to have some valuables on your back. Let -us see.”</p> - -<p>I obeyed. They also demanded to see my bag, which -was being carried on the goat, and, after ransacking it, -returned me the Scriptures, the bed-clothes that were -heavy, and a few other things that were useless to them. -They took, however, all my food, saying that they needed -it, although neither could I do without food.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 542px;"> -<a id="zill_t192"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t192h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t192.jpg" class="hires" width="542" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>ATTACKED BY ROBBERS.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>It is a rule among the robbers of Tibet that, -having taken all they want, they should give their -victim enough food for some three days, provided that the -latter read the Texts and ask for food. I thought I would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> -follow this custom, and I said that I possessed in my breast-cloth -a silver pagoda, containing relics of Buḍḍha, which -Mr. Ḍhammapāla of India had asked me to present to -the Dalai Lama, and which I did not wish to lose. The highwaymen -at once wanted to know if I could not give it to -them, and I replied that if they wanted it I would give it, -but that as a layman could not keep it properly, they must -expect some misfortune as a punishment for their sacrilege.</p> - -<p>So saying, I produced the pagoda and invited them to -open it. This was probably more than they expected. They -would not even touch it, but asked me to place it upon their -heads with my benediction. I held the pagoda over their -heads and, reciting the three Refuges and Five Commandments -of Buḍḍha, prayed that their sins might be -extinguished by the merit of Ḍharma.</p> - -<p>Then I stood up, and was going to ask of them a few days’ -rations, when two men on horseback put in an appearance far -ahead, and before I could look round, the robbers had -gathered together all that they had seized, and made off -in the opposite direction. They ran over the mountains like -hares, and it was quite out of the question for me to give -them chase. I thought, therefore, to ask the horsemen -for provisions. But for some reason or other they -climbed a mountain ahead of me, and did not come as far -as where I was. I called out to them and made signs by -turning my right hand inwards, according to the Tibetan -custom. Perhaps my voice did not reach them, or they -had some business demanding urgent attendance, for they -paid no attention to me. Still I had left eight Indian gold -coins which I had kept close to my skin. My baggage -having been greatly diminished, I placed it all on my -goat, and went on with my journey. It was a steep -mountain pass, and before I had travelled eight miles it -became dark. The night was spent as usual in bivouacking -in a crevice between the rocks.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span></p> - -<p>The following morning I wished to take a north-easterly -direction, so as to reach a certain post-town; but -having no compass, I could not ascertain my bearings, -and seem to have strayed off to the south-east and eventually -due south, instead of north-east, as I should have done. -The snow began to fall at three o’clock in the afternoon, -and I walked and walked until the evening, -but met not a single human being. I was exceedingly -hungry, and so thirsty that I ate the snow. One -meal a day would have been sufficient for me, but the -absolute fasting gave me no small pain.</p> - -<p>Darkness and hunger compelled me to stop, and I selected -a hollow in the ground as my bed, clearing it of snow. -As there is always a danger of being frozen dead when one -is beset by a snow-storm in a vast plain, I took the -precaution to hold my breath, so as to minimise the -communication with the outside air, according to the -methods learned during my Buḍḍhist training. This, I -think, is the best method for bivouacking in the snow, and -I soon fell asleep in the hollow.</p> - -<p>On waking early next morning I saw the snow had -fallen to a great depth, but the weather was fine; -and when I looked around, I thought the mountains -ahead resembled the hilly district called Nahru-ye, -where I had once been in the company of some herdsmen. -Proceeding further, I found the familiar Kyang-chu river, -which I was delighted to see. Sustained by the hope -of finding some old acquaintances at Nahru-ye, I walked -some five miles in that direction. But nowhere was -there any human being to be seen; there was nothing -but the snow. I was almost despairing, owing to my -extreme hunger and thirst, for I was entirely exhausted, -though I had no heavy baggage to carry. But I had to -walk on and on, eating a little snow from time to time to -allay my hunger.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span></p> - -<p>I thought that by travelling farther across the Kyang-chu -river, I should reach the place where Alchu Lama -lived. He never wandered far away from that place, -and I might find him there; so I decided upon travelling -in that direction. I crossed the river about nine miles -above the place where I had crossed it on the previous -occasion. The water had decreased to about one-fifth of -its usual amount, and it was just freezing. I broke -the ice with my sticks and crossed the river. If the -ice had been thick, the crossing of the river would have -been a very easy task, but the thin ice entailed the danger -to the traveller of being thrown into the deep current, and -injured by the ice-blocks. After many difficulties I reached -the opposite bank, and walked due south.</p> - -<p>Then the baggage which was being carried by the goat -got lost. It contained what the robbers had left—a -carpet made of sheep-skin, shoes, drugs, and such things. -I searched everywhere, but in vain. I had to give up my -search and proceed further, for I wished to reach a tent -before night, as sleeping amid the snow on the open field for -several nights consecutively would mean the end of my life; -so I pushed on until eight o’clock and had covered twenty -miles, when another trouble cropped up in the shape of -terrible pain in the eyes, the result of the strong glare of -the sun on the snow. My eyes felt as if they would burst, -and I could not remain quiet. Moreover the snow recommenced -falling in the evening, and the cold was extreme, -and when I lay down I felt the biting coldness of the snow -on my head. I pressed the snow on my eyes, but it did not -lessen the pain in the least. A cold sweat broke out all over -me from the pain and cold, and, in trying to calm myself, I -found that my body was becoming benumbed by the frost. -I tried keeping my eyes shut, and anointed them -abundantly with the oil of cloves. But slumber was far -from me. I rivetted my thoughts on Buḍḍhism, and was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> -doing my best to keep down the pain, when, quite unexpectedly, -I was inspired with an <i>uta</i>, which runs:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">Upon these plains of snow, my bed is snow,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">My pillow, snow; my food also the same;</div> - <div class="verse">And this my snowy journey, full of pain.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>The effusion soothed my heart, and I felt more than -ever thankful for the beauty of the Japanese language.</p> - -<p>The next day, October 1, 1900, at about six in the morning -I decided to proceed on my journey. The snow had -ceased, and the sun was shining brightly, to the increased -pain of my eyes. I could not walk with my eyes shut; and -yet the pain of keeping them open, however slightly, was -more than I could bear. I was so overcome by it that -I would from time to time fall down, wherever I might -be. I had had no food for nearly four days, and was so -weak that the smallest stone lying in the snow would -bring me down. Fortunately I sustained no injury, owing -to the softness of the snow and the lightness of my -body. There was a time, however, when I got quite -exasperated by hunger, the pain in my eyes, and the -weakness of my legs, and sat down in the snow, feeling -that I was fated to die. Intellectually, however, death -was far from my thoughts. Were there only some means -of getting rid of my bodily pains, I thought I could walk -on and on, and at last reach safety.</p> - -<p>At this juncture a horseman put in an appearance -far ahead. I strained my eyes, though with terrible -pain, and thus made out that it was a horseman. I stood -up at once and signalled him to approach. I wished -to shout but could not; the effort seemed to choke -me, and it was only after enormous exertion that -I squeezed out two feeble shouts and wildly gesticulated. -The horseman, having apparently observed me, galloped -towards me, to my great joy. Soon he was beside me, -asking me what I was doing in such a desert of snow, and I -told him with uncommon difficulty that I had been robbed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> -of most of my baggage, had lost what remained to me -<i>en route</i>, and had had nothing to eat for over three or four -days. He was a young man, full of sympathy. Though -he was provided with extra provisions, he said, he would -give me only some sweetmeats, made of cream and brown -sugar, a food which is esteemed as a rare delicacy in the -northern steppes of Tibet. I swallowed down the food -which he gave me so hurriedly that I did not even taste it.</p> - -<p>I then enquired of him if I could not find a lodging hereabouts. -His reply was that he was a pilgrim, and that his -parents and others were staying beside the mountain ahead -of us, and that I should be able to obtain some accommodation -there. He therefore advised me to come to his tent, and, -saying that he was in hurry, galloped away in that direction.</p> - -<p>The distance was only a little above two miles, but I -do not remember how often I stumbled and fell down, and -rested, and ate snow, before I reached the tent. More than -three hours were occupied on the journey, and I did not -reach the tent till past eleven o’clock, when the young man -came out to welcome me. His parents congratulated me on -my narrow escape from death, and entertained me with the -best sort of Tibetan food, which consisted of boiled rice -covered with butter, and accompanied by sugar and raisins. -I did not take much of the food, for fear that the sudden -repletion might injure me, but I took a little milk after a -very modest repast. The pain in my eyes was no better. -There was no medicine, and the best I could do was to cool -them with snow. In spite of the fine bed with which I -was accommodated I could not sleep that night, owing -to the pain I felt in my eyes.</p> - -<p>These people, being pilgrims, were intending to move on -day by day. The next morning, therefore, I also had to -proceed on my journey. But it was some time before they -could start, for they had to pull down the tents and pack<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> -them on the yaks. I finished my tea therefore, and went -out of doors, while they were busily engaged in packing -their effects. I had walked to the further end of a row of -four or five tents, when seven or eight ferocious Tibetan -dogs attacked me, barking loudly. Handicapped as I was -with the pain in my eyes, I could not deal with these dogs -so deftly as at other times. At first, I kept my eyes open -and brandished my two sticks, driving back the animals, -which attacked me from all sides. But once I was obliged -to close my eyes, and immediately a dog behind me seized -one of my sticks. The next moment another dog fastened -his teeth on my right leg, and threw me down.</p> - -<p>I uttered a feeble cry for help, which brought several men -on the scene, and they drove away the dogs with stones. -But the blood flowed out abundantly from the wound, -which I held fast with my hands, and I lay motionless until -an aged dame brought me some medicine, which she said -was a marvellous cure for such wounds. I dressed the -wound with the medicine and bandaged it, and attempted -to rise, but in vain. It was impossible for me to stand up.</p> - -<p>But as it was equally impossible that I should lie down -there for ever, I asked the people what they would advise -me to do, and if they did not know the whereabouts of -Alchu Lama, whom I thought to be in that vicinity. They -asked me if I was acquainted with Alchu Lama, and, on -being answered in the affirmative, one of them volunteered -to carry me on his horse to the tent of Alchu Lama, who -he said, being a physician, would be able to cure me alike -of the wound and of the eye-disease. I rose with the -support of the sticks, one of which broke under me and -had to be thrown away, and mounted on the horse.</p> - -<p>Arriving at a place where there stood two tents, -I perceived that these tents were smaller than those of -Alchu Lama. Though wondering at heart, I alighted -from the horse, and enquired at one of the tents for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> -the Lama, and I was informed that this was not the -Lama’s tent, but that of his wife’s father. I wanted -to reach the Lama’s tents somehow, and was speaking -to that effect, when the wife, hearing my voice, said that -I was the revered Lama who had made a pilgrimage -to the snowy peak of Tise, and came out to see me.</p> - -<p>“Where is your Lama?” I asked.</p> - -<p>“He lives about two miles east of this place.”</p> - -<p>“I wish to find him. Have you no one to take me to him?”</p> - -<p>“I have nothing to do with the Lama any more, nor can -I take you. But if you want to go there, I will direct the -man who has brought you here to accompany you.”</p> - -<p>“But why do you not yourself return to your own home?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, there is no man so wicked as he; I intend to -leave him.”</p> - -<p>“That is not good,” said I.</p> - -<p>Then we had a long talk, and after I had been given -a repast, I rode to the Lama’s tent.</p> - -<p>The Lama being out, I was received by his domestics. -When he returned home in the evening, I related my -adventures to him and asked him for some medicine. He -kindly dressed my wound with excellent drugs, and gave -me purgatives, saying that it was necessary for me to -purge my body in order to prevent the diffusion throughout -my system of poison which some of the dogs injected by -their bites. He also said that I should stay with him for -at least a week, in order to recuperate. Thanks to his -directions, which I obeyed, I was in a few days greatly -relieved of the suffering both in my leg and eyes.</p> - -<p>I had experienced enough of hardship, and had very poor -prospects of an easy life in the future. But still there was -a genuine pleasure in pushing on through hardships. -About that time I composed a poem:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">All bitter hardships in this world of woe,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Have I thus tasted now during this life;</div> - <div class="verse">None will be left for me to suffer more.</div> -</div></div></div> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span></p> -<p>One day I asked the Lama why he had sent his wife to -her parents, whereupon he explained the shortcomings of -his wife. Both had their reasons, and I could not say which -was wrong. But, I said, the man ought to have magnanimity -and to console his wife, so that it was advisable for the -Lama to send for his wife to come back. I supported my -advice by the doctrines of Buḍḍhism, and made him yield to -my proposal. He sent two of his men for his wife, who, -after making some fuss, returned to his tent the same -evening.</p> - -<p>The following day, when I referred to the Discourse -on the Five Vices, which is included in the Gospel of the -Buḍḍha <i>Life Eternal</i> (one of the three books of the Jōdō -Sect, but not found in the Tibetan Canon) the Lama -expressed his desire to hear a lecture on it. I consented -to the request and expounded the discourse on the -days following. The sermon in question treats of all -imaginable vices and sins devised by mankind, arranging -them into five classes and explaining them in the most -appropriate manner. During my lecture on this discourse -the couple were so deeply moved to repentance for -their sins that they wept and at times asked me to -suspend the lecture. As their repentance was sincere, -I congratulated them on their progress in virtue. I stayed -with them for some ten days, and my bodily troubles -were so much relieved that I was able to regale my -eyes with the magnificent view of the snow and ice, lit -up by the serene moon-light. This lovely scenery of -nature caused me to think of my country, and I had -occasion to compose many <i>utas</i>, two of which were as -follows:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">The spotless sky is bathed in light serene</div> - <div class="verse indent4">By that cold moon with her all-tranquil ray;</div> - <div class="verse">This pleasant scene fires me with memories sweet</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Of that dear mother-land now far away.</div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">Here on these lonely steppes the grass is dry,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">No reeds, no autumn flowers show their smiles;</div> - <div class="verse">On high the moon shines on these wilds alone,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Enhancing thus the loneliness profound.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 275px;"> -<a id="zill_t202"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t202h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t202.jpg" class="hires" width="275" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>THE COLD MOON REFLECTED ON THE ICE.</p></div> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXXIV">CHAPTER XXXIV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Saint of the White Cave revisited.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>I spent some pleasant days here and was perfectly -cured of my illness. At the instance of Alchu Lama I -decided to pay another visit to Gelong Rinpoche. Our -party, including the Lama, his wife, myself and three -domestics, all on horseback, and a horse which carried my -baggage and our presents to the holy man of the White -Cave, rode south at full speed, covering a distance -of thirteen miles in a short time. It was before -eleven when we reached the cave, and we were ordered -to wait for a time before we could see the priest. -At eleven those who had assembled at the cave, -about thirty in all, held a service, the illustrious priest -officiating, answering questions, and receiving offerings. -When all were about to withdraw, the Lama detained -me, saying he had something to talk to me about. -Alchu Lama and his wife thereupon bade me farewell, -saying that I should take the road to Lhasa, and we -parted, I thanking them for their kindness.</p> - -<p>I sat in front of the Lama, who was engaged in deep -meditation, the subject of which was not difficult to guess, -for when I was at the tent of Alchu Lama I had heard it -stated that rumors were persistently disseminated to the -effect that the Lama who had made a pilgrimage to the -snowy peak of Tise (this referred to me) was not a Chinaman, -though he pretended to be one, but an Englishman, -who was investigating the situation of affairs in Tibet. -Alchu Lama added that the ignorance of the masses, -who would take such a true lover of Buḍḍhism as -myself for a spy, was incorrigible. Such being the -situation, I thought the rumor must have reached the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> -ears of the good man, who was in consequence going to tell -me something in reference to it. Presently the priest -asked me a most matter-of-fact question: what was my -object in proceeding to Lhasa, in spite of the overwhelming -hardships which beset me? I answered that I had no -other object than to save all beings by prosecuting my -studies in Buḍḍhism. Thus I tried to parry his matter-of-fact -question with a metaphysical answer. The Lama at -once said:</p> - -<p>“Why do you want to save all beings?”</p> - -<p>“Only because they are suffering from all sorts of pains.”</p> - -<p>“Then you have all beings in view?”</p> - -<p>I retorted with an equally idealistic answer: “Having no -Ego, how can I have all beings in view?”</p> - -<p>The priest smiled, and, changing the subject of the -conversation, asked me if I had ever been troubled with love -affairs. In reply I said that though I had once greatly -suffered in that connexion, I was at present free from that -torture, and hoped to remain so. Then he at once turned to -my adventure with the robbers, asking me whether I had -hated those robbers during the time I was with them, and -whether I had not cursed them after our parting, for the -purpose of revenging myself on them. I replied that there -was no use in hating them, as they had robbed me because -I deserved to be robbed. I myself rather was hateful, who -had committed the sins which made me deserve the -misfortune, and I was glad that I could pay my debts. -Such being my thoughts, there was no use in invoking -evil on their heads. On the contrary, I had prayed -that on account of their having come across me, they -might become true men, or saints, in the next life -if not in this. The Lama then said:</p> - -<p>“All your words are rightly said. But you will probably -meet with many such robbers on your way to Lhasa. -They may even kill you. Then you will not be able to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> -accomplish your object of saving all beings. You had -better give up your intention of proceeding to Lhasa, and -betake yourself back to Nepāl. There is a good road -from Lo to Nepāl. You must go at once to Lo. If, on -the contrary, you go to Lhasa, I believe you will certainly -be killed on the way.”</p> - -<p>This he said suggestively, and continued in a solemn -tone: “In order to attain your object, you may take any -means. Your journey to Lhasa is not your only object. If -you are sincere in saying that you want to save all beings, -you must leave for Nepāl!”</p> - -<p>I replied: “I cannot commit myself to such an equivocal -argument, and I fail to concur in your opinion that any -means is justifiable by its end. The Gospel of the Buḍḍha, -<i>Mighty Sun</i>, has it that the means is the object, meaning that -the practice of honest means is identical with the attainment -of an object. The fact that I enter Paradise is no more the -attainment of the object of my life, than is my arrival at -Lhasa. The practice of honest means being the object -itself, I believe that at the moment when I adopt honest -means, I have attained my object.”</p> - -<p>“Then what route will you take in your journey and -whither will you go?”</p> - -<p>“As a matter of fact, I shall take the mountain pass, -and steer my way to the capital of Tibet.”</p> - -<p>“That is curious, that you should take the road -exposed to fatal risks. Better return to Nepāl. You say -rash things. I know your future fate, and know that if -you go on your way, you will die!”</p> - -<p>His words were intimidating, but I replied: “Really? -But I do not know my death, much less my birth. What -I know is only to do what is honest.”</p> - -<p>The Lama meditated for a while in deep silence, -and then suddenly changed the conversation, referring -to the <i>Maṇi</i>, or the sealed book of Tibet. I omit here<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> -our dialogue on this subject, as it is too technical for -general readers. We were so taken up with our religious -talk that we were unconscious of the approach of the -evening.</p> - -<p>The Lama’s suspicions were largely allayed, and he said -that he wondered how the people of the neighborhood were -able to invent such rumors, and that I was a true seeker -after Buḍḍhism. He was sincerely delighted with me and, -saying that money and provisions were my first necessaries, -gave me twenty tankas of Tibetan silver, a lump of tea, a big -bag of baked flour, a copper pan, and other articles -required by travellers. The whole of the presents were -valued at perhaps sixty tankas, or fifteen yen in Japanese -currency. I asked him to reduce the amount of the -presents, for I could not easily carry so much. He said -there was no need for my being troubled about that; for -all along my way farther on I should everywhere find his -disciples, who when they saw the travelling bag, would -remember their master and carry the baggage for me. So -I accepted the presents and retired, but not before he had -promised to invest me the next morning with the mysterious -power of the <i>Maṇi</i>, for which I thanked him sincerely.</p> - -<p>During that night, I decided to take the highway to -Lhasa, for, I thought the mountain pass was full of the -Lama’s disciples, who, in spite of their master, would cast -suspicious eyes on me, and I concluded, that if the highway -was a little longer than the bye-way, it was much -safer.</p> - -<p>The following morning I was initiated in the mysteries -of <i>Maṇi</i>, and about noon the following day I left the Lama -Gelong’s cave. For about five miles I descended the hill, -carrying my baggage on my back, and it was pretty -heavy. Then I proceeded north, with the object of reaching -the highway and not as directed by the Lama, and when I -had walked another five miles, I saw two tents and a man,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> -apparently a wealthy grazier, coming out from one of them -and cordially greeting me. I was rather surprised, for I -knew I had no acquaintances in that neighborhood and I did -not know his face. I felt a little embarrassed, but I followed -him into his tent, where I was met by Alchu Lama. He -had stayed the previous evening at the tent, and had told -the man of our blessed religious talk of the other night. -The man, in consequence, had wished to receive my benediction. -Being informed of these facts, I did as he wished. -Soon after I left the place, accompanied by a man -and two horses carrying my things. I travelled eight miles -east along the bank of the Ngar Tsang-gi-chu, which I had -crossed once on my way from the cave of the White Cliff to -the snowy peak of Tise. The same evening I arrived in a -place on the riverside, where the man who had accompanied -me put down my baggage and took his leave. During the -evening, I enquired about the best way to reach the high-road, -and was informed that I had to cross the Brahmapuṭra -for a second time, and that I needed a guide and a carrier -in order to cross it. So I engaged the men required.</p> - -<p>The next morning I walked eastwards ten miles through -a swampy plain, and over a hilly pass which was five miles -long, and then crossed the Brahmapuṭra. On the farther -bank of the river I found a tent of miserable appearance, -kept by an old woman and her daughter, whose business it -was to watch yaks straying about. I spent the following -day in patching up my shirts.</p> - -<p>On October 16, I again walked over the swampy plain -in an easterly direction. The swampy plain in Tibet is -dotted about with pools of various depths in which grass -is growing. Walking through the damp place for -about ten miles, I reached the Na-u Tsangbo, a large river -flowing from the northern steppes of Tibet and into the -Brahmapuṭra. I had previously been informed of the place -where I could cross the river, but the water reached<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span> -my breast, and the current was rapid, so that, as I was carrying -the heavy baggage on my back, there were times when -I thought I should be swept away by the river. Moreover -the sandy mud which formed the river-bed sucked -my feet deep down, and made walking very difficult. -Happily, however, I reached the opposite bank in -safety. Proceeding a little farther, I found a big -tent, where I was lodged that night. My invariable -question was about the way to the high-road. The people -there informed me that ten or twelve miles further to the -north-east there was a post-town called Toksum Tazam, -which stood on the high-road. The Tibetan high-road over -the steppes has post-towns at intervals of four or five days’ -journey from each other. On this side of Toksum Tazam, -on the side nearer to the snowy peak of Tise, there -is a post-town called Satsan Tazam. From this place I -was to travel along the highway, and I should be able to -locate my whereabouts exactly.</p> - -<p>The following day I steered my way due east, and not in -the north-easterly direction, which would have led me to -Toksum Tazam, for this route was, I thought, rather a -round-about way to reach the high-road. The next day, -the 19th October, 1900, I again proceeded due east; but I -met with a serious accident, which I must now describe.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXXV" id="CHAPTER_XXXV">CHAPTER XXXV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Some easier days.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>The plain was nothing but a swamp, and I was obliged to -wade across shallow streams alternating with mud -flats. At one place I came to a bog which, when I tried -it with my stick, appeared to be very deep, so that my -only course was to select what seemed to be the narrowest -part, and to cross it as best I could. The bog at this place -was not more than four yards in width, and did not look -as if it could be deep, as it was covered with fine -sand at the bottom of some shallow water, so I began at -once to cross it by making a bold plunge.</p> - -<p>But alas! before I had gone two steps I had sunk deep -into it, and, though I tried to save myself by means of -my sticks, I found myself momentarily sinking further and -further into the mire. I then took the bundles I was -carrying one by one off my shoulders, and threw them on to -the other side; then I stripped off my clothes and threw -them likewise, leaving myself exposed to the icy wind. -Then I commenced with the aid of my sticks to balance -myself across the bog with as much care and as gingerly -as though I had been balancing myself on a tight rope in -my younger days. As soon as I got my body back into a -vertical position (for I had fallen almost flat upon my -face), I laid the shorter of my sticks horizontally across -the mud so as to give a resting place for my feet, and then -with the aid of the longer stick raised myself slowly until -I got both my feet upon it. Then I slowly moved my feet -along the top of the horizontal stick, and thus, thanks to -the lightness of my body, which had been freed from all -encumbrances, I managed in a few minutes to reach <i>terra -firma</i>.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 560px;"> -<a id="zill_t210"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t210h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t210.jpg" class="hires" width="560" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>FALLEN INTO A MUDDY SWAMP</p></div> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span></p> - -<p>I was shivering with cold when I got there, but I was -exceedingly proud of my acrobatic feat, and, wringing out -my wet clothes as best I could, put them on again and -made my way to a tent which I saw near the high-road, -where I fortunately found some pilgrims who gave me -hospitality for the night.</p> - -<p>The word “high-road” suggests to the mind the idea of -a macadamised thoroughfare, but that is not what the -traveller finds in Tibet. The high-road was nothing more -than a beaten track, along which men and beasts trod their -way as best they could. In fact anything is called a -high-way in Tibet, if it is frequented by travellers, free -from grass, and not too stony. In desert places, where -there is no grass to be worn off, there are no high-roads, -except in the immediate environs of Lhasa. It would be a -mistake to suppose that carriages could be used on the -high-road; there is no road in Tibet capable of being used -by either carriage or jinriksha. When some years ago the -Rājā of Nepāl presented the Dalai Lama with a carriage -of European make, to be drawn by four horses, many of -the Dalai Lama’s advisers recommended him to return -the gift, as one which could not possibly be used in Tibet. -Another opinion, however, prevailed: it was urged that -the carriage had been brought from a great distance and -could not well be returned without impoliteness, and it -was therefore placed as a curiosity in the Palace at -Lhasa, where it can be seen to this day. This was about -four years ago.</p> - -<p>Bad roads are universal in Tibet, except around Lhasa -and Shigatze, the most advanced cities in the country. Still, -bad as it was, I was glad to be once more on the high-road, -where there were no fortresses for the molestation of travellers, -and by which I might reasonably hope to reach Lhasa in -due time. One day, after a long stretch of desert travelling, -I reached a tent which was also a grog-shop—a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> -somewhat strange oasis in the midst of a desert. But it -became intelligible when I found that a large fair of salt, -wool, and cattle had recently been held in this locality and -that the grog-shop had been opened in connexion with the -fair by a man from Mondan in the province of Lo. The -liquor sold was a kind of beer made from barley, and the -grog-shop was to remain here for about another month.</p> - -<p>I reached the tent about dusk, and was delighted to find -myself amongst friends, for I had made the acquaintance of -the landlady sometime before at Tsarang. The old dame -was delighted to see me. She had been wondering what -had become of me and was very glad that fortune had -guided my steps to her tent. She was anxious to know if -I were going to return to Tsarang, to which I gave an -evasive answer, and she gave me such a kind reception -that I should have hesitated to accept it from any but -herself.</p> - -<p>The next day I travelled over twelve miles to the south-east, -with one of the old lady’s servants to guide me -and a yak to carry my luggage. At the end of the journey -we reached the house of a man named Gyal Bum, to whom -the dame introduced me as a venerable Lama, desirous of -hospitality. Gyal Bum is the second man in the province of -Bomba, and possesses two thousand yaks, five thousand -sheep, and an enormous amount of wealth. One of his tents -was ninety yards square and had a stone chapel annexed. -There were two other tents, one of ordinary size, the other -very small and fitted up like a tea-house. The bottom edge -of the canvas of the large tent was turned inwards, and on -it were placed large quantities of goods, which served as -weights to secure the tent. The goods were all concealed -under Tibetan blankets, and were mostly butter, barley, -wheat, wool, and the like. It was in this tent that I stayed.</p> - -<p>Gyal Bum was about seventy-five years old, and his wife -over eighty and blind. They had no children, and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> -Tibetan law does not permit the adoption of a child from -another family. Should a man die without children, his -nearest relative, as a general but not universal rule, becomes -his heir. The old couple asked me many questions about -Buḍḍhism, which I answered as kindly as I could. They -thought the teaching was excellent, and as they had now no -hopes except in a future life, they asked me to conduct -a benedictory service for them during their life-time—a -request to which I gave consent the more readily, because I -was much fatigued and wished to recuperate. The old -gentleman pressed me, indeed, to make a long stay of a -year or more with him, but this I declined, as I feared -running any risks in view of the many wild rumors about -me that were being circulated throughout the Lo province. -Furthermore I was afraid that, however warmly I might -be clad, I should be unable to endure the severe rigors of a -winter in those regions, for I had already been obliged -to borrow two fur coats from my host, and still felt so -cold that I was sure I could not winter in the tent. I -was obliged therefore to resist his importunities.</p> - -<p>One incident will show that my anxieties about my -health were not groundless. One day while walking I felt a -lump in my throat, which I brought up and found to be a -clot of blood, and the bleeding, having once begun, went -on with such persistence that I began to fear consumption. -I was much alarmed, as may be imagined, but the -excellent precepts of my religion enabled me to keep calm, -and the more keenly I felt the pain of the bleeding, the -more I kept myself under control. I sat down on the -grass and stopped my respiration, as though for a -meditation, and was glad to find that the bleeding soon -ceased, though not before I had brought up quite a pool -of blood. When I got home, my pale face quite alarmed my -host, and when I told him what had happened, he said -that the rarity of the atmosphere (he did not call it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> -‘rarity,’ for of that he knew nothing) often had a -similar effect upon Chinese visitors. He fortunately -knew of a very good remedy, which he applied with great -success, and thus relieved me of my fears of a supposed -consumption. Three days later I again brought up blood, -though in a decreased quantity, and the old gentleman -told me that after two such vomitings I should never be -similarly troubled again. He was quite right; henceforth I -was free from these attacks, even at Lhasa. The place Bomba -is 15,000 feet above the sea-level; Lhasa is only 12,000, -and no one spits blood on account of the rarity of the -atmosphere at this latter place. My host kindly fed me -up with milk and other nourishing food, and when, a week -later, I took my departure, he presented me with the fur -of an animal called <i>yi</i>, which he said was the only thing -that would do me any good. The yi is a sort of cat that -lives in the snow. It is somewhat larger than an ordinary -cat, and its fur is much valued in Tibet. My host’s -present was a tippet of yi fur, covering the shoulders, and -I learned afterwards that such a tippet would cost twenty-five -yen when new, and ten yen for an old one. He -also gave me a quantity of butter and ten tankas of coin, -and sent his servant with a horse to put me well on my -journey. Thus I travelled some ten Japanese miles and -reached the house of one Ajo-pu, a village headman, -where I lodged. I was very thankful that I had stayed -with Gyal Bum, for had I spat blood on the journey -I should have died.</p> - -<p>I left Ajo-pu’s house on the 29th October, 1900, and -after going ten <i>ri</i> to the south-east, down a descent, -reached the banks of the Brahmapuṭra, which was already -covered with ice and glittering in the dazzling sun. I -had not originally intended to go by this way, but by the -high-road, which would have taken me more to the east -but Ajo-pu had told me that at this season I should find no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> -herdsmen along the high-road until I reached Tadun-Tazam, -while by the other road I should come across them frequently. -Sure enough, I found a tent on the banks of the -Brahmapuṭra, and was hospitably received by its kind -owner, a man of the name of Gyal-po. He told me that he -was starting the next day along the same route that I -was taking, and offered to take my baggage on one of his -yaks. I was glad to be thus relieved of my burden, and the -next morning we all set off towards the south-east along -the river.</p> - -<p>It was a sandy swampy country, and after some four <i>ri</i> -(ten miles) we came to a plain of soft white sand which -was very tiring to the feet, so that I thankfully accepted -Gyal-po’s offer of a bare-backed horse. I am not a good -horseman, but I trotted on bravely for a while, till the -pain in my hip-bone became unbearable. Then I changed -my position and rode sideways, like a lady, but then my -legs began to hurt me, so I jumped off at last and resumed -my journey on foot. It was very hard walking, but I -consoled myself with thinking that, at any rate, I had no -luggage to carry, and so after a weary walk of five miles -I came to a narrow cañon through which the river flowed.</p> - -<p>Through this defile we went, threading our way among -the numerous rocks, until at last we came to a place where -three great rocks, in shape like a man’s clenched fist, blocked -the valley. Here the river made a sharp turn to the -south, while our road lay through a valley to the south-east; -so we bid adieu to the Brahmapuṭra. Presently we -crossed a big mountain and came out on an extensive plain. -We had travelled nearly twenty miles that day, and near the -close of it I separated from Gyal-po’s party. I was told -that evening that there was another river for me to cross -before I got to Tadun-Tazam, and that as it was full of -perils I must hire a guide. This I did, and the next -day, after walking for fifteen miles towards the south-east,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> -arrived about ten o’clock at a river a hundred and twenty -yards wide, which was still covered with ice. The guide -was afraid that the ice, which was not thick enough to bear -us, would cut our legs if we attempted to wade through it, -and on his advice we waited for the sun to melt it a little. -We therefore took our lunch, and at last about noon broke -the ice and began to wade across. The ice cut our legs -in several places, and our feet were quite benumbed -with cold by the time we had got across; but we walked -on for another eighteen miles, and then stopped for the -night in a little tent.</p> - -<p>The next day, November 1, I started at nine o’clock and -walked till a little past noon, when we crossed another icy -rivulet. Twelve miles more brought us to Tadun, the most -famous temple in northern Tibet. Tadun means the -‘seven hairs,’ and the tradition is that the hair of seven -Buḍḍhas are interred here. The temple stands on the -summit of a hill, and in its enclosure is a revenue -office. It is in fact not a temple but a town (Tazam), -one of the most populous and wealthy in northern Tibet.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXXVI">CHAPTER XXXVI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">War Against Suspicion.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>I spent the whole of November 2nd, 1900, at the temple -seeing its treasures and images. The place was just sixty -miles north of Tsarang in the province of Lo in the Himālayas, -and was frequented by merchants from the latter. -I did not know this fact, and after I had seen the treasures -I was walking round the temple, when to my astonishment -I was accosted by an old acquaintance. He was a -notorious drunkard and gambler, feared even by the -natives of the Himālayas. While I was in Lo he used -to accuse me of being a British spy. When, however, -a member of his family became sick I gave him medicines, -and this act of kindness of mine softened down his bitterness -against me, though it was evident that he intended to take -the first opportunity to quarrel with me. On the present -occasion it was clear that should I take no notice of him. -He would denounce me to the Tibetan Government and -obstruct the execution of my object; so I decided upon a -plan of campaign. Approaching him with a smile, I said -I was delighted to see an old acquaintance. I was myself -a teetotaller, I added, but I had heard it stated that the -place had very good liquor. I would treat him to the best -to be obtained in the place if he did not object to coming -to my room. He accepted my invitation at once.</p> - -<p>Ordering my landlord to bring a large quantity of the -best liquor I plied him with drink until four in the morning. -I did not take anything myself, but made believe to be -drunk. After many glasses I got him dead drunk, and he -fell asleep. I also pretended to sleep. But as soon as the -landlord awoke at about half past five, I also rose and told him -that the man lying there was a dear friend of mine, and that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> -I would have him treated with the best liquor whenever -he awoke, and that he was never to let him go out of the -house. If he should ask for my whereabouts, he was to -be told that I had gone towards Tsarang. With these -orders I paid my bills, tipped the landlord liberally, and -set out on my journey at six o’clock.</p> - -<p>I did not of course go towards Tsarang, but took the -highway running to Lhasa. Yet my fears were not quite -pacified, for the man I had to deal with was noted for his -shrewdness even among the Himālayans. He would not -only doubt the words of the landlord, but would suspect -my reasons for plying him with liquor, and would inform -the Tibetan revenue officials of my escape towards Lhasa. -In the event of the mounted officials giving chase -to me, it would be all in vain for me to walk as I was -doing. What I wished with all my heart, even at the cost -of all my money, was to get a horse or to hire a man -to carry my luggage. But the plain being absolutely -deserted, my desire was in vain. I was hastening along -the highway to the south-east, when a large body of -horsemen came galloping up from behind.</p> - -<p>It was a caravan of eighty or ninety horses and sixteen -men. I stopped one of them, and asked him to tie my -luggage on to one of the horses, for which trouble I would -pay, and to allow me to run behind them. The man was a -servant, and could not give me any definite answer. I -approached another man, who seemed to be the master and -brought up the rear, with a similar petition. He said that -he was not able to comply with my request for the present. -But as the party was stopping that night in a valley -between the two hills which were visible ahead, he advised -me to push on, hard though the work might be, and -wait there till some arrangements could be made. I took -his advice and summoned up all my courage to reach those -hills. At eight o’clock I reached the mountain slope an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span>d -found two big white tents. The chief and second -chief of the caravan seemed to be Lamas, the caravan -itself having a religious appearance. They offered me -tea and meat, but I said I did not eat any meat and gave -my reasons for not doing so. The Lama was apparently -interested by my explanation, and asked me where I had -come from. I said I was a Chinese priest. The Lama -thereupon spoke to me in Chinese, which he seemed to -understand a little. I told him that his Chinese was the -Pekin dialect, which I could not understand, and so our -conversation was held in Tibetan. He then produced some -Chinese characters and made me read and explain them, -and until I had satisfied him in this connexion he did not -believe in my being a Chinaman.</p> - -<p>I learned then that he was the Lama of a temple called -Lhuntubu-chœ-ten in the province of Luto on the north-western -frontier of Tibet, near to Ladak on the eastern -border of Kashmīr. The first Lama was named Lobsang -Gendun, and the second Lobsang Yanbel. The man who -advised me to go there was the <i>Tsongbon</i>, or chief of the -caravan, and acted as the business manager for these -Lamas. The rest of the party were either monks or -servants. They carried dried pears, raisins, silk, woollen -goods and other products of Kashmīr to Lhasa, whence -they brought home tea, Buḍḍhist pictures and images. -They were a very good company, and a very convenient -one for me, if I could get them to carry my luggage -through this vast pastoral plain of Jangthang; but I -did not wish them to accompany me as far as Lhasa.</p> - -<p>The Lama interrogated me as to the kind of Buḍḍhism -I had learned and the things I knew, and put before me -many questions about Tibetan Buḍḍhism. Happily, as I -have already stated, I had been fully instructed in Tibetan -Buḍḍhism while at Tsarang by Dr. Gyaltsan, and had -studied the grammar with special care; so that not only was I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> -able to answer the questions quite easily, but I could -explain many things on the subject that these Lamas did -not know. He was greatly surprised, and asked me -hundreds of questions in grammar, which he seemed -to have been studying, though without any insight. -Without the help of scientific analysis, which seems impossible -for persons in these countries, one cannot fully -understand the grammar. As I proceeded with the -explanation of the subject, he proposed that I should -accompany the party, and said that they rode until two -o’clock in the afternoon every day, but that after that hour -they always had plenty of leisure, during which he wished -to learn grammar. Moreover, he offered to pay me suitable -fees and give me food during the journey, if I would -consent to his request. This was just what I was longing -for; even if he paid me no fee, I should have been glad to -comply with his wish.</p> - -<p>When I awoke at four the next morning the party were -making tea on a fire of dry yak dung. Presently everybody -was up, and seven or eight men went out to collect -the mules and horses, which had been left during the -night to find pasture for themselves. These animals often -wander over the mountains, and it will take at least one -hour to bring them back, and at times three hours. But -these horses did not try to get away from the men who -went to fetch them, for they knew that they would be well -fed with beans as soon as they reached the tents and before -being loaded. The meal served to the caravan consisted -chiefly of the flesh of sheep, yaks and goats, and occasionally -pork. The grooms had thus to catch and feed the horses, -strike the tents, load them on the horses, harness the -horses for their own use, and drive up their own especial -charges. My companions were sixteen in number, fifteen of -whom rode, and one walked. The latter was going to -Lhasa for the purpose of prosecuting his studies, and was in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> -company with the caravan simply for the reason that they -came from the same province. He and I, being pedestrians, -took tea before the caravan packed its effects, and left the -place in a south-easterly direction.</p> - -<p>My walking companion was a pedantic scholar. He -had a very high opinion of himself, but he knew -nothing of the essential principles of Buḍḍhism, nor -did he recognise the existence of any sectional differences. -It seemed as if he had only a vague notion -of the doctrines. I was glad to have his company, such -as it was, but he vexed me greatly by his evident animosity -towards me, which unfortunately grew more violent -as time progressed. The cause of this animosity was, -as I learned afterwards, the fact that I had explained on a -previous evening the Tibetan grammar, which, scholar -though he was, was all untrodden ground to him. He was -of opinion that the knowledge of grammar, unaccompanied -by that of true Buḍḍhism, was a worthless acquisition, -which only fools would take the trouble to make. As -his manner disclosed his jealousy, I treated him with -circumspection.</p> - -<p>On that day we passed over a large hill and spent -the night at a swampy place, after having walked nearly -twenty miles in all. A lecture on grammar was again -given, by request. On the 5th, I again walked in company -with the pedantic monk. After we had arrived at Lhasa -he fell into a destitute condition, and I, being then in -happier circumstances, did all I could to help him. But -this occurred long afterwards. During the journey, after -some interesting conversation was held in connexion with -religious questions, the monk applied himself to the work -of systematically investigating my personality. Apparently -he suspected that I was an Englishman, or at least a -European, on account of my complexion, and his suspicion -speedily grew into conviction. But as his questions did<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> -not soar above what I had expected, I was able to reply in -a manner which dissipated his doubts. After we had -traversed the desert for five miles, we again reached the -Brahmapuṭra, and a thaw having set in at that time, we -found the water was flowing on smoothly. The clashing -sound of the blocks of ice was inspiriting, and the sun was -beautifully reflected on the surface of the river. We walked -eastward along the bank for about seven miles, and then, -leaving the river, walked in a north-easterly direction by an -up-hill road along the Brahmapuṭra for another seven miles. -Then we crossed the river on horseback. A post-town -called Niuk-Tazam stood a little to the north on the river -bank, but we did not visit it. We travelled two miles and -a half in an easterly direction and encamped on the slope of -a hill. That day I walked about twenty three miles. Until -we had come to the neighborhood of a town called Lharche -the caravan which I accompanied avoided stopping in -towns, for the grass on which their horses fed was not to -be found abundantly in such places.</p> - -<p>That night I felt for the first time safe from the man -whom I had left behind at Tadun, which was now sixty-five -miles off. I felt that it had been most fortunate that he -had not awaked from his drunken sleep until it was too late -for him to inform the authorities of my presence, for if -he had had the least suspicion of my escape, he would not -have missed the opportunity for making money, enough to -enable him to indulge himself in a good bout of drinking.</p> - -<p>The usual lessons in the Tibetan grammar and Buḍḍhism -over, the suspicious monk, who posed for a learned scholar, -suddenly addressed me, saying that having been in India, -I must have seen Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās, who explored Tibet. -I replied that I did not know him, even by name. There -were three hundred millions of people in India, and however -famous a man might be, he must always be unknown -to some. There was a great difference between India and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> -Tibet, and I asked to hear something about the man the -monk referred to. The monk then narrated how Saraṭ -Chanḍra Ḍās, twenty-three years ago, had cheated the Tibetan -authorities with a passport; how he had robbed Tibet of -her Buḍḍhism, with which he had returned to India; how -on the discovery of the affair, the greatest scholar and -sage in Tibet, Sengchen Dorjechan, had been executed, -not to mention many other priests and laymen who were put -to death and many others whose property was confiscated.</p> - -<p>After this the monk added that as Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās was -a renowned personage in India, it was impossible for me -not to be acquainted with him. Probably I pretended -not to know him. These words were spoken in a most -unpleasant manner, but I put him off with a smile, saying -that I had never seen the face of the Queen of England, -who was so renowned, and that such a big country as -India made such investigations hopeless. The stories -about Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās are quite well known in Tibet, -even children being familiar with them; but there are few -who know him by his real name, for he goes by the -appellation of the ‘school bābū’ (school-master). The story -of the Tibetans who smuggled a foreigner into Tibet and -were killed, and of those who concealed the fact from the -Government and forfeited their property, are tales that -Tibetan parents everywhere tell to their children.</p> - -<p>Owing to the discovery of the adventures of Saraṭ -Chanḍra Ḍās, all the Tibetans have become as suspicious as -detectives, and exercise the greatest vigilance towards -foreigners. I was fully acquainted with these facts, so -that I too exercised great caution even in dropping a -single word, however innocent and empty that word might -be. But the Tibetans were very cunning questioners; -and the monk was one of the most cunning. When -I tried to laugh away his questions, he put other queries -on every imaginable point. Other Tibetans who were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> -equally suspicious joined him in harassing me. I felt for -the moment just as though I were besieged by an overwhelming -force of the enemy. I thought myself in danger, -and with the view of changing the subject of the conversation -I turned the tables on them by asking them which they -revered more, the Buḍḍha or Lobon Rinpoche, the -founder of the old religion of Tibet. There is a saying in -Tibet: “Padma Chungne is superior to Buḍḍha,” Padma -Chungne meaning “born from the Lotus,” the founder -of Lamaism. This question is an old one, and one -about which Tibetans are never tired of disputing, so -when this subject was introduced a most violent debate -was started, and no one questioned me any more about my -personality.</p> - -<p>But the incident was sufficient to put me on my guard. -The Mongols have a saying “Semnak Poepa,” meaning -“black-hearted Tibetans.” Tibetans are extremely -inquisitive, and one of their characteristics is to conceal their -anger behind a smile, and to bide their time for vengeance. -The word, ‘Poepa’ means Tibetans, and they call their own -country ‘Poe’. They do not know that their country is -called Tibet. ‘Poe’ means in Tibetan ‘to summon’. The -founders of that country, according to the tradition, were a -man of the name of Te-u Tonmar (red-faced monkey) and -a woman named Tak Shimmo (stone she-devil). The former -was the incarnate God of Mercy, and the latter the incarnate -Yogini, who induced Te-u Tonmar to be her husband. -To them were born six sons, whom they summoned into -being, respectively, from the six quarters of the universe: -namely: Hell, Hunger, Animalism, Asura (fighting demon), -Humanity and Heaven. Thus the Tibetans called their -country ‘the summoned’ or ‘Poe’. This tradition was -perhaps fabricated by some inventive Lama, for the -purpose of connecting Tibetan religion with Buḍḍhism. -But it is a tradition which is believed by the natives. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> -Hinḍūs do not call this country by the name of Tibet. -They call it Boḍha, one of the meanings of which is -‘knowing’ or ‘idea’. It is not known how they came -to call Tibet Boḍha, but according to their scholars -Poe is a contraction of Boḍha. The Hinḍūs have another -name for Tibet, namely, the country of ‘Hungry Devils’. -This is clear even from the fact that Paldan Aṭīsha -invented, as I have already mentioned, the name of Preṭapurī -(town of hungry devils). Tibet has many other names -which deserve study, but which are too peculiar to be -expounded. At all events the ‘pa’ of Poepa means -men, so that Poepa means the Tibetans.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXXVII">CHAPTER XXXVII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Across the Steppes.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>On November 6th, 1900, we took our way to the south-east, -and marched up and down several rolling hills, till -after walking more than twenty miles we reached the -foot of a great snow-covered peak and lodged there. On -the 7th we again climbed up and down the spurs of the -Himālayas for a distance of over five miles, and arrived at -the Chaksam Tsangbo (river of the iron bridge). It was -no fine suspension bridge, but an iron rope, fastened to the -rocks on either side, by which travellers crossed the river -hand over hand, and which gave the river its name. For I -heard that there is in the vicinity of Lhasa another iron -bridge, which consists of two iron chains, by means of -which one can very comfortably pass over the river. The -bridge over the Chaksam does not now exist; but -the name of the river of the iron bridge seems to have been -derived from the fact that it was crossed by one of these -iron ropes, though which kind it was is more than I can -say. The river had a tremendously rapid current, thickly -strewn with blocks of ice; but I easily crossed it on my -horse. Then we had to travel through a plain between the -hills, which were generally bare and devoid of vegetation -except when there was a swamp where grasses were seen -growing. The scene was exceedingly dismal, and there -was nothing to relieve the eye. We went on for some -four miles, and came to a rivulet, and at the end of another -four miles arrived at a castle called Sakka Zong. We -lodged beside a swamp on the west of the castle, which -stands upon the summit of a hill. The style of its architecture -differs not much from that of a temple, though it -presents a certain martial aspect. There were no regular<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> -troops stationed there. When needed the people in that -vicinity, some two hundred in number, take up arms. I -was told that the year before last a tribe on the northern -plain had made an attack on this locality, with the result -that the latter lost twenty or thirty men and about two -thousand yaks. The trouble was still pending as a subject -of litigation. Thus the castle seems to be a fortification -against the attacks of roaming tribes, though it also has -a revenue office in it. That day we travelled some fifteen -miles, and the evening was spent in my lecture on grammar, -as were many succeeding evenings.</p> - -<p>The following day, after we had travelled eight miles, -we passed the southern fort, on a snow-clad mountain -called Chomo-Lhari. Then we travelled five miles more -in a south-easterly direction, and encamped for the night. -Nothing occurred worthy of mention.</p> - -<p>On the 9th we travelled for seventeen miles along the -same lonely mountain-pass leading to the south-east, and -reached a valley in which we observed an exceedingly -large animal ahead of us. This strange beast resembled a -yak, though there was no doubt that it was not an ordinary -yak. On asking its name, I was informed that it was what -the Tibetans called a dongyak (wild yak). Its size was -twice or three times that of the domesticated animal, and -it stood about seven feet high. It was smaller than the -elephant, but its eyes looked dangerous. Its horns measured -twenty-five inches in circumference and five feet in -length. These measurements were taken afterwards at -Lhasa, where I saw the horns of a wild yak. It is described -as graminivorous; when it becomes angry it will attack -men or animals with its horns, often inflicting fatal injuries. -Its tongue is extremely rough and anything licked by the -animal would be torn to pieces. Once I saw the dried -and very large tongue of a young dongyak, which was -being used as a brush for horses.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t229"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t229h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t229.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="441" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>MEETING A FURIOUS WILD YAK.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>An honest fellow in the party asked me to prophesy, -by my art of divination, whether that night was to be -passed in safety or not. I thought he was afraid of the -dongyak, but the truth was not so. He pointed to a place -a little below the slope, and said that in the preceding -year six merchants had been killed by robbers there. -He was therefore going to keep watch that night, and -wished to know whether robbers were coming. In order -to pacify him, I said that nothing of the kind was going -to take place that night. But the features of the place -were anything but agreeable, as may be guessed from the -fact that the dongyak was quite at home there. The night -was, however, spent without any accident. The following -day we travelled over the steppes for a distance of fifteen -miles, and again lodged near a swamp; we always preferred -swampy places for lodging, on account of the abundant -grass.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span></p> - -<p>On the 11th we travelled again for fifteen miles, and -on the 12th crossed a steep pass called Kur La, seven -miles in length, and walked seventeen miles eastwards, -lodging again beside a swamp. It was about that time -that a change for the better came over the relations -between the pedantic monk and myself. Proud as he -was, he seems to have thought that hostility could not -be maintained without serious loss to himself, as the majority -of the party had come to entertain a sincere love for and -confidence in me. He approached me with a kindly face, -which could not be repelled; whatever his motives may -have been, it would have been very ill-advised for me to -quarrel with him, so I reciprocated his kindness, with the -result that our relations became perfectly smooth, and -I was glad to get rid of the fear that he might inform -the Tibetan authorities of his suspicions about me.</p> - -<p>The following day, November 13th, we passed over two -long slopes, and the night was spent at the foot of a -steep and rugged mountain. On the morrow we proceeded -about seven and a half miles in a south-easterly direction, -along a river flowing between rocks. A gentle slope of -about twelve miles was then accomplished, and the night -was spent on the bank of the river. On the 15th we -proceeded further to the south-east along the river-side -route. When five miles were covered, we came out upon -a plain, which we crossed in an easterly direction. A -journey of about seven and a half miles over the plain -brought us to a post-town called Gyato Tazam, where I -found a far greater number of stone buildings than at any -other post-town I had visited <i>en route</i>. I was informed that -the inhabitants of the town numbered about four hundred, -representing sixty families. The people differed much from -the nomadic population found in the Jangthang which we -had visited before, something of urbanity being visible in -their manners. While the nomads are so rude and vulgar<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> -that, whenever they speak, they speak bluntly, without any -regard to the persons addressed, the inhabitants of Gyato -Tazam have a more refined tone in their language, -though it is of course modified by the local dialect. -After making some purchases in the town, we resumed our -journey. Wending our way about five miles into a -mountain region, we reached the bank of a stream, where -we decided to pass the night.</p> - -<p>Being the middle of November it was pretty cold, but -fortunately my companions proved themselves so obliging -that, on our arrival there, they went to the trouble of -gathering a great mass of yak-dung, which was burnt -within the tent throughout the night. As I gave them -lectures on Tibetan grammar, the head priest of the party -and a junior Lama were very hospitable towards me and -provided me with bedding, so that I felt no cold at all. -The following day, after proceeding a little less than -fifteen miles over two long steep slopes, we found ourselves -on the edge of a plain. We went about four miles -further, and found in the centre of the plain a temple -standing upon two large pillar-like rocks, which stood -together and towered high into the sky. As these rocks -alone are 360 yards high, the entire height may well be -imagined. The temple is called the Sesum Gompa, and -belongs to one of the old schools of Lamaism. Passing -under the temple, we proceeded further and reached a -marsh lying to the east, where we stopped for the night.</p> - -<p>The following day we made a journey of about twenty -miles through a mountain district situated to the south-east, -at the end of which journey we found ourselves at a -post-town called Sang Sang Tazam. We did not take lodging -in the town, but encamped upon a plain in the eastern -suburb, where we made as big a fire as we could, and yet -felt pretty cold, especially late at night. We awoke in -the morning to find ourselves completely frost-bound;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span> -indeed I wondered, at first sight, if it had not snowed -during the night. Thereupon I produced a short <i>uta</i>, -which may be rendered into English thus:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent26">How beautiful</div> - <div class="verse">It is to see grass dead, but blooming yet</div> - <div class="verse">With frost, upon a high plateau.</div> -</div></div></div> - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXXVIII">CHAPTER XXXVIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Holy Texts in a Slaughter-House.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Heading in a south-easterly direction as before, we -proceeded about four miles, now over hills and then across -moorland, and arrived at the base of a mountain, where -there stood three buildings. A strange sensation came -over me when I saw dozens of sheep’s hides dangling from -the eaves of these buildings. Nor was that all. They -were also in the habit, so I was told, of butchering yaks -on the premises. It is the custom of the Tibetans, I was -told, to butcher cattle towards the latter part of autumn, -and dry the meat for preservation, there being no fear of -decomposition, owing to the cold climate of the country. -The Tibetans esteem this dried meat as quite a luxury, and -claim that it is the best food in the world. Not infrequently -I heard people speak anxiously about their -stocks of preserved meat in summer. I was told that -autumn was the best time for killing cattle, because they -yielded excellent meat after their feast upon the rich summer -grass. Tibetans, however, dare not slaughter -animals in their own villages, or near their tents, and the -three buildings in question are used as a common -slaughter-house by neighboring inhabitants. Generally -the slaughter is not carried out on behalf of a single -individual or family, but of the whole village. The beasts -butchered on the day we visited the place included two -hundred and fifty sheep and goats, and thirty-five yaks. Of -the latter, fifteen were despatched after our arrival there. -They told me that the cries of the yak were very strange, -and invited me to witness the scene of the slaughter. What -cruelty! how could I bear to see it? Desirous, however, of -knowing something about the operations, I stood and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> -watched the spectacle. Sadly and slowly a yak was -conducted into the yard, two men pushing the animal on -from behind. As soon as the proper point was reached, -the legs of the poor creature were tied, and tears were -seen standing in its eyes, as if it were conscious of its -impending death as soon as it found itself in the pool of -blood left by its companions. The scene was indeed -unbearable. I wished I had money enough to redeem -their lives, but I could see no help for it. Just then -a priest came in, Holy Texts in hand, and read them -for the doomed animal, on whose head the book and a -rosary were placed. The natives believe that this religious -proceeding will enable the poor yak to enter into a new -state of existence and also absolve the doer of the cruel -deed from the evil consequences which might otherwise -follow. I hoped so, too, but even the Holy Texts read by -the priest were now too much for my endurance. A flood -of tears came into my eyes, and I could no longer stand -the ghastly spectacle, but ran indoors. Presently, thump! -something fell outside the doors; alas! the poor creature -was beheaded. The natives handle a sharp knife so -dexterously, that a single blow with it is said to be sufficient -to finish the deadly work.</p> - -<p>The blood gushing forth from the body of the dead -beast was received in a pail, and afterwards boiled down -into a kind of food said to be very delicious. When -desirous to obtain this food, the Tibetans often draw -blood even from the bodies of living yaks; this is done -by means of a gash made in the neck of the poor beast, -wide enough to cause a flow of the blood, but not to kill -it. The blood taken in this way is said to yield much -less delicious food than that obtained from the slaughtered -animal. I then thought that the scene was the very -extreme of cruelty, but afterwards found that I had been -miserably mistaken, for I observed during my subsequent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span> -residence at Lhasa that more than fifty thousand sheep, -goats and yaks were slaughtered there during the three -months ending in December every year.</p> - -<p>But to return to my itinerary. Leaving the scene of this -tragedy, we had to proceed up a very steep slope about -nine miles long, and then down another, seven and a half -miles long. At the end of the latter distance we found a -river, on the banks of which we passed the night. The -next day, November 19th, we skirted the base of a -mountain (upon which there stood a big temple of the Old -School, called the Tasang Gompa) until we reached the -bank of a river where we encamped for the night. On the -20th we made a journey of five miles, again in a mountain -region, at the end of which we found ourselves at a village -called Larung, which was situated on the western shore of -a lake bearing the name of Manuyui Tso. It was about -twelve miles in circumference, and appeared to be very -deep. For the first time during my journey, I observed -in this village patches of wheat-fields, dotted with cottages.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XXXIX" id="CHAPTER_XXXIX">CHAPTER XXXIX.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Third Metropolis of Tibet.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Owing to the cold season I could not observe the condition -of the wheat actually growing in the fields, but I -learned at the above village that in that locality the wheat -crop was considered ordinary when it was at the rate of -two bushels from two pecks of seeds, and unusually abundant -when the rate reached three bushels. In the neighborhood -of Lhasa four or five bushels are obtained from -two pecks of seeds, if the weather proves favorable, but -three bushels are passed as fair.</p> - -<p>This testifies to the primitiveness of the methods of -farming obtaining in Tibet. One cannot but be surprised at -the ill-kept condition of the fields which, with their ‘rich’ -deposits of pebbles, cannot be termed cultivated land in -the proper sense of the word. I do not mean to speak ill -of the Tibetans, but this curious neglect of cleaning the -land is a fact; indeed, it is a universal feature of the country. -I once suggested to a native farmer the advisability -of removing the pebbles, but the reply was simply -that such practices were not endorsed by tradition. -Tradition is to the Tibetans a heavenly dictate, and controls -all social arrangements. Those residing in more -civilised parts of the country, however, entertain somewhat -more progressive ideas, and have learned to utilise -the products of modern ingenuity from the West. The -case is quite different with the mass of the people, who are -still laboring under a thousand and one forms of conservatism. -A very curious story, in a way substantiating the -foregoing statement, was told me by a village paṇdiṭ whom -I could hardly credit, because of the apparent absurdity -of his narrative. The story, which is given below, was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> -subsequently confirmed, quite to my surprise, by more -than one citizen of Lhasa.</p> - -<p>In Tibet, as in other countries, taxes are assessed on -cultivated fields, but, as the Tibetans are practically -strangers to mathematics, as stated in a preceding chapter, -a very curious and primitive method is adopted with regard -to the land-measuring which forms the basis of the -assessment.</p> - -<p>The method consists in setting two yaks, drawing a -plough, to work upon a given area, the assessment being -made according to the time taken in the tillage. In other -words, the different plots of cultivated lands are classified -as lands of half a day’s tillage, or a day’s tillage, and so -on, as the case may be, and assessed accordingly.</p> - -<p>After being entertained by the aforesaid scholar with -many other interesting stories concerning the manners and -customs of Tibet, as well as the conduct of native priests, -we left the village and, proceeding for twelve miles along -the edge of the lake mentioned above, reached a spot where -we passed the night. On November 21st we struggled on -our way through a gorge extending over a distance of five -miles, till we found ourselves again on the edge of a big lake, -called Nam Tso Goga. It measured about twelve miles in -circumference, and its water was very pure. Proceeding -along the northern bank of the lake, we passed into a valley -commonly called the Senge Rung, or Lions’ Vale. This -name must have been derived from the surrounding rocks, -which somewhat resemble the figure of the king of beasts. -After a journey of seven and a half miles through the vale, -we arrived at a village bearing the same name, and then at -another, where we took lodgings. We covered more than -twenty-five miles that day, this forced journey being due -to the necessity of altering our travelling arrangements. -The fact was that, while our previous journey was -through Jangthang, so that it was necessary for us to stop<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> -early and graze our horses sufficiently, we had now entered -into a more peopled and cultivated part of the country, -where pastures were few, so that we could not stop until we -reached a village where we could secure sufficient fodder -for our animals. The fodder, which in Tibet usually consists -of wheat and barley stalks and the stems of bean -plants, is generally purchased from inn-keepers. The latter, -however, extort such high prices, that fodder enough to -feed a horse during a night often costs the traveller full -thirty sen, though in some cases half that sum will be sufficient. -In addition, beans and a solution of butter are -sometimes given to horses, so that the caravan trade in the -interior of Tibet is at once trying and expensive.</p> - -<p>On November 22nd we proceeded about twelve miles over -a steep slope and across plains, and arrived again on -the northern bank of the Brāhmapuṭra. At this place -the river was not quite as it was when we crossed it on our -way. It now appeared quite fathomless, with its waters -azure-blue, though it was only about two hundred yards -wide. There was no hope of negotiating the stream on -horseback, and we were told that the river-bed would become -much wider in summer. There was, however, a -ferry-boat service, a rectangular flat-bottomed boat, resembling -those we see used for the purpose in India. -The boat had in the middle of her stern a figure representing -the head of a serpent, and had capacity enough to -accommodate thirty or forty persons and twenty horses. -When we landed on the opposite bank of the river, we -found ourselves in the outskirts of Lharche, the city -which is the third in importance in Tibet. Once there, -we could fairly claim that we had gone far into the interior -of the forbidden country, for it is only five days’ journey -thence to Shigatze, the second Tibetan city.</p> - -<p>Looking southward, we could see a caravanserai erected -by the Chinese. It is spacious but unfurnished, no one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> -being in charge of it. It serves the double purpose of -accommodating the Chinese itinerant traders and the -native soldiers on march. We betook ourselves to the -building for the night, which proved a jolly as well as a -noisy one. It was thought very fortunate for us to have -escaped from the dangers of robbers and wild beasts -which infested the north-western regions, and my -companions decided to celebrate the successful journey to -their hearts’ content.</p> - -<p>Throughout the night they indulged themselves in a -carouse, which was enlivened by the attendance of several -girls. During the next day, November 23rd, I was still -staying with the rest of our party at the caravanserai, but -as I was to part company with them on the 24th I read the -gospel of <i>Hokekyo</i>, as a mark of appreciation of the kindness -accorded to me by them throughout my journey with them. -When the date of my departure came, the head Lama gave -me ten tankas as a reward for my lectures on Tibetan -grammar, while the rest of the party also collected among -themselves a certain sum of money which they presented to -me. A few of the party were to accompany me, for the Lama, -with the junior Lama and a servant, decided to go with me, -so that I was not alone on my road. We then set out, -taking the road leading to the grand Sakya monastery. -As for the men of the caravan, they were to proceed to -Shigatze through Puntso-ling by the highway. Besides -kindly carrying my personal effects together with their -own, the senior Lama and party offered me the use of one -of their horses, so that my trip with them was a very comfortable -one.</p> - -<p>We proceeded in a southerly direction, and for a distance -of five miles our way passed through wheat-fields, the soil -of which appeared to be very rich. Of all the districts -in Tibet, Lharche can supply barley, wheat, beans, and -butter at the lowest possible prices, which testified to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> -position held by it with regard to agricultural products. -We then ascended a rapid slope for another five miles, -again traversed cultivated fields for about eleven miles, -going in a south-easterly direction, and reached a hamlet -called Rendah. The next day, after we had proceeded along -a river for some eighteen miles, we saw before us the -imposing monastery of Sakya, which was surrounded by -high stone walls of about two hundred and twenty yards -square, twenty feet high and six feet thick. All the -structures were of stone, painted white, and the main -edifice alone measured sixty feet in height, two hundred -feet from east to west, and two hundred and forty feet -from south to north. Over the walls, which were bow-shaped, -rose a dark-colored castle, crowned with <i>Saisho-doban</i> -(the victorious Standard of Buḍḍhism), and <i>rodai</i> -(the disc for the dew of nectar) of dazzling gold. The -spectacle was sublime and impressive, at least so far as -outward appearances were concerned.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XL" id="CHAPTER_XL">CHAPTER XL.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Sakya Monastery.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>We lodged at a neighboring inn which placed a cicerone -at our service, and proceeded to pay a visit to the -celebrated monastery. Going through the front gate and -past several smaller buildings, we arrived in front of -the main edifice. At first sight the interior of the -latter appeared to be completely enclosed, but a closer -examination showed that light was let in through a -courtyard. Entering the front hall, seventy-eight feet -by forty-two, we saw standing on both sides statues -of Vajrapāni, each about twenty-five feet high, one -painted blue and the other red, such as are seen on -each side of the gate of every great Japanese Temple. -Each image has its right leg a little bent and the left -one put forward, while the right hand is raised towards -the sky and the left one vigorously stretched downward. -The workmanship seemed even to my lay eyes representative -of Tibetan art, the muscles, for instance, being very -excellently moulded. There are also images of the -four heavenly kings, each thirty feet high, standing on -the right side. Again, looking to the left, we saw on -the wall (which was of stone over-laid with mud and then -with some lime-like substance) beautiful pictures of deities -and saints, which covered a space twenty-four feet by -twenty-one. There is no fissure visible in the pictured area, -in spite of its dimensions. The structure as a whole -is in good repair. The front hall opens to an inner -courtyard, paved with stone, thirty-six feet by thirty, -where the priests of the inferior orders gather to dine -and to read the scriptures, while the higher Lamas have -the privilege of living inside the building. Passing this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> -courtyard we entered the main chamber (which faces -west) where the images of Buḍḍhist deities are placed. -There are two entrances to this chamber, the southern -one being open to the priests and the northern one to the -visitors. Once inside, we were lost in a sea of dazzling -gold; the splendor was simply beyond description. The -ceilings and pillars are all covered with gold brocade, -and the images, more than three hundred in number, -are emblazoned with very fine gold. In the centre of -the room there stands a statue of Shākyamuni Buḍḍha, -thirty-five feet high, which, we were told, is made of -mud covered with gold. In front of this image are -placed seven water-trays, some candle-sticks and a table -for oblations, all of pure gold, with the exception of -a few articles made of silver.</p> - -<p>The disorderly manner in which the images are arranged, -however, greatly detracts from the impression -produced by their intrinsic merits. The spectacle is a -grand exhibition of Buḍḍhist fine arts, but put together -without much order. In short, the chief feature of the -chamber consists in its splendor, but its effect is greatly -impaired by the tasteless and excessive decorations.</p> - -<p>At the rear of this chamber there is another, sixty -feet high and two hundred and forty feet wide, which is -full of valuable collections of ancient Buḍḍhist manuscripts, -some written in gilded letters on dark blue-colored paper -and others in Samskṛṭ on the leaves of the fan palm -tree (<i>Borassus flabelliformis</i>). Many of these scriptures -were brought all the way from India by the founder -of the temple, Sakya Panḍiṭ, and his successors, who -sent their priests to that country for the purpose.</p> - -<p>With regard to the scriptures in the Tibetan language, -I was told that they had a great number of them there, -and that they were all written, not printed. We left this -chamber, and while we were again looking round the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> -main chamber I was struck with a strong and offensive -smell which, as my subsequent experiences taught me, -is a curious feature of every monastery in Tibet. I -wondered how I had been insensible to such a stench up -to that time. Where did it come from? you may ask. -Well! in Tibetan temples clarified butter is used in lighting -the lamps offered to Buḍḍha, and the priests are so careless -as to throw away upon the floor the residue of tea and -butter, which not only keeps the floor always wet but -also putrefies. This is why the chamber is filled -with such a sickening odor. Strangely enough, Tibetans -regard this smell as a sweet one, but I declare myself -emphatically to the contrary. On both sides of the main -chamber we found two more chambers where different -figures were also kept. Of these images, the one which -especially attracted my attention was that of Padma -Chungne, the founder of the old school of Lamaism, for it is -made entirely of precious stones. The surrounding walls -and the floor are also inlaid with gems, which are amazingly -beautiful.</p> - -<p>Outside the main edifice there are several dormitories -where some five hundred men of the order live. Then -standing to the south is the stately residence of the -‘great instructor’ of the temple, Chamba Pasang Tinle, -who looks after the spiritual education of five hundred souls.</p> - -<p>We had an interview with this spiritual superior, who -looked very saint-like, seated on a dais covered with -two mats in one of the upper rooms. I wanted to ask -him a few questions with regard to the difference between -the Sakya doctrines and those of the other sects of -Lamaism, but he told me that he was busy then and -asked me to come again the next day. We then retired -and left the temple grounds.</p> - -<p>I noticed several palatial buildings rising above -a far-off willow plantation. My companions told me<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> -that these buildings were the residence of the Abbot -of the temple, Sakya Koma Rinpoche, and we -proceeded to pay our respects to him. Koma Rinpoche -means the ‘highest treasure’ and is used only in -addressing the Chinese Emperor and the Abbot of -the Sakya Monastery, whom Tibetans esteem as -one of the two sacred beings of the world. This being so, -the natives who are honored with an audience by -the Abbot pay special respect to him, and when he -gives them his blessing in return it is not infrequently -accompanied by some presents. But in reality the Abbot -is a layman, the essential point of his excellence being -that he is the descendant of Sakya Panḍiṭ himself. -He is married, takes meat for dinner, and even drinks -wine, as do all the secular people. In spite of these facts, -not only the public at large but also priests salute him with -the rite of ‘three bows’ which as laid down by Buḍḍha -is a mark of reverence due only to high priests and -not to laymen.</p> - -<p>When we were received by the Abbot, I therefore paid -him only such respect as would be due to a personage of -his rank. He has, however, a very dignified mien, which -bespeaks his noble descent.</p> - -<p>While we were returning to our lodgings, I was blamed -by my companions for my failure to give the Abbot the -‘three bows,’ and when I told them the reason of the -omission they were astonished at my rigid observance of -the Buḍḍha’s teachings. The next day, when I called -upon the ‘great teacher’ at the appointed hour, I found -him playing with a boy who was behaving toward him in a -very familiar way, as if he were his son. I could not think -that such a man, who was a genuine priest, was married, -and yet I very much suspected some such relation—a -suspicion which was afterwards confirmed during my -sojourn at Lhasa.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span></p> - -<p>At first I had intended to stay and study at the temple for -at least two weeks, but after this discovery I was now loath -to remain with such a degenerate priest. I left the town the -next day, and as I was now separated from my companions -I had to carry my effects myself. For a distance of two and a -half miles the road gradually ascended along a mountain -rivulet in a south-easterly direction and then, turning eastwards, -became a steep descent of five miles. Proceeding -ten miles further in a south-easterly direction and along -the stream I found two dwellings, in one of which I lodged -for the night. The next day I again ascended a steep -slope, two and a half miles long, and climbed down another -twice that length. As the day was snowy and my -baggage got wet, I was obliged to take lodgings at the first -house I could find. The next day, November 30th, I -fortunately met seven or eight men who seemed to be -transport agents, and were driving forty or fifty asses, -and I was glad to place my things in their charge. Thus -freed from encumbrances, I, with the party, descended -the Tharu river for five miles. It then turned to the south-east, -and after proceeding fifteen miles further along the -riverside, we found a village where we stopped.</p> - -<p>The drivers, however, encamped in a neighboring -meadow, where they unburdened their animals and surrounded -themselves on all sides except one with the goods -thus unloaded. As was customary with them, the men -improvised a kind of fire-place. On the first of December -we proceeded along the river for about ten miles and then -left it; again for ten miles, we ascended the eastern mountain -called Rangla with its perpendicular peaks of red -rock. We lodged under the rock and on the following -day we ascended Rangla for five miles and marched more -than another five miles on the mountainous plains; we -reached a big monastery named Kang-chen and passed -that night in a field south of the monastery. At first, when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> -I saw my drivers recklessly making their way through the -cultivated fields, I expressed my fear to them that we -might be caught by the farmers. “No,” was their reply, -“you need not bother yourself on that score.” They -explained to me that these fields were fallow ones, -“which were enjoying their holidays” for this year, so -that any person might choose them as roads. It was a -custom in this locality to raise the wheat-crop every other -year, leaving the fields unemployed for the intervening year—a -custom which did not obtain in Lhasa and the neighborhood. -Moreover, I was told, it was winter, when the -privilege held good in any year, and no one need entertain -any fear of intruding. At night I preached to -my drivers, and the next day we set out together, taking -an easterly direction. We proceeded seven and a half -miles, when we found rising among the mountains a -magnificent temple, still under construction. On making -enquiries I learned that the work had been undertaken -by the Tibetan Government, which is acting under the -advice of a soothsayer.</p> - -<p>The latter had, I was told, declared that there exists -a spring just beneath the site of the building, that it is -the mouth of a monstrous dragon, and that unless a temple -be erected over it, it will ultimately burst out and -deluge the whole country. Unfortunately this idea is -supported by a book of prophecies brought from China, -which is apparently the work of some priest with hidden -motives. I read the book and found it to be full of -awe-inspiring predictions. It states, for instance, that as -wickedness obtains on the earth, a flood of water will -be brought upon it and everything on the face of it -destroyed; that fatal calamities, such as a great famine -or war, will break out as a prelude to such a flood. -In addition, it is stated that the book had been sent -from heaven, and that therefore any one who is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> -so careless as to doubt its truth will be punished with -immediate death. I declared that these prophecies were -all false, but of course nothing extraordinary happened to -me. The book may be well meant, but it is full -of nonsensical sayings. But Tibetans believe in it so -firmly that translated copies are being circulated all over -the country. It is most surprising that such superstitions -should have led the Government to begin a foolish undertaking -at a great cost. But indeed, oracle-mongers are -held in high esteem, not only by the Government but also -by the general mass of the people, who consult them -whenever they are at fault.</p> - -<p>Passing under the above-mentioned temple we proceeded -further, and before we had gone far, we found some five -vultures (known among the natives by the name of -Cha-goppo) perched on a hill-side. On questioning my companions, -I was told that there exists in Tibet a very -curious and unpleasant custom of offering the corpses of -dead men to vultures as a part of the funeral ceremony; -that as in this locality the people do not bring enough -carrion to these birds, the latter are always hungry; and -that therefore they are granted an allowance of meat -from the kitchen of a temple called the Tashi Lhunpo. -How they are fed on human flesh at a funeral ceremony I -shall relate later in my account of Lhasa.</p> - -<p>After some further journeying we arrived at an “abstinence -house” (Nyun ne Lhakhang in Tibetan), in the -neighborhood of which there stood a temple called the -Nartang. Wanting to make some enquiries, I decided to -stay at this house, so that I parted company with my -carriers, who proceeded towards Shigatze. This house is -used both by priests and laymen for observing the ‘Eight -rules of abstinence’ enjoined by the Buḍḍha, or other -forms of religious self-denial, such as silence or abstinence -from meat. Abstinence from flesh is considered an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> -austerity by Tibetan priests, because they eat meat, contrary -to the ordinary usages of Buḍḍhist monks.</p> - -<p>The next day I visited the Nartang Temple, where I -inspected the most valuable of its treasures, which are -immense heaps of wooden printing-blocks, comprising the -collection of all the Buḍḍhist writings in Tibet, divided -into two departments—Buḍḍha’s own preachings and -the works of the saints. In addition, they have an -equally large number of printing-blocks for the commentaries -prepared by the native Lamas. These blocks are -kept in two large buildings, one of which measures about -180 feet by sixty. This temple is the sole publisher of -the ‘collection of all the Buḍḍhist writings,’ the three -hundred priests who live there being printers. I called -upon the head priest of the temple, who had been specially -sent from the Tashi Lhunpo Temple, and found him very -clever in conversation. The interview was at once very -instructive and agreeable to me, for the priest not only -gave me valuable information on Buḍḍhism but also -accorded me cordial treatment.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XLI" id="CHAPTER_XLI">CHAPTER XLI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Shigatze.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t249"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t249h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t249.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="448" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>OUTLINE OF THE MONASTERY OF TASHI LHUNPO.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>The next day, December 5th, I proceeded for about -eight miles across a plain in a south-easterly direction, -when the gold-colored roof of a palatial building, with -many white-painted dormitories for priests close by, -presented itself before my view. In addition, temple-like -buildings in red paint were seen rising amidst -these structures, making in all a grand and beautiful -spectacle. The town before me was Shigatze, the second -capital of Tibet, and the palatial building was the -Tashi Lhunpo Temple. The name means ‘a glorious -mass’ or ‘Mount Sumeru,’ a legendary mountain mentioned -in Buḍḍhist Scriptures. The monastery owes its name -to its founder, Gendun Tub, who thought that the -mountain at the rear of the temple resembled Sumeru.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span> -There were altogether three thousand three hundred -priests in the temple, but sometimes the number increases -to over five thousand; and though it is but the second -temple in the country it maintains the same dignity as -the papal see. The secular part of the city lay beyond -the temple and consisted of some three thousand five -hundred dwellings. The number of the inhabitants was -stated by the natives to be over thirty thousand, but this -calculation cannot be much trusted, as the science of -statistics is utterly unknown in Tibet. I visited the temple, -where I asked for the dormitory called Peetuk Khamtsan, -which is allotted to the Lamaist monks from the north-eastern -plateau, since I had feigned myself to be one of -these. At length I found it and settled myself in it, for I -intended to stay there for some time and to pick up any -knowledge I could from those with whom I might come -into contact.</p> - -<p>The Lama Superior of this temple is regarded as the -second Grand Lama of Tibet, for, though he does not -possess any political influence, yet with regard to the rank -bestowed by the Chinese Emperor he is superior even -to the Dalai Lama himself. Sometimes a kind of regency -under this ‘second Grand Lama’ takes place during the -interval between the Dalai Lama’s death and the enthronement -of what in Tibet is believed to be his re-incarnated -self.</p> - -<p>This second Grand Lama is commonly called Panchen -Rinpoche, but his real title is <i>Kyab-kon Chen-bo</i>, meaning -‘Great Protector,’ while his name is Lobsang Choe-ki -Nima, the ‘noble-minded religious sun’. I was told -he was eighteen years old, having been born in the year -of “sheep,” and was believed to be an incarnation of -Amida-nyorai. At the time of my visit he was away at -a distant palace, so that I could not see him. During -my stay in the town my only business was to visit various<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span> -Lamas and scholars, with whom I discussed the teachings -of Buḍḍha.</p> - -<p>One day I called upon the tutor of the second Grand -Lama, Tsan Chenba, a venerable priest, seventy-four -years of age, who was very kind to me. As he was -reputed to be the highest authority on Tibetan grammar -and rhetoric among the three thousand priests in the -temple, I asked him several grammatical questions, and in -doing so I took care to select such questions as were -familiar to me, for I wanted to know in what way my -host would try to explain them. I was, however, disappointed, -as he confessed that he could give no answer -and said that he could only refer me to a learned -physician living at Engon on the road to Lhasa, who, he -was inclined to believe, could give me a satisfactory -answer. I was, therefore, glad to take leave of him. -<i>En passant</i> it may be stated that five branches of science—phonetics, -medicine, logic, engineering and religious -science and philosophy—were centuries ago introduced into -Tibet from India, but now-a-days very few—I will -almost say no—Tibetans are proficient in them, or -even in one of them. Under present circumstances, those -who take to the study of grammar belong to very -limited classes, the majority of them consisting of the men -in the Government service who learn just the elementary -rules of grammar, in order to be able to prepare official -documents. It is not wonderful therefore that there -should be scholars who, in spite of their zeal in the -investigation and exposition of Buḍḍha’s doctrines, are -absolute strangers to history and other branches of science.</p> - -<p>After a stay of several days at the temple, I was one -day thinking of leaving the town, when I was informed -that the Grand Lama was expected home presently, -so I went out to witness his procession. It must be -noted that owing to the absence of roads in Tibet the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span> -procession passed through the more beaten parts of the -country, which served as roads. On both sides of the -route there stood cylindrical posts upon which incense -was burnt by the waiting crowds, both sacerdotal and -secular, most of whom prostrated themselves on the -advent of the <i>cortège</i>. The second Grand Lama was borne -in a palanquin decorated with gold brocades and gorgeous -kinds of silk, and was accompanied by about three hundred -mounted attendants who, instead of being armed, carried -Buḍḍhist utensils. The procession was heralded by the -native band, using some kind of wind instruments and -drums. The spectacle was so splendid that I congratulated -myself on my good fortune in having witnessed it.</p> - -<p>During that night, in compliance with the request of -the priests in my dormitory, I delivered a sermon on the -ten Buḍḍhist virtues, which seemed to please them -greatly. They confessed to me that, priests as they were, -they found no interest in the theoretical and dry expositions -of Buḍḍha’s teachings to which they had been used -to listen, but that my delivery was so easy and pleasing -that it aroused in them a real zest for Buḍḍhism. This -fact is a sad commentary on the ignorance of the average -Tibetan priests.</p> - -<p>I learned subsequently, however, that the priests in this -temple were very rigid in their conduct, except in the -habit of drinking. With regard to this latter an amusing -story is told. One day the Dalai Lama of Lhasa met with -the Grand Lama of the Tashi Lhunpo monastery. In the -course of conversation, the former said he was very sorry -that his priests were addicted to the use of tobacco. Panchen -Rinpoche sympathised, but stated that he was no -less sorry that his own priests were exceedingly partial -to alcoholic drinks. They then discussed which of the two -luxuries was the more sinful, and also whether or not -some effective measures could be taken to prevent these<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span> -vicious habits. But even their great influence could do -nothing, and the vicious practices were open secrets. A -curious rule was however enacted in order to prevent the -habit of drinking. Every priest returning from the -street was bound to present himself before the priestly -guard at the gate of the temple, who examined his breath, -any disclosure of his drunkenness being followed by an -immediate punishment. Some impudent priests often -attempted to conceal their inebriation by eating a good -deal of garlic, the strong smell of which impregnated -their breath and thus might prevent detection.</p> - -<p>Leaving the temple at ten on the morning of December -15th, I proceeded about two miles across the city of -Shigatze, when I reached the Tsanchu river. The great -bridge erected over it is called the Samba Shar, which -means eastern bridge. It measures about three hundred -and sixty yards in length and eight yards in breadth. -It is unlike our own bridges, for it consists of slabs of -stones covered with earth, which are in turn placed -upon rows of long wooden boards spanning stone -structures erected in the water at equal distances of -about ten yards. The bridge has parapets made of -stone. Passing over the bridge, I proceeded four miles -to the north, till I found myself on the bank of the -Brahmapuṭra. The road now turned to the east along -that river, and a further journey of about twelve miles -brought me to a village called Pe, where I lodged at a -poor farmer’s. There I noticed with curiosity that turf -instead of the usual yak-dung was heaped besides the fire-place. -I was told that in that locality the dried roots of -grasses were used as fuel; hence the heaps of turf.</p> - -<p>I also found a boy of about twelve years old sitting -beside the fire-place and learning to write. He had a -bamboo stick for his pen, and was writing with it upon -white powder sprinkled over a small piece of wood.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span> -Every now and then he presented his work to his father -and had its ill-done portions corrected by him, this process -being repeated over and over again. I wondered at the -care with which the child was taught to practise penmanship, -in spite of the poor condition of the family, but I -soon learned the secret. Agriculture was the sole industry -in this locality, and if the tenant did not know how to -write and count, he would possibly be imposed upon by his -landlord in the payment of his rent. As to the art of -counting, it was taught in a very primitive way, stones, -sticks or rosaries being used for the purpose. With -respect to writing and counting the poorer classes of this -locality were far above those in Lhasa, who were totally -ignorant.</p> - -<p>At night I preached to the members of the family, and -the next day I proceeded about five miles along the river -already mentioned. The road, which sloped eastward, -now became very narrow, with the river on the left and -a very steep and rugged mountain on the right. I struggled -on for about four miles further, and then came out -upon a wide space. Looking to the right, I saw two large -buildings standing on the summit of a mountain. These -buildings constitute the Engon temple where, as the old -priest of the Tashi Lhunpo temple had kindly informed -me, lives the celebrated grammarian. I climbed the mountain, -and reached the temple after an arduous ascent of -more than two miles. There I learned that the larger of -the two edifices accommodates two hundred and thirty -male priests, while the other, situated a little lower, is a -nunnery where live seventy-two nuns. The history of -this temple is very interesting, but I need not dwell on -it here in detail. I stayed at the temple for the night, -and the next day I had an interview with its principal -priest. The latter, however, talked only something of -Buḍḍhism, being ignorant of grammar and rhetoric, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> -was kind enough to refer me to the physician, Amdo -Ka-sang, of whom the old priest of the Tashi Lhunpo -had such a high opinion.</p> - -<p>I then called upon this physician and grammarian, to -whom I gave some presents in token of my respect. After -the usual greetings had been exchanged, the host questioned -me how long I had been studying the Tibetan language. -“Three years,” I replied. My host declared that the -study of grammar and rhetoric greatly depended upon -the method used and that, if the method were a poor one, -the period of three years would prove too short to -accomplish anything. He then asked me a few questions -on grammar, which, as they were very simple, I answered -quickly. I asked him to put to me some more difficult questions -on rhetoric, but, to my great disappointment, he confessed -that he had no knowledge of rhetoric. I next asked -him which of the Tibetan grammarians he thought the best, -to which question he answered that he preferred Ngul-chu -Lama’s grammar (Ngul-chu being the name of -a temple) which, in reality, is very imperfect. I almost -doubted his sincerity, so that I again asked him why -he did not follow the views taken by Situ Lama, who is -well-known as the highest authority on Tibetan grammar. -To my great surprise, my host had never read Situ’s -works, though he had heard something of the grammarian. -I then turned my questions to the number of vowels in the -Tibetan alphabet, about which there are two different -opinions among grammarians. This question, simple as it -may appear, has been the subject of much discussion, so -that the study of the Tibetan language must be started -with this theme. My question on this subject seemed to -embarrass my host who, after some pondering, said that -there were sixteen vowels in the Tibetan alphabet, and -began to enumerate them. Curiously enough, all the -vowels mentioned by him were those of the Samskṛ<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span>ṭ -alphabet, so I asked him what he thought of the opinion -that the number of the Tibetan vowels was five.</p> - -<p>The doctor seemed abashed. He apologised for his -mistake in having mentioned the Samskṛṭ vowels, and -admitted that the Tibetan vowels numbered only five. -(This five-vowel opinion is erroneous, though several -western scholars maintain it in their works. It -must be noted that the Tibetan characters were invented -by Thumi Sambhota, who tells us in his work that there -were only four vowels in his language.) In short, the -interview proved a disappointment. The doctor possessed -very limited knowledge, being a great grammarian and -rhetorician only in the eyes of ignorant native priests. -I returned to my room, where I was asked by a priest on -what subject I had talked with the ‘learned’ doctor. -When I answered him that I had discussed some -grammatical questions with the doctor, the priest said -with an air of importance that the doctor was the highest -authority on grammar and rhetoric throughout the -province of Tsan, that one or two interviews with him -would be insufficient to secure any benefit, and that I should -stay with him for at least two or three years if I really -wished to study grammar. In addition, the priest confessed -that, long as he had had the fortune to listen to the doctor’s -lectures, he was still a total stranger to grammar. I was -so much tickled by these remarks that I burst out laughing, -which seemed somewhat to embarrass the priest.</p> - -<p>The next day, December 18th, I proceeded about five -miles over an undulating country, going in a south-easterly -direction, when I again reached the Brahmapuṭra river. -Crossing a vast plain which stretched along the river, I -made my way eastward, and was within some two miles and -a half of the Pombo Ri-o-che, a temple belonging to an -older sect of Lamaism, and situated upon a towering peak, -when I was unexpectedly called and stopped by someone.</p> - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XLII" id="CHAPTER_XLII">CHAPTER XLII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">A Supposed Miracle.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Turning about to see what it could be, I caught sight of -two stout fellows armed with Tibetan swords. On their -approach, I asked them what they wanted. Abruptly -picking up a stone, the younger of them threatened me -and said: “What do you mean?”</p> - -<p>“Run off,” he menaced, “or you shall die.”</p> - -<p>Then I took my seat on a stone by the roadside and -gave myself up for lost. The men strode toward me, and -violently seized my stick.</p> - -<p>“Tell us what you have and where you come from,” -they said.</p> - -<p>“I am a pilgrim,” I answered, “and I come from Tise.”</p> - -<p>“You have money?”</p> - -<p>“I have a little,” I said, “not worth taking, as I was -robbed at Jangthang.”</p> - -<p>“What have you on your back?”</p> - -<p>“Some food and the Scriptures.”</p> - -<p>“Unpack it and let us see; you may have much money -there.”</p> - -<p>“No, the money is in my pocket,” I said “and not in the -baggage. Being a priest, I never tell a lie. You may -have either the money or the baggage, if you wish.”</p> - -<p>I was just going to give them money when three -horsemen appeared riding towards us, and at sight of them -the highwaymen took to their heels, leaving the stick and -everything else. Thus I was saved.</p> - -<p>“Who are they?” asked the horsemen, and on my -answering that they had demanded of me my money and -baggage, they expressed their disgust.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Go to yonder temple,” they added after a little -pause, “and you will find a village. Be quick and we -will see you safe there.”</p> - -<p>I thanked them and walked on toward the village, and -the horsemen went away westward after a little while. -Instead of stopping there for the night, I proceeded eastwards -as far as Nya-mo-Hotta, a little village about seven -miles off, where I lodged. The following day I took -lunch at Teshok, and stopped at Tak-tsu-kha in the evening. -On December 20th at dawn, I went south-east through -the deep snow, it having snowed very hard the night -before. While going along the river Brahmapuṭra, I saw -some cranes walking in the snow, and was so delighted -that I forgot that I was in so cold a climate.</p> - -<p>Then I amused myself with composing <i>Utas</i>, of which -the following is one:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">With crystals of the snow, how white the sand</div> - <div class="verse indent2">All spotted gleams upon the river banks!</div> - <div class="verse">The flocks of cranes to me appear to sing</div> - <div class="verse indent2">The changeless glories of the Path of Truth</div> - <div class="verse">In their melodious joyful bursts of song:</div> - <div class="verse indent2">On those bejewelled banks they tread in pride;</div> - <div class="verse">With gait majestic slow they strut about.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Amid such beautiful scenes I went down along the -southern bank of the river, and after about eight miles’ -walk I came to Kurum Namse, where I took lunch. I -proceeded still further east along the same stream for -about five miles, and found the river running north-east, -while my road lay south-east into the mountain. I went -up the hill about four miles, and stopped at Shab-Tontub.</p> - -<p>On the following morning I went eastwards again along -a clear stream, and after about four miles I could see -from its banks a rocky mountain, at the foot of which -there was a temple called Cham Chen Gompa (meaning -‘the monastery of the great image of Charity’, <i>i.e.</i>, the -Boḍhisaṭṭva of that name), where there was an image of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span> -the Buḍḍha Maiṭreya about thirty-five feet high. Boḍhisaṭṭva -Maiṭreya (which name means ‘Charity’) is honored -as next to Buḍḍha in rank, but in Tibet he is worshipped -as a Buḍḍha who will hereafter appear again on earth. -I worshipped at this temple, and then at the shrine of the -divinities, and of Shākyamuni Buḍḍha beside the temple. -Then I entered a lamasery. This temple, which is the -largest between Lhasa and Shigatze, has two hundred -dormitories, with three hundred priests. The chief priest -of the house where I stopped was in great distress -on account of some bad dreams which he had had on -several successive nights. He had dreamed that he -was dying, and this troubled him much, for he had -immense wealth. So he asked me to read the Scriptures -to him, so that he might be free from the supposed -evil. I knew of no gospel specially suitable for such -purposes, but I thought that the reading of the Buḍḍhist -canon might do him good, so I told him that I would do -as he wished, and from the following day began reading -<i>The Aphorisms of the White Lotus of the Wonderful Law</i> -and other Scriptures in Tibetan.</p> - -<p>It was on the 28th of December, as I remember, that a -priest was going to Kātmāndu in Nepāl, and I seized the -occasion to send a letter home by him, addressed to my -bosom friend Tokujuro Hige. I paid him a comparatively -large sum of money and asked him to send it -registered from the post office of Nepāl. The man was -reputed so honest that he had never been known to tell a -lie, but strangely enough the letter failed to reach its -address, as I have since discovered.</p> - -<p>During the afternoon of the 31st I was sped on my way -by the head priest, who lent me a horse. I got on the horse, -loaded it with my baggage, and going east for about three -miles, came to Ta-mi-la, where I was asked to read the -Scriptures. While riding to the village, I lifted up my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span> -thanks to Buḍḍha for the grace by which I had been -saved through so many calamities and afflictions during -the year, it being the last day of the 33rd year of Meiji -according to the Japanese mode of reckoning (A.D. 1900). -I did not know what adversities were yet in store for me, -but I could not but think that I might be kept safe to do -all I could for the cause of Buḍḍhism.</p> - -<p>The New Year’s Day dawned, but I met with nothing -special to mark the day, as the Tibetans use the old calendar. -Still I got up early at three o’clock in the morning, -and turning east, as I had done every New Year’s Day, I -began the New Year’s reading of the Scriptures. For, as -Buḍḍhism teaches us, it is our duty to pray for the health -of the sovereign, and every Buḍḍhist reads the Scriptures -on New Year’s Day, in however remote a place he may -happen to be, and prays for the welfare of the Imperial -Family. I read the Scriptures at the village till the 5th, -and on the following day I proceeded seven miles to Omi, -where I stopped for the night. In a temple of this village -there was an image called in Tibetan <i>Sung Chung Dolma</i> -(the Mother of Salvation who utters a command) which -was about three feet high, and so beautiful that it seemed -as if it might even speak. The Tibetans told me that the -image at one time actually spoke. I read the Scriptures -there for two days, and received many gifts. I had met -the highwaymen, and had been robbed of my money, but -money was constantly given to me, and my reading the -Scriptures earned me so many gifts, that I had now laid by -a considerable sum of money, and I was living on the food -given to me by others.</p> - -<p>On the 12th of January, at 5 o’clock in the morning, I -set out on my journey with a coolie, who carried my baggage. -We went on south-east along the bank of a stream flowing -through the mountains. Here we found the snow turned into -ice, and so slippery was the ground that we had to take great<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span> -care, lest we should fall. Going on for about twelve miles, -we found ourselves at Choe Ten, where there were many -hot springs, three of them warm enough to bathe in. I do -not know for what disease they might be really efficacious, -though they seemed to me to be good for rheumatism. I -saw several places in the stream where steaming springs -could be seen boiling up. We took our lunch and again -went on eastward for about nine miles, till we came in -sight of a temple called Mani Lha-khang, in a willow plantation -along the river. This temple was so called, because -it enshrined a large bronze cylinder holding many -pieces of paper each bearing the spell <i>mani</i>, consisting of -the following six sounds ‘Om-ma-ni-pad-me-hum’ and -meaning “all will be as we will.” The tube was beautifully -wrapped in copper foil, and ornamented with gold and -silver. It had an iron axle through it and was so formed -that it would revolve from left to right. This temple is -among the most famous in Tibet. The founder of the -temple was Je Tsong-kha-pa, who started a new sect. -His memory is held in great esteem in the country, and -especially in this temple, mostly because he was the -inventor of the “prayer-cylinder”.</p> - -<p>I stopped at this temple, the keeper of which was very -rude; without any scruple he asked me to read his face -for him, for he said I looked out of the common. I had -never studied physiognomy, but I thought that I might -thus teach a lesson to the Tibetans, who are very superstitious. -So I told him that I was very sorry for him, for -he seemed to be a man who, though often given money -and other things, would sustain much loss through other -men, and for whom the future would have nothing but -debt. Singularly enough, this exactly told his past life, -and he was so surprised at my words, that he told all -about me to his richest neighbor, called Dorje Gyalpo -(Prince Diamond). That very evening a fine lady, who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span> -I was told was the wife of the rich man, came to me with -a child, and asked me to tell its fortune. This troubled -me not a little. But when I saw the sickly and feeble -state of the child I could easily guess what would happen, -so I ventured to tell her that I was very sorry, for the -child seemed likely not to live long, and I also told her -about the philosophy of retribution. She asked me if -there was no way of saving its life. I thought how glad -I should be if I could have an opportunity of reading the -‘complete Text,’ as I knew that I should have very little -chance of doing so after reaching Lhasa. I said therefore -that a long reading of the Scriptures might do some good. -She went home early that evening.</p> - -<p>Very strange indeed! the child fell so ill the following -morning that the whole family was struck with my chance -prediction, and I was asked to come to the house to read the -Scriptures, even though it might take several days to do so. -I said I would, but as they had no copy of the ‘complete -Scriptures’ I asked for a man to be sent to Rong Langba, -a little further up the hill, to borrow a copy. In the -meanwhile I sat in the usual religious meditation, -when suddenly my ears caught the sound of weeping -and crying women in the kitchen. What could -all that mean? Something serious must have happened -in the house. Still I kept quiet, as it was none of my -business to go and see. Soon, however, the mistress of -the house came to tell me that the child had died as -predicted, and she asked me to save it. I was also surprised -to learn how my words had come true, and hurried into -the room, only to find the child quite senseless and cold.</p> - -<p>I felt the child’s pulse, which was beating faintly, though -his body was not warm and his neck was nearly stiff. I -thought the disease might be congestion of the brain, as -I had read a few books on medicine. So I called for -some cold water, and put on to his head a piece of wet<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span> -cloth, while, at the same time, I rubbed his neck and -head vigorously for twenty minutes. It was only a short -faint, and the child began to come to his senses. You can -easily imagine how glad was his grandmother, who was -almost beside herself with joy to see restored to -life the child whom they had supposed to be dead. I told -her to keep quiet and to continue rubbing till the -child was perfectly well. This won for me no small -respect from all present, and I was asked to stay for a -long time to read the Scriptures. I, too, was glad to -stay there over two months during the cold season, -enjoying my reading. Besides reading the Scriptures, I -often took walks among the hills and valleys and on these -occasions many children, with the one I had saved, -followed me in my walks quite as if they were my own -children. I loved the children so much, or rather was -so loved by them, that my only business besides my reading -was to take them for walks.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XLIII" id="CHAPTER_XLIII">CHAPTER XLIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Manners and Customs.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>The Tibetans are very foul in their habits, some of -which I may mention here. In the house in which I stayed -there were some twenty servants, and they brought me a -cup of tea every morning. They never washed the cup -which I used, but brought tea in it every day, and they -would say that it was quite clean, for I had used it -only the night before, though it was as dirty as it -could be. They think cups are unclean if they have been -used by their inferiors, but they never wash those used by -themselves or their equals, for these are clean in -their eyes, though it is disgusting even to look at them. -If I asked a servant to wash my cup, it was wiped -with his sleeve, which might be quite wet and dirty -from being used as a handkerchief. Then he said -it was clean, and poured tea into it. Just think of it! It is -impossible to drink out of such a cup, but still one must -do so, for it would only arouse their suspicions to be -too strict about such matters. It seems to be nothing -compared with his other unclean habits that the Tibetan -does not wash his plates and dishes. He does not even -wash or wipe himself after the calls of nature, but behaves -like the lower animals in this respect. To this there is no -single exception, from the high priest down to the shepherd; -every one does the same. I was, therefore, much -laughed at and suspected when I followed the Japanese -custom in this particular, and even the children would laugh -at me. I was much troubled at this; still I could not do -otherwise. This was a still greater trouble in the tents, -for in Jangthang I used to have four or five dogs beside -me whenever I retired for private purposes. You can well<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span> -imagine how terrified I was at first, though I soon got -accustomed to them. And no sooner had I gone away -than the dogs devoured the excrement. For this reason -there is little or no filth lying about in Jangthang.</p> - -<p>Nor are these the Tibetan’s only unclean habits. He -never washes his body; many have never been washed -since their birth. One would scarcely believe that -they boast in the country, if not in towns or cities, of -never having been washed. It calls forth laughter from -others to wash even the hands and face, and so the only -clean part about them are the palms of the hands and eyes, -all other parts being jet-black. The country gentlemen -and the priests, however, have partially cleaned faces, -mouths and hands, though the other parts of their -bodies are just as black as can be. They are quite as -black on their necks and backs as the African negroes. -Why then are their hands so white? It is because they -make dough with their own hands with flour in a -bowl, and the dirt of their hands is mixed with the -dough. So Tibetan dishes are made of dirt and flour, -and the Tibetans eat with their teeth black with -sordes. It is a sickening sight! Why do they not wash -their bodies? Because they have a superstitious belief -that it wipes off happiness to wash the body. This belief -is not quite so prevalent among the inhabitants of Central -Tibet as among those of the remote provinces north of the -Himālayas.</p> - -<p>It is necessary at betrothal to show not only the countenance -of the girl, but also to show how black she is -with filth. If she is all black except her eyes, and her -dress is bright with dirt and butter, she is regarded as -blessed. If she has a white face and clean hands she -will be less fortunate, for she is said to have washed away -her luck. Girls are equally superstitious about this, for -they too attach much importance in courting to the black<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span>ness -of the boys. I know it is difficult to credit what I -have just stated; even I myself could not believe it until -I had visited several places and seen Tibetan habits for -myself. People below the middle class have no change -of clothes, but generally dress themselves in torn and -filthy rags. They blow their noses into their clothes in -the presence of others. Their dress is often as hard as -hide with dried dirt. It is as it were a concrete of butter, -filth and mucus. But people above the middle class are a -little less untidy. The priesthood especially are instructed -to wash their hands and faces and keep their clothes clean. -They are somewhat cleaner, therefore, but only in comparison -with their people. It was often very difficult for me to -accept invitations to dinner and tea amid these foul habits. -While at Tsarang I tried very hard to get accustomed to -them, but it is difficult to overcome physical revolt.</p> - -<p>Still, amid these disagreeable things, the natural beauty -of the country often much comforted me. Once before the -Tibetan New Year I was reading as usual at my -desk, while the people were busy preparing for the New -Year. I looked out of my window to see the snow. Oh the -splendor of the sight! You can little imagine how much -I was delighted when a crane appeared, strolling along in -the snow, and filling me with sentimental and poetical -reminiscences of my native land. In this wise I was -comforted, amid the unpleasant habits of the people, by -the beautiful charms of nature, as well as by some interesting -things which I noticed among the ceremonies of the -New Year.</p> - -<p>The Tibetans use neither the Indian calendar, nor the -Chinese, but the Turkistan, which resembles the Chinese in -that it has one leap year in every four, but it is always one -year behind the latter. We find many strange things in its -way of counting days. There are often given, say, two -seventh days, or we sometimes find the eleventh day<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</a></span> -after the ninth but without the tenth. I could not quite -make out what all these meant. Upon inquiring from an -astrologer, I was told that it was sometimes necessary to -add one day, or to leave one out, because they were lucky -or unlucky, and a lucky day was duplicated, while an -unlucky one must be omitted. In this convenient way is -constructed the calendar as generally used in Tibet, though -some disagreements are found between the calendars used -in different parts of the country, as for instance in -fixing the New Year or other great days. But this is a -matter that should cause little wonder. The Tibetan -calendar is computed by four officials appointed by -the Government, who count days with black and white -stones or shells. When their calendars differ, the -best ones are chosen, and an oracle is consulted to decide -which is the proper one to be adopted. The New Year’s -ceremony is generally held on the day given in the -Government calendar, but it is very rarely that the New -Year’s Day of the Tibetan calendar falls on the same day -as that of the Chinese, there being generally a difference -of one, two, or even three days between them.</p> - -<p>On New Year’s morning a piece of fire-colored silk, or -handkerchiefs sewn together in the shape of a flag, is put -over a heap of baked flour, on which are strewn some dried -grapes, dried peaches and small black persimmons. The -head of the house first picks up some of the fruits with his -right hand, tosses them up three times, and eats them. -Then his wife, guests and servants follow his example one -after another. Next comes Tibetan tea, with fried cakes -of wheat flour for each. These are brought in on a tray, -something in the shape of a copper plate, gilded and white -at the centre. They drink the tea and eat the cakes, but, -unlike the Japanese, exchange no words of congratulation, -and seem mostly to enjoy the eating. They take meat dried, -raw, and boiled, but roast meat is regarded as unceremonial.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span></p> - -<p>Tibet produces fresh-water fish, but the Tibetans do not -usually eat it; they subsist chiefly on the meat of -the yak, goat, and sheep, for they consider it sinful -to kill fish. Pork is eaten, but only by the Tibetans -who have dealings with the Chinese. After the morning -ceremony, they again meet at about ten o’clock to -drink tea or wine, and eat cake or fruits. At two in the -afternoon they have dinner, at which they eat, if rich, a -sort of macaroni mixed with eggs. The soup has mutton -or something else dipped in it. At nine or ten o’clock in -the evening they make a sort of meat gruel, commonly -composed of wheat flour, wheat dumplings, meat, radishes, -and cheese. But the course of dishes mentioned above is -not settled, for they sometimes eat the gruel in the morning, -though generally in the evening. The above are the dishes -taken by the Tibetans of the higher circles.</p> - -<p>The lowest class find it hard to get cheese and meat for -their gruel, and put fat in their stead. Nor is it less -difficult for them to get radishes. If they put wheat -dumplings in the gruel, which they make on special occasions, -it is reckoned among their best dishes; their usual -gruel is made very thick with baked flour with some herbs -and flowers put in it. In the winter, when they have no -fresh herbs or flowers, they use what they have stored and -laid by during the summer. The radish is however much -grown in some parts of Tibet, where it is largely used. -The Tibetan is fonder of baked flour than of rice, all classes -generally living on the former. The Tibetans at -Darjeeling live on baked flour from Tibet, for they fall -ill if they live on rice. Baked flour can of course be -had in India, but the Tibetan seems much superior to -the Indian, for they send orders to Tibet for their native -productions.</p> - -<p>In this way I passed the festive New Year season, and, -while reading my Scriptures amid these charming scenes,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span> -learned much about Tibetan customs and homes, and found -good material for my study.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 553px;"> -<a id="zill_t266"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t266h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t266.jpg" class="hires" width="553" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>READING THE TEXTS.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>A little white and black bird like a crow, called -<i>Kyaka</i> in Tibetan, used to come to my window. It -was a knowing bird, and could tell one man from another, -and was very regular in its ways. One day while I was -looking out of my window I saw one of a flock, -seemingly their head, pecking another to death, as if -angry with the latter because it had quarrelled with the -other members of the flock. I was surprised and told my -landlord about it, when he told me that birds were more -regular than men, and related several stories which showed -how strict the birds were. It is a common saying, he added, -that one might deviate from human laws by the breadth -of a log, before a hair-breadth’s deviation from bird’s -law would be tolerated.—(<i>Cha tim ta nga tsam shikna -mi tim nya shing tsam shik go.</i>)</p> - -<p>Having stayed in this place a long time in order to read -the Scriptures, I was determined to leave on the 14th -March, as it was getting warmer. In the morning the -family asked me to recite to them the Three Refuges, and -the Five Commands or moral precepts of Buḍḍhism, -which I did with pleasure. After dinner as I was -leaving the house I was presented with some money and -a priest’s robe, red in color and made of wool, which must -have cost some thirty-five yen. I departed accompanied -by a servant, who carried my luggage, for they told me -they could not send me off on horseback, much though -they desired to do so, for all their horses were away on -trading journeys.</p> - -<p>Up the Yak-Chu river I went for about ten miles eastwards, -till I came to a post village called Che-sum, where -I stopped for the night. I started at six o’clock the next -morning, and went on along the river for another seven -miles. It was a narrow pass, walled up between high<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span> -mountains; the snow lay deep in the valleys and the water -of the streams was frozen. At the end of about seven -miles I came to a little opening and, looking up to the -top of a mountain on the left, I noticed a white building -which looked neither like a temple nor like the dwelling -of a priest. What could it be? Upon inquiring of my -companion I was told it was a hail-proof temple.</p> - -<p>I had never heard of such a temple, and was surprised -at seeing one. When I heard the name for the -first time I could not believe my own ears, but when I -asked more particularly about it at Lhasa, I found that -what had been told me was true. I will now relate the -strange method which the Tibetans have for keeping off -hailstones, which they dread exceedingly, especially in -summer, for then the crops of wheat and barley, which -they can reap only once in a year or two, may be entirely -destroyed. So they naturally try to find some means to -keep off the hailstones, and the method they have discovered -is certainly curious enough.</p> - -<p>The nation is so credulous in the matter of religion that -they indiscriminately believe whatever is told to them by -their religious teachers, the lamas. Thus for instance they -believe that there are eight kinds of evil spirits which -delight in afflicting people and send hail to hurt the -crops. Some priests therefore maintain that they must -fight against and destroy these evil demons in order -to keep them off, and the old school profess that in order -to combat these spirits effectually they must know when -the demons are preparing the hail. During the winter -when there is much snow, these spirits, according to the -priests, gather themselves at a certain place, where they -make large quantities of hail out of snow. They then store -the hail somewhere in heaven, and go to rest, until in the -summer when the crops are nearly ripe they throw down -the hail from the air. Hence the Tibetans must make<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span> -sharp weapons to keep off the hail, and consequently, -while the spirits are preparing their hail, the Tibetans -hold a secret meeting in some ravine where they prepare -‘hail-proof shells,’ which are pieces of mud about -the size of a sparrow’s egg. These are made by a priest, -who works with a servant or two in some lonely ravine, -where by some secret method he makes many shells, -chanting words of incantation the while, whereby he lays a -spell on each shell he makes. These pellets are afterwards -used as missiles when hail falls in the summer, and are -supposed to drive it back. None but priests of good family -may devote themselves to this work. Every village has -at least one priest called Ngak-pa (the chanters of incantations -of the old school) and during the winter these -Ngak-pas offer prayers, perform charms, or pray for -blessings for others. But the Tibetans have a general -belief that the Ngak-pas sometimes curse others. I was -often told that such and such person had offended a -Ngak-pa and was cursed to death.</p> - -<p>Having spent the winter in this way, the Ngak-pas during -the summer prepare to fight against the devils. Let me -remark, in passing, that Tibet has not four seasons, as we -have, but the year is divided into summer and winter. -The four seasons are indeed mentioned in Tibetan -books, but there are in reality only two.</p> - -<p>The summer there is from about the 15th of March -to the 15th of September and all the rest of the year is -winter. As early as March or April the ploughing of the -fields and sowing of wheat begins, and then the Ngak-pa -proceeds to the Hail-Subduing-Temple, erected on the -top of one of the high mountains. This kind of temple is -always built on the most elevated place in the whole -district, for the reason that the greatest advantage is thus -obtained for ascertaining the direction from which the -clouds containing hail issue forth. From the time that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span> -the ears of the wheat begin to shoot, the priest continues -to reside in the temple, though from time to time, it is said, -he visits his own house, as he has not very much to do in the -earlier part of his service. About June, however, when -the wheat has grown larger, the protection of the crop -from injury by hail becomes more urgent, so that the -priest never leaves the temple, and his time is fully taken -up with making offerings and sending up prayers for -protection to various deities. The service is gone through -three times each day and night, and numberless incantations -are pronounced. What is more strange is that the great -hail storms generally occur when the larger part of the -crops are becoming ripe, and then it is the time for the -priest on service to bend his whole energies to the work of -preventing the attack of hail.</p> - -<p>When it happens that big masses of clouds are -gathering overhead, the Ngak-pa first assumes a solemn -and stern aspect, drawing himself up on the brink of -the precipice as firm as the rock itself, and then pronounces -an enchantment with many flourishes of his rosary -much in the same manner as our warrior of old did with -his baton. In a wild attempt to drive away the hail -clouds, he fights against the mountain, but it often -happens that the overwhelming host comes gloomily upon -him with thunders roaring and flashes of lightning that -seem to shake the ground under him and rend the sky -above, and the volleys of big hailstones follow, pouring -down thick and fast, like arrows flying in the thick of -battle. The priest then, all in a frenzy, dances in fight -against the air, displaying a fury quite like a madman in -a rage. With charms uttered at the top of his voice -he cuts the air right and left, up and down, with -his fist clenched and finger pointed. If in spite of all -his efforts, the volleys of hail thicken and strike the -fields beneath, the priest grows madder in his wrath,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span> -quickly snatches handfuls of the bullets aforementioned -which he carries about him, and throws them violently -against the clouds as if to strike them. If all this avail -nothing, he rends his garment to pieces, and throws the -rags up in the air, so perfectly mad is he in his attempt -to put a stop to the falling hailstones. When, as -sometimes happens, the hail goes drifting away and -leaves the place unharmed, the priest is puffed up with -pride at the victory he has gained, and the people come to -congratulate him with a great show of gratitude. But -when, unluckily for him, the hail falls so heavily as to do -much harm to the crops, his reverence has to be punished -with a fine, apportioned to the amount of injury done -by the hail, as provided by the law of the land.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 553px;"> -<a id="zill_t274"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t274h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t274.jpg" class="hires" width="553" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>PRIEST FIGHTING WITH HAIL.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>To make up for the loss the Ngak-pa thus sustains, -he is entitled at other times, when the year passes with -little or no hail, to obtain an income under the name of -“hail-prevention-tax;” a strange kind of impost, is it not? -The “hail-prevention-tax” is levied in kind, rated at -about two <i>sho</i> of wheat per <i>tan</i> of land, which is to be paid to -the Ngak-pa. In a plentiful year this rate may be -increased to two and a half <i>sho</i>. This is, indeed a -heavy tax for the farmers in Tibet, for it is an extra, in -addition to the regular amount which they have to pay to -their Government.</p> - -<p>There is another custom even more singular than that. -The power of jurisdiction over the district resides -in the person of the Ngak-pa, this being founded on -the belief that the plentitude or deficiency of the crops -each summer is dependent entirely on his power. The -Ngak-pa being thus the administrator of justice receives -a large salary in that capacity in addition to his -income as preventer of hail. It might therefore be -supposed that this class of priests is quite wealthy, but -the Tibetan Ngak-pas are most of them singularly poor.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span> -Their gains, coming from deception founded upon -the superstition of the people, are soon dissipated, -for what is ill-got is ill-spent, as the saying is. -But the influence they exercise over the people is -very strong. For instance, when a poor-looking Ngak-pa, -attired like a beggar, meets with a fine gentleman on the -road, the latter is sure to stick out his tongue and to -bow down in profound respect. So these Ngak-pas gain -much in peaceful days, though they are at the same time -subject to a heavy penalty when the hail season sets in. -Occasionally too, some of them are flogged on their naked -bodies. The Tibetans are very strict in this respect, and -no nobleman who has committed wrong is spared a -flogging because of his caste. So far about the hail tax.</p> - -<p>From this temple I went eastwards for about seven -miles, when I came to a village called Yase. From the -mountains east of this village flows a river called Yakchu, -which, running north-west, empties itself into the Brahmapuṭra. -Some European maps incorrectly give the Yakchu -as having its source in lake Yamdo. Going on some -two miles, I found one of the strangest lakes in the world. -It is called lake Yamdo-Tso in Tibetan, but some foreign -maps call it lake Palti. Palti however is not the name of -the lake, but of the village on the western side. The lake is -about one hundred and eighty miles in circumference, and -has an island with a mountain range in its centre. Many -lakes have small islands in them, but authoritative geographers -state that none has so large a mountain as this. I -must, however, here say that the land in the lake is connected -with the main land at two points on the south, so that -it is not actually an island. No words can describe the -beautiful scenery here. The lofty peaks of the Himālayas -stand high in a line from the south-east to the south-west -of the lake, and add to its magnificence, and the tempest -often lashes it into high waves, which dash roaring<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</a></span> -upon the shore. Standing on a high rock by the shore, -I marvelled to see the terrible scene of the angry -lake waves, with the peaks of the Himālayan mountains -amidst the clouds, looking like a superhuman being.</p> - -<p>I proceeded for about four miles to the east, and then -the road turned to the north-east. On the left stood a -wall of high mountains, while on the right I could see the -peaks of mountains in the lake. I went east and then north -along a rather wide path by the lake for about six miles, -till I came to Palti. There is a castle on a hill in this -village, and very beautiful the lake looks when the castle -throws its shadow on the water.</p> - -<p>I lodged at a house at the foot of this castle. I had -walked twenty-five miles that day, but the invigorating -mountain scenery dispelled my fatigue, though I had -been very tired. On the following day, March 16th, I started -at four o’clock, in the snow and ice, and went -north-east along the lake. There were mountains on the -left and the lake on the right, as before. The path went -pretty nearly north, but straight up and down in a zig-zag -along the mountain. Often I slipped on the ice, or -went deep into the snow, and I encountered much -trouble, which was, however, almost nothing when compared -with those which I had met in passing over the Himālayas.</p> - -<p>At dawn I climbed up the mountain in deep snow, -and looked down upon the surface of the lake. I -could see among the shadows of the mountains the -crescent moon beautifully reflected dimly and faintly on -the water. The bright day was soon coming, the moon began -already to lose its dim light, and the morning star twinkled -on the surface of the water. Amid the charms of nature I -lost all my fatigue and weariness, and I stood quite entranced. -Soon the water-fowl were heard on the sands along -the lake, and some mandarin ducks were amusing themselves -in the water, while cranes were wildly flying about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</a></span> -with noisy cries. What a contrast it was with the scene -of the day before! No pleasure on a journey can be -greater than travelling in this way at dawn. I still -went on for about twelve miles along the lake and came -to a little stream in the mountains at about nine o’clock. -It is here that travellers make tea, and bake their wheat -for eating. The lake is full of water, but it is poisonous.</p> - -<p>A strange story is told about how it turned poisonous. -About twenty years ago, as the Tibetans tell, -the famous Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās, an Indian by birth, -who passed for an Englishman, came from India -and pronounced a spell upon the lake; the water -at once turned as red as blood. A lama, they say, -came along and turned the water back to its original -color, but it still remained poisonous. One cannot believe -anything that the Tibetans say, but the water seems to have -really turned red. Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās cannot have done -that, but, unfortunately for him, it was just after his return -from Tibet that the water thus changed. Saraṭ -Chanḍra Ḍās, as every one knows, is an Indian, but Tibetans, -with few exceptions, think him to be an Englishman. -Any way the water of the lake must have been -poisonous for a long time, for the water is stagnant, -there being no current, and there are divers poisonous -elements near the lake.</p> - -<p>There also seem to be places where I think there must -be coal; I saw several kinds of strange ores and many -kinds of herbs which I think may have dissolved in the -water and have colored it. I have seen some foreign -maps in which the water of this lake is made to flow into -the Brahmapuṭra, which is quite false.</p> - -<p>I found several persons taking lunch as we did amid -this beautiful scenery. This being the way that runs -between Lhasa and Shigatze there were travellers on -it, among whom was a soldier from Nepāl. He was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</a></span> -one of the most humorous fellows I ever saw, and was -very good company for me.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XLIV" id="CHAPTER_XLIV">CHAPTER XLIV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">On to Lhasa.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>The soldier, whose company proved not altogether -unwelcome in a travel like mine, happened to be one of -the Legation Guards of the Minister of Nepāl at Lhasa. -His love of his mother had tempted him from his duty, but -at Shigatze on his way to Nepāl his thought turned to his -love of a woman at Lhasa and this was so much greater than -his love for his mother that he suddenly changed his -mind and determined to go back to Lhasa. Among -other things I asked him how many soldiers the Nepāl -Government kept stationed at Lhasa, and he answered -that it was but a few years ago that his Government first -sent a guard to the Tibetan capital. He told me that -a great calamity befell the capital over ten years ago.</p> - -<p>It seems that there were about three hundred merchants -of the Palpo tribe of Nepāl at Lhasa. They are the most -active and alert of the Nepālese tribes, with regard to -trading, and follow Indian, not Tibetan Buḍḍhism. They -engage in trade at Lhasa in woollen cloth, cotton, silk, -coral, jewels, dry goods, rice, beans and corn.</p> - -<p>Some thirteen years ago, a Palpo merchant at Lhasa -searched a Lhasa woman on the charge that she had stolen -a piece of coral from his shop. When the coral was not -found he became so angry that, in spite of her protesting -tears, he took her by force into his house. When she was -allowed to go out again, she told the people all that had -happened. The ‘warrior-priests’ of the Sera monastery -heard of the affair and became so irritated about the ill-treatment -of the woman that some of them came to enquire -into the matter, and having ascertained what they wanted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</a></span> -went back to Sera and told their chief, who at once called -out the warrior-priests.</p> - -<p>These warrior-priests are under one chief, at whose -summons they gather themselves together. Many of -them were not in residence at that time, but about -one thousand assembled. These were preparing to march -on Lhasa to wreck vengeance on all the Palpo -merchants, when the latter got wind of the matter, -Sera being only about four miles from the capital. -So they had fled from the city before the bellicose -priests entered Lhasa, each armed with sword or a -large iron hook. These men broke into the deserted houses -of the merchants, and carried off what they found. Among -the raiders there were, besides the priests, vagabonds -of the city, who dispersed with their spoil the next -morning at daybreak. Presently the merchants returned -to their houses, and were much distressed to find their -merchandise gone—their only property, as they owned -no land. Their loss was estimated at something under -230,000 yen.</p> - -<p>This affair became a diplomatic question, and it took -over five years to settle it. The Tibetan Government -had to compensate the merchants and a party of -twenty-five Nepālese soldiers came to be stationed at Lhasa. -The chief diplomatist in this affair on the Nepāl side was -Jibbahaḍur, whose name has already been mentioned; -he was the Clerk of the Nepālese Government, and is the -present Nepālese Minister to Tibet.</p> - -<p>As we walked on we found ourselves at the foot of a steep -hill called Genpala, which has an incline of about two and -a half miles to its top, from which I obtained my first -view of Lhasa. From the summit I could see, to the -north-east, the Brahmapuṭra running south-east. There is -a large tributary called Kichu running from the north-east -that flows into this river. It runs through a large<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</a></span> -plain, in the middle of which is a mountain with a -high building; and this I saw showing beautifully in -the golden sunshine. This was the residence of the Dalai -Lama of Lhasa, and is called Tse Potala. Beyond the -castle are to be seen roofs towering high in the air, which -look like those of a town. These are the streets of Lhasa, -which look very small, when seen so far off. I rested for a -while, and then gradually went down a great slope for -about seven miles till I came to Pache, where I stopped -for the night. Having walked all day in the snow and ice -I was very foot-sore and fatigued, as well I might be, for I -had made twenty-five miles on foot that day.</p> - -<p>The following day, the 17th of March, I descended -for another two miles and a half and found myself -on the banks of the Brahmapuṭra. I walked some -six miles along the southern bank of the river before I -came to the ferry of Chaksam, where I had to cross the -river. Formerly there was an iron bridge at this place, the -remaining chains of which may still be seen a little lower -down the stream. The ferry boats are rectangular in -shape like Indian boats. But it is only in the winter -that these boats are used, for in the summer large -vessels cannot pass across. The Tibetans then use instead -the yak-hide canoe. They sew together the hides of -three yaks, and the seams are painted over with a -sort of lacquer, to make them waterproof. These hide -canoes float on the water, and are used as ferry-boats -even in the winter when there are not many -passengers. In Tibetan the word <i>Kowa</i> (meaning ‘hide’) -also signifies a boat. The hide boat naturally absorbs -much water and soon gets too soft and heavy for -use, and the Tibetan therefore dries his hide boat in the -sun after he has used it for half a day in the water. It -is so light that a man can easily lift it, and the Tibetan -will carry it on his back to the higher part of a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</a></span> -stream, and will float it down for a day or two loaded -with goods or men. When the boat is unloaded, it is again -carried up the stream. But our party being too many -for a hide canoe I was ferried over the river in one of -the regular wooden boats.</p> - -<p>Walking for about three miles on the dry sandy bed -of the river, I came to a beautiful place where I saw -rocks and high trees casting their shadows on the water. -The ground about Lake Yamdo, of which I have -spoken elsewhere, is so elevated that it looks as much -as 13,500 feet above sea level, but here it is only -11,500 feet high. Here, in sunny places beside the water, -the buds of the willows were already out. After seeing -only bald mountains and dead leaves for a long time, the -green leaves were a delightful sight. Though my coolie -carried my baggage, and I was not much troubled -on that score, the old wounds on my feet began -to smart again, and I could hardly walk. In the -midst of my trouble there came along a horseman, -to whom I gave a little money to carry me on horseback. -About two miles and a half further on we came to a -town called Chu-shur, a rather bustling place, situated in the -delta formed by the rivers Kichu and Brahmapuṭra, the -former running from the north-east and the latter from -the north-west.</p> - -<p>I hardly know any town on the way to Lhasa worse -and more wicked than this. The people of the town are -indifferent, even unkind, to strangers, and are much skilled -in robbing them of their luggage. They will steal -both luggage and goods in transport in such a skilful manner -that they can hardly be detected. It is widely known -in Tibet that no place is richer in thieves than Chu-shur and -I had often been warned to be on my guard against them. -There being so many skilful thieves and the place being -so much frequented by travellers, there is consequently a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</a></span> -good circulation of money, and one would suppose that -Chu-shur had many rich men; but strange to say, I was told -upon enquiry that there were more poor men in that town -than in most of the other towns and villages of Tibet. -After dining there, I started towards the north-east (on -foot, as I could procure no horse) along the stream of the -Kichu river and walked on until I felt so much pain in -my feet that I could proceed no further. I had laid -myself down on the grass to rest when, to my boundless joy, -a donkey-driver came along and I was given a lift on the -back of his animal for some ten miles, till I arrived at -Jang. At Jang something happened that prevented my -coolie from following me any further, and he deserted me. -My feet were aching worse than ever, for I had travelled -about twenty-five miles that day by the help of the -donkey; but what to do on the following day I -was at a loss to conceive. Happily I was told of some -men who were going with tax-meat to the Government -at Lhasa, and I asked them to take me on one of their -horses. They were going to pay the tax to the Government, -yet they did not take their horses from their own -village, but hired them elsewhere. They did not travel -more than eight or nine miles a day, and I, too, hired a -horse for myself, placed my luggage in their charge, and -started together with them. We halted at a little village -named Nam to take rest, and here stopped for the night. -On the following day we went about six miles along a -narrow rocky mountain path, which ran north-east along -the Kichu river, till we came to Nethang.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XLV" id="CHAPTER_XLV">CHAPTER XLV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Arrival in Lhasa.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>At Nethang there is a temple of the Mothers of Salvation, -who are most devoutly worshipped in Tibet, and it is said -that it was founded by an Indian hermit, Shrī Aṭīsha by name, -who organised a new sect in Tibet. I went there to worship -the twenty-one Mothers of Salvation (Dolma Nishu tsa -chik in Tibetan) whose images I found very well made. -On the following day, the 20th, I again went on towards -the north-east, along the river, over a plain of about five -miles, till I came to a large bridge which I crossed, went -on north-east for another four miles, and came to a village -called Sing Zonkha, where I stopped for the night. I was to -arrive at Lhasa, the capital of the country, on the following -day, March 21st.</p> - -<p>I hired a horse at the village, and asked my companions -to take care of my baggage while I rode on amid the -beautiful scenes of the place. After about two miles, -I saw on the left a splendid monastery, which at first sight -looked more like a large village, though it was in reality -the Rebung monastery, the largest of the kind in the vicinity -of Lhasa. It is indeed the largest monastery in the ecclesiastical -district under the Dalai Lama, and has an army of -priests who number some 7,700 as a general rule, though -sometimes their number rises as high as nine thousand. -During the summer, when the priests go out into the country -on pilgrimage, there remain some six thousand only. -This is one centre of Tibetan learning, and has a college. -I saw in all three colleges in Central Tibet, the other two -being the Sera college in Lhasa and that at Ganden.</p> - -<p>The former has 5,500 students, and the latter 3,300. -But these numbers are only nominal, and the colleges<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</a></span> -can, like the Rebung monastery, take in either more or -fewer students than their fixed number. At the side -of the road below this monastery is a place where yaks, -sheep, and goats are killed for the table of the Dalai -Lama, and the Tibetans have so superstitious a regard -for the sheep (seven in number) the meat of which -is offered to the Dalai Lama daily, that they ask for -such things as the wool and other parts of the animal as -keepsakes. Besides sheep, the Dalai Lama eats other -kinds of meat, which is also sent from the same place.</p> - -<p>It is not very sensible of the Pontiff to get his meat -from such a distant place, while he lives in the city -of Lhasa; but he takes another view. Lhasa is too -near to his palace for the slaughter of animals, and -he does not want to have it thought that the animals are -killed for him. He desires to get his meat without being -responsible for giving the order to kill the animals. This -looks very good, but since it is settled that the meat -served to him shall be taken from this place, special care -is taken in selecting the animals for slaughter, and at -bottom, therefore, it makes no difference whether his -meat is bought at Lhasa or at that particular place.</p> - -<p>I went on for another five miles, and came to the foot of -the hill on which stood the palace of the Grand Lama, the -place which I had seen from Genpala.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t287"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t287h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t287.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="440" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>OUTLINE OF THE RESIDENCE OF THE DALAI LAMA.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>The palace is so splendid that even its picture looks -beautiful. I am not going to describe it in detail, but -there is a quaint little story about it which shows -the impression it creates at first sight. A certain countryman -once drove to Lhasa some asses heavily loaded with -butter. He saw the magnificent palace, and was so struck -with its beauty that he stood gazing at it, thinking that -it must be a palace of the Gods. When he recovered -himself, he was mortified to find that his asses had strayed -away. When he had gathered them, he found that there<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</a></span> -were nine instead of ten, and looked about anxiously to -find the lost one. When asked what he was looking for, -he answered that some one must have stolen his ass -while he was looking at the palace, for he had come thither -with ten asses. It was some time before he found that -he had not counted the ass on which he was riding. This -shows how the magnificence of the palace had affected him. -I went half a mile along a wide road, south-east of the palace -hill, and came to a bridge called Yuthok Samba, a hundred -and twenty feet by fifteen, over which is built a roof in the -Chinese style. I crossed the bridge and went on another -hundred and twenty yards before I found myself at the -western gate of Lhasa, constructed somewhat after the -Chinese fashion. I passed through the gate and rode on -some two hundred and fifty yards, when I came to a sort -of large open court. Here I had to alight, for I was -before the large temple of Buḍḍha. I enquired how -the image of Buḍḍha came to be placed in the temple. It -was before king Srong-tsan Gambo (who later introduced<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[288]</a></span> -Buḍḍhism into the country) was won to the religion, and -when he was engaged to Princess Un-ching, a daughter -of the Chinese Emperor Ta-sung of the Thang dynasty. -She demanded a promise from his father that Buḍḍhism -should be widely preached in Tibet, and required at the -same time that she might be permitted to take with her -an image of Buḍḍha, which had just been brought from -India. The request being granted, the Princess took it -to the city of Lhasa, where it has remained ever since.</p> - -<p>The image was thus brought into the country by the -Princess at the same time as Buḍḍhism itself. It was soon -found necessary to preach a new form of Buḍḍhism and to -invent new characters in which to write its teachings. So -learned men, sixteen in number, were sent to India to -study Buḍḍhism, and to invent new characters. Consequently, -new Tibetan letters were formed, and Buḍḍhist -doctrines were translated into Tibetan. Budḍḍhism was -thus taught for over thirteen centuries, to the great -advantage both of Tibet and of Buḍḍhism. This image -of Buḍḍha was not originally carved in China, but -was made by a Buḍḍhist sculptor, Vishvakarma by name, -in India, whence it was introduced into Tibet through -China. When I lifted up my thanks before this image -of Buḍḍha for my safe arrival in Tibet, I could not help -shedding tears over the goodness of Buḍḍha, which enabled -me to see His image at this temple as well as at Buḍḍhagayā -in India. I need not say, for the whole story shows -it, how great is my faith in Buḍḍha. I do not mean that -I do not respect other Buḍḍhist deities; still Buḍḍha -claims the greatest worship from me, and I have entirely -given myself up to Him and His religion.</p> - -<p>There are many cheap inns and hotels in Lhasa, but -as I had been informed that they were not respectable, -I desired to stay with a friend, a son of the premier of -Tibet. While at Darjeeling I had become acquainted with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[289]</a></span> -this young noble, and he had offered me a lodging during -my stay in Lhasa. I liked him, and did many things for him, -and now, though I did not mean to demand a return for -what I had done for him, I had no alternative but to go to -him. So I called at his house. It was known as Bandesha—a -magnificent mansion on a plot of about three hundred and -sixty feet square. I entered the house and asked if he was -in, but heard that my friend had become a lunatic. They told -me that he had gone out of his mind two years before, and -that he went mad at regular periods. I learned that -he was staying at his brother’s villa at Namsailing, and -was obliged to go there for him, but there also I could not -find him, and was told the same thing. I waited there -for over two hours, as I was told he might come, and then -I reflected that it would be of no use for me to see a madman, -on whom I could not depend, so I made up my mind -to direct my steps to the Sera monastery, for I thought -it would be better for me to be temporarily admitted in -the college, and then to pass the regular entrance -examinations. So I at once hired a coolie to carry my -baggage, and started for the monastery.</p> - -<p>Like the Rebung monastery, it was built on the -slope of a hill, and when seen from a distance looked -like a village. Guided by the coolie, I arrived at the -monastery at four o’clock and at once called at the -dormitory of Pituk Khamtsan, giving myself out as -a Tibetan, as I came from Jangthang. Hitherto I -had passed for a Chinaman, but as such I should -have had to go to Pate Khamtsan, where I feared I -might be detected. I had not trimmed my hair nor -shaved my face, nor bathed for a long time, and I cannot -have been much cleaner than a Tibetan, so I made up -my mind to pass for one and to live among them. -The examinations for a Tibetan might be too difficult for -me; still I could command the Tibetan language almost as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[290]</a></span> -well as a native, and I was often treated as one. I thought, -therefore, that I could pass without detection, and so for -my own safety I entered the monastery in this guise. The -dormitory is occupied by several priests, who in turn, by -the year, take the charge of the house. The then head of -the dormitory was a very kind and simple old man, called -La-toe-pa, and when I told him about my desire to obtain -temporary admission, he gave me every particular as to -what to do.</p> - -<p>Before I go any further in my narrative, I must say -something briefly about the Sera college. It is divided into -three departments—Je-Ta-tsang, Maye Ta-tsang, and -Ngakpa Ta-tsang. The first department contains 3,800 -priests, the second 2,500 and the third five hundred. The -former two departments have eighteen dormitories, named -Khamtsan. They differ in size, for the small ones have about -fifty priests in them, while there are over a thousand priests -in the largest ones. There were two hundred priests -in the house at which I stayed. Each Khamtsan has its own -property, and all the Khamtsans as a whole are called Sera. -These are the largest divisions of the monastery, but I will -not enter into the sub-divisions.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[291]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XLVI" id="CHAPTER_XLVI">CHAPTER XLVI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Warrior-Priests of Sera.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>In Tibet there are two classes of priests, scholar-priests -and warrior-priests, who in Tibetan are called Lob-nyer -and Thab-to respectively. The former class of priests come -to Sera, as their name shows, with the purpose of study, -at an expense of three yen or, if they take the regular -course, of eight yen a month. They graduate from the -college after a study of twenty years, during which time -their special study is the Buḍḍhist Catechism and -philosophy, the principal course of the Sera college. As -they come to the college after they have finished the study -of the regular courses, most of them are from thirty to -thirty-five or thirty-six years of age when they graduate, -though a few clever priests receive the decree of doctor -at the age of twenty-eight years.</p> - -<p>The warrior-priests have no money to pay for a course -of study in the college. They earn their way by gathering -yak-dung from the fields or by carrying from the -bank of the river Kichu to the monastery wood which has -been brought in boats from Sam-ya-e or Kongbo. Then -they serve the scholar-priests as their servants. It is also -among their daily tasks to play flutes, lyres, harps, flageolets, -to beat drums, and to prepare offerings for the -deities. The above tasks may not be too humble -for a low class of priests, but the warrior-priests -have another strange daily task to do by which they -deserve their strange name. Every day they repair -to certain hills and practise throwing large stones at -a target, and thus test their muscles. They jump, -run up mountains, or leap down from high rocks. -At intervals they sing popular songs as loudly as they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[292]</a></span> -can, for they are proud of their good voices. Then they -practise fighting with clubs. When they have no fixed -task in the temple, they are seen going by threes or fives -to their respective places of practice. The reader may -wonder of what use these priests are in Tibet, -and will perhaps be surprised to know that they -are of great use. When, for instance, the higher class -Lamas travel in the northern plains or in some -remote district, they take these priests as their body -guards. They are very daring. Having no wives to look -after, they meet death calmly. So invincible and implacable -are these fighting priests that they are the most feared -of any in Tibet. They are very quarrelsome, too, though -they rarely fall out with one another without some -serious provocation. They scarcely ever fight for a -pecuniary matter, but the beauty of young boys presents -an exciting cause, and the theft of a boy will often lead -to a duel. Once challenged, no priest can honorably -avoid the duel, for to shun it would instantly excommunicate -him from among his fellow-priests and he would -be driven out of the temple. There are chiefs among -the warrior-priests, and they have rules of their own, -with officers to see them well carried out. This is an -open secret, and the warrior-priests are therefore allowed -sometimes to do things quite unbecoming to priests -or anybody else. When any grave matter occurs, the -chiefs are often ordered to attend to it with the other -warrior-priests.</p> - -<p>A duel being agreed upon, both the fighters go to the -appointed place, mostly in the evening. They fight each -other with swords while the umpires judge their way -of fighting. If either of the combatants does anything -cowardly or mean, the umpire leaves the fighters to themselves, -till one or the other is killed. If both fight bravely -till they are wounded, the umpire bids them stop fighting.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[293]</a></span> -He tells them to make peace, and takes them to Lhasa, -where they make friends over a cup of chang (beer or -wine). The use of all intoxicants being strictly prohibited -in the Sera monastery, many warrior-priests, when they -go to Lhasa, take the opportunity of drinking much of -them, and under that influence they do many rude things.</p> - -<p>One day, some one accidentally discovered that I was a -doctor, and from that time I came to be paid undeserved -respect by these priests. When they were wounded in -their feet or hands during their practice they came to me -for cure, and I was strangely successful with them. I -think that half-civilised people are more easily cured of -wounds than civilised people. A sprained arm was so -easily set right, that the warrior-priests began to -consider me to be a doctor indispensable among them. -Besides, I scarcely ever took fees from them for their recovery, -and I gave them medicine gratis, except when they -offered me something in return and compelled me to accept -it. This kindness won me their hearts. They saw that it -often made them worse to go to a native doctor when -they were wounded in a duel, while I treated their wounds, -or set their bones, gratis and far better than their native -doctors did. This pleased them so much that I became a -great favorite among them. Everywhere I was greeted -with the protruded tongue of salutation.</p> - -<p>Besides, I was helped and guarded by them in many -respects. They are very true to their duties and obligations. -They may look a little rough, but they are -much more truthful than the nobles and other priests of -the land, who, though kind and truthful at first sight, are -deceitful and crafty in seeking their own benefit and happiness. -The warrior-priests are as a rule not deceitful and -cunning at heart, and I have found in them many other -points that claim my respect and liking. On the other -hand, I was often troubled in my intercourse with the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[294]</a></span> -Lamas, who hide a mean and crafty behavior under their -warm garments of wool. So far for the two classes of -priests.</p> - -<p>I had trimmed and shaved neither hair nor beard in my -journey of over ten months, so that they had grown very -long. On the day after my arrival, therefore, when I got a -priest to shave my head, I asked him to shave off my beard -also. He wondered why I wanted to have it shaved off, -and told me that it would be very unwise of me to do so -when it had grown so beautiful. He seemed to think that -I was joking, and I was obliged to let it grow. A beard is -much valued by the Tibetans, because they generally have -none, though the inhabitants of Kham and other remote -provinces grow beards. They are so eager to have a beard, -that after I was known to be a doctor I was often asked to -give medicine to make the beard grow. They would say -that I must have used some medicine to make my beard -grow so long.</p> - -<p>As my object was to be a student priest I bought a hat, a -pair of shoes, and a rosary, according to the regulations of -the monastery. I did not buy a priest’s robe, as I could in -time use the one which had been given to me. So I went to -Je Ta-tsang, chief professor of the department which I was -to enter, for him to question me before I was admitted as a -probationary student; but I found that no examinations -were to be given. I called on the professor with a present -of the best tea to be procured in Tibet. His first question -was: “Where are you from? You look like a Mongolian; -are you not one?” Being answered in the negative, he asked -me several geographical questions, for he was well acquainted -with the geography of the country. But I answered well, -as I had travelled through the provinces on my own feet. It -was thus settled that I might be admitted on probation. So I -saluted the Lama with my tongue out, and he put his right -hand on my head, as usual, and put a red cloth about two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[295]</a></span> -feet long round my neck as the sign of my admission. -The reader must know that one has to put such a piece of -cloth round the neck in the presence of all noble Lamas -in Tibet. I had then to appear before the priest who sees -that the laws are carried out, and to get his permission, -and I found that as I had a permit from the professor I -could easily get the sanction of the priest, and thus I -was admitted into the college. I had then to prepare -myself for the regular entrance examination of the department -of logic.</p> - -<p>On the following day I found a teacher to help me in my -preparation. Finding however that one teacher was not -sufficient for the many subjects I had to study, I engaged a -second, and I was thus soon busy preparing myself. There -was a Lama living in the dormitory opposite to mine, a stout -priest who seemed to be very learned. One day I was called -to his room to see him, and among other questions I was -asked if I had not come with a caravan of Ruto from -Jangthang to the Sakya temple. I was told that among -the disciples of the Lama there was one Tobten, a nice gentle -Tibetan, and this person happened to be the one who -had treated me very kindly during my journey with the -caravan. It was this man who had asked me if I would -take meat, and whom I had told that I did not take it. -I had hitherto been supposed to have come from -Jangthang, but now I was entirely unmasked.</p> - -<p>“Then you are not from Jangthang,” said the Lama, and -then he told me that he had heard I was a Chinaman and -good at writing Chinese characters. On my confessing -that I was not a Tibetan he was grieved, because he feared -that my deceit might bring trouble upon the dormitory, for -a Chinaman must go to Pate Khamtsan. He then asked -me why I had violated the regulations of the place, and I -replied that I had been robbed, as he might have heard -from his disciple, at Jangthang, and that I had not money<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[296]</a></span> -enough to enter into the Pate Khamtsan as a Chinaman. -Besides, I said, I should have to pay something for service -every year, if I went to the Chinese house. Having told -him all these secrets, I then asked him to help me to stay -with him, as I could not go to the other house. The Lama -said that his disciple had told him of the robbery, and that -he was very sorry for me, adding that he would leave the -matter till objection should be made. So I was left there -without further trouble, and I passed for a man from -Jangthang. In this way I kept on studying day and -night, till I had a great swelling in my shoulders. I was -obliged to draw some blood from the shoulders by a device -of my own, and then I went to a druggist in the city -to buy some medicine, which soon cured the swelling.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[297]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XLVII" id="CHAPTER_XLVII">CHAPTER XLVII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Tibet and North China.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>On the 7th of April I went to see a great service of -prayer for the Chinese Emperor in connexion with the -“Boxer” war. It was held not only at Sera, but at every -temple in Tibet. At the monastery where I lived they -held a secret meeting for seven days, during which time -special priests offered secret prayers. They were then to -perform something secret for the victory of China. On -enquiry I was told that Peking was invaded by the troops -of several foreign countries, and that the Chinese seemed -to have been beaten. They might be too late, they said, -but they prayed for the safety of the Emperor of China. -I was quite anxious to know more particulars, but they -were all kept secret, and no one would tell me any more.</p> - -<p>The prayer service was held in the Tsochen Hall at Sera, -and commenced with a long warlike procession. First -came the players on lyres, flageolets, drums, and large -flutes, followed by men carrying incense-burners. Then -came ten nice looking Tibetan boys, still in their teens, all -dressed in fine Buḍḍhist robes ornamented with colored -Chinese crape, and each burning incense. Next followed -fifty spear-like objects on each side of the road, each -surmounted with a movable blade like that of a Chinese -spear. These blades had hilt guards, under which hung -gold brocade or fine colored Chinese crape, sixteen feet -long, thus making the spear twenty-five feet long altogether. -The spear, the handle of which was either of -gold or gilt, seemed rather heavy, for two strong warrior-priests -carried each of them. Then came a triangular board -about six feet high, with various figures made of butter -on it, and after it another triangular board, four feet high,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[298]</a></span> -with some red figure made of a mixture of baked flour, -butter and honey. These boards were borne by seven or -eight men. After them came some two hundred priests, -dressed in handsome robes and scarfs quite dazzling to the -eye. Half of these beat drums, while the other half carried -cymbals. After these priests came the chief Lama, who -was to offer the secret prayer. He had dressed himself -in the splendid robes of his high rank. Last of all his -disciples followed.</p> - -<p>Thus the procession presented a grand sight, and the -people of Lhasa came out in great crowds to see it. -It marched out about two hundred yards from the -great hall to an open yard outside the stone fence, -where the view opened as far as Lhasa. Another two -hundred yards further, the procession came before a -grass-roofed shed, built of bamboo, wood and straw. -There the chief Lama recited something in front of -the triangular figures of butter and of baked wheat, and -of the spear-shaped objects, while the two hundred priests -around him chanted verses from the Buḍḍhist Scriptures, -and beat drums and cymbals. A priest with a pair of -cymbals walked through the lines of the priests; he seemed -to be a sort of band-master, for he marched through their -ranks beating time. His steps and gait were very odd and -different from any dancings that I had ever seen. Soon -the chief Lama was seen pretending to throw away his -rosary, at which signal the spear-bearers threw their spears -at the shed and then the triangular board of baked flour -was thrown at it also. They then set fire to the shed, -at the burning of which the priests as well as the -spectators clapped their hands, crying out “<i>Lha-kyallo! -Lha-kyallo!</i>” This is a Tibetan word, meaning “surely the -Gods will triumph.” Thus was the ceremony over, one of -the most splendid I had ever seen in Buḍḍhism. On the -following day all the priests of the monastery were invited<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[299]</a></span> -to Lhasa to attend the <i>Cho-en Joe</i> service, which lasted a -month, to pray that the Dalai Lama of Tibet might be -kept from all evil during the year. This was a celebration -said to be only second in importance to the other. I also -went to Lhasa, and took lodging in the house of a Palpo -merchant.</p> - -<p>In the capital I got more definite information about the -Boxer trouble. Perhaps some merchants who had returned -from China, or some who had came from Nepāl or some who -had been to India, might have brought the news; but it -was all very laughable and unreliable. Some would say the -Emperor of China had bequeathed his throne to the Crown -Prince and absconded, while others told me that the -Emperor was defeated and was then in Sin-an. The trouble -was brought about, some said, by a wicked minister, who -married an English lady to the Emperor, while others -asserted that there was a country called Japan, which was -so strong that her troops took possession of Peking. Another -said that a famine prevailed in China and people were all -famished; indeed, every sort of rumor was abroad in the -Tibetan capital.</p> - -<p>I was especially pleased to hear something about Japan, -even the very name of which had not yet been heard in -Tibet, and some merchants told me that Japan was so -powerful and so chivalrous that even when her army -had taken possession of Peking, she had sent shiploads of -rice, wheat and clothing to the Chinese capital to relieve -tens of thousands of natives who were suffering from -famine. But others would say against Japan that she -could not be such a friendly country, but must have -done what she had done merely out of her crafty -“land-grabbing diplomacy,” as the British nation did. -Rumor after rumor was making its way through Tibet, -and I did not know what to believe. Only I was -pretty sure that a war had broken out between China and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[300]</a></span> -other Powers. In the meantime the Palpo merchant with -whom I was staying was going to Nepāl. I utilised the occasion -and through his kindness sent two letters, one to Rai -Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās in India, and the other to Mr. I. Hige of -my native province. I was glad to find afterwards that they -reached their destination, but it was very difficult to send a -letter in that way; one must first see that the man by whom -it is to be sent is honest and not likely to betray one’s secret, -and one cannot easily trust a Tibetan. But my Tibetan had -more than once been shown to be true to his trust.</p> - -<p>The Cho-en Joe was a meeting of a kind I had never -seen before. In the first place there was a Sakya temple -over two hundred and forty yards square, with another -and central Sakya temple, one hundred and twenty yards -square. A wide pavement ran along inside the walls, where -the ordinary priests sat. The same kind of pavement was -found on the second and third floors. No priest was -admitted into the Sakya temple but the Dalai Lama or the -“greater” professors, though they did not always attend -the meetings. Some twenty thousand priests attended -that celebration, while over twenty-five thousand assembled -on the occasion of the festival held at Lhasa for the safety -of the Emperor of China. About five in the morning the -sound of flutes called all the priests in Lhasa to the place -of meeting. They chanted the Scriptures and were given -butter and tea, as usual, three times, at intervals of thirty -minutes. Of the twenty thousand very few were -regular priests, the rest being either warrior-priests or -loafers, who came only with the mean object of filling their -stomachs. Instead of reciting from the Scriptures, therefore, -they were openly doing all sorts of things during -the meeting, such as singing profane songs, or pushing -each other about. One could see the rowdiness of these -warrior-priests, who sat there making obscene jokes, and -often quarrelling with one another.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[301]</a></span></p> - -<p>The warrior-priests being so lawless, some guard-priests -are detailed to keep order among them. The guard-priest -does not judge between the quarrelling priests, but strikes -them any time he sees them quarrelling. So he is much -feared by the other priests, who take to their huts at the -first sign of his presence. Still he often takes them -by surprise, and thrashes them most mercilessly on -head, limbs or body, so that occasionally they even -die from the effects of his rough treatment. This is not, -however, considered to be murder, the perpetrator of the -deed is not punished, and the body of his victim is simply -thrown away for the birds to devour.</p> - -<p>Warrior-priests train themselves for two hours in -the morning. They take baked flour in tea during that -time, and at the end they are given some gruel. Usually -the gruel is made of rice, with much meat in it, and -is given gratis. Each priest brings a bowl which -holds a pint or more, and he takes a bowlful of gruel -and three cups of tea. On their way back to their -respective lodgings, they receive <i>ge</i>, which in Tibetan -means ‘alms,’ from the officers. It is said that some -believers give as much as twenty-five sen or fifty -sen per head to each of the priests. In this respect -some Tibetan merchants, landowners and high officers -are very generous, for they are sometimes known to -give eight or nine thousand yen in alms to these -priests. There are many who give that sum in that way, -and much money is known to be sent for that object -from Mongolia.</p> - -<p>There once was among these priests a Russian spy -from Mongolia. He had the degree of doctor, and held -the office of <i>Tsan-ni Kenbo</i>. He often made such -donations, and his fame had spread far and wide. Such -alms-giving, without religious faith, did not improve -his spiritual condition in the least; but so many merchants<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[302]</a></span> -give money for the sake of their business, that this -doctor was content to think his alms had also promoted -his virtue. In these ways the priests get much money, -and the festival season is the best time of the year for -them. Sufficiency begets bad conduct, and it is during -such times that the priests are most contentious and -vindictive, and that duels are most frequent. A duel -is not generally fought in Lhasa itself; as a rule -they only appoint the place and time for it and -fight it after they get back to their own dormitories, -because while they are in Lhasa they are under the -authority of the magistrate priest of the Rebung temple, -and not of their own temples. This magistrate is known -to be so severe, strict and exacting, that they are afraid to -fight a duel before him, and they patiently wait till they -return to their own temples.</p> - -<p>On the day that the great celebration was over, I saw a -festival procession. First came groups dressed as the -four divine kings, followed by the eight devil kings, each -with a special mark. Each group was followed by three -or five hundred priests, differently dressed. Unlike a -religious procession in Japan, which is as a rule very solemn, -the Tibetan procession marched in a sportive manner, for the -persons in it played with one another while moving. -They would even joke with the spectators. They carried -in the procession various treasures and musical instruments, -such as drums, lyres, pipes, flageolets and Indian flutes, -the most attractive objects being some imitations -of dragons. There were many strange figures formed, -as they told me, after the model of the treasures of the -submarine dragon’s palace. Imitations were there of every -instrument, treasure, or dress found in Tibet, and of the -old costumes that are found in Tibetan history; and -several Indian tribes were to be seen in the long procession -of over two and a half miles. It is impossible to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[303]</a></span> -enter into details, as I saw it only once; my memory does -not serve me for other particulars.</p> - -<p>This procession had one of the strangest of origins. It -is said that Ngak Wang Gyamtso, the fifth Pontiff of the -New Sect, devised the procession after one which he saw -in a dream in the Buḍḍhist Paradise, and it seemed quite -fitting that such a curious procession should have so -vague an origin.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[304]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XLVIII" id="CHAPTER_XLVIII">CHAPTER XLVIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Admission into Sera College.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>I did not see as much of the festival as I might have done, -because I had to go through my formal entrance examinations -before the festival was entirely over, and I devoted all -spare moments to preparation. Once more I overworked -myself, but I bought some more medicine, and was soon -well again. This caused no little wonder among my -neighbors, and I was often asked if I had studied -medicine. I must have studied it, they would say, -because I could cure my own illness, and I was obliged to -tell them that I had read a few books on medicine. This -led me to practise it among them afterwards.</p> - -<p>Before the celebrations were over, I went back to my -own monastery for my examination. It was on April 18th -that I presented myself with forty other candidates. I -was given both written and oral examinations, besides the -recitation of a passage from the Scriptures. The -examinations were such as are generally given to those who -have finished the common course in Tibetan schools. They -were not so difficult for me as I had expected, and I was -admitted to the college, though all were not equally fortunate, -for only seven out of the forty passed. Among the -successful members were a few warrior-priests also. They -had run into debt, and had since studied hard to be -admitted. But, let me say, their object was something -more than mere study. Scholarships were awarded, from -fifty sen to one yen and sometimes two yen a month per -scholar-priest. The amount was not fixed, but it generally -came to some ten yen a year. It was on account of -that sum of money that many warrior-priests tried to pass -the examination. I was admitted as a student of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[305]</a></span> -first class, in which priest-students varying from boys in -their teens to men in the forties and fifties were studying -the Buḍḍhist catechism, according to the Tibetan -fashion. Their way of studying was so interesting and -active, and they were so earnest and fervent, that one -would have thought they were quarrelling with one another -while discussing.</p> - -<p>The catechism is a very pleasant performance, and the -ways of questioning, emphasis, and intonation are quite -interesting. The catechised sits in a certain attitude, and -the questioner stands up with a rosary in his left hand, -and walks towards him. He stretches out his hands with the -palm of the left hand downwards and that of the right -hand upwards and claps them together, uttering the words, -<i>Chi! chi tawa choe chan</i>. Here ‘Chi’ means the heart of -the Boḍhisaṭṭva Mañjushrī and its utterance is supposed -to make the questioner one with Him, whose real body is -knowledge. The rest of the utterance literally means, -“in that nature of the truth.” The sense of the whole is -“We shall begin the discussion following the nature of -Truth as it is manifested in the Universe.” Then the -discussion begins in earnest according the rules of -the logic of Nyāya. The first question, for instance, -may be whether Buḍḍha was human or not. -Whether the answer is in the affirmative or the negative, -the questioner goes on to ask; “But he was not above -mortality, was he?” If he be answered in the affirmative, -he will say that it could not be so, for Buḍḍha was -no more than mortal. The answerer, if bright enough, -will then reply that Buḍḍha, though himself above -death, submitted himself to it in his incarnated body. He -must say also that Buḍḍha had three bodies, called in -Saṁskṛṭ Ḍharmakāya, Sambhogakāya and Nirmānakāya, -and in Tibetan, Choeku, Lonjoeku and Tulku. These terms -mean: ‘The all pervading body consisting of the purest<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[307]</a></span> -virtue of Truth in him’, ‘the body derived from his countless -virtues, enjoying complete happiness with the light of -Truth,’ and ‘the body derived from his boundless mercy -and transcendental knowledge for the good of all beings.’</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 572px;"> -<a id="zill_t306"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t306h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t306.jpg" class="hires" width="572" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>A VEHEMENT PHILOSOPHICAL DISCUSSION.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>If the catechised shows any weak point in his -answers, the questioner never fails to take advantage -of the opportunity, and drives him on, saying for example -that Buḍḍha was a real man born in India. Whether -the answer be in the affirmative or negative, he will go on -asking many questions in succession, and that with so much -animation that, when he utters the words of a question, he -beats time with hands and feet. The teacher always teaches -the catechists that the foot must come down so strongly -that the door of hell may be broken open, and that the hands -must make so great a noise that the voice of knowledge -may frighten the devils all over the world, by a fearless -heart and a brave attitude. The object of the questions -and answers is to free the mind from all worldliness, and -to get into the very bottom of Truth, giving no power to -the devils of hell in the mind.</p> - -<p>To show how excitedly the catechism is carried on, it -is said that a countryman once came to see the scene. The -question happened to be about physiognomy (kan-sa), which -in Tibetan is synonymous with a tobacco-pipe. The countryman -thought that they were disputing over a tobacco-pipe, -and was very much surprised that a pipe should be -the matter of the quarrel, for the priests were seemingly -very much provoked and railed at each other and exchanged -blows! Three years later, the same countryman -came to worship at the temple of Sera, and again happened -to see the priests disputing hotly about what he thought -to be a pipe. He saw them strike each other at -the end of the dispute, and felt very sorry for them. -So he thought he would settle the dispute by arbitration. -He then walked among the priests, holding out his pipe,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[308]</a></span> -which he meant to give them. Though it was none of his -business to come among the priests, he offered the pipe -and begged them to settle the dispute, thereby causing -great laughter among them. It is with such excitement -and with hardly any formality that the questions are -asked and answered. Still it must not be supposed that -one could answer these questions without a knowledge of -Buḍḍhism. One has to read many texts and reference -books before one can go through these questions. It takes -the natives twenty years of hard and unceasing study, -with examinations every year, to obtain the degree of a -doctor.</p> - -<p>The catechism forms the chief part of the education of -Tibetan priests. This method seems to excite so great an -interest among priest-students that there are always many -Mongolians in Tibet, who come so far and through so much -hardship with the sole object of receiving education there. -There are three hundred Mongolians at the Sera college, -and hardly fewer at other large temples, such as that of -Tashi Lhunpo. The New Sect of Buḍḍhism owes a great -deal of its fine prospects to its catechism, while the Old -Sect has already lost popularity and is now tottering. It is -by this spirited Catechism that the naturally dull and lazy -Tibetans are goaded on to understand Buḍḍhism, and are -very rich, for a half-civilised nation, in logical ideas. But -let me add, it is only the learned that are rich in logical -ideas; the people at large, who have received little education, -are far from being intelligent.</p> - -<p>The Catechism is generally held at some beautiful -place, where there are many fine trees, such as -elms, willows, nuts, peaches and various others which -are not found in Japan, though on the whole Tibet -does not possess a large variety of trees. The ground -under the trees is covered with beautiful white sand. -When the first Catechism is over, the priests have what is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[309]</a></span> -termed the Garden of Truth, at some equally well-wooded -place, where there are varieties of flowers. The ground -there is also covered with white sand, and enclosed by stone -walls five or six feet high with a gateway constructed in -Chinese fashion. The priests gather themselves there to -read from the Scriptures, and after the reading, they begin -questioning one another. Here they make no difference of -classes, but ask one another concerning their text books -and everything else. This helps them a great deal to -improve their knowledge and wisdom.</p> - -<p>At the other place, there may be no more than one -questioner and one answerer, the rest keeping silence, -whether the class consist of fifty or a hundred priests. -The questioner and the answerer might change, but -they could be taken only from that one class. In the -garden, however, there are no such limitations, there -is no difference of classes, and young and old priests are -seen questioning each other. So one may easily fancy how -noisy and excited they are. While I was having a Catechism -among them under a peach-forest in blossom, snowflakes -began to fall on us. I stopped questioning and, -struck with the beautiful scene around me, I wrote two -Japanese poems which served to give my friends at home -some idea of my thoughts.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">In spring the blooming flowers of the peach</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Are fully blown in “Dharma-garden” there,</div> - <div class="verse">Greeting with welcome glee the friendly snows.</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Under their shades the wrangling priests discuss,</div> - <div class="verse">With their vehement, uncouth gestures strange,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Their doubts to melt, like to the melting snows</div> - <div class="verse">Beneath these trees emitting odours sweet.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Day and night I studied in this way. But finding soon -that it left me too many precious hours to have only one -teacher, I now found another priest to teach me. I -went to them to receive their instruction, while they -too sometimes came to teach me. I thus made considerable -progress in my learning.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[310]</a></span></p> - -<p>There is a strange custom which a new college -student has to observe as a sign of his admittance. I had -to go to Lhasa and to travel, as a sign of my admittance, -for two days to beg for fuel. But one day a young -priest next door quarrelled with another young priest -and hit him with a stone, which dislocated the -bone of his upper arm. The wounded lad was a -special favorite of his instructor, who feared very much -that he might be deformed. Bone-setting is quite unknown -to the Tibetans, and their doctors, who have no knowledge -of how to set a dislocated bone, apply heated iron, or -give some medicine to drink or use. I was on my walk -and happened to hear the pitiful cries of the wounded boy, -and was told, when I asked why they did not send for a -doctor, that it was far better not to do so, as it would only -be a heavy expense for nothing. They were not going to -have one. When I asked if no doctor in Tibet could set a -dislocated bone, they seemed to be much surprised at my -improbable question. It was with some difficulty that I -made them believe that a dislocated bone can be easily set. -So going to the wounded boy, I easily set his bone, while a -Tibetan held his head and left hand. Then I acupunctured -that part where the muscle was a little swollen, and -the boy was soon cured.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[311]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XLIX" id="CHAPTER_XLIX">CHAPTER XLIX.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Meeting with the Incarnate Bodhisattva.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>This healing made me an object of much talk, and I -soon found myself surrounded by many patients. I now -began to fear that I should thus be prevented from studying, -and so fail to accomplish my chief end. So I tried -every means to keep the patients from me, but the more -I declined, the more patients I found brought to me, and -I was at last obliged to get some medicines from Thien-ho-thang -(a Chinese druggist) in Lhasa. I gave the medicines -to these patients, most of whom recovered either through -their faith in me or through the efficacy of the drugs; -for I had studied the rudiments of medical science (of the -old school, it is true) and this enabled me to use the -medicines. There is one disease which is most feared as -fatal by the Tibetans. It is dropsy, little, if at all different -from <i>beri-beri</i>. No one in the neighborhood of Lhasa -seemed to know how to cure the disease. I prepared for it -a medicine of which I had been told by a Tibetan hermit, -and gave it to some patients suffering from dropsy. I -am glad to say that this medicine cured six or seven -patients out of every ten, though I could not heal cases -that were far gone.</p> - -<p>This made me quite famous and my name, known only -in my own monastery at first, began to be known in the -whole city of Lhasa and in the country as far as Shigatze. -Often two horses were sent on for me from places of three -days’ journey distant to take me to patients. I took no -reward from the poor, but gave them medicine gratis. -This may have had a great deal to do with my popularity, -and I came to be regarded as a God of medicine.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[312]</a></span></p> - -<p>There are many cases of consumption in Tibet. -I gave my medicine to those patients who were in -the first stages of the disease, but chronic cases I left -without any medicine, to meditation or religious services -that they might gain salvation, and die at ease. This, -I was told, made some patients fear to come to me, for it was -said that those to whom medicine was given recovered, -while the others, whom I taught about death and the -future, without giving them any medicine, were sure -to die. Some did not like to be told that death -was near them, and women especially were frightened to -come before me. The Tibetans have a strange habit. -When they fall ill, before any doctor is sent for, a sorcerer -is asked to see which doctor is best and what kind of -medicine is good. Some doctors, therefore, are so -wicked as to bribe the sorcerer to recommend them -to the patients. The sorcerer, too, being pleased enough -to see the patients cured by the doctor whom he -suggested, began to recommend me to his patients -when he saw my name was making so great a stir in -Tibet. He would tell his patients to be sure to come -to me. I never asked him to mention me, nor even -saw him in person; nor is it probable that he ever -saw me. His recommendation must have come out of his -love of fame. When, therefore, a high officer or priest -fell ill and was told by his sorcerer to see me, I was -sure to be sent for. A horse was sent to bring me, -generally with a letter of introduction. Often I received -a letter politely requesting me to come, and wherever -I went, therefore, I was very kindly received, for the -life of the patient was supposed to depend entirely on me.</p> - -<p>Fame travels surprisingly fast, and at last mine reached -the Royal Court, so that I was one day called there. The -Dalai Lama was not in reality ill, but desired to -see what I looked like. In Tibet it is no easy matter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[313]</a></span> -to see His Holiness. He may be seen while passing, but no -ordinary priests or even high priests can have the privilege -of talking to him. This was, therefore a great honor to -me, and I took the liberty of riding the horse sent to take -me to the Royal palace. The Grand Lama was not then at -Potala, but at his country palace called Nolpu Lingka, in a -forest along the Kichu, south-west of Potala. This palace -is much newer than the other, and the Pope enjoys the -coolness there in summer.</p> - -<p>I rode along a wide road in the forest for about three -hundred and fifty yards, till I came to a high stone wall -over twenty feet high and three hundred and fifty yards -square. I went west through the large gate in the wall, -and found on both sides of the road inside the gate many -white boxes in the shape of post pillars about six yards -apart. In them incense is burned when the Dalai -Lama goes along the road. Lofty trees are grown -in the courtyard on both sides of the road, though there -is a very wide lawn within the court. After about a -hundred yards, I came to a square piece of ground enclosed -by stone fences about one hundred and fifty yards -square, along which were seen many beautiful stone -houses for the priest officials to live in. These houses -have each a flower garden which is beautifully decorated -with as many trees and plants as can be found in Tibet. -What is stranger still, at the four corners as well as some -other parts of the stone fences are found little kennels, in -which two or three score strong Tibetan dogs are chained. -They bark terribly from their high pens. The Dalai Lama -is said to be so fond of dogs that whoever brings him a strong -hound is treated very kindly and receives great rewards. -Hence many dogs are brought from great distances. None -of his predecessors, however, have had such a liking for -dogs. The gates to the Papal palace are at the east -and west corners of the walls and face south. About thirty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[314]</a></span> -yards from the gate was a large house into which my horse -was led. Then I was taken to the house of the Court -Physician.</p> - -<p>This residence of the Court Physician has four -large rooms, parlor, study, servants’ room and kitchen. -The house is approached through a garden full of -beautiful flowers, and one then comes to a curtain of -white linen. Going under the curtain, one enters another -garden, at one side of which is the entrance to the parlor.</p> - -<p>The parlor has Chinese sliding doors in white, with panes -of glass. In the room were two images, one of Buḍḍha and -the other of Tsong-kha-pa, the founder of the New Sect, set -on a gilt stand, with pictures of dragons, peacocks, and -flowers. Such images are found in most shrines of the -New Sect. Before the images were Tibetan candlesticks -of silver, with three butter-candles that were left burning -both day and night. The Physician was sitting on a -Tibetan carpet with painted flowers, and there were two -beautiful high desks before him, in front of which there -was a fur cushion for the guest to sit upon. I was told -to sit on this fur cushion, and very soon a servant priest -brought in the very best tea, which he poured into the -physician’s cup and then into mine on the desk. The -physician was said to be very kind and gentle, and his -face resembled mine so much that we might be taken -for brothers.</p> - -<p>The physician told me that the Dalai Lama was not seriously -ill and that it was because I had healed so many -patients that he wished to see me. But, he added, as he -was very busy, I must not talk long with him. He said -that the Dalai Lama might have something that the -physician must consult me about.</p> - -<p>After this talk with the physician, I was led by him to -the Palace, and we went north towards the gate mentioned -above. There was a guard-priest at the gate, who was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[315]</a></span> -dressed in a tight-sleeved priestly cloak, which no common -priests are allowed to put on. He keeps guard with a -club. Inside the gate there was a stone pavement some -twenty yards square, surrounded by covered ways, where -there were some things in the shape of stools. There -was another gate about nine yards wide in front of this. -The inner gate was guarded by four priests, each with -a short club instead of a long one. Walking about ten -yards from the inner gate into the inner court, I found -on both walls a picture of a fierce looking Mongolian -leading a tiger by a rein; and the walls, which were roofed -over, had a court between them. Instead of going -straight through the court, I went left along the covered -way till I came to the end of the western wall, when -the Dalai Lama appeared from his inner chamber.</p> - -<p>He was preceded by <i>Dunnyel Chenmo</i> the Lord Chamberlain, -and <i>Choe Bon Kenbo</i> the Papal Chaplain. After His -Holiness came <i>Yongjin Rinpoche</i> the Papal Tutor. The -Dalai Lama took his seat on the right hand chair in front, -and the two former attendants stood on each side, while the -Tutor sat on the chair a little below them. Seven or eight -high priests sat before His Holiness. The Court Physician -leading me a little to one side, in front of the Dalai -Lama, saluted him. I saluted him three times, and -taking my robe off one of my shoulders I stepped before -him, when His Holiness stretched out his right hand to put -it on my head. Then I withdrew about four yards and -stood beside the physician.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 555px;"> -<a id="zill_t316"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t316h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t316.jpg" class="hires" width="555" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>AN AUDIENCE WITH THE DALAI LAMA.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>The Dalai Lama then began by praising me for having -healed many poor priests at Sera. He told me to stay -long at Sera and to do as I had done, and I answered that -I would do with pleasure as he wished me. I had been told -that the Pope was well versed in Chinese, and I feared that -he might speak in Chinese, for then my imposture would -be discovered. I had made up my mind, therefore, that I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[317]</a></span> -would in that case frankly tell him to what nationality I -belonged, that I might be worthy of a Japanese, for I -deemed it to be a great honor to be granted an interview -with him.</p> - -<p>Luckily, however, he did not talk Chinese, but instead -inquired in Tibetan about Buḍḍhism and Buḍḍhists in -China, which I answered to his satisfaction. He was -pleased to tell me that he was thinking of appointing me -to some high office. After the talk I was honored by a -cup of tea in the presence of the Dalai Lama and drank it -with much ceremony, though he retired to his chamber -before I had finished drinking.</p> - -<p>The Dalai Lama was dressed in a cloak different from -that of a common priest. He had on a silk hood and -a great robe called saṅghāṭi and under it a fine <i>putuk</i> of -Tibetan wool about his waist. His under dress was what is -called <i>tema</i> woven of the best Chinese sheep wool. He wore -a fine Papal crown on his head though he is said to be -often bare-headed, with no crown at all. He held a -rosary in his left hand. He was then aged twenty six. He -is about five feet eight inches high, a moderate height in -Tibet.</p> - -<p>The Dalai Lama looks very brave. His eye-brows are -very high, and he is very keen-eyed. Once a Chinese -phrenologist remarked that the Tibetan Pope would -bring about war one day, to the great disturbance -of the country, for though brave-looking, he had an -unlucky face. Whether the prophesy comes true -or not, he really looks the very man of whose face a -phrenologist would be sure to say something. He has -a very sharp and commanding voice, so that one could not -but pay reverence in his presence. From my long -acquaintance with the Dalai Lama, during which I heard -and saw much of him and had frequent interviews with -him, I judge that he is richer in thoughts political than<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[318]</a></span> -religious. He was bred in Buḍḍhism, and in it he has -great faith, and he is very anxious to clear away all -corruption from the Buḍḍhism and Buḍḍhists in -Tibet.</p> - -<p>But political thoughts are working most busily in his mind. -He seems to fear the British most, and is always thinking -how to keep them from Tibet. He seems to give full scope -to all designs calculated to check the encroaching force of -the British. I could plainly see this while remaining near -him. Had he not been on his guard, however, which -he always is, he must have been poisoned by his retainers. -He has often been on the point of being poisoned, and -each time his caution has detected the conspiracy and -the intriguers were put to death.</p> - -<p>None of the five Dalai Lamas from the fourth to the -ninth in Tibet reached their twenty fifth year; all were -poisoned when eighteen or twenty-two years old. This is -almost an open secret in Tibet, and the reason is that, if -a wise Dalai Lama is on the throne, his courtiers cannot -gratify their selfish desires. Some of these seem to have -been wise Dalai Lamas, for they received special education -until they were twenty-two or three years old. History -proves that they have written books to instruct the people.</p> - -<p>I could not help shedding tears when the ex-Papal -Minister of Finance, at whose house I was staying at -one time, told me about the fate of the predecessors of -the present Dalai Lama. The Papal Court is a den of -disloyal thieves who go by the name of courtiers, and -they do all they can to neutralise the force of the few loyal -courtiers, who are too weak to do anything against them. -The ex-Minister for Finance was among the ill-fated party -driven out of the court by these toadies, who pretended to -pay great reverence to the sacred Monarch before the -people, simply because they could not otherwise stay in -their offices. When anything happened against their in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[319]</a></span>terests, -they conspired to communicate with one another -and to accuse falsely the loyal courtiers. They would -often go so far as to slander them shamelessly, and say -that such and such a person had been guilty of a disrespectful -act against the Dalai Lama.</p> - -<p>In this subtle way some wicked courtiers turned honest -scholars or priests out of the court, and the Dalai Lama -is surrounded by these pretended loyalist devils. Hence -he is so dangerously situated, that he is obliged to pay -the greatest attention to what is offered him to eat, lest -some poison should have been put in it. I could not -but shed tears for him, when I thought that there could -be no court on earth so full of wicked courtiers. But -the present Dalai Lama is so prudent and particular that -these evil doers can get no chance of doing anything -against him. Still, he is really in great danger. He -is wise for his age, for, young as he is, he seems to have -great sympathy with the afflicted, and is much respected, -and indeed almost worshipped, by his people, though -much disliked by the evil local governors, whom he has -been known to punish, to deprive of their estates, and -to imprison for their evil deeds.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t320"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t320h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t320.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="448" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>INNER ROOM OF THE DALAI LAMA’S COUNTRY HOUSE.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>I often had occasion to see the inner chamber of the -palace and found that it was magnificent. It is built -in the Indian, Chinese and Tibetan styles. The garden -has an artificial hill in it after the Chinese fashion, -while, as is seen in a Indian garden, it has a lawn outside -with some charming flowers. The place seems very good -for walks. The inside of the palace is built after the -Tibetan style, while a part of the roof is Chinese and -the rest purely Indian. The royal garden has various -rocks and has here and there such trees as willows, -peaches, elms and many other strange trees found only in -Tibet. In Tibet only few flowers bloom in summer, though -there are many in winter. A variety of flowers, such<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[320]</a></span> -as chrysanthemums, poppies, magnolias, tulips, and others -are planted in front of the palace veranda. The pavement -is decorated here and there with glittering jewels, and the -walls are painted by the best painters in Tibet. The papal -throne stands on two Tibetan mats at the farther -side of the room, and beside the throne is spread a -thick Tibetan carpet, over which is a Chinese carpet -of wool. A table of costly wood is set on the carpets. -There is a tea-bureau, over which hangs a picture of Je -Rinpoche, painted on a gold-dusted canvas. There are -many such rooms, besides, which I was not allowed to enter, -but which looked very beautiful from the outside. I was -often invited to the chief physician’s to talk about -medicine with him. He taught me several things about -medicine that I did not know, though the medical knowledge -which I had gained from my own books enabled me to -keep up with him in the talk. This must have done a great -deal to make the chief physician welcome me so much.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[321]</a></span> -He even said he would be most glad to recommend me as a -Court Physician.</p> - -<p>He said that he would do his best to that end, telling -me at the same time to see the premier and some other -Ministers of State. My answer was however that I could -not very well stay long in Lhasa, for I was most earnest to -study Buḍḍhism. I told him also that I intended to go to -India to study Samskṛṭ, and at this he felt very sorry, for -when I left there would be no good doctor in the city. -When I said that my object was not medicine, but to study -Buḍḍhism, the physician very plausibly argued that as it -was the ultimate object of Buḍḍhism to save men, I might -as well stay in the city as a doctor to practise medicine. -The doctor, I said, only relieved men of earthly pains, -but could hardly do anything toward the salvation -of souls. What doctor, however skilful, could save a -dying patient? Besides, I feared I might do them more -harm than good, for I had only a smattering of medicine -after all. I might heal them of their diseases, but I could -not give peace to their souls, while a priest could free them -from the most painful and durable of all diseases. It was -more urgent to study how to heal this. Buḍḍha was the -greatest doctor, who had given eighty-four thousand -religious medicines to eighty-four thousand mental diseases, -and we, as His disciples, I said, must study His ways of -healing. On these grounds I declined his offer. Finding -me so firm in my resolution, the physician went on to say -that, if I ever tried to leave the city for India, or some other -far-off country, the Dalai Lama would give orders to -keep me in the country, and that my only happiness lay -in staying to work among the priests. When I heard this -I began to repent that I had been telling him my secrets -rather too plainly. I feared it would put me to some -inconvenience to insist on going to India, and soon -changed the subject of our talk. So far about my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[322]</a></span> -medical practice; but now, something took place of which -I had never dreamed.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[323]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_L" id="CHAPTER_L">CHAPTER L.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Life in the Sera Monastery.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>What happened was this. It became a matter of hot -discussion among the priests of our dormitory Pituk Khamtsan -whether they should leave me to stay there or not, because -I was being received by the Grand Lama, the noblemen and -the Ministers, as a great doctor. After a long discussion, -the priests came to an agreement that they should make a -special rule on my account, and put me in one of the best -rooms. I was, of course, pleased to be removed from -my strangely smelling, dark and dirty room to a free, -clean apartment. I saw the Dalai Lama on July 21st, and -was removed into the good room toward the end of the -same month. It is one of the regulations of the college -that no new-comer shall have a separate room for -himself, but that he shall live with some one else in a -room, though occasionally a rich student may enjoy the -possession of a dirty room for himself on admission. -Though not among the poor, I was not eligible to have -a room, even a dirty one, all to myself. A priest must -reside there some ten years before he is allowed to live in a -room of the fourth class; after three years more he may be -removed to a study room of the third class. But it must be -remembered that everything depends on money. When he -receives the degree of a doctor, he is given a second-class -room. The rooms of the first class are used only by -incarnate Lamas, who come to study. As things were I was -given a second-class study. It was a cosy structure of -two storeys with a kitchen and a closet. Some studies -have third floors, but my new quarters were only two-storied. -The room upstairs was the best. To live in such a house, -however, one must have articles of furniture as well as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[324]</a></span> -some servant-priests. I was now like a poor boy, who had -grown up all of a sudden and had been given a house to -keep. I was obliged to procure many articles needed for my -new condition, all of which I had fortunately money enough -to buy.</p> - -<p>The priests, though diverse in studies, may be -classified into three large divisions, higher, middle, and -lower. By the middle class of priests, I mean those who -spend about seven yen a month for their keep. They do not -pay for their dwellings, which are provided by their -temple, though some Khamtsans, which are in debt, take -rents from their priests for their studying-rooms. When -a Khamtsan is too full of priests, some of them go to seek -rooms for themselves in some other, in which case they pay -from one to three yen a month, or twenty-five sen for a dirty -room.</p> - -<p>A suit of clothing as used by student-priests consists of a -hood of common wool cloth, a shirt, and a priest’s robe, -besides a pair of shoes. It costs twenty yen to provide -all these articles. At breakfast they take butter-tea -and baked flour. Rich priests make tea for themselves -every morning, though three large bowlfuls are given in -the hall of the monastery. In the afternoon they drink -tea again, this time with some meat, chiefly dried, though -at times raw. In the evening they take some gruel -of baked flour, cooked with cheese, radishes and fat. -Butter-tea is always found in a bowl on the table. The -Tibetan in general drinks much tea, because very few -vegetables are eaten as compared with the amount of meat. -A tea-cup is covered with a silver lid. When it gets cool, it -is drunk and new tea is poured in again and left some twenty -minutes to cool, though in winter no more than five or six -minutes are needed, during which time those at table will -talk to one another, or read from the Scriptures or do some -private business. Such are the meals of a middle-class<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[325]</a></span> -priest. Most priests have some landed property, and some -of them breed yaks, horses, sheep and goats in the provinces, -though it would be rare for one of the middle-class to -have more than some fifty yaks and ten horses. These -animals are also employed in ploughing the fields, but no -more than ten lots of land may be ploughed by two -yaks in a day. The priests can hardly lead a well-to-do -life without such property or some private business, -for what they are given from their temples and by the -believers is not sufficient for them.</p> - -<p>Few priests are without some private business or other—indeed, -most of them are engaged in trade. Agriculture comes -next to trade, and then cattle-breeding. Manufacturers of -Buḍḍhist articles, painters of Buḍḍhist pictures, tailors, -carpenters, masons, shoemakers and stone-layers are -found among the priests; there is hardly any kind -of business in Tibet, but some of the priests are engaged in -it. There are, besides, many kinds of business in which -none but priests engage. The lower class of priests as -well as the middle-class engage in trade, but some rich -priests have as many as from five hundred to four thousand -yaks and from one to six hundred horses. They -have from one to six hundred lots of land, each lot -being as large as will take two yaks to cultivate in a day. -But there are not more than three or four of the priests -who have started in trade with a capital of five hundred -thousand yen. They live very luxuriously, wear priestly -cloaks of the best woollen texture produced in Tibet, and -use very thick butter-tea every morning, which is considered -a great delicacy.</p> - -<p>To make the best butter-tea, the tea is first boiled for -half a day, till it gets dark brown. After being -skimmed, it is shaken several times in the cylinder -with some fresh yak butter and salt. This makes the -best tea, and a tea-pot full of such tea costs thirty-<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[326]</a></span>eight -sen to make. Tea-pots, or jars, are made of -clay in the shape of ordinary Japanese tea pots. I could -not at first drink the tea, when I saw that it looked -like thick oil. Still, it is one of the best drinks among -the best circles in Tibet, who drink it every morning. -It is usually taken mixed with what is called <i>tsu</i> and -baked flour. The tsu is a hardened mixture of cheese, -butter and white sugar. The Tibetan puts this -substance into his tea. He eats meat dried, raw or cooked, -even at breakfast. At dinner the priests eat rice imported -from Nepāl, the price of which is about fifty sen per <i>sho</i>. -They do not however eat boiled rice by itself, but a bowlful -of it mixed with grapes and sugar and butter. After the -rice, baked flour or egg macaroni is sometimes eaten. In -the evening wheat dumplings with gruel are served at -table; what they call gruel has in it some meat, radishes, -cheese and butter. The above is the usual course of dishes -at the tables of the highest circles. They cannot live a day -without meat, and if on some occasion they are kept from -it, they are sure to say they are getting thinner.</p> - -<p>The priests of the higher class live very comfortably, -for they build their own villas, or have their own temples; -besides, they have always the best dwellings of the temples -to which they belong. They are supported by their -estates, as I said, and they keep, each one of them, from -five or six to seventy or eighty servants in their houses. -From among these servants are often selected treasurers -and stewards. The lower class of priests, on the contrary, -live pitifully. No words can half describe their poor -condition. The warrior-priests, though among the poorest, -are still able to keep the wolf from their doors, for they are -employed as farmers or as guards, or in some other -private business, so that they earn money with which -they live from hand to mouth. There is another and -far poorer class of priests—the scholar-priests who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[327]</a></span> -have to support themselves in their studies, but -who must earn their living as well as their expenses -as students. They are too busy with their study -to go out to make any money. What they receive as offerings -from the believers and as salary from their temples, -does not together amount to a little more than two or three -yen a month, and it is insufficient to support them. They -can drink tea gratis every morning at the temple, but -they cannot get any baked flour, which makes the chief -part of a meal. Baked flour costs at least one and a half -yen a month. During the catechisms they go to Ta-tsang -where they are given three cups of tea for dinner. But -it takes them a month to review what they study -in a month in catechisms. During the period of review -they must get some one to help them, and they have to -pay some fifty sen a month in return. Then they -must have some fire to keep them warm in the -evening besides something to refresh them. For refreshments -they get tea-leaves with which the richer priests -have made their tea. Then they must get fuel to make tea -out of these leaves. The fuel is generally yak-dung, -which costs thirty-five sen a bag of two and a half -bushels. A priest will burn three or four bagfuls a month -if he is not particular and careful, while a poor priest may -have to manage with a bagful a year.</p> - -<p>The poorest priest has in his room a sheep’s fur, a -wooden bowl, a rosary and a dirty cushion, which makes -a bed at night. In a corner are found a stove, an earthen -pan, and a pot or jar, which all belong to the room. A -bag hanging in one corner contains the baked flour which -supports his life; but it is very rarely full. The most -precious items of their property are the text books of the -catechism. There are no priests, however poor, but have -five or six copies of the catechism. These books, however, -are not their permanent property, for they will sell them as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[328]</a></span> -soon as their examinations are over. At night their bed -consists of their hood, an underdress and a bed covering, -besides an old blanket, which, however, is in the possession -of only a limited number. He who has a room of his own -is among the best of this poor class of priests. In most -rooms of nine feet square, three or four priests often have -a pan in common. I felt so sorry sometimes when I was -called to see a patient among them that I not only gave -medicine for nothing, but sometimes gave him some money. -Such is the condition of the poorest priests, and I was told -that they often passed a couple of days without eating, -when they were given little in the way of help. When -they receive a little money they will hurry to Lhasa, -over three miles off, to buy some baked flour. Some of -them do not come home directly from the city, for hunger -often takes them to some little restaurant, where they eat -some macaroni. The consequence is that they spend their -money and are plunged again into such poverty that -they must live another couple of days without anything to -eat. I hardly ever passed them without giving them something, -so that they at last came to pay so much respect to -me that they would stop when they saw me, and wait in -reverence while I passed.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[329]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LI" id="CHAPTER_LI">CHAPTER LI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">My Tibetan Friends and Benefactors.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>To go back a little in my story, my prosperity as a doctor -obliged me to buy much medicine, and I often went to -Thien-ho-thang, a drug store which was kept by Li -Tsu-shu, a Chinese from Yunnang. In China they make -decoctions of their medicines, but the Tibetans take every -medicine in powdered form. Every medical herb and root -is pulverised, as well as some kinds of horns and stones. -To get some of these medicines I was often obliged to -stop a couple of days in his house; and as I bought great -quantities of medicine, I came to be treated very civilly as -a good customer. He lent me a book on medicine, the -reading of which added not a little to my small knowledge, -and I boldly undertook every kind of patient. I know -I made a very dangerous doctor, but I was obliged to go -on as a pedant domineering over a society of ignoramuses. -Still, I admit I possessed more knowledge of physiology -than most of the doctors in Lhasa, and I was in -consequence more trusted than they.</p> - -<p>I frequently went to this druggist, who owned the largest -of the three Chinese drug stores in Lhasa. Li Tsu-shu was -about thirty years old and had a very fine house. He -lived with his wife, a son and a daughter, a mother-in-law -and three maids. They treated me as if I were a member -of the family, probably because I was kind to them and -gave them all sorts of things that I received from my -friends and clients. When, for instance, somebody gave me -too much cake, sugar, milk or grapes, for my own use, I used -to take them to the druggist to give them to the children, -who were consequently quite impatient to see me. If I -happened not to visit the house for a couple of days, they be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[330]</a></span>came -anxious about me. I was soon so much beloved by -the children that we seemed to have been friends for over -ten years, and I was sometimes asked if I had known them -in China. This acquaintance with the children helped me -very much afterwards, when I was leaving Tibet.</p> - -<p>This <i>Gyami Menkhang</i> or Chinese druggist had his house -in the street of Wan-dzu Shing-khang, in Lhasa. Among -those who used to come to his store was Ma Tseng, -Secretary to the Chinese Amban. He was a great scholar -and a man of worldly knowledge. He had a Tibetan -mother and was born in Tibet. He spoke Tibetan without -a shade of Chinese accent, while he spoke and read -Chinese quite as well. He had read much in Chinese, and -had been twice in Peking. Three times he had gone to -India, visited Calcutta and Bombay as a peddler, and -come back with a great store of knowledge about foreign -affairs. His office hours being very short, he had much time -to spare, and as he was a great friend of the -druggist’s, he came to him very often. This led me -to get acquainted with him, and I found him very amusing. -He told me many Tibetan secrets and many of their -habits and customs both good and bad. I soon found -that what was told by him was always true. Being the -Secretary of the Chinese Amban, he was also acquainted -with the secret relations of the Tibetan and Chinese -Governments. He was so talkative, that he would tell -me anything before I asked. His acquaintance pleased -me so much that when I was tired of reading I would -take a walk to the druggist’s, with no other object than -to talk with this Secretary.</p> - -<p>Once while standing at the door of the druggist’s, I -saw a man apparently of quality come towards me with -his servant. The store stands at the corner where the -streets leading to Panang-sho and Kache-hakhang meet, -and this man came along Ani-sakan street toward Panang-sho.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[331]</a></span> -He passed a few steps by me, when he turned and -looked at me. Then I heard his servant say that I must be -the man. Walking to me the nobleman said “Is it you?” -I looked at him and found him, though much thinner than -before, to be the son of Para the Premier, whom I had -met at Darjeeling. He did not look like a man out of his -senses, as I had been told. He said that he was much -pleased that I had come to his country. He was on some -important business, but went with me into the house of -the druggist. The wife of the druggist, who knew him, -gave him a chair, and the young noble seemed to be -desirous to talk with me. I hinted that it was not -good for us to let it be known that we had seen each -other at Darjeeling, and began our talk by saying that it -was about half a year since we had met each other at -Gyangtze. He also was aware that his staying at Darjeeling -should be kept a secret, and carefully avoided talking -about our having met in that town.</p> - -<p>From what he said and did there, I could not find anything -in him that showed him to be an idiot; on the contrary, -he was evidently a man of much sense. Among -other things he told me that three months before, one of -his servants committed theft and, when reproved severely, -had pierced him through the side with a sword with the result -that a part of his intestines could be seen. This, he -added, made him so haggard. When, after a long talk, he -went on his way, the wife of the druggist told me that the -young man had hoodwinked me about the wounds, which -really were given him for wrong-doing on his side. She -told me that everything concerning his family was known -to her, for she had before been wife to his brother, who, -not being allowed to live long with her, simply because she -was of birth too humble for his family, divorced her and -was now adopted at Namsailing. The young man, she told -me, was very prodigal, and deeply in debt, on account of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[332]</a></span> -which he was wounded. To my question whether he was -then beside himself, she answered that he was mad or -otherwise as it suited him, and not a man to be easily trusted, -for he was very good at taking money from others.</p> - -<p>In Tibet, when people go out to enjoy the flowers (for the -flower-season is very short there) they pitch tents in the -wheat-fields or in a forest, and have every sort of -merriment. This is called a picnic of <i>lingka</i>, or forest party, -and forms one of the merriest amusements in Tibet. I -was invited once to one of these villas in the wheat-fields. -I found there an old nun of about sixty years of age, -with seven or eight nun-attendants beside her. Hers -was not a tent, but a splendid house of wood, the walls -of which were covered over inside with painted cloth -and outside with white cloth. Though temporary, the -building was well furnished. This old lady had been ill for -over fifteen years, and was aware that she was sinking. -She said she knew that her disease was incurable, but -nevertheless desired to have such a famous doctor as myself -to feel her pulse, and would be satisfied if I could only -relieve her a little of her pain. I examined her and found -that her trouble was rheumatism, so I gave her a little -tincture of camphor, besides some medicine for her stomach, -which was a little out of order. Faith works wonders. My -medicine told well and, her pain of fifteen years gradually -abating, she was soon able to enjoy sound sleep, which had -long been desired by her. Finally she became so well that -she could walk a little. Her raptures can be imagined, -and she at once reported the condition of her health to her -family. It seems that she was married, though not legally, -to the Ex-Minister of Finance, who was also a priest of the -New Sect. Shame on Buḍḍhism therefore that he was living -with the nun. Priest nobles are generally supposed to -have wives, though not legally married to them; most of -them keep such women somewhere, and the nuns are the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[333]</a></span> -best class of women to be their wives—at least so had -thought the Ex-Minister of Finance. This particular nun -was old now and bent with age, though she was stoutly -built.</p> - -<p>When one of the man servants in the residence of the -Minister of Finance fell ill, I was sure to be summoned, for -they put great faith in me and I could not but believe that -the Lord Buḍḍha was working through me to cause me to -succeed so wondrously among them. In this wise I became -acquainted with the Ex-Minister of Finance, who was a -deeply learned scholar, as well as an experienced diplomatist. -Aged sixty-two, he was about seven feet six inches -in height—taller than any other Tibetan I saw.</p> - -<p>His dress took twice as much cloth as that of an ordinary -person. He knew men well, and was shrewd in -business, exceedingly kind and faithful and never deceitful. -His only fault was his living with the nun. -While talking with me, they often repented with tears -of the folly they had committed with each other -when young. He was not bad at heart, but his passionate -behavior soiled what should have been his stainless purity, -and also he was much influenced by worldly thoughts. -He had great sympathy with my condition, and often said -that he was very sorry for me to have to see a patient, who -had been sent to me from Lhasa, when the patients in Sera -were keeping me so busy. Besides being sorry for -my lack of time for study, he warned me to be on my -guard. Upon my asking him what he meant, he disclosed -his fear that I might be poisoned like many other -envied persons, for I had already robbed many doctors of -their business. When I expressed my concern, he asked -me if I should be contented with a moderate living. Being -assured that I should be quite satisfied if I could only obtain -a mere living, he said that he would support me, and offered -me a dwelling in his residence. It was not pretty, he said,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[334]</a></span> -but quiet and comfortable. It was situated out of -the way, so that few patients, except those who were very -dangerously ill, would be likely to trouble me, and I could -then study more devotedly. Not only, he said, could I give -more time to study, but I should also be on better terms with -the city physicians, if at the cost of some inconvenience on -the part of general patients. I was very glad to accept -this kind offer, for I had been much regretting the little -time and opportunity I had to study Buḍḍhism, which was -the sole object of my coming to Lhasa through so many -hardships.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[335]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LII" id="CHAPTER_LII">CHAPTER LII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Japan in Lhasa.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Everything went well with me, for I had earned much -money, and besides everything needed for my livelihood -was to be given to me by the Ex-Minister. So at last, leaving -a young lad in charge of my quarters at Sera, I removed to -the residence of the Ex-Minister with my furniture. I told -the lad never to let it out of his mouth that I was with -the Ex-Minister, and to try to send most patients to some -other doctor in the city. I provided for him some way of -living and study. Still, I went to Sera occasionally to -have my catechism. My new dwelling was six yards by four. -It was divided in the middle into two rooms, and -being the dwelling of a noble, the walls were brightly -colored green with various pictures. The thick carpet<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[336]</a></span> -had flowers of gold woven in it in the Tibetan style. There -was a desk of ebony, as well as a little Buḍḍhist shrine. -The accommodation was very complete, and everything -was clean. Beside this residence there was another, that -of the present Minister of Finance. It was three storied, the -Ex-Minister Cham-ba Choe-sang’s being a two-storied house. -It was quiet there and my priest friends no more troubled -me in my study by their calls, but it was a little too far -for me to go to my teacher’s.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t335"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t335h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t335.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="440" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>ROOM IN THE FINANCE SECRETARY’S HOUSE.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>Now it happened that I found a very good tutor. The -Ex-Minister had a natural half-brother, Ti Rinpoche (the -present ruler of Tibet) by title, whose father was a Chinaman. -He was of Sera extraction, and had been made a -priest when seven years old, and was then sixty-seven years -of age. The previous year he was created the highest -priest in all Tibet. The title of his priestly rank is Ti -Rinpoche of Ganden. There is, in the temple of Ganden, -a priestly seat on which Je Tsong-kha-pa, the Founder of -the New Sect, had sat, and on which none may sit but the -Dalai Lama and this highest priest. The former, however, -cannot always seat himself on it, while the latter, living at -Ganden, can sit on it any time. The Grand Lama had the -right to sit on it by birth, while Ti Rinpoche had had to -have a secret training of thirty long years after he had -received the degree of doctor in Buḍḍhism, before he was -given the privilege. When this training of long years had -made him a priest perfectly learned and virtuous, he was -elected the highest priest in Tibet and given the privilege -to sit on the seat. Any person or priest who has attained -moral and intellectual perfection after a study and training -of some fifty or sixty years may use this seat, except sons -of butchers, blacksmiths, hunters, and men of the lowest -caste.</p> - -<p>Hence in reality, the highest priest must be more -learned and virtuous than the Grand Lama. I was very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">[337]</a></span> -fortunate to have as my tutor such a high personage. -This is a privilege denied to most people in Tibet, -where the distinction of castes is given so much importance, -that it is among the most difficult things for -any one to have an interview with such a great -man. In this way, I succeeded in learning much about -the secrets of Tibetan Buḍḍhism. The highest priest at -the first glance at me seemed to know what kind of a man -I am, and treated me as what I suppose he thought me -to be. He hinted, if indirectly, that he felt some fear for -me, and I, too, began to fear him. Still, he must have -found faithfulness in me, for he taught me Buḍḍhism -in its true form, and I felt correspondingly grateful to him, -for none of the many doctors, learned scholars, religionists, -and hermits with whom I studied Buḍḍhism influenced -me half so much as this highest priest. It must have been -this virtuous Buḍḍhist, I believe, who influenced the -Ex-Minister, his brother, when fallen into so great a folly, -to repent of his sin and to live a peaceful life. And the -nun-wife of the Ex-Minister, let me add, was of hardly -less active temper, though she had not so many ideas as -her husband.</p> - -<p>This nun-wife had made a pilgrimage of repentance about -twenty years before to Kātmāndu in Nepāl. I was -much delighted to hear the story of this pilgrimage -and its hardships, the more so as I had been in Nepāl -myself. I could not but be moved by the charitable deeds -of both the Ex-Minister and the nun, and instead of blaming -them for their bad behavior, which brought shame on -Buḍḍhism, I rather sympathised with them for it, as they -had so many things in common. They taught me how -great was the power of charming love, and warned me -against it. The more acquainted I became with this family, -the more fully I began to know about it. I came to understand -the state of the family, the conditions of the servants,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">[338]</a></span> -and every particular of the house. On the other hand, I had -little opportunity to talk with the present Minister of -Finance, who lived next to my house, for he was too busy to -receive guests. His name was Ten-Jin Choe Gyal; he was -quiet and very strong-willed, but when he talked to me -he smiled and made me feel quite at home with him. He -put off all the dignity of a Minister, mainly because, I -believe, I was being treated by the Ex-Minister and his -nun-wife as if I were their son. Being in the Ministerial -chair, he was often able to disclose to me some important -secrets of the Government, and we talked quite confidentially -with each other. If any grave subject presented itself -at the court, he usually gave no opinion of his own -there, but would consult with the Ex-Minister, whom -he regarded as his superior, and the Ex-Minister then -gave him his opinions about the subject, discussing it -from various points of view. The Ex-Minister would have -been by that time promoted to the position of the highest -priest had it not been for his ill-famed deeds of love, which -were a cause of impeachment against him. Had this -strong man been appointed Premier under the present able -Grand Lama, we might have expected much wiser government -in Tibet. I was often present at the meetings of the -two Ministers, and was requested to give my humble opinions -about the subjects discussed. This gave me a good opportunity -of studying Tibetan politics. While in the monastery, -where was discussed only the philosophy of Buḍḍhism, -I could hear little or nothing about the Government of the -Grand Lama, which was generally supposed to be good. -The priests know only how reverently to bend their heads -before the Dalai Lama, but are entirely ignorant of the -secrets of their Government, or I should say the secrets are -kept from the priests; but now I succeeded in hearing many -of the diplomatic secrets about the relations of the Government -with China, Britain, Russia and Nepāl.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[339]</a></span></p> - -<p>I have already told how I met the Prince of Para at -the druggist’s; now I met no less unexpectedly a merchant -of Darjeeling, Tsa Rong-ba by name, who also proved afterwards -a great help to me at the time of my departure from -Tibet. I think before I go on further I shall do well to -narrate how I happened to meet him. Once I was walking -along Parkor, the ‘Middle path for the circumambulation -of the holy temple of the Buḍḍha’ and the busiest street in -Lhasa. At the sides of the street are many shops, not very -different from those in most other countries. Many portable -shops or stalls may also be seen in the street, in which -daily necessaries are sold, and articles of food, clothing and -furniture. Most of these things are of course made in -Tibet, though some are imports from Calcutta and Bombay -as also from China. But the thing that attracted my eye -most was a box of Japanese matches. Japanese matches, -manufactured by Doi of Osaka, are imported into the capital -of Tibet, besides some other kinds without the names -of the manufacturers on them. There were to be seen, -among others, those which have the trade mark of two -elephants and of one, as well as the wax candles with the -trade mark of an elephant coming out of a house. The -paper was red with a white picture on it. Some matches of -Swedish make were also imported, but they are now ousted -by the Japanese. Some Japanese bamboo blinds with -pictures of women may also be seen in Tibet. Some -<i>kutani</i> porcelain is seen in the high circles, but rarely -in stores or shops. Japanese scroll pictures too are -often found hanging in the houses of rich families. -These inanimate Japanese articles are more daring than -the people who made them!</p> - -<p>Wishing that these articles, an outcome of Japanese -civilisation, might be conducive to light in dark Tibet, -I walked along the street, till I came to a shop where I saw -a cake of soap. It looked as good as any that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[340]</a></span> -could be found in the Tibetan capital. I walked into -the shop and asked how much it cost, and I -noticed the master staring at me. He looked very much -like a merchant with whom I became acquainted in Darjeeling -but I could not believe that he could be settled there, -and wondered if he were a kinsman of that merchant. No, -it was, as I found afterwards, the man himself, whose -name was Tsa Rong-ba. But I had then so different an -appearance myself that he too could not easily recognise -me. For while in Darjeeling I had usually dressed myself -in Japanese dress and scarcely went out in a Tibetan -costume, though I often put it on indoors. After my arrival -in Tibet, I clothed myself entirely as a Tibetan. Moreover -I now had my beard growing long, which I had not -at Darjeeling. The man told me that the soap was too -dear, and showed me another cheap and good kind, but I -liked the dearer one better and bought two cakes of it. -When I came home and showed them to the Minister of -Finance, he was so pleased with them for their good smell -that he asked me to let him have one cake, so I gave -him both.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 553px;"> -<a id="zill_t341"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t341h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t341.jpg" class="hires" width="553" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>UNEXPECTED MEETING OF FRIENDS.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>A couple of days afterwards I again went to Tsa -Rong-ba’s to buy a few cakes of the same soap, as I feared -it might soon be out of stock. Instead of selling me the -soap, the master stared me in the face. When I tried to -pay the price, he began asking me if I knew him. The -sound of his voice plainly told me his identity and I -laughed as I replied that I knew him. He looked much -surprised and told me to come into his house. Telling his -servants to close the doors of the shop, for it was now -getting dark, he led me into his house, which was small in -size but neat and clean. I was led into his parlor upstairs, -and found his wife who came with him from Darjeeling. -I recognised her at once, but she seemed to have quite -forgotten me. Even when her husband said she must<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">[342]</a></span> -know me, as she had received much kind treatment -from me, she could not recollect me, until he told her how -she had received medicine from me when ill at Darjeeling. -She then expressed her joy at seeing me in such a -strange place and so unexpectedly.</p> - -<p>Then the husband and wife expressed their great -wonder that I, a stranger, had succeeded in entering -Tibet, when it was exceedingly difficult for even a Tibetan -to come or go to the capital. They did not -believe me when I told them that I had come by -the way of Jangthang; for they said there were soldiers -placed on guard all along the road. I said I had come -through pathless wilds, but they refused to believe me. But -now I thought myself to be within a hair’s breadth of the -danger of detection, which would bring everything in my -plan to naught. Were I known to be a Japanese, some -evil or other would certainly befall me, and all the kindness -of the Ministers and the priests at Sera to me would -end in air-bubbles. I feared this merchant might betray -me to the Government for his own benefit. I must -get the better of him, I thought, and I tried to do so.</p> - -<p>Assuming a serious attitude, speaking in a determined -tone of voice, and looking the man and the woman straight -in their eyes, I said: “Here is a fine job for you; you can -give me up to the authorities; tell them that I am a -‘Japan Lama’ in disguise, who smuggled himself into the -country against its laws. By so doing you may -serve a double purpose, for I have been thinking -that sooner or later I shall have to do the same -thing myself, only I was afraid that they might not believe -me. But if you do it for me you will save me the -trouble, while the authorities will believe; besides, you may -come into a nice bit of fortune; for they will reward you -for your information with a large sum of money. I have -long made up my mind.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">[343]</a></span></p> - -<p>I noticed a change come over the looks of the woman first: -she turned pale and even began to tremble; but the man -spoke first, and, in a tone of both appeal and reproach, -earnestly protested that he had no such intention as that of -which I seemed to suspect him. Indeed he went the length—quite -voluntarily—of swearing by “Cho-o Rinpoche” -that he would never betray me, lest he should die. Still I -urged them both. He once more gave his pledge, in -which the woman joined in the most fear-stricken -manner, both raising their hands, with which they pointed -in the direction of the ‘Buḍḍha temple’ of Lhasa. I knew -what the latter act with the words of the oath meant. I -became convinced of their sincerity, and saw that I was -safe in their hands. For Cho-o Rinpoche means “Holiness -of the Savior” and forms in Tibet the most solemn words -of swearing which, when uttered in the manner described, -furnish the strongest possible proof of sincerity. It is -true that Tibetans are much given to swearing, and -possess a great variety of expressions for the purpose, there -being forty-five of them to my own knowledge. Those -most commonly in use are “<i>Konjogsum</i>” (Holy three -treasures) and “<i>Ama tang te!</i>” (separate me from my -mother). The natives are in the habit of using these oaths -as words of interjection. But when, in all seriousness, -they subject themselves to the form observed by my host -and his wife, they may safely be depended upon for their -absolute sincerity. As it was, I pressed them no further, -and they seemed to be well pleased at the final dispelling -of all my suspicion against them.</p> - -<p>Before I took leave of them they asked me about my -lodging, and finding out I was the “<i>Serai amchi</i>,” the -doctor of Sera, they were most astonished and pleased—pleased -to know that they had as acquaintance a man of so -great renown as I was then in Lhasa. From that time -onward I was a frequent visitor and trusted friend at Tsa<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344">[344]</a></span> -Rong-ba’s, with always something to give the good couple, -as was the case with me at Gyami menkhang’s, the Chinese -druggist.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345">[345]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LIII" id="CHAPTER_LIII">CHAPTER LIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Scholastic Aspirants.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>First, to speak of the nationalities of the aspirants; the -students in the three great colleges are not solely natives -of Tibet; they comprise Mongols proper, and also Khams, -who belong to a somewhat different race. In fact it is -customary to place Mongols first in point of numbers, -then Tibetans, and last of all Khams. These three groups -of students are as distinct in their characteristics as they -are in their nationalities. Tibetans, generally speaking, -are a very quiet, courteous, and intelligent set of students, -but are not at all inclined to be diligent—indeed they are as -a rule as lazy as they can be. The fact that they are -very dirty in their habits seems to come from this their -national weakness of being extremely and eternally idle. -During winter days, for instance, a Tibetan bonze who -possesses the ordinary means of living will simply do no -work, beyond attending to the routine of chanting the -sacred text in the service-hall, and making trips to the -monastery kitchen for his ration of tea. When the weather -is fine he spends all his leisure hours basking in the -warm sun and squatting naked in front of his cell. -Nothing can be more significant of his instinctive -indolence than the sight of him as he sits dozing there -the whole day long, putting on his head to dry a -waste scrap of some woollen stuff, with which he occasionally -blows his nose. Such behavior, excusable -only in an old or decrepit person, is nothing unusual in -many of the young Tibetan priests. How lazy and sluggish -the average Tibetans are, it is almost beyond the power -of Westerners to imagine.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346">[346]</a></span></p> - -<p>Not so with the Mongols: one never sees them -enjoying themselves in such an indolent fashion. They -study very hard and always take a very active part in -the catechetical exercises, principally because they -are alive to the purpose for which they have come so far -from their home and country. Four hundred out of the -five hundred Mongols are generally fine students; while -the ratio has to be inverted in the case of Tibetans, four -hundred and fifty out of five hundred of whom are but -trash. In consequence of this, the bulk of the “students -militant” or warrior-priests of whom I have already spoken -are Tibetans, Khams and Mongols being seldom found -among them. Mongols are studious and progressive, but -one common fault with them is that they are very quick-tempered, -so that the slightest thing causes them to flare -up in tremendous rage. Being always conscious of the -fact that they are the most assiduous of the students, and -that the largest number of the winners of the doctor’s -degree always come from amongst them, they are very -proud and uppish. This Mongolian pride makes most -Mongols, even those that try to be calm and well-balanced, -to be pitied for their narrow-mindedness and -petulance, in spite of all their other numerous good -qualities. A Mongol has it in him to become a great -leader like Genghis Khan; but the career of that great -conqueror was but a meteoric burst of short-lived splendor, -and, like him, the Mongols as a nation seem to be incapable -of consolidating their national greatness on anything -like a permanent basis, or of carrying out any schemes -calculated to secure the permanent progress and improvement -of their country.</p> - -<p>The Khams, on the other hand, are infinitely superior -in this respect both to the Mongols and the Tibetans, and -this in spite of the fact that their country is generally -supposed to be no better than a den of thieves and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">[347]</a></span> -robbers. A Kham is excitable, but he does not lose his -temper like a Mongol: indeed, he can be admirably patient -and persevering when he wills. In point of physique, -too, he is far ahead as a rule of both the others. The -Khams are chivalrous men, blunt and outspoken, and -averse to flattery. My observations among the students -of Sera lead me to infer that more open-hearted, unaffected -students are to be found among the Khams than among -any other of the nationalities represented there. Mongols -will occasionally demean themselves by fawning upon -others in order to gain some object dear to their hearts, -but the worst sinners in this respect are the Tibetans—so -much so that the Khams, unless they are thoroughly -Tibetanised Khams, are unwilling to enter into friendship -with them. It is said to the honor of the Khams -that even their robbers are honorable and will often -give a helping hand to the poor and weak, and rescue -those who stand in imminent peril. The Kham women -and children, as a rule, share in the apathetic appearance -of the men. They are often very unbecomingly dressed -and have none of the attractiveness of the Tibetan women, -who, like their husbands, fathers, and brothers, are generally -well-spoken and affable in outward demeanor, however -full of thorns and brambles their innermost hearts may be.</p> - -<p>I have been able to give here only a brief and cursory -notice of some of the characteristic features of the principal -tribes that inhabit these unfrequented regions of Central -Asia, with a few of the most essential of the points of -difference between them. I might carry my subdivision -much further, and speak of the Khams as Mankhams, -Bas, Tsarongs, etc., but that would involve a very long -and not very profitable discourse, and I therefore pass -on to topics of greater interest.</p> - -<p>To interpret correctly the aspirations of Tibetan Lamas, -their ideals, or the final goal which they strive to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">[348]</a></span> -attain, it may safely be said that their main purpose -in entering the priesthood is only to procure the -largest possible amount of fortune, as well as the -highest possible fame in that entirely secluded world -of theirs. To seek religious truth and to practise religious -austerities with a view to acquiring knowledge and -character sufficient to carry out the noble work of delivering -men and leading them to salvation, is not at all what -they wish to do. If they study, they do so as a means of -gaining reputation, of extending their influence, and -mainly of accumulating wealth. They simply desire to -escape from the painful struggle of life in the world of -competition, and to enjoy lazy and comfortable days on -earth as well as in heaven. Nine hundred and ninety-nine -out of a thousand seem to have no conception of the -problems of the future life, and there is nothing deep in -their religious life. “It is more blessed to receive than to -give” is their motto, and hence the monastic life, -study and service, in its fullest sense, goes in their -eyes for nothing. The reason why these priests and -scholars, who ought to be the noblest and most unselfish -of all men, have been brought to this state -of apostasy, seems to be this.</p> - -<p>In Tibet, the social estimation of priest and scholars is -made, not according to their learning or virtue, nor yet according -to the amount of good they have done for their -fellow-men, but entirely according to the amount of property -which they possess. Thus, a priest who owns an estate of a -thousand dollars, however mean and ignorant he may be, -is much more influential and far more highly esteemed in -society than a learned and virtuous priest who lives on a -small income. They believe in the almighty dollar, and -twist S. Paul’s saying: “Though I have the gift of prophecy, -and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and -though I have all faith, so that I can remove mountains, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">[349]</a></span> -have not” money, “I am nothing.” They are earnest therefore -in making money, in whatever way they find profitable. -Some of them, as I have said, are engaged in trade or industrial -enterprises, and others in agriculture or stock-farming. -Besides, it is their custom to appropriate to themselves -the remuneration which they receive when they visit -laymen’s houses for the purpose of chanting the Sacred -Text for them, in accordance with their priestly duty.</p> - -<p>It is pitiful to contemplate the condition of the students -who, without scholarship or support, are preparing in -the colleges for their degrees. They live hard struggling -lives of study in the midst of want, and yet the only -stimulus that encourages them is the expectation that they -will be able to enjoy the comfortable life of high priests, -when they have got through the prescribed course of study -and have achieved the Doctorate. They do really suffer, -but their sufferings are not, so far as I know, those of the -man of self-denial who strives hard and struggles against -difficulties for the noble ambition of winning souls to -salvation, or for some humanitarian purpose; they are exceedingly -patient in suffering, simply with the hope of -reaping ease and comfort in the latter part of their lives. -After a hard monastic life of some twenty years when -they have completed the whole course of study, these -poor students will have the honor of getting the -Doctor’s degree, a title implying the highest learning, but -in undue proportion costly; for besides spending nearly -half their lives in toils and struggles to get it, they have to -give a grand feast to all their schoolmasters to celebrate -their graduation. It is true, the feast consists only of meat -gruel, a sort of porridge of meat mixed with rice, but -the quantity given is enormous, as there are many capacious -stomachs to be filled.</p> - -<p>To give a feast of this sort requires some five hundred -yen at the very least, each bowlful costing over<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">[350]</a></span> -twenty-five sen. Of course, the poverty-stricken priests -cannot possibly provide the money themselves, but fortunately -the diploma has its use this time; their credit has so -much improved that the wealthy priests who turned up -their noses at needy students are very willing now to -supply them with the necessary money, simply because -they have the degree and chance to pay interest. By -the means of this convenient credit transaction they can -procure the means of giving the necessary banquet and -the wealthy priests get not only credit for their generosity, -but also interest for their money. But nothing is more -disappointing than the future life of those poor priests, who -will probably never succeed in paying off the burden of -debt, or, if exceptionally fortunate, they may succeed in -doing so only after long and hard struggles. It is a sad -thing to contemplate, but such is the hard lot of most -Tibetan priests.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">[351]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LIV" id="CHAPTER_LIV">CHAPTER LIV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Tibetan Weddings and Wedded Life.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>As I was lodging at the house of the Minister of -Finance, I had the good fortune to become acquainted with -and occasionally to call on the other Ministers of State, -among whom was one of the Prime-Ministers, of the name of -Sho Khangwa. (In Tibet, there are four Prime-Ministers -and three Ministers of Finance; the senior Minister, in either -case, taking the actual business and standing responsible -for the conduct of affairs, while the others hold only -nominal portfolios, assisting in the work of the Department -as vice-Ministers. Sho Khangwa was the second -Prime-Minister). During my stay in Lhasa, his daughter -married the son of a noble called the Prince of Yutok. I -was invited to the wedding, a ceremony most solemnly -performed, which I attended with curiosity and interest. -Before proceeding to relate what I saw on that occasion, -I may make a few observations on Tibetan marriages in -general. No general statement can be made however -with regard to marriage-customs, as they vary vastly -according to the different localities. There are several -books containing descriptions of Tibetan marriages, but -these are from the pens of European travellers, who may -perhaps have been in Chinese Tibet, or on the northern -frontier of Tibet proper, but were surely not permitted to -visit Lhasa. So although their descriptions may be correct, -so far as they go, yet no detailed account of a marriage in -Lhasa is, so far as I know, to be found in any of these -books. It is next to impossible for a passing visitor, especially -in such a country as Tibet, where marriage-customs -and manners differ so much with the widely separated -tribes, to give any really trustworthy descriptions; still,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">[352]</a></span> -as circumstances have given me special opportunities of -observing minutely the people’s life, social and domestic, -in Lhasa, and even of attending several wedding ceremonies -of the natives, it is not only proper, but may also -possibly be of some value, to relate my observations and -experiences during my stay in the city.</p> - -<p>It is generally known that a peculiar system of -marriage prevails in Tibet—a plurality not of wives -but of husbands. The cases of polyandry are; first, -when several brothers take the same woman as their -wife at the same time; second, when two or more men -not brothers, marry the same woman by mutual agreement; -and thirdly, when a woman, already married -to one man, gains influence over her husband, and, with -his consent, marries another in addition. In case the -mother of a family dies, either the father or the son takes -a new spouse, who becomes at the same time the wife of -the other male members of the family without infringing -the law of the country. They are quite insensible to the -shame of this dissolute condition of matrimonial relations, -which can scarcely be even imagined by people with a -civilised moral sense; and yet there do exist some restrictions: -marriage of brothers with sisters, or between -cousins, is not only censured by the public as immoral, -but also prohibited by the law as criminal.</p> - -<p>The wife’s authority over her husbands is something -surprising. All the money which the husbands have earned -has to be handed over to their wife, and if one of the -husbands is found less clever or less successful in making -money than the others, she will give him a severe scolding. -When a husband needs money, he has to beg his wife to -give him so much for such and such a purpose, just as a -child does to its mother. If she happens to find any of -her husbands keeping back his earnings, she will break -out in anger, and give him slaps instead of caresses. In<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">[353]</a></span> -short, a wife generally exercises a commanding authority -over her husbands.</p> - -<p>She will order them to go out shopping and to do this -or that, and husbands are quite obedient to the wife, too, -and quite ready to do everything that is required, or that -they find suitable to soothe her. When two or more men -have anything to agree upon among them, they do not -decide for themselves, but run home and ask their wife’s -opinion before coming to a final decision, and, if she has -no objection, they will meet again and settle the matter. -Though polyandry is the prevailing system of marriage in -Tibet, there are a few exceptional cases of monogamistic -couples, generally in cases where the husband is in a comparatively -influential position.</p> - -<p>Another peculiarity in connexion with marriage is that -an agreement, to the effect that either husband or wife -may divorce the other whenever he or she has become -averse to continuing as the other’s partner, is acknowledged -as a legitimate condition of a matrimonial -contract.</p> - -<p>I come now to a description of the marriage ceremony -as observed in Lhasa. The Tibetans, whether men -or women, marry generally between the twentieth and -twenty-fifth years of age.</p> - -<p>Although there are some exceptions (especially in the -case of couples married late in life, where the husband’s -age much exceeds that of his wife) usually both bride and -groom are of about equal age. If a woman who has five -brothers as her husbands gives birth to a child, the eldest -of the brothers is called the father of the child and the -rest the uncles. One European writer says that in Tibet -the eldest of the brothers, who have the same woman as -their wife, is called the great father of her children, and -the younger brothers their small fathers; but this I have -not been able to verify.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">[354]</a></span></p> - -<p>There is almost no such thing, so far as my experience of -the Tibetans has gone, as a woman choosing her own -husbands. The choice of husbands and all decision -connected therewith are made by the parents only, -and the daughter herself who is going to be married is -never permitted to make any choice of her partner, nor -even to take any part in the consultation regarding her -own marriage. She is compelled to marry whomsoever her -parents decide upon for her husband. Not only so, but -parents never tell their daughter at all that a proposal has -been made, or that they are going to give her in marriage, -until the very day of the wedding. These compulsory -marriages, therefore, frequently end in divorce. However, -in the remote country or even in the city, sometimes a girl -selects her partner and obtains permission from her parents -to marry the man of her choice. Such cases, however -are very exceptional.</p> - -<p>It is the universal usage throughout the country for the -parents of a young man of marriageable age to make -enquiries for a suitable bride among families equal in -lineage, fortune and rank with their own. When such -a girl is found, they at once communicate through a -middleman with the girl’s parents, asking whether -she may be given as wife to their sons. If the -answer is a simple negative, the middleman understands -that the case is an entirely hopeless one; but if they say: -“We will see about it” or something to that effect, he -will call on them several times and talk of all the -good qualities of the young man, his parents and everything -about him. Then the girl’s parents, after giving a -conditional consent to the proposal, go to a fortune-teller -or a high priest to ask his judgment and advice in this important -matter, or they will go to a sorcerer who is believed -to be able to give information about the future, and then -only will they give a definite answer to the middleman.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">[355]</a></span></p> - -<p>The parents on each side keep the whole thing a -secret from their son or daughter, even after the betrothal -has been decided upon. Thus both bride and groom go to -the very day of their wedding, without knowing anything -of their own marriage—neither the preliminary consultations -nor the name of the bride or groom; they are brought -face to face for the first time on the wedding day. There -is no custom of exchanging presents between bride and -bridegroom, or of the bride’s bringing a dowry to her -husband as in Japan, and no consultation or arrangement -is made, or anything like a marriage-contract regarding the -property of the parties concerned; only the bride’s parents, -to keep up the honor of the family, have to furnish their -daughter with all things needed for her marriage, suitable -to their social standing; else they would be disgraced -in the public eye. On the groom’s side also his -parents send a present of some money to the bride’s -mother as ‘breast money’ or nurse expense, remuneration -for her marriage and care in bringing up the -girl. Then, again, the parents on both sides go and -enquire of a fortune-teller or sorcerer, before fixing upon -the day of the wedding or of beginning to make the necessary -preparations.</p> - -<p>On the morning of the wedding, the girl’s parents, who -have already been informed of the time when the middleman -is to come from the groom’s house, casually tell the -girl that the weather being very fine they intend going to -the Temple, and that she had better go with them, and that -as they are going to have a “lingka feast” she had better -have her hair done, or words to that effect. The girl is -generally much delighted at hearing this, and starts at once -to dress herself quite unconscious of the stratagem. -But sometimes a clever girl sees through the artifice and -breaks into tears of sorrow at her unexpected departure -from her old home.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">[356]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t356"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t356h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t356.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="769" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>GIRL WEEPING AT BEING SUDDENLY COMMANDED TO MARRY.</p></div> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">[357]</a></span></p> - -<p>A girl who is unaware of this artifice will wash and -scrub her face and body as her parents bid her, and make -herself as smart as they please. It is to be noted that, as a -general custom in Tibet, ordinary people never wash their -faces or bodies at all, though the nobles do so every morning -just after leaving their beds. The manner in which they -wash their faces is almost more like a joke. When a -nobleman gets up in the morning, a maid or attendant will -bring him a ladleful of warm water which he first takes in -the palms of his hands and then puts into his mouth. -After holding it in there for a while he spits it back into his -palms little by little and then washes his face with it. -When the water in the mouth is all gone, he will spit -several times on to his palms and again rub his -face. It is true that basins are used by some Tibetans: -the above is however the normal way.</p> - -<p>To return, the girl, knowing nothing about the trick in -store for her and expecting to go out for amusement, -is cheerful and gay, busily engaged in her toilet, and -adorning her hair with her old comb and pins, when her -parents come to her with a new comb, pins and other -toilet articles (all of which have been secretly presented by -the groom’s parents through the middleman) and say to -her: “Your pins and comb are too old, my dear, we have -some new ones for you; here they are; and a good -bottle of hair-oil too. You must dress yourself up as -nicely as possible,” and so on. Then when at last the toilet -is complete, the parents tell her for the first time that an -engagement has already been made with so and so, whom -she has to marry that day. This is the general custom -not only in Lhasa, but also in Shigatze and other towns.</p> - -<p>But, as I have already said, a sagacious girl who can -see through her parents’ artifices is not generally willing -to dress herself up for the occasion, but will be found -weeping at her unforeseen calamities and sets herself to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">[358]</a></span> -complaining in this strain “Oh! dear me! I don’t want to -leave my home. It is not fair of father and mother -to marry me off to a person whom I shall probably not like. -How can I get out of it?” And then she becomes -very depressed, and devotes absolutely no attention to her -hair-dressing. In this case, however, the girl’s friends, -who are there to help in the preparations for her -wedding, try to cheer her up and encourage her to obey -her parents, and even help her to adorn and dress -herself.</p> - -<p>After all these preparations are over, the bride’s parents -have to give a series of farewell banquets for their -daughter, which will last two weeks, or even more -sometimes, if their family is rich or high in social rank, -but two or three days only in the case of the poor. During -these festivities, the relatives and acquaintances of her -parents visit the family with presents of money, food, or -clothes, to congratulate them on their daughter’s happy -wedding, the value of the presents differing according -to the visitor’s wealth as well as their intimacy with the -family. These visitors are cordially entertained with -Tibetan tea and cold spirits, which they drink to excess, -visitors and host alike enjoying the good things provided, -and having a regular good time or what they call a -chachang pemma, the happiest state in the world.</p> - -<p>While drinking, they eat nothing at all; but at the -afternoon meal they take some meat and wheat-cakes. -The meat they eat is generally the flesh of the yak, -or that of goats or sheep; pork is sometimes used in Lhasa, -but beef is very rare throughout the country, and is -especially rare in the case of wedding feasts. Their cooking -and bill of fare are very simple: three dishes of meat, -raw, dried and boiled (roast meat is never seen at a -wedding). The boiled meat is cooked in oil and salt, or -sometimes in salt and water and is brought in first,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">[359]</a></span> -together with <i>tsu</i>, a concoction of cheese, butter and -sugar. When these are all gone, a big dish of boiled rice -mixed with butter, sugar, raisins and Chinese persimmons -is served. In the evening, again, the guests are entertained -to a dinner in which a sort of vermicelli, -made of wheat-flour and eggs, or pure Chinese cookery -is set before the guests. In this manner they have -three or four meals a day; and besides these, tea -and intoxicants are constantly served during the intervals -between the meals. While eating and drinking the -guests are regaled with pleasant talk, and when the -feasts begin to flag they revive the fun by singing and -dancing. It is very interesting to see men and women -like the moving beads of a rosary, dancing and jumping -promiscuously round and round the circles. They dance in a -regular and systematic manner, each keeping step with -the music as carefully as if he were a soldier at drill, -and yet the regularity and solemnity of the dance does -not in least interfere with the keenness and zest of their -enjoyment. The instrument used in their dance music -is called <i>damnyan</i>, and is often used in accompanying singing -as well as dancing.</p> - -<p>Towards the close of the festive time (I may observe -that it is only the poorest folk that dispense with the prenuptial -feasts), usually on the eve of the wedding, the -parents of the bridegroom send their representative and -the middleman, with a number of attendants, to the bride’s -home to receive the bride. They bring with them a -present of some money as <i>nurin</i> or ‘breast money’ for -the bride’s parents, who are obliged to seem a little backward -about taking it, etiquette demanding that they should -require a good deal of coaxing before accepting such a -present. The nurin may vary in amount from a couple -of dollars to two hundred or even five hundred dollars. -Some parents (not many) refuse it absolutely, saying<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">[360]</a></span> -that the girl being their beloved daughter, it is not their -expectation or their desire to receive any nurin, but that -they “only hope heartily that their daughter will be loved -by and enjoy a happy life among the family to which -she is given in marriage.”</p> - -<p>Then the middleman gives the bride the dress, belt, -Chinese shoes and all other articles necessary for a -bride during the wedding ceremony, these too being -presented by the groom’s parents, and these the bride -cannot refuse; she must wear them even though they -do not suit her. In addition to these gifts the bride -generally receives a precious gem, such as is usually -worn by a woman of Lhasa on the middle of her -forehead. This gem is said to be a sign of a woman’s -being married, though in Lhasa there seems to exist no -strict discrimination in the matter, for unmarried women -in that city often wear it as a mere ornament. In Shigatze -and the neighboring provinces, however, the use of the -gem is strictly restricted, as a matter of fact, exclusively -to married women, who wear it high up at the back of -the head, so that they can be easily distinguished from -single females. In the case of a divorce, a husband has -simply to pluck off the gem from his wife’s head without -the trouble of going to court, or asking the authorities to -alter the census. This single act on the part of the -husband properly and perfectly certifies and legalises the -divorce.</p> - -<p>Besides the things necessary for a bride to wear during -the ceremony which the bridegroom’s parents have to -provide, many valuable ornaments, a fringe, neck-rings, ear-rings, -finger-rings, ornamented armlets and breast-jewels, -are given by the bride’s own parents, for what the -groom’s parents send the bride-elect is confined to the -dress, belt, under-wear and shoes, to be worn on the -occasion of the wedding ceremony.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">[361]</a></span></p> - -<p>Then, those who come to receive the bride stay at the -bride’s house that night, and enjoy a few pleasant hours -drinking with the family.</p> - -<p>An interesting feature of this drinking feast is that the -middleman and the representatives of the bridegroom’s -family have to be very careful not to drink too much that -night, because it is the custom for the friends and relatives -of the bride’s family to try to steal something from them -if the drink should happen to make them drowsy. If they -succeed, they show what they have stolen before all the -guests assembled the next morning, and boast of the -success of their trick, and their victims have to pay them -some twenty tanka of Tibetan silver, or two dollars and a -half in American gold, as a penalty for their carelessness. -So the middleman and the others do all they can not to be -tempted to drink, while the bride’s friends and relatives -ply their guests with liquor and will take no refusal. The -reader can imagine the noise and uproar that sometimes -ensue. But in urging their guests to drink, the friends of -the bride must strictly observe the old ancestral customs, -or else the middleman and the representatives of the -groom’s family will ridicule them for their ignorance, and -thus everlasting shame will come upon the bride’s family. -The others, in their turn, have to arm themselves with suitable -reasons for abstinence. They have to say that chang -is the worst of all sorts of poison, that it is a maker of -quarrels or a robber of wisdom. The refusal to drink -must always be clothed in some proverbial expression of -this kind, according to the old time-honored customs, -and the ordinary Tibetan would be very much disappointed -and almost feel that he had not been to a proper wedding, -if it was not accompanied with their friendly wranglings -over the cups.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">[362]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LV" id="CHAPTER_LV">CHAPTER LV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Wedding Ceremonies.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Early in the morning of the nuptial day the father and -mother give a farewell banquet in the house of the bride. -At the same time the priests of the Old School, generally -known as the ‘Scarlet-Hoods’ or Red-Caps, are asked by -the family to hold a festal service in honor of the village -and family Gods. The object of the festival is to -inform the Gods of the daughter’s being engaged and to -take leave of them, and further to pray the Gods not to do -any injury to their family because of their daughter’s -leaving them for ever, as in return they promise to make -offerings to them and recite the Sacred Text for their pleasure. -Such ceremonies in general are held at the temple -to which the ‘Scarlet-Hoods’ belong. Simultaneously with -the above another festival is held in the house of the bride -by the priest of the Bon religion (pronounced Pon, but -written Bon), the old religion of Tibet, to propitiate the -God Lu-i Gyalpo, or King-Dragon, who according to the -Tibetan mythology is the protector of the fortunes of -each individual family. It is a constant fear with -Tibetans that if it should ever happen that a man -should provoke this God’s anger by any means whatever, -the consequence will be the entire destruction of his fortune. -Therefore lest the God should leave the family -and follow the daughter to whom he is affectionately -attached, and thus abandon the family to utter poverty, -no efforts whatsoever are spared by the family to keep -him away from the daughter. The passages from the Bon -scripture which are read on the occasion of the ceremony -are very interesting. In most of the cases the sentences -are the same, and, in the main, are to the effect that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">[363]</a></span> -family to which the daughter has been engaged is not enjoying -such happiness as the maiden’s own family enjoys; -and again that it is not dignified for the King-Dragon to -go to another house in pursuit of a girl: it is advisable -for the God to stay with the present family and look after -its interests, as before; for boundless will be the happiness -that he shall enjoy in case he stays with the present -family as hitherto. After all, this is not a matter of mere -traditional formality, for among the people of Tibet the -superstition is common that if the King-Dragon should -leave a family for ever to follow a daughter on her marriage, -the family will be reduced to utter poverty; hence these -customs are universally observed by the people.</p> - -<p>The banquet over, there enters the preacher who is to -exhort the bride. He stands in front of the bride, and -instructs her by means of a collection of maxims which he -has well committed to memory previous to the ceremony. -The preacher is a kind personage, selected from people -who are accomplished in such things. In almost all -cases the words of exhortation are about the same, and -they are composed of very easy expressions, so that anybody -can understand them. The sentences say that when -the bride goes to the house of her husband, she must -behave with uniform kindness; that, as it is the duty of a -woman to be obedient to her superiors, once she goes to her -husband’s she must not only be obedient to her parents-in-law, -but must also wait upon her husband and his brothers -and sisters with equal kindness, and more especially must -she love her husband’s younger brothers and sisters with -the same kindness that she has for her true brothers or -sisters; she must treat her servants as if they were her -own children, and the like. Here and there in the -intervals of the exhortations is inserted a story, which is -told by the preacher with such skill that the bride is -generally deeply impressed. When the exhortation is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">[364]</a></span> -over, the father and mother of the bride sit before her, and -with tears repeat exhortations similar to those previously -recited by the regular preacher. Then also come the -relatives and friends of the bride, who, bursting into tears, -and taking the bride by the hand, make their exhortations -most tenderly and in a most caressing manner. After -these ceremonies, the bride has at last to leave her old -home. There is no fixed standard as to the property which -a bride takes with her to her husband’s on the occasion of -her marriage. Some are rich enough to take a piece of -land as a dowry, but some can afford only to take a few -clothes.</p> - -<p>When she leaves her house, the bride weeps bitterly, -and all efforts to get her on horseback are in vain, she -prostrates herself on the ground and lies there obstinately -helpless. Her features become those of one whose heart is -too heavy to part with her parents and her home. In -such a case, the bride is lifted up and placed by friends on -horseback. She does not ride in the same manner as -westerns do, but astride, after the Japanese fashion. -Women in Tibet are very good riders; they do not ride -with long stirrups, but with legs bent back, as if they -were astride on a very low bench, and use an extremely -short stirrup leather. There is no difference between men -and women in the manner of riding. While in Tibet I used -to ride in the same manner, and during the first part of my -experiences I had a hard time of it, more especially in the -case of a long ride, after which I often felt much pain -about my legs.</p> - -<p>Now the bride, thus placed on horseback, makes her -way to the house of the bridegroom. She is dressed in -the wedding garment which has been presented to her by -the bridegroom, and also wears the ornaments for head -and arms which have been presented to her by her own -parents, and her head and face are covered with <i>rin-chen na-nga</i>,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_365" id="Page_365">[365]</a></span> -the precious cloths woven from sheep’s wool, in -stripes of yellow, green, red, white and black. On account -of the cloth, no glimpse of her face can be caught. The -back of her neck is also covered with a small banner, -called the ‘banner of good omen’. This ‘banner of good -omen’ is made of a fine silk stuff dyed in five different -colors, and is some fourteen inches or so in length; it is -inscribed with good wishes for her future.</p> - -<p>The people who have come to see the bride off and -those who have come to receive her all go on horseback, -and on their way to the bridegroom’s house six banquets -altogether are given by the relatives of the bride and of -the bridegroom. Those who have come to see the bride -off give three banquets at three different points on -the road, and those who have come to welcome her -give three similar banquets. Sometimes the banquets -are given at places two miles apart, and sometimes three, -as the case may be, and after the sixth banquet has duly -taken place, the gate of the bridegroom’s house is at last -reached by the wedding procession. In these banquets, -however nobody drinks anything to excess, because every -one is impressed with the fact that he has been entrusted -with the very important duty of taking the bride in safety -to the house of the bridegroom, and so the others, recognising -the situation, never press any one to drink to excess. -As a rule, it is customary in Tibet to press one’s guests -to eat the dainties which have been set before them, while -for the guests it is considered very impolite to taste such -dainties immediately; to do so without a great deal of -pressure is to be as vulgar as a Chinaman. The banquets -are given by the friends of the bride and bridegroom -at the houses of their friends or at their own, but on -the whole it is more usual to have tents erected at -convenient places in fields on the way to the bridegroom’s -house, and to entertain the wedding procession there.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_367" id="Page_367">[367]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 560px;"> -<a id="zill_t366"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t366h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t366.jpg" class="hires" width="560" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>AT THE BRIDEGROOM’S GATE.</p></div> -</div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 589px;"> -<a id="zill_t367"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t367h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t367.jpg" class="hires" width="589" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>THROWING AN IMITATION SWORD AT THE BRIDE.</p></div> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_368" id="Page_368">[368]</a></span></p> - -<p>Thus the gate of the bridegroom’s house is reached. -It would not occur to anybody that there should be any -question as to whether the bride could at once be admitted -to the house of the bridegroom or not, as those who had come -to receive the bride on the way were the relatives of the -bridegroom. However, the fact is quite the reverse. This -is where the Tibetan custom appear so strange in the eyes of -a foreigner. When the bride reaches the gate, she finds it -locked, bolted, and barred against her ingress. In the -crowd gathered in front of the gate of the bridegroom’s -house, there is a man whose duty it is to drive away the -evil spirits, or epidemic diseases, which, it is believed by -the people, may have followed the bride on her way to the -bridegroom’s. Hidden under his right hand, the man has -a sword which is called the <i>Torma</i>, or the sword of the -secret charm, with which he tears such evil spirits or -epidemic diseases to pieces. The sword is made of a -mixture of baked flour, butter and water, fried hard and -colored with the red juice of a plant. Its shape is long -and triangular, like a bayonet; it looks like a sword, and -is said to have some secret charm, pronounced by a priest, -concealed in it. The spectators do not know which one -in the crowd has the sword, but some one must have it, -and as soon as the bride arrives the man, taking advantage -of any opportunity that may offer, throws it in the face of -the bride, and runs inside the gate, the door of which -opens to receive him as he discharges this duty. No sooner -has the man fled inside the gate, than the door is again -closed, and the bride is left standing outside, all covered -with the red fragments of the stuff that has been thrown -at her. One may wonder what can be the origin of such -a custom, and one is told that the bride, on taking leave of -her family, has lost the protection of the Gods of the -village and of the house in which she has been a resident, -and the people are afraid that, for want of the divine protec<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_369" id="Page_369">[369]</a></span>tion, -the bride must have met with a crowd of evil spirits, or -epidemic diseases, on her way to the bridegroom’s house, -and that these might cause some injury to the new couple; -hence the use of the Torma to conquer such evil spirits, or -epidemic diseases.</p> - -<p>Then one wants to know why the man fled inside the -gate, and caused the door to be closed after him, immediately -after throwing the sword in the face of the bride. -There is a peculiar sort of custom prevalent at weddings, -by which every one caught by the bride’s friends is bound -to pay them a penalty of twenty tanka, and therefore the -man flies inside the gate lest he should be caught by -the people who have come to see the bride off. By this -time the people inside the gate, who have been waiting -for the arrival of the wedding procession, demand that -the bride’s party give <i>sheppa</i> (explanation) at the -gate, or else the bride cannot be admitted. The sheppa -consists of many beautiful words and fine phrases, indicating -wishes for good luck and happiness. In response -to their demands, the man in the wedding procession -whose duty it is to say the ‘explanation’ has -to say: “We want to say sheppa, but for lack of -the kata we cannot do so.” On hearing this the -man inside the gate shows a tiny piece of kata through a -chink in the gate and says: “Here is the kata,” but no -sooner has he done so than he promptly pulls it back -again. One may wonder why the people should pull the -cloth in so quickly, and one is told that it is in consideration -of a peculiar custom, that the man must pay twenty -tanka as penalty to any of the bride’s friends that can -catch hold of the cloth; naturally therefore, it is quickly -pulled away. On seeing the kata, the man in the wedding -procession whose duty it is to say sheppa solemnly -says as follows: “This is the gate which leads to the -store-house where many precious and valuable things are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_370" id="Page_370">[370]</a></span> -kept; the pillars are built of gold and the door of silver -and inside the gate there is a hall of worship which is -made of natural cloisonné; there is also a palace, the -inmates of which are as virtuous and beautiful as angels -and Gods.”</p> - -<p>Words similar to these are said, and at the termination -of the sheppa the gate is open.</p> - -<p>I must here not omit to say that on her way to the bridegroom’s, -as she is riding past a certain village, the bride is -sometimes caught hold of and carried off by the people of -the village, on the pretext that her coming will cause some -injury to them, as it is believed by them also that the -bride has lost the protection of the Gods of her native -place, and that during her journey many evil spirits and -epidemic diseases must have taken hold of her, and that -these, on arriving at the village, will do great damage to -its farms and cause much injury to the inhabitants. So -the people of the village carry off the bride as a compensation -for such prospective damage, and in order to get a -safe passage through the village the attendants of the -bride must pay ransom. I may say that this is a very rare -occurrence in a town, but in lonely parts of the country it -will sometimes take place. It must be understood that it -is generally in the case of a family which is not popular -with its neighbors that the bride receives such treatment.</p> - -<p>Upon the gate being opened, the mother of the -bridegroom comes out with some sour milk and -<i>chema</i> in her hands. Chema is a mixture of baked -flour, butter, sugar and taro-root. Taro-root is a kind -of potato, produced in Tibet, as large as a man’s little -finger, and very nice to eat. Chema and sour milk are -used only when there is a celebration of some extraordinary -occasion. A little of this is distributed to each person in -the procession, who receives it on his palm and eats it. -This ceremony over, the mother leads the party into her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_371" id="Page_371">[371]</a></span> -house and gives a banquet in honor of the bride, when the -priest of the “Old School” is called upon to inform the Gods -of the village and of the house that an addition has been -made to the members of the family by the arrival of the -bride, and that, therefore, the Gods are prayed to extend -their arms to the bride, and to be her protectors henceforward.</p> - -<p>These prayers over, the father and mother of the bridegroom -give a piece of kata to the couple, and to all the -other people who have come to see the bride off or to -receive her. Such is the ceremony that makes the happy -couple husband and wife. Before the feasting has begun -to flag the newly married couple are removed to an adjacent -room. The people who have come either to see the -bride off or to receive her, stay in the house of the -bridegroom, and attend the banquets which are given -daily, and during this time the friends and relatives come -to join the banquet, every one bringing with him a reasonable -amount of presents. The feasting lasts for two or -three days at least, and for a month at most. Tibetans -are very fond of meat, and most of their food is more -fatty even than Chinese cookery. They give long banquets -richly furnished with such food, and the reader can well -imagine how foolishly idle are the people of Tibet in their -habits. The feasting over, the people who have come to -see the bride off, or to receive her, say good-bye to the -house, but still, for several days following, the friends and -servants of the bride remain in the house with the -bride, this being the custom. If the bride is from a -well-to-do family, she takes with her a servant from her -father’s house, and make her stay with her in the new -family to serve her as long as she lives. In this way the -wedding ceremonies come to an end. In one month -or one year after the marriage the bride, together -with the bridegroom, comes to her old home, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_372" id="Page_372">[372]</a></span> -they stay there as long as she likes, sometimes for -one month and sometimes for three. When making -the first visit to her father’s house, the bride takes with her -not more than two or three persons. Her husband stays -with her for several days, and then returns to his house, -but when the day comes on which the bride has promised -her husband to return to his house, the husband comes for -her and takes her home again.</p> - -<p>In case the bridegroom has a brother, the bride must -marry him also in six or twelve months after marrying the -eldest brother. The wedding ceremony in such a case is -carried on privately at the house of the bridegroom, the -mother of the bridegroom acting as the middleman. In -this case the eldest brother, to whom the bride was first -married, takes himself off from the house on business, or -for pleasure, so as to let the bride and his younger brother -marry during his absence. It makes no difference -if the bridegroom has three or more brothers; the -bride has to marry each one of them separately, and in the -same manner. Sometimes the bride and her brothers-in-law -live together at their pleasure, without having any -formal ceremonies to celebrate their weddings.</p> - -<p>Such is the polyandry practised by the people of Tibet, -and called the <i>sa-sum</i>. In a family where the bride -has more than one bridegroom, it is very seldom that we -find the brothers living together. If one of the brothers -is at home the other absents himself, either on business, if -he is a merchant, or on official duties. In this way all possible -means are taken to keep only one of the brothers -at home, each in his turn.</p> - -<p>Polyandry flourishes in Tibet even at the present time, -and it is considered by the general public to be the right -thing to follow and, in consequence, if ever a merchant -(having been out of the country and seen much of the -outside world and observed how shameful his habits<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_373" id="Page_373">[373]</a></span> -at home have been) should protest against this sort of -wedlock, he is shunned by his fellow-men as a crank, and -his protest brushed away with “Luk-su-mindu,” which -means “there is no such a custom (in Tibet).” This -peculiar and ridiculous wedlock, as well as this unreasonable -relationship between a husband and wife, has its -origin in the Bon religion, and in spite of the introduction -of true Buḍḍhism into Tibet the habit has come -down to the present time and remains flourishing. -The fact is that among the Buḍḍhist believers there has -scarcely been any one who has ever given any thought -to social problems, and moreover, as the priests of ancient -times were generally recluses, who paid no attention whatever -to the application of their religion to the needs of -the practical world, or to making the principles of true -Buḍḍhism as distinct as possible, the natural outcome has -been that this shameful custom, altogether contradictory -to the principles of Buḍḍhism, has remained in this part -of the world. The blame lies entirely with the priests; -it must not be laid at the door of Buḍḍhism.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_374" id="Page_374">[374]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LVI" id="CHAPTER_LVI">CHAPTER LVI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Tibetan Punishments.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>One day early in October I left my residence in Lhasa and -strolled toward the Parkor. Parkor is the name of one of -the principal streets in that city, as I have already mentioned, -and is the place where criminals are exposed -to public disgrace. Pillory in Tibet takes various -forms, the criminal being exposed sometimes with -only handcuffs, or fetters alone, and at others with -both. On that particular occasion I saw as many as twenty -criminals undergoing punishment, some of them tied -to posts, while others were left fettered at one of the street -crossings. They were all well-dressed, and had their -necks fixed in a frame of thick wooden boards about -1⅕ inches thick, and three feet square. The frame had in -the centre a hole just large enough for the neck and was -composed of two wooden boards fastened together by -means of ridges, and a lock. From this frame was suspended -a piece of paper informing the public of the -nature of the crime committed by the exposed person, and -of the judgment passed upon him, sentencing him to the -pillory for a certain number of days and to exile or flogging -afterwards. The flogging generally ranges from three -hundred to seven hundred lashes. As so many criminals -were pilloried on that particular occasion, I could not read -all the sentences, even though my curiosity was stronger -than the sense of pity that naturally rose in my bosom -when I beheld the miserable spectacle. I confess that I read -one or two of them, and found that the criminals were men -connected with the Tangye-ling monastery, the Lama -superior of which is qualified to succeed to the supreme -power of the pontificate in case, for one reason or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_375" id="Page_375">[375]</a></span> -another, the post of the Dalai Lama should happen to fall -vacant. The monastery is therefore one of the most influential -institutions in the Tibetan Hierarchy and generally -contains a large number of inmates, both priests and laymen.</p> - -<p>Shortly before my arrival in Lhasa this high post -was occupied by a distinguished priest named Temo -Rinpoche. His steward went under the name of Norpu -Che-ring, and this man was charged with the heinous -crime of having secretly made an attempt on the life -of the Dalai Lama by invoking the aid of evil deities. -Norpu Che-ring’s conjuration was conducted not according -to the Buḍḍhist formula, but according to that -of the Bon religion. A piece of paper containing the -dangerous incantation was secreted in the soles of the -beautiful foot-gear worn by the Dalai Lama, which was then -presented to his Holiness. The incantation must have -possessed an extraordinary potency, for it was said that the -Grand Lama invariably fell ill one way or another whenever -he put on these accursed objects. The cause of his illness -was at last traced to the foot-gear with its invocation paper -by the wise men in attendance on the Grand Lama.</p> - -<p>This amazing revelation led to the wholesale arrest -of all the persons suspected of being privy to the crime, -the venerable Temo Rinpoche among the rest. Some people -even regarded the latter as the ring-leader in this plot and -denounced him as having conspired against the life of the -Grand Lama in order to create for himself a chance of -wielding the supreme authority. At any rate Temo Rinpoche -occupied the pontifical seat as Regent before the present -Grand Lama was installed on his throne. Norpu Che-ring -was the Prime-Minister to the Regent, and conducted -the affairs of state in a high-handed manner. Things -were even worse than this, for it is a fact, admitting -of no dispute, that Norpu was oppressive, and mer<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_376" id="Page_376">[376]</a></span>cilessly -put to death a large number of innocent -persons. He was therefore a <i>persona ingrata</i> with at least -a section of the public, and some of his enemies lost no -time in giving a detailed denunciation of the despotic rule -of the Regent and his Prime-Minister as soon as the present -Grand Lama was safely enthroned. Naturally therefore -the former Regent and his Lieutenant were not regarded -with favor by the Grand Lama, and such being the case, -the terrible revelation about the shoes was at once followed -by their arrest, and they were thrown into prison.</p> - -<p>All this had occurred before my arrival. When I came -to Lhasa Temo Rinpoche had been dead for some time, but -Norpu Che-ring was still lingering in a stone dungeon which -was guarded with special severity, because of the grave -nature of his crime. The dungeon had only one narrow -hole in the top, through which food was doled out to -the prisoner, or he himself was dragged out whenever -he had to undergo his examinations, which were always -accompanied with torture. Hope of escape was out of the -question, and the only opportunity offered him of seeing -the sunshine was by no means a source of relief, for it -was invariably associated with the infliction of tortures of -a terribly excruciating character. The mere description -of it chilled my blood. The torture, as inflicted on Norpu -Che-ring, was devised with diabolical ingenuity, for it -consisted in driving a sharpened bamboo stick into the -sensitive part of the finger directly underneath the nail. -After the nail had been sufficiently abused as a means of -torture, it was torn off, and the stick was next drilled in -between the flesh and the skin. As even criminals possess -no more than ten fingers on both hands the inquisitor had -to make chary use of this stock of torture, and took -only one finger at a time, till the whole number was disposed -of. Such was the treatment the ex-Prime-Minister -received at his hands.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_377" id="Page_377">[377]</a></span></p> - -<p>Norpu Che-ring bore this torture with admirable fortitude; -he persisted that the whole plot originated in him -alone and was put in execution by his own hands only. -His master had nothing to do with it. The inquisitors’ -object in subjecting their former superior and colleague to -this infernal torture was to extort from him a confession -implicating Temo Rinpoche, but they were denied this satisfaction -by the unflinching courage of their victim. It is said -that this suffering of Norpu Che-ring had so far awakened -the sympathy of Temo Rinpoche himself that the latter tried, -like the priest of noble heart that he was, to take the whole -responsibility of the plot upon his own shoulders, declaring -that Norpu was merely a tool who carried out his orders, -and that therefore the latter was entirely innocent of the -crime. Temo even advised his steward, whenever the two -happened to be together at the inquisition, to confess, as -he, that is Temo, had done.</p> - -<p>The steward, on his part, would reply that his master -must have made that baseless confession from the benevolent -motive of saving his, the steward’s life, but that he was -not so mean and depraved as to seek an unmerited -deliverance at the cost of his venerable master’s life. -And so he preferred to suffer pain rather than to be released, -and baffled all the attempts of the torturers. By the time -I reached Lhasa Norpu had already endured this painful -existence for two years, and during that long period not -one word even in the faintest way implicating his master -had passed his lips. From this it may be concluded that -Temo had really no hand in the plot. At the same time it -must be remembered that Temo was an elder brother of -Norpu, and the fraternal affection which the latter entertained -towards the other might therefore have been too -strong to allow of his implicating Temo, even supposing -that the late Regent was really privy to the plot. -Be the real circumstances what they might, when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_379" id="Page_379">[379]</a></span> -I heard all these painful particulars, my sympathy -was powerfully aroused for Norpu, whatever hard words -others might utter against him; for the mere fact that he -submitted so long to such revolting punishments with -such persevering fortitude and with such faithful -constancy to his master and brother, appealed strongly to -my heart.</p> - -<p>The pilloried criminals whom I saw on that occasion -were all subordinates of Norpu Che-ring. Besides -these, sixteen Bon priests had been executed as accomplices, -while the number of laymen and priests who had -been exiled on the same charge must have been large, -though the exact number was unknown to outsiders. The -pilloried criminals were apparently minor offenders, for -half of them were sentenced to exile and the remaining half -to floggings of from three hundred to five hundred lashes. -The pillory was to last in each case for three to seven -days. Looking at these pitiable creatures I felt as if I -were witnessing a sight such as might exist in the Nether -World. My heart truly bled for the poor, helpless fellows.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_380" id="Page_380">[380]</a></span></p> - -<p>Heavy with this sad reflexion I proceeded further on, and -soon arrived at a place to the south of a Buḍḍhist edifice; -and there, near the western corner of the building, flooded -by sunshine, I beheld another heart-rending sight. It -was a beautiful lady in the pillory. Her neck was secured -in the regulation frame, just as was that of a rougher -criminal, and the ponderous piece of wood was weighing -heavily upon her frail shoulders. A piece of red cloth -made of Bhūtān silk was upon her head, which hung very -low, for the frame around her neck did not allow her to -move it freely. Her eyes were closed. Three men, -apparently police constables, were near by as guards. A -vessel containing baked flour was lying there, and also -some small delicacies that must have been sent by relatives -or friends. All this food she had to take from the hands -of one or other of the three rough attendants, for her own -hands were manacled. She was none other than the wife -of Norpu Che-ring, whose miserable story I have already -told, and was a daughter of the house of Do-ring, one of -the oldest and most respected families in the whole of the -Tibetan aristocracy.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t378"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t378h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t378.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="370" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>THE WIFE OF AN EX-MINISTER. PUNISHED IN PUBLIC.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>When her husband was arrested, he was at first confined -in a cell less terrible than the stone dungeon to which he -was afterwards transferred. But this early and apparently -more considerate treatment only plunged his family into -greater misery. His wife was told that the jailer -of the prison in which her husband was incarcerated was -not overstrict and that he was open to corruption, -and what faithful wife, even though Tibetan, would -resist the temptation placed before her under such -circumstances, of trying to seek some means of -gaining admission to the lonely cell where her -dear lord was confined? And so it came to pass that -Madame Norpu bribed the jailer, and with his connivance -was often at her husband’s side; but somehow her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_381" id="Page_381">[381]</a></span> -transgression reached the ears of the government, and she -also was thrown into prison.</p> - -<p>On the very morning of the day on which I came upon -this piteous sight of the pillory, she was led out of the -prison, as I heard afterwards, not however for liberation, -but first to suffer at the gate of the prison a flogging of -three hundred lashes, and then to be conducted to a busy -thoroughfare to be pilloried for public disgrace.</p> - -<p>Poor woman! she seemed to be almost insensible when -I saw her, and the mere sight of her emaciated form and -death-pale face aroused my strongest sympathy. The -sentiment of pity was intensified when I saw a group of -idle spectators, among whom I even noticed some aristocratic-looking -persons, gazing at the pillory with callous indifference. -They were heartless enough to approach her -place of torture and read the judgment paper. The sentence, -as I heard it read aloud by these fellows, condemned -her to so many whippings, then to seven days pillory, -and lastly to exile at such-and-such a place, there to -remain imprisoned, fettered and manacled. The spectators -not only read out the sentence with an air of perfect indifference, -but some of them even betrayed their depravity -by reviling and jeering at the lady: “Serve her right,” -I heard them say; “their hard treatment of others has -brought them to this. Serve them right.” These aristocrats -were giving sardonic smiles, as if gloating over -the misery of the house of Norpu Che-ring.</p> - -<p>Really the heartless depravity of these people was beyond -description, and I could not help feeling angry with them. -These same people, I thought, who seemed to take so much -delight in the calamity of the family of Norpu Che-ring, -must have vied with each other in courting his favor while -he was in power and prosperity. Even if it were beyond the -comprehension of these brutes to appreciate the meaning -of that merciful principle which bids us “hate the offence<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_382" id="Page_382">[382]</a></span> -but pity the offender,” one would have expected them to be -humane enough to show some sympathy towards this woman -who was paying so dearly for her excusable indiscretion. -But they seemed to be utterly impervious to such -sentiments, and so behaved themselves in that shameful -manner. I, who knew that political rivalry in Tibet was -allowed to run to such an extreme as to involve even innocent -women in painful punishment, felt sincerely sorry for -the Lady Norpu, and returned to my residence with a heavy -heart. My sentiment on that particular occasion is partially -embodied in this <i>uta</i> that occurred to me as I retraced my -heavy steps:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">You, everchanging foolish herds of men,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">As fickle as the dew upon the trees,</div> - <div class="verse">To blooming flowers your smiling welcome give;</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Why should your tears of pity cease to flow</div> - <div class="verse">When blooms or withering flowers pass away?</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>On my return, when I saw my host, the former Minister of -Finance, I related to him what I had seen in the street, -and asked him to tell me all he knew about the affair. -He fully shared my sympathy for the unfortunate woman.</p> - -<p>While Norpu Che-ring was in power, my host told me, -he was held in high respect. Nobody dared to whisper -one word of blame about him and his wife. Now -they were fallen, and he felt really sorry for them. It -was true, he continued, that some people used to find -fault with the private conduct of Norpu Che-ring, and the -former Minister could not deny that there was some reason -for that. But Temo Rinpoche was a venerable man, -pure in life, pious and benevolent, and had met with such -a sad end solely in consequence of the wicked intrigues of -his followers. My host was perfectly certain that Temo -Rinpoche had absolutely no hand in the plot. He said -that he could not talk thus to others; he could be confidential -to me alone.</p> - -<p>Tortures are carried to the extreme of diabolical ingenuity. -They are such as one might expect in hell. One<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_383" id="Page_383">[383]</a></span> -method consists in drilling a sharpened bamboo stick -into the tender part of the tip of the fingers, as already -described. Another consists in placing ‘stone-bonnets’ on -the head of the victim. Each ‘bonnet’ weighs about eight -pounds, and one after another is heaped on as the torture -proceeds. The weight at first forces tears out of the eyes -of the victim, but afterward, as the weight is increased, -the very eye-balls are forced from their sockets. Then -flogging, though far milder in itself, is a painful punishment, -as it is done with a heavy rod, cut fresh from a -willow tree, the criminal receiving it on the bared small of -his back. The part is soon torn open by the lashing, and -the blood that oozes out is scattered right and left as the -beater continues his brutal task, until the prescribed -number, three hundred or five hundred blows as the -case may be, are given. Very often, and perhaps -with the object of prolonging the torture, the flogging -is suspended, and the poor victim receives a cup -of water, after which the painful process is resumed. -In nine cases out of ten the victims of this corporeal -punishment fall ill, and while at Lhasa I more than -once prescribed for persons who, as the result of -flogging, were bleeding internally. The wounds caused -by the flogging are shocking to see, as I know from my -personal observations.</p> - -<p>A prison-house is in any case an awful place, but more -especially so in Tibet, for even the best of them has nothing -but mud walls and a planked floor, and is very dark in the -interior, even in broad day. This absence of sunlight is -itself a serious punishment in such a cold country.</p> - -<p>As for food, prisoners are fed only once a day with a -couple of handfuls of baked flour. This is hardly sufficient -to keep body and soul together, so that a prisoner is -generally obliged to ask his friends to send him some food. -Nothing, however, sent in from outside reaches the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_384" id="Page_384">[384]</a></span> -prisoners entire, for the gaolers subtract for their own -mouths more than half of it, and only a small portion of the -whole quantity gets into the prisoners’ hands.</p> - -<p>The most lenient form of punishment is a fine; then -comes flogging, to be followed, at a great distance, by the -extraction of the eye-balls; then the amputation of the -hands. The amputation is not done all at once, but only -after the hands have been firmly tied for about twelve hours, -till they become completely paralysed. The criminals who -are about to suffer amputation are generally suspended by -the wrists from some elevated object with stout cord, and -naughty street urchins are allowed to pull the cord up and -down at their pleasure. After this treatment the hands -are chopped off at the wrists in public. This punishment -is generally inflicted on thieves and robbers after their -fifth or sixth offence. Lhasa abounds in handless beggars -and in beggars minus their eye-balls; and perhaps the -proportion of eyeless beggars is larger than that of the -handless ones.</p> - -<p>Then there are other forms of mutilation also inflicted -as punishment, and of these ear-cutting and nose-slitting -are the most painful. Both parties in a case of adultery -are visited with this physical deformation. These forms of -punishment are inflicted by the authorities upon the -accusation of the aggrieved party, the right of lodging the -complaint being limited, however, to the husband; in fact -he himself may with impunity cut off the ears or slit the -noses of the criminal parties, when taken <i>in flagrante -delicto</i>. He has simply to report the matter afterwards to -the authorities.</p> - -<p>With regard to exile there are two different kinds, one -leaving a criminal to live at large in the exiled place, and -the other, which is heavier, confining him in a local prison.</p> - -<p>Capital punishment is carried out solely by immersion -in water. There are two modes of this execution: one by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_385" id="Page_385">[385]</a></span> -putting a criminal into a bag made of hides and throwing -the bag with its live contents into the water; and the -other by tying the criminal’s hands and feet and throwing -him into a river with a heavy stone tied to his body. -The executioners lift him out after about ten minutes, and -if he is judged to be still alive, down they plunge him -again, and this lifting up and down is repeated till the -criminal expires. The lifeless body is then cut to pieces, -the head alone being kept, and all the rest of the severed -members are thrown into the river. The head is deposited -in a head vase, either at once, or after it has been -exposed in public for three or seven days, and the vase is -carried to a building established for this sole purpose, -which bears a horrible name signifying “Perpetual -Damnation.” This practice comes from a superstition -of the people that those whose heads are kept in that -edifice will forever be precluded from being reborn in -this world.</p> - -<p>All these punishments struck me as entirely out of -place for a country in which Buḍḍhist doctrines -are held in such high respect. Especially did I think -the idea of eternal damnation irreconcilable with the -principles of mercy and justice, for I should say that -execution ought to absolve criminals of their offences. -Several other barbarous forms of punishment are in vogue, -but these I may omit here, for what I have stated -in the preceding paragraphs is enough to convey some idea -of criminal procedure as it exists in the Forbidden Land.</p> - -<p>I stayed in Lhasa till about the middle of October 1901, -when I decided to return to Sera. My host kindly placed -at my disposal one of his horses and on this I jogged -towards my destination. The snow had been falling since -the previous evening, and already the road was covered -with a thick layer of its crystal carpet. It was the first -snow of the season. On the road from Lhasa to Sera,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_386" id="Page_386">[386]</a></span> -by Shom-khe-Lamkha (priest’s road), there is a river about -half a mile on this side of Sera. This river dries up in winter, -and on the day I am speaking of its bed was covered -with snow. There I noticed a party of five or six young -priestlings of Sera, absorbed in the innocent sport -of snowballing. This highly amused me, calling -forth in my mind’s eye the sights I had frequently -come across at home, and reminding me that human -nature is, after all, very much alike the world -over. And so these little fellows were pelting each other -with soft missiles, running and pursuing, shouting and -laughing, forgetting for once the stern reprimanding voices -of their exacting masters, and I amused myself with -composing an <i>uta</i>, as follows.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">On yonder fields of snow the children play,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And fight with snow-balls in great glee.</div> - <div class="verse">They throw and scatter these amongst themselves,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And in these heated contests melts the snow.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>While I was watching the snow-fight, a burly fellow -coming from the direction of Lhasa overtook me and -began to stare at me. I at once recognised in him -one of my old acquaintances, the youngest of the -three brothers whom I accompanied on the pilgrimage -round Lake Mānasarovara, who gave my face a sharp -parting smack, as already told. He seemed to be -quite astonished, even frightened, when he saw me, his -whilom companion of humble attire, now transformed into an -aristocratic-looking personage, such as I must have appeared -to him. At any rate he avoided my eyes, and was about -to walk off with hurried steps, when I bade him stop, and -asked him if he had forgotten my face. The man could -not but confess that he had not, and told me that he was -going to Sera. I made him come along with me, and -treated him quite hospitably at my quarters in the -monastery, besides giving him a farewell present on parting. -When I thanked him for all the trouble he had taken for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_387" id="Page_387">[387]</a></span> -me during our pilgrimage, the man bowed his head as if -in repentance, and even shed tears, no doubt of remorse. -Before taking his departure he told me that his brothers -were living together at their native place, and that they -were all doing well.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_388" id="Page_388">[388]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LVII" id="CHAPTER_LVII">CHAPTER LVII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">A grim Funeral and grimmer Medicine.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>It was just previous to the grand monthly catechising -contest that I returned to the Sera monastery. While I -was busy with preparation, and in eager expectation of -taking part in this important function, one of my -acquaintances died and I had to attend his funeral. -Incidentally therefore I took part in a ceremony which is -perhaps unique in the world. I may observe here that in -Tibetan funerals neither a coffin nor urn is used -in which to deposit the corpse. It is simply laid -on a frame made of two wooden poles, with a proper -space between and two cross pieces tied to them. -The rectangular space thus described is filled in with a -rough sort of network of ropes, and over the netting is -spread a sheet of cloth for the reception of the corpse. -Another piece of cloth, pure white in color, is thrown over -the corpse, and that completes the arrangement. The whole -burden is then carried on the shoulders of two men, who -insert their heads between the projecting ends of the two -longer poles.</p> - -<p>Generally a funeral is performed on the third or fourth -day after death, the interval being spent in observances -peculiar to Tibet. First of all a properly qualified Lama -is consulted as to the auspicious day for performing the -ceremony; then as to the special mode of funeral and the -final disposal of the corpse. The Lama consulted -gives his instructions on all these points after referring to -his books, and bids the relatives of the deceased read such -and such passages in the Sacred Texts, conduct the -funeral ceremony on such and such day, and take the -bier from the house at such and such an hour of the day.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_389" id="Page_389">[389]</a></span> -The priest also advises on the mode of burial, of which -there are four in vogue; the four modes being distinguishable -from each other by the agencies to be brought into -service, namely: water, flame, earth, and birds of the air. -This last corresponds to the “air-burial” of Buḍḍhism.</p> - -<p>Of the four kinds of burial, or more properly modes of -disposing of corpses, the one generally regarded as the -best is to leave the corpse to the vultures, known under -the name of Cha-goppo in Tibet; then comes cremation; -then water-burial, and last land-burial. This last method -of interment is never adopted except when a person dies -from small-pox. In this particular case alone the Tibetans -observe some sanitary principles, though probably by -mere accident and not from any conviction, for they -think that this dreadful epidemic is likely to spread -if the corpse of a person stricken down by small-pox -is left for birds or consigned to a river. Though -cremation is considered as a superior way of disposing -of dead bodies, the process is by no means easy in a -country where faggots are scarce, for the dried dung -of the yak is hardly thought proper for the purpose. -Hence cremation is confined to the wealthier class only. -Water-burial generally takes place near a large stream; -but, in consigning a dead body to the water, it is first -thoroughly dismembered, and thrown into the water piece -by piece. This troublesome course is adopted from the -idea that a dead body thrown in whole will not speedily -disappear from sight.</p> - -<p>These four processes of disposing of corpses originate -from Hinḍū philosophy, according to which human -bodies are believed to consist of four elements, -earth, water, fire and air, and it is thought that on death -they should return to these original elements. Land-burial -corresponds to the returning to earth, cremation -to fire, water-burial to water, and the bird-devouring<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_390" id="Page_390">[390]</a></span> -to the air, of which birds are the denizens. The bodies -of Lamas are mostly disposed of by this last process, while -those of a few privileged persons only, such as the Dalai -Lama, sub-Dalai Lama and other venerable Lamas, believed -to be incarnations of Boḍhisaṭṭvas, are given a special mode -of burial.</p> - -<p>‘Air-burial’ was chosen for the friend whose funeral I -attended, and I shall briefly describe how this ‘burial’ was -performed. Leaving the college at Sera, the <i>cortège</i> proceeded -eastward till it reached the bank of a river near which, -in a small valley formed between two contiguous hills, stood -a big boulder about twelve yards high. The top of this -stone was level and measured about fifteen feet square. This -was the ‘burial-ground’ for this particular kind of interment. -On the summits of the surrounding hills, and even -on the inaccessible parts of the rock itself, were perched a -large number of vultures, with their eyes glistening with -greed. They are always waiting there for ‘burials’. When -the bier was placed upon this rock, the white sheet was -taken off, and the priest who had come, with the rest of -the mourners and sympathisers, began to chant their texts -to the accompaniment of drums and cymbals. At the same -time one man approached the corpse with a broadsword, -with which to ‘dress’ it. In ‘dressing’ the abdomen -was first cut open and the entrails removed. Next all -the various members of the -body were severed, after which -some other men, including a -few priests, undertook the -finishing work of final ‘dressing’, -which consisted in separating the flesh and bones, -just as butchers do with slaughtered cattle. By this -time the vultures had gathered in a flock round -the place, and big pieces, such as the flesh of the -thighs, were thrown to them and most voraciously<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_392" id="Page_392">[392]</a></span> -did they devour them. Then the bones had to be disposed -of, and this was done by first throwing them into one of -the ten cavities on the rock, and pounding the heap with -big stones. When the bones had been fairly well pulverised -a quantity of baked flour was added to the mass, and -this dainty mixture was also given to the birds. The only -thing that remained of the dead body was the hair.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t391"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t391h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t391.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="556" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>FUNERAL CEREMONIES: CUTTING UP THE DEAD BODY.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>The Tibetans may practically be considered as a kind of -cannibals. I was struck with this notion while witnessing the -burial ceremony. All the cloths used in the burial go as a -matter of course to the grave-diggers, though they hardly -deserve this name, as their duty consists not in digging -the grave but in chopping the flesh of the corpse and -pounding the bones. Even priests give them help, for -the pounding business is necessarily tedious and tiresome. -Meanwhile the pounders have to take refreshment, -and tea is drunk almost incessantly, for Tibetans -are great tea-drinkers. The grave-diggers, or priests, -prepare tea, or help themselves to baked flour, with -their hands splashed over with a mash of human flesh and -bones, for they never wash their hands before they prepare -tea or take food, the most they do being to clap their -hands, so as to get rid of the coarser fragments. And -thus they take a good deal of minced human flesh, bones -or brain, mixed with their tea or flour. They do so with -perfect nonchalance; in fact, they have no idea whatever -how really abominable and horrible their practice is, for -they are accustomed to it. When I suggested that they -might wash their hands before taking refreshment, they -looked at me with an air of surprise. They scoffed at my -suggestion, and even observed that eating with unwashed -hands really added relish to food; besides, the -spirit of the dead man would be satisfied when he saw -them take fragments of his mortal remains with their -food without aversion. It has been stated that the Tibetans<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_393" id="Page_393">[393]</a></span> -are descendants of the Rākshasa tribe—a tribe of fiendish -cannibals who used to feed on human flesh; and what I -witnessed at the burial convinced me that, even at the -present day, they retained the horrible habit of their -ancestors.</p> - -<p>While the burial ceremony is going on, a religious service -is also conducted at the house of the deceased, and when -the ceremony is over, those who have attended it -call at the house of the bereaved family, where they -are feasted by its members. I noticed that at this -entertainment intoxicants are served only to the laity. -This discrimination is not observed, however, in the -country districts.</p> - -<p>I shall next describe the mode of burying a Dalai Lama -or a high-priest.</p> - -<p>When a person of high distinction dies, his body is -put in a big box and marsh salt is copiously -sprinkled over it till it is thoroughly imbedded in -this alkaline padding. All this while, religious -chanting goes on, accompanied by the music of flutes, -pipes and other instruments. The box is then kept in a -temple for about three months, during which time offerings -are made regularly, as when the deceased was yet alive, -and his disciples keep vigil over it by turns. Before -the coffin lights are kept burning in several golden burners -containing melted butter, while holy water is offered in seven -silver vessels. Flowers of the season are also offered -with other things. Every one allowed to worship near the -remains is expected to make some offering in kind, accompanied -by a small sum of money. By the time the three -months have elapsed, all the watery portion of the corpse -has been absorbed by the salt, and it has become hard and -dry. It seems to me (though I am not quite sure) that the -Tibetan salt contains a large percentage of soda or other -alkalies; at any rate it is somewhat different from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_394" id="Page_394">[394]</a></span> -salt found in Japan. Perhaps some special ingredients -are mixed in the salt, when it is used for packing a corpse.</p> - -<p>Be that as it may, when it is taken out of the coffin the -corpse is thoroughly hardened, and has all its parts shrunk -up, owing to the loss of all fluid elements, and the eyes are -sunk in their sockets. Then follows the process of ‘dressing’ -the hardened corpse. The ‘dressing’ in this case is -made with a compound of a certain kind of clay and -pulverised particles of white sandalwood, and also probably -certain drugs of foreign production. This compound is -carefully spread over all parts of the body. It is finally -gilded, and a ‘natural’ image is the result. This image -is put in a tabernacle enclosed in a small outer structure, -which is highly decorated, and the whole thing, image -and all, is kept in a shrine. Such shrines are found in -many parts of Tibet; in the premises of the Tashi Lhunpo -monastery at Shigatze five such edifices are found, their -roofs resplendent with gold. In construction these roofs -very much resemble the double roof of a palace or -similar building in China, and of course the decoration -and size of the edifice and tabernacle are different according -to the rank of the canonised Lamas, some of these -structures being inlaid with gold and others with -silver.</p> - -<p>At any rate, these images are objects of veneration to -the Tibetans; both priests and ordinary people visit and -worship them. This peculiar mode of embalming high -Lamas has been wittily commented upon by a certain -Chinaman, who remarks that the practice is inconsistent -with the strong prejudice which Tibetans possess against -earth-burial, as this mode of burial, according to their -superstition, sends the dead person to hell. For the treatment -accorded to the dead body of a Grand Lama, or other -distinguished priest, is in fact a sort of earth-burial, in that -the corpse is not given to birds or consigned to rivers or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_395" id="Page_395">[395]</a></span> -flames, but is preserved in clay after it has been salted -and hardened.</p> - -<p>Now I come to the most wonderful medicines in the -world. The first is the salt used in packing corpses. This -salt is considered as an article of great virtue, and accessible -only to a limited number of the privileged class. -It is distributed only among aristocratic people, and -among priests of distinction.</p> - -<p>Only the wealthy merchants and great patrons of -temples may hope, through some powerful influence, to -obtain a small quantity of this precious dirt. The salt is a -panacea for the Tibetan, who swallows a small dose either -by itself or dissolved in water for all kinds of ills that flesh -is heir to—from a slight attack of cold to a serious case -of fatal disease. Whatever medical quality this loathsome -compound possesses, one thing is certain—that it exercises -a powerful influence upon the untutored minds of the -ignorant Tibetans, and so excellently serves the purpose of -“mental cure”. The salt medicine reminds me of the -existence in Tibet (and happily nowhere else) of another -sort of panacea equally abominable. The mere mention -of the real nature of this second series of so-called -medicines, would, instead of curing the people of other -countries, infallibly make them sick, as the essential -ingredients are nothing less than the excreta, both -liquid and solid, of the Grand Lama or other high priests. -These are mixed with other substances and are made -into pills, which are gilded over and sometimes colored red. -These pills, known under the name of <i>Tsa Chen-norpu</i> -(precious balls) are not on sale, they being accessible to -ordinary people only through some powerful influence, and -even then only by paying for them a large sum of money. -The Tibetan is glad, however, to procure these pills at any -cost, for he is under a fond delusion that they possess a -most effective curative power. They are kept as something<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_396" id="Page_396">[396]</a></span> -like a family treasure, and are used as the last resort, when -all other means of treatment have failed. When, by some -accident, a patient despaired of by doctors recovers after -he has been dosed with a few of the ‘precious pills,’ the -people of course extol their merit to the skies; while if he -dies, his case is regarded as having been beyond cure, and -the pills remain therefore the object of undiminished -faith. To do justice to this superstition, I ought to add -that the common Tibetans are kept entirely in the dark as -to the ingredients of the pills; they are taken as medicines -prepared by the Grand Lama himself according to a -certain secret formula, and the shocking secret is known -only to a select few, who are entitled to attend the Dalai -Lama’s court.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_397" id="Page_397">[397]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LVIII" id="CHAPTER_LVIII">CHAPTER LVIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Foreign Explorers and the Policy of -Seclusion.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>During the first decade of November, 1901, I returned -to Lhasa to enjoy as before the hospitality of the ex-Minister. -At that time the Finance Minister of the day -was somewhat less occupied, and being, as I stated before, -a nephew of the nun who was mistress of the house where -I was a guest, and a gentleman of refined and affable manners, -he used often to call on and be invited to sit with the -ex-Minister, the nun and myself, and to take part in -our chats. Sometimes I called upon the Minister of the -day in his apartments to talk with him. On one occasion -our conversation touched on the subject of a British -female missionary, who attempted to visit Lhasa.</p> - -<p>“I wonder why British people are so desirous to come -to our country,” observed the Minister in the course of -our talk. “I cannot at all understand their motive. -For instance, a British woman arrived some eight or -nine years ago at a place called Nakchukha on the -boundary between Tibet and China. She came there with -two servants determined to enter Tibet.”</p> - -<p>It at once occurred to me that the Minister was referring -to the case of one Miss Annie R. Taylor, a missionary, who -attempted to travel from northern China to Darjeeling -via Lhasa. My host did not know, or could not remember, -her name, but I knew it very well, having been told -of her bold venture while I was staying at Darjeeling, -where I accidentally met with one of the guides who had -accompanied her. But I prudently kept what I knew to -myself, and listened to the Minister as one eager to hear -a strange and interesting story. The Minister went -on to tell me how the lady was stopped by the natives of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_398" id="Page_398">[398]</a></span> -the place from proceeding further. It was very fortunate -that the chieftain of the local tribe was a man of a merciful -turn of mind, as otherwise she would have been -murdered there and then. A report on the matter was -soon forwarded to Lhasa by the magistrate of the district, -and my host was then ordered by his Government to -hasten to the spot, and deal with the foreign adventuress -in a suitable manner. In other words his commission was -to cause the lady at once to quit Tibetan soil. The Minister -took with him two of his servants, besides a number of -coolies, the party altogether numbering about thirty.</p> - -<p>Arrived at Nakchukha, he at once caused the lady to be -brought to him; but when he saw her, he at first could not -understand what she was saying, for although she spoke -Tibetan, it was in a dialect differing from that in vogue at -Lhasa. At last he succeeded in gathering the drift of what -she had to say, which was to this effect. She had come to -Tibet in order to acquaint herself with the sacred teachings -of Tibetan Buḍḍhism. With that object she wanted to make -a pilgrimage to Lhasa and to return home by way of Darjeeling. -She then showed to the Minister a passport she -had obtained from the Emperor of China. The Minister -told her that personally he highly appreciated the lady’s -purpose, but he was under strict orders from the Grand -Lama’s Government to forbid the entrance of the lady and -of any other foreigner within his dominions. Should she, in -disregard of this intimation, dare to push her way into the -interior, she would be sure to meet with some terrible -mishap, perhaps death, for the Grand Lama’s Government -could not extend its protection to a foreigner who, in -defiance of its well-meant warning, should attempt a -journey through the wild districts of Tibet. His -Government did not like the idea of being entangled needlessly -in trouble with another country, and therefore -absolutely demanded the withdrawal of the lady from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_399" id="Page_399">[399]</a></span> -Tibet. As a messenger of the Grand Lama’s Government, -especially despatched for this purpose, he must ask the lady -to retrace her steps. The Minister dwelt on this point -courteously but firmly.</p> - -<p>The lady on her part equally remained unyielding in her -original declaration, and persisted on repeating her request, -not for one or two days only, but even for four or -five days in succession. When the Minister pointed out -how foolhardy she was in her desire, and why she should -rather return the way she had come under the protection -of the Grand Lama’s Government, which would, in that case, -escort her back as far as some safe place, the lady demanded -an explanation as to why a person, possessing a passport -obtained from the Emperor of China, could not travel -through Tibet, which was a protectorate under that Emperor. -The Minister admitted the suzerainty of the Chinese -Emperor, but said that, at the same time, they were not -obliged to obey the Emperor’s will in everything, and that -especially in the matter of seclusion they were determined -to oppose even the Emperor, should he try by force to -set aside this traditional policy. He further added, as he -told me, that if the lady should still persist in her intention, -he would be constrained to put her two Tibetan guides under -arrest, and punish them according to the laws of the land. -This punishment would be waived, however, if the lady -desisted from her purpose and withdrew from Tibet.</p> - -<p>After all these protracted negotiations, the lady was at -last induced to give up her point, and in about half a day’s -time after their last meeting she came to acquaint him with -the change in her resolution. As it was ascertained that the -lady and her guides were subject to much discomfort, -having suffered robbery on the way, the Minister kindly -gave her some necessaries before she left Tibet for China.</p> - -<p>After having narrated all these things the Minister once -more gave vent to his feeling of wonder at the inexplic<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_400" id="Page_400">[400]</a></span>able -eagerness which foreigners were wont to show in their -desire to visit his country. I for my part replied discreetly -that neither did I know why they should wish to enter -it, but that I had heard that such attempts on the part of -foreigners were not a novelty. The Minister himself knew -that cases of strangers making attempts similar to that -of the British lady were not rare, and our conversation next -turned to this part of Tibetan history.</p> - -<p>The first authentic story of the arrival of a foreigner in -Tibet is recorded in the year 1328, when a priest of -Pordenone, named Friar Odoric, entered Tibet as a propagandist -of the Roman Catholic Church. His attempt failed, -chiefly because the Tibetans of the time had nothing in -particular to learn from Odoric, for Tibet possessed many -priests of its own, who were able to perform many things -differing little from those recorded of Jesus Christ in their -miraculous character. Indeed Odoric himself seems to -have profited by what he saw in Tibet, instead of -imparting anything new to the natives. He took notes of -many wonderful things performed by Tibetan priests, and -took them home, but he burnt most of those notes, for -fear that their publication might compromise the interests -of his own religion. So only a fragment of the account of -his travels was preserved.</p> - -<p>Some persons attribute this destruction of his own notes -by Odoric to the inaccuracies which he had subsequently -discovered, and claim that he destroyed them in order -not to mislead future generations. This explanation -has generally been accepted in preference to the other—that -the Tibetan Buḍḍhism of the fourteenth century -possessed a larger number of miracles than those of -Christianity. That the latter was the more correct explanation -of the two may be inferred, however, from the -fact that the Roman Catholic Church, while devoting -great energy to propagating its doctrines in China, kept<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_401" id="Page_401">[401]</a></span> -itself aloof from Tibet, having come to the conclusion -that that country was beyond its evangelising power.</p> - -<p>In 1661 two brothers named Grueber and D’Orville, -probably Frenchmen, entered Tibet. It is doubtful whether -they proceeded as far as Lhasa, though it is stated that -they went from Pekin to Lhasa and thence through -Nepāl to India. When Warren Hastings was the Viceroy -of India, he conceived the idea of establishing a regular -trade connexion between India and Tibet, and dispatched -a commissioner, named George Bogle, to the latter country -in the year 1774. Bogle was accompanied by his wife. -He failed to reach Lhasa, but remained at Shigatze, and -his account of the journey is still extant in print. In 1781 -Hastings again dispatched a commissioner, this time under -Captain Turner, who stayed in Tibet for two years. Only -one English explorer reached Lhasa from India. That -man was Thomas Manning, and it was in 1811.</p> - -<p>About that time trade between India and Tibet had -grown active, but with the termination of Hasting’s viceroyalty -and his return to England the trade began to flag -for lack of encouragement, till it ceased altogether. All -channels of communications have since that time become -almost closed between the two countries. Meanwhile other -Christian missionaries had begun pushing on their work -with great activity, even up to Lhasa, which they entered -freely, and also to other places, some of them not far from -that city, and this movement on the part of foreign propagandists -put the Grand Lama’s Government on its guard. -Coming down as late as 1871, a Russian Colonel named Prejevalsky -entered Tibet across its eastern border through -Kham, and reached a place about five hundred miles from -Lhasa. But he was compelled to return thence homeward, -at the bidding of Tibet’s hierarchical Government. Apparently -he at first passed through the Chinese region of -Tibet, but was stopped as soon as he had set his feet in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_402" id="Page_402">[402]</a></span> -Dalai Lama’s dominions. This Russian Officer, undaunted -by his first failure, next tried to enter Tibet from -the north, and this time he reached a place about -one hundred and seventy miles from Lhasa on the -boundary line between the Chinese and the Tibetan -territories, but was again obliged to withdraw.</p> - -<p>In 1879 an Englishman named Captain Hill entered Tibet -from the direction of Ta-chien-lu, but he also had to withdraw -from Ba-lithang on the boundary between the Chinese -and Tibetan dominions. It was at this place also that the -Japanese priests, Messrs. Nōmi and Teramoto, were -driven back. My host the Minister once incidentally -referred to Mr. Nōmi’s attempt, and said that two priests -from a country named Japan reached Ba-lithang some years -ago, but they were ordered to withdraw, as it was not -sufficiently clear whether they were really Buḍḍhist -priests or persons of other callings.</p> - -<p>The last exploration I would mention here is that -undertaken in 1881 and 1882 by Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās, -my own teacher, of whom mention has been made -several times already. This Hinḍū had obtained in -a very ingenious way a pass from the Tibetan Government, -and, armed with it, he first proceeded as far -as Shigatze, where he remained for two months; after -awhile he returned to India. That was in 1881. The result -of his exploration was reported to the British Government, -and he was for a second time asked to undertake another -trip into Tibet in the following year, having secured as -before a Tibetan passport. On his second visit he first -reached Shigatze and afterward entered Lhasa. As I -heard from a Tibetan, he conducted his mission with extreme -caution, seldom venturing abroad in the daytime, and when -obliged to do so he took every care to avoid attracting -the attention of the natives. He spent most of his time -in a room of a temple, and there secretly carried<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_403" id="Page_403">[403]</a></span> -out his investigations. In this way he stayed in Lhasa -for twenty days; then he went back to his sphere of -work in other parts of Tibet and at last returned -to Darjeeling after an absence of less than a year.</p> - -<p>I have mentioned, in a preceding chapter that when -the real nature of the mission of Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās had -become known to the Tibetan Government, it caused -extraordinary disturbance, involving all the officials -who had been on duty at the barrier-gates through which -the Hinḍū had passed, as well as all the persons who had -extended any sort of hospitality to him during his stay in -the country. All these persons were thrown into prison -and their property was confiscated. A number of those -whose complicity, unwitting though it was, was judged -more serious than that of the others were condemned to -death and executed. After this memorable occurrence, -Tibet resolved more than ever to enforce strictly the policy -of exclusion against all foreigners.</p> - -<p>In 1886 a Secretary of the American Legation at Peking, -Mr. Rockhill, tried to enter Tibet, only to repeat the -failure of others, and all other Christian missionaries who -made similar attempts about that time were also unsuccessful. -The number of abortive Tibetan explorers -must be quite large; I myself heard of some twenty-five -or twenty-six. I should not wonder if the number would -reach forty or even fifty, when all the would-be explorers -are taken into account. I have frequently seen in our -Japanese magazines and newspapers articles about Tibet, -which are highly misleading and often fictitious. The fact -must be that those articles are written on the incorrect -information found in most works on Tibet, and that the -inaccuracy is further aggravated by the inventive -brains of the writers of the articles. One of the -most conspicuous instances of this kind is furnished -in the case of A. Csoma de Körös, a Hungarian, who first<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_404" id="Page_404">[404]</a></span> -compiled a Tibetan-English dictionary, having learned -the language from a Lama in Ladak, a district on -the south-western boundary of Tibet, next to British India, -where the compiler resided for more than three years. The -author wanted to study the Tibetan language on its -native soil and for that reason attempted to enter Tibet. -He found it impossible to carry out his plan from Ladak, -as the Tibetan frontier guards there forbade the entry into -their country of a stranger. Then it occurred to him that -he might succeed in his project if he started from Darjeeling, -and thither he went. Unfortunately, he caught -jungle-fever while travelling in the neighborhood of -Darjeeling and died there, never having put his foot on -Tibetan soil. His tomb even now stands at a place -near Darjeeling, probably at the place where he fell ill. -Writers on Tibet, both Japanese and Western, mostly -represent this Csoma as having spent many years in -Lhasa, and that is where the fiction comes in. Another -lexicographer, Jaeschke, compiled a Tibetan dictionary -based on, but much better than Csoma’s. Jaeschke never -entered Tibet, and yet he is generally credited with -having successfully crossed the border and reached Lhasa, -and lived there for a considerable period. All such -errors being made by Western writers as well as by the -Japanese, I do not of course mean to blame the latter -alone.</p> - -<p>Besides the attempts at Tibetan exploration already -referred to, there have from time to time been a number of -missionaries or spies despatched by either Russia or -England, who have frequently appeared at Tibetan frontier -stations only to arouse the suspicions of the Grand -Lama’s Government, until the latter has become irrevocably -committed to the policy of absolute seclusion. To do -justice to the Tibetans, they were originally a people highly -hospitable to strangers. This sentiment was superseded<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_405" id="Page_405">[405]</a></span> -by one of fear and even of antipathy, as the result of an -insidious piece of advice which, probably prompted by -some policy of its own, the Government of China gave to -Tibet; it was to the effect that if the latter allowed -the free entrance of foreigners into her territories, they -would destroy her Buḍḍhism, and replace it with Christianity. -The simple-minded Tibetan became dreadfully -alarmed at this warning; but even then he did not all -at once put the policy of exclusion into full force. The -absolute exclusion dates from the discovery of Saraṭ -Chanḍra Ḍās’ mission. Since then, the enforcement of -the exclusion policy has become so strict that it now seems -as though Tibet has been converted into a nation of detectives -and constables.</p> - -<p>Especially for European people, with such visible marks -of racial distinction on the surface and also because they -are accustomed to make their attempts on a large scale, -it has become morally impossible to enter Tibet. Dr. -Sven Hedin, for example, tried to enter repeatedly -from the north, while I was staying at Lhasa, but each -time the renowned explorer was baffled in his attempt, and -he finally gave it up altogether<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a>. In view of such repeated -attempts on the part of foreigners, both the Lamas -and ordinary people could not but suspect the motive -of these adventurers, and they have therefore naturally -come to the conclusion that all those foreigners must -be entertaining some sinister designs on Tibet. The -popular idea about the supposed designs of England -is interesting, for the natives attribute it to the desire -on the part of English people to take possession of -gold mines which are plentifully found in their country. -This is of course a very superficial view, so far as the -interest England seems to feel toward Tibet is concerned; -for the Tibetan policy of that country, in my own humble<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_406" id="Page_406">[406]</a></span> -opinion, comes from the desire to prevent Russia from -bringing Tibet under her sway and from using that highland -as a base of operations in carrying out her ambitious -projects on India, for it is evident that, with Russia -securely established up there, England would hardly be -able to feel secure about the safety of India.</p> - -<p>The Tibetan Minister of the Treasury once said to me -that it would indeed be a great humiliation to Tibet if ever -she were reduced to being a tributary of another country, -but that there might be another calamity far more disastrous -and unbearable in its effect, and that was the danger -of her national religion being superseded by a strange faith. -Therefore, the Minister continued, Tibet must oppose, at -all costs, any plans made by foreigners against her, and -consequently the latter should be prevented from hearing -of the existence of factious rivalries in the Hierarchy, -for should they get an inkling of this state of affairs, it -would not take them long to turn this internal dissension -to serve their own mischievous ends. Hence it was -absolutely necessary for Tibet that she should forbid the -entry of all foreigners and keep them in the dark as to the -real condition of the country. It will thus be seen that -the seclusion policy, which primarily originated in religious -motives, has since acquired a greater force from political -considerations, and it is not strange that no foreigners -have been allowed to enter Tibet since the revelation of -the secret mission of Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās. That incident, -the then Minister of Finance told me in referring to it, -impressed the Tibetans more strongly than ever with the -necessity of locking their door against the intrusion -of all foreigners.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_407" id="Page_407">[407]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LIX" id="CHAPTER_LIX">CHAPTER LIX.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">A Metropolis of Filth.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Shortly after I had the conversation recorded in the last -chapter with the Finance Minister, I went out with the -ex-Minister and his attendants for a walk round the -<i>lingkor</i> (circuit) of Lhasa, this being the outermost circuit -surrounding the city, and measuring about six miles. The -journey round this circuit is considered as a highly pious -act by Tibetans, who believe that it amounts to visiting -every temple and sacred stone house contained within the -circuit. There are several modes of performing this -journey—walking steadily along, making a bow at each -step, or making one at every three steps. Our -journey on that occasion had no such religious meaning; -it was merely a walk. The walk, however, was rather trying -to me, for my host was very tall and had very long -legs, so that I had to hurry to keep pace even with his -leisurely steps.</p> - -<p>By the side of this circuit and to the east of Lhasa stood -a queerly shaped high fence, made of countless yak’s -horns. The fence measures from one hundred and -twenty to two hundred and forty yards in length and as it -is entirely composed of the horns, it is hardly possible to -form an idea even in imagination of how many horns went -to the construction of the fence. The enclosure is used as a -slaughtering place for yak. It was not the first time that -I had seen that fence, but on that particular day I was able -to observe it with greater care than ever before. When I -remarked to the ex-Minister how immense must be the -number of the beasts that had been slaughtered in the -enclosure, my host replied that he felt pity for the beasts. -We soon arrived at an opening in the fence and, peeping<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_408" id="Page_408">[408]</a></span> -in, I saw some thirty yaks brought there for slaughter. -The work was done in a manner quite improper for such a -Buḍḍhist country as Tibet, for no pious ceremony was -performed, such as the touching of the head of a beast -about to be slaughtered with a Buḍḍhist Text. It was -butchered quite unceremoniously, in a thoroughly business-like -manner. I subsequently learned that the slaughter of -animals is undertaken in Lhasa exclusively by Chinese -Muhammeḍans, who are of course not expected to care -much about such ceremonies. As it was, I saw a slaughterman -chop off the head of a yak in a very impious manner, -and in the presence of the other poor beasts, which were -staring with tearful eyes at the butchery of their comrades. -I really felt pity for the beasts.</p> - -<p>The ex-Minister was apparently impressed with a similar -sentiment, for he told me that he felt as though he could -hardly swallow a morsel of meat after he had witnessed -such a horrible scene; yet such is human depravity, he -continued, that people soon forget this tender feeling of -compassion when they return home, and are displeased if -no meat is served to them at table. He could not but -conclude therefore that the Tibetans must be the descendants -of Rākshasas or devils, and that the blood of those -impious savages must be still running in their veins.</p> - -<p>The circuit is kept in excellent repair (comparatively -speaking, that is to say) for the Hierarchy maintains a -regular staff of road-commissioners who are charged with -the duty of keeping the circuit in good condition for the -benefit of the pilgrims, who not unfrequently have to kneel -on the ground for their devotions.</p> - -<p>The contrast which the condition of the circuit makes -with that of ordinary thoroughfares is beyond description. -It is not merely that the other roads are full of -holes, but also that they have in their midst open cesspools, -specially constructed and openly frequented by both men and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_409" id="Page_409">[409]</a></span> -women. The filth, the stench, the utter abomination of the -streets are extremely loathsome, especially after rains -in summer, for though there are plenty of dogs feeding -about in the streets they are not enough for the supply. -Then remember that the Lhasa people drink water from -the shallow wells standing amidst such abominable surroundings. -The meaning of the word Lhasa itself is -indeed absolutely inappropriate; it signifies the ‘ground -of deities,’ and therefore supposedly a place of purity. -As Panden Aṭīsha remarked, a place in Tibet is really a city -of devils, who subsist on vile substances. I have often heard -of the filthy condition of the streets in Chinese cities, but I -hardly believe they can be as filthy as the streets in -Lhasa, where the people live in utter defiance of all rules -of hygiene and even decency. The wonder is how they -can escape being exterminated by pestilence, which would -be sure to visit most other places that neglected, even in a -far lesser degree, the laws of sanitation; and yet, from -what I observed during my residence in Lhasa, the people -did not seem to suffer to any perceptible extent from such -unhygienic surroundings. My own theory is that this -immunity from epidemic must be due to the extremely -healthy climate of Lhasa. The winter there is sufficiently -cold, but is less uncomfortable than in our Hokkaido, for -though at night the mercury falls below freezing point, it -rises to forty or fifty degrees Fahrenheit in the daytime. -In summer, too, the thermometer rarely rises much above -eighty. Indeed of all the places I have travelled in or -heard of, Lhasa seems to come first in point of a healthy -climate. It is owing to this precious gift of nature that -the people of Lhasa can live with impunity amidst filth -and general contaminations.</p> - -<p>All these thoughts occurred to me while I walked round -the circuit with the ex-Minister, and also whenever I -took a walk in the city.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_410" id="Page_410">[410]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LX" id="CHAPTER_LX">CHAPTER LX.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Lamaism.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>I must here give a brief description of the Tibetan -religion, for without it any intelligent explanation of the -political system is impossible, while some notice, however -cursory, of the administrative organisation must precede -an account of Tibetan diplomacy, upon which I also wish -to touch briefly.</p> - -<p>In describing the Tibetan national religion, I must -confine myself only to a popular exposition of the subject, -and must leave out of consideration as much as possible -other matters that are ulterior and technical.</p> - -<p>With that premise I must first of all state that Lamaism -is divided into two main branches, one older and the -other more modern, the former being popularly known as -the ‘Red Cap Sect’ and the latter as the ‘Yellow Cap.’ -The older Sect is subdivided into a large number of -sub-sects, such as Sakya, Karmapa, Dukpa, Zokchenpa, -and others, but they all agree upon cardinal points and in -the formula for attaining perfection.</p> - -<p>The founder of the Old Sect was a Ṭānṭric priest named -Lobon Padma Chungne in Tibetan. That name was derived -from a popular tradition that he was born into this world -out of a lotus flower in the Pond of Ḍanakosha, in a Royal -garden of the Kingdom of Urken, now in Cabul. His career -is full of myths far more fantastic than any of those in the -Japanese mythology, and there is very little that is tangible -and rational about it. One thing seems to be certain—that, -although a priest, he strictly enjoined on his -disciples the practices of flesh-eating, marriage and drinking. -He ingeniously grafted carnal practices on to -Buḍḍhist doctrines, and declared that the only secret of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_411" id="Page_411">[411]</a></span> -perfection for priests consisted in leading a jovial life, and -that by this means alone a man born into this world of ‘five -impurities’ can hope to attain quickly to Buḍḍhahood and -salvation.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t411"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t411h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t411.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="777" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>LOBON PADMA CHUNGNE.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>The doctrine that it is necessary to satisfy carnal desires -is based on the theory that great desires partake of the -nature of Mahāboḍhi; that as the greatest of human desires -is sensuality, therefore man can attain Mahāboḍhi by -indulging this passion, for by it he can best realise the -first essential of the reality of Āṭman, that is oblivion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_412" id="Page_412">[412]</a></span> -of self. The eating of animal flesh, another craving of men, -conforms to the principle of mercy, because the soul of the -animal can be brought under the beneficial influence of the -Boḍhi in the eater, and is thus enabled indirectly to attain -this supreme state. Liquors give pleasure to men, so that -to enjoy ourselves by drinking them and to live a pleasant -life is an ideal state obtained by an intelligent act. In short, -according to the doctrines of the Old Sect, men can attain -Buḍḍhahood by holy contemplation accompanied by drinking -liquors, eating flesh, and indulgence in carnal desires. -Such are, in the main, the fundamental tenets of this -particular Sect, the details of which I could not give here -even if I had ample space at my disposal, for they are too -full of obscenity. I may say, however, that this Sect tries -to justify the indulgence of human desires under the sanction -of Buḍḍhism.</p> - -<p>In Japan also there once existed the Tatekawa school -of the Shingon Sect, which did much to corrupt social -order and morals by preaching similar pernicious theories, -though it is not possible to speak authoritatively on this -subject, as very few fragments of the texts and canonical -writings of that suppressed school are now extant. However, -the scope and plan of that quasi-religion must have -been extremely limited.</p> - -<p>The Old Sect of Tibet is, on the other hand, on a large -scale and its doctrine has obtained a wide credence throughout -the country.</p> - -<p>The texts of this sect are still extant in Tibet and -the Samskṛṭ texts prepared in India with Tibetan -translations are fairly numerous. The Old Sect has undergone -considerable modifications since its introduction into -Tibet, for the Lama priests have freely modified the -original according to their own views and opinions. In -fact the Tibetan texts of this particular Sect are far from -preserving the original forms of teaching and expression.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_413" id="Page_413">[413]</a></span></p> - -<p>I have brought home, among other Lamaistic writings, -quite a large number of volumes treating on the esoteric -side of the doctrines of the Old Sect, which are credited -as being most authentic, but I have to keep them in a -closed box, for they are too full of obscene passages to -allow of their being read by the many.</p> - -<p>These degenerate doctrines were widely spread throughout -Tibet until, about five hundred years ago, they proved -to be too pernicious even for such a corrupt country -as Tibet. A reaction arose against the Old Sect, which -took the shape of the so-called New Sect.</p> - -<p>This was founded by Paldan Aṭīsha, a priest from India, -in the eleventh century <span class="smcap lowercase">A. D.</span>, and was after three centuries -further perfected by Je Tsong-kha-pa, who was -born in a house “amidst onion plots” in Amdo, a Chinese part -of Tibet, situated to the north of Tibet proper. This priest, -perceiving the fearful state of corruption into which the -Tibetan religion had fallen, assigned to himself the -Herculean task of purging that Augean stable.</p> - -<p>He took his ground on the fundamental proposition that -priesthood must stand on asceticism, that priesthood devoid -of asceticism was also void, and that of all the conditions of -asceticism abstinence from carnal desires was the most -important, for a priest indulging in these had nothing to distinguish -him from a layman. Je Tsong-kha-pa set an example -of following his own precepts, but first he declared for the -necessity of enforcing rules of moral discipline for priests. -But there were not a sufficient number of priests qualified -to receive ordination. At last a number of his first convents -and of the supporters of his precepts were collected -to form the nucleus of the new movement, and they raised -the standard of a spiritual campaign at Ganden, a place -about forty miles from Lhasa.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 554px;"> -<a id="zill_t414"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t414h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t414.jpg" class="hires" width="554" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>JE TSONG-KHA-PA.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>But the New Sect, in superseding the degenerated -national religion, had to conform itself to the national<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_415" id="Page_415">[415]</a></span> -partiality for esoterism, which is more or less present -in every form of religion or cult prevailing in Tibet, -and it therefore included in its system certain esoteric -forms as distinct from the esoterism of the Old Sect. The -New Sect did not denounce the images worshipped by the -followers of the Old Sect, although they all consisted of -dual figures of men and women, often represented in -offensive postures; it had, however, to give to them a new -interpretation of an abstract nature. Thus men were explained -as representing ‘proper means’ and women as representing -‘transcendental knowledge,’ and it was said -that the proper combination of the two elements gave -birth to Buḍḍhas. Therefore the birth of Buḍḍhas, -according to this interpretation, did not come from carnal -indulgence. Animal flesh, again, was interpreted as -representing mercy, and therefore not intended for -eating, while liquors were considered as embodying human -intelligence, and as giving an object-lesson to teach men -how to exercise their inborn intelligence.</p> - -<p>In that symbolic way the New Sect explained the -precepts inculcated by its older rival. The images that -had been used by the latter were also adopted, only with -a new interpretation, so that externally the two sects do -not differ much from each other. Strange as it may appear, -it is highly probable that worldly circumstances obliged -the New Sect to assume this anomalous position. I have to -stop here in my description of the doctrinal side of the -Tibetan religion, for to go further would lead me into -technical and abstruse points.</p> - -<p>I shall describe next that peculiar practice or belief of -the Tibetan religion which is called incarnation.</p> - -<p>The idea embodied in the doctrine of incarnation is that -the Buḍḍhas, or saints whose bodies are invisible to man, are -reincarnated in the shape of priests of pious virtue for the -salvation of the people. The scope of this incarnation is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_416" id="Page_416">[416]</a></span> -rather comprehensive in Tibet, for almost every lama -with any pretensions above the common level believes -that he is destined to be reborn into the world to work -for salvation. This idea seems to have undergone -considerable modifications since it was first conceived, so -that such incarnations as are accepted to-day appear quite -different from those of older days, as I shall describe -further on.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_417" id="Page_417">[417]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXI" id="CHAPTER_LXI">CHAPTER LXI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Tibetan Hierarchy.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>More than four centuries ago there lived a priest -named Gendun Tub who was a disciple of the founder -of the New Sect. It was this priest who first originated -the practice of invocation of oracles which was subsequently -elaborated into a peculiar habit of selecting -incarnations. It happened in this way. When Gendun -Tub was about to expire, he left word that he would -be reborn at such and such a place. Enquiry was made, -and the birth of a boy was ascertained to have taken -place at the specified place. This would not be particularly -marvellous were it not for the fact, as recorded in -tradition, that, as soon as he could articulate, the boy declared -his wish to return to his temple, the name of which he -declared to be Tashi Lhunpo, the very temple where the -venerable Gendun Tub had died. There was no longer -any doubt in the minds of his faithful disciples and -followers that their master had been reborn in that -boy. The boy was conveyed to the temple, was there -brought up, and was finally installed as the second -Grand Lama, called Gendun Gyamtso.</p> - -<p>Nothing particular occurred in this matter of incarnations -during the periods of his third and fourth successors, -but they grew quite popular afterwards, especially in the -days of the fifth and the sixth Grand Lamas, till at last the -whole system of the consultation of divine oracles assumed -the shape in which it is found to-day. The fifth Grand -Lama was a great promoter of the oracle system. His name -was Ngakwang Gyamtso, and though the head of the New -Sect, he investigated the texts and all matters of the Old -Sect and introduced into his own sect many things pertain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_418" id="Page_418">[418]</a></span>ing -to the Old. Oracle-invocation was extensively practised -in his time, and the privilege of undertaking this solemn -work was entrusted to four temples, or rather the deities -presiding over them, namely Nechung, Samye, Lamo and -Gatong. From the fifth Grand Lama also dates another -innovation of far greater importance, that is to say, the -establishment of Hierarchical Government.</p> - -<p>Before his time, the Grand Lamas held only spiritual -power, and had nothing to do with temporal or administrative -affairs, for the Grand Lamas had no territories to -administer except a small glebe.</p> - -<p>About that time a powerful Mongolian chieftain named -Shrī Gaumi Tenjin Choe Gyal invaded Tibet and subdued -all the petty tribes that had hitherto existed there. These -numbered thirteen, each counting according to tradition -ten thousand families. Tibet may thus be considered to -have contained one hundred and thirty thousand families, -and, strange to say, this is also believed to be the present -number of the population, according to popular accounts.</p> - -<p>The Mongolian conqueror disposed of the districts he -had subdued in a very interesting manner, for instead of -bringing them under his direct control he presented the -whole region to the Grand Lama of the day. Thus originated -the system of the Hierarchy, which therefore dates -only about three centuries back. But to return to the -subject of oracle-consultation.</p> - -<p>By this time the process of consultation had to undergo -considerable modifications, owing to the fact that the high -Lamas who were to be reborn not unfrequently omitted -the trouble of enlightening others about the places of their -re-appearance on the earth. These places had to be discovered -therefore, for the Tibetans firmly held, as they do -even to-day, that high Lamas who die are sure -to re-incarnate somewhere after the lapse of forty-nine -days from the day of death. Hence arose the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_419" id="Page_419">[419]</a></span> -necessity to determine the place of such re-incarnation, -and this task devolved on the oracle-invokers of one of the -four particular temples mentioned before.</p> - -<p>The process as it is in vogue at present is essentially -identical with that prevailing in former times, and is exceedingly -strange, to say the least of it. The mediums or -invokers who perform this holy business behave themselves -in such an extravagant way that the uninitiated -would consider them to be stark mad.</p> - -<p>The consultation of the oracle is performed by a number -of priests, one of whom is a medium, the rest being assistants. -These beat drums and strike cymbals, whilst others -chant the Texts. The medium is attired in a gorgeous -fashion. He wears a big head-cloth with silk pendants of -five hues hanging from behind. Sometimes strips of glittering -brocade are used instead. The garment is not unlike -that worn by Japanese priests, and is of yellow or red satin, -decorated with figures of flowers. From the knot of the -sash hang long strips of cloth. Thus attired, the medium -waits for response from the deities, remaining with closed -eyes in a half sitting posture, while all the time the discordant -sounds made by the orchestra are kept up. After a -while he begins to tremble and shake, this movement -gathering force, till all of sudden he either falls on his -back or jumps up, according to the nature of the deity who -responds to the invocation, and has now descended into -the body of the medium. He will then say, still continuing -to shudder, that the particular Lama has re-appeared -at such and such a place, and in such and such a house -which faces in a certain direction; that the family consists -of a certain number of members; that a baby born on -a certain day is a re-incarnation of the dead Lama, and so on. -An enquiry is then made according to the direction and -of course the pronouncement of the oracle is confirmed, and -a baby corresponding to the description given is found in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_420" id="Page_420">[420]</a></span> -the house. The boy is left under the care of his mother -till he can be weaned, and then he is brought to the specified -temple where he is educated. In education special care is -taken to inspire in him the strong self-confidence that he is -a holy re-incarnation.</p> - -<p>At any rate the practice of invoking divine oracles extensively -came into vogue from the time of the fifth Grand -Lama, and is used for all matters great or small, from -vexed international problems to trifling questions that easily -admit of solution.</p> - -<p>The oracle-giving deities, as I mentioned before, are four, -and they are regarded as the guardian angels of the Lama -Hierarchy. Of the four Nechung is the most powerful.</p> - -<p>Suppose a Grand Lama dies, and a necessity arises to -determine the place of his re-incarnation. The four -temples dedicated to the four deities are ordered by the -authorities to undertake the mysterious business of identification, -this order being generally issued about a year -after the death of the august Lama. All the priests of the -four temples are summoned on that occasion, and they -separately consult their own respective oracles. Their -deities are, however, not infallible, and often prove just as -divided in their judgment as ordinary mortals are, for -very rarely do the four oracles coincide, and usually those -oracles produce three different candidates. The choice -has therefore to be made from among the three.</p> - -<p>The three or four boy-candidates (as the case may be) -are brought to Lhasa, when they have reached the age of -five years. The ceremony of selection is next performed. -This is of course conducted with great pomp and solemnity. -The dignitaries who are privileged to take part in it are -the Chinese Commissioner residing in Lhasa and the -Regent Lama; also the Prime Ministers and all the Ministers, -Vice-Ministers and a number of high Lamas are -allowed to be present. First the names of the boy-candi<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_421" id="Page_421">[421]</a></span>dates -(three or four in number, as the case may be) are -written on so many pieces of paper, and put in a golden -urn which is then sealed. For the period of a week a -kind of high mass is performed in the ceremony-hall, in -order to entreat the divine intercession for the selection -of the real re-incarnation. When this period expires all -the dignitaries before-mentioned are once more assembled -around the sealed urn. This is carefully inspected and the -seal is then taken off. The Chinese Commissioner then takes -a pair of tiny ivory sticks something like ordinary chop-sticks -in shape and size and, with his eyes shut, puts -them into the urn and solemnly picks out one of the -papers. The name written on that paper is read, and the -bearer of that name is acknowledged as Grand Lama-elect.</p> - -<p>From what I have described, there is apparently little -room, if any, for trickery, but I have heard from the Secretary -of the Chinese Commissioner that dishonest practices -are in reality not infrequent. Indeed the temptations -are too strong for greedy and dishonest minds to -resist, owing to the keen rivalry among the parents of the -boy-candidates to have their own boys selected. Strong -interest urges them on in this rivalry, for the parents of -the Lama-elect are not only entitled to receive the title of -Duke from the Chinese Government, but also enjoy many -other advantages, above all the acquisition of a -large fortune. Under these circumstances the parents and -relatives of eligible boys are said to offer large bribes to -the Chinese Amban, and to others who are connected with -the ceremony of selection. I do not affirm the fact of -bribes, but at least I have heard that cases of such under-hand -influence have occurred not unfrequently.</p> - -<p>The selection of the Grand Lama is thus made by an -elaborate process, in which the influence of the oracle-invokers -plays an important part. The priests who have -charge of this business are in most cases men who make<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_422" id="Page_422">[422]</a></span> -it their business to blackmail every applicant. Most of -the oracle-priests are therefore extremely wealthy.</p> - -<p>The Nechung who are under the direct patronage of the -Hierarchy, are generally millionaires, as millionaires go in -Tibet. This, taken in conjunction with another fact, -that the re-incarnations of higher Lamas are generally -sons of wealthy aristocrats, or merchants, and that it -is only very rarely that they are discovered among the -lowly, must be considered as suggesting the working of -some such practices. I have even heard that some -unscrupulous people corrupt the oracle-priests for the -benefit of their unborn children, so as to have their boys -accepted as Lamas incarnate when born. From a worldly -point of view the expense incurred on this account not unfrequently -proves a good ‘investment,’ if I may use the -profane expression, for the boys who are the objects of the -oracles have a good chance of being installed in the temples -where their spiritual antecedents presided, which are -sure to possess large property. This property goes, it -need hardly be added, to the boys, after they have been -duly installed. Whatever may have been the practical -effect of incarnation in former times, it is, as matters stand -at present, an incarnation of all vices and corruptions, -instead of the souls of departed Lamas.</p> - -<p>I once remarked to certain Tibetans that the present -mode of incarnation was a glaring humbug, and that it -was nothing less than an embodiment of bribery.</p> - -<p>To do justice to the incarnations themselves, they grow -up, in eight cases out of ten, to be Lamas of more than -average ability, perhaps because they are brought up -with special care. Their teachers and guardians treat -their wards with kindness and never use rough language -to them even when they behave as they ought not to -behave. In such case the teachers and guardians appeal -to their sense of honor and great responsibility.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_423" id="Page_423">[423]</a></span></p> - -<p>This reminds me of the necessity of treating children -with consideration, and that to abuse them as blockheads or -fools, when they err in their conduct or over their lessons, -deprives them of the sense of self-confidence, and hence -prevents its natural development. They must be educated -in such a way as to allow full play to their sense of -self-respect.</p> - -<p>The Tibetans have not adopted this particular mode of -education for their boy-incarnations from any deep -conviction as to educational policy; they are doing so out -of their respect towards their boy-masters.</p> - -<p>I should add, also, that the general mass of the people -are left in complete ignorance of all the tricks and -intrigues that are concocted and extensively carried on in -the higher circles. With guileless innocence the ordinary -people swallow all the fabulous tales that are circulated -about the alleged evidences fabricated for establishing the -re-incarnation of Lamas. Those only who are acquainted -with what is going on behind the scenes at Lhasa and -Shigatze treat those ‘evidences’ with scorn, and denounce -the re-incarnation affair as downright imposture and a -mischievous farce. To them the re-incarnation is an -embodiment of bribery, nothing more nor less. At best -it is a fraud committed by oracle-priests at the instance -of aristocrats who are very often their patrons and -protectors.</p> - -<p>Oracles are not confined in their operation to matters of -incarnation; they are consulted for many other purposes. -A Cabinet Minister who has committed some error will -hasten to those priests, especially to the Nechung, to -prevent his being punished, or to have the punishment -modified. In such a case a Minister has to pay to the priests -a sum varying from the minimum of one thousand yen to -ten or twenty times that amount, according to the gravity -of the offence. When in time that offence comes to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_424" id="Page_424">[424]</a></span> -ears of the Government, and the question of punishing the -offender is brought on the <i>tapis</i>, the latter can sit silent -without much perturbation, secure in the thought that he -has forestalled the Government and has secretly -‘purchased’ a favorable understanding with the consulters -of the oracles. For to these consulters the matter is sure -to be brought, sooner or later, for their decision, or more -properly for the decision of their deity. The priests will -then consult the oracles, but with a foregone conclusion as -to the nature of the response, being bound by the accused -party with fetters of gold. The oracles will say: “Don’t -punish the man, for to do so will be to invite calamity on -the country. Only reprimand is enough, for the man is at -heart well-meaning. His fault came from inadvertence.” -And so the Minister is absolved from the charge, or is -sentenced merely to a nominal punishment.</p> - -<p>On the other hand, a Minister or any other high -personage who is a <i>persona ingrata</i> to the Nechung priests -is in danger of bringing down on his head an oracle of -terrible nature at any moment, and in the presence of the -Grand Lama himself. The unscrupulous priests will even -turn the virtues of their unfortunate victim into a means -of denouncing him. The power which those oracle-priests -wield in the official circles of the Grand Lama’s Government -is therefore a formidable one, and the officials hold -them in even greater awe than they do their supreme -chief. The Nechung priests may be even regarded as -wielding the real power in the Hierarchical administration. -It is true that the present Grand Lama, being a man of -great force of mind, does not blindly adopt in all cases the -insidious advice of the priests; still in the great majority -of cases he has to follow it, for to reject the Nechung’s -words is contrary to the traditions of the country.</p> - -<p>The Nechung, who exercise such power even in small -affairs, very often prove to be broken reeds when they are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_425" id="Page_425">[425]</a></span> -confronted with grave national questions. Suppose, for -instance, they are asked to consult the oracles about a -diplomatic trouble, in the presence of the Dalai Lama -and other great dignitaries. The priests proceed to do so -with pomp and solemnity, attired in gorgeous dress befitting -the occasion. In time the deity responds to the -invocation, and is consulted about the policy which the -Government has to adopt, say, about the trouble which is -supposed to have appeared between it and England. The -medium will remain silent, and simply continue to tremble -for some time. He will next make one high jump, and -then drop down apparently unconscious. The attendants -of the medium are then thrown into consternation, all -whispering to each other with significant nods and head-shakes -that the deity must have been offended at the -impious question put to him, and must have therefore gone -off in holy wrath. And so for a grave question, for which -the aid of the oracle is most needed, the Hierarchical -Government is left in the lurch and is compelled to give -decision according to its own mother-wit. Such is the -farce of the oracle-system.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t426"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t426h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t426.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="568" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>A SOOTHSAYER UNDER MEDIUMISTIC INFLUENCE FALLING SENSELESS.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>Men of learning and priests of sincere piety and -honest conviction are therefore bitterly (though not -openly) opposed to the doings of those oracle-priests, -whom they denounce as Ministers of devils, and as the -worst enemies of religion. Fortunately, however, the -two Lamaist chiefs are not installed only by the agency -of the Nechungs, as above mentioned.</p> - -<p>I may, for instance, refer in passing to the supposed -parentage of the present Tashi Lama, the second Grand -Lama, of Tashi Lhunpo. He is said to have been born of a -dumb woman by some unknown father. Some say that his -father was a hermit, while others are of opinion that he -was a priest, but the most probable account is the one -which I heard from a certain authority, who informed me<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_427" id="Page_427">[427]</a></span> -that a learned doctor, one Meto-ke-sang (chrysanthemum-flower) -of the monastery of Sera, was the real father of -the present head of the Tashi Lhunpo. This doctor became -a monomaniac after having studied the literature of the -Old Sect, roamed about the country, and at last cohabited -with a dumb woman. The result was the birth of the boy -on whom fell the great honor. The Lama is therefore, -said to bear a great personal resemblance to that mad -doctor. Though this opinion was held by a reliable -authority of the Sera monastery with whom I was acquainted, -of course I cannot vouch for the authenticity of his -explanation.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_428" id="Page_428">[428]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXII" id="CHAPTER_LXII">CHAPTER LXII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Government.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>I shall next describe the system of the Hierarchical -Government, and other matters relative to it based on the -information I incidentally obtained on those subjects -during my stay in Lhasa. The information is far from -being complete, for besides the fact that the subjects -were entirely foreign to the primary objects of my Tibetan -expedition, and therefore I was not impelled to make -any systematic inquiries, I could not without inviting -strong suspicion put any questions to my friends -in Lhasa about matters of Tibetan politics. Whatever -knowledge I could gather on the subject was derived -incidentally in the course of conversations with my -distinguished host and some others, and as the result -of enquiries made in a highly guarded and roundabout -way. Hence there still remain many points in the Government -system of which I myself am ignorant.</p> - -<p>With this reserve, I may state first of all that the -Hierarchy is composed of both clerical and lay departments, -each consisting of an equal number of men. The priests of -higher rank who attend to the affairs of State bear the -title of “Tse Dung” and they number one hundred and sixty-five, -and there are lay officials of corresponding rank -and number known under the title of “Dung Khor”. The -priestly functionaries of higher rank are subject to the -control of four Grand Secretaries, bearing the title of -“Tung yk chen mo” but the real power is vested in the -senior priest. Similarly four “Shabpe” (Premiers) are -appointed over the head of the higher lay officials. Of -these four “Shabpe” the one enjoying precedence in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_429" id="Page_429">[429]</a></span> -appointment holds the real power, the other three being -his councillors and advisers.</p> - -<p>The Cabinet is composed of four Prime-Ministers, three -Ministers of Finance, two Ministers of War, a Minister of -the Household, a Minister of Religion, a Minister of Justice, -and four Grand Secretaries belonging to the Order.</p> - -<p>All these higher posts, both of priests and laymen, are -in most cases filled only by men belonging to the privileged -classes; very rarely do they fall to the Ngak-pa, Bon-bo -and Shal-ngo castes.</p> - -<p>The Tibetan administration is of an anomalous description—a -hybrid partaking of feudalism on the one hand and -of the modern system of Local Government on the other.</p> - -<p>The relation between Peers and commoners apparently -resembles feudalism. The first recipient of the title was -granted a certain tract of land in recognition of his service, -and there at once sprung up between this lord of the -manor, as it were, and the inhabitants of that particular -place a relationship akin to that between sovereign and -subject. This lord is an absolute master of his people, -both in regard to their rights and even their lives.</p> - -<p>The lord levies a poll-tax on the inhabitants, and even -the poorest are not exempted from this obligation. The -levy varies considerably according to the means of -the payer, from say one tanka paid by a poor inhabitant -to even a hundred paid by a wealthier member of -the community. Besides, every freeholder must pay land -tax, the land held by him being understood theoretically -to belong to the lord. However heavy the burden of the -poll-tax may be, each person is obliged to pay it, for if he -neglects to do so he is liable to be punished with flogging -and the confiscation of his property to boot. The only -means of escape from this obligation consists in becoming -a monk, and there must be in the Tibetan priesthood a -large number of men who have turned priests solely with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_430" id="Page_430">[430]</a></span> -this object of avoiding the payment of taxes. The witty -remark once made to me by my teacher, Ti Rinpoche, -on this subject may illustrate the state of affairs in the -Tibetan priesthood. He said: “I do not know whether to -rejoice at or to regret the presence of so many priests -in Tibet. Some seem to take this as a sign of the flourishing -condition of the national religion and on that ground -seem to be satisfied with it. I cannot quite agree with -this argument; on the contrary I rather hold that it -is better to have even two or three precious diamonds -than a heap of stones and broken tiles.” The motives -that lead people to become priests lying in that region, it -is not strange that the Tibetan priesthood should contain -plenty of rubbish with very few diamonds among them.</p> - -<p>However, when it is remembered how heavy are the -burdens imposed on the shoulders of the people, it is not -strange that they should try to evade them by entering the -Order. The condition of even the poorest priest presents -a great contrast to that of other poor people, for the priest -is at least sure to obtain every month a regular allowance, -small as it is, from the Hierarchical Government, while he -can expect more or less of extra allowances in the shape of -occasional presents from charitable people. But a poor -layman cannot expect any help from those quarters, -and he has to support his family with his own labor and -to pay the poll-tax besides. Very often therefore he -is hardly able to drive the wolf of hunger from his door, -and in such case his only hope of succor lies in a loan from -his landlord, or the lord of the manor wherein he resides. -But hope of repayment there is none, and so the poor -farmer gets that loan under a strange contract, that is to -say, by binding himself to offer his son or daughter as a -servant to the creditor when he or she attains a -certain age. And so his child when he has reached -the age of (say) ten years is surrendered to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_431" id="Page_431">[431]</a></span> -creditor, who is entitled to employ him as a servant -for fifteen or twenty years, and for a loan which does not -generally exceed ten yen. The lives of the children -of poor people may therefore be considered as being -foreclosed by their parents. Those pitiable children grow -up to be practically slaves of the Peers.</p> - -<p>The relationship existing between the Peers and the -people residing on their estates, therefore, partakes of the -nature of feudalism in some essential respects, but it -cannot be said that feudalism reigns alone in Tibet to the -exclusion of other systems of Government. On the -contrary a centralised form of Government prevails more -or less at the same time. The Peers, it must be remembered, -do not generally reside on their own estates; they reside -in Lhasa and leave their estates in charge of their stewards. -And they are not unfrequently appointed by the Central -Government as Governors of certain districts.</p> - -<p>Consequently the Tibetans may be said to be divided -into two classes of people, one being subject to the control -of the lords of the manors and other to that of the Central -Government. Not unfrequently the two overlap, and the -same people are obliged to pay poll-tax to their lords and -other taxes to the Central Government.</p> - -<p>The work of revenue collection is entrusted to two or -three Commissioners appointed from among the clerical or -lay officials of higher rank, and these, invested with -judicial and executive powers, are despatched every year -to the provinces to collect revenue, consisting of taxes, -imposts and import duties, these being paid either in -money or kind.</p> - -<p>The demands on revenue are many and various, and -among the items of ordinary expenditure may be mentioned -first of all the sums required for supporting, either wholly -or partially, a large number of priests residing both in -Lhasa and in the provinces, the former alone numbering<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_432" id="Page_432">[432]</a></span> -about twenty-five thousand. The outlay on account of -building temples and religious ceremonies is not small, but -that on account of salaries paid to the officials of the Central -Government appears to be less. A Premier draws the -yearly salary of about six hundred <i>koku</i> or four thousand -bushels of wheat, the stipend being generally paid in this -grain. The first Lord of the Treasury draws three hundred -and sixty koku. What is very interesting about -these salaries is that the State functionaries very often -relinquish the right of receiving their salaries, and leave -them unclaimed. My host, who continued to hold for ten -years the post of the Minister of Finance, had persistently -refrained during that long period from claiming what was -his due. When I marvelled at this strange act of disinterestedness -on his part, he replied that his own estate -supplied what he wanted and so he did not wish to give -trouble to the Grand Lama’s Exchequer. And he further -informed me that most of his colleagues who were men of -means generally omitted to claim their salaries wholly -or in part, though there were some who punctually received -the money to which they were entitled by right. Not -that even those who showed themselves so disinterested -in the matter of official stipends are above corruption, for -I heard that some of the Ministers who declined their -salaries did not scruple to receive or even to exact bribes. -In justice to them I may add that bribery is a universal -vice in Tibet, and is not regarded in so serious a light there -as in more enlightened countries. My host was a gentleman -of strict integrity and morals, but he used to accept -presents offered out of respect to him.</p> - -<p>The clerical and lay high functionaries, each numbering -one hundred and sixty-five, attend to the various affairs of -State. They are sometimes appointed as Governors of -provinces, while at other times they are sent on judicial -business. In such cases appointments are never given to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_433" id="Page_433">[433]</a></span> -clerical or lay officials only, but both are invariably appointed -as associates, and in equal number, one each or two, -or sometimes four. The Judicial Commissioners were -formerly often guilty of injustice and open to the charge of -judging cases, not according to their real deserts, but according -to the amount of bribes offered. They are no longer so -now, thanks to the vigilance and energy of the present -Dalai Lama who, whenever such a case of wrong-doing -comes to his ears, does not hesitate to confiscate the -property of the offending parties and to deprive them of -their rank. Sometimes when a case of grave moment -occurs it is submitted to the personal judgment of the -Grand Lama himself.</p> - -<p>The Grand Lama is therefore placed in a highly anomalous -position, for while he is the dispenser of benevolence -and the supreme head of a religion preaching mercy -and forbearance, he is obliged to pass judgment and to -sentence persons to exile or even to capital punishment. -As head of a religion he is positively forbidden by its teachings -to pass a decree of that nature, whether that decree is -justifiable in the worldly sense or not. But the Grand Lama -does issue decrees of this irreligious description. He is not, -however, a political chief, inasmuch as he faithfully adheres -to the rules of mortification enforced by his religion; he -has no wife, for instance, nor does he drink intoxicating -liquor. His position is really highly anomalous.</p> - -<p>And yet all the priests in Tibet take from the Grand -Lama the holy vow of discipline; I myself was advised by -my Tibetan friends to pass that ceremony, but my religious -scruples stood in the way, so I did not follow the advice. -However I was initiated by the Grand Lama in the -‘Hidden Teaching,’ for this ceremony had nothing to do -with my religious convictions.</p> - -<p>The Grand Lama himself being placed in this false -position, all the priests under him are naturally open<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_434" id="Page_434">[434]</a></span> -to a similar charge. They are partly priests and partly -men of the world, and sometimes it is hardly possible to -distinguish them from ordinary laymen. For instance, -the Tibetan priests, as I have mentioned elsewhere, undertake -farming or business, while the young rowdies among -them attend to the work of ordinary soldiers. The only -things that distinctly distinguish the priests from laymen -are that the former shave their hair and wear priestly -robes, and the latter do not; that is all. I am compelled -to say that Lamaism has fallen, and that it has assumed a -form quite contrary to that to which its great reformer -Je Tsong-kha-pa elevated it, and I am sincerely sorry for -this degeneration. I shall next describe the education and -the caste system in Tibet.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_435" id="Page_435">[435]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXIII" id="CHAPTER_LXIII">CHAPTER LXIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Education and Castes.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Education is not widely diffused in Tibet. In the neighborhood -of Shigatze children are taught comparatively -well the three subjects of writing, arithmetic and -reading, but in other places no provision exists for teaching -children, except at monasteries, so that the boys and girls -of ordinary people are generally left uneducated, especially -the latter.</p> - -<p>As might naturally be expected, educational establishments -are few and far between. The only institutions worthy -of the name are found on the premises of the Palace at -Lhasa, and of the Tashi Lhunpo monasteries in Shigatze; -all the rest are only ‘family schools’.</p> - -<p>From the important position which priests command in -Tibet, the system of training them is pretty well developed, -and it is only at religious schools that one can obtain even -a comparatively advanced education. Sons of ordinary -people can enjoy the benefit of that education only by -joining the order, for otherwise they are refused admission -to Government schools.</p> - -<p>The doors of those schools are, of course, shut against -boys of humble origin. In Tibet there exists one class -which is the lowest in the scale of social gradation. This -lowest grade is subdivided into fishermen, ferry-men, -smiths, and butchers. Smiths are relegated to this grade -in Tibet just as in India, and for the same reason—that they -pursue an objectionable occupation in making edged tools -used for slaughtering living things, the most sinful occupation -of all. People of this lowest grade are even prohibited -from becoming priests, and if ever they enter the privileged -order it is by some surreptitious means and by concealing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_436" id="Page_436">[436]</a></span> -their real rank. In this way some men of the lowest -origin have become priests at places remote from their -native villages. Compared with these despised classes, -the ordinary people may be said to enjoy a great advantage.</p> - -<p>The classes who are entitled to enter the Government -institutions are only four:</p> - -<p>1. <i>Ger-pa</i>, Peers; 2. <i>Ngak-pa</i>, the manṭra clan, 3. <i>Bon-bo</i>, -the Old Sect clan; 4. <i>Shal-ngo</i>, families of former chieftains.</p> - -<p>The Peers consist of the descendants of former ministers -and generals, and contain the supreme class called <i>Yabshi</i> -which is composed of families of the thirteen Grand Lamas, -past and present, and also of the descendants of the first -King of Tibet, called Tichen Lha-kyari. They all hold the -rank of Duke. The descendants in the direct line -of that King still exist to this day, and their head -is entitled to occupy the same rank as the Grand -Lama, only he does not possess any power in public -affairs. The highest posts in the Tibetan Hierarchy -are within the easy reach of the Yabshi men, who can -become Prime Ministers or other great dignitaries of state -provided they are judged to possess qualifications for -undertaking those high functions. Even when they do not -occupy such elevated positions, they at least hold posts -that are of next in importance. All the remarks about -the Yabshi apply to the families of the Dalai Lamas, -installed at Lhasa, for though the other Patriarchs at -Tashi Lhunpo also possess Yabshi of their own, they do -not enjoy the same privileges as the others. The descendants -of the Dalai Lama’s relatives, and those of the former -King, may therefore be considered as forming in practice -the royal families of Tibet. These should, for convenience, -be set apart as a distinct class, though there are other -families that do not differ much from them in origin and -privilege. Of these, one called <i>De-pon Cheka</i> (families of -generals) represents the descendants of the generals and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_437" id="Page_437">[437]</a></span> -captains who rendered distinguished services when Tibet -engaged in war. The merits of those warriors, long since -dead, obtain for their descendants great respect from the -public and they enjoy great privileges.</p> - -<p>The next grade of the Peerage, but considerably below -these, consists of the descendants of families of great historic -renown, or of ministers of distinguished service. Though -occupying the lowest grade in the herald-book of the -Peerage, even the portfolio of the Premier is accessible to -these Peers, provided that they are men of ability.</p> - -<p>In general, honor and ability seldom go together in -Tibet, for official posts are freely sold and purchased, -though buyers are limited. High officials of real ability -are even regarded as a nuisance by their colleagues, and -are liable to be dismissed through their intrigues. Such -being the case, by far the greater majority of high official -posts are held by men who have obtained them in exchange -for money.</p> - -<p>The class that ranks next to Peers is that of the Ngak-pas -or miracle workers, who are the descendants of Lamas who -worked miracles, not the least of them being their -marriage in violation of the rules of Lama priesthood. -Those Lamas transmitted their ‘hidden arts’ exclusively -to this social grade, which thus possesses hereditary -secrets. The Ngak-pas play an important part in the social -organism of Tibet. For instance they are entitled, -as already mentioned, to levy the ‘hail-tax’ in summer, -and therefore to assume the function of administrators. -They are also held in great awe by provincials and -townsmen, as being magicians of power. The simple-minded -folk believe that if once they incur the displeasure -of a Ngak-pa they may be cursed by him, and therefore -may bring upon themselves some calamity. As I -mentioned before, the Ngak-pa people occupy the advantageous -position of being able to procure money in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_438" id="Page_438">[438]</a></span> -shape of proceeds of the ‘hail-tax,’ and of presents coming -from all classes of people. Strange as it may appear, the -Ngak-pa men, while commanding such advantages, are -notoriously poor; they even stand as synonyms for poverty. -Their sole consolation is that they are conscious of the -great power they hold over all classes of people; and even -Peers are often seen to dismount from horseback and give -a courteous salute when they happen to meet a beggarly -Ngak-pa in the street.</p> - -<p>The third caste is the Bon-bo the name of an old religion -which prevailed in Tibet long before the introduction of -Buḍḍhism. The priests of this practically extinct religion -were allowed to marry, and have left behind them the class -of people who represent this old social institution in Tibet. -The Bon-bo people have to play a certain distinct rôle -in public affairs. This is more of a ceremonial than of a -religious nature. It consists in worshipping local deities, -and undertaking ceremonies intended to secure their -favor. When people marry, they ask a Bon-bo man to -pray for them to their local deity. Sometimes he undertakes -other kinds of prayer or even performs symbolic -rites with a benevolent or malevolent aim, according to -circumstances. Families of this particular class are found -almost everywhere throughout the country, though in -limited numbers. In some remote villages, as Tsar-ka in the -Himālayas, all the villagers are said to belong to this class, -but in most cases only one or two families are found in one -village or in one district. In such cases the Bon-bo are -objects of great respect, and they sometimes act as local -magistrates or administrators. Even when they pursue -any other kind of business, they still command great -respect from their neighbors as descendants of ancient -families.</p> - -<p>Though the Bon-bo are descendants of an old religious -order, their present representatives are no longer priests,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_439" id="Page_439">[439]</a></span> -for they do not preach their tenets to others, nor try to -persuade them to become converts. They are simply content -to hand down their ancestral teachings and traditions -to their children and so maintain their distinct position in -society. Not unfrequently the young Bon-bo enter the -priesthood, and these take precedence over all the other -Bon-bo. Strictly speaking the respect which the people -belonging to this particular class enjoy over others at -present is due to their honorable lineage.</p> - -<p>The fourth class is “Shal-ngo” and is composed -of the descendants of ancient families who acquired -power in the locality on account of their wealth -in either money or land. The Tibetans are in general -a highly conservative race, and therefore they succeed in -most cases in keeping intact their hereditary property. -Their polyandrous custom too must be conducive to that -result, preventing as it does the splitting up of family -property among brothers. By far the great majority of -the Shal-ngo people possess therefore more or less property; -and even a poor Shal-ngo commands the same respect from -the public as his richer confrère.</p> - -<p>Common people are divided into two grades, one called -<i>tong-ba</i> and the other <i>tong-du</i>. The former is superior, and -includes all those common people who possess some means -and have not fallen into an ignoble state of slavery. -Tong-du means etymologically “petty people,” and their -rank being one grade lower than that of others, the people -of this class are engaged in menial service. Still they are -not strictly speaking slaves; they should more properly -be considered as poor tenant-farmers, for formerly these -people used to stand in the relation of tenant-farmers to -land-owners, though such relation no longer exists.</p> - -<p>Some tong-ba are reduced to more straitened circumstances -than the tong-du, but, generally considered, the tong-ba are -distinguished from the others by the possession of property,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_440" id="Page_440">[440]</a></span> -greater or less as the case may be, while poverty is a -special feature of the tong-du.</p> - -<p>However low the tong-ba may fall in the worldly sense -of the word, and, on the other hand, however thriving -the tong-du may become, a strict line of demarcation still -continues to separate the two classes. Society continues -to treat them as before, and as if nothing had happened -in their relative fortunes. No ordinary people deign to -eat with one belonging to the tong-du class, nor do they -ever intermarry with them.</p> - -<p>This strict rule of social etiquette is in force even among -the four divisions of the lowest class, that is to say, ferry-men, -fishermen, smiths and butchers. Of the four, the -first two rank higher than the other two. Thus, though -smiths and butchers are not permitted to eat in the same -room with common people, the other two classes are -allowed to do so, only they may not sit at table with a -privileged plebeian, but must eat or drink from their own -vessels.</p> - -<p>It is hardly necessary to add that a strong barrier is set -up between these four kinds of social outcasts and the -ordinary common people, to prevent their intermarriage; -a man or woman belonging to the latter class, who is so indiscreet -as to obey the bidding of his or her heart and to -marry one of the despised race, is socially tabooed from -his or her own kith and kin. This punishment is permanent, -and even when the bond of this <i>mésalliance</i> has been -dissolved by divorce, or any other cause, the fallen man or -woman can never hope to regain the caste which he or she -has forfeited. The mark of social infamy will follow him -or her to the grave.</p> - -<p>It is curious, however, that the issues of these <i>mésalliances</i> -form a social class of their own. They are called -<i>tak ta ril</i>, which means a ‘mixed race produced by black and -white twisted together’. They occupy a position even<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_441" id="Page_441">[441]</a></span> -lower than that of the four despised classes mentioned above, -and are in fact the lowest caste in Tibet.</p> - -<p>There is one interesting feature in regard to this rigid -canon of social caste, and that is the presence of gentlemen-smiths, -who, being men of a mechanical turn of mind, have -become smiths from preference. These gentlemen-smiths -do not forfeit their birth and rank on this -account.</p> - -<p>Both by law and custom the higher classes enjoy special -privileges, and these go a long way. The children of -aristocrats, for instance, are entitled to exact from their -humbler playmates great respect and courtesy. When the -latter so forget themselves in their disputes and quarrels -with their noble associates as to use rough language, they -are at once punished, even when they are in the right. It is -evident therefore from what has been stated that a -plebeian, no matter how wealthy, is obliged to behave -respectfully under all circumstances to a man belonging to -the Ngak-pa or Bon-bo, even though the latter may be as -poor as a church mouse. As each social class forms -practically one distinct community with its own particular -etiquette, customs and so forth, ranks are more plainly -visible on the surface in Tibet than in most other countries. -The Tibetan proverb corresponding to the western saying -that “blood will out” gains a special significance when -applied to the state of affairs prevailing in that semi-civilised -country.</p> - -<p>The aristocrats of Tibet are distinguished by noble -mien and refined manners. Conscious of their elevated -position, they possess on the whole a high sense of honor. -The other privileged castes occupying a lower plane, such -as the men of the Ngak-pa and Bon-bo races and the -descendants of ancient grandees, still bear the marks of -their respectable birth and can easily be distinguished -even by strangers from the common people.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_442" id="Page_442">[442]</a></span></p> - -<p>The common people are plebeian in their general -bearing and appearance, but one thing to their credit is -that they are known for strict honesty, and even extreme -poverty seldom tempts them into committing arts of -larceny. On the other hand, the lower classes or social -outcasts are notorious for their criminal propensities to -robbery and murder. In practice they are characterised -by crime and wretchedness; they are criminals and -beggars. Beggars in fact form a community of their own, -the profession being hereditary. These classes are deservedly -held in contempt by the public, and their faces -even seem to justify such treatment, for they are remarkable -for ferocity, depravity and vileness.</p> - -<p>As I have mentioned before, lads belonging to the -higher ranks are entitled to enter Government schools, but -the subjects taught there are at best imperfect. The -lessons consist only of learning by memory, penmanship -and counting. The first subject is the most important, -next comes penmanship, the latter receiving even a larger -allotment of hours than the other. Counting is a primitive -affair, being taught by means of pebbles, pieces of wood, -or shells. The subject matters of learning by memory are -Buḍḍhist Texts, the elements of grammar, and lastly -rhetoric. This last is a subject of great ambition for -Tibetan scholars, who are just like Chinese in their fondness -for grandiloquent expressions. Documents to be -presented to the Dalai Lama and other high personages -bristle with high-flown phraseology and with -characters rarely used in ordinary writing, and not -found even in Buḍḍhist Texts. The fact is that Tibetan -scholars at present hold strange ideas about writing, being -of opinion that they should aim at composing in a style -unintelligible to ordinary persons. The more characters -they can use which cannot easily be understood by others, -the better proof, they think, have they given of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_443" id="Page_443">[443]</a></span> -profundity of their scholarship. The most scholarly -compositions are practically hierographic so far as their -incomprehensibility is concerned.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t443"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t443h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t443.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="703" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>FLOGGING AS A MEANS OF EDUCATION</p></div> -</div> - -<p>The birch-rod is considered to be the most useful implement -in teaching; not exactly a birch-rod, however, but -a flat piece of bamboo. The cramming of difficult passages -of rhetoric being the principal mode of learning imposed -on pupils, their masters are invariably of opinion that they -must make free use of the rod in order to quicken their pupils’<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_444" id="Page_444">[444]</a></span> -progress. The relation between masters and pupils does -not differ much from that between gaolers and convicts. -The latter, poor fellows, hold their masters in such dread -that they find it exceedingly trying, at the sight of them -and their formidable pedagogic weapons, to compose their -minds and to go on unfalteringly with their lessons. They -cower with fear, and are filled with the perturbing -thought that the rod is sure to descend upon them for the -slightest stumble they make in the path of learning. The -ordinary way of using the rod is to give thirty blows with -it on the left palm of the pupil. Prudence counsels the -pupil to stretch out his hand with alacrity at the -bidding of his hard master, for in case he hesitates to do so -the penalty is generally doubled, and sixty blows instead -of thirty are given. It is a cruel sight to see a little pupil -holding out his open hand and submitting to the punishment -with tearful eyes. Surely this is not education but -mere cruelty.</p> - -<p>I once made an earnest remonstrance on this subject -with the Minister of Finance who, in common with the rest, -used to teach his boys with a liberal application of -the rod. To do justice to the Minister, his method of -teaching was much more considerate than that of most of -his countrymen, and he very seldom resorted to rough -handling, such as binding pupils with cords over-night or -compelling them to go without dinner or supper. When -however I remonstrated with him on the ground that the -infliction of corporal punishment was entirely opposed to -all sound principles of education, he at first defended the -Tibetan system with great earnestness. We had a somewhat -animated though courteous dispute on the subject; -but at length, being a man of great candor of mind, -he seemed to perceive the merit of my position. At -any rate he ceased to use the rod as he did before, and -generally confined himself to giving a reprimand when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_445" id="Page_445">[445]</a></span> -any of his boys went astray with his learning. The Minister -afterward informed me that his boys seemed to make -better progress when they were spared the rod.</p> - -<p>Abuse is also considered as an efficient means of educating -boys. “Beast,” “beggar,” “devil,” “ass,” “eater -of parents’ flesh,” are epithets applied to backward boys by -their teachers, and this custom of using foul language is -naturally handed on from teachers to pupils, who when they -grow up are sure to pass on those slanderous appellations to -the next generation.</p> - -<p>While the education of the sons of laymen is conducted -with such severity, that of boy disciples by Lama priests -is extremely lenient, and is quite in contrast to that of the -others. The disciples are not even reprimanded, much -less chastised, when they neglect their work. The priests -generally leave them to do as they like, much as uxorious -husbands do towards their wilful wives, so that it is no -wonder that the disciples of Lamas very seldom make any -good progress in learning. They are spoiled by the -excessive indulgence of their masters. Some of these -masters own the evil of their way of education, and are -careful not to spoil the youthful pupils placed under their -care, and it is precisely from among these latter disciples -that priests of learning and ability may be expected.</p> - -<p>The memorising part of the Tibetan system of education, -as mentioned above, is a heavy burden on the pupils. To -give some idea of what an important part this work -occupies in their system, I may note that a young acolyte, -who has grown to fifteen or sixteen years old, has to -commit to memory, from the oral instruction of his teachers, -from three hundred to five hundred pages of Buḍḍhist -texts in the course of a year. He has then to undergo an -examination on what he has learned. Even for a lad of -weak memory, the number of pages is not less than one -hundred in a year. For those who have grown older, that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_446" id="Page_446">[446]</a></span> -is for those whose age ranges between eighteen and thirty, -the task imposed is still more formidable, being five to eight -hundred and even one thousand pages. I was amazed at -this mental feat of the Tibetan priests, for I could barely -learn fifty sheets in six months, that being the minimum -limit allotted for aspirants of poor memory.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_447" id="Page_447">[447]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXIV" id="CHAPTER_LXIV">CHAPTER LXIV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Tibetan Trade and Industry.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>I shall now describe the trade of Tibet, though my -account must necessarily be imperfect for obvious reasons.</p> - -<p>I shall begin with an interesting incident that occurred -to me in November, 1901, when I was enabled to send -home letters for the first time after my arrival in the -country. That was on the 18th of the month, and -through the agency of Tsa Rong-ba, a Tibetan trader with -whom I had become acquainted at Darjeeling. This man -started for Calcutta on Government business to buy iron, and -as I knew him to be trustworthy I entrusted him with a -letter addressed to Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās, in which were -enclosed several others addressed to my friends and -relatives in Japan.</p> - -<p>The iron which he was commissioned to procure was for the -purpose of manufacturing small arms at an arsenal situated -at Dib near Che-Cho-ling, on the bank of the river -Kichu, which flows to the south of Lhasa.</p> - -<p>This industry was an innovation in Tibet, and in fact had -begun only about eight years before that time. It was introduced -by a Tibetan named Lha Tse-ring who had lived -for a long time at Darjeeling and, at the request of -his Government, brought back with him about ten gunsmiths, -mostly Hinḍū and Cashmere Mohamedans. Only -two of these smiths remained in Tibet at the time I -reached Lhasa, the rest having returned home or died; -but as several of the Tibetan smiths had acquired the art -from them, no inconvenience was experienced in continuing -the industry. This was a great improvement on -the old state of affairs, for Tibet had formerly possessed -only flint-lock muskets, and even these could not easily be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_448" id="Page_448">[448]</a></span> -introduced from India. The manufacture of improved -firearms was therefore a great boon to the country, -and the Government did not spare expense and trouble -to encourage the development of the art. Hence it came -about that my acquaintance was authorised by the Government -to proceed to Calcutta and procure a supply of iron.</p> - -<p>It ought to be mentioned that about this time the -departure of Tibetan merchants to foreign countries for -the transaction of business had become quite frequent. -They proceeded first of all to British India, next to -China, and lastly to the Russian territories. The trade -with the last was, however, quite insignificant as yet, and -whatever relations Tibet may have with Russia are in most -cases political and very rarely commercial.</p> - -<p>I shall first describe the Tibetan trade with British -India and Nepāl.</p> - -<p>Of Tibetan products exported to India wool is the most -important, and next musk and the tails of yaks, furs -and leathers. Buḍḍhist images and books, being liable to -confiscation when discovered, seldom go abroad, though -they are more or less in demand in India. Other goods -exported to India are insignificant. Formerly more or less -Chinese tea for consumption by the Tibetans residing at -Darjeeling used to go to India, but this is no longer -the case.</p> - -<p>The quantity of wool sent abroad is quite large. From -five thousand to six thousand mule-packs go to Darjeeling, -about one thousand five hundred to Bhūtān, about two -thousand five hundred to Nepāl and about three thousand -to Ladak. These figures are of course far from precise, -for (reliable official returns being wanting) I based my -estimates on information obtained from the traders. Besides -the figures given above, there are quantities, greater or less, -sent to China and also westward to Mānasarovara, but as I -did not visit either district, and moreover had no means<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_449" id="Page_449">[449]</a></span> -of making an estimate about them, I have nothing to say -on the subject.</p> - -<p>Musk is obtained in Tibet, but from a certain species of -deer and not from civet-cats. The musk-deer is found -almost everywhere in that country. It is of about two -and a half times or three times the size of an ordinary -cat, and though resembling the Japanese deer in shape, it -is not so tall as the other. The musk-deer subsists on -herbage, and is covered with light and soft fur of a deep -grey color. It has an exceedingly amiable face indicative -of its mild nature. One characteristic feature is that -it has two small but pretty tusks somewhat curved projecting -from the upper jaws. The musk is found only in -the male, and is contained in a little pouch attached -to the hinder part. A strange fact is that the pouch -is said to grow gradually in size from the beginning to the -middle of each lunar month and then gradually to be -reduced again until the end of the month, this periodic -change appearing with great regularity. The musk-deer -is therefore shot about the middle of the month, generally -between the 13th and 15th.</p> - -<p>The musk-deer is shot with a gun, but in preserved -forests such as are found round about Lhasa and other -Buḍḍhist headquarters, where shooting and hunting are -strictly forbidden on pain of severe penalties, hunters catch -the animal, clandestinely of course, by means of traps. -Though the deer is found almost everywhere in Tibet, -its principal habitation is in such remote districts as -Kong-bo, Tsari and Lo. Musk is very cheap in all those -districts, costing about one-tenth of the price given in -Japan. The musk produced there is also purer than that -produced in more prosperous places, for the people being -simple-minded do not tamper with it nor adulterate it with -other substances. The musk coming from Lo, for instance, -is especially reputed for purity and cheapness. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_450" id="Page_450">[450]</a></span> -district is inhabited by half-naked aborigines, who resemble -in outward appearance both Tibetans and Hinḍūs, though -ethnologically they are more akin to the former than to -the latter.</p> - -<p>The musk produced by these savages is bartered -against articles either of ornament or domestic utility, -such as mirrors, glass beads, iron pans, sickles, knives, -flour, confectionery and foreign trinkets.</p> - -<p>Though the musk is obtainable at a very reasonable -price in these districts, the risks and dangers from highwaymen -which traders encounter on the road are so great -that only those who are uncommonly adventurous proceed -thither to get a supply from the natives.</p> - -<p>The Tibetan musk is sent in larger quantities to China -than to India, notwithstanding the fact that transport to -the latter is easier. Almost all goods from Tibet to China -travel through Ta-chien-lu. However, even at present, more -or less is sent to Yunnan, whence Japan has been used to -obtain its supply. The so-called ‘Yunnan-musk’ so much -prized in Japan therefore comes originally from Tibet.</p> - -<p>The ‘Blood-horn’ of the ‘Precious deer’ is the most -valuable item among the commodities on the export list -to China. This horn makes a medicine highly valued by -Chinese physicians, being considered to possess the power -of invigorating the body, prolonging life and giving -lustre to the face. It is in fact used as an elixir by the -Chinese. The horn therefore commands a high price, and -even in Tibet a Chinese merchant will give as much as -five hundred <i>yen</i> in Japanese currency for a pair of good -horns. The inferior horns, however, can be bought at -even two or three <i>yen</i> a piece, these being used not for -medicine but only for ornament. Sharp, experienced eyes -are required to distinguish a good and valuable horn from -an inferior one, and even in Tibet there are not many such -experts.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_451" id="Page_451">[451]</a></span></p> - -<p>This special kind of deer is found in the wild districts -of the south-eastern and north-western parts of Tibet, -especially in the former. It is a large animal, larger than -an average horse, but in shape it resembles an ordinary -deer, only that it is plumper. As a rule it is covered with -greyish hair, though some are covered with fur of other -hues.</p> - -<p>The horns are renewed every year, the growth beginning -from about January of the lunar calendar. The new horns -are covered with a hairy epidermis and consist of nothing -but thickened blood. They continue to grow, and -about March or April produce one ramification. At -the same time the base becomes hard and bony, -whilst the upper parts remain of the same consistency as -before. They are further ramified and elongated -with the lapse of time, and the growth reaches its climax -by about September, after which the counter process -of decay commences and the horns, now grown quite long, -drop off about the middle of December. The largest -specimens I saw measured thirteen inches in length with -the main stem of about 1⅘ inches in girth, and even such -horns are completely covered with hairy integument.</p> - -<p>The best season for the horns, that is when they are -medically most efficacious, is believed to be April or May, -and it is then that the natives go out to hunt the animal. -The shooting should be done with accurate aim so as to -drop the animal at once, and the hunters therefore generally -aim at the forehead. This is owing to the fact that -when the animal is only wounded, instead of being -brought down by a single shot, he invariably knocks his -head against rocks or trees and breaks the precious horns -to pieces. About the month of April or May, the animal, -probably from the necessity of protecting his horns, -sojourns in less remote and rocky places, and this habit -makes him fall an easy prey to the hunter.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_452" id="Page_452">[452]</a></span></p> - -<p>I may mention that I brought home a fine specimen of -these horns which I bought at Lhasa. They are genuine, -for I had them judged by a competent expert.</p> - -<p>The exports to Nepāl comprise wool, yak-tails, salt, -saltpetre, woollen goods and a few other articles. To the -districts lying to the north-east of Tibet, that is to the -north-western parts of China and Mongolia, go various -kinds of woollen goods; Buḍḍhist books also go largely to -Mongolia, as do also Buḍḍhist images, pictures and various -paraphernalia. These, considered as objects of art, are -worthless, though formerly Tibet produced images and -pictures of high artistic standard. The contrast between -old and new images and pictures, both of which are to be -seen in most temples in Tibet, is sufficiently glaring, for -the latter are as a rule clumsy performances, offensive to -the taste and also to the sense of decency, being invariably -bi-sexual representations of men and women with one -common body. I was once struck with the notion that the -Tibetans are characterised by four serious defects, these -being: filthiness, superstition, unnatural customs (such as -polyandry), and unnatural art. I should be sorely -perplexed if I were asked to name their redeeming points; -but if I had to do so, I should mention first of all the fine -climate in the vicinity of Lhasa and Shigatze, their sonorous -and refreshing voices in reading the Text, the animated -style of their catechisms, and their ancient art. But -to cut short my digression, and to resume the description -of Tibetan trade, I must next give an account of the import -business.</p> - -<p>Of the imported goods, those coming from India are -mostly in evidence. Among them may be mentioned -woollen cloth for decorating the rooms of temples and for -other uses, silk handkerchiefs, Burma <i>crêpes</i>, Benares -brocades, silk tissues, and cotton fabrics. White cotton -piece-goods are mostly in demand, next piece-goods of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_453" id="Page_453">[453]</a></span> -light blue and of russet color. Figured chintzes of various -patterns are also imported more or less.</p> - -<p>Imports from China comprise first of all silk fabrics of -sundry kinds, as brocades, tussore silk, <i>crêpes</i> and satins -of various kinds. Silver bullion and drugs are also -imported, but in respect of value tea stands first on the -list of Chinese imports. From what I have roughly -estimated, the quantity of tea arriving at Lhasa alone will -cost not less than six hundred and fifty thousand <i>yen</i> a year -approximately, while the import to Eastern Tibet, which -is more thickly inhabited than the other half of the country, -must of course reach a larger figure, for the Tibetans -are great tea-drinkers and both high and low imbibe a -large quantity of the beverage all through the year. The -poorest people, who cannot afford to buy, are satisfied -with a thin decoction obtained from the refuse of the tea-pots -of wealthier people. Tea is rather costly, for one brick -of inferior quality measuring about one foot long, 6½ -inches wide and three inches thick costs two <i>yen</i> seventy-five -<i>sen</i> at Lhasa; a brick consisting of only leaves without -any mixture of twigs cannot be obtained at less than -five <i>yen</i>. The prices rise as we go westward, owing to the -cost of transportation, and for a brick costing two <i>yen</i> -seventy-five <i>sen</i> at Lhasa as much as three <i>yen</i> twenty-five -<i>sen</i> has to be paid in Western Tibet.</p> - -<p>The imports from Bhūtān or Sikkim comprise tussore-silk -goods, woollen fabrics, and cotton goods.</p> - -<p>Then from India, Kashmīr, or Nepāl are imported copper -utensils, grains, dried grapes, dried peaches, dates, medical -drugs, and precious stones of various kinds, as diamonds, rubies, -agates, turquoises and corals. Of these turquoises -and corals are the most important, being widely used by -the Tibetans as a hair decoration. For this purpose the best -quality of turquoises are even more prized than diamonds, -and a good turquoise of the size of the tip of the small<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_454" id="Page_454">[454]</a></span> -finger fetches as much as one thousand two hundred <i>yen</i>. -Coral without spots is rather rare, and most of those seen -on the heads of the Tibetan women are spotted more or less. -The Tibetans are fond of the reddish or deep reddish variety, -which are not popular among the Japanese. Superior -kinds come from China, and one good coral ball from China -commands from one hundred and twenty to two hundred and -thirty <i>yen</i>. Indian specimens are usually inferior in quality. -Coral-beads are also imported from that country. Glass -beads do duty for corals for poorer folk, and imitation corals -made in Japan are sold also. These were formerly -passed off as genuine by dishonest merchants, and were -sold at comparatively speaking fabulous prices. They are -now taken at their proper value. Cheap foreign fancy -goods and Japanese matches also find their way to Tibet -through India.</p> - -<p>Several queer customs prevail in Tibet concerning -business transactions. The mode of selling woollen and -cotton piece-goods is particularly singular. The standard -of measurement is the length of the two outstretched -hands, while another measurement based on the length -from the elbow to the tip of the fingers is also used. This -measurement is determined by the buyers, so that a large -person enjoys the advantage of getting a longer measure, -while the merchant is subjected to so much disadvantage. -However, this primitive mode of measurement is generally -applied to the native products only, as for foreign cloth -the unit of measurement is a square, each side of which is -equal to the breadth of the cloth to be sold. This is called a -<i>kha</i>, and a kha varies with the breadth of each piece of cloth.</p> - -<p>Very seldom are native merchants honest in their dealing; -even the most trustworthy ask a price ten to twenty -per cent higher than is reasonable, and the price asked by -the more dishonest is really monstrous, being double or -even as much as five or six times the real rate.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_455" id="Page_455">[455]</a></span></p> - -<p>Another interesting feature in Tibetan transactions is the -blessing which the merchants bestow on anything which -people buy from them. The most common formula of blessing -is to this effect: “May the goods you have bought from -me avert from you disease or any other suffering; may your -purchase bring good luck and prosperity, so that you may -grow richer, build storehouses, and buy more and more -goods from us!”</p> - -<p>The blessing accompanying the parting with sacred -books is more ceremonious. The merchant reverentially -lifts the book over his head in both hands, and then hands -it over to the purchaser (a priest in most cases) with this -blessing:</p> - -<p>“May your reverence not only seek the true light from -this sacred work, but may you conduct yourself according -to that light, so that you may attain better intelligence, -wisdom and morals, and fit yourself for the holy work of -salvation, for the good of all beings!”</p> - -<p>The purchaser has also a ceremony to perform in this -transaction, and I must confess that his performance is -more obviously selfish, outwardly at least; for in handing -the price he just touches the dirty coin with his tongue, -then wipes it on the neck of his garment, and finally hands -it to the merchant after having cast upon it one lingering -glance indicative of his reluctance to part with it. This -act of licking and wiping signifies that the purchaser has -licked off and wiped away for his own benefit all the good -luck that was contained in that piece. The coin that goes -to the merchant is therefore considered as a mere empty -thing, so far as the virtue that was originally contained -in it is concerned.</p> - -<p>Though these tedious processes are omitted by big -merchants, such as those engaged in dealing in tea, all -the others faithfully observe them, especially those in the -country.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_456" id="Page_456">[456]</a></span></p> - -<p>It may be supposed that with so little to export and so -much to import, the country would be impoverished. This, -however, is not the case, as I shall explain. Tibet has been -used to obtain a large amount of gold from Mongolia—more -as donations to Tibetan Lamas than as the price paid for -Tibetan goods. This influx of gold from Mongolia has -done much thus far in enabling the country to keep the -balance of her trade. She therefore cannot adopt an -exclusion policy economically, even though she may without -much inconvenience do so politically. In fact the -enforcement of economic exclusion would be followed by -serious internal trouble, simply because it would put a stop -to the inflow of gold from Mongolia.</p> - -<p>However, so far as this Mongolian gold is concerned, it -seems as if circumstances were about to bring Tibet to a -result tantamount to the enforcement of economic exclusion, -for since the war between Japan and China and especially -since the Boxer trouble the inflow of Mongolian gold to -Tibet has virtually ceased, so much so that the Mongolian -priests who are staying in Tibet for the prosecution -of their studies are sorely embarrassed owing to the -non-arrival of their remittances from home. Some of them -have even been obliged to suspend regular attendance -at lectures, and to seek some means of earning their livelihood, -just as the poorer native Buḍḍhist students are -accustomed to do.</p> - -<p>Another thing that adds to the economic difficulties of -the Tibetans is their tendency to grow more and more -luxurious in their style of living, a tendency that began to -be particularly noticeable from about twenty years ago. -This has been inevitably brought about by the foreign trade -of Tibet and the arrival of goods of foreign origin. All -these circumstances have impressed the Tibetans with the -necessity of extending their sphere of trade with foreign -countries instead of confining their commercial operations<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_457" id="Page_457">[457]</a></span> -within the narrow bounds of their own country. The consequence -is that a larger number of the inhabitants have -begun to proceed every year to China, India and Nepāl on -commercial enterprises.</p> - -<p>Now suppose that Tibet should prohibit her people embarking -in this foreign trade, what would be the consequence? -In the first place she would be unable to -get any supply of goods from India, China and other -countries, goods which are now articles of daily necessity -for her people. This, though sufficiently hard, might -be endured; but what would be unendurable would -be the closing of Indian markets to the wool of Tibet, India -being the most important consumer of this staple produce -of the country. More wool being produced than can -be reasonably consumed at home, the close of foreign -markets is certain to bring down prices, and therefore to -rob the sheep-farmers, or more properly the nomadic people -of that country, of the greater part of the income they are -at present enabled to get from their wool. The supply for -food is, on the other hand, less than the demand, and as -the prices of this essential of life cannot be expected to go -down in proportion to those of wool, the sheep-farmers -who constitute the greater part of the whole population -would be threatened with starvation.</p> - -<p>The incoming of gold from Mongolia being suspended, -Tibet cannot, even if she would, cut off her commercial -relations with the outside world.</p> - -<p>Urged by necessity, trade is advancing with great -strides, judging at least from the larger number of -people engaged in it, for as matters stand at present the -Forbidden Land may without exaggeration be considered -as a “nation of shop-keepers”.</p> - -<p>In fact all the people, with the exception of those -who are disqualified through physical defects and age, -are engaged in business of one kind or another. Even<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_458" id="Page_458">[458]</a></span> -farmers are partly traders. In winter when farm-work is -slack they proceed to northern Tibet to lay in their stock -of salt, obtained from the salt lakes that are found there. -Then these men start for Bhūtān, Nepāl or Sikkim, to sell -their goods in those places.</p> - -<p>Priests are not too proud to deal with secular dollars and -cents, and monasteries often trade on a large scale.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 571px;"> -<a id="zill_t459"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t459h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t459.jpg" class="hires" width="571" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>PRIEST TRADERS LOADING THEIR YAKS.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>The Government itself is a trader, not directly, but -through its regular agents, who in virtue of the important -trust reposed in them enjoy various privileges, such as -the liberty to requisition horses for carrying their goods or -to take lodgment <i>gratis</i>.</p> - -<p>Peers are also traders, mostly by proxy, though some of -them refrain from making investments and are content to -subsist on the income derived from their land. None the -less the business spirit permeates the whole Peerage, and -even these non-trading Peers are ready to make small -bargains now and then. Suppose a visitor to a Peer’s house -takes a fancy to some of the furniture or hall decoration in -it. In such a case it is not considered impolite for the -visitor to ask the host the price of that particular article, -and to ask him, if the price is considered reasonable, to -sell it to him. Nor is it thought derogatory for the host -to sell his belongings, and so the bargain is struck when -both parties can come to terms. The whole proceeding -is conducted with the shrewdness and vigilant -attention to details which characterise regular businessmen.</p> - -<p>It is interesting to note that even boy-disciples in -monasteries are traders in their own way, and do not -hesitate to invest their money whenever they happen to -notice in the shops or other places articles that appeal to -their fancy. These they bring home and either sell, -(generally at a large profit) to other boys, or exchange for -other objects.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_460" id="Page_460">[460]</a></span></p> - -<p>One great evil attends this propensity, and that is the -danger of stimulating cunning practices, each party trying -to impose upon the other in all those dealings.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_461" id="Page_461">[461]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXV" id="CHAPTER_LXV">CHAPTER LXV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Currency and Printing blocks.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Commodities are either bartered or bought with regular -coins. I should more strictly say <i>the coin</i>, there -being only one kind of coin, and that is a twenty-four -<i>sen</i> silver piece. That is the only legal tender current. -Transactions have to be conducted therefore in a -rather complicated manner, inasmuch as that coin admits -of being divided in two ways only. In the first place it -may be cut into two, thereby producing two twelve-<i>sen</i> -pieces; or it may be divided into a ⅔ piece and a ⅓ piece, the -former passing at sixteen <i>sen</i> and the latter at eight. The -cutting is far from being exact, and cut pieces are in most -cases perforated in the centre or worn down at the edges. -These however are passed and received without complaint.</p> - -<p>In Lhasa and other prosperous places the unit of -transactions is four <i>sen</i>, but there being no four-<i>sen</i> piece -one must take with him in making a purchase of four <i>sen</i> -one ⅔ piece valued at sixteen <i>sen</i>, and receive in return -for it one ½ piece valued at twelve <i>sen</i>. When the seller -happens not to possess this one-half piece, the buyer -then produces one ½ piece and one ⅔ piece, and receives in -return for the two one whole piece called a tanka which is -valued at twenty-four <i>sen</i>. For a purchase of eight <i>sen</i> a -buyer produces one tanka and receives a ⅔ piece in change.</p> - -<p>The unit of transaction being four <i>sen</i> there are six gradations -of value between this minimum and a tanka, each -possessing a distinct denomination. Thus four <i>sen</i> is called -a <i>khakang</i>, eight <i>sen</i> a <i>karma</i>, twelve <i>sen</i> a <i>chyekka</i>, sixteen -<i>sen</i> a <i>shokang</i>, twenty <i>sen</i> a <i>kabchi</i> and twenty-four <i>sen</i> a -<i>tanka</i>.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_462" id="Page_462">[462]</a></span></p> - -<p>In less prosperous places, and indeed everywhere except -in Lhasa and Shigatze, it is impossible to make a purchase -of less than one tanka, owing to be the absence of divided -pieces of smaller value.</p> - -<p>In some places are found silver pieces which are locally -circulated, as in the north-western steppes which form the -boundary line between Tibet and India. These pieces are -semi-circular in shape, but are not accepted in the Grand -Lama’s dominions.</p> - -<p>Here I should like to recount what occurred to me in -my monetary dealings. It was not an ordinary transaction, -but a sort of blackmail carried out at my expense.</p> - -<p>I have spoken before of the prodigal son of the house of -Para. One day this man sent his servant to me with a -letter and asked for a loan of money, rather a large sum for -Tibet. Of course he had no idea of repaying me, and his -loan was really blackmail. I sent back the servant with -half of what he had asked, together with a letter. I was -told that he was highly enraged at what I had done, -exclaiming that I had insulted him, and that he had not -asked for the sum for charity, and so on. At any rate he -sent back the money to me, probably expecting that I -would then send him the whole sum asked for. But I did -not oblige him as he had expected, and took no notice of -his threat. A few days after another letter reached me -from that young man, again asking for the sum as at first. -I decided to save myself from further annoyance and so I -sent the sum. Like master, like servant; the latter, having -heard most probably from his spendthrift master that I -was a Japanese, came to me for a loan or blackmail of fifty -<i>yen</i>. I gave that sum too, for I knew that they could not -annoy me repeatedly with impunity.</p> - -<p>About that time I chiefly devoted my leisure to collecting -Buḍḍhist books, for I had a fairly large amount of -money. I must remark here that Buḍḍhist works not in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_463" id="Page_463">[463]</a></span> -ordinary use are not sold by booksellers in Tibet; they -are kept in the form of blocks at one monastery or another, -and any person who wishes to get a copy of any of such -works must obtain from the owner of the copyright -permission to get an impression of it. In return for -this permission an applicant has to forward some fee and -some donation to the monastery which owns and keeps the -particular set of blocks from which he wishes to get an impression -or impressions, this donation generally consisting of -a quantity of tussore silk. The fee, more or less differing in -rate according to monasteries and kind of blocks, ranges -from about twenty-five <i>sen</i> to about one <i>yen</i> twenty <i>sen</i> -per hundred sheets. The permission obtained, the applicant -next engages either three or six printers, two printers -and one assorter forming a special printing party, so to -say. Wages for the men are generally fifty <i>sen</i> a day -without board, and as they work in a very dilatory manner, -the cost of printing is rather heavy. The paper used in -printing is of native origin, made of a certain plant, the -leaves and roots of which are poisonous. The roots are -white and produce excellent tough fibres. The Tibetan -paper is therefore sufficiently strong and durable, but is -not white, owing to bad bleaching.</p> - -<p>Booksellers in Tibet, at least so far as I observed at -Lhasa, do not sell their books at their own houses, but -at open stalls in the courtyard in front of the western door of -the great temple-shrine of the Buḍḍha Shākyamuni, called -Cho Khang. I saw ten such bookstalls in Lhasa and two -or three at the bazaar in Shigatze, and those stallkeepers -arranged their stock in trade in heaps instead of leaving -their books open to invite inspection, as booksellers of -other countries do.</p> - -<p>The books which I collected either through purchase, or -by getting special impressions from the original blocks, -were at first kept in my room at the Sera monastery, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_464" id="Page_464">[464]</a></span> -my collection was a subject of wonder and curiosity to the -priests who were quartered in the rooms not far from my -own. The collection, they were heard saying to each -other, contained three times as many books as even a -learned doctor possessed in Tibet, and they could not but -wonder how I, a student from a remote country, could -carry home so many books. I therefore kept all my -subsequent purchases in my room at the house of my host, -in order to avoid suspicion.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile the end of the month of December drew -near and at last the New Year’s eve arrived. I made an -arrangement to keep the day according to the Japanese -custom. Accordingly I sent my boy to the Sakya Temple -in the city with clarified butter to make an offering of -light to the Buḍḍha enshrined in the edifice. This is -done by putting clarified butter into the gold lamps placed -before the tabernacle. Any one who wishes to make this -offering has simply to pay in the usual charge of two tanka -to the keepers of the edifice, and on that particular -occasion I therefore sent my boy with two tanka pieces.</p> - -<p>I arranged my own room in a manner suitable to the -occasion. I hung a roll on which was painted an image of -Buḍḍha, set in front of it a tiny sacred tabernacle, then -three stands of silver lamps, and lastly various offerings. -After the preliminary service had been concluded, -I began, after the hour of midnight, a regular service -and kept it up till four in the morning of the New Year’s -Day. Then I performed a ceremony in order to pray for -the prosperity of their Imperial Majesties the Emperor and -Empress, H. I. H. the Crown Prince, and also for the -greater prosperity and glory of the Empire of Japan. I -thought that during the three thousand years that had -elapsed since the founding of the Empire this must be the -first time that one of its own subjects had offered such a -prayer in that city of the Forbidden Land; then a strange<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_465" id="Page_465">[465]</a></span> -sensation came over me, and somehow I felt grateful tears -rising in my eyes.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t465"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t465h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t465.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="798" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>NEW YEAR’S READING OF THE TEXTS FOR THE JAPANESE EMPEROR’S WELFARE.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>As I turned my eyes outward, while continuing the -service, I noticed the New Year’s sun beginning to ascend -in the eastern sky, reflecting its golden rays on the snow -that covered the surrounding hills and plains. Nearer -before my eyes and in the spacious court of the monastery, -several snow-white cranes were stalking at leisure, now -and then uttering their peculiar cry. The whole scene<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_466" id="Page_466">[466]</a></span> -was exquisite and quite captivating; how I should have -liked to invite my own countrymen to come and share this -pleasure with me! The service, the thought about my -dear home, the snow-scene, the cranes, and the New Year’s -Day—these roused in me a chain of peculiar sentiments at -once delightful and sad, and this strange association of -thoughts I embodied on that occasion in a couple of awkward -<i>utas</i> freely rendered into prose <span class="lock">thus:—</span></p> - -<p>“Here on this Roof of the World and amidst the -ascending dawn heralded by the cry of the cranes, I -glorify the long and prosperous reign of our sovereign -liege who reigns over his realm in the Far East.</p> - -<p>“I hear in the garden of the holy seat the voice of the -pure-white cranes, glorifying the triumph of the Holy -Religion.”</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_467" id="Page_467">[467]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXVI" id="CHAPTER_LXVI">CHAPTER LXVI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Festival of Lights.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>On January 4th, 1902, that is to say, on November 25th -of the lunar calendar, the festival of Sang-joe commenced, -this being the anniversary day of the death of Je Tsong-kha-pa -the great Lamaist reformer. This may be called the -“Festival of Lights,” every roof in Lhasa and in all -the adjoining villages blazing with lights set burning -in honor of the occasion. Hundreds, even thousands of -such butter-fed lights were burning on the roofs of -monasteries, and presented a unique sight, such as is -rarely seen in other parts of the world.</p> - -<p>The Sang-joe is one of the most popular festivals, -and lasts for two weeks. It is the season when the -Tibetans, priests and laymen, give themselves up to great -rejoicing, when dancing, singing and feasting are the -order of the day, and when people put on their gala -dresses.</p> - -<p>The arrival of the season is announced by an interesting -custom, a sort of religious blackmail, enforced at the -expense of people of position from about the second -decade of the month of November according to the lunar -calendar. According to this custom every person enjoys -the privilege, for the sake of the coming festival, of -begging a present of money from any superior in rank or -position who may visit his house. Even people of good -position and means do not think it beneath them to -exercise this privilege of begging. I myself felt the effect -of this custom and was obliged to present here a <i>tanka</i> -and there two tanka. In this way I spent about five <i>yen</i> -in Japanese money during this season of public begging. -I did not doubt it when I was told by some acquaintance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_468" id="Page_468">[468]</a></span> -that my Sang-joe item next year would be threefold -what it was in the present year, owing to the enlargement -of the circle of my acquaintances.</p> - -<p>The religious side of Sang-joe is a sort of vigil, performed -every night from about midnight to early dawn, the -service consisting of the reading in company of holy -Texts. This midnight ceremony is a solemn affair which -every person in the monastery is obliged to attend.</p> - -<p>As I attended this ceremony in the Sera monastery I -was highly impressed with the solemnity of the function, -and felt that the peculiarly subdued tones of the chanting -exerted upon my mind a powerful effect. It seemed to -me as if angels were conducting the service.</p> - -<p>The whole surroundings were in keeping with the -solemnity of the occasion. The lofty hall was hung with -tapestries of glittering brocade and satin; the pillars were -wound with red woollen cloth with floral designs in blue -and white; while on the walls and from the upper parts of -the pillars were hung religious pictures regarded as -masterpieces in Tibet. All these were lighted up by -several thousand lamps containing melted butter, the -lamps shining bright and clear with pure-white rays, not -unlike those of gas-burners.</p> - -<p>Sitting in the hall amidst such sacred surroundings, -and listening to the chanting of the holy Texts, thoughts -of profound piety took possession of my mind, and I felt -as if I were transported to the region of Buḍḍha.</p> - -<p>The Sang-joe is also a great occasion of alms and charity, -and the priests, especially the acolytes and disciples, go -round at dawn to collect alms in the temple when the -service is concluded. The people being more generously -disposed at this season than at other times give quite -liberally. I am sorry to say that this pious inclination -on the part of the people is often abused by mischievous -priests, who do not scruple to go, in violation of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_469" id="Page_469">[469]</a></span> -the rules, on a second or even third or fourth round of -begging at one time. I was astonished to hear that the -priests who are on duty to prevent such irregular practices -are in many cases the very instigators, abetting the -younger disciples in committing them. The ill-gotten -proceeds go into the pockets of those unscrupulous ‘inspectors’ -who, urged on by greed, even go to the extreme -of thrashing the young disciples when they refuse to go -on fraudulent errands of this particular description. Now -and then the erratic doings of these lads come to the -ears of the higher authorities, who summon them and -inflict upon them a severe reprimand, together with the -more smarting punishment of a flogging. The incorrigible -disciples are not disconcerted in the least, being conscious -that they have their protectors in the official inspectors, -and of course they are immune from expulsion from the -monastery.</p> - -<p>These mischievous young people are in most cases warrior-priests. -These warrior-priests, of whom an account -has already been given, are easily distinguished from the -rest by their peculiar appearance and especially by their -way of dressing the hair. Sometimes their heads are shaved -bald, but more often they leave ringlets at each temple, -and consider that these locks of four or five inches long -give them a smart appearance. This manner of hair-dressing -is not approved by the Lama authorities, and -when they take notice of the locks they ruthlessly pull -them off, leaving the temples swollen and bloody. Painful -as this treatment is, the warriors rather glory in it, and -swagger about the streets to display the marks of their -courage. They are, however, cautious to conceal their -‘smart’ hair-dressing from the notice of the authorities, -so that when they present themselves in the monastery -they either tuck their ringlets behind the ears or -besmear their faces with lamp-black compounded with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_470" id="Page_470">[470]</a></span> -butter. When at first I saw such blackened faces I -wondered what the blackening meant, but afterwards I -was informed of the reason of the strange phenomenon -and my wonder disappeared as I became accustomed to -the sight.</p> - -<p>I am sorry to say that the warrior-priests are not merely -offensive in appearance; they are generally also guilty -of far more grave offences, and the nights of the holy -service are abused as occasions for indulging in fearful -malpractices. They really seem to be the descendants -of the men of Sodom and Gomorrah mentioned in the -bible.</p> - -<p>They are often quite particular in small affairs. They -are afraid of killing tiny insects, are strict in not stepping -over broken tiles of a monastery when they find -them on the road, but walk round them to the right, and -never to the left. And yet they, and even their superiors, -commit grave sin without much remorse. Really they -are straining at gnats and swallowing camels.</p> - -<p>There lived once in Tibet a humorous priest named Duk -Nyon, a Tibetan Rabelais, who was celebrated for his -amusing though none the less sensible way of teaching. -This priest met on the road a priest of the New Sect, and -it may be imagined that sharp repartees must have been -exchanged between the two. On the road Duk Nyon -noticed a small stone, which he carefully avoided -and instead of walking over it walked round it. -Next they came to a big rock, which hardly admitted -of walking over. The humorist stooped low to give -momentum to his body and the next instant he jumped -over it. His companion marvelled at this strange -behavior of Duk Nyon; he could not understand why he -should have avoided a small stone and then should jump -over a large one. So the New Sect priest bantered Duk -Nyon on what he considered a silly proceeding, but Duk<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_471" id="Page_471">[471]</a></span> -Nyon replied that he had been merely giving an object-lesson -to the New Sect folk, who were meticulously exact -about small things, but were wont to leap over grave sins -without remorse. The story goes that his companion was -much abashed at this home-thrust of the humorist. This -witty remark of the old priest may be said to hold true -even at the present time, for though the Sang-joe presents -a solemn and impressive front outwardly, it is full of -abominable sights behind the scenes. It is merely a season -of criminal indulgence for the warrior-priests and other -undesirable classes.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_472" id="Page_472">[472]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXVII" id="CHAPTER_LXVII">CHAPTER LXVII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Tibetan Women.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>As the position of women bears a vital relation to the -prosperity and greatness of a country, I shall devote a -chapter to this subject. Of the women of Tibet those -residing in Lhasa are regarded as models of Tibetan -womanhood, and they therefore demand most attention.</p> - -<p>First let me describe the Lhasa ladies, beginning with -their mode of dress.</p> - -<p>It is interesting to note that the women’s garments do -not differ much in appearance from those of men; both -are cut in the same way, and the only perceptible difference -in appearance, if difference it be, is that women are -attired with more taste and elegance than men. Another -distinguishing mark in Tibetan attire is a sash, a narrow -band about an inch and a half wide and eight feet long, -terminating at one end in a fringe. The sash is not tied, -as in Japan, but is merely wound round the body with the -end tucked in. Some persons wear a belt made of a piece -of silk cloth, passing it three times round the body.</p> - -<p>The ladies of Lhasa dress their hair somewhat like their -sisters of Mongolia, though this fashion is not followed by -those in Shigatze and other parts of Tibet. They use a -large quantity of false hair, imported from China, their -natural supply being rather scanty. The hair is divided -into two equal parts down the middle, and each half is -plaited into a braid and left flowing behind. The ends of -the braids are tied with red or green cords with fringed -knots, and these two cords are connected by other -beaded cords, the cords consisting usually of seven or eight -threads on which pearls are strung as beads with a larger -pearl or turquoise in the middle.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_473" id="Page_473">[473]</a></span></p> - -<p>They also wear a head-ornament made of turquoises -or corals, with one large piece surmounting the rest; and -they put on the middle of the head a cap made of small -pearls. Then there are usually golden ear-rings and a -breast ornament (which may cost as much as three or four -thousand <i>yen</i>), besides a necklace of precious stones. -The pendant is generally a miniature golden tabernacle -which may cost from two hundred to three hundred <i>yen</i>. -The arms are decorated with bracelets, the right one made -of pretty shells and the left one of engraved silver. I -must not omit to mention that all the Lhasan women, both rich -and poor, use an apron, which in the case of the ladies is -made of the best Tibetan wool woven in variegated hues. -Finger-rings are comparatively plain, being generally of -silver, excepting those worn by ladies of the highest class. -Shoes are also pretty, and are made of red and green -woollen fabrics.</p> - -<p>With all their splendid attire, the Lhasan ladies follow -a strange custom in their toilet, for they often paint their -faces, not with white powder as their sisters of other countries -do, but with a reddish-black substance. The Tibetans -think that the natural color of the flesh peeping from -underneath the soot adds very much to the charm of the -appearance.</p> - -<p>The complexion of the Lhasan women is not quite fair, -but very much resembles that of their Japanese sisters. -In general appearance too the two cannot be easily distinguished, -but the women of Lhasa, and indeed of all Tibet, -are taller in stature and stronger in constitution than the -women of Japan. Indeed one hardly ever finds in Tibet -women who are so short and frail as are the average -Japanese ladies. The Tibetan ladies being moreover -attired in loose and capacious garments look very imposing.</p> - -<p>The ladies of the higher classes have fair complexions -and are as pretty as their sisters of Japan.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_474" id="Page_474">[474]</a></span></p> - -<p>The women of Kham and the surrounding districts are -especially fair-complexioned, but they generally lack -attractiveness, and look cold and repellent. Their way of -speaking also strikes one as inelegant and uninviting. -In contrast to them, their sisters of Lhasa are charming -to look at, and full of attraction. Their only defect is that -they lack weight and dignity, such as commands respect -from others, and their daily conduct is not quite edifying. -For instance, they do not mind eating while walking in -the streets. They are also excitable, or pretend to be -excited by trifling circumstances, are prone to flirt and to -be flippant, and seldom possess such nobleness as befits -women of rank. If one criticises them severely, one -would say that they are more like ballet-girls than ladies -of high station. They are therefore objects more to be -loved and pitied, than to be respected and adored. -Altogether they lack <i>character</i>. Probably this singular -defect may have been brought about by the polyandrous -custom of the country.</p> - -<p>There are many things which I might cite to the discredit -of the fair sex of Tibet, but of these I will single out only -two, their love of liquor and their uncleanly habits. Uncleanliness -is, it is true, universal in Tibet, but it naturally -stands out more conspicuously in contrast to the general -habits of women in other countries, especially in Japan. -Most of the Tibetan women are content with simply washing -their faces and hands, but this washing is seldom extended -to other parts of the body; the ladies of the higher classes -however, are less open to this charge; having no particular -business, they have plenty of time to devote to their -toilet.</p> - -<p>That which is particularly noteworthy about the women -of Tibet, and probably constitutes their chief merit, is -their great activity, both in the matter of business and -also in other respects. The women of the middle and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_475" id="Page_475">[475]</a></span> -lower classes, for instance, regard trade as their own -proper sphere of activity, and they are therefore very -shrewd in business of every description. They even choose -their husbands from a business point of view.</p> - -<p>As ladies are not required to engage in such kind of -work, their activity is more shown in the form of counsels -to their husbands, whether invited or not. It seems that -the Tibetan ladies enjoy great influence over their husbands, -for not only are they allowed to have a voice in the -affairs of men, but are often taken into confidence by them -about matters of importance.</p> - -<p>The ladies, perhaps, command even more leisure than -their sisters in other countries. They have practically no -special and public duties, while their domestic cares are -also very light, as they do not undertake sewing. Sewing -is considered in Tibet as men’s work, and even for a little -stitching they rely on the tailor. Nor do the ladies of -Tibet care much about weaving and spinning, though some -women of the lower classes pursue either one or both as -their regular profession. Spinning is done with primitive -distaffs, and is a tedious and awkward process, incapable -of producing yarn of an even and fine size. Yarns such as -are produced by spinning jennies are never obtained from -native distaffs.</p> - -<p>The condition of Tibetan women with regard to men, -especially in the provinces, may be considered as surpassing -the ideal of western women, so far as the theory of equality -of rights between the sexes is concerned. For their stout -sisters of Tibet enjoy from the public almost equal treatment -with men. They receive, for instance, equal wages -with men, and indeed there is nothing wonderful in this -when it is remembered that the women of Tibet, being -strongly built and sturdy, can work just as well as the -rougher sex, and therefore are perfectly entitled to receive -the same remuneration. These women, though looking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_476" id="Page_476">[476]</a></span> -modest and lovely, are nevertheless very courageous at -heart, so that when they fall into a passion their husbands -are hardly able to keep them under control. They rage -like beings possessed, and no soothing words or apologies -can pacify them. Cases in which husbands were apologising -on bent knees to wives furious with passion often -came to my notice while I was staying in Tibet. They are -demure as cats when they are at peace, but when their -passion is roused they are dreadful as tigers. They are -very selfish and really rule the roost. What is worse, they -are not always faithful to their husbands, but regard acts -of inconstancy as something of quite ordinary nature; and -they are often audacious enough to lay the blame on the -shoulders of their poor hen-pecked husbands, alleging their -inability to support their own wives!</p> - -<p>The whole attention of the Tibetan women is concentrated -on their own selfish interests, and they do not care a straw -for the good of their husbands so long as they are satisfied. -The shrewdness they exercise in promoting their own -selfish aims is something remarkable. From the highest to -the lowest, they are allowed to have their own savings, -more or less, according to their position and circumstances, -and fortified with that source of strength they receive a -decree of divorce from their husbands without any sense of -regret. They will, in that case, pack up their belongings -and leave their husbands’ doors with alacrity.</p> - -<p>On the other hand, Tibetan women are extremely -affectionate and considerate to the men of their own -liking, as if to make amends for their lack of virtue towards -the husbands they do not love. They lavish their -love upon them, devote their whole attention to pleasing -them, and spare neither pains nor money to anticipate their -wishes and so to give them satisfaction. In short, the -women of Tibet seem to possess two antagonistic qualities, -and are disposed to run to extremes.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_477" id="Page_477">[477]</a></span></p> - -<p>Perhaps this apparent anomaly comes from their immoral -habits, and also from the fact that the sense of chastity in -women must have been seriously affected by the polyandrous -custom of the country. Though sufficiently shrewd -to protect their own interests, they are never self-dependent; -they invariably lean on the help of one man or another, -even when they have sufficient means at their disposal to -support themselves and their children. If a husband dies -and leaves his widow and children enough to live on, very -rarely does the bereaved woman remain faithful to the -memory of her departed husband. Only very ugly or old -women remain widows; all the rest marry again with -indecent haste. Indeed the idea of fidelity to the husband -of her first love never seems to enter the mind of even a -well-educated woman, for such stories of faithfulness as -are common in other countries are conspicuous by their -absence in Tibet.</p> - -<p>I shall touch only briefly on the occupations of Tibetan -women of the middle and lower classes. The women in -the provinces attend to farming and rear cattle, sheep or -yaks. But the commonest business for them is the making -of butter and other substances obtained from milk, the -process being in this wise: first the milk is subjected to -heat, and then left to cool till a coating of cream appears on -the surface. This cream is skimmed off, and to the remainder -a quantity of sour milk is added and the mixture -left for about a day in a covered vessel. The mixture becomes -curdled, and this curdled milk is transferred to a narrow -deep vessel and a small quantity of lukewarm water is -added to it. A piece of wood of the same shape as, and in -size slightly smaller than, the vessel is put into it, and is -moved up and down by a handle. When the curdled mass -is sufficiently churned in this way, the fat begins to -separate from the watery portion. According to the -condition of that separation, more or less lukewarm water<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_478" id="Page_478">[478]</a></span> -is added and the stirring is resumed, till the butter-fat -and water are completely separated. The butter is -then strained, and the remainder is boiled till coagulated -clots appear, easily separable from the sour watery portion. -These clots are known as <i>chura</i>, and they are very nice to -eat. The water or whey, though sour, is not unpalatable, -and is especially good for quenching thirst. The chura -is used either fresh or in a dried form, the latter corresponding -to the cheese used by western people.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_479" id="Page_479">[479]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXVIII" id="CHAPTER_LXVIII">CHAPTER LXVIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Tibetan Boys and Girls.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Boys enjoy better treatment in Tibet than their sisters, -this discrimination beginning soon after their birth. Thus -the naming ceremony is almost always performed for boys -and very seldom for girls. Though differing more or less -according to localities, this naming ceremony is generally -performed after the lapse of three days from the time of -birth. One strange custom about the birth is that a baby -is never washed, nor is there a regular midwife. The only -thing done to the new-born baby is the anointing of its -body (especially the head) with butter, this being carried -out twice a day. As this anointing is rather copiously -applied, the Tibetan baby may perhaps be described as -being subjected to butter-washing.</p> - -<p>On the naming-day, a priest is asked to perform the -ceremony. The process commences with the sprinkling of -holy water on the baby’s head. The water is first blessed -by the priest, and a quantity of yellow powder made of -the saffron flower is then added to it.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 583px;"> -<a id="zill_t480"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t480h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t480.jpg" class="hires" width="583" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>NAMING CEREMONY OF A BABY.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>The name is generally determined according to the day -of the birth, and especially according to the nomenclature -of the days of the week. For instance a boy or a girl who -is born on Sunday is named Nyima, this meaning -Sun in Tibetan. The babies born on Monday bear -the common name of Dawa; those on Saturday Penba; -those on Friday Pasang; and so on. This general use of -the same names giving rise to confusion, a specific individual -surname has to be given to each baby. The individual -appellation either precedes or follows the common designation. -One baby bears the name of Nyima-Chering<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_481" id="Page_481">[481]</a></span> -meaning “Sun longevity,” another Dawa-pun-tsuok, -meaning “Moon-all-perfection.”</p> - -<p>The choice of such individual names is usually made by -the Lama who attends the ceremony, or is determined by -an oracle-consulter, and only rarely by the father of the -baby.</p> - -<p>Sometimes the week nomenclature is disregarded and -names of abstract meaning are given to the babies; sometimes -also names of animals are used. On the whole the -surnames are of an abstract nature as in the case of -Japanese names. I may add that the boys take a religious -name when they enter the priesthood.</p> - -<p>On the naming-day of boys a great feast is held in -honor of the occasion, and the relatives and friends of the -family are invited to it. These of course bring with them -suitable presents, such as casks of liquor, rolls of cloth, or -money. The ceremony and the banquet that accompanies -it are chiefly observed by people residing in or near a city, -for in the provinces only wealthy people can afford to -follow this custom.</p> - -<p>When the naming ceremony is concluded, the officiating -priest reads a service, in order to inform the patron deity -of the place or of the family of the birth of a baby, and of -the fact that that baby has received such and such a name, -and praying that the baby shall be taken under the -protection of that patron deity. This service may be -undertaken by a priest of either the New or Old Sect or -by an oracle-consulter. The last named functionary performs -with his own hand all the ceremony of name-giving, -when a baby is born to him, and does not entrust this -business to another priest.</p> - -<p>The beginning of school-attendance is another great -occasion for boys, and it arrives when the boy attains the -age of eight or nine. This day also is celebrated with a -feast, to which the relatives and friends of the house are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_482" id="Page_482">[482]</a></span> -invited, and these present to the boy a kata, which the -boy hangs around his neck with the two ends suspended -over his breast. If the boy is sent to a teacher residing -at some distance from his home, he leaves his paternal roof -and lives under that of his master; but when his master -lives in the neighborhood he daily attends his lessons from -home.</p> - -<p>The other great occasions for boys are at the end of -school life, and the admission to official service, the latter -requiring a ceremony of far greater importance and a more -splendid banquet than the other.</p> - -<p>The ceremonies performed for the benefit of female children -are fewer in number than those for their brothers. -Generally only one ceremony is performed, this being -a festival for celebrating the advent of girlhood, and -consists of dressing her hair for the first time since -her birth. The dressing is done in a simple style. The -hair is tied and made to hang down behind in four -braids, surmounted with a pretty hair ornament made -of red coral and turquoises. On this occasion a large -number of people are invited to a feast, and these -bring to the house various kinds of presents.</p> - -<p>Boys’ amusements are much like those in Japan. In -winter, for instance, they play at snow-balling, and in -summer their favorite sport is wrestling. Throwing stones -to a distance, pitching at a target with a stone, skipping, -either singly or in company, hitting from a distance a -small piece of hardened clay with another piece, or the -striking out from a circle marked on the ground a silver -piece placed in its centre by means of a stone or any other -hard object—these are some of the popular games of boys. -Sometimes both boys and girls join in theatricals. Ball-games -are now and then seen, but not often. Horse-riding -too is a great amusement for boys, but only the sons of -rich families can indulge in this. Poorer boys have to con<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_483" id="Page_483">[483]</a></span>tent -themselves with mounting on improvised horses, such -as rocks or logs of wood.</p> - -<p>The Tibetan girls do not differ much from those of -other countries in preferring quiet and refined games to -the rough sports of their brothers. Dolls are a favorite -amusement, and then singing, which is either theatrical -(Aje-lhamo) or religious (Lama-mani). The latter is -associated with an interesting custom, and is an imitation -of “Lama-mani,” who go about the country singing -or reciting in quaint plaintive tones the famous deeds -of the Buḍḍha, or high priests, or even great warriors. -These Lama-manis do not use instruments, but possess -pictures illustrating the popular historical accounts of -those mighty persons. The Tibetan girls sing those -pieces, in imitation of the recitation of the minstrels, one -girl acting as conductor and the rest of the juvenile -company reciting in chorus, with now and then a -religious chant interposed.</p> - -<p>I may mention here that Lama-manis are quite -numerous in Tibet. In winter and when the field work is -suspended, they go on tour in the provinces, but about -the month of May, when the field-work is resumed and -the provincials are busy with it, the minstrels return to -Lhasa and ply their trade there. Their arrival at the -capital generally coincides with the appearance of the red -dragon-flies, so these flies are popularly known by the -rather respectable name of ‘Lama-mani.’</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_484" id="Page_484">[484]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXIX" id="CHAPTER_LXIX">CHAPTER LXIX.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Care of the Sick.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>The tending of sick persons is a task assigned to women -in Tibet, and the peculiar notions prevailing about the -treatment of patients makes this task doubly onerous. -Tibetan doctors strictly forbid their patients to sleep in the -day-time, and so those who tend them have to follow this -injunction of the doctors and keep the unfortunate patients -awake. The patients are not allowed to lie in bed but are -made to remain leaning upon some supports specially -prepared for them. One or more nurses sit by their sides -to give them any help they need, and above all to -prevent them from going to sleep. These nurses cannot -long stand the strain of constant watching, and therefore -they are relieved in turn, to resume the task after they -have taken more or less rest. The nurses faithfully attend -to their duty, are very quiet so as not to annoy the patients, -wakeful as they are, and above all to satisfy any of their -wants, to comfort and humor them, and also to keep the -rooms clean. This cleaning must be judged strictly by a -Tibetan standard, for viewed from the Japanese standpoint -it hardly deserves the name. The patients are also kept -comparatively clean, considering the general filthy habits -of the Tibetans. The effect of this insanitary condition at -once makes itself felt to the olfactory sense of a foreigner -who is accustomed to more perfect arrangements at home, -for as soon as he enters the room a peculiar offensive smell -greets his nose.</p> - -<p>But the most important and tiresome part of the nursing -duty is to keep the patient awake, and sometimes nurses -are specially appointed to attend to this work. These -nurses keep beside them a bowl containing cold water and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_485" id="Page_485">[485]</a></span> -one or two wooden sprinklers. When the patient is about -to fall asleep, a nurse sprinkles water on his face, and this -has the effect of preventing sleep. When this water-sprinkling -fails, the nurse embraces the patient from -behind and slightly presses him forward. Sometimes -they call the patient by name and cause him to recover -consciousness. The patient is thankful for the trouble -taken by the nurses, being well aware that they do it in -obedience to the doctor’s orders, and from their wish to -ensure his recovery.</p> - -<p>The idea that a patient must not be allowed to sleep in -the day-time is strongly impressed on the minds of -Tibetans, both professional and non-professional. The -doctors enjoin both on him and on the nurses to observe this -point strictly as the first essential for his recovery, and any -person who comes to visit him first of all gives a similar -warning. “Don’t allow him to fall asleep,” repeats the -visitor to the nurses, and reminds them that they are -principally responsible for carrying out faithfully this -cardinal necessity in the treatment of the patient.</p> - -<p>When a patient dies, the neighbors suspect that his -nurses may not have been strict enough, and must have -suffered him to fall asleep!</p> - -<p>I tried to find out the reasons that have brought about -this strange medical custom, and it was easy for me to -make enquiries, having been obliged to play the part of a -quack doctor through the earnest importunities of the -simple-minded Tibetans. So far as I could ascertain from -those enquiries, the idea seems to be that patients suffering -from some diseases are liable to develop more fever when -they sleep in the day-time, while patients suffering from a -local disease, resembling dropsy, not unfrequently die while -asleep or while in a state of coma. It seems to have been -derived from some cases that occurred some time in the -past, the unscientific doctors of Tibet having jumped to a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_486" id="Page_486">[486]</a></span> -general conclusion from certain specific occurrences. I -need hardly add that this non-sleep prescription is -efficacious (if ever it is efficacious at all) for the Tibetans -only. When at times I suffered from disease while in -Lhasa I slept as freely as I wished, and of course I found -myself feeling all the better for it.</p> - -<p>The fact is that, in Tibet, superstition plays a far more -important part than medicine in the treatment of diseases.</p> - -<p>People believe that a disease is the work of an evil -spirit which enters the body of a person, and therefore -they conclude that that spirit must first be exorcised -before a patient may be entrusted to the care of a doctor. -There being various kinds of evil spirits, some high -Lama must be consulted in order to determine which -particular one has possessed a given patient. A priest -before whom the matter is brought consults books on -demonology, then pronounces that the disease is the work -of such and such an evil spirit, and that for exorcising -him such and such a service must be performed.</p> - -<p>The consulting priest may specify the name of a Lama -when the service to be read is one of importance, but when -it is an ordinary one it may be performed by any Lama. -At the same time the consulting priest issues directions -about medical treatment—that a doctor should be called -in after the service has been performed for so many days, -or that such and such a doctor should be invited -simultaneously with the religious performance, or that -medical aid may be dispensed with altogether.</p> - -<p>These directions are given orally when the Lama who -issues them is one of secondary position, but when he is -one of exalted rank the directions are written by one of -his attendants and the sheet is authenticated by the mark -of his own seal.</p> - -<p>The Tibetans put implicit faith in the directions issued -by such high Lamas, and follow them literally. For<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_487" id="Page_487">[487]</a></span> -instance, when the Lama directs them not to seek the aid -of medicine, say for the first five days, and orders the -patient only to perform the rites of exorcism during that -period, they are sure to do so. A patient, who might have -recovered had the aid of medicine been at once invoked, -may then die, but his family will never blame the Lama -for it. They will rather hold him in greater respect than -before, attributing to him an extraordinary power of -foresight. They will say that he had foreseen the -hopelessness of the patient’s case, and therefore told them -not to take the unnecessary trouble of calling in the aid of -a doctor until after the lapse of five days. The reverend -priest knew, they think, that the patient would die by that -time. Anybody who should dare to hold the Lama -responsible for the death of the patient would run a -serious risk of being denounced by the faithful believers -as a heretic and as a person of depraved mind. Even -those who at heart condemn the mischievous and fatal -meddling of the priests in the case of diseases prudently -keep silence, for fear of calling down upon themselves the -wrath of the fanatical populace.</p> - -<p>To speak the truth, the Tibetan doctors hardly deserve -to be trusted. The word ‘doctor’ as applied to them is -a gross outrage on the noble science, for they possess -merely the knowledge (and this too of a very shallow kind) -of the primitive medicine of ancient India. As even that -knowledge is the result of oral instruction transmitted -from father to son for many generations, and not acquired -from studying medical works or from investigation, the -Tibetan ‘doctors’ are utterly incompetent for the important -function assigned to them.</p> - -<p>The doctors practically possess only one stock medicine, -which is the root of a certain poisonous herb called -<i>tsa-tuk</i> in Tibet. Being a strong stimulant it is fatal -in a large dose, and even a limited quantity causes a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_488" id="Page_488">[488]</a></span> -temporary paralysis of the different parts of the body and -sometimes violent diarrhœa. A change of any kind is -likely to be taken as a hopeful sign by patients, and so the -Tibetan doctors always use more or less of this drug for -all kinds of illness, just as the Japanese doctors were -accustomed to use liquorice-root in olden days.</p> - -<p>Knowing as I do how untrustworthy and even dangerous -the prescriptions of Tibetan doctors are, I sometimes -thought that if the choice between the two evils had -to be made I should rather recommend to sick people an exclusive -reliance on prayers and faith-cure instead of on the -risky medicines prepared by these quacks.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_489" id="Page_489">[489]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXX" id="CHAPTER_LXX">CHAPTER LXX.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Outdoor Amusements.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>There are various methods of feasting in Tibet, but the -one which appeals most strongly to the fancy of the people -and is, I think, the most refined, is the <i>Lingka</i>. This is a -sort of garden party held in woody places situated in the -outskirts of the city of Lhasa.</p> - -<p>The Tibetans seldom behave respectably and with -courtesy when they meet in a social reunion; too frequently -on such occasions disputes or even quarrels are liable to -occur. But in a Lingka party all those who participate in -it behave with decorum, and even people who are generally -regarded as quarrelsome characters appear genteel and -affable in deference to the best tradition of the country. -A Lingka carried out by a party of warrior-priests is sufficiently -animated, but very seldom do they mar the occasion -with unseemly quarrels.</p> - -<p>The places where this refined amusement is held are, as -before mentioned, situated very close to the city, and are -found in all directions except the south, where flows a -river. In the remainder of the circuit woods and groves -are scattered here and there, and also patches of velvety -lawns. Some of the groves are enclosed and are attached -to the private villas of wealthy people, but there are plenty -of groves and lawns which are left open to the public.</p> - -<p>These lawns and groves present a charming appearance -in spring, and the people of Lhasa, after having been -chained to the town through the desolate and dreary scenes -of winter, feel themselves inspired with a new life when -they meet again on turf which is resuming its vigor and -putting on a new coat of velvet. There are peach-trees -with their buds about to burst open, while by the streams<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_490" id="Page_490">[490]</a></span> -may be seen willow-trees with their elegant pendant twigs -covered with fresh green leaves.</p> - -<p>The whole city of Lhasa finds its heart beating with a new -life, as it were, in agreeable harmony with the fascinating -surroundings of nature. The season of pure and innocent -amusements has arrived, and the people, urged on by the -natural cravings of their hearts, sally forth to the fields in -small parties or large, and enjoy themselves with picnics.</p> - -<p>The picnic outfit comprises baked flour, fried vegetables -or meats, cheese, raisins, dried peaches, dried animal flesh, -sacks of liquor and tea-sets. There are two kinds of native -liquors, one being made of barley or wheat and the other of -rice. Of the two the former is used to a greater extent than -the latter. The barley liquor is brewed in a very simple way. -A certain quantity of barley, generally at the rate of one -<i>sho</i> of the grain to five <i>sho</i> of the liquor, is roasted, then -left to cool, and while it is being cooled a quantity of malt -is added, and the mixture is put in a jug and kept in a -warm place. In three days the mixture is converted into -yeast, and to it water is added and thoroughly stirred. -The liquor is then ready, and it is ladled out as occasion -requires, or the whole watery portion is strained and put -in another vessel. In brewing a superior kind of the -liquor, only about two <i>sho</i> of water is added to one <i>sho</i> of -the grain and the strained liquid is left to ripen for some -weeks. This superior liquor is used only by wealthy -people.</p> - -<p>The ordinary barley liquor is very weak and does not intoxicate -unless a large quantity is drunk. The climate too -being comparatively cool and the atmosphere very dry, the -fumes of the liquor soon disappear even when a man has -imbibed a large quantity.</p> - -<p>So, prepared with all those provisions, the parties spread -their mats on the turf, and enjoy themselves to their hearts’ -contents from nine in the morning to six in the afternoon.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_491" id="Page_491">[491]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t491"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t491h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t491.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="445" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>A PICNIC PARTY IN SUMMER.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>Let us suppose that a carpet is laid on the velvety -lawn in a wood, and that there are liquors and delicacies -to which the party will help themselves. There will also -be singing and dancing. Dancing is generally accompanied -by vocal music, and it occupies in the eyes of -Tibetan people a very important place on the programme -of a public function of this kind. Everybody appears to -think that there is nothing more enjoyable in life than the -art of cadenced steps and graceful postures. Even the -country people who from lack of opportunities cannot -learn the art, appreciate and enjoy it just as well as the -inhabitants of cities. Strangers like myself do not see any -great merit in the Tibetan dancing, but to their eyes it is -certainly amusing. In short, the picnic is a source of -most refined relaxation to the Tibetans, for on such -occasions they sing and dance, they drink the best of -liquors and eat the best of delicacies, their enjoyment -very much enhanced by the exquisite environment. Here<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_492" id="Page_492">[492]</a></span> -flows a limpid current drawn from the river Kichu and on -its banks are gambolling and running children and adults. -There stand majestic snow-capped peaks with their slopes -covered with verdant forests. Lhasa indeed seems to -justify at such time its classic name of the ‘Ground of -Deities’.</p> - -<p>The above description applies to a picnic given by people -of the higher classes, but their inferiors also have picnics -of their own.</p> - -<p>The picnics got up by people of the lower classes are of -course less refined, and the amusements include the -drinking of liquors, gambolling, and maybe wrestling. -Tibetan wrestling possesses a peculiarity of its own, quite -distinct from that prevailing in Japan. The wrestlers -generally keep apart from their antagonists and do not -tug and close in as do their <i>confrères</i> of Japan. Very -seldom does a Tibetan wrestler aim at throwing down his -antagonist, the contest consisting in the use of the arms. -The picnickers also amuse themselves with competitions of -stone-flinging, which is a favorite game of the warrior priests, -and sometimes they try a foot-race. Dancing is -a favorite item of amusement in the picnics of the vulgar -folks also, and it does not differ much in form from that -of people of the higher circles, though it somewhat lacks -elegance and at times it even strikes one as scandalous. -Still, one beautiful point about the picnics even of the -lower people is that very seldom does a quarrel or any -such unseemly incident mar the sweet pleasure of the -occasion, and it is evident that the <i>changsa</i> of the lingka -exerts upon them a high moral influence and indirectly -leads them to good. Whether for people of the higher -circles or for their inferiors, among the changsas the lingka -is the purest and most refined of their amusements and -is the one most conducive to fraternal feeling and good -fellowship.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_493" id="Page_493">[493]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXI" id="CHAPTER_LXXI">CHAPTER LXXI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Russia’s Tibetan Policy.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Before proceeding to give an account, necessarily imperfect, -of Tibetan diplomacy, I must explain what is the -public opinion of the country as to patriotism. I am sorry -to say that the attitude of the people in this respect by no -means does them credit. So far as my limited observation -goes, the Tibetans, who are sufficiently shrewd in attending -to their own interest, are not so sensitive to matters of -national importance. It seems as if they were destitute of -the sense of patriotism, as the term is understood by -ordinary people. Not that they are totally ignorant of -the meaning of “fatherland,” but they are rather inclined -to turn that meaning to their own advantage in preference -to the interest of their country. Such seems, in short, the -general idea of the politicians of to-day.</p> - -<p>The Tibetans are more jealous with regard to their -religion. A few of them, a very limited few it is true, -seem to be prepared to defend and promote it at the expense -of their private interest, though even in this respect the -majority are so far unscrupulous as to abuse their religion -for their own ends. In the eyes of the common people, -religion is the most important product of the country, and -they think therefore that they must preserve it at any -cost. Their ignorance necessarily makes them fanatics -and they believe that any one who works any injury to their -religion deserves death. The Hierarchical Government -makes a great deal of capital out of this fanatical tendency -of the masses. The holy religion is its justification when -it persecutes persons obnoxious to it, and when it has -committed any wrong it seeks refuge under the same holy -name. The Government too often works mischief in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_494" id="Page_494">[494]</a></span> -name of religion, but the masses do not of course suspect -any such thing—or even if they do now and then harbor -a suspicion, they are deterred from giving vent to their -sentiments, for to speak ill of the religion is a heinous -crime in Tibet.</p> - -<p>I have already stated how in general the Tibetan -women are highly selfish and but poorly developed in the -sense of public duty. One might naturally suppose that -the children born of such mothers must be similarly -deficient in this important point. I thought at first that -the Tibetan men were less open to this charge than their -wives and sisters, but I soon found this to be a mistake. -I found the men not much better than the women, and -equally absorbed in their selfish desires while totally -neglecting the interests of the State. A foreign country -knowing this weak point, and wishing to push its interests -in the Forbidden Land, has only to form its diplomatic -procedure accordingly. In other words, it has merely to -captivate the hearts of the rulers of Tibet, for once the -influential Cabinet Ministers of the Hierarchical Government -are won over, the next step will be an easy matter. The -greedy Ministers will be ready to listen to any insidious -advice coming from outside, provided that the advice -carries with it literally the proper weight of gold. They -will not care a straw about the welfare of the State or the -interest of the general public, if only they themselves -are satisfied.</p> - -<p>However, foreign diplomatists desiring to succeed in -their policy of gaining influence over Tibet must not -think that they have an easy task before them. Gold is -most acceptable to all Tibetan statesmen, but at times -gold alone may not carry the point. The fact is that -Tibet has no diplomatic policy in any dignified sense of -the word. Its foreign doings are determined by sentiment, -which is necessarily destitute of any solid foundation, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_495" id="Page_495">[495]</a></span> -is susceptible to change from a trivial cause. A foreign -country which has given a large bribe to the principal -statesmen of Tibet may find afterwards that its enormous -disbursements on this account have been a mere waste of -money, and that the recipients who were believed to have -been secured with golden chains have broken loose from -them, for some mere triviality. It is impossible to rely -on the faith of the Tibetan statesmen, for they are entirely -led by sentiment and never by rational conviction.</p> - -<p>The Muscovites seem to conduct their Tibetan policy -with consummate dexterity. Their manœuvres date from a -long time (at least thirty years) back, when Russia’s activity -towards Tibet began to attract the public attention of -the Powers concerned. Russia has selected a highly -effective instrument in promoting her interest over Tibet.</p> - -<p>There was a Mongolian tribe called the Buriats, which -peopled a district far away to the north-east of Tibet towards -Mongolia. The tribe was originally feudatory to China, -but it passed some time ago under the control of Russia. -The astute Muscovites have taken great pains to insinuate -themselves into the grateful regard of this tribe. Contrary -to their vaunted policy at home, they have never -attempted to convert the Mongolians into believers of the -Greek Church, but have treated their religion with a -strange toleration. The Muscovites even went farther and -actually rendered help in promoting the interests of the -Lamaist faith, by granting its monasteries more or less -pecuniary aid. It was evident that this policy of Russia -originated from the deep-laid plan of captivating the -hearts of the priests, whose influence was, as it still is, -immense over the people. From this tribe quite a large -number of young priests are sent to Tibet to prosecute their -studies at the principal seats of Lamaist learning. These -young Mongolians are found at the religious centres of -Ganden, Rebon, Sera, Tashi Lhunpo and at other places.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_496" id="Page_496">[496]</a></span> -There must be altogether two hundred such students at -those seats of learning; several able priests have appeared -from among them, one of whom, Dorje by name, became a -high tutor to the present Dalai Lama while he was a -minor.</p> - -<p>This great priest obtained from the Hierarchical Government -some twenty years ago the honorable title of “Tsan-ni -Kenbo,” which means an “instructor in the Lamaist -Catechism.” There were besides him three other instructors; -but he is said to have virtually monopolised the confidence -of the young Lama Chief. Nor was this confidence -misplaced, so far as the relation of teaching and learning -was concerned, for the Mongolian priest surpassed his -three colleagues both in ability and in learning, and as he -omitted no pains to win the heart of his little pupil, the -latter was naturally led to hold him in the greatest estimation -and affection.</p> - -<p>The Tsan-ni Kenbo returned home when, on his pupil’s -attaining majority, his services as tutor were no longer -required. It is quite likely that he described minutely the -results of his work in Tibet to the Russian Government, -for it is conceivable that he may have been entrusted by it -with some important business during his stay at Lhasa. -Soon the Tsan-ni Kenbo re-visited Lhasa, and this time -as a priest of great wealth, instead of as a poor student, as he -was at first. He brought with him a large amount of gold, -also boxes of curios made in Russia. The money and -the curios must have come to him from the Russian -Government. The Dalai Lama and his Ministers were the -recipients of the gold and curios, and among the Ministers a -young man named Shata appears to have been honored -with the largest share. The name of the Tsan-ni Kenbo -had been remembered with respect since his departure -from Lhasa, and his re-appearance as a liberal distributor -of gifts completed his triumph.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_497" id="Page_497">[497]</a></span></p> - -<p>The Dalai Lama was now ready to lend a willing ear to -anything his former tutor represented to him, while the -friendship between him and the young Premier grew so -fraternal that they are said to have vowed to stand -by each other as brothers born. The astute Tsan-ni did not -of course confine his crafty endeavors to the higher circles -alone; the priest classes received from him a large -share of attention, due to the mighty influence which they -wield over the masses. Liberal donations were therefore -more than once presented to all the important monasteries of -Tibet, with which of course the priests of these monasteries -were delighted. In their eyes the Tsan-ni was a -Mongolian priest of immense wealth and pious heart, -and the idea of suspecting how he came to be possessed -of such wealth never entered their unsophisticated minds. -So they had nothing but unqualified praise for him. -When at rare intervals some inquisitive priests asked the -Government officers about the origin of the Tsan-ni’s -fortune, the latter would inform them with a knowing -look that the Mongolian Lama was regarded with something -like regal respect by his countrymen, who vied with -each other in presenting gold and other precious things -to that venerable priest. There was nothing strange -about his acquisition of wealth. And so the Government -and priesthood placed themselves at the feet of the Tsan-ni -and adored him as their benefactor.</p> - -<p>The Zaune’s programme of ‘conquest’ was really -comprehensive and included a general plan intended for -the masses. It was based on an old tradition of Tibet and -involved no extra disbursements on his part. It must -be remembered that a work written in former times by some -Lama of the New Sect contained a prophetic pronouncement—a -pronouncement which was supported by some -others—that some centuries hence a mighty prince would -make his appearance somewhere to the north of Kashmīr,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_498" id="Page_498">[498]</a></span> -and would bring the whole world under his sway, and under -the domination of the Buḍḍhist faith. Now Kashmīr and -the places near it are districts of great natural beauty -and delightful situation, and Buḍḍhism once attained a -high prosperity in them, before they were subdued by the -Muhammadan conquerors. This would-be “prophet” must -have concluded <i>a priori</i> that as the faith had once prevailed -there, therefore it must one day recover its original -prosperity. Starting from this peculiar surmise the prophet -jumped to the conclusion that the place, from its advantageous -natural position, must in some remote future make -its power felt through the world, and that this would be -achieved by some powerful prince.</p> - -<p>This announcement alone was not sufficiently attractive -to awake the interest of the Tibetans, and so -the unborn prince was represented as a holy incarnation -of the founder of the national religion of Tibet, -Tsong-kha-pa, and his Ministers were to be incarnations -of his principal disciples, as Jam yan Choeje, -Chamba Choeje and Gendun Tub. The prophet went into -further details and gave the name of the future great -country as “Chang Shambhala;” Chang denoting “northward” -and “Shambhala” the name of a certain city or -place, if I remember rightly, to the north of Kashmīr. -With a precision worthy of Swift’s pen, the prophet -located the new Buḍḍhist empire of the future at a distance -some three thousand miles north-west of Buḍḍhagayā in -Hinḍūsṭān, and he even described at some length the route -to be taken in reaching the imaginary country. This -utopian account has obtained belief from a section of the -Tibetan priest-class, and some of them are said to have -undertaken a quest for this future empire, so that they -might at least have the satisfaction of inspecting its cradle. -Now the Tibetan prophet bequeathed us this important -forecast with the idea that when the Tibetan religion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_499" id="Page_499">[499]</a></span> -degenerated, it would be saved from extinction by the -appearance of that mighty Buḍḍhist prince, who would -extend his benevolent influence over the whole world. -I should state that this announcement is widely accepted -as truth by the common people of Tibet.</p> - -<p>The Tsan-ni Kenbo was perfectly familiar with the -existence of this marvellous tradition, and he was not slow -to utilise it for promoting his own ambitious schemes. -He wrote a pamphlet with the special object of demonstrating -that “Chang Shambhala” means Russia, and that -the Tsar is the incarnation of Je Tsong-kha-pa. The Tsar, -this Russian emissary wrote, is a worthy reincarnation -of that venerable founder, being benevolent to his people, -courteous in his relations to neighboring countries, and -above all endowed with a virtuous mind. This fact and -the existence of several points of coincidence between -Russia and the country indicated in the sacred prophecy -indisputably proved that Russia must be that country, -that anybody who doubted it was an enemy of Buḍḍhism -and of the august will of the Founder of the New Sect, -and that in short all the faithful believers in Buḍḍhism must -pay respect to the Tsar as a Chang-chub Semba Semba -Chenbo, which in Tibetan indicates one next to Buḍḍha, -or as a new embodiment of the Founder, and must obey -him.</p> - -<p>Such is said to be the tenor of that particular writing of -the Tsan-ni Kenbo. It seems to exist in three different -versions, Tibetan, Mongolian and Russian. I have not -been able to see a copy, but it was from the lips of a trustworthy -person that I gathered the drift of the -exposition given in the pamphlet. Indeed the Tsan-ni’s -pamphlet was preserved with jealous care by -all who had copies of it, such care as is bestowed by -a pious bibliographer on a rare text of Buḍḍhist writing. -I knew several priests who undoubtedly possessed copies of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_500" id="Page_500">[500]</a></span> -the pamphlet, but I could not ask permission to inspect -them, for fear that such a request might awake their -suspicion. The one from whom I confidentially obtained -the drift of the writing told me that he found in it -some unknown letters. I concluded that the letters must -be Russian.</p> - -<p>Tsan-ni Kenbo’s artful scheme has been crowned with -great success, for to-day almost every Tibetan blindly believes -in the ingenious story concocted by the Mongolian -priest, and holds that the Tsar will sooner or later subdue -the whole world and found a gigantic Buḍḍhist empire. -So the Tibetans may be regarded as extreme Russophiles, -thanks to the machination of the Tsan-ni Kenbo.</p> - -<p>There is another minor reason which has very much -raised the credit of Russia in the eyes of the Tibetans; I -mean the arrival of costly fancy goods from that country. -Now, the fancy goods coming from British India are all -cheap things which are hardly fit for the uses for which -they are intended. The reason is obvious; as the Tibetans -cannot afford to buy goods of superior quality, the merchants -who forward these to Tibet must necessarily select -only those articles that are readily marketable. The goods -coming from Russia, on the other hand, are not intended -for sale; they are exclusively for presents. Naturally -therefore the goods coming from Russia are of superior -quality and can well stand the wear and tear of use. The -ignorant Tibetans do not of course exercise any great -discernment, and seeing that the goods from England and -Russia make such a striking contrast with each other they -naturally jump to the conclusion that the English goods -are trash, and that the people who produce such things -must be an inferior and unreliable race.</p> - -<p>I heard during my stay in Tibet a strange story the -authenticity of which admitted of no doubt. It was kept -as a great secret and occurred about two years ago. At<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_501" id="Page_501">[501]</a></span> -that time the Dalai Lama received as a present a suit of -Episcopal robes from the Tsar, a present forwarded through -the hands of the Tsar’s emissary. It was a splendid garment -glittering with gold and was accepted, I was told, with -gratitude by the Grand Lama. The Tsar’s act in giving -such a present to him is open to a serious charge. If the -Tsar presented the suit as a specimen of an embroidered -fabric, then that act amounted to sacrilege, for the Bishop’s -ceremonial robe is a sign of a high religious function, and -when a person receives it from the superior Head of the -holy church it means that that person has been installed -in the seat of a Bishop. On the other hand if the Tsar -presented the suit from religious considerations his act is -equally inexplicable and deserves condemnation, for he -must have been perfectly aware that Lamaism is an entirely -distinct religion from the State religion of Russia, and -that the chief of the Tibetan religion therefore has nothing -to do with such an official garment. It was really a -strange transaction. On the part of the recipient there -were extenuating circumstances. The fact is, he must -have been entirely ignorant as to the real nature of the -present. He must have accepted it merely as a costly -garment with no special meaning attached to it. I am -certain he would have rejected the offer at once had he had -even a faint inkling of its nature. He was therefore a -victim of ignorance and perhaps of imposition, for the Tsan-ni -Kenbo, who knew all about this present, must have -made some plausible explanations to the Dalai Lama when -the latter asked him about it. Shata, the Premier and -bosom friend of the Tsan-ni, probably played some part in -the imposture.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 538px;"> -<a id="zill_t502"></a> - -<img src="images/zill_t502.jpg" class="lores" width="538" height="800" alt="" /> - -<div class="caption"><p>PRIME MINISTER.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>Who is Shata? Shata, whose name I have before -mentioned, is the eldest of the Premiers, and comes from one -of the most illustrious families of Tibet. His house stood -in hereditary feud with the great monastery Tangye-ling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_502" id="Page_502">[502]</a></span> -whose head, Lama Temo Rinpoche, acted as Regent before -the present Dalai Lama had been installed. At that time -the star of Shata was in the decline. He could not even -live in Tibet with safety, and had to leave the country as a -voluntary exile. As a wanderer he lived sometimes at -Darjeeling and at other times in Sikkim. It was during this -period of his wandering existence that he observed the -administration of India by England, and heard much about -how India came to be subjugated by that Power. Shata -therefore is the best authority in Tibet about England’s -Indian policy. His mind was filled with the dread of -England. He was overawed by her power and must have -trembled at the mere idea of the possibility of her crossing -the Himālayas and entering Tibet, which could hardly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_503" id="Page_503">[503]</a></span> -hope to resist the northward march of England, when -once the latter made up her mind to invade the land. He -must have thought during his exile that Tibet would have -to choose between Russia and China in seeking foreign -help against the possible aggression of England. Evidently -therefore he carried home some such idea as to Tibetan -policy when affairs allowed him to return home with safety, -that is to say, when his enemy had resigned the Regency -and surrendered the supreme power to the Dalai Lama. -Shata was soon nominated a Premier, and the power he -then acquired was first of all employed and abused in -destroying his old enemy and his followers. The maladministration -and unjust practices of which those followers -had been guilty during the ascendancy of their master -furnished a sufficient cause for bringing a serious charge -against the latter. The poor Temo Rinpoche was arrested -for a crime of which he was innocent, and died a victim -to his enemy, as already told.</p> - -<p>Shata is an unscrupulous man and is resourceful in -intrigues. But he is nevertheless a man of vigorous mind -and does not hesitate about the means, when once he makes -up his mind to compass anything.</p> - -<p>He is the best informed man in Tibet, comparatively -speaking, in diplomatic affairs, and so he must possess a -certain definite view about the foreign policy of Tibet, -and his pro-Russian tendency must have come from his -strong conviction, though this conviction rested on a -slender base. This tendency was of course stimulated and -encouraged by the Tsan-ni Kenbo, who did not neglect to -work upon the other’s inclination when he saw that it was -highly favorable to him. Shata on his part must have -rendered help to his Mongolian friend when the latter -wished to offer the strange present to the Dalai Lama. I -do not say that the other Ministers approved of Shata’s -acts in this significant transaction, or even of his pro-<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_504" id="Page_504">[504]</a></span>Russian -policy. On the contrary some of them may have -deprecated both as being opposed to the interests of Tibet. -But they could hardly speak out their minds, and even if -they did they could not restrain Shata, for the simple -reason that the executive authority practically rests in -the hands of the Senior Premier. He very seldom consulted -his colleagues, still less was he inclined to accept advice -coming from them. Under the circumstances they must -have connived at the acceptance of the bishop’s apparel, -even if they knew about it.</p> - -<p>China’s loss of prestige in Tibet since the Japano-Chinese -war owing to her inability to assert her power over the -vassal state has much to do with this pro-Russian leaning. -China is no longer respected, much less feared by the -Tibetans. Previous to that war and before China’s -internal incompetence had been laid bare by Japan, relations -like those between master and vassal bound Tibet to -China. The latter interfered with the internal affairs of -Tibet and meted out punishments freely to the Tibetan -dignitaries and even to the Grand Lama. Now she is -entirely helpless. She could not even demand explanations -from Tibet when that country was thrown into an -unusual agitation about the Temo Rinpoche’s affair. The -Tibetans are now conducting themselves in utter disregard -or even in defiance of the wishes of China, for -they are aware of the powerlessness of China to take any -active steps against them. They know that their former -suzerain is fallen and is therefore no longer to be depended -upon. They are prejudiced against England on account -of her subjugation of India, and so they have naturally -concluded that they should establish friendly relations with -Russia, which they knew was England’s bitter foe.</p> - -<p>It is evident that the Dalai Lama himself favors this -view, and it may safely be presumed that unless he was -favorably disposed towards Russia he would never have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_505" id="Page_505">[505]</a></span> -accepted the bishop’s garment from the Tsar. He is too -intelligent a man to accept any present from a foreign -sovereign as a mere compliment.</p> - -<p>The Dalai Lama’s friendly inclination was clearly established -when in December, 1900, he sent to Russia his -grand Chamberlain as envoy with three followers. Leaving -Lhasa on that date the party first proceeded towards the -Tsan-ni Kenbo’s native place, whence they were taken by -the Siberian railway, and in time reached S. Petersburg. -The party was received with warm welcome by that -court, to which it offered presents brought from Tibet. -It is said that on that occasion a secret understanding -was reached between the two Governments.</p> - -<p>It was about December of 1901 or January of the following -year that the party returned home. By that time I -had already been residing in Lhasa for some time. About -two months after the return of the party I went out on a -short trip on horseback to a place about fifty miles north-east -of Lhasa. While I was there I saw two hundred -camels fully loaded arrive from the north-east. The load -consisted of small boxes, two packed on each camel. -Every load was covered with skin, and so I could not -even guess what it contained. The smallness of the boxes -however arrested my attention, and I came to the conclusion -that some Mongolians must have been bringing ingots of -silver as a present to the Dalai Lama. I asked some of the -drivers about the contents of the boxes, but they could not -tell me anything. They were hired at some intermediate -station, and so knew nothing about the contents. However -they believed that the boxes contained silver, but they -knew for certain that these boxes did not come from China. -They had been informed by somebody that they came from -some unknown place.</p> - -<p>When I returned to the house of my host, the Minister of -Finance came in and informed him that on that day a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_506" id="Page_506">[506]</a></span> -heavy load had arrived from Russia. On my host inquiring -what were the contents of the load, the Minister replied -that this was a secret. I took a hint from this talk -of the Minister and left the room. I had however by good -chance discovered that the load came from Russia, and -though I could not as yet form any idea about the contents, -I tried to get some reliable information.</p> - -<p>Now I knew one Government officer who was one of the -worst repositories imaginable for any secret; he was such -a gossip that it was easy to worm out anything from him. -One day I met him and gradually the trend of our conversation -was turned to the last caravan. I found him quite -communicative as usual, and so I asked him about the -contents of the load. The gentleman was so far obliging, -that he told me (confidentially, he said) that another caravan -of three hundred camels had arrived some time before, and -that the load brought by so many camels consisted of small -fire-arms, bullets, and other interesting objects. He was -quite elated with the weapons, saying that now for the -first time Tibet was sufficiently armed to resist any attack -which England might undertake against her, and could -defiantly reject any improper request which that aggressive -power, as the Tibetans believe her to be, might make to her.</p> - -<p>I had the opportunity to inspect one of the guns sent by -Russia. It was apparently one of modern pattern, but it -did not impress me as possessing any long range nor seem -to be quite fit for active service. The stock bore an inscription -attesting that it was made in the United States -of America. The Tibetans being ignorant of Roman letters -and English firmly believed that all the weapons were made -in Russia. It seems that about one-half of the load of -the five hundred camels consisted of small arms and -ammunition.</p> - -<p>The Chinese Government appears mortified to see Tibet -endeavoring to break off her traditional relation with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_507" id="Page_507">[507]</a></span> -China, and to attach herself to Russia. The Chinese Amban -once tried to interfere with the Tsan-ni Kenbo’s dealings -in Lhasa, and even intended to arrest him. But it was of -no avail, as the Tibetan Government extended protection to -the man and defeated the purposes of the Amban. On -one occasion the Tsan-ni was secretly sent to Darjeeling -and on another occasion to Nepāl, and the Amban could -never catch hold of him. It appears that the British Government -watched the movements of the Tsan-ni, and this -suspicion of England against him appears to have been -shared by the Nepāl Government.</p> - -<p>Apparently therefore the Russian manœuvres in Tibet -have succeeded, and the question that naturally arises is this: -“Is Russia’s footing in Tibet so firmly established as to -enable her to make with any hope of success an attempt on -India with Tibet as her base?” I cannot answer this -question affirmatively, for Russia’s influence in Tibet has -not yet taken a deep root. She can count only on the -Dalai Lama and his Senior Premier as her most reliable -friends, and the support of the rest who are simply blind -followers of those two cannot be counted upon. Of course -those blind followers would remain pro-Russian, if Russia -should persist in actively pushing on her policy of fascination; -but as their attitude does not rest on a solid foundation -they may abandon it any time when affairs take a -turn unfavorable for Russia. For it must be remembered -that by no means the whole of the higher classes of Tibet -are even passive supporters of the policy marked -out by the Dalai Lama and his trusted lieutenants. On -the contrary, there are some few who are secretly suspicious -of the motives of Russia. The Tsar, they think, -may be the sovereign who is the incarnate Founder, but -his very munificence towards Tibet may have some deep -meaning at bottom. That munificence may not be for -nothing; if it is, then Russia must be regarded as a country<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_508" id="Page_508">[508]</a></span> -composed of people who are quite godly—a very rare thing -in this world of give and take, where selfishness is a -guiding motive. Is it not more reasonable and safer to -interpret these repeated acts of outward friendship as -coming from her ambitious design to place a snare before -Tibet and finally to absorb the country? Such ideas are, -I say, confined to only a very limited section, and are -exchanged in whispers between confidential friends. They -do not seem to have reached the ears of the Dalai Lama -and the Senior Premier. But those ideas already contain -in them a germ of a dangerous nature, which at some -favorable opportunity may develop into a powerful anti-Russian -movement. Russia therefore will experience -a keen disappointment if she considers her footing in Tibet -firmly planted beyond any fear of shaking, and neglects -to keep watch over the state of affairs in that country. If -she neglects this, all the gold she has disbursed in the -shape of presents and bribes will prove so much mere -waste.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_509" id="Page_509">[509]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXII" id="CHAPTER_LXXII">CHAPTER LXXII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Tibet and British India.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>The Tibetans are on the whole a hospitable people, and -the unfavorable discrimination made against England is -mainly attributable to mutual misunderstanding. On the -part of England that misunderstanding led to the adoption -of a rough and ready method instead of one of ingratiation, -and so England is singled out as an object of abhorrence -by Tibet. England had opportunities to score a greater -success in Tibet than that achieved by Russia, and had she -followed the Russian method her influence would now have -extended far beyond the Himālayas. Instead, she tried to -coerce Tibet, and so she failed. It is like crying -over spilt milk to speak of this failure at present, but I -cannot help regretting it for the sake of England. She -would have saved much of the trouble and money she has -subsequently been obliged to give in consequence of her too -hasty policy, occasioned by her ignorance of the temper -of the Tibetans and the general state of affairs in their -country. As it was, since England sent her abortive expedition -of force, the attitude of Tibet towards that Power -has become one of pronounced hostility. The revelation of -the secret mission of Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās and the serious -agitation that occurred in Tibet, including the execution of -several noted men, such as the virtuous Sengchen Dorjechan -and others, has completely estranged the Tibetan -Government from England. That revelation has had a -far-reaching effect that has involved the interests of -other countries, for it confirmed the Tibetan Government -in its prejudice in favor of a exclusory policy. Tibet has -been closed up entirely since that time, not only against -British India, but even against Russia and Persia. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_510" id="Page_510">[510]</a></span> -Lama believers of India even are prohibited from entering -the country. Such being the case, should England ever -wish to transact any business with Tibet she would be -obliged to do so by force.</p> - -<p>Not that England neglects to take measures calculated -to win the favorable opinion of the Tibetans. The Indian -Viceroy is, for instance, endeavoring to convey friendly -impressions to such of the Tibetans as may happen to come -to frontier places, such as Darjeeling or Sikkim. Thus -the children of those Tibetans are at liberty to enter any -Government schools without paying fees, while boys of -a hopeful nature are patronised by the Government and are -sent at Government expense to higher institutions. At -present there are quite a number of Tibetan lads who, -after graduation from their respective courses, are employed -by the Indian Government as surveyors, Post Office clerks -or teachers. Then the privilege of carrying on the business -of palanquin-bearers, quite a lucrative occupation, is -practically reserved for the Tibetans, at least at Darjeeling. -Not even natives of India, still less people of other countries, -are easily allowed to start this business. The Indian -Police officers too are quite indulgent towards the Tibetans, -and never deal with them so strictly as with the Indian -natives.</p> - -<p>The Tibetans residing at Darjeeling are therefore quite -satisfied with their lot. Most of them feel sincerely grateful -towards the British Government and are ready to -repay it with friendly service. The longer they remain -under the British protection, the stronger grows this -sentiment. They are impressed with the treatment of the -British Government, its straightforwardness, veracity -and benevolence, in contrast to the merciless dealings of -the Government at home, which inflicts shocking punishments -for even minor offences. They are well aware that -the Lama’s Government cuts off a man’s arms or extracts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_511" id="Page_511">[511]</a></span> -his eye-balls for larceny, or similar minor crimes, while in -India capital punishment is very seldom inflicted even on -offenders of a grave character; the humane treatment of -criminals by the British Government is a thing that can -hardly be dreamed of by the people of Tibet. The roads in -India are an object of marvel to the Tibetans who arrive -there for the first time. The presence of free hospitals, of -free asylums, of educational institutions, the railways, telegraphs -and telephones—all these are objects of wonder and -marvel to those Tibetans, and it is not strange that most of -them become the more disinclined to return home the -longer they live in India. In the presence of these evidences -of material greatness, the Tibetans naturally come -to the conclusion that a Government which can afford to -establish and maintain such splendid structures must be -immensely rich, and they therefore begin to nurture the -hope of having such a wealthy and great Government -over them, and of sharing in its prosperity. This sentiment -seems to be especially strong among those of the higher -classes, who have seen India, and it is shared by their inferiors -who know that greatness only from hearsay.</p> - -<p>The policy of indirectly winning the goodwill of the -Tibetans, so far pursued by the Indian Government, has -failed, however, to produce any perceptible effect on the -Government circles of Tibet. They are too far engrossed -with personal interests to be open to any great extent -to indirect suasion of a moral nature. They are far more -inclined to gain advantage for themselves directly from -offers of bribes than to profit by an exemplary model of -administration. The main reason why they are favorably -disposed towards Russia is because they have received -gold from that country; it was never by the effect of any -display of good administrative method that Russia has -succeeded so well. In short, these greedy Tibetan officials -offer their friendship to the highest bidders, and they do<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_512" id="Page_512">[512]</a></span> -not care at all whence the gold comes so long as they -grasp a large sum. The policy of the British Government -therefore rests on a pedestal set a little too high to be -understood and appreciated by the majority of the official -circles of Tibet.</p> - -<p>The attitude of the priesthood towards England is a -puzzled one. They are puzzled to determine whether they -should denounce the English as devils incarnate, or respect -them as the incarnations of saints. The benevolent -arrangements made by them, such as establishing -philanthropic institutions, laying of railroads and such like, -lead the sceptical Lamas to think that Englishmen must -understand the ways of Buḍḍhism and be a godly race. -But when they think that these same Englishmen did not -scruple to annex other people’s land to their own -dominions, their favorable impression about Englishmen -receives a sudden and complete check. These two conflicting -notions seem to have taken a deep hold on their minds, -and they try to solve the puzzle without compromising -their two convictions. They explain that there must be -two distinct kinds of Englishmen in India, one benevolent -and godly and the other infernal and quite wicked. Otherwise, -they think, such a marvellous phenomenon as that -witnessed in India could hardly have been possible.</p> - -<p>The same priests held a strange notion about the late -Queen. They believed her to be an incarnation of the patron -Goddess of the Cho-khang temple in Lhasa, and therefore -endowed with a supernatural power of subjugating and -governing the whole world. Because of this occult affinity -the Queen entertained, they believed, a fraternal feeling -towards Tibet, but some of the courtiers about her were -wicked and obstructed her benevolent intentions, just as -the great Buḍḍha himself had among His disciples some -wicked and incorrigible characters. The Tibetans, they -said, must get rid of those pernicious persons for the Queen.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_513" id="Page_513">[513]</a></span></p> - -<p>When the news of the death of the Queen reached -Tibet, the people, while mourning for her, at the same -time rejoiced, for they thought that their Panden -Lhamo, the Goddess in question, was once more restored -to them.</p> - -<p>I may add that I was frequently asked by the literates -and other men of learning of my own impression about -British India, for they knew that I had visited Buḍḍhagayā -and other places in India. On such occasions I merely -confined myself as much as possible to general remarks, -for I feared that any accurate explanation might awake -their suspicions about my supposed personality.</p> - -<p>The existence of the Siberian railway can hardly be -expected to give any great help to Russia, if ever the -latter should be obliged from one reason or another to -send a warlike expedition to Lhasa. The distance from -the nearest station to Lhasa is prohibitive of any such -undertaking, for the march, even if nothing happens on -the road, must require five or six months and is through -districts abounding in deserts and hills. The presence of -wild natives in Amdo and Kham is also a discouraging -factor, for they are people who are perfectly uncontrollable, -given up to plunder and murder, and of course thoroughly -at home in their own haunts. Even discipline and superior -weapons would not balance the natural advantages which -these dreadful people enjoy over intruders, however well -informed the latter may be about the topography of the -districts. Russia can hardly expect to subdue Tibet -by force of arms. It was in consideration of this -fact that the Tsan-ni Kenbo has been endeavoring to -impose upon the Tibetans that audacious fiction about -the identity of the Tsar’s person with that of the long -dead Founder of the New Sect, so that his master might -accomplish by peaceful means what he could hardly effect -by force.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_514" id="Page_514">[514]</a></span></p> - -<p>However, even the Tsan-ni’s painstaking efforts appear -to have fallen short of his expectations, and there is a -danger of a reaction setting in against him.</p> - -<p>It must be remembered that the sentiment of the -common people towards China still retains its old force, -even though they know that the power of their old patron -has considerably declined lately. They are well aware -that Tibet has been placed from time immemorial in a -state of vassalage to China, that Prince Srong-tsan Gambo -who first introduced Buḍḍhism into Tibet had as his wife -a daughter of the then Emperor of China, while the -Tibetans believe that the present Emperor of China is an -incarnation of a Buḍḍhist deity (the Chang-chub Semba -Tambe yang in Tibetan) worshipped on Mount Utai, -China. And so both from tradition and prejudice and -from present superstition, the mass of the people, who are -conservative, cannot but regard China with a lingering -sentiment of respect and attachment, and the position -which China still occupies in the niches of their hearts can -hardly be supplanted by Russia, even when the Tsan-ni -Kenbo ingeniously represents her as the country indicated -in the Tibetan <i>Book of Prophecy</i>.</p> - -<p>As I have mentioned before, some few of the influential -Government officials do not seem to approve of the Tsan-ni’s -movement. They even suspect that Russia might -have some sinister object in view when she presented gold -and other valuable things to the Dalai Lama and others. -Tibet has no newspapers, but even without that organ -of public opinion the public become acquainted sooner -or later with most important occurrences, and so it -stands to reason that the unfavorable view which is -secretly entertained by a limited number of thoughtful -men must have leaked out one way or other to at least a -section of the public. The result is that not a small number -of priests have begun to side, though not as an organised<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_515" id="Page_515">[515]</a></span> -movement, with these prudent thinkers, and therefore -to rebel against Shata and his faction. The priests of -the colleges and the warrior-priests seem to be particularly -conspicuous in this reactionary movement. Indeed the -fact is that Shata has never been a <i>persona grata</i> with those -young men since the tragedy of Temo Rinpoche, and so they -were inclined to view anything done by the crafty author -of that tragedy with suspicious eyes. Then again the -thoughtful portion of the college-priests never tolerated -the Nechung oracles. They despised the oracle-priests -as not much better than men of unsound mind, as drunkards, -and corrupters of national interests. The very fact -that Shata patronised this vile set further estranged him -from the college-priests.</p> - -<p>Under the circumstances, something like a reaction -seems already to have set in against the pro-Russian -agitation ingeniously planned by the Tsan-ni Kenbo. -It remains to be seen what steps Russia will take towards -Tibet to prevent the Lama’s country from slipping away -from her grasp.</p> - -<p>In reviewing the relations that formerly existed between -British India and Tibet, it must be stated first of all that -British India was closely connected with Tibet many years -ago. At least Tibet’s attitude toward the Indian Government -was not embittered by any hostile sentiment. In the -eighteenth century, during the Governor-Generalship of -Warren Hastings, he sent George Bogle to make commercial -arrangements between the two countries. This gentleman -resided a few years at Shigatze. Then Captain Turner -also lived at the same place as a commercial agent for some -time. After that time India did not send any more -such commissioners, but till about twenty-four years ago the -Indian natives were permitted to enter Tibet unmolested. -They were generally pilgrims or priests bent on visiting -the sacred places. Quite a large number of such Indians<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_516" id="Page_516">[516]</a></span> -must have entered Tibet. Prior to the exploration of -Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās it was not an uncommon sight, I -have been told, to see a party of naked priests, each -carrying a water-vessel made of gourd, and iron tongs, -and with faces smeared with ashes, proceeding towards -Tibet. Though official relations had ceased between Tibet -and India, their people therefore were bound together by -some friendly connexions till quite recently. It is not -unlikely that if the Indian Government had made at that -time some advances acceptable to Tibet, it would have -succeeded in establishing cordial relations with the latter.</p> - -<p>The exploration of Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās disguised as an -ordinary Sikkimese priest, and the frontier trouble that -followed it, completely changed the attitude of Tibet towards -India and the outer world and made it adopt a -strict policy of exclusion. The publication of the results -of that exploration directed the attention of the -Indian Government to the question of delimiting the -boundary between Sikkim, its protectorate, and Tibet. It -was at that time that the Tibetan Government adopted most -indiscreet measures at the instance of a fanatical Nechung, -and proceeded to build a fort at a frontier place which -distinctly belonged to Sikkim. The Tibetan Government -is said to have at first hesitated to follow that insidious -advice, but the Nechung was clamorous and declared -that his presence in the fort would disarm any troops -which the Indian Government might send against it. Tibet -therefore, continued the fanatic, need not be afraid of the -Indian Government and must proceed to construct a fort -with all promptitude. He argued that the presence of a -fort would go far towards promoting Tibet’s cause in -settling the boundary dispute and the fort would become -the permanent boundary mark.</p> - -<p>Accordingly the fort was built at a place that was beyond -the legitimate boundary line of Tibet. Soon the Indian<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_517" id="Page_517">[517]</a></span> -troops arrived and, ‘infidels’ as they were, they made short -work of it, in utter defiance of the terrible anathema hurled -by the indomitable Nechung against them. The stronghold -was carried by assault by the invaders. The crumbled stone -walls standing on a hill at a place about twenty miles on -this side of Nyatong, which marks the boundary between -Sikkim and Tibet, indicate the site of this short-lived -stronghold built by the Tibetan Government. Now in -building a fort in a place which the Tibetans themselves -knew to belong to Sikkim, they may have reasoned with -self-complacency that as Sikkim formerly belonged to -Tibet, therefore they might not improperly revive their -original claim on, at least, a portion of that district now -under the jurisdiction of England. Of course England could -never concur in such an arrangement, and the trouble -between her and Tibet at last culminated in war. This -was about sixteen years ago. The issue of that war was -from the first a foregone conclusion, and the troops sent by -the Indian Government easily put to rout the fighting men -of Tibet. The latter held better positions, but they lacked -discipline, training and good weapons, while they had -the further disadvantage of being commanded by would-be -generals and captains who did not care to lead their -men in person, but contented themselves with issuing -orders and leaving them to be carried out anyhow. Needless -to add that the orders could never be carried out, but -were invariably frustrated by the invaders. The Tibetan -generals and captains escaped unhurt, for the simple -reason that they had never exposed themselves to danger. -After issuing orders, they always remained in the -camp and spent their time in gambling, leaving their -soldiers to be killed or wounded on the field. Thus -the war ended with some heavy casualty returns on -the Tibetan side, and far shorter returns on the part of -the invaders.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_518" id="Page_518">[518]</a></span></p> - -<p>As the result of this war the frontier line was drawn -through Nyatong, and though the Indian Government -would have been justified in extending it further down to -Chumbi Samba, it did not push its claim so far.</p> - -<p>Apparently the action of the Indian Viceroy of that time -was crowned with success, but when this complication is -viewed with an eye to a longer and more permanent end, -I cannot approve of the measures adopted by him. He -should I think, have adopted a course of leniency instead of -one of stern punishment, and should have endeavored by -some clever manœuvres, not excluding a rather liberal disbursement -of secret service funds, to win the good-will of -the ruling circles of Tibet. I think the result would have -been far more advantageous for the future success of -England than recovering at the point of the bayonet a -barren tract covering only thirty miles in area. Who -knows but that the influence of England might have been -firmly established in Tibet by this time if that patronising -policy had been adopted then, and that Englishmen might -not be free to come and reside in and about Lhasa to enjoy -the pure atmosphere and cool and healthy climate of that -district?</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_519" id="Page_519">[519]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXIII" id="CHAPTER_LXXIII">CHAPTER LXXIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">China, Nepal and Tibet.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>It requires the erudition and investigations of experts -to write with any adequacy about the earlier relations -between China and Tibet. I must therefore confine myself -here only to the existing state of those relations.</p> - -<p>Tibet is nominally a protectorate of China, and as such -she is bound to pay a tribute to the Suzerain State. In -days gone by, Tibet used to forward this tribute to China, -but subsequently the payment was commuted against -expenses which China had to allow Tibet, on account of -the Grand Prayer which is performed every year at Lhasa -for the prosperity of the Chinese Emperor. As a result of -this arrangement, Tibet ceased to send the tribute and -China to send the prayer fund.</p> - -<p>The loss of Chinese prestige in Tibet has been truly -extraordinary since the Japano-Chinese War. Previous to -that disastrous event, China used to treat Tibet in a high-handed -way, while the latter, overawed by the display of -force of the Suzerain, tamely submitted. All is now -changed, and instead of that subservient attitude Tibet -regards China with scorn. The Tibetans have come to -the conclusion that their masters are no longer able to -protect and help them, and therefore do not deserve to be -feared and respected any more. It can easily be understood -how the Chinese are mortified at this sudden downfall -of their prestige in Tibet. They have tried to recover -their old position, but all their endeavors have as yet been -of no avail. The Tibetans listen to Chinese advice when -it is acceptable, but any order that is distasteful to them is -utterly disregarded.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_520" id="Page_520">[520]</a></span></p> - -<p>While I was staying in Lhasa a yellow paper, containing -the Chinese Emperor’s decree issued at the termination of -the Boxer trouble, was hung up in the square of that city. -The decree was addressed to all the eighteen provinces of -China and all her protectorates. It warned the people under -pain of severe penalty against molesting and persecuting -foreigners, as they, the people, were too frequently -liable to do from their ignorance of the state of affairs -abroad and their misunderstanding of the motives of the -foreigners who came to their respective districts. These -foreigners, the decree continued, have really come to engage -in industrial pursuits or in diffusing religion, and for other -purposes beneficial alike to the people and themselves. -In order to promote these aims of mutual benefit, the -middle kingdom has been opened so as to allow foreigners -freedom of travelling to any place they wish, and so, -concluded the decree, this policy of welcome and hospitality -should be adopted in all the provinces and protectorates.</p> - -<p>Two other decrees of like import arrived afterwards and -were similarly posted up, and I thought at that time that -the allies must have entered Peking, and that this decree -must have been issued as a result of the conclusion of peace -between the Powers and China.</p> - -<p>The decree, however, failed to produce any particular -impression on the Tibetans. I asked a high Government -official what Tibet was going to do with the order set forth -in the decree, and whether the Tibetan Government, in -the face of that injunction, could refuse, for instance, to -allow Englishmen to enter the country. The official -scornfully replied that his Government was not obliged to -obey an order which the Chinese Emperor issued at his own -pleasure. And besides it was highly doubtful whether -the Emperor, who was an incarnation of a high saint, could -have issued a decree of that nature, which he must have -known to be utterly opposed to the interests and traditional<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_521" id="Page_521">[521]</a></span> -policy of Tibet. It was more probably clandestinely -issued by some wicked men near the Emperor’s person, as -a result of bribes received from foreigners. It did not -deserve to be trusted, much less to be obeyed, declared -my Tibetan friend.</p> - -<p>Whatever be the motive, therefore, the Tibetans are -utterly indifferent to most of the decrees coming from -China, and treat them like so many gamblers’ oaths, neither -more nor less.</p> - -<p>Whether it be from polygamous customs or from -other causes, the fact remains, though it is not possible -to prove it by accurate statistical returns, that -the population of Nepāl is rapidly increasing. It -must be remembered that the Government takes great -pains to increase its population, in order to expand its interests -both at home and abroad, and, probably under the -impression that polygamy is conducive to that end, it is -encouraging this questionable practice. In Nepāl therefore -even a man who can hardly support his family has -two or three wives, and one who is better off has many -more. Apparently this policy is attended with success, so -far as the main object aimed at is concerned, for I have -never seen so many children anywhere as I saw in Nepāl, -where every family consisted of a large number of boys -and girls.</p> - -<p>Be the cause what it may, the beneficial effect of this -steady advance of population is plainly visible in that country, -where almost every nook and corner of available land is -brought under tillage, where woods are tended with -extreme care, and even the remote forests inhabited by -wild beasts are made to contribute their share to the stock -of lumber, of which a large portion is annually exported to -lower India. Already the population of Nepāl appears to -be too large for the limited area of the country, and so a -considerable emigration is taking place. Thus we find the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_522" id="Page_522">[522]</a></span> -Nepālese serving in the army of the Indian Government, or -pursuing trade or opening up wild lands in Sikkim or at -Darjeeling. Above all the Nepālese seem to cast their -longing glances towards Tibet as the best field for their -superfluous population; for Tibet, while possessing an area -about twelve-fold that of Nepāl, is far more thinly -populated. They even seem to be prepared to go through -the ordeal of war, if necessary, to secure that best -outlet for their needy population, which cannot find -sufficient elbowroom at home. Perhaps the Nepāl -Government has that contingency in view in maintaining, -as it does, a standing army which is evidently far above -its home requirements in numerical strength.</p> - -<p>In Nepāl the military department receives appropriations -which are quite out of proportion to those set apart -for peaceful matters, as education, justice and philanthropy. -Indeed the Nepāl troops, the famous Gurkhas, may even -rival regular British troops in discipline and effectiveness; -they may perhaps even surpass the others in mountain -warfare, such as would take place in their own country. -Certainly in their capacity of enduring hardships and in -running up and down hills, bearing heavy knapsacks, they -are superior to the British soldiers. They very much resemble -the Japanese soldiers in stature and general appearance, -and also in temperament. The one might easily be mistaken -for the other, so close is the resemblance between the two. -In short, as fighters in mountainous places the Gurkhas -form ideal soldiers; and it seems as though circumstances -will sooner or later compel Nepāl to employ for her self-defence -this highly effective force. Russia is at the bottom -of the impending trouble, while Tibet supplies the immediate -cause.</p> - -<p>The Russianising tendency of Tibet has recently put -Nepāl on her guard, and when intelligence reached Nepāl -that Tibet had concluded a secret treaty with Russia, that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_523" id="Page_523">[523]</a></span> -the Dalai Lama had received a bishop’s robe from the -Tsar, and that a large quantity of arms and ammunition -had reached Lhasa from S. Petersburg, Nepāl became -considerably alarmed, and with good reason. For with -Russia established in Tibet, Nepāl must necessarily feel -uneasy, as it would be exposed to the danger of absorption. -The very presence of a powerful neighbor must subject -Nepāl to a great strain which can hardly be borne for long.</p> - -<p>It is not surprising to hear that Nepāl is said to have -communicated in an informal manner with Tibet and to -have demanded an explanation of the rumors concerning -the conclusion of a secret treaty between her and Russia, -adding that if that were really the case then Nepāl, from -considerations of self-defence, must oppose that arrangement -even if the opposition entailed an appeal to arms. -What reply Tibet has made to this communication is not -accurately known, but that Nepāl sent an informal -message to this effect admits of no doubt.</p> - -<p>Nepāl may be driven to declare war on Tibet should the -latter persist in pursuing her pro-Russian policy, and allow -Russia to establish herself in that country; and it is quite -likely that England may be pleased to see Nepāl adopt that -resolute attitude. She may even extend a helping hand, -for instance by supplying part of the war expense, and thus -enabling Nepāl to prosecute that movement. The reason -is obvious, for England has nothing to lose but everything -to gain from trouble between Nepāl and Tibet, in which the -former may certainly be expected to win. But even if Nepāl -is victorious her victory will bring her only a small benefit, -and the lion’s share will go to England; Nepāl therefore -would be placed in the rather foolish position of having -taken the chestnuts from the fire for the British lion to eat. -The present Ruler of Nepāl is too intelligent a statesman -not to perceive that—judging at least from my personal -observations, when I was allowed to see the Ruler, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_524" id="Page_524">[524]</a></span> -Cabinet Minister. He knows that it would be far better for -his countrymen to content himself with the reality of -benefit rather than with the glory of a successful but necessarily -costly war. He should confine himself to making -some arrangements with Tibet by which the Nepālese -may be enabled to enter, or settle in Tibet, and to carry -on profitable undertakings there. If once his countrymen -establish their influence in Tibet by virtue of economic -undertakings, then they may regard with comparative -complacency any advance of Russian influence in Tibet, for -Nepāl would be in a position to counteract that influence -by peaceful means or even by war if necessary.</p> - -<p>Thus, it is hardly likely that Nepāl will go to extreme -measures towards Tibet, even if England should cleverly -encourage her.</p> - -<p>It must be remembered that the relations between the -two countries are not yet strained. The Tibetans do not -seem to harbor any ill-feeling towards their neighbors -beyond the mountains, nor do they regard them as a whole -with fear, though they do fear the Gurkhas on account of -their valor and discipline. The Tibetan Government also -seems to be desirous of maintaining a friendly relation with -Nepāl. For instance, when on one occasion the Ruler of -Nepāl sent his messenger to Tibet to procure a set of Tibetan -sūṭras, the Dalai Lama, who heard of that errand, caused a -set to be sent to Nepāl as a present from himself, which -is now kept in the Royal Library of Nepāl.</p> - -<p>The Nepāl Government, on its part, appears to be doing -its best to create a favorable impression on the Tibetans. -The Ruler, it must be remembered, is not a Buḍḍhist but a -Brāhmaṇa; still, he pursues the policy of toleration towards -all faiths, and is especially kindly to Buḍḍhists. The -Buḍḍhists from Tibet who are staying in Nepāl enjoy -protection from the Government, and the Ruler not unfrequently -makes grants of money or timber when Buḍḍhist<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_525" id="Page_525">[525]</a></span> -temples are to be built in his dominion. The care bestowed -by the Ruler on the Buḍḍhists is highly appreciated by -their friends at home, and Nepāl is therefore favorably -situated for winning the hearts of the Tibetan people. It -is easily conceivable that with a judicious use of secret -service funds Nepāl might easily establish her influence in -Tibet. This, however, cannot be readily expected from -that country, as internal conditions now are, for order is -far from being firmly established in that little kingdom, -and domestic troubles and administrative changes occur -too frequently. Even the Prime Minister, who wields the -real power, has been assassinated more than once, while -changes have very frequently taken place in the incumbency -of that post. Nepāl is at present too deeply absorbed -in her internal affairs, and cannot spare either energy or -money for pursuing any consistent policy towards Tibet. -Thus, though the military service of Nepāl is sufficiently -creditable, her diplomacy leaves much to be desired.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_526" id="Page_526">[526]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXIV" id="CHAPTER_LXXIV">CHAPTER LXXIV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Future of Tibetan Diplomacy.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Tibet may be said to be menaced by three countries—England, -Russia and Nepāl, for China is at present a -negligible quantity as a factor in determining its future. -The question is which of the three is most likely to become -master of that table-land. It is evident that the three can -never come to terms in regard to this question; at best -England and Nepāl may combine for attaining their -common object, but the combination of Russia with either -of them is out of the question. Russia’s ambition in -bringing Tibet under her control is too obviously at variance -with the interest of the other two to admit of their -coming to terms with her, for Russia’s occupation would be -merely preparatory to the far greater end of making a -descent on the fertile plains on the south side of the Himālayas -by using Tibet as a base of operation. As circumstances -stand, Nepāl has to confine her ambition to pushing -her interests in Tibet by peaceful means. This is evidently -the safest and most prudent plan for that country, seeing -that when once that object has been attained her interest -would remain unimpaired whether Tibet should fall into -the hands of England or into those of Russia. After all, -therefore, the future of Tibet is a problem to be solved -between those two Powers. At present Russia has the ears -of an important section of the ruling circles of Tibet, while -on the other hand England has the mass of the Tibetan -people on her side. The Russian policy, depending as it -does on clever manœuvres and a free use of gold, is in -danger of being upset by any sudden turn of affairs in -Tibet, while the procedure of England being moderate and -matter-of-fact is more lasting in its effect. Which policy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_527" id="Page_527">[527]</a></span> -is more likely to prevail cannot easily be determined, for -though moderation and practical method will win in the -long run, diplomacy is a ticklish affair and must take many -other factors into consideration. At any rate England is -warned to be on the alert, for otherwise Russia may steal -a march upon her and upon Lhasa.</p> - -<p>If the Russian troops should ever succeed in reaching -Lhasa, that would open up a new era for Tibet, for the -country would passively submit to the Russian rule. The -Tibetans, it must be remembered, are thoroughly imbued -with the spirit of negative fatalism, and the arrival of -Russian troops in Lhasa would therefore be regarded as -the inevitable effect of a predetermined causation, and -therefore as an event that must be submitted to without -resistance. The entry of those troops would never rouse -the patriotic sentiment of the people. But the effect of -this imaginary entry would constitute a serious menace to -India. In fact, with Russia established in the natural -strongholds of Tibet, India, it may be said, would be -placed at the mercy of Russia, which could send her troops -at any moment down to the fertile plains below. Thus -would the dream of Peter the Great be realised, and of -course the British supremacy on the sea would avail nothing -against this overland descent across the Himālayas. -Some may think that what I have stated is too extravagant, -and is utterly beyond the sphere of possibility. I reply -that any such thought comes from ignorance of the -natural position of Tibet. Any person who has ever -personally observed the immense strength which Tibet -naturally commands must agree with me that its occupation -by Russia would be followed sooner or later by that of -India by the same aggressive power.</p> - -<p>The question naturally arises: “Will Tibet then cease -to be an independent country?” It is of course impossible -to come to any positive conclusion about it, but from what<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_528" id="Page_528">[528]</a></span> -I have observed and studied I cannot give a reassuring -answer. The spirit of dependence on the strong is too -deeply implanted in the hearts of the Tibetan people to be -superseded now by the spirit of self-assertion and independence. -During the long period of more than a thousand -years, the Tibetan people has always maintained the -idea of relying upon one or another great power, placing -itself under the protection of one suzerain State or another, -first India and then China. How far the Tibetans lack the -manly spirit of independence may easily be judged -from the following story about the Dalai Lama, -who is unquestionably a man of character, gifted -with energy and power of decision, who would be -well qualified to lead his country to progress and -prosperity did he possess modern knowledge and were -he well informed of the general trend of affairs abroad. -He is thoroughly familiar with the condition of his own -people, and has done much towards satisfying popular -wishes, redressing grievances and discouraging corrupt -practices. If ever there were a man in Tibet whose heart -was set on maintaining the independence of the country, -it must be the Dalai Lama. So I had thought, but my -fond hope was rudely shaken, and I was left in despair -about the future of Tibet.</p> - -<p>This supreme chief of the Lama Hierarchy has recently -undergone a complete change in his attitude towards -England. Formerly whenever England opened some -negotiation with Tibet, the Dalai Lama was overcome by -great perturbation, while any display of force on the part -of England invariably plunged him into the deepest -anxiety. He was often seen on such occasions to shut -himself up in a room and, refusing food or rest, to be -absorbed in painful reflexions. Now all is changed, and -the same Dalai Lama regards all threats or even encroachments -with indifference or even defiance. For instance,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_529" id="Page_529">[529]</a></span> -when England, chiefly to feel the attitude of Tibet and not -from any object of encroachment, included, when fixing the -boundary, a small piece of land that had formerly belonged -to Tibet, the Dalai Lama was not at all perturbed. Instead -of that he is said to have talked big and breathed defiance, -saying that he would make England rue this sooner -or later. His subjects, it is reported, were highly impressed -on this occasion and they began to regard him as a great hero.</p> - -<p>For my part this sudden change in the behavior of the -supreme Lama only caused me to heave a heavy sigh for -the future of Tibet. It cruelly disillusioned me of the -great hopes I had reposed in his character for the welfare -of his country. The reason why the Grand Lama, who -was at first as timid as a hare towards England, should -become suddenly as bold as a lion, is not far to seek. The -conclusion of a secret treaty with Russia was at the bottom -of the strange phenomenon. Strong in the idea that -Russia, as she had promised the Dalai Lama, would extend -help whenever his country was threatened by England, he -who had formerly trembled at the mere thought of the -possibility of England’s encroachment began now to hurl -defiance at her. He may even have thought that the -arrival of a large number of arms from Russia would -enable Tibet to resist England single-handed. In short, -the Dalai Lama believed that Russia being the only -country in the world strong enough to thwart England, -therefore he need no longer be harassed by any fear of the -latter country.</p> - -<p>With the Dalai Lama—perhaps one of the greatest Lama -pontiffs that has ever sat on the throne—given up shamelessly, -and even with exultation, to that servile thought of -subserviency, and with no great men prepared to uphold -the independence of the country, Tibet must be looked -upon as doomed. All things considered therefore, unless -some miracle should happen, she is sure to be absorbed by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_530" id="Page_530">[530]</a></span> -some strong Power sooner or later, and there is no -hope that she will continue to exist as an independent -country.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_531" id="Page_531">[531]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXV" id="CHAPTER_LXXV">CHAPTER LXXV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The “Monlam” Festival.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p><i>Monlam</i> literally means supplication, but in practice it -is the name of the great Tibetan festival performed for -the benefit of the reigning Emperor of China, the offering -of prayers to the deities for his prosperity and long life. -The festival commences either on the 3rd or 4th of January, -according to the lunar calendar, and closes on the 25th -of the month. The three days beginning on New Year’s -Day and ending with the 3rd are given up to the New -Year’s Festival, and from the following day the great -Monlam season sets in.</p> - -<p>In order to make arrangements for the coming festival, -the priests are given holiday from the 20th of December. -Holiday however is a gross misnomer, for the days are -spent in profane pleasures and in all sorts of sinful -amusements. The temples are no longer sacred places; -they are more like gambling-houses—places where -the priests make themselves merry by holding revels -far into the night. Now is the time when the Tibetan -priesthood bids good-bye for a while to all moral and -social restraints, when young and old indulge themselves -freely to their heart’s content, and when those who remain -aloof from this universal practice are laughed at as old -fogeys. I had been regularly employing one little boy to -run errands and to do all sorts of work. In order to -allow him to enjoy the season, I engaged another boy on -this occasion. I might have dispensed with this additional -boy altogether, for as the two boys never remained at -home, and even stayed away at night, it was just as if I -had had no boy at all. And so for days and days religion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_532" id="Page_532">[532]</a></span> -and piety were suspended and in their places profanity and -vice were allowed to reign supreme.</p> - -<p>The wild season being over—it lasts about twelve days—the -Monlam festival commences. This is preceded by the -arrival of priests at Lhasa from all parts of Tibet. From -the monasteries of Sera, Rebon, Ganden and other large -and small temples, situated at a greater or less distance, -arrive the contingents of the priestly hosts. These must -number about twenty-five thousand, sometimes more and -sometimes less, according to the year. They take up their -quarters in ordinary houses, for the citizens are under -obligation to offer one or two rooms for the use of the -priests during this season, just as people of other countries -are obliged to do for soldiers when they carry out -manœuvres in their neighborhood. And as in the case -when soldiers are billeted, so the priests who come from -the country are crowded in their temporary abodes. Some -of them are even obliged to sleep outside, owing to lack of -accommodation, but they do not seem to mind the -discomfort much, so long as snow does not fall. Besides -the priests, the city receives at the same time an equally -numerous host of lay visitors from the country, so that the -population of Lhasa during this festival season is swollen to -twice its regular number, or even more. In ordinary days -Lhasa contains about fifty thousand inhabitants, but there -must be at least a hundred thousand on this special -occasion. I ought to state that formerly, and before the -time of the present Dalai Lama, the arrival of the Monlam -festival was signalised not by the inflow of people from the -country but by the contrary movement, the temporary -exodus of the citizens to the provinces. Since the accession -of the present Grand Lama the direction of the temporary -movement has been reversed, and the festival has begun -to be celebrated amidst a vast concourse of the people -instead of amidst a desolate scene. This apparent anomaly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_533" id="Page_533">[533]</a></span> -was due to the extortion which the Festival Commissioners -practised on the citizens.</p> - -<p>This function is undertaken by two of the higher priests -of the Rebon Monastery, the largest of the three important -establishments, who take charge of the judicial affairs of -the temple during the term of one year, and are known -by the title of Shal-ngo. The appointment to the post of -Shal-ngo was and still is an expensive affair for its holder, -for he must present to the officials who determine the -nomination bribes amounting to perhaps five thousand <i>yen</i>. -As soon as the post has been secured at such a cost the -Shal-ngo loses no time in employing it as a means of recovering -that sum, with heavy interest, during his short tenure -of office and especially during the two festival seasons of -Monlam and Sang-joe, over which the two Commissioners -exercise absolute control. They set themselves to collect -enough to enable them to live in competence and luxury -during the rest of their lives. Driven by this inordinate -greed, the dealings of the Commissioners are excessively -strict during those days. Fines are imposed for every -trivial offence; the citizens are frequently fined as much -as two hundred <i>yen</i>, in Japanese currency, on the pretext -of the imperfect cleansing of the doorways or of the -streets in front of their houses. The parties engaged in a -quarrel are ordered to pay a similarly heavy fine, and without -any discrimination as to the relative justice of their -causes. Then too the festival seasons are a dreadful time -for those who have debts not yet redeemed, for then the -creditors can easily recover the sum through the help of -the Commissioners, provided they are prepared to give to -them one-half the sum thus recovered. On receipt of a -petition from a creditor, the greedy officials at once order -the debtors and their friends to pay the money on pain -of having their property confiscated. The whole proceedings -of the Festival Commissioners, therefore, are not much<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_534" id="Page_534">[534]</a></span> -better than the villainous practices of brigands and highwaymen. -It is not to be wondered at that at the approach -of the festivals the citizens began in a hurry to lock away -their valuable property in the secret depths of their -houses, and then leaving one or two men to take charge -during their absence, left the city for the country, -the houses being given over as lodgings for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_535" id="Page_535">[535]</a></span> -priests. During the Monlam season, therefore, there did -not remain in the city even one-tenth of its ordinary population.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 291px;"> -<a id="zill_t534"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t534h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t534.jpg" class="hires" width="291" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>A CORRUPT CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE MONKS.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>The shark-like practices of the Shal-ngos are not confined -to the festival seasons or to the citizens; on the contrary, -they prey even on their brother-priests for the purpose of -satisfying their voracious greed, and extort money from -them. The Shal-ngos are like wolves in a fold of sheep, or -like robbers living with impunity amidst ordinary law -abiding people. That such gross abuses and injustice -should have been allowed within the sacred precincts -of a monastery is really marvellous, but it is a fact. The Shal-ngos’ -extortions from the citizens were checked when the -present Dalai Lama ascended the throne, and the citizens -were thus enabled to live in peace and to participate in the -festival during the Monlam season, but the sinful practices -of the Legal Commissioners in other quarters are still -left uncurtailed.</p> - -<p>An interesting story is told which shows how the -Shal-ngos are abhorred and detested by the Tibetans. A certain -Lama, superstitiously believed to possess a supernatural -power of visiting any place in this world or the next and of -visiting Paradise or Hell, was once asked by a merchant of -Lhasa to tell him with what he, the Lama, had been most -impressed during his visits to Hell. The Lama replied that -he was surprised to see so many priests suffering tortures -at the hands of the guardians of Hell. However he -continued with an air of veracity, the tortures to which -ordinary priests were being subjected were not very extreme, -and they were therefore allowed to live in their new abode -with less suffering. But the tortures inflicted on the -Shal-ngos of Rebon monastery were horrible; they were such -that the mere recollection of them caused his hair to stand -on end. Such is the story told at the expense of these -Lama sharks, and indeed from the way in which they act<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_536" id="Page_536">[536]</a></span> -during their short tenure of the office, Hell, and the lowest -circle in it, seems to be the only place for which they are -fit.</p> - -<p>Lhasa puts on her cleanest and finest appearance with -the advent of this season. The filth and garbage that -have been left accumulating during the preceding months -are carried away, the gutters are cleaned, and the public -are no longer allowed to drop dirt about or in any way -to pollute the streets.</p> - -<p>The grand service is performed at the magnificent -three-storied edifice which is so conspicuous in Lhasa, -namely the Cho Khang, the celebrated Buḍḍha’s Hall. -During the service this hall is packed to overflowing with -priests and pious believers, and there is not space left to -move one’s elbows. Not infrequently, therefore, casualties -are said to happen.</p> - -<p>The service is performed three times a day, first from five -to seven in the morning, then from ten to a little before one -and lastly from three to about half past four in the afternoon. -The second service is the most important one for the priests -who attend the ceremony, as it is accompanied by monetary -gifts. The gifts come either from philanthropic folk or -from the Government, and range on each occasion from -twenty-four <i>sen</i> (Japanese) to seventy-two <i>sen</i>. The gifts -generally amount during the period of the Festival to -about ten <i>yen</i> for ordinary priests. This sum is considerably -larger on a special occasion, as when a Dalai Lama is -enthroned or dies, when it may increase to about twenty <i>yen</i>.</p> - -<p>The receipts of the higher Lamas during this season -are far greater—often one thousand, two thousand or even -as much five thousand <i>yen</i>.</p> - -<p>On the other hand all the priests who arrive in Lhasa -to attend the ceremony are required to pay their own -lodging expenses, at the rate of twenty-five to fifty <i>sen</i> -a day. For a room or set of rooms better furnished than<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_537" id="Page_537">[537]</a></span> -usual the charge may be three to five <i>yen</i>, and of course -only aristocratic priests can afford to hire such rooms. -The lodging of the priests is somewhat exclusive, and -they are forbidden to stay at houses selling liquors, or -containing many females.</p> - -<p>During this season, besides the Festival Commissioners -who are the Lama sharks of the year, a special office for -supervising priests, called <i>Khamtsan-gi Giken</i>, is created, -commissioned with the duty of controlling the conduct -of the priests. Quarrels are, however, very rare during -the season, though from the ordinary behavior of priests -they might naturally be expected to occasion such troubles. -At any rate the priests maintain decorum externally. -They are expected to attend the three services performed -each day, and they are not allowed to attend the -ceremony at their own temples, even when those temples -are situated near the city. They must live in the city, -and remain there, unless under exceptional circumstances, -such as illness. The attendance at the three services is -not compulsory, yet it is very rarely neglected, for a distribution -of gifts is very often made at each service.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t538"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t538h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t538.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="675" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>THE FINAL CEREMONY OF THE MONLAM.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>On January 15th, according to the lunar calendar, the -most magnificent ceremony is carried out at night. The -offerings are arranged around the Buḍḍha’s Hall, and the -most conspicuous object among them is a triangular -wooden frame with sharp apex, the structure measuring -about forty feet high and thirty feet long at the base. -Two dragons in an ascending position are fixed to the -two sides, while about the middle of the frame the -“Enchanted Garden” is represented, peopled either with -figures of the Buḍḍha teaching human beings or of Princes -and other important dignitaries. These figures are all -made of butter. Besides human figures there are figures -of several of the alleged birds of paradise, such as are -mentioned in Buḍḍhist books. All these are of Tibetan<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_539" id="Page_539">[539]</a></span> -workmanship, and creditably executed, probably as a -result of long experience. I should add that the butter -figures are all finely painted and even gilded, and as the -butter takes color easily the effect produced is very -splendid, when those highly decorated and painted figures -are seen by the light of butter-lamps or torches that are -burning at a suitable distance from the figures. There -must be as many as a hundred and twenty such ornamental -structures around the Hall, while the lamps and torches -that are burning are quite countless. Indeed, it seemed -to me as if some gorgeous scene such as we imagine to -exist only in Heaven had been transplanted to earth on -that particular occasion. To the Tibetans the scene as -exhibited on this particular night marks the high-water -level of all that is splendid in this world, and it is therefore -quoted as an ideal standard in speaking of anything -that is uncommonly magnificent.</p> - -<p>This offering ceremony concludes at about two o’clock -the following morning, and two hours later the decorated -figures are removed, for they are in danger of being -melted when exposed to the rays of the sun. The ceremony, -it must be remembered, is attended only by a limited -number of priests, probably three hundred at the utmost -out of the twenty-five thousand who are present in the city -to attend the Monlam festival. The privilege of inspecting -this yearly show is therefore regarded as a great honor by -the Tibetan priests.</p> - -<p>The reason why this magnificent display is denied to the -inspection of the majority of priests and to the whole of the -populace is because formerly, when it was open to universal -inspection, uncontrollable commotion attended by casualties -used to mar the function. And so the authorities decided about -thirty years ago to perform it in this semi-private manner.</p> - -<p>The ceremony begins at about eight in the evening and -closes, as before mentioned, at about four the following<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_540" id="Page_540">[540]</a></span> -morning. The function is sometimes inspected by the Dalai -Lama, while at other times he does not come, as was the -case when I had the good fortune to witness it in the company -of the ex-Finance Minister. The Amban however does -not omit to attend the ceremony. He was attired in the -gorgeous official garments of China, and sat in a carriage -lit up inside with twenty-four tussore silk lanterns in which -were burning foreign-made candles. On his head he wore -the official cap befitting his rank. The procession was -preceded by a cavalcade of Chinese officers also in their -gala dresses, and behind the carriage followed another -train of mounted guards. It was really a fine scene, -this procession of the Chinese Amban as it passed through -the streets lit up with tens of thousands of butter-lamps; -only I thought that the sight was too showy and that it -lacked the element of solemnity.</p> - -<p>After the procession of the Amban followed the trains -of the high priests, then high lay officials and last of all -the Premiers. On that occasion only two of the four -Premiers attended, the other two being unable to be -present.</p> - -<p>The Premiers come to the function in order to inspect -the offerings, which are contributed by the Peers and the -wealthy as a sort of obligation. Butter decorations are -expensive things, costing from three hundred to two -thousand yen in Japanese currency, according to their -magnitude and the finish of the workmanship; and here -were over one hundred and twenty such costly decorations -arranged as offerings, and that only for one evening. I -believe no such costly butter decorations are to be seen -anywhere else in the world.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 579px;"> -<a id="zill_t541"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t541h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t541.jpg" class="hires" width="579" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>A SCENE FROM THE MONLAM FESTIVAL.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>During the festival I remained as before under the -hospitable roof of the ex-Minister, and though through the -favor of my host I inspected the offering ceremony, I did -not attend the prayer services. The former I saw from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_542" id="Page_542">[542]</a></span> -mere curiosity and as an outsider. The scene on the -occasion was sufficiently enjoyable; I went first to the -quarters assigned to the warrior-priests and observed -that these young men were spending their time in their -own customary way even during the time of the -service, singing songs, trying feats of arms, or engaged -in hot disputes or even open quarrels. All at once the -clamor ceased and order was restored as if by magic, and -the young priests were seen demurely reciting the service; -they had noticed some subordinates of the Festival -Commissioners coming towards them in order to maintain -order. Those subordinates were armed with willow sticks -about four feet long and fairly thick—sticks which were -green and supple and well suited for inflicting stinging -blows.</p> - -<p>Then I moved on to the quarters where the learned priests -were intently engaged in carrying out the examination -held for the aspirants to the highest degrees obtainable in -Tibet. The examination was oral and in the form of -interrogations put to the candidates by the examination -committee, the latter being composed of the most celebrated -theologians in the three colleges. The candidates too were -not unworthy to be examined by such divines, for those -only are qualified to apply for permission to undergo the -examination who have studied hard for twenty years, and -have acquired a thorough knowledge of all the abstruse -points in Buḍḍhist theology and have made themselves -masters of the art of question and answer. The learned -discourses delivered by examiners and examinees awoke -in me high admiration. The forensic skill of the two -parties was such as I had rarely seen anywhere else. The -examiners put most tortuous questions to entice the -candidates into the snare of sophistry, while the latter met -them with replies similarly searching and intended to upset -the whole stratagem of the querents. So forcible and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_543" id="Page_543">[543]</a></span> -exciting were the arguments offered by both parties that -they might be compared, I thought, to a fierce contest -such as might take place between a lion and a tiger.</p> - -<p>The examination was indeed an exhibition of a truly -intellectual nature, and was attended not only by the -committee and candidates but by almost all the learned -theologians and their disciples. These strangers were -sitting round the examination tables and freely criticised the -questions put and replies made. They even raised shouts -of applause or of laughter, whenever either convincingly -refuted his antagonist or was worsted in the argument. -I observed the laughter to be especially contagious and -the merry sound raised by two or three men in the -strangers’ quarters would spread to all the others in the -hall, till the walls resounded with the loud “ha, ha, ha” -coming from several thousand throats.</p> - -<p>Every year during the Monlam season sixteen candidates -selected from the three colleges are given the degree of -<i>Lha Ramba</i>, meaning ‘Special Doctor,’ and this degree is -the most honorable one open to Tibetan divines. Only -those of exceptional acquirements can hope for it.</p> - -<p>On the occasion of the <i>Choen joe</i> festival also, sixteen -candidates of the secondary grade are sent from the -universities to pass the examination for the <i>Tso Ramba</i> -degree. Then there are inferior degrees, which are -granted by the monasteries to the young priests studying -there. There are two such degrees, one called <i>Do Ramba</i> -and the other <i>Rim-shi</i>. Sometimes divines of great erudition -are found among the holders of the Do Ramba degree, -men even more learned than the ‘Special Doctors.’ The fact -is that the examination for the highest degree is expensive, -when one wishes to procure that title at one jump and -without previously obtaining the intermediary Do Ramba.</p> - -<p>It is not rare, therefore to find among the Do Ramba -men theologians whose learning can even outshine that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_544" id="Page_544">[544]</a></span> -of the proud holders of the highest degree, for there are -often men who from pecuniary considerations only are -withheld from attempting the examination. The holders -of the Do Ramba degree therefore differ considerably in -learning, but this cannot be said of those holding the other -title of Rim-shi, the latter being in nine cases out of ten of -mediocre learning. This degree is easily procurable for a -certain sum of money when one has studied five or six -years at the monasteries of Rebon and Ganden, and so the -young priests from the country generally avail themselves -of this convenient transaction and return home as proud -holders of the Doctor’s title, and as objects of respect and -wonder for their learning among the local folk. In Tibet -therefore, as in other parts of the world, cheap Doctors flaunt -their learning, and pass for prodigies among the simple-minded -people of the country.</p> - -<p>The Doctors of the highest grade are unquestionably -theologians of great erudition, for knowledge of the -ordinary Buḍḍhist text-books is not enough for the -aspirants to that title; they must study and make themselves -at home in the complete cycle of Buḍḍhist works. -Perhaps the Tibetan first class Doctors possess a better -knowledge of Buḍḍhist theology and are more at home -in all its ramifications than are the Japanese Buḍḍhist -divines; for though there are quite a large number of -theologians in Japan who are thoroughly versed in the -philosophy and doctrine of their own particular sects it -cannot boast so many divines whose knowledge completely -covers the whole field of Buḍḍhist philosophy.</p> - -<p>During the festival I frequently went to the Hall to see -the function as a curious observer, but for the rest I devoted -my time to prosecuting my studies under a Lhakhamba -Doctor and the learned Mae Kenbo of the Sera monastery. -Thus while the other priests were attending to their worldly -business of making money, I detached myself from society<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_545" id="Page_545">[545]</a></span> -and was absorbed in study. I had the more reason to -devote myself to this self-imposed task, for the time I had -fixed for my departure from Tibet was drawing nearer. -Not that I had hitherto neglected the main object which -prompted me to undertake this self-assigned expedition to -Lhasa; on the contrary, even when I was obliged, from -unavoidable circumstances, to act the part of an amateur -doctor and prescribe treatment to Tibetan patients, I never -suspended my study; I either read Buḍḍhist works or -attended lectures.</p> - -<p>On March 4th of the solar calendar (January -24th of the Tibetan almanac) the sword festival -was celebrated at Lhasa. I had the good fortune to -witness this performance also, though the function is -not open to general inspection. I observed it from the -window of a certain Peer, an acquaintance of mine, whose -house fronted the Buḍḍha’s Hall.</p> - -<p>I may call the Sword Festival a sort of Tibetan military -review. At any rate the regulars in and about Lhasa -participated in it, and also the special soldiers temporarily -organised for the occasion. They were all mounted, and -numbered altogether perhaps two thousand five hundred -men. They were quaintly accoutred, and seemed to be -divided according to the colors of the pieces of cloth -attached to the back of their helmets and hanging down -behind. I saw a party of about five hundred troopers -distinguished by white cloths, then another with purple -cloths, while there was a third which used cloths of -variegated dyes. But irrespective of the different colors, -they were all clad in a sort of armor and carried small -flags also of different colors. Some were armed with bows -and arrows and others with guns, and the procession of -the gaily attired soldiery was not unlike the rows of -decorated May dolls arranged for sale in Tokyo on the eve -of the Boys’ Festival in Japan.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_546" id="Page_546">[546]</a></span></p> - -<p>The proceedings began with a signal gun. As the -booming sound subsided the procession of soldiery made -its appearance and each division went past the Grand -Lama’s seat constructed on an elevated stand to the west -of the Hall. With the termination of this march-past a -party of about three hundred priests, carrying a flat drum -each with a long handle and with the figure of a dragon inscribed -upon its face, came out of the main edifice. Each -of them carried in his right hand a crooked drum-stick. -This party took its stand in a circle in front of the Hall. -Next marched out the second party of priests all gorgeously -attired in glittering coats and brocade tunics, each -carrying a metallic bowl used in religious services. I -must mention that the function demands of the soldiery -and priests the washing of their bodies with warm water -on the preceding evening, and so on that particular -occasion those Tibetans, careless and negligent of bodily -cleanliness at other times, are for the first time in the year -almost decently clean.</p> - -<p>The metallic-bowl party was arranged in a row around -the drum party, and soon the signal for the service was -given by one of the bowl-men who was apparently a leader. -It was a peculiar signal, and consisted in striking on the -bowl and starting a strange dancing movement. On this -the two parties beat their drums and bowls in some sort -of tune. After this had gone on for some time the whole -party burst out into a chorus of ominous howls, not unlike -the roar of the tiger. As the thousand priests composing -the two parties all howled to the fullest extent of their -throats, the noise made was sufficiently loud.</p> - -<p>After the howling parties had completed their part in -this ceremony, out marched a party of Nechung priests, -those oracle-mongers of Tibet to whom reference has -been made more than once already. The oracle-mongers’ -party was heralded by a number of sacred-sword-bearers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_547" id="Page_547">[547]</a></span> -in two rows, about a dozen in each. The sword carried -measured about four feet in length and was set off with -pieces of silk cloth of five different colors. The sword-bearers -were followed by the bearers of golden censers -and other sacred caskets or vessels. Then followed the -oracle-monger, dressed <i>cap-à-pie</i> in all the glittering -fashion which Tibetan ingenuity alone could devise. -He was clad in gold brocade and wore head-gear of -the same cloth. He behaved like a man stricken with palsy, -was supported right and left by an assistant, and his -eyes were shut. Gasping like a fish out of water and walking -with a tottering gait not unlike that of a man who -has lost his power of locomotion through too much liquor, -the Nechung slowly emerged from the Hall. By the -ignorant populace he was greeted as an object of veneration, -but there were seen not a small number of priests and -laymen who looked upon this peculiar appearance of -the Nechung with eyes of undisguised disgust.</p> - -<p>The part assigned to this Lama fanatic is one of -semi-divine character, he being required to act as a guardian -angel, to prevent any mishaps occurring during -the ceremony of the ‘Sword Festival’.</p> - -<p>Last of all slowly marched forth the procession of the -Ganden Ti Rinpoche. I saw him under a capacious and -highly decorated awning which is the same sort of -umbrella as that of the Grand Lama. He was attired in the -ceremonial robe befitting his rank of Ti Rinpoche. His -appearance was highly impressive and even those priests -who had viewed the oracle-mongers with well-deserved -scorn were seen in attitudes of sincere respect. That was -also my sentiment as my eyes met him; for he truly impressed -me as a living Buḍḍha. To the Ti Rinpoche was -entrusted the most important function in this ceremony, -the hurling of the sacred sword in order to avert any evil -spirits that may obstruct the prosperous reign of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_548" id="Page_548">[548]</a></span> -Chinese Emperor. With this sword-hurling the ceremony -was brought to a close.</p> - -<p>Though in principle this ceremony concludes the -Monlam, in practice it comes to an end only on the -following morning and with a custom of practical utility—that -of carrying stones to the banks of the river Kichu -which flows by Lhasa, and is often liable to overflow and -flood the city. The stones required for this purpose -are brought by the country people, and are sold at ten or -twenty <i>sen</i> a piece, and each priest or citizen who attends -the ceremony buys one or two such stones and conveys -them to the banks either on his own back or by hired -carriers. The stones thus conveyed to the banks are -supposed to possess the effect of atoning for their sins. -The banks must acquire great strength in consequence of -this stone-piling.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_549" id="Page_549">[549]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXVI" id="CHAPTER_LXXVI">CHAPTER LXXVI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Tibetan Soldiery.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>The standing army of Tibet is said to consist of five -thousand men, but from my own observation I think this -number somewhat exaggerated. In any case, it is hardly -sufficient to protect a country containing six millions of inhabitants -against foreign invasion and civil commotion. -However, in Tibet social order is not kept by soldiers, nor -by the despotic power of the ruler. Religion is the force -that keeps the country in good order. The mass of the -people would never take arms against the Pope whom they -believe to be a living Buḍḍha. This idea is so thoroughly -infused into them that there have been really very few -cases of rebellion in Tibet, hence there is no necessity for a -great number of soldiers. The history of the country testifies -that civil commotions take place only when the chief -Lama has died, and the new master is too young to take -up the Government for himself, and so leaves the entire -business to the Agent and Ministers, who abuse their power, -or when the regent tyrannises over and offends the people. -But when the master is old enough to manage the affairs of the -country he is revered as a living Buḍḍha, against whom no -one protests. Minor difficulties may arise, but they are easily -settled without recourse to arms. The real causes that -have made Tibet feel the necessity of having a standing -army have been her two quarrels with Nepāl and one with -British India. Since then Tibet has ever had a regular army, -distributed as follows: at Lhasa one thousand men, at -Shigatze two thousand, at Tingri, an important fort on the -Nepāl frontier, nominally five hundred but possibly only -three hundred (there are several hundred Chinese soldiers -here), five hundred at Gyantze, five hundred at Dam, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_550" id="Page_550">[550]</a></span> -another five hundred at Mankham, making five thousand in -all. The Chinese soldiers stationed in the country number -two thousand altogether, and are distributed equally at -the four places—Lhasa, Tingri, Shigatze, and Tomo. Every -five hundred Tibetan soldiers are under a chief called De -Bon. The lower officers are one for every two hundred and -fifty, one for every twenty-five and one for every five.</p> - -<p>The Tibetan soldiers receive only one bushel of barley a -month as salary. They have no regular barracks to live in -together, but live in ordinary residences which, however, -are built at the cost of the citizens. They are scattered -throughout the city, and keep stores or carry on any kind -of trade, as do the common people. They are obliged to -do some kind of work, for they cannot keep their wives -and children on the one bushel of barley a month. But -they are free from house-rent, and I have often heard the -citizens complain of the burden of building houses for the -soldiers. The Chinese soldiers also live in ordinary houses -like the Tibetans, and are exempt from rent.</p> - -<p>In return for his paltry remuneration, the Tibetan soldier -has to be drilled four or five times a month, and to be present -at the great manœuvres once a year. The manœuvres -are held in the vicinity of a little village called Dabchi, -which lies about two miles north of Lhasa on the road -leading to the Sera monastery. In the village there is a -shrine of Kwanti (a Chinese war-God) whom the Tibetans -call Gesergi Gyalpo (saffron king), and who is much revered -as a God for driving away evil spirits, though the Chinese -settlers form the greater proportion of his actual worshippers. -Close by there is another temple called by the name -of the village, in which live priests who take the services -at the Kwanti shrine. Many objects of interest are -kept in the shrine, but the most curious things are the -images of blue demons, red demons, and other inhabitants -of hell, all arranged as if they were retainers of Kwanti.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_551" id="Page_551">[551]</a></span> -North of this shrine there is a high mound about one furlong -square, with an arsenal standing in the centre. Thence -spreads a vast plain five miles to the north, half a mile to -the west and five miles to the east. This is the scene of -the great parade. Soldiers are summoned from all parts of -the country to attend the parade, which is usually held towards -the end of September or the beginning of October, -when the barley harvest is over, and the crops safely out of -harm’s way. The first two days are reserved for the -Chinese soldiers and the following two for the Tibetan. -The review is honored by the presence of the Amban and -of the higher Tibetan officers, who give prizes in money -ranging from fifty cents to five dollars, or silver medals, to -any soldiers who have displayed notable ability. In Tibet -archery is still considered an essential art of warriors, yet -artillery has recently been introduced, and is taught by -Chinese officers or by Tibetans who have been educated -in India. The Tibetan artillery does not amount to -much.</p> - -<p>My own observations lead me to suspect the valor of the -Chinese and Tibetan soldiers, and I doubt whether they can -claim to have any more strength than the ordinary citizens. -Among the Chinese soldiers pale countenances are very -common, and though the Tibetan soldiers look stouter, in -courage I can see no difference. The cause of their insignificance -is to be traced to the difficulty they have in living -upon their small pay. The warrior-priests are far more -soldier-like than the regular soldiers; they have no wives nor -children to take care of, and have therefore nothing to -fear. They are indeed far more estimable than the -professional soldiers, whose first business in time of war is -to plunder the natives instead of serving the country. -This is all because the soldiers have families, a fact which -in my opinion is the greatest hindrance to warlike purposes. -The Tibetans are emotional by nature, and out of such<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_552" id="Page_552">[552]</a></span> -people, especially when they also have to support families, -it is no easy task to make a brave army.</p> - -<p>One exception must be made—the people of Kham. Outwardly -wild, they are natural soldiers. In this district all -the inhabitants, not excluding the women, may be called -fighters. Their usual vocations are trading, farming, and -cattle-raising, but their favorite profession is robbery. -This is the business most admired by all; they deem it a great -honor to defeat other tribes and kill as many foes as they -can. In Kham they have robber-songs as we have war-songs: -songs in which the people take much delight, even -the children singing the lively airs to which they are fitted; -and as there are no war-songs in Tibet the robber-songs of -Kham are substituted for them. Here is one:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="center">1.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">Upon those boundless plateaux, green with grass;</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Along those sloping tortuous pathless paths;</div> - <div class="verse">Amidst those pointed hornlike rocky steeps</div> - <div class="verse indent2">My charger iron-hoofed I bestride</div> - <div class="verse indent2">With daring valor to attack my foes.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="center">2.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">When hail-storms rage their fiercest round my head,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">With all their stones like bullets pelting me,</div> - <div class="verse">And when tempestuous snow-drifts roll in rage,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Like mighty greedy waves engulfing me,</div> - <div class="verse">I fear not—nay these perils great I like</div> - <div class="verse indent2">To brave; for, clad in iron boots my feet,</div> - <div class="verse">I headlong rush, stout-hearted as I am,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Unwed, assured of final victory.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="center">3.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">My wife, my children and my parents dear</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Are not my refuge here; I trust not them;</div> - <div class="verse">My refuge only is my spirit brave</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Adventurous, that can resist and stand</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Against misfortunes and e’en dangers dire.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>These songs all begin with <i>A, la, la, la; la, la, la, mo</i> -and end with <i>la, la, mo, la; la, la, la, mo</i>. Once when -I met a Tibetan soldier of my acquaintance, I asked why -they used robber-songs instead of having war-songs of their -own. He was a talkative kind of man and proceeded to -explain in an oratorical tone.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_553" id="Page_553">[553]</a></span></p> - -<p>“As you well know, the meaning of the songs is very good -and noble; it is the courage praised in songs like these that -strengthens a country. But even good songs, when used -for robbery, are indeed wicked weapons, and the singers -thereof great sinners. They are the same songs, but how -great is the difference in their results! In one case they -promote, and in the other they destroy, humanity and -righteousness.”</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_554" id="Page_554">[554]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXVII" id="CHAPTER_LXXVII">CHAPTER LXXVII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Tibetan Finance.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>I shall next briefly describe the finance of the Tibetan -Government. It must be remembered, however, that this -subject is extremely complicated and hardly admits of -accurate explanation even by financial experts, for -nobody except the Revenue Officials can form an approximate -idea of the revenue and expenditure of the Government. -All that I could get from the Minister of Finance -was that a considerable margin of difference existed according -to the year. This must partly come from the fact that -taxes are paid in kind, and as the market is necessarily -subject to fluctuation even in such an exclusive place -as Tibet, the Government cannot always realise -the same amount of money from the sale of grain and -other commodities collected by the Revenue authorities. -Of course anything like statistical returns are unknown -in Tibet, and my task being hampered by such serious -drawbacks, I can only give here a short account of how -the taxes are collected, how they are paid and by what -portion of the people, and how the revenue thus collected -is disbursed, and such matters, which lie on the -surface so that I could easily observe and investigate them.</p> - -<p>The Treasury Department of the Papal Government is -called <i>Labrang Chenbo</i>, which means the large Kitchen of -the Lama. It is so-called, because various kinds of staples -are carried in there as duty from the land under his -direct jurisdiction, and from landlords holding under a -sort of feudal tenure. As there are no such conveniences -as drafts or money orders, these staples have to be transported -directly from each district to the central treasury, -whatever the distance. But the taxpayer has one solace:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_555" id="Page_555">[555]</a></span> -he can easily obtain, on his way to the treasury, the -service of post-horses, such service on such occasions being -compulsory. The articles thus collected consist of barley, -wheat, beans, buck-wheat, meal and butter. But from -districts in which custom-houses are established various -other things, such as coral gems, cotton, woollen and -silk goods, raisins and peaches are accepted. Other -districts pay animal-skins, and thus the large Kitchen -is an ‘omnium gatherum.’ Truly a strange method of -collecting taxes!</p> - -<p>One peculiarity in Tibet is the use of an abundant -variety of weights and measures; there are twenty scales -for weighing meal, and thirty-two boxes for measuring -grain. Bo-chik is the name given to a box of the average -size, and it measures about half a bushel. But tax-collectors -use, when necessity arises, measures half as large -or half as small as these, so that the largest measure -holds three quarters of a bushel, while the smallest holds -a quarter. The small ones are generally used to measure -the staples from provinces such as the native place of -the Dalai Lama, or such as have personal relations to some -high officials of the Government. Thus, though a favored -district is supposed to pay the same number of bushels as -the others, it pays in reality only one-half of what the -most unfortunate district has to pay. Nor is the measure -used for one district a fixed one; it may change from year -to year. Suppose one of the most favored districts has -produced a great rascal, or rebel, or has done anything -that displeases the Government. The whole people of -that district are responsible for it; they are obliged to pay -by the largest measure, that is, twice as much as they did -in the preceding year. Thus the various kinds of offences -make it necessary to have thirty-two varieties of measures -and twenty of weight. It is to be noted however that -when the Government has to dispose of those stuffs, it never<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_556" id="Page_556">[556]</a></span> -uses the larger measures, though if too small ones are used, it -certainly causes complaints on the part of the buyers; hence -the middle-sized ones are mostly used. All expenses of -Government, such as salaries for priests and officers and -wages for mechanics and tradesmen in its service are paid -with an average measure.</p> - -<p>The chief expense of the Government is, as I have stated -before, that for the service of the Buḍḍha Shākyamuni. The -money used for the repairing of temples and towers, and -for the purchase of stone lanterns and other furniture -amounts to a large sum; but by far the greater proportion -is spent for butter, which is used instead of oil for the -myriads of lights which are kept burning day and night. -The stands arranged in rows in the temple of the Buḍḍha -in Lhasa alone number no less than two thousand five -hundred and in some special cases ten thousand or even -a hundred thousand lamps are lighted, all of them burning -butter of a high price. In Tibet the substitution of -vegetable oil for <i>mal</i> is considered, not exactly sin, but -at least a pollution and desecration of Buḍḍha; not a few -Lamas leave a clause in their wills that rapeseed oil should -not be offered for their souls after death. In front of the -image of the Buḍḍha in Lhasa are placed twenty-four -large light-stands of pure gold. These and some others -have big oil-holders, large enough to hold five gallons -of mal. Almost all the mal used for the service of the -Buḍḍha is furnished by the Treasury of the Government, -though a small part of it is offered by religious people.</p> - -<p>Costly mal used, in former times, to be offered by Mongolians, -to the great relief of the Papal Treasury, but the -offering has recently been stopped entirely. The burdens -of the Tibetan people themselves have been proportionately -increased, but as the fixed rate of the tax cannot -be increased the bigger measures are used more -frequently.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_557" id="Page_557">[557]</a></span></p> - -<p>In each province there are two places where the collection -of taxes is made for the Government, one of which is the -temple, and the other the Local Government office; for the -people are divided into two classes: (1) those who are -governed by the temple and (2) those who are governed -by the Local Government. They pay their taxes to the -Central Government through their respective Governors. -In each local district, there is what is called a Zong. This -was originally a castle built for warlike purposes, but in -time of peace it serves as a Government office, where all -the functions of Government are carried on, so taxes are -also collected there. The Zong is almost always found -standing on the top of a hillock of about three hundred -feet and a Zongpon (chief of the castle), generally a layman, -lives in it. He is the chief Governor of the district -and collects taxes and sends the things or money he has -gathered to the Central Government. The Zongpon is not -paid by the Central Government directly, but subtracts -the equivalent of his pay from the taxes he has collected. -The Central Government does not send goods or money to -the Local Government except on such few occasions as need -special help from the national Treasury. The people -under the direct jurisdiction of the Central Government -are sometimes made to pay a poll-tax. The people who -belong to the nobility and the higher class of priests are of -course assessed by their landowners, but there is no definite -regulation as to their payment to the Central Government; -the people of some districts pay, while others are exempt.</p> - -<p>Part of the work done by the Tibetan Minister of the -Treasury is the management of the subscriptions of the -people. Everything offered to the Buḍḍhist Temple -and given to the priests at the time of the Great -Assembly is at once paid into the Treasury, to be -given out only by the order of the Minister of that -department. Another business taken by the Minister<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_558" id="Page_558">[558]</a></span> -is the household expenses of the Pope. These expenses -are not fixed, and the Pope can draw out as much as he -pleases within the limit of usage, and his own moderation. -It is said that since the accession of the present Pope -both the expenditure and the revenue have been greatly -increased. The Minister of the Treasury has also to pay -all the salaries of officials and priests in the service of the -Papal Government. These expenses for salaries are very -small, as compared with those of other countries, but the -officials and priests derive an additional income from the -land in their own possession.</p> - -<p>Officers and priests in Tibet can each borrow fifteen -hundred dollars from the Government at an interest of -five per cent a year and they can lend it again at -fifteen per cent, which is the current rate of interest -in Tibet, though usurers sometimes charge over thirty -per cent. Thus any officer can make at least ten -per cent on fifteen hundred dollars without running -much risk. If an officer or priest fails to repay -the loan the amount is not subtracted from his next -year’s loan. Compound interest is unknown in Tibet however -long the debtor may prolong his payment; it is forbidden -by the law. Another subsidy given by the -Government is six dollars extra pay per annum to each -priest of the Three Great Temples. In this connexion it -must also be stated that the Three Great Temples just mentioned -receive a vast amount of mal from the Government.</p> - -<p>The supplementary resources of the Pope’s revenue are -subscriptions from the members and laymen, the leases -from meadow-lands in his personal possession, and profits -acquired by his own trading, which is carried on by his -own caravans. The Pope’s caravans must be distinguished -from those of the Treasury Department.</p> - -<p>The Treasury of the Grand Lama is called Che Labrang, -which means the Lama’s kitchen on the hill, because the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_559" id="Page_559">[559]</a></span> -Lama’s palace is located on a hill. It is called Potala and -the place is a castle, a temple, and a palace at once. As a -castle it has no equal in Tibet, in view of the strength of its -fortifications; as a temple, it can look down upon all other -lamaseries of the country for elegance and gaudiness. As -a palace, of course there is no building that surpasses -it. But in spite of all this, there is a deplorable defect -in its water supply. Within the high walls that -defend the dwellers from the attacks of an enemy -there is no well or spring whatever. The people -have to go far away to get a bucket of water from -a well which can only be reached by descending a -hundred and fifty feet of stone steps and crossing -another hundred and fifty feet of level ground. To reach the -top of the hill one has to climb another three hundred feet, -making the journey three quarters of a mile altogether. -It is of course no easy work for the residents to carry -water so far, and there are therefore many workers who -make it their business to do this for them, charging about -twelve cents per man a month. The aristocratic priests, who -bear the title of <i>Namgyal Tatsang</i>, live in one part of the -castle and number one hundred and sixty-five. They -represent the highest type of the Tibetan priesthood and -are all selected with great care, even physique and -physiognomy being taken into consideration. They live -in good style at the Pope’s personal cost.</p> - -<p>The property of the Grand Lama, after his death, is -divided in the following way: One-half of the property -(in fact a little more than half) has to be divided among -his relatives in his native place, and the remaining half is -distributed as gifts among the priests of the Great Temples -and those of the New Sect. In the case of an ordinary -priest, if he leaves property worth five thousand dollars -about four thousand is used in gifts to the priests and -for the expense of lights, and almost all the remaining<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_560" id="Page_560">[560]</a></span> -thousand is used for his funeral expenses, leaving perhaps -three hundred to his disciples. In cases when a priest -leaves very little money, his disciples are obliged to -borrow money to supply the want of gifts and money for -lights in his honor—a custom entirely foreign to the -laity.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_561" id="Page_561">[561]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXVIII" id="CHAPTER_LXXVIII">CHAPTER LXXVIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Future of the Tibetan Religions.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>The Tibetans are essentially a religious people. Foreigners -call them superstitious, and indeed my own observation -also testifies that their faith is veritably a mass of -superstition. Yet it would be inaccurate to say that there is -no truth in their religion. A small but precious jewel is -often found among useless rubbish; wise men will not -throw away the jewel along with the rubbish, even though -it may not be found at the first glance. I can find at least -two precious things in the creed of the Tibetans. One of -them is that they recognise the existence of a superhuman -being who protects us. They are also sure of the possibility -of communication with this being by dint of religious -faith. It is true that they have several unreasonable rites -of worship, which may be compared to the rubbish round -the jewel, but in the midst of them they know that Buḍḍha -is all love, that He removes calamities from us, and makes -us happy at length. They also recognise the existence of -deities subject to the emotions of anger, and ready to -punish those that offend them; but even ignorant Tibetans -know the difference between the Gods and the Buḍḍha, the -former to be feared, and the latter simply an object of -gratitude.</p> - -<p>The other precious thing I can point out is their belief -in the law of cause and effect. According to this law, each -deed is rewarded according to its deserts; whatever vices -one commits will be followed by suffering; on the other -hand, every man shall enjoy the result of the good that he -has done. They also believe that the law of cause and -effect is everlasting, the seed making the fruit, and the -fruit the seed, and so on for ever. In the same way, they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_562" id="Page_562">[562]</a></span> -think, our mind is imperishable, and often reproduced in -the world. Thus far their faith is worthy enough, but the -doctrine of transmigration, of which they have a too firm conviction, -is apt to lead to superstition. The Tibetans often -really think such and such Lamas have been born again -in such and such places. But the precious Buḍḍhist creed -that one’s mind and body are everlastingly in accordance -with the law of cause and effect and self-compensation is -so thoroughly taught to every Tibetan from his childhood -by his mother, that the home lessons of the Tibetan children -almost always take the form of sermons on their mythology -and miscellaneous stories connected with Buḍḍhism. -In sooth, Buḍḍhism is so deeply ingrained in the country -that no other religion can exist in Tibet, unless it be explained -by the light of Buḍḍhism. Thus, the Old Bon -religion has been greatly modified and has indeed entirely -lost its original form and been replaced by the New Bonism, -which resembles the Ryōbu Shinto of Japan, in which the -Sun God is interpreted as the incarnation of Buḍḍha; but -the Tibetan goes further than the Ryōbu Shintoist did. By -Bon is meant Shinnyo or Truth, or rather the incarnation -of Shinnyo, and it is considered to be one branch of -Buḍḍhism.</p> - -<p>One of the things which most struck me was that -Muhammadanism is found in Tibet, mostly among the -Chinese and the descendants of the immigrants from -Kashmīr. They number about three hundred in Lhasa -and Shigatze, cling pertinaciously to their doctrines, and -have two temples in the suburbs of Lhasa, with two -cemeteries on the side of a distant mountain. One of the -temples is for the Musulmāns from Kashmīr, and the -other for the Chinese. It is rather strange to see the -calm existence of Muhammadanism in a country where -Buḍḍhism is so predominant. One thing that the Musulmāns -in Tibet say is very striking. They declare that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_563" id="Page_563">[563]</a></span> -according to their religion there exist previous and future -worlds, but that man is reborn as man, never as a lower -animal, as Buḍḍhism says, and that the final destiny of -the human soul is the Kingdom of Heaven or Hell. I once -argued with some of the Muhammadans that no such -doctrine as transmigration is to be found in the <i>Koran</i>, in -which mention is made of the future world, but none about -the past. Then I suspected that it might have been -adopted from the Christian religion, for in the bible the -subject is just touched on. But I doubted whether any -doctrine of that sort had ever been pronounced upon by -the Muhammadan Kalifate. When they heard me speak -thus they simply said: “There is, there really is, the -doctrine of future and previous worlds in the Muhammadan -religion,” and they said it with a straight face. They really -seemed to think so, but I think it a modification derived -from Buḍḍhism.</p> - -<p>Of late Christian missionaries have been trying to introduce -their religion into Tibet, and I can but admire their -undaunted spirit. But the country does not admit any -foreigners, so their utmost efforts have no effect on the -interior. They attempt therefore to convert the Tibetans -who come to Darjeeling, or those who live about Sikkim. -For these purposes hundreds of thousands of dollars have -already been spent, and the bible and many other religious -books have been translated into the Tibetan language. -There are also many books written in Tibetan against -Buḍḍhism. As soon as Darjeeling was opened to foreigners, -the first pioneers to the town were the Christian missionaries, -and ever since they have been preaching their -religion with utmost zeal.</p> - -<p>Notwithstanding all their endeavors, Christian missions -have been so far a failure. The so-called members are -false members, and the more earnest are not genuine -Tibetans, but Sikkimese who pretend to be Tibetans.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_564" id="Page_564">[564]</a></span> -It can truly be said that there is not a single Tibetan -from the interior of the country who really believes in -Christianity, though there are a few who declare themselves -Christian because they can thus get a living. Go -to the house of a reputed Christian and you will always -find in some inner room of his house the image of Buḍḍha, -before which butter-lamps are burned in secret day and -night. When he goes out he pretends to be a Christian, and -on Sunday he carries his bible and goes to church! Such a -Christian of course quickly turns his back upon -Christ when his pocket is full, or he is not likely -to receive any more. The missionaries make a mistake -if they think that they can easily convert a Buḍḍhist -into a Christian; for the reverse is the case. Let -me state some fundamental differences between Christianity -and Buḍḍhism. By the ‘Enlightenment’ of -Buḍḍhism one obtains absolute freedom; the greatest -spiritual freedom is to be attained by one’s self, while in -Christianity there is an infinite power called God who -prevents one from attaining absolute freedom. Again the -nature of cause and effect is not clear in the Christian -religion. I read in the bible “A good tree will bear good -fruits and a bad tree will bear bad fruits.” Therefore I -cannot say that the doctrine of cause and effect is not -alluded to at all in this religion, but its scope is limited. -If they would extend the text and make it applicable to -previous and future lives, then I think they might open -the way for Christianity to reach the Tibetans. Furthermore -the sentence “Thy faith has saved thee” of -Christ means exactly what Buḍḍha meant: “Of one’s own -deeds, one’s own reward.” But it seems to me that the -true meaning of the words of Christ is not fully developed -and that its application is far too narrow. I think this is -one cause of the unpopularity of Christianity among the -Tibetans, who have a very deep belief in the theory of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_565" id="Page_565">[565]</a></span> -“receiving according to one’s own deeds.” These are the -chief reasons, I believe, why Christianity obtains so few followers -among the Tibetans after so many years of hard -work by scores of missionaries at the cost of millions of -dollars.</p> - -<p>To sum up what we have seen: The predominant -religion at present is Buḍḍhism, and the others are -the Bon, the Muhammadan and the Christian. We have -seen how the old pre-Buḍḍhist Bon religion has been -transformed into the New Bon, which is now looked upon -as a sect of Buḍḍhism, and how the Muhammadan religion -existing within a very small sphere of influence has shown -a gradual approach to Buḍḍhism, though unnoticed by -themselves. As to the Christianity of Tibet, it does not -seem probable that it can flourish in this land unless the -present sectarian prejudices of the Churches are entirely -removed and a new form and attitude be given it, so as -to adapt it to the Tibetan people. The present Tibetan -Buḍḍhism is corrupt and on the road to decay; still it has -some jewels in it, and is almost naturally inherent in every -Tibetan, and it is probable that it will continue to be -predominant in the country by its own <i>vis inertiae</i> until a -great man comes to the front to undertake the work of -religious reformation and to restate the truths of the Great -Freedom of Buḍḍha.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_566" id="Page_566">[566]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXIX" id="CHAPTER_LXXIX">CHAPTER LXXIX.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Beginning of the Disclosure of the -Secret.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>On the 30th of April 1901, Tsa Rong-ba, who had left for -India in the preceding year, came back. He was a -Tibetan merchant, to whom I had entrusted the letters to -my teacher Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās at Darjeeling and to a -Lama called Shabdung of the same town. He had -also been trusted with the business of posting a letter to -my native country. As soon as he arrived he at once sent -for me, but his messenger could not find me at Sera, for -I was at the treasury-minister’s on that day, and it was -rather late when I heard of his return. So early the next -morning I started for his house, expecting to receive -answers from my old acquaintances in Darjeeling. After -exchanging a few happy words he said to me: “At the -time when I reached Darjeeling, both your teacher and -the Lama were away. So I had to carry the letters with -me all the way to Calcutta. On my way home, when I -came back to Darjeeling I found both of them at home, -and handed them the letters. Saraṭ told me to call on him -again two days after to receive his answer. But I could -not see him again, because I had bought a large quantity -of iron by the secret order of the Government, and if the -fact had become known to the Indian Government I -should have been arrested. Therefore I could not stay -long at Darjeeling and determined to start the next day -without securing an answer from Saraṭ. But here is the -answer from Lama Shabdung, who wrote it on the same -day.” Saying this he handed me a letter. In the -letter, it was stated that the letter to my teacher had -been handed to him and another to my home had been -registered. He also thanked me for my present to him.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_567" id="Page_567">[567]</a></span> -(In Tibet it is customary to annex some present to a letter, -and if nothing suitable can be found, they enclose a piece -of thin silk cloth, a ‘Kata,’ and as I had acted in accordance -with this custom when I sent my letter to him, he -thanked me for that, and as a return present sent me some -European sugar and a few other things). As we talked I -heard of the Transvaal war and various other items of -news from Darjeeling.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 575px;"> -<a id="zill_t568"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t568h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t568.jpg" class="hires" width="575" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>PROCESSION OF THE PANCHEN OR TASHI LAMA IN LHASA.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>The 13th of May (the 4th of April by the Tibetan -calendar) was a grand day for Lhasa, for on that day the -Grand Lama Panchen Rinpoche, or the second Pope of -Tashi Lhunpo in the city of Shigatze in the Tsan Province -was to come up to Lhasa. He had completed his twentieth -year and was qualified to receive what in Tibetan is called -the Nyen-zok, which means investiture or ‘the deliverance -of the Commands’. He was now coming to the capital -to receive the ceremony from the Pope Tubten Gyam Tso in -Lhasa. The ceremony is regarded as one of great importance, -in nowise second to the “Nyen-zok” day of the investiture -or ‘the Deliverance of the Commands of the Order’ -of the Pope himself. The citizens, men and women, young and -old, all went out to welcome the young prelate to Lhasa and -I was also present in the crowd, accompanied by Li Tsu-shu, -a Chinese apothecary, and his children. The procession of -the day was magnificent and as splendid as was expected, but -was not much different from that which I saw at Shigatze. -On our way back I met Tsa Rong-ba, who invited me to tea -at his house. I accepted, and was sitting comfortably in his -house, when a Tibetan gentleman came in. The man was -introduced to me as the Chief of the Pope’s caravan, by -the name of Takbo Tunbai Choen Joe. He also worked -(as I learned afterward) as an agent of the Government for -buying iron and other articles as Tsa Rong-ba did, and they -were old acquaintances. As soon as he entered the house -he stared at me with his sharp eyes for a long time. As<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_569" id="Page_569">[569]</a></span> -I looked at him I judged him to be a black-hearted man, -but at the same time I recognised the presence of great -smartness.</p> - -<p>Presently he came close to me. In the room were Tsa -Rong-ba and his wife, and I saw that the greatest danger was -brewing. But here I must diverge to tell a long story. Tsa -Rong-ba had looked upon me with great hope, as my influence -increased, because he thought if I became a family doctor -of the Pope he would derive therefrom great benefit and -profit, and when he returned from India he found my fame -as a doctor greatly increased. Some people had exaggerated -my reputation; if I cured only three patients they would -call it fifty, and went even so far as to say that none could -compete with me in the art of medicine. Besides, he knew -that I lodged with the Minister of the treasury, and that I -had also several friends among the higher officials and -priests. These considerations made him think me quite -reliable. While he was in Calcutta he heard much of the -just and brave actions of the Japanese, also that in the -war between Japan and China, the Japanese were not selfish, -but had in view the benefit of China; at least I heard -him often say so. Thus his confidence in the Japanese in -general and in myself had been still more increased.</p> - -<p>Next, to speak of the intruder Takbo Tunbai Choen -Joe, he was the clerk of a great merchant named Takbo -Tunba, and had often been to Peking, sometimes in charge -of the Pope’s caravan. At the time of the Boxer Trouble -he was in China and once unfortunately all his goods had -been captured by some Japanese soldiers. He explained -to them that the goods captured did not belong to the -Chinese Government—on which suspicion they had been -seized—and begged to have them returned, but all in vain. -They were going to carry everything away. Then he -hastened to the Japanese general at headquarters, and -complained that he was a Tibetan and the goods had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_570" id="Page_570">[570]</a></span> -neither been brought for, nor were being carried for -the Chinese Government, and besought the general that -they should be given back. The general, seeing that he -was a Tibetan, immediately wrote a note in Chinese and in -some peculiar characters (undoubtedly Japanese) signed -his name and handed it to him telling him to take it to -the soldiers. He did as he was told, and the goods which -had been seized were returned with no loss whatever. -This event and other experiences made him think that -the Japanese were in the habit of acting justly and -righteously. At any rate he had spoken highly of the -Japanese when he told the above story to Tsa Rong-ba. -When Tsa Rong-ba heard the story and knew that the -Choen Joe was an admirer of the Japanese as he himself -was, he thought it might do no harm to discover to him -the person of the Japanese Lama; he even thought it -would be profitable for himself to do so, but I never -dreamed that such a fancy had taken possession of his -mind.</p> - -<p>The Choen Joe, who was keenly gazing at me, suddenly -cried out: “You are very strange,” to which I did not reply -a word. Then he continued: “At first I thought you were -a Mongolian, but I found my judgment mistaken. Nor -are you to be taken for a Chinaman. Of course, you are -not a European. Of what nationality in the world are you -then?” I was about to reply to this impertinent -question, when I was interrupted by Tsa Rong-ba who spoke -in a knowing way: “This gentleman is a Japanese.” Just -a few words, and all was over. It was the first time my -nationality had been mentioned in Lhasa. A very -annoying truth had been uttered, but I could not deny -the impeachment, so continued silently looking into the -chief’s face, and wondering what would be the next word I -should hear from him. Then with a look as if relieved -from some uneasiness he turned to the host and said:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_571" id="Page_571">[571]</a></span> -“I see, I see, I thought he must be a Japanese, but -then I thought it was impossible for a Japanese to penetrate -into this country, and I hesitated to say so. Now that I -hear you say so, I doubt it not, for I have seen many -Japanese at Peking.”</p> - -<p>The sentence was given by these judges before the -defendant could speak a word, and thus the secret which -had been kept for so long was brought to light in a -moment. The Choen Joe now turned to me and said:</p> - -<p>“This is very good news for me. I once thought that if I -went to Japan and brought strange goods to Lhasa I -could make a great deal of money. But I have heard -that the Chinese language, which is the only foreign -language I can speak, is not used in Japan except among -a few Chinamen at the seaport towns. Besides, I know that -foreign travellers are liable to be deceived by bad people, -who abound everywhere, and Japan, I suppose, is not an -exception. So I have abandoned my intention. But I am -glad to find here such a good Japanese as you. I have heard -of the fame of the Serai Amchi (doctor of Sera) and am very -satisfied to find the noted doctor in this house. As you are -so good a man will you not take me with you to Japan?”</p> - -<p>The prospect was not so bad as I had expected. -I told him that as I intended to go back to Japan once -more, I would take him, and spoke many things about -Japan. The caravan chief talked of his hard experiences -in China, of the recovery of his goods by the favor of the -general, and of the superiority of the Japanese soldiers in -valor to those of the West. He spoke very highly of Japan, -but did not seem to mean to flatter me; it was most likely that -the words came from his real heart. Then I said:</p> - -<p>“You and Tsa Rong-ba are the only men that know that -I am a Japanese, but if you tell it to anyone else, I am -afraid it may cause you both some trouble. So you must -be very careful about it.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_572" id="Page_572">[572]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I appreciate your advice,” said the Choen Joe, “I will not -tell it to anyone. If I do, it will be only when it is -positively to your benefit, but not till then. When I -disclose it you may be sure that you will have a great name -in Tibet.” With such pleasant talkings we closed the day. -I took my leave and lodged at the druggist’s for that night.</p> - -<p>On the following day, (May 4th) my friend the -Secretary of the Chinese Minister stepped into my room -as usual. While we were talking together there was something -in his manner that put me on the alert. He said: -“You say you are from Foochee in China. Of course I -don’t doubt it. But I see a great difference in your -character from that of the ordinary people of China. It -may sound strange, but did not your ancestors come from a -foreign country?”</p> - -<p>I replied that I had no definite knowledge about my ancestor’s -original home, and asked him what had made -him think that my character did not resemble that of the -Chinese. Upon this he said:</p> - -<p>“The Japanese are very smart by nature and push on -with great patience, while most Chinese lack in quickness, -of course with a few exceptions like yourself. Moreover -the Chinese have in general the characteristic of sedateness -which you see in me, but which I cannot see in you. -Instead of being calm, you are always hustling and active. -It is too delicate a distinction for words, but I am sure you -have something in you which I cannot trace to the -Chinese. But from whom are you descended?”</p> - -<p>From this way of talking I could understand that he was -closely examining me, and trying to find out my secret by my -countenance and expression. It seemed probable that he -already knew that I was not a Chinaman but a Japanese. -But I did not give him any definite answer, and he left me.</p> - -<p>Some while later on during the same day I had another -startling story told me by the wife of the apothecary. She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_573" id="Page_573">[573]</a></span> -began with: “Say, Kusho-la (your lordship). Don’t you -think the most awful thing in the world is a madman?”</p> - -<p>I asked her reason, and she said: “Why, that mad son -of Para has been telling a strange story. It is a story -told by a madman, so of course I think it cannot be -depended upon; but he said that though it was a great -secret, he knew of a horrible affair that was to take place -in this country. When I asked what it was, he whispered to -me: ‘There is a priest from Japan in this town. He -calls himself a priest, but he is surely a great officer of the -Japanese Government, who has been sent for the -investigation of the country. It is no less a personage than -the Serai Amchi. I met and talked with him once when I -went to Darjeeling, and I found him a great man.’ This is -what he tells me. Is it not strange? Nobody knows he has -ever been to Darjeeling, but what do you think -about it?”</p> - -<p>I thought the madman was not mad if he had spoken -that way, but answered her: “The story of a madman -must be only taken as such.”</p> - -<p>The lady continued, “Anyhow my husband and many -others seem to believe it. I have told this to you as I -heard it, and hope you will not mind.”</p> - -<p>This conversation occurred on the 14th of May. That -night I returned to the mansion of the Minister of the -Treasury, and on the next day I came to the monastery at -Sera. At night when all were fast asleep, I took out -some paper and began to write a letter to the Pope. I did -this as a preparation against the day when my secret -should be disclosed.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_574" id="Page_574">[574]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXX" id="CHAPTER_LXXX">CHAPTER LXXX.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Secret Leaks Out.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Why did I write the appeal? you may ask. At that time -I could not tell how the matter would turn out, and unless -some measures were taken beforehand, incurable evil might -be the outcome. So I must at any rate make it clear to -all that I had come to this country for the study and -cultivation of Buḍḍhism and with no other intentions. -For that purpose I thought it well to write the letter, -which I have still by me. I flatter myself that it was -written very nicely. I have written many compositions, -both prose and poetry, in the Tibetan language, but -I never wrote one that pleased me better. It took me three -nights to complete it. I may summarise its contents as -follows. As is considered proper in Tibetan the letter begins -with respectful words to the master of the beautiful country -which is purified with white snow. Then I say: “My -original intention in coming to this country was to glorify -Buḍḍhism and thus to find the way of saving the people -of the world from spiritual pain. Among the several -countries where Buḍḍhism prevails, the only places where -the true features of the Great Vehicle are preserved as the -essence of Buḍḍhism are Japan and Tibet. The time has -already come when the seed of pure Buḍḍhism must be -sown in every country of the world, for the people of the -world are tired of bodily pleasures which can never -satisfy, and are earnestly seeking for spiritual satisfaction. -This demand can only be supplied from the -fountain of genuine Buḍḍhism. It is our duty as well as -our honor to do this. Impelled by this motive, I have come -to this country to investigate whether Tibetan Buḍḍhism<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_575" id="Page_575">[575]</a></span> -agrees with that of Japan. Thanks be to the Buḍḍha the new -Buḍḍhism in Tibet quite agrees with the real Shingon -sect of Japan, both having their founder in the person of the -Boḍhisaṭṭva Nāgārjuna. Therefore these two countries must -work together towards the propagation of the true Buḍḍhism. -This was the cause that has brought me to this -country so far away and over mountains and rivers. My -faithful spirit has certainly wrought on the heart of -Buḍḍha, and I was admitted to the country which is -closed from the world, to drink from the fountain of -Truth; the Gods must therefore have accepted my ardent -desire. If that be true, why should your Holiness not -protect me who have already been protected by the -Buḍḍha and other Gods; and why not co-operate with me -in glorifying the world with the light of true Buḍḍhism?” -In conclusion I added that I had been asked by Dhammapāla -of Ceylon to present the Pope with a relic of Shākya -Buḍḍha and a silver reliquary, and begged his acceptance -of the gift. When the letter was finished I was in so -much haste to copy it on good paper that I did not think -anything of the consequence if it were presented—that -my letter would disclose my person and that I should be -put to death accordingly.</p> - -<p>On the 20th of May I returned to Lhasa and lodged at -the Minister’s. That day I went with the ex-Treasury -Minister to the garden-party held at the forest of Tsemoe -Lingka. This was my last good time in Tibet. At -the party there were many old friends of mine present, -and many country-gentlemen, who were still staying in -Lhasa for the ceremony. I talked freely with them and -spent the whole day in the most pleasant conversation on -the subject of the lives of the ancient saints of Tibet and -on various other topics. While I was thus passing a -pleasant day, a very serious thing in regard to my person -was occurring at the other end of the city of Lhasa.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_576" id="Page_576">[576]</a></span></p> - -<p>On this same day, the caravan chief called on Yabsi -Sarba (the house of the father of the new Grand Lama). The -present Pope had lost both his parents, and his elder -brother was looked upon as his father-in-law. He was -dignified by the Government of China with the title of -Prince, and lived in magnificence in the southern part -of Lhasa. While they were talking together over their -glasses of wine, the caravan chief found what he called -a good opportunity to disclose my person. As I learned it -from Tsa Rong-ba, the dialogue between them ran as follows:</p> - -<p>“Has your Highness heard that there is a stranger in -this country, who is neither Chinese nor Mongolian?”</p> - -<p>“Tell me what he is,” said the Pope’s brother.</p> - -<p>“He is a true Lama from Japan. The Japanese Lama -resembles a Chinese Hoshang, but is far more praiseworthy. -He takes only two meals a day and after midday nothing -touches his mouth. He eats no meat and drinks no wine.”</p> - -<p>“Where is he living?” asked the brother of the Pope.</p> - -<p>“If I mention his name you must know where he is -living. His name is Serai Amchi; the famous Serai Amchi -is a Japanese.”</p> - -<p>After a pause for consideration the Pope’s brother -replied: “I have heard of Serai Amchi. He must be an -expert physician to be sent for by the Pope, the nobility -and the clergy. One who masters the art of medicine so -thoroughly as to gain such a great reputation in so short -a space of time cannot be a Chinese. I once suspected -that he might be a European. But now that I hear this -from you, my doubts about him have been removed. Yes, -the Japanese can do quite as great things as the Europeans. -But” (shaking his head) “this is news that troubles me not -a little.”</p> - -<p>“What troubles Your Highness?”</p> - -<p>“If I am not wrongly informed, Japan is on very -friendly terms with England. When I consider this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_577" id="Page_577">[577]</a></span> -I cannot but suspect her. Besides, Japan is so strong -a country that she can bully China. Such a country is -very likely to think it easy to subdue a small country -like our own. Moreover the religion of Japan is the -same as that of Tibet; is that not a fact which might -easily awaken the ambition for subjugation? Therefore -I cannot take him for anything but a spy sent by the -Japanese Government to investigate the state of things -in Tibet for a sinister purpose. Will not the nobility -who are connected with Serai Amchi suffer as did -those who were connected with Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās -when he entered the country? Will not the Sera monastery -be closed again? The matter cannot be overlooked. -Some measures must be taken about it.”</p> - -<p>This conclusion was an unexpected one for the -caravan chief, for he had thought the story would please -His Highness. His disappointment was immediately -followed by the feeling of fear, and with an intention to -defend me he said:</p> - -<p>“He cannot possibly be taken for a spy. He lives -in Lhasa, where meat is considered necessary food, -and he often goes to the temple of Sera where meat -and meat gruel are freely given as alms to the priests, -but he never touches them, and feeds only on scorched -barley. Such a man is surely a Lama of Japan.”</p> - -<p>This strong argument was at once denied by the Pope’s -brother, who said:</p> - -<p>“You consider so, for you are short of wisdom. There -are devils that resemble Buḍḍha in this world; indeed, -the greatest devil is the one that can make himself -most resemble a Buḍḍha. For example, take the case -of saint Upagupṭa. He was the fifth saint from Shākya -Buḍḍha. He was born after the death of the Buḍḍha, and -thought how he might see the real Buḍḍha, who is said to -have been perfect in physique and physiognomy. He heard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_578" id="Page_578">[578]</a></span> -that the devil-king of the sixth heaven had often seen -the Buḍḍha while the latter was passing through His -worldly life. So he thought he would go and ask the -devil-king whether he would, by his miraculous power, -give him a glimpse of the real Buḍḍha. He did so, -and his request was granted at once. The devil-king -immediately put on the appearance of Buḍḍha and -sat on the ‘Diamond-Seat.’ He looked so Buḍḍha-like -that the saint could but prostrate himself before the -image. In a similar manner Serai Amchi, who really is a -spy, may have taken the form of a Lama to deceive us. -No, he cannot be trusted. The very fact that he could -enter this country, so strictly closed from the rest of the -world, tells that he is by no means an ordinary person. -Did he alight from heaven? He must have had superhuman -power to perform such a miracle. Therefore he -must not be treated carelessly. At any rate this is a -difficult problem to solve.” This argument was strong -enough to make Choen Joe sober and pale.</p> - -<p>That day (20th of May) towards evening Takbo Tunbai -Choen Joe called on Tsa Rong-ba, as I learnt afterwards, -with a rather melancholy face. He had determined not to say -anything about his conversation with the Pope’s brother. -But it was supper-time when he came in, and the host -persuaded him to share with him a few glasses of drink, -as is customary in Tibet. Pretty soon the host perceived -that the caravan chief was drinking with unusual haste and -a sad look. Being intimate friends, Tsa Rong-ba asked -the reason, saying:</p> - -<p>“You must be uneasy in your mind to drink in such a -way. I wish you would tell me what is the matter -with you.”</p> - -<p>The caravan chief said that nothing annoyed him. But -in the meanwhile, the drink had had its effect, and made -the man who was resolved to say nothing speak out the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_579" id="Page_579">[579]</a></span> -details of the whole thing as has just been stated. When -the story was over it was midnight, and Choen Joe left the -house, leaving the host and hostess in so much anxiety -that they could not sleep at all. The next morning (May -21st) Tsa Rong-ba sent me a messenger accompanied by a -horse to Sera, to take me back directly to his house. But -I was not in the monastery, and this messenger could not -find me at the Treasury Minister’s either, for on that day I -did not go there. The anxiety of Tsa Rong-ba increased -when I was not to be found. The special reason of his -anxiety was this; I possessed a letter from Darjeeling which -had reached me through the hand of Tsa Rong-ba, and -if I were to be captured the letter would be confiscated, -and it was evident that he would also be put in prison. -Evil might come to him as well as to myself. No wonder -he hunted for me everywhere, all over the city of Lhasa. -Tired with hunting for me, he had almost given up his -attempt, thinking that I must already have been captured, -when towards evening I called at his door. His surprise -was great, and he came to me almost trembling and with -tears too, and said: “How lucky we are to have you here! -Buḍḍha must have led you.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 582px;"> -<a id="zill_t580"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t580h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t580.jpg" class="hires" width="582" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>CRITICAL MEETING WITH TSA RONG-BA AND HIS WIFE.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>I comprehended that something unusual had happened, -but telling them to be quiet, I took my seat, and was ready -to listen. Then they told me the whole story, one supplying -what the other omitted. When they had finished, -Tsa Rong-ba asked me:</p> - -<p>“What do you intend to do? At any rate, I hope you -will burn the letter I brought from Darjeeling. But, what -are you going to do?”</p> - -<p>I replied: “For myself, my course is already determined. -I have written an appeal to the Pope. Whatever may befall -me I have made up my mind.”</p> - -<p>“Do you know all about it then?” said he with a surprised -look.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_581" id="Page_581">[581]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Yes, I know,” said I, “I could see such a thing.”</p> - -<p>“That is why I looked upon you with respectful awe,” -he answered. “I heard that the Pope’s brother said you -have superhuman power, and I believe his saying is true.”</p> - -<p>“No,” I returned “I have no superhuman power. -Only I inferred that such a thing must happen. So I have -made what I thought preparation against it.”</p> - -<p>Tsa Rong-ba, who followed a peculiar kind of reasoning, -protested: “No, do not say so; I know you heard the -conversation between the caravan chief and the Pope’s -brother by some mysterious means. Otherwise how -would you come down to our house on such an occasion as -this? But then why have you not been kind enough to -call on us a little earlier? We could not sleep at all last -night. But are you really going to present to the Pope -the letter you have written to him? In doing so, you little -think of what will become of us. I doubt not you are a -venerable Lama, but the Pope’s brother is by no means a -good-natured man. We cannot tell what he is going to say -to the Pope, and if the Pope listens to him who can tell the -result? But I feel sure we must suffer, don’t you think so?”</p> - -<p>“I cannot tell,” said I, “what I shall do until I try -samāḍhi (go into abstract contemplation). For the present -I can only tell you that there are four things to be considered -in the ‘silent contemplation’. They are as follows:</p> - -<p>(1) If the presentation of my letter to the Pope does not -do any harm to you, the Minister of the Treasury, and the -Sera monastery, I will present the letter though I should -suffer from doing so, for I am the only Japanese who has -visited this country, and I think it would be very sad to -leave this country without telling the people who I am, -and what I have come for.</p> - -<p>(2) If the presentation of my letter causes any harm to -any of you, I will not present it, though I myself am -free from danger.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_582" id="Page_582">[582]</a></span></p> - -<p>(3) If I can go to India without giving notice to the -Pope, and it does not cause any harm to any of my -acquaintances, I will go to India directly.</p> - -<p>(4) If the presentation of my letter would cause -any harm to them after my departure, I will stay -here and present the letter, because if it is the cause -of evil whether I stay here or not, it is my duty to -stay here and share the evil with my acquaintances to -whom I have caused it. I will never be the only one -to escape from danger. If I come to the conclusion -by the contemplation that there will be no evil caused -after my departure, I will leave this country. But as I am -not fully contented with my own decision on my own -account, I will go to my teacher Ganden Ti Rinpoche -and consult with him. Of course I shall not say that I am -a Japanese, nor that I am going back for that reason, -but I will say that I must go on a pilgrimage and ask him -his judgment whether my departure is advantageous for -many people who are suffering; and if his judgment agrees -with mine I will adopt it, and if not, I will go and ask the -same of the Lama of Tse-Moeling, and if the latter’s judgment -be the same as my teacher’s I will follow it, but if it -agrees with mine, I shall follow that.”</p> - -<p>The husband and wife, who were listening to me -attentively, interrupted me here and told me that I needed -not to ask another’s opinion; my own judgment would be -good enough to be acted upon.</p> - -<p>“No,” said I, “that will not do. The thing is too -serious to be determined by myself; for it concerns others -as well.”</p> - -<p>They agreed with me and we parted. That night I was -seated all alone in my room at the Treasury Minister’s and -quietly entered into the silent contemplation and tried to -find the best course to be taken. After some time I -reached the ‘world of non-Ego,’ and the judgment was:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_583" id="Page_583">[583]</a></span> -“If I stay in this country it will be harmful to the people, -whether I present the appeal or not; and on the other -hand if I leave the country, it is no great loss to these -people.” Thus I came to the conclusion to leave the -country, though it was not quite decided whether or not I -should present the letter to the Pope before leaving.</p> - -<p>Early on the next morning (27th of May) I called on -Ganden Ti Rinpoche, and asked him to give me his -judgment, simply stating that I was going on a pilgrimage. -The master with a smiling face judged for me and said: -“The sick people who (you say) are suffering, will get -better by your going on a pilgrimage. But by the sick -people you do not mean the bodily patients, do you? It -may mean that if you stay here, other doctors in Lhasa -cannot live, and so you are going to save them by your -departure?”</p> - -<p>He gave his judgment half in joke, but I thought the -teacher was intelligent enough to perceive that I was -leaving the country never to come back. I heard there -were many great Lamas in Tibet, but he was surely the -most respectable priest of all with whom I became -acquainted. This was the last time I saw this venerable -teacher.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_584" id="Page_584">[584]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXXI" id="CHAPTER_LXXXI">CHAPTER LXXXI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">My Benefactor’s Noble Offer.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>That day I returned to the Treasury Minister’s with a -determination to tell the secret to him. But it was the -22nd of May and the Pope was to come back to Lhasa from -his country-seat at Norbu Ling. The ex-Minister had -gone out to see the Pope return, and I was also obliged to -go, though I had many things to do for myself. The -procession of the day was magnificent. The four Prime -Ministers and the Ministers of several departments and -other dignitaries were present, all dressed in new suits of -clothes. But before the Pope arrived in Lhasa it had begun -to rain heavily. Still no one but the servants and coachmen -were allowed to wear anything to protect themselves -against the rain. It was a pitiful sight to see the dignitaries -dressed in silk on horse-back in the rain, getting wet -through. But when the procession marched along the -streets of Lhasa and the Pope entered his temple, the -storm had passed, and it was fine again. When we got -home I asked the ex-Minister and the nun to stay at -home that evening, for I was going to tell them a secret -which must not be spoken in the presence of others. The -nun had treated me with motherly tenderness, and though -we had been friends only for one year, yet our acquaintance -seemed age-long, and I felt I ought to tell my secret to -her and the ex-Minister, to whom I owed so much. It was -certain that I must leave Lhasa, but how could I leave -them without telling them all?</p> - -<p>When night came, I called on them at the appointed -time and told them that I was not a Chinese but a Japanese. -Thinking, however, that they would not believe me I set -before them the passport which I had taken with me. As<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_585" id="Page_585">[585]</a></span> -the ex-Minister had learned to read Chinese characters a -little, he could read that part of the paper signed “Department -for Foreign Affairs of the Japanese Empire” in -Chinese characters. Assuring himself that I had told the -truth, he said:</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t585"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t585h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t585.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="680" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>REVEALING THE SECRET TO THE EX-MINISTER.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>“At first I thought you were a Chinese as you said, -but later I became very doubtful, because among the -many Chinese I have met, there is none who equals you -in earnestness of devotion to Buḍḍhism. I have also<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_586" id="Page_586">[586]</a></span> -often thought that most of the Chinese priests are -ignorant of the Buḍḍhist religion, and that even -the so-called learned and famous priests do not amount -to much, but that the district of Foochee, from which -you said you came, might be an exception, and -that Buḍḍhism might be studied there with much zeal. -Anyhow I thought it strange, but now my doubts have -been removed.</p> - -<p>“But I heard,” he continued after a pause, “that the -Japanese are of the same race as the Europeans. Is it -really so?”</p> - -<p>I explained that they were entirely different races and -that the Japanese belong to the same stock of races as the -Tibetan, which is called the Mongolian. I also told him that -the religion of the two countries is the same. It seemed he -knew such things as these without waiting my explanation.</p> - -<p>After a few such questions and answers he said, “Is -that all that you call your secret? Is there anything else -to tell me?”</p> - -<p>I answered: “There is another thing. I think I must -tell the Papal Government that I am a Japanese.”</p> - -<p>When he heard me say this he frowned a little, and -said, “Why must you talk? Is there any necessity for -doing so?”</p> - -<p>I replied that there was, and told him how my secret -had been betrayed by Tsa Rong-ba, and how it had been told -to the Pope’s brother, and so forth. But I did not say anything -about the silent contemplation, because if I told it -they would possibly have thought that I was anxious to -leave for India without caring for their future, though -my judgment said that my departure would cause no great -harm to them.</p> - -<p>He considered in silence for some time after I had -finished my story, and then he said: “What are you -going to do next?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_587" id="Page_587">[587]</a></span></p> - -<p>“As I have come to this country,” said I, “after so -much trouble, I wish to inform the Pope that I am a -Japanese, and here is the letter to the Pope written for -that purpose.”</p> - -<p>I took out the letter from my pocket and handed it to -the ex-Minister, and continued:</p> - -<p>“It is no difficult thing to present it to the Pope, but -in doing so I must consider whether you might suffer from -it, for you have been my friends and patrons for a long -time. Therefore please bind me with a rope, take me to -the court and tell the officers that you have found out -that I am a foreigner. If you do so, you are surely -free from trouble. As to myself, I will explain to -the Government the causes of my intrusion into this -country.”</p> - -<p>While I was speaking thus the frowns on his face had -increased, and when I concluded he interrupted:</p> - -<p>“That will not do, my Japanese friend. If you take -such a measure you will certainly be taken to prison, -where you will die of hunger and cold, and if you don’t -die of such causes you will be killed. Of course the -Government will not sentence a foreigner to death, but -then they can procure the same effect by using poison in -secret. You have no need to hasten your destruction. -What is the use of killing yourself?”</p> - -<p>I was somewhat surprised to hear of such awful means -to be used in the Tibetan jail, but I replied:</p> - -<p>“It is of no use for me to succeed if my success is -gained by the loss of others; it is far better to die and do -others no harm. I shall not fly from danger and allow my -benefactors to suffer, who have shown me as much kindness -as parents show to their children.”</p> - -<p>The affectionate old woman, who was listening to me -with a sorrowful face and trembling limbs, could not bear -any more, and threw herself down and wept bitterly.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_588" id="Page_588">[588]</a></span></p> - -<p>Then the ex-Minister spoke to me in a determined -tone: “It will never do to allow such a noble mind to die -in order that we who are not far from the grave should -survive. Though humble, I believe truly in the Buḍḍha, -and cannot do such an action as to sacrifice a man to save -myself. I know you too well to take you for a spy, or for -a thief of the national religion. I know it from my long -intercourse with you. Even I were to be killed for it, I -could not rid myself of danger by persecuting a man who -came here to study Buḍḍhism. How could I do such a thing? -But now, in the present state of things in Tibet, it is not a -good opportunity to disclose your nationality. Therefore -return home for this time, and wait till the time will come. I -am a brother and disciple of Ganden Ti Rinpoche, from -whom I received the lesson of the ‘Great Benevolence.’ -I cannot expose you to death while I myself escape from -calamity. If we are to suffer after your departure, we must -take it as due to a cause existing in a previous life, and -resign ourselves.”</p> - -<p>Saying this, he turned to the old nun and said:</p> - -<p>“Don’t you think so too, my beloved Ningje Ise (mercy -and wisdom)?”</p> - -<p>The nun raised her face and said in a pleasant voice: -“You have said the truth. How glad I am to hear it!” -Then turning to me she said:</p> - -<p>“As you are in danger, leave this country as quickly as -you can. We can find some means of protecting ourselves; -therefore it is better for you to cease thinking of us, and -to start directly. Now is the best time to steal out of -the city, for the visit of the second Pope will keep the city -busy for this whole month, and no one will notice your -departure. No better opportunity can be found. If it -were on an ordinary day, you could not run away even -though you were free from suspicion, for Lamenba—the -chief physician to the Pope—wishes to keep you long in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_589" id="Page_589">[589]</a></span> -this country, and has already spoken to the Pope about it. -Lose no time in preparing for the journey. This is my -sincere advice.”</p> - -<p>As she spoke thus I observed tears in her eyes.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_590" id="Page_590">[590]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXXII" id="CHAPTER_LXXXII">CHAPTER LXXXII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Preparations for Departure.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>When I heard them speak so kindly I was heartily -pleased, and so touched that I could not restrain my tears. -Though their advice was so reasonable and pleasing I was -not inclined to take it immediately, and begged them -earnestly to deliver me over to the Government so that no -evil might befall them. They would not listen to me.</p> - -<p>At length the nun said: “As it is of no use to argue -here, is it not better to leave the matter to the judgment -of Ti Rinpoche? and if according to his judgment there is -no evil to be feared for you and for us, then you can -present the letter as you wish. We are arguing in vain -unless we can foretell the result of the matter.”</p> - -<p>I was then obliged to tell them all about the ‘silent -contemplation’ and its agreement with the judgment -of Ti Rinpoche. When I told this their faces cleared and -the ex-Minister said with a smile:</p> - -<p>“If this is the case, our anxiety and argument are useless. -The only course to be taken now is to leave this country immediately. -It is of course of no use to speak of binding -you with a rope. You have spoken such things because -you thought of us, but it is all in vain. If Ti Rinpoche -said your departure was better for yourself and ourselves, -it is a sure thing, and if his judgment agrees with yours it -is then the will of the Buḍḍha, the breach of which will -cause you certain evil. Therefore proceed at once. Though -we cannot protect you on your way, if it becomes public -and some one pursues you, we will try to find some means -for your escape.”</p> - -<p>Their unselfish kindness toward me I shall ever remember. -I retired with tears back to my room, and then I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_591" id="Page_591">[591]</a></span> -packed all my sacred books and other writings which I had -gathered and took them to the apothecary’s and said to -him:</p> - -<p>“I intend to go to Calcutta on a certain mission. I also -want to make some purchases there. If I can obtain sufficient -money from home to buy the books I want, I will -soon be back. But if I cannot get the money at -Calcutta I must return home and get it, and will come back -next year or the year after next. I cannot say when I can -come back, but at any rate I must start immediately. But -the thing that troubles me most is the despatch of my -baggage. I wish to carry these books home and show -them to my fellow-countrymen. If I take all of them -they must be packed and sent on a horse, or by some other -means. Can you find any good way of doing this for -me?”</p> - -<p>Apothecary Li Tsu-shu was a man who believed in me so -much that he would do anything for my sake. If I had -not had such a friend, my case would have been undoubtedly -hopeless. He was faithful to the end; if his -confidence in me had not been so strong, he would not have -done anything for me, or he might even have betrayed me -to my undoing. He seemed to know that I was a Japanese, -for, once when he came to my room, he saw some of the -Japanese books in my library, and after that he seemed -partly convinced that I was not a Chinese. It was when -people began to talk much about my nationality that I saw -him and told him that I was going home. He knew it was -dangerous to have anything to do with me, but he willingly -agreed to my request, and told me that he knew a -Chinese merchant who was from the same town as himself, -and a good friend of his; that I might go with him, for he -was leaving for Calcutta on business in four days, and that -as he had probably a few horses without freight he could -take my things at a smaller charge than anyone else. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_592" id="Page_592">[592]</a></span> -apothecary was also kind enough to promise me that he -would go to see the merchant and talk over the matter. As -we were talking thus, the apothecary saw a man entering -his house. He ran to him and said:</p> - -<p>“We have just been talking of you. Lucky to see you -here! Could you not take about two horses’ load to Darjeeling -for this gentleman?”</p> - -<p>As I saw the man I found that he was an old acquaintance -of mine; I had often bought musk and other things -from him and made him some medicine to sell in his store. -He knew well that I was honest in transactions, and would -have acceded to my request with pleasure. But he said -that he could not take charge of my luggage, for he had no -extra horses, but that he knew a man who was going to -Calcutta in four or five days, and who would arrive at the -city earlier than himself, and that as this man was carrying -the salary of soldiers to the Castle of Tomo by the order of -the Chinese Amban his horses were not loaded and might -take my baggage, but that probably I must pay him more -money. I said that I would willingly pay extra money if the -baggage would arrive earlier, and asked him to go to that -man to get the business settled. I was very glad to have -everything thus arranged.</p> - -<p>It was about the evening when we parted, and -I returned to the monastery at Sera. The next thing -to be done was to pack up my religious books -and bring them to Lhasa. That night I was so busy -packing up the books that I had no time for sleep, and the -next day before noon I was able to send away all the -packages to the druggist’s in Lhasa. This twenty-fifth day -was fortunately the best for such a purpose. On any -ordinary day there were always six or seven thousand -priests in the temple, and if I were engaged in packing my -things, it would have attracted their attention, and caused -many enquiries. But on that day there were only two or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_593" id="Page_593">[593]</a></span> -three men in each boarding-house. Therefore though I -was busy all the night in packing and the next morning in -sending the things to Lhasa, it caused no suspicion. But -there was Chamba-ise, a little fellow who had served me -for a long time. I could not leave him without doing something -for him. I used to send him to a tutor for study -while I was absent, and he would come back when I returned -and draw water, make tea and do various other services -for me. Now that I was leaving the Lamasery I could -not leave him without notice. In the first place I must -dismiss him, otherwise he would certainly think it strange -to see me taking out my books. So I told this boy and a -few others that I must go on a pilgrimage to Tsa-ri, as a -younger brother of the ex-Minister lived there and had -invited me. Tsa-ri is called the second Sacred Place in -Tibet. In Tibet there are the three Sacred Places; the first -is Kang Rinpoche or Mount Kailāsa in the north-western -plain; the second is Tsa-ri, a peak in the Himālayas in the -south-east which forms the frontier of Assam; the third -is the highest mountain in the world, the famous -Gaurīshānkara or Chomo Lhari, often called Mount -Everest. As to the boy, I told him that it would probably -take me four months to go there and come back, and -that I would leave him money for four months’ tuition -and board. But I was afraid a little boy like him -would use the money all at once if it were handed -him directly. So I took the money and deposited it -with his teacher. To a man who had been my security -since I entered the Sera seminary I sent a suit of priestly -garments and some money; my tutor whose lectures -I attended and many others were all presented with -some money or things as souvenirs. When all these -preparations were finished, it was past four o’clock in the -afternoon. Then I went to the Great Hall of Je Tatsang -to which I belonged, lighted butter-lamps, made some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_594" id="Page_594">[594]</a></span> -offerings, and in front of the Image of the Shākya -Buḍḍha I read my prayer of farewell, which ran as follows:</p> - -<p>“Here in the Great Hall of Je Tatsang of the Sera -Temple, Tibet, I, Ekai Jinkō, prostrate myself before the -Buḍḍha our benevolent Master and pray. It is with -great sorrow and regret that I see that the different deeds -of human beings have caused the different existences of -Buḍḍha among the believers: for the way to Buḍḍha is -originally open to all and accessible to everyone. I, Ekai -Jinkō, bound by the chain of deeds done in the previous -world, have not been able to accomplish the union and -conformity of the Japanese and Tibetan Buḍḍhists, and -now am obliged to leave the country. May the good -cause of the present day be the beginning of success, and -of the union of the Japanese and the Tibetan Buḍḍhists -at some future time, and also of illuminating the whole -world with the light of Buḍḍhism.” And calling upon -the name of Buḍḍha ten times together with an equal -number of salutations I left the temple.</p> - -<p>Coming down the steps of the Hall and passing the -paved yard to the left, there is a descent of long and steep -stone steps which leads to the front of the beautiful gate -of Choe-ra (a Ḍharma garden) where the student -priests are catechised. The premises of the Choe-ra, -which are enclosed by white low walls, are very spacious. -Here and there elms and willow-trees are planted -tastefully, and magnolia flowers perfume the air in -their season. A clear stream, which comes down -from the rocky hill on the other side of the buildings, -runs through the premises, and thus adds much to the -beauty of the place, especially when the setting sun -shines upon the stream, as it was then doing. This was -the seat I loved best in Lhasa, and I could not leave it -without paying a visit to this favorite resort of mine. -When I came here it was late in the afternoon, and all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_595" id="Page_595">[595]</a></span> -was quiet while I roamed about the place. Here my -heart began to hesitate again. Though I had already -bidden farewell to the Buḍḍha, thinking I should leave -this country, yet I confess my determination was not -strong enough.</p> - -<p>“Must I now leave,” thought I, “this quiet land of Buḍḍha -to which I have become attached; must I steal out of this -beautiful country without telling who I am, just as a -spy would do? Are there no means to say that I am a -Japanese, without causing harm to others? Death comes to -all sooner or later. Why should I not run the risk of death, -presenting the letter to the Pope? When I have made such a -good composition, how sorry I am not to show it to him!”</p> - -<p>While I was thus confused in my mind, suddenly a -voice ‘Giokpo peb’ (go back quickly) was heard from somewhere -about the Choe-ra. I wondered who spoke those -words, and to whom, and looked round, but nothing could -be seen but the green leaves of the trees shining in the -rays of the setting sun. Certainly it could not be a bird’s -voice, and I thought it must be only my fancy. When -I went on only two or three steps, the same “Giokpo peb” -but in a louder and clearer tone reached my ear. Thinking -somebody was talking to me, I cried out to ask who -it was, looked about, and went round and behind the -Choe-ra whence I thought the voice came, but no one was to -be found. Struck with a strange feeling I was going in -the direction of my boarding-place when I heard the -same strange voice again and again. This strange voice -had much to do with my final determination to go back -quickly; and when I was fully resolved the voice was -heard no more. I hastened to my room and fetched a -few things left there, and went and lodged at the druggist’s -in Lhasa.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t596"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t596h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t596.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="670" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>A MYSTERIOUS VOICE IN THE GARDEN OF SERA.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>The next day was spent in collecting the books which I -had asked many booksellers to secure for me, and for some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_596" id="Page_596">[596]</a></span> -of which I had paid in advance. By the evening I had -obtained a large number. The following day (May 26th) -was employed in the same business as the day before. In -the afternoon, Li Tsu-shu made some boxes for me to put -my things in. He was also kind enough to get me three -sheets of yak-hide in which to wrap my boxes. In Lhasa -many yaks are killed for food after two o’clock in the -afternoon every day. The pelt fresh from the butchery -is much used for packing and shipping goods. Things -are wrapped in it while it is yet soft with the fur inside<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_597" id="Page_597">[597]</a></span> -and the still bloody and greasy side out, and then stitched. -When it gets dry it is hard and strong, and well serves -to protect the contents.</p> - -<p>When all was ready it was the 27th of May. As the -next day was the appointed day on which I could hire -a horse from the Chinese merchant and start with him, I -went to take my leave of the ex-Minister. I thanked him -for the great favors I had for so long received from him, -and he gave me several hints and suggestions for my -journey. I borrowed a suit of priestly garments from him, -for all my suits were packed up together with other -things. He also gave me a hundred rupees, telling me -to accept it as an acknowledgement of the favors I had -done him. Though I thought the thank-offering ought -to have been from my side, I was in much need of money, -and so I accepted his present with many thanks and -returned to the apothecary’s.</p> - -<p>As I came back I learned from him that the merchant -who was to go with me on the following day would not -accompany me. I must tell how this unexpected hindrance -came about on the eve of my departure. The Secretary -of the Amban, of whom I spoke before, was a great friend -of the merchant whom I expected to accompany. Now -the Secretary, who was already suspecting me, told the -merchant that I was not a Chinese, but must be a Japanese; -that though he could not find the exact reason why I -came to Tibet, it might be possible that I was spying in -the service of the British Government, for now-a-days -nobody would be so much devoted to Buḍḍhism as to -come to Tibet as I declared I had done, and that if his -suspicion proved to be true after my departure with the -merchant the latter would have his head out off. The -merchant was surprised at hearing such a story from a -man who was regarded as the most learned and experienced -among the Chinese in Tibet, and of course believed it, so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_598" id="Page_598">[598]</a></span> -it was not possible in any way whatever to persuade him -to take charge of my baggage.</p> - -<p>But after telling this story, Li Tsu-shu told me that he -might probably find some means to send off my baggage -if I did not mind more expense, by making a special application -to the servants of the Chinese Legation and calling -the goods his drugs. I asked him to do so, and as to my -own journey, as I needed a coolie to carry my personal -luggage day and night, I asked him to hire one for me. -The druggist went off directly to negotiate with them, -but came back disappointed saying that the men whom -he intended to see were not to be found.</p> - -<p>Early the next morning (the 28th) the druggist -went out to see his country-men who were going to the -place called Tomo or Chumbi in Tibetan and Sui-shi in -Chinese, and arranged with them to carry my goods to the -place. I paid them the very high fare for the transportation -in advance. He sent my luggage to the Chinese -Legation that night. As for my coolie, Mrs. Li Tsu-shu -secured a man called Tenba after trying her best. So I -made all preparations for my departure for India by their -kindness. I could feel certain of starting from Lhasa on the -very next day, the 29th of May (the 20th of April according -to the Tibetan calendar).</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_599" id="Page_599">[599]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXXIII" id="CHAPTER_LXXXIII">CHAPTER LXXXIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">A Tearful Departure from Lhasa.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Lhasa was at that time in a state of such intense -excitement over the festivities that the people hardly -seemed to know what they were doing. The police force -of the city is not large: it consists of thirty constables -(Kochakpa) and thirty policemen (Ragyabpa), and the whole -energies of the force were devoted to the duty of guarding -the persons of the Grand Lama and his Co-adjutor. -Every official and priest was busily engaged in the duties -of his office; none could spare even a thought for anything -outside his immediate sphere of occupation—in short -the time could not possibly have been more favorable for -my plan of escaping from the city. Still it was necessary -to take precautions, for there were many priests from Sera -in the town, and I therefore determined to divert attention -by wearing, instead of travelling clothes, a suit of ordinary -ecclesiastical garments which I had borrowed from the -Minister a few days before.</p> - -<p>At eleven o’clock, on the day of my departure, my kind, -host and hostess of the Thien-ho-thang prepared for me a -farewell dinner of vegetables only. It was a very sad meal, -and the two children, a boy of five and a girl of eleven -years old, were almost inconsolable at the thought of my -departure. Poor things, they did their best to retain me -and I must confess that I never before felt so strongly the -force of childish affection.</p> - -<p>Some of the members of the family were very anxious -to testify their respect by accompanying me for a mile or -two on my journey, but as it would have been hard to -escape observation had we left the house in a large party, -we agreed to go out one by one, and meet again in the grove<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_600" id="Page_600">[600]</a></span> -in front of the Rebon Temple outside the capital. So, with -a coolie to carry my baggage, I started off by myself -through the crowded streets, and when right in front of the -Great Temple was accosted by a policeman. I felt sure that -something had been detected, and gave myself up for lost.</p> - -<p>He looked me straight in the face, and said “I congratulate -you,” and when he found I did not reply he -repeated his congratulations. I did not know what he -was congratulating me about, but at least it did not look -as if he were going to arrest me, and I continued my -silence, but he made three low bows as signs of his -congratulations, and made as though I would pass -on. Suddenly it occurred to me that I was wearing -a suit of ecclesiastical garments borrowed from the -Minister, and that doubtless the policeman had jumped -to the conclusion that as I was wearing such -dignified robes I had been appointed physician to His -Holiness (as indeed it was rumored), and that he expected a -reward of money for his well-meant felicitations. So I -gave him a ‘single-handed blessing,’ and a tanka of -money, which made him stick out his tongue in gratitude, -and so went on my way. I reckoned it as a thing most -auspicious that I should have met the man in front of the -Temple, and thus have commenced my journey with words -of felicitation.</p> - -<p>There are some points about the Tibetan police which I -must not omit to mention. They receive no salaries, and -live on the alms of the community, though their methods -of solicitation differ materially from those of ordinary -beggars. At stated periods they go, usually in companies -of three, through the streets, and standing at the gates of -private houses cry out as follows:</p> - -<p>“We have come to receive alms from the wealthy, and -you are so wealthy that you can easily relieve our distress. -We therefore pray you, the savior of the poor and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_601" id="Page_601">[601]</a></span> -friend of the needy, to give thirty pieces of gold to thirty -poor men who with their wives live in miserable huts, -and the gift you give us this day shall be brought home -to our women and make them happy. We shall fill our -broken cups with fragrant liquor and let them lie down this -evening in a state of blissful intoxication. <i>Lha-kyallo.</i><a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a>”</p> - -<p>They will go on repeating these dirge-like petitions at -the gate until at last some one comes out and gives them a -few silver coins and some parched wheat-flour in a tin pan -covered with a small kata. There is no fixed amount to be -given, but if a rich man does not give them what they -think they have a right to expect, they will let him know -what they think. They are not supposed to beg at Temples, -but as a matter of fact every Temple gives them something -for the sake of its own credit, and for peace and quiet.</p> - -<p>All the money that is thus collected is handed over to -one of the Kochakpa, who distributes it in regular monthly -instalments to the members of the Force. But the Lhasa -police have also further sources of income. When a -wealthy pilgrim from the country arrives in the city they -ask for a donation from him, and if they do not get at -least one tanka they will set the worthless people of the -city on to attack him and not stir a finger for his -protection. Every countryman therefore finds it to his -interest to pay this blackmail to the police, and when I -was in Lhasa as a layman I had paid my tanka like the -others. But since I had assumed the priest’s robe they -had not been able to demand anything from me, and therefore -I suppose that my friend thought the opportunity of -getting a present in return for his congratulations was too -good to be lost.</p> - -<p>If a policeman goes on a journey, say to arrest a thief, -he takes nothing with him for the expenses of his journey. -He goes to any house he chooses and takes what they give<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_602" id="Page_602">[602]</a></span> -him to eat and drink, and if he is going on to a place where -there is no entertainment to be had he just orders the -people of the house to provide him with whatever he -requires. The Kochakpa however are far superior to -the ordinary policemen. They have a regular salary -from the Government, and so do not live on blackmail.</p> - -<p>Having got rid of my policeman friend, I turned to the -Temple for a final act of worship, and then passing under -the Palace of the Grand Lama and over the bridge, came -out upon the vast plain, where, by the small grove in front -of the Rebon Temple, I found the clerk of the drug-store -and a few friends waiting to take their leave of me. I had -had my dinner, and I never drink wine: there was nothing -left for me to do but to change my dress and commence -my journey, which I did, requesting my friends to return -my clerical clothes to the Minister of Finance. But my -friends had brought some wine with them, and insisted on -drinking to me before I went, repeatedly expressing -their great sorrow at my departure and urging me to take -great care of my health in the trying climate of India. -They were also very anxious to know whether, after once -returning to India, I should ever revisit Tibet again, -and they several times expressed their great indebtedness -to me. As for myself, I cannot say that I was very sorry -to be leaving Lhasa, but the sight of their sorrow made -me sad as I passed out of the grove of the Rebon Temple -in the direction of Shingzonka, where I stopped for the -night.</p> - -<p>On the 30th of May, I hired post-horses and left Shingzonka. -Here I had been obliged to find serious fault with -my luggage-carrier, Tenba. Tibetans, as my readers must -by this time be well aware, are prone to lies, and will grossly -exaggerate the most trivial and insignificant matters. -I had often spoken to Tenba about this, but in spite of -my frequent admonitions, he had told the master of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_603" id="Page_603">[603]</a></span> -house where we lodged at Shingzonka that I was an incarnation -of a Lama. Of course the innkeeper at once -was all full of smiles and politeness, put me into a better -room and did all he could for my comfort, and as far as that -was concerned I had no reason for complaint. But I was -afraid that by and by trouble might come to me by reason -of that lie, and I spoke to him in severe terms not only -about the wickedness but also about the inconvenience of -uttering falsehoods.</p> - -<p>“I only said ‘yes,’” urged the man in his own justification, -“when he asked me if you were not an incarnation. -If you go round as an incarnation, you are respected and -honored, and can make lots of money. There is no profit -in going about just as you are.”</p> - -<p>“But, you miserable man,” I returned angrily, “I am -not here for the purpose of making money. It is unutterably -bad to make money by deceiving others.”</p> - -<p>“But,” he grumbled, “everybody wants to make money”. -Nevertheless he promised to be more careful with his -tongue in the future.</p> - -<p>That day we had dinner at Ne-thang, and going six miles -further on arrived at the village of Nam. When my -teacher, Rai Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās Bahāḍur, visited Nam some -twenty years ago, it was a village of some thirty houses. -It seems almost incredible that we stayed in the single -house now standing in the place. The fact is that some -six years after the Rai Bahāḍur’s departure from Tibet, some -sixteen years ago, the whole village was swept away by -a flood of the river Kichu. The villagers then removed -their dwellings to a plateau between the ravines where -they would be safe from future inundations, erecting just -one house on the old site for the benefit of travellers.</p> - -<p>So, to return to my story, I passed through Nam and -reached the village of Jangtoe, where lived a priest whose -acquaintance I had made at Sera.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_604" id="Page_604">[604]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Where are you going?” he asked, as he served me -with tea.</p> - -<p>“On a pilgrimage to India,” was my politic reply, -which was received with great joy, and made my host -most sympathetic and helpful. He insisted on lending -me a horse the next morning, and I was thus enabled to -make a rapid journey to Chaksam, where I found several -boats, some of hides and some of wood. I embarked on -one of these latter, crossed to the other side and arrived at -the station of Pashe, under the high and steep mountain -of Genpala. At Pashe I hired another horse, (for I had -sent back the priest’s horse from the river), and the next -morning, 1st June, at four o’clock, started again on my -journey. Half-way up the hill I found a Chinaman who -had left Lhasa a day before myself. He was feeding his -horse by the roadside, and drinking tea, and when I -asked him about his luggage, he said that it was being -sent after him.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t605"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t605h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t605.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="477" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>A DISTANT VIEW OF LHASA.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>On reaching the top of the mountain and looking back, I -was able, in the clear air, to see not only Lhasa far away -on the north-eastern horizon, but even the Grand Lama’s -palace above it, a dim vision of heavenly beauty. Both in -coming and in going I enjoyed this beautiful sight, and -saluted the Lama’s Palace in the distance. Genpala rises -fourteen thousand nine hundred feet above the sea, while -Lhasa is twelve thousand, so that the mountain is nearly -three thousand feet higher than the city. The distance, as -a bird flies, between them is thirty-five miles, and though -some Tibetan travellers deny the fact, I can vouch for it from -experience that the Grand Lama’s Palace can be distinctly -seen from a point of vantage on the summit of the mountain, -though the slightest change in position causes -the palace to disappear.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t606"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t606h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t606.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="749" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>FAREWELL TO LHASA FROM THE TOP OF GENPALA.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>While speaking of Genpala I recollect an amusing -story which I will here relate. There is in the house of a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_605" id="Page_605">[605]</a></span> -rich man in Nepāl a Tibetan servant of the name of Penba-pun-tso, -who accompanied his master on one occasion on -a pilgrimage to Lhasa. There were several other Tibetans -in the company. Now, whereas in Nepāl food is cheap and -plentiful and every one gets enough, that is not the case -in Lhasa. There, the Lama gets a good meal with meats -of various kinds, vermicelli, and eggs; but the ordinary -layman has to be contented with parched barley flour—not -unmixed with sand and grit—put in a bowl with tea and -eaten. And often there is not enough even of that. -The pilgrims cannot always get all they require, and many -lose strength, while all lose flesh.</p> - -<p>At last the pilgrimage was over, all the noteworthy -Lamas had been visited, and the party of Nepālese, on -their way home, reached the summit of Mount Genpala. -With one accord they all turned round to take a last farewell -of the Holy City. “We are indeed fortunate,” they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_606" id="Page_606">[606]</a></span> -murmured, “to have been allowed to accomplish this -pilgrimage, and we pray (here they shed tears of pious -fervor) that we may deserve to be re-born in the Holy -Land of Buḍḍha.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_607" id="Page_607">[607]</a></span></p> - -<p>But Penba-pun-tso refused to join them in their -prayers. He deliberately turned his back on the Holy -City, and took no pains to conceal his disgust at the behavior -of his companions.</p> - -<p>“How joyful it is, brethren,” he replied to their remonstrances, -“to have left behind Lhasa, the hateful abode -of hungry demons and evil spirits. My prayer is that I -may never have occasion to see the place again.”</p> - -<p>“You are very hard on Lhasa,” they said.</p> - -<p>“Not a bit of it,” was the reply. “I am only honest; -that’s all. In my master’s house in Nepāl I get plenty of -food—good rice, with no sand in it. Why should I call -Lhasa the Holy City—a place where the greedy Lamas -are the only men who get enough to eat?”</p> - -<p>Penba’s pious companions were much shocked at his outspoken -heresies. But Penba did not mind their threats.</p> - -<p>“I may be punished for what I have said,” he calmly -remarked; “but all the same I am glad not to have been -born in Lhasa. The devils of the Holy City may punish -me if they like.”</p> - -<p>There is a great deal of truth in what the man said. -Lhasa swarms with beggars and paupers, and may truly -be called the City of hungry devils.</p> - -<p>There are even to be found in Lhasa professional mendicants -who are also usurious money-lenders. These men -as a rule starve themselves in order to save a little money, -which they conceal in some secret place underground and -then lend out at exorbitant rates of interest. When they -die, their secret hoard is lost, until some one some day digs -it up by chance, when it is presented as treasure-trove to the -priests of Sera or to those of the Ganden or Rebon Temples. -Can these men, who starve themselves in order to make a -little additional gain, be called anything but hungry devils? -Truly, I can witness that Lhasa is the abode of these hungry -spirits, and that the Lamas are flesh-eating ogres.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_608" id="Page_608">[608]</a></span></p> - -<p>Penba-pun-tso, whose story thus amused me as I -climbed over the steeps of Genpala, is still living at -Nyallam on the borders of Nepāl and Tibet. I cannot say -that I fully share his feelings against Lhasa, which I know -as well probably as he does; but it is indeed a city in -which wheat and tares grow together, a very few noble -Boḍhisaṭṭvas dwelling in the midst of many extortionate -demons. It is my earnest desire to return some day to the -Holy City and there work for the important object of -bringing together into living unity the Buḍḍhism of Japan -and Tibet.</p> - -<p>On our way down from the summit of Mount Genpala -we diverted our steps a little in the direction of the village -of Ta ma lung, a change of route necessitated by the desire -to dine and to change horses, before proceeding to the -post-station of Palte.</p> - -<p>Palte is, as I have mentioned before, a very picturesque -town on the shores of Lake Yamdo. We arrived towards -nightfall after a long journey southward through beautiful -winding roads, and here I fancy that my luggage -coolie Tenba, who preceded me by a few minutes, -must have announced me as a physician from Sera, for -soon after my arrival the headman brought me a sick man -for examination. I declined to prescribe for the man at -first, but the more I drew back the more did the headman -urge his suit, until I was at last reluctantly compelled to -give him some medicine. I was surprised to find with -what great reverence the people of the place treated -“a physician from Sera”.</p> - -<p>It was almost as if he had been a God of medicine, so -great was the honor they paid him.</p> - -<p>The next day, June 6th, I left Palte on horseback at -two in the morning, and about eight o’clock reached -the eastern extremity of Yase through beautiful scenery, -which I need not however describe again. Some two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_609" id="Page_609">[609]</a></span> -miles to the east of Yase there is a river which empties -itself into the narrow arm of a lake, and is crossed by a -stone bridge which leads the traveller towards the south. -As far as this bridge my route had been the same as on -my former journey through this country: but after crossing -the bridge, I diverged in a south-easterly direction along -the lake shore, and then turned to the south (still along the -lake) for five miles, where I struck off and reached Nankartse -in time for dinner. Here my servant, who was very -tired, expected to stop, but I pushed on westward, until -we came out on an immense plain where we beheld outspread -before us the snow-clad mountains of the Bhūṭān -frontier. As we pushed on the scenery became more -and more beautiful, and the mountains closed in on both -sides of us. At last, in the heart of a narrow ravine, we -came to a solitary house beside a river. We should have -had to go another five <i>ri</i> before reaching another house, so -we determined to stop here.</p> - -<p>The next morning, soon after midnight, I got up and -aroused my servant. He did not want to leave his bed -and grumbled about its being midnight and a long way to -dawn, but we had before made up our minds for an early -start so as to get ahead of possible pursuers, and so I kept -to my purpose. It was a very lonely ascent through deep -snow, and my servant was so scared by the darkness and -the fear of pursuers that he did not dare to walk behind -me, and when I made him go in front, he would often stop -for me to reconnoitre some suspicious object ahead. For -the road, he said, was full of malicious demons, and there -was no knowing what harm they might not do to one.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 542px;"> -<a id="zill_t610"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t610h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t610.jpg" class="hires" width="542" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>CROSSING A MOUNTAIN AT MIDNIGHT.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>I did my best to re-assure him by the fact of my presence -and the example of my courage, and so, with slow and -faltering steps we climbed up the five <i>ri</i> of steep mountain -ascent and at daybreak reached the small village of Za-ra, -when we had breakfast and succeeded in hiring horses.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_610" id="Page_610">[610]</a></span> -At these mountain-stations it is almost impossible to hire -an animal, for there are none kept there, and the traveller -has to depend on pack-horses and travelling horses that -may happen to pass by that way. What few post-horses -there are, are all taken up by the Government, and never -come into the hands of ordinary travellers. And yet it -was very important for us to obtain animals, for we had to -pass along the snowy peak of Nechen Kangsang, and -though there are several places in the ascent as well as in -the descent where riding is out of the question, over the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_611" id="Page_611">[611]</a></span> -steep and ill-kept roads, there are also places in the higher -plateau of the mountains where the rarefied atmosphere -makes rapid travelling on foot a sheer impossibility.</p> - -<p>Thanks, however, to our good fortune in procuring horses -at Za-ra, we were able to push on towards the majestic -mountain peaks as far as to Ralung, where we rested till -midnight. We then arose, mounted our steeds, and -following a stream for some ten and a half miles arrived at -Tsanang. In Tibet there is no beautiful scenery except -that of snowy mountains. When the snow-peaks disappear -from sight, everything becomes monotonous and -lonely.</p> - -<p>The next day we rode into the post-town of Gyangtze, the -third city of Tibet. The city contains a large Buḍḍhist -Temple, Pankhor Choeten, inhabited by fifteen hundred -priests, and in it was living the chief financial agent of the -Lama Government, who was married to the niece of the old -nun who once lived with me in the Minister’s residence. -As he was an old and intimate friend of mine, I ventured -to call upon him and was received with great joy. His -residence, Serchok, was a large building on the outskirts of -the grounds of the great Temple, and my friend -was very urgent that I should spend some ten or twenty -days with him. This I declined, on the ground that I -was going on a pilgrimage; but as I was anxious to see the -Temple, and as moreover it was absolutely necessary to -provide oneself with all necessaries of life before attempting -the trip across the mountains, I determined to stay for -one or two days at least.</p> - -<p>The temple is very large, and the tower is the largest -in Tibet. The number of priests is comparatively small, -but the monastery is about one-half the size of the Sera -convent. Priests of the New Sect predominate, but those of -the Old Sect are allowed to reside there, as are also the -Sakya and Karma priests. I was shown a great number<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_612" id="Page_612">[612]</a></span> -of sacred articles preserved in the Temple, and then returned -to my friend’s residence.</p> - -<p>Gyangtze is a good emporium for trade. A large market -is held every morning outside the gate of the great -temple, and people flock in from the whole neighborhood -to buy and sell. There are many shops, stalls, and -booths in which goods of all kinds are exposed for sale—vegetables, -meat, flower, milk, butter, cotton and articles -to tempt the fancy of the buyers. Also wool and yak’s -tails, on their road from the table-lands of the north-west -to India, are brought here in transit, and are distributed -among the merchants who come so far to obtain them.</p> - -<p>After stopping one night in the temple, we started on -June 1st, 1902, at five o’clock. By the kindness of my -host, a horse was lent to me for five days, and so -I passed through the town of Gyangtze, crossed the river -Tsangchu, and gradually proceeded southward to the -place where the nunnery of Nening stands. I was told -that in this nunnery there was a living goddess called -Dolma in Tibetan, only seven years of age. I did not however -see her. After taking dinner at the house opposite -the temple, we hurried on for about twenty-five miles, and -came to the native village of my luggage-carrier Tenba. -That night we lodged in a small temple where his brother -was living, and my man and he had a good carouse that -night.</p> - -<p>“Your master’s complexion is unusually fair,” said his -brother, “and differs little from that of Mongolians. Is he -not a European?”</p> - -<p>“No, no,” said my servant, eagerly trying to dispel his -brother’s suspicion, “he is an honorable physician in -Sera.”</p> - -<p>“I know the physician in Sera,” answered his brother, -entirely forgetting that I was in the next room; “but he is -a doubtful sort of man, one that brings the dead back to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_613" id="Page_613">[613]</a></span> -life. No man can do such things unless he is a European. -Be careful, my good brother, that you come to no harm.”</p> - -<p>“That is not so,” pleaded the other emphatically, relating -what he had heard from the owner of Thien-ho-thang, -“he is a Chinaman, an intimate friend of the owner of -Thien-ho-thang.”</p> - -<p>I pretended not to have heard the last night’s talk between -the brothers, and early the next morning I left the -house, and as we were at the point of departure the brother -whispered something in my man’s ear. Walking toward -the mountain south of us for about seven miles, we came -to the post-station of Kangma. While we were resting, -twelve or thirteen pack-horses led by a Chinaman, two of -them with my baggage, came towards us in great haste. It -seemed to me that the Chinese did not know the baggage -was mine, and I was glad to see that it was on the way -to Darjeeling.</p> - -<p>The sight of my baggage may have increased Tenba’s -suspicion. When it was first packed in Thien-ho-thang, he -thought it was going to be left in the care of the drug-store, -but now, to his surprise, he found it was going off somewhere. -He shut his mouth, hung his head thoughtfully, -and followed after me for a long while, till at last he suddenly -broke the silence.</p> - -<p>“As we are still some five or six days’ journey -from the Phari Challenge Gate,” he suggested eagerly, -yet with some hesitation, “would it not be better -for us to take the other road? They are so very strict with -their enquiries at the gate that it will be hard for you to -get a proper passport, without a witness who can prove -that you are only going on a short trip to India and that -you will soon be back. Such a witness must be taken from -the village itself, and it requires quite a lot of money to -get one. You will also have to do some bribing to get a -passport, and I very much doubt whether you have money<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_614" id="Page_614">[614]</a></span> -enough for the purpose. There is another way where I -can get you through for about half the money required at -Phari, and if you will entrust the matter to me I will take -you to it. We must go by the secret path to Khamburong, -from which point it will be easy to get into India; but it -is a difficult road, and not altogether free from wild -animals. If you are afraid of it, there is another route, -through Bhūtān, though, to be sure, it is infested with -highwaymen. Still, I dare say you will get through unmolested, -if you conceal your luggage and wear old clothes. -It is for you to choose.”</p> - -<p>“Do you mean to tell me,” I replied, “that I had better -take some other route than that of Phari on the ground of -expense?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir,” replied Tenba; “it is nonsense to throw -away money like that.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know how much money it will require,” I replied -deliberately, “but it is folly to risk one’s life unnecessarily. -If we go by the secret path or through Bhūṭān the -chances are nine to one that we lose our lives. It is better -to lose money than one’s life. So don’t dream of going -by a dangerous road, for there is no need for it. I am not -without money; how much do you want? I promised to -give you seven yen fifty sen monthly, and I intend to give -you a handsome present as well for the work you undertake -to do for me, but I shall not give you anything unless you -stick to your bargain.”</p> - -<p>The whole of this suggestion originated, I am sure, from -his brother’s parting whisper, and I was glad to be able to -dispel his suspicions, at least in some degree. Had I acted -upon his suggestions, and given him the money he asked -for to take me round by the secret path, his suspicions as -to the shadiness of my character would have been confirmed, -and he would only have waited for me to fall asleep to -steal my luggage. It is impossible to trust oneself entirely<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_615" id="Page_615">[615]</a></span> -to Tibetans, for honesty is observed only among people -who are well-known to one another, and only so long as -actions are done before the public gaze. Social restraints -are no sooner removed than the Tibetan is ready for any -crime or enormity. One has to keep one’s eyes constantly -open in travelling with such people.</p> - -<p>After a pleasant walk of about five miles along the -mountain ridge, we arrived at the village of Salu, where -we stopped. We left at one o’clock the next morning -(June 8th), much to the disgust of Tenba, who was again -horribly afraid of the journey through the dark, and -proceeded southward towards the mountains. More -accurately, we were going to the south-west, and -after proceeding for some seven and a half miles, reached -a high plain. Eleven miles further, we came to a small -lake with a river flowing to it. We kept along the east -bank of the river for another three and a half miles, -which brought us to Lake Lham tso, a sheet of water -connected with the lower lake by the river. We could -reach Phari by going round the lake on either side; but -we chose to go along the left or eastern side.</p> - -<p>From this point the snowy peaks of the Himālayas look -like a row of beautiful maidens sitting in a line on a -bench, and wearing snow-white bonnets. They are not -very high, but there are great numbers of peaks, the -lower slopes of which are covered in summer with grass, -which would I believe make excellent pasture, especially -along the borders of the lake where grass is profuse. -We skirted the shores of the lake for about twenty miles -and at last reached the village of Lham-maye, on a -beautiful summer evening with the crescent moon shining -faintly above us. It reminded me of home.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 562px;"> -<a id="zill_t616"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t616h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t616.jpg" class="hires" width="562" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>NIGHT SCENE ON THE CHOMO-LHARI AND LHAM TSO.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>We stopped for the night in a large stone house, from -which we had a view towards the south over a great -mountain known in Tibetan as Chomo-Lhari (the mountain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_617" id="Page_617">[617]</a></span> -of the Mother Goddess). There are many mountains of -this name in Tibet, where nearly every snowy peak is -accounted sacred to the deity and is called by her name. -Some say that there are twenty-one Chomo-Lhari in Tibet, -some give the number as thirty-two; but as nearly every -large mountain goes by that name, the number must be -far greater. This particular Chomo-Lhari sits, like the -Buḍḍhist deity Vairochana, with an air of great solemnity -in one corner of the plain, with its head in the clouds; -while the snowy peaks which range themselves on either -side of it, embracing the lake as it were with their gigantic -masses, look like the Boḍhisaṭṭva Avalokiṭeshvara (representative -of the great Mercy of Buḍḍha) and Boḍhisaṭṭva -Manjushrī (representative of the great knowledge -of Buḍḍha) offering before the great Buḍḍha Vairochana -a sacrifice of silent praise. The whole scene seemed to -me like a picture of the Buḍḍhist Heaven.</p> - -<p>On this plateau, as on the great north-western plain of -Tibet, neither wheat nor barley will grow, and the district -is fit only for pasturage, and that only during the summer -months. Lake Lham tso abounds in fish of all kinds, -from seven to twelve inches in length, and it is much -frequented during the summer by fishermen who catch -and dry the fish for winter consumption. During the -winter, when fishing is impossible, they take to begging, -and so the population around the Lake consists mainly -of people who are half fishermen and half beggars.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_618" id="Page_618">[618]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXXIV" id="CHAPTER_LXXXIV">CHAPTER LXXXIV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Five Gates to Pass.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>On June 9th we were as usual early on horseback, and on -our road towards the south. Tenba seemed to fall back -into his old suspicious mood. We were due to reach the -first Challenge Gate on the following morning, and he -possibly feared that if anything leaked out he would be -arrested and put into jail. So he began his attacks on me -again.</p> - -<p>“The other day,” he said, “you said that there was no -need for us to take the secret path, but there you were -wrong. It is not nearly such difficult travelling as you -suppose. I have been over it twice myself, and the wild -beasts can always be scared away by lighting fires. The -officers at Phari are, as I have told you, both strict and -extortionate. Fourteen or fifteen <i>yen</i> ought to be enough, -but you may have to pay thirty or even fifty. You will be -detained for three or four days at the very least, possibly -for a week. If you are anxious to get on quickly you -had better take the secret path. Why waste money and -time?”</p> - -<p>“Well,” I replied, “if the officials want to bleed me, I -suppose they must. I have no objection to being bled. -It will be one way of making an offering to the Dalai -Lama.”</p> - -<p>Again my feigned nonchalance cleared his mind of -doubt, though it surprised him not a little. But a short -time later a most strange and weird thing took place. -We had gone some five miles further, when suddenly a -band of ill-favored savage-looking men, four in number, -stood in my path, made a profound bow, and begged me to -do them a favor.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_619" id="Page_619">[619]</a></span></p> - -<p>“We are on our way from the north,” they said in -excited tones, “and we were taking salt to sell at Phari. -Last night, while our watchmen were dozing, some robbers -came up and drove off forty-five of our yaks. We do not -know whether they were Tibetans or Bhūṭānese, but we -intend to pursue them whoever they are, and we desire -you to find out by divination which way they have gone.”</p> - -<p>They had mistaken me for a soothsaying Tibetan priest, -and there was nothing for me but to act up to the <i>rôle</i>. -So I struck an attitude such as I had seen the native -diviners assume, and said solemnly and with decision: -“Go towards the north, as quickly as you can: it may -be that you will catch them before evening.”</p> - -<p>So they hurried off with great joy, leaving us to -proceed on our journey to the village of Lham tso -on the slope of Mount Chomo-Lhari. It is a poor -village, the soil of which is said to produce nothing -that is eatable, and the inhabitants are generally unable -to pay taxes.</p> - -<p>Bhūṭān is an independent country under the nominal -rule of a King, whose power, however, does not go far -over the various tribes within his Kingdom. Each -tribe pays a tribute to Tibet, directly, and not through -the King’s Government, and in return for the tribute -receives a present from the Tibetan authorities, so that -it is really an exchange of presents rather than a payment -of tribute.</p> - -<p>We were now not very far from the first Challenge -Gate. I had had to tell Tenba repeatedly to stick to -the public road, but I was obliged to have recourse to -religious meditation before I could get him to act in -accordance with my wishes.</p> - -<p>Fortunately for my authority the men who had lost the -yaks on the previous day came up to us. They had recovered -every one of their lost animals, and had come to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_620" id="Page_620">[620]</a></span> -express their gratitude and to make me a present of two -tankas and a kata. This incident impressed my servant -tremendously. He was now quite sure that I was a man -gifted with extraordinary powers, and was more willing to -acquiesce in my decision. That evening I recited the Holy -Texts until all had fallen asleep. I myself went into a -religious meditation-trance, by the light of which I decided -to go by the public road.</p> - -<p>Travellers taking this road are subjected to a first and -very strict examination at the first gate-house at Phari. -The first requisite is a witness, who for a consideration -swears that the traveller is going into India on business -for a short time, intending to come back. Then a little -palm-oil procures the passport, armed with which he goes on -to the second gate at Chumbi Samba. Here he produces -the passport and goes on to the third gate at Pimbithang, -where he is examined carefully by Chinese officials. The -fourth gate is at Tomo Rinchen-gang at which the traveller -receives a written certificate, which he has to show on -reaching the great gate of Nyatong Castle. Here he has to -do much bribery, and is strictly cross-examined. If he -comes through the ordeal, he receives another paper which -he has to take back to the fourth gate to be countersigned -and <i>viséd</i>. At the fourth gate he gets some more papers -which he has to take to the Chinese officer at Pimbithang, -from whom he receives another document written in -Chinese, which, together with the document received at -the fourth gate, must be taken once more to the gate -house at Nyatong Castle. At length, on the production of -all these documents, he is allowed to pass through the -castle gate into the village of Nyatong. Here he crosses a -small bridge on the other side of which are some Chinese -sentinels, the commander of these Chinese troops receiving -from him the certificate which he has received at the third -gate. The document from the fourth gate he takes with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_621" id="Page_621">[621]</a></span> -him to his destination: its production on his return -journey will enable him once more to be admitted to the -sacred soil of Tibet.</p> - -<p>Between Phari and Nyatong I came across a great -number of friends and acquaintances—some of them were -chance acquaintances, others who had known me at -Darjeeling. There was a lady missionary, Miss Annie R. -Taylor, who was living with her servants near the Nyatong -Gate, and there were some ill-natured Tibetans who knew -me so well that I was obliged to keep my eye constantly -open. I might, I felt, have the good fortune to get into -the gate-house, but whether I would come out again -was a more difficult problem. I could hardly expect to -get through without meeting any of my friends. If I -were detained for any length of time at Phari, there was -the danger that I might be arrested by messengers from -Lhasa, though I knew that ten days must elapse before -my absence from that city would be detected. The period -from April 20 to April 30 (Tibetan style) is a period of -confusion and bustle in Lhasa, and during that period it was -almost impossible that I should be missed. The conclusion -of the Panchen Lama’s rites would leave the officials with -leisure on their hands: then my absence would be noted, -and in the end they would send messengers after me.</p> - -<p>The day on which I held my meditation was May 3, -according to the Tibetan calendar, and I concluded therefore -that two or three days more must elapse before my -pursuers could reach me. But a delay of four or five days -at Phari might be a very critical question for me, and it -was just possible that while we were kept cooling our -heels in the last of the gate-houses, the Government -messengers might arrive, and all our labour be lost. Yet it -was very strange that, in spite of all the difficulties of the -way, it had been revealed to me in my meditation that -the public road was the one I ought to take.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_622" id="Page_622">[622]</a></span></p> - -<p>I had thought that the danger of the two roads was -about equal; but I thought that I would rather be arrested -on the public road and possibly be treated with violence, -than fall among wild beasts or robbers on the secret path. -I had moreover on several occasions tried the method of -religious meditation, and always with success. I determined -therefore to follow the path that had been -revealed to me.</p> - -<p>That night, I slept but very little, in a sitting position, -and early the next morning I started off on horseback -towards the great snowy peak of Chomo-Lhari. By going -round the side of the mountain, and gradually proceeding -south, after leaving lake Lham tso, we at last saw far to -the east and south, the great peak towering up above the -clouds almost like a snowy image of sitting Ḍharma. It -was summer; yet the weather was so exceedingly cold -that no plants could grow there, except lichens of flattened -kinds. By dint of whipping my horse all the time, I tried -very hard to reach Phari on that day; but as my servant -walked on foot and could not keep up with me, it was -quite dark when we came to the village of Chu-kya. It is -on a very high plateau, and the climate is exceedingly -cold. The land here is not only high, but large snow mountains -stand round it on both sides in one continuous row -and it has been said to be the bleakest and most barren -wilderness in the Tsang district. At night unless dried yak -dung can be collected, piled up and burned continually, the -cold is almost intolerable. Notwithstanding that it was -early summer, it was colder than our most rigorous winter -in Japan: indeed it is the coldest, wildest, most barren -place between Lhasa and Darjeeling. The next morning, -June 11th, we took tea and started at four o’clock, going -about five miles south along the river flowing through the -wilderness. I came to the Phari Zong just at sunrise.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_623" id="Page_623">[623]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXXV" id="CHAPTER_LXXXV">CHAPTER LXXXV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The First Challenge Gate.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Phari is a large castle standing on a hill, in form -like the Dalai Lama’s palace in Lhasa, but not so elegant. -All the houses standing at the foot of it looked somewhat -black. Phari is more or less of a prosperous town, situated -on the plain between the snow-mountains; and as all the -commodities imported from Darjeeling and Calcutta or -Bombay come to this town, there is a custom-house -for levying taxes. The customs duties for imported -goods amount to one-tenth, two-tenths, sometimes -even four-tenths of the original cost according to their -nature. Most of the duties are paid in kind; but in cases -where this is impossible, they are paid in money after the -value has been reduced to the corresponding silver coins.</p> - -<p>As we went through the town we saw by the side of it a -large pond. On the road between the pond and the castle -there were watchmen, who asked me where I was going -to lodge. As I did not know where to stop, I requested -them to find me a very good house, and when they saw -my dress (which was suitable for a man of high position) -they mistook me for a priest belonging to the nobility, and -led me to a very good lodging-house.</p> - -<p>There are no real inns or hotels in Tibet; what they call -inns or hotels being no better than our Japanese Kichin-yado.</p> - -<p>“Where are you going, Sir?” asked the inn-keeper -respectfully, thinking that I was a high priest.</p> - -<p>“I am going to Calcutta,” replied I; “and if circumstance -allow me to worship at Buḍḍhagayā, I will do so; -but as I have some pressing business, I am not sure -whether I can or not.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_624" id="Page_624">[624]</a></span></p> - -<p>“What is your service, Sir?” he asked again.</p> - -<p>“My service,” said I: “I have no need to tell it.”</p> - -<p>“Where do you come from, my noble priest?” said he, -intending from my reply to conjecture my station in life.</p> - -<p>“From Lhasa,” replied I.</p> - -<p>“Which part of Lhasa, Sir?”</p> - -<p>“From the Sera temple.”</p> - -<p>“I see,” said he, with sparkling eyes, believing that he -had found out my secret; “you are an incarnation of the -Lama.”</p> - -<p>Before I could say “no,” my servant, who was sitting -near me, spoke to him instantly: “The Dalai Lama’s” ... -but before he could say more I stopped him with angry -looks: “You must not talk nonsense; for it is no use.”</p> - -<p>“Then, what is your station in life, Sir,” he asked me -again, thinking that it is very strange that I should conceal -my social position, “are you His Holiness’s chaplain?” -“No” said I, “I am simply living in Sera and nothing else.”</p> - -<p>The more he wanted to know about me, the more I -tried to keep him in the dark, and I told him I could not -comply with his desire.</p> - -<p>“No, that is not good,” said the inn-keeper. “This is a -very troublesome place; your condition must be thoroughly -investigated, your dwelling and what position you hold, -and all doubtful points must be verified. You must also -produce a witness that though you are going to India you -are sure to return here again. To get a witness is not an -easy task; and to do this, I must first hear everything -about you.”</p> - -<p>“If that is so,” said I, “I shall make myself clear. I -am a common priest from Sera studying dialects in the -university department.”</p> - -<p>“Your looks belie you,” said he. “From your circumstance -and clothes, I conjecture that you are either a high -clergyman, or an incarnation of the Lama.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_625" id="Page_625">[625]</a></span></p> - -<p>“You may take me for such,” said I, “entirely at your -own convenience; but I am not what you think. The -truth of what I say will be plain if you enquire about me -at my convent.”</p> - -<p>“Really?” said the inn-keeper, and withdrew, followed -by the servant; the house was small, and their conversation -in the room opposite could be distinctly heard.</p> - -<p>“Your master has told me this and that,” said the inn-keeper, -“yet I want to know his true status, otherwise it -will be impossible for him to get out of this place for ten or -twenty days.”</p> - -<p>“But,” replied the servant, “I cannot tell you without -making him angry.”</p> - -<p>“In that case I shall do nothing more,” said the inn-keeper, -“for a month.”</p> - -<p>“He is in great haste,” replied the servant, “and he -seems to have some pressing business. We have travelled -the whole night through.”</p> - -<p>“Is it not strange,” said the inn-keeper, talking very -quickly, “that he should travel the whole night through? -I don’t know what kind of business he has; but at any rate -he is not a common priest; who is he?”</p> - -<p>“Well then, I will tell you,” replied the servant, “if -you will keep the secret, and not say you have heard it -from me. He is, in truth, the physician of Sera.”</p> - -<p>“Indeed;” said the host, “is he the physician who -restores the dead to life?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, he is,” replied the servant. “I am not quite -certain, but according to the popular rumor, he went to -the Grand Lama, and has been, I believe, appointed Court -Physician. Properly speaking, I am not the servant that -always attends on him. To confess the truth, as I came -into his service only a little while before our departure, -through the introduction of a drug-store keeper with -whom I am acquainted. I don’t know my master very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_626" id="Page_626">[626]</a></span> -well; but at any rate, his influence as a physician in -Lhasa is immense.”</p> - -<p>“Well then,” said the inn-keeper, “by as quick processes -as possible, I must get him a passport within four -or five days.”</p> - -<p>“It will be most embarrassing, if you cannot,” replied my -servant.</p> - -<p>“By the way,” said the inn-keeper, with great earnestness, -“talking about the physician, I recall that, among -my relatives, there is a most distressing case. Would it -not be possible for him to examine the patient?”</p> - -<p>Said my servant, with an air of disgust, “He never -treats a patient. He is obstinate and stiff-necked. On our -way here if he had treated patients he would easily have -made money, but notwithstanding my urgency, he always -refused to do so.”</p> - -<p>“Would you not be so kind,” said the inn-keeper, -requesting him eagerly, “as to intercede with him for -me?”</p> - -<p>“As the inn-keeper,” said the servant, coming into my -room somewhat perplexed, “was enquiring about your -person in various ways, I made a slip of the tongue, and -told him that you were a physician. Since I have been -told that there are many patients in this town, I request -you to examine them during our detention here for four or -five days.”</p> - -<p>“If I were to act as you ask me,” answered I, with more -or less anger in my voice, “and examine patients, there would -be no end to it; it is impossible for me to see patients, as it -would take too much time.”</p> - -<p>“As it is a means to deliver your person from death,” -said the servant, “I request you by all means to accept -the suggestion.”</p> - -<p>I ended by giving my consent, but with an air of great -reluctance. The inn-keeper was delighted and hurried away;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_627" id="Page_627">[627]</a></span> -in a short time he returned with another man, who took me -to a black-looking house. All the houses here look black; -the reason is that they are made of turf cut up, like bricks, -into sections of fourteen inches in length, seven inches in -breadth, and three inches in thickness, dried and consolidated. -It is very durable though not as hard as brick, -and houses constructed of this material only are liable to -be blown down by the wind. In order to protect them from -falling, posts are inserted here and there. With the exception -of one stone edifice, nearly all the buildings here are -made of this material. It seems to me that, as the -mountains are very far off and consequently great expense -is required for the transportation of stone, turf is selected -as the only material for the construction of houses. With -the exception of one or two houses, all are only one storey -high, quite the reverse of what I found at Lhasa. In the -case of a two-storied building, only the lower storey was -made of piled stones, and the upper one of turf: this is -owing to the danger of the second storey coming down. -I was conducted to such a two-storied house, where I only -felt the pulse of the patient, who after a little while felt -quite well again. The patient was the daughter of the -house, and her disease, as in the first stage of either -nervous trouble or consumption, was a feeling of -melancholy, which kept her always in her room. Taking -out a little quantity of medicine I gave it to her -and also suggested to her to go to the temple to -worship the Boḍhisaṭṭva Avalokiṭeshvara day and night, -and then went back to my lodging. After a little -while, the inn-keeper came to my room to express his -thanks for the trouble I had taken with the patient, who -had greatly improved.</p> - -<p>“It is very hard here,” said he in answering to my -request for a witness for the passport I wanted. “What -do you intend to do, Sir?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_628" id="Page_628">[628]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I am greatly perplexed about it;” answered I, “but -anyhow I must get someone as my witness. I am ready -to pay a proper amount of remuneration for it.”</p> - -<p>“The Government forbids us,” he said, “to act as witnesses -for others, so I shall take you to a person who may -act as your witness, and tell him the circumstances. If he -consents you need have no fear of being made to pay an -improper amount of money.”</p> - -<p>He then took me to the house of a man who was ready -to become my witness. This man was, contrary to my -expectation, not a bad man; but it is customary for a -Tibetan to extort money from anyone who wears good -clothes. Notwithstanding my forbidding my companions -to talk of my position and rank in Tibet, he told the other -person that I was the venerable physician of Sera, and the -Dalai Lama’s physician. As soon as he heard this, he -instantly consented to become my witness.</p> - -<p>“No remuneration is required,” said the man, “except -a rupee and a half, necessary for the process. It may not -be possible to get a passport at once. Whether the -conference can be held to-morrow or the day after to-morrow, -is not known; yet, I shall request them to hold it -as quickly as possible. In that case, you may leave here -within four or five days; but, as it will cause delay if a -written petition is not presented to-day, I shall take you -to the official at once.”</p> - -<p>The gate-house is constructed among the houses of the -common people at the foot of the castle. There was no -room in it for holding a conference. There were fourteen -or fifteen officials; but I could not tell whether there were -any superior officials there or not. In Tibet, delay is the -rule, and even though all the officials are present they -never hold a conference, and sometimes will delay matters -for four, five or even ten days. This is done merely to -extort as much money as possible; the passport is given<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_629" id="Page_629">[629]</a></span> -sooner or later according to the amount of the bribe. On -the advice of my witness, I handed in my written petition -to the most dignified-looking man among the officials.</p> - -<p>“Of course to-day,” said he, “no conference can be -held; about the day after to-morrow we shall open the -conference; and on that occasion I shall give you an -answer any way. You need not come here; send the -inn-keeper to hear the result of our conference.” The -meaning was that, if I should send the inn-keeper on the -appointed day, he would tell him that a passport could -not be given on that day, but that if I offered so much -money, it would be given within five days. Even this is -the result of much bribery, as it would otherwise take eight -or ten days to get it.</p> - -<p>“As I have urgent business,” said I, “will it not be -possible, by special permission, to obtain it to-day?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know,” replied the official, “what kind of -business you have, but there is no precedent for giving a -passport on the day of arrival. We can’t deliver one now; -you had better go home.”</p> - -<p>As the inn-keeper and the father of the daughter who -received my treatment were with me, they invited the -official apart and told him that I was the court-physician.</p> - -<p>“On what business,” said the official, coming to me -again, and with a great surprise, “are you going to India?”</p> - -<p>“On some urgent business,” replied I. “Is it not -possible for you to have the conference to-morrow?”</p> - -<p>I could see that though I waited till the day after to-morrow, -it would be quite impossible to get the passport, -so I devised a scheme of my own to suit my purpose.</p> - -<p>“If I wait till to-morrow,” said I in great excitement, -“give me a note mentioning that though I arrived here on -this date there was no time to open the conference, and -you detained me here three days.”</p> - -<p>“No such precedent,” said the chief official.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_630" id="Page_630">[630]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I am not at all concerned about that,” said I; “I must -get a note anyhow showing the cause of my detention -here. If you want to know my position and my secret -business, you may find it out by proper processes from -the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs in Lhasa.”</p> - -<p>“What is the business in general?” asked the chief -official.</p> - -<p>“I may say this much. There is in Lhasa a patient of -great eminence; I am hurrying on the road to get the -medicine for him. My going to Buḍḍhagayā is only a -pretext; really, I am in great haste to get to Calcutta, -and shall come back as soon as I get the medicine. If -I am detained here two or three days I cannot fulfil my -great responsibility; and if I must stay here for several -days I must get a note to explain my detention as a proof -for a subsequent day.”</p> - -<p>“Properly speaking, what is your profession?” said the -official.</p> - -<p>“At present, I cannot make it clear to you,” said -I gravely, “but my going to India may reveal my -profession. Besides that, as I have very important business, -as I have told you again and again, I can hardly -stay here even one day. Please give me a note showing -that I arrived here, and handed in the written petition for -a passport, and mentioning my detention for some days.”</p> - -<p>“Dear me! I never came across such a case,” said the -chief official, greatly surprised, and turning pale. “Please -wait for awhile. Having heard that you are a great -physician, I request you, while you are waiting, to treat -a patient here; but as you are unable to stay here long, we -will not detain you longer. As for the passport, I can’t -decide it myself, but we will consult together and as soon -as we decide the matter, we will let you know immediately.”</p> - -<p>While I was treating the patient at his request at -three o’clock I was called out and went there again.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_631" id="Page_631">[631]</a></span></p> - -<p>“To-day,” said the chief official, “we have broken our -ordinary rule, and considering your private circumstances, -we held a special conference and decided to give you a -passport at four o’clock.”</p> - -<p>In a very short time, about four o’clock that day, I -received my passport. Even Government merchants who -have their passport already must go through various -consultations, for the examination of goods and other business, -and are detained here for at least two or three days. -To my great joy, I got a passport the same day that I -arrived. I might have left that night, but as there was no -house on the way I was obliged to stop till the next morning.</p> - -<p>Departing early the next day, we gradually proceeded -among the south-western mountains. The snow-mountains -began to project here and there, leaving between them -only small portions of plateau. After going about three -miles, when we reached the top of the plateau, the Phari -Castle was no more to be seen. On descending we found -that last night’s hail had moistened the ground very much, -the snow-mountains around wore white garments, and the -reflexion of the sun-light was so bright that it hurt my eyes. -The temperature was exceedingly cold, and the whole scenery -was lonesome and lifeless, only various kinds of short -grasses growing here and there near the flowing water. -The top of this plateau forms the watershed, dividing on -the one side the basins that drain on to the Tibetan plain, -and on the other to India.</p> - -<p>Beyond the steep ascent, and across the slope of the -snow-mountain, there is a very large stream. Its water -was so clear and transparent that all the pebbles at the -bottom looked like white or black gems. I quenched my -thirst with a palm-full of it; it was very cold and I felt -as if my hand were almost shrivelled up. As I had sent -the horse back from Phari Castle, I could not cross the -water on horseback. While I was hesitating about taking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_632" id="Page_632">[632]</a></span> -off my shoes and crossing the cold water, my servant -carried the luggage to the other side and then took me -also. Although this stream did not differ in temperature -from the neck-deep-stream I had often crossed in the -north-western plain, I had now become accustomed to the -easy and comfortable life in Lhasa, so that I felt the cold -almost unbearable. In times of distress and hardship, it is -not impossible to stand the severest pains and sufferings; in -times of ease and comfort, even the slightest discomfort -seems almost intolerable.</p> - -<p>After crossing the brook and descending about two -miles we came to the foot of a snow-mountain where, -among the scanty bushes, yellow, red, purple and light-pink -flowers of various kinds were growing close together -almost like a spreading carpet. As I never -studied botany, I do not know the names of these -plants; anyhow they were very beautiful. I was attracted -also by the surrounding scenery; the incessant change of -the snow-mountains was almost as if a fairy riding on the -clouds were rambling about here and there. As I descended -step by step, the rain fell quietly; and as the bodies of the -snow-mountains gradually disappeared, their snowy peaks -presented a still finer aspect. Here and there on both sides -of the mountain path the dewdrops on the fragrant red and -yellow azaleas and other flowers looked like mountain -gems arranged in rows.</p> - -<p>Descending still lower along the mountain brook, the -bounding current dashed against the rock, and its spray -splashing on our feet was one of the most pleasurable sensations -I ever experienced. To the unrefined Tibetans such -a delightful prospect often becomes the cause of complaint. -My servant grumbled at the rainy weather, and told me that, -if the sun were there, he might have changed the weather -for us, so as to keep my luggage dry and make our lodging -easy and comfortable. No doubt it was a great trouble for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_633" id="Page_633">[633]</a></span> -him, but if he had had any love of nature, it would have -diminished his trouble. As most of the Tibetans are born -and die on the stony plains and bald mountains, they do not -understand the idea of beauty in the least. Even in pictures, -they have none representing the scenery of their own country; -or if they have, their pictures are imitations of the -Chinese style. For that reason my servant was quite indifferent -as to whether he was amongst mountains of incomparable -beauty, or on a barren wilderness with yak’s -excrements scattered everywhere. I had entirely forgotten -the discomfort of the rainy weather and my wet clothes in -the pleasure of the scenery. If I could have taken a sketch -or a photograph of it for the entertainment of my countrymen, -my gratification would have been almost infinite.</p> - -<p>As I proceeded slowly, the picturesque view changed from -time to time, and the rhododendrons, the famous plants of the -Himālaya mountains, growing here and there among old -trees and rugged rocks, opened their bright flowers with -indescribable beauty. Rare flowers and curious plants were -bestrewn along both sides of the roaring brooks, the water -of which was perfectly transparent and as cold as snow.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t634"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t634h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t634.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="772" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>BEAUTIFUL SCENERY IN THE TIBETAN HIMALAYAS.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>“Shall I stay in this land and become a fairy in this fine -scenery? If I could describe the unutterable beauty of this -fairy land, how much should I gratify my parents and countrymen!” -was the hearty expression of the pleasure I felt, -while I was sitting on a rock and enjoying the whole scene -before me. Whenever I recollect the pleasure of that hour -I feel as if I had been free from the cares of the dusty world.</p> - -<p>The rain was falling furiously, and there was no place -to get shelter or to cook our food. Having heard that a little -further on there was a cave near a brook, we hurried there, -and kindled a fire by collecting half-decayed branches of -trees soaked with rain. We made tea, and after finishing -our meal gradually descended, and came to the village of -Dakarpo (the village of the white rock). That day we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_635" id="Page_635">[635]</a></span> -walked twenty miles. The place can hardly be called -a village. It is only a small barracks, with sixteen -soldiers, and one solitary house where a number of soldiers’ -wives were living at the side of the barracks. A large -white rock sixty yards in height stands out prominently. -I did not determine its nature; but it was an exceedingly -white rock partly covered with mosses and lichens.</p> - -<p>That night I stopped in the barracks. The duty of -these soldiers did not oblige them to examine the passports -of travellers.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_636" id="Page_636">[636]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXXVI" id="CHAPTER_LXXXVI">CHAPTER LXXXVI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Second and Third Challenge Gates.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>This station serves as a place for the transmission of letters -between Phari castle and the castle of Choeten Karpo; -that is, a station where the letters received from one place -can be handed over to the other. In Tibet, there is no -more perfect plan than this for the transmission of letters. -In other places, for example, by going twenty or thirty -miles letters can be handed in for transmission. Even this -is only for letters from the Government to the local office, -and not for private correspondence. Consequently in the -case of the transmission of private letters, it must be done -either by some one in the house or by some hired man.</p> - -<p>That night I was allowed to sleep in a comfortable bed. -It was the first time since my departure from India that I -lay on a European bed. As it was in the rainy season, the -next day was also rainy; but having no necessity to stay -there, in spite of my servant’s murmurs, we started at five -o’clock in the morning. This time we got into a very -lonely forest, where numerous trees of enormous size, requiring -three or four men to embrace them, were stretching -up so close together that the sun could not penetrate. -Although this is a part of the Tibetan dominion, yet they -could not get timber from here on account of the lack of -means of transportation. All the large rivers run towards -the south; and in such a country as Tibet, where there is -no good means of transportation, it is natural to leave even -such splendid and exhaustless forests just as they are. In -this forest of about four miles in circumference, there is -level ground and a river flowing from a peak of the Phari -in Tibet. This river begins with a very narrow stream, -but after receiving several small brooks and rivulets it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_637" id="Page_637">[637]</a></span> -becomes larger and wider as it goes lower and lower down -towards the plains. After walking about six miles from -Dakarpo, we arrived at the castle of Choeten Karpo.</p> - -<p>This Choeten Karpo is not mentioned in any of the works -of European authors that I have read. As this castle is of -very recent construction, it is possibly not known to foreigners. -It is occupied by two or three hundred Chinese soldiers. -It seemed that this place was not well-known to -the chief local official of Darjeeling; for he enquired of -me particularly, when I arrived at Darjeeling, about the -castle, its condition and the number of soldiers stationed -there.</p> - -<p>“It must be well-known to you,” said I, “why should -you ask me questions like that?”</p> - -<p>“Our secret-service men cannot go there,” replied he, -“it is utterly impossible for us to know anything about it.”</p> - -<p>I am not sure whether what he said was true or not; -but it is a fact that even Tibetans living in Darjeeling seem -not to know of the existence of such a castle. The Tibetans -are shrewd in money-saving, but at the same time they are -so entirely careless that though they see the gate of a -castle, they never enquire how many soldiers are stationed -there, what they are doing, and for what purpose they have -been provided.</p> - -<p>There is a passage right under the castle, which I entered -without meeting with any rudeness. In it there are the -lodgings of the Chinese soldiers, three hundred in number. -Though the town is among the mountains it is very prosperous. -Some of the soldiers are engaged in hair-dressing, -others are selling vermicelli and toilet articles, or making -<i>tofu</i> (a soft cream-like substance made from bean-curd). -Most of them have wives and children, and are engaged in -some suitable occupation. The barrack itself is the town -and the soldiers in it are moved here every half-year from -Shigatze or Gyangtze. They not only receive a salary<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_638" id="Page_638">[638]</a></span> -from the Chinese Government, but also a sum of money -from the Tibetan Government; consequently they live fairly -well on their double income.</p> - -<p>On ordering our dinner on our arrival at the barracks -in this soldier-town, we were abundantly served with boiled -rice and various other foods cooked in Chinese style. As -the feast principally consisted of pork and yak flesh, my -servant ate with gusto. I did not eat the meat, and asked -for salted vegetables instead. This was the first time on -the journey that I enjoyed pickles such as I had had in -Japan.</p> - -<p>The castle is strongly constructed, and there are two -gates at the centre of a large stone wall which extends to -the south along the side of the mountain. On the door of -the gate a notice is posted up announcing the daily opening -from six o’clock in the morning to the same time in -the afternoon. I heard from the neighboring people that -except when the gate is opened on the report of a soldier -for some urgent need, the notice is observed with strict -accuracy, since the people at night might be in danger of -their lives from the attacks of wild animals.</p> - -<p>We then passed a small bridge, and after ascending -about half a mile, and also descending through a forest along -a river, we came out on a plain of half a mile in circumference, -where beautiful flowers carpeted the ground, and -many horses were grazing.</p> - -<p>After leaving the plain and passing the bridge we went -about half a mile, and arrived at the bridge of Chumbi. -It is a large bridge twenty-five yards long and two yards -wide, having no railing. At the eastern end of it stands a -gate, in front of which there is a small house where a -number of soldiers keep watch. Passports have to be -handed to these soldiers, and if a man is considered by them -a suspicious person, he is sure to be sent back; also it is said -that without offering bribes one cannot pass through safely.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_639" id="Page_639">[639]</a></span></p> - -<p>As soon as I reached the gate, the soldiers asked me -where I was going. As my servant had shown my passport -to the chief official, he directed the inferior officials to admit -me without any enquiry. This was owing to the fact -that it was said in the passport that no impolite treatment -was to be accorded to the bearer. I had now passed through -two guard-houses without the least hindrance, and must -proceed to try for the third. For the new trial I felt a great -confidence arising from my strong devotion, as I had passed -my first trial with success according to the revelation -which I had received in religious meditation.</p> - -<p>After descending along a river for two miles and a half -we arrived at the barracks of Pimbithang, the third guard-house. -This day the rain fell in abundance, and we were -so tired that we stopped in a building attached to the -barracks. As I heard that there was no necessity for me -to be examined here on the next day, I felt I must go to -Tomo-Rinchen-gang, in order to obtain a note from the chief -official of the guard-house. The note from the last guard-house -being taken as a proof of our respectability, we were -allowed to pass through the gate of Nyatong castle guarded -by Chinese; and after enquiring about and receiving a note -from the chief of the castle, the fifth guard-house, I was -obliged to return to Pimbithang again. As I heard at -Pimbithang that a note can be given only between eleven and -half-past eleven o’clock, I had to go to Tomo-Rinchen-gang -early the next day; but it seemed almost impossible to -finish the matter within one day; it would certainly require -three or four days to do so.</p> - -<p>If I did nothing at this crisis, I should not only be in -the ordinary danger of being overtaken by a pursuer, but -as the information to catch such and such a man comes -direct to Nyatong and may arrive there at all hours of the -night, it might easily be utterly impossible for me to accomplish -my object; so I tried to devise means of escaping<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_640" id="Page_640">[640]</a></span> -the impending danger and avoiding trouble. Just at that -time the wife of the chief of Pimbithang (a Chinese military -officer) came in to receive medical treatment from me. -Who brought her to me, and on account of what statement -she came to me, I do not know. She was a Tibetan -woman, long suffering from hysteria. She was a rare -beauty, and had almost unlimited influence over her husband. -Military officers are of course entrusted with power -to command soldiers; yet in their families, the wives -are often the officers and their husbands are ready to obey -their command like private soldiers. So much I was told -by a soldier, who understood that his chief officer was a -greatly henpecked husband.</p> - -<p>As she took the trouble to come to me, I examined -this patient as she desired. After describing the nature -of her disease and the care it needed, I gave her the medicine -which seemed most suitable. It gratified her so much -that she asked me to receive something as a token of -thanks for my having served her. Hearing that I had no -desire to take anything from her, she returned home and -then came back again bringing with her something wrapped -in paper, but this I refused to receive. I told her that -as I was to get a passport, I had to go to Nyatong first, to -get a certificate to be presented to the guard-house here.</p> - -<p>Then I said to her:</p> - -<p>“Will you be so kind as to secure the immediate issue -of a passport from the chief officer?”</p> - -<p>“That can be easily done,” replied she; “though -my husband is strict, and never delivers a passport -even in case of his own men going out except from -eleven to half past eleven o’clock, I will be responsible -for it.”</p> - -<p>“That is my request,” said I, returning the present in -spite of her strong objection to receive it; “and I shall see -you again when I return.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_641" id="Page_641">[641]</a></span></p> - -<p>Thanking me again and again for my medical treatment, -she returned home with great joy. On the morrow if -things in Pimbithang should come out as smoothly and favorably -as I wished, everything in Nyatong would be done -easily, for the arrangements for it were now made. But I -was very anxious about matters at Pimbithang, and when I -asked the soldier’s wife where I stopped whether all things -would come out as I hoped, I was told that in spite of her -husband’s refusal they certainly would, for she had almost -unlimited power over her husband.</p> - -<p>The next day, June 14th, at three o’clock in the morning, -in spite of rain, I left and walked about two miles and -arrived at Tomo-Rinchen-gang. Even then day had not -dawned and no one was astir, and so I rested a while, the -door of every house being fast closed. Happily, the rain -presently stopped, and while I stood still near a closed -shop doors began to be opened here and there. I asked -the people where the guard-house was, and was told that it -stood at the end of the village.</p> - -<p>The guard-house is a very poor one, having no gate, only -a small room in which to keep watch. I went there just -at the time when the keeper was getting out of bed.</p> - -<p>Telling the keeper my present circumstances, I asked -for a note with which I could obtain a passport from the -other guard-house. The keeper grumbled out that there -had been no previous example of such a request. My -servant let slip that his master was a physician in Sera. -As soon as the keeper heard this, he asked the servant -whether his master was the famous physician of the Dalai -Lama or not. When I answered him vaguely and mysteriously -as most of the Tibetan gentlemen do, he believed me -immediately and gave me a note more readily than I -expected.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_642" id="Page_642">[642]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXXVII" id="CHAPTER_LXXXVII">CHAPTER LXXXVII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Fourth and Fifth Challenge Gates.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Leaving the village and walking about a mile, I climbed -up step by step alongside a broad river among the -south-western mountains. There were no tall trees, only -here and there some small dwarf specimens and wheat -growing in poor soil. Going on about a mile farther there -is a castle which is the largest and last one of the three. -The number of soldiers stationed in this castle is two -hundred; whereas in Pimbithang and Choeten Karpo the -number is respectively one hundred and two hundred, -altogether making five hundred in number. It is said -that about fifty soldiers are sometimes sent to Pimbithang. -In this soldier’s town, as in the case of Choeten Karpo and -Pimbithang, many of the men are engaged in various trades. -Passing through the town, there is a very large gate by the -side of which two soldiers were watching. I showed the -note to them, and after fixing a seal on it, they readily -allowed me to pass through. Walking a little further -from the gate I saw the fifth guard-house where lay the -greatest danger to my undertaking.</p> - -<p>The reason why it was specially dangerous to me was -the number of people who knew me. Of course there was -no man who would act as my enemy, but as most of the -Tibetans are shrewd money-savers, it was not certain that -those who knew me would not tell my nationality to the -Tibetan officials and thereby make a little money. There -had been two English people there; one of whom was -Miss Taylor, a missionary, who, as I said before, tried to -get into Tibet from China. Proceeding as far as Nakchukha -from which the distance to Lhasa is ten days’ journey -by horse, and fifteen or twenty days’ journey by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_643" id="Page_643">[643]</a></span> -walking, she was not allowed to go any further. Every -one can go to Nakchukha, which forms the boundary -between China and Tibet, but it is hard to step into -the Dalai Lama’s dominion. Miss Taylor returned with -the object of converting the Tibetan people, and now lives -at the town of Nyatong, which by some is called Yatung.</p> - -<p>As it is the boundary between British India and Tibet, -there are many Tibetans and British officials there. -Among those I knew very well were the Englishmen and -their Secretaries hired by the Chinese Government to -examine both import and export goods; besides there are -three or four Tibetans from Darjeeling. If I had been -detected by these men, there was no way of escape for me; -but committing myself to the will of Buḍḍha, I proceeded -rapidly onwards with firm steps. There were about ten -houses; the large and elegant ones were occupied by -officials, missionaries, or Chinese.</p> - -<p>Opposite the house of the missionary stands the mansion -of a man known by the official name Chyi Kyab (Superior), -his personal name being Sardar Dargye. Sardar means -coolie-leader, Dargye his personal name. In Darjeeling there -are ḍanḍiwala or mountain palanquin carriers, so-called -from the rudest and simplest form of palanquin used in mountain -travel, which consists essentially of a basket carried by -means of a pole. This man was originally the chief of these -coolies, and the custom of this rascal was to deceive and -threaten men and extort money by violence. As I heard -that all in Darjeeling had suffered from his cruel treatment -and reproached him vigorously, he must be a very -bad man. Now I had to meet this man.</p> - -<p>This upstart, who had been a coolie chief, being in Tibet -appointed to high rank by the Dalai Lama, is invested -with such great power and influence that he wears a hat -adorned with coral beads. Like all upstarts, his speech is -more arrogant than that of a Minister President in Lhasa,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_644" id="Page_644">[644]</a></span> -and it was thought almost certain that if I should call at -his mansion to see him, I should be driven out from his -gate. Just in front of his house stood an elegant and well -arranged house containing various chambers of convenient -sizes, inhabited by Europeans. In it many servants were -busily engaged in working here and there. Notwithstanding -there were some among them who knew me, I passed -by without seeing them. We went to Dargye’s mansion, but -we were not allowed to go in. However one man came -out, and looked at me awhile.</p> - -<p>“Who is he?” asked the man from my servant in a -whisper.</p> - -<p>No sooner did the servant utter the words: “He is the -physician of Sera,” than “Oh!” said the man, “is he the -famous physician of Sera? Some say he is coming to this -place.”</p> - -<p>“There is an urgent call for my master,” said the -servant, “we can’t lose even a day’s time. At Phari -Castle we received our passport on the day of our arrival; -give us the note as quickly as possible.”</p> - -<p>As I was thinking that the servant for the most part -had done well, the man said “Step this way,” and happily -we were received.</p> - -<p>The supervisor has two wives: one he married when he -was coolie-chief, and the other after appointment as a -supervisor.</p> - -<p>Telling him the various circumstances of my journey, -I requested him to give me a note allowing me to pass -out of the guard-house.</p> - -<p>“Tell me the whole truth of your business,” said the -supervisor gravely.</p> - -<p>“I must go to Calcutta on secret business,” said I -sternly, “concerning the inner chamber of the Dalai -Lama’s palace. It is so urgent that if possible I wish to -return within twenty days; but if you compel me to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_645" id="Page_645">[645]</a></span> -spend more time on the way, you must give me a certificate -verifying my excuse to show when I return to Lhasa.”</p> - -<p>“It is my duty,” persisted he, “I must hear the nature -of the secret business.”</p> - -<p>“Have you the right to hear,” said I gravely and with -dignity, “the secret of the Prime Minister? Furthermore, -have you the right to hear the secret which no one knows -but the Dalai Lama? If you compel me positively, I -shall tell you the secret of my business; but you must give -me a certificate signed and sealed with the chief’s stamp, -and assume the responsibility for my having told the -secret. If you do so and keep all men at a distance, I -shall lay open before you the whole of the Dalai Lama’s -secret.”</p> - -<p>“If it be so,” said he, giving me a note addressed to -Tomo-Rinchen-gang, “I shall not ask to hear it. As it is -a service of such great importance that it is impossible to -detain you even a day, I shall arrange to get the passport -as quickly as possible. I shall write a note which you may -send by your servant to Tomo-Rinchen-gang. You will -receive two copies of the note, which again must be taken -to the Chinese military officer at Pimbithang to get a copy -of the note there. By showing the one received from -Pimbithang, you may pass this guard-house without any -trouble.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t644b"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t644bh.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t644b.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="395" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>PASSPORT IN TIBETAN FOR THE AUTHOR’S RETURN TO TIBET -IN THE FUTURE.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>As I previously said, one of the two copies of notes -obtained from Tomo-Rinchen-gang is written in Chinese, -and the other in Tibetan. The one written in Chinese -is to be taken to Pimbithang, the third guard-house, and -handed in as a certificate to the Chinese military officer -there; while the other one, as shown in the picture, written -in Tibetan letters, is my return certificate which, when I -re-enter, must be handed to the supervisor of the fifth -guard-house, serving as a testimonial for the purpose of -receiving a new passport there. But as I went out of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_646" id="Page_646">[646]</a></span> -Tibet and have not yet returned, this return certificate -remains in my hands as a memento.</p> - -<p>To get a note from the supervisor Dargye was not an -easy task. This man has a bad reputation as a taker of -bribes. His personal appearance is disgusting. When I -told him that I had secret business from the Dalai Lama, -he instantly prostrated himself and bowed low again and -again. I was surprised at his entire change of manner; -but as I believe that, in every country, those who are -haughty to their inferiors are also servile to their -superiors and are usually hateful knaves, my feeling was -only deepened by the sudden change.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_647" id="Page_647">[647]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXXVIII" id="CHAPTER_LXXXVIII">CHAPTER LXXXVIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Final Gate Passed.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>I handed over to my servant the note received from the -supervisor of the fifth guard-house.</p> - -<p>“Take the note to Tomo-Rinchen-gang,” said I to the -servant privately; “you must get two notes there instead; -but in Pimbithang, if it requires a long time to get one, go -to the wife of the Chinese military officer, and rely on -her; she will manage the matter exactly as we want.”</p> - -<p>“That he gave it so soon,” said he, somewhat -surprised, “was almost like a dream. If you do not go -with me, I shall never get consent from Tomo-Rinchen-gang.”</p> - -<p>“I thought so too,” said I, “but when I told the -supervisor so, he told me that as everything is mentioned -in this note, it is certain that the Chief of Tomo-Rinchen-gang -will write a note to be sent to Pimbithang. He also -said that I need not go there but should send the servant -there, and myself wait here.”</p> - -<p>The servant then, after receiving from me a note -stamped with the seal of the supervisor, went back to -Tomo-Rinchen-gang as fast as he could. On arriving -there, he presented the note to the chief, and waited for a -while. As the special instruction from the supervisor was -mentioned on it, he at once made the two copies and gave -them to the servant, who took them, and again went back -two miles further to Pimbithang, to receive one written in -Chinese characters.</p> - -<p>As the time was about half past one when the servant -arrived there, the keeper declined to give him a note. -Consequently, according to my instructions, he went to -the house of the Chinese military officer and requested his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_648" id="Page_648">[648]</a></span> -wife to obtain the immediate delivery of the note he -needed. She, without any hesitation, ran to the guard-house -to see her husband, and told him to give it at once. -When he told her that it was too late to give one and -that he must wait till the next day, she lost her temper -and exposed the true character of a Tibetan woman. -Whereupon, the henpecked husband yielded to her -demands and gave a note to the servant, who came back -with it about four o’clock in the afternoon.</p> - -<p>Rain was falling that day, and though I had thought of -stopping a night there, it was better for us to depart if -possible. If we left there and walked about half a day -we should enter British India.</p> - -<p>“To-day is rainy and walking is hard,” said the -supervisor, “and furthermore, the distance from here to -Nakthang is somewhat great, there being no inn on the way. -But if you walk for about eight miles, there is one house; -and it would be a good plan for you to stop there to-night. -By doing so, to-morrow you may easily go to Nakthang; but -if not, even if you start from here at three o’clock in the -morning, it would be impossible to get there; I advise you -therefore, though it is troublesome, to start from here to-day, -since you have very important business to perform.”</p> - -<p>“I am very tired to-day,” said I, “so I should like to -stop here to-night. Is it possible for me to arrive at -Nakthang if I leave to-morrow?”</p> - -<p>“It is utterly impossible,” replied the supervisor somewhat -gravely.</p> - -<p>“How about going there?” asked I of the servant.</p> - -<p>“It is almost impossible for me to walk,” replied the -servant, who was weary and exhausted.</p> - -<p>“As the servant of a master who has urgent business,” -said the supervisor, in a somewhat scolding tone of voice, -“it is extremely rude and impolite to say it is impossible to -go.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_649" id="Page_649">[649]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Pardon me,” replied the servant shrinking almost like -a rat among cats, “you are right, Sir.”</p> - -<p>Fearing that to stay that night might perhaps become -the source of subsequent evils, I bade farewell to the -supervisor and departed.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t649"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t649h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t649.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="667" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>THE FORTRESS OF NYATONG.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>The Nyatong castle, as shown in the picture, is strong -and solid in structure, yet also magnificent in appearance. -Leaving the post-town Nyatong and descending a little -there is a river across which is a bridge two yards in width. -After passing the small bridge and going on a little, there -is a solitary house near which are stationed a number of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_650" id="Page_650">[650]</a></span> -Chinese soldiers. I handed over the passport written in -Chinese, which I had received at Pimbithang. One of the -soldiers examined it carefully and permitted us to pass -through. As we gradually ascended the mountain, the -rain fell furiously and the ascent became very steep. The -road hereabouts is pretty good, though the place forms -the boundary of Tibet, and does not belong to the British -dominion. Most Englishmen who are at present in -Nyatong live on land rented from Tibet.</p> - -<p>Ascending about two miles up the steep slope thickly -grown with trees, it became dark, and then the servant -commenced to complain.</p> - -<p>“There are a great many lodging houses,” he grumbled -“besides the supervisor’s. Can we not lodge somewhere to -get out of such rain? I can’t move a step on account of -the heavy luggage.”</p> - -<p>“I will carry half of your burden,” said I, somewhat -moved by his difficulties. I consoled him with great -trouble and made him move on till eight o’clock in the -evening; even then the distance to the solitary house was -two miles more and he told me that he was unable to -move even a step. Just at that point a small tent was -pitched, and someone had a fire inside. Around the tent -many mules were grazing, for mules are used by the people -of Tomo-Rinchen-gang to convey wool to Kalenpong. I stepped -into the tent and asked the man inside to lodge us. He -declined my request, saying that the five of his party could -hardly sleep in the small tent and no space was left for us -too. But as my servant sat down on the ground and would -not move, we at last succeeded in getting into the small tent.</p> - -<p>It was so small in extent that we could not lie down -and I was obliged to sit upright the whole night. While -thus meditating I was almost overwhelmed by my feelings.</p> - -<p>To pass through that succession of five strict and -vigilant guard-houses in only three days must have been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_651" id="Page_651">[651]</a></span> -miraculous. Even a Tibetan merchant accustomed to -travel through there many times is obliged to spend -at least seven or eight days in passing them. In spite of -the rain, too, to pass through them safely in three days and -come to that place—it seemed indeed miraculous. No chief -of any guard-house had had any suspicion about me; even -that shrewd and penetrating supervisor who had lived in -India for twenty years of toil and hardship, not only did -not suspect my mind and motive, but refrained from -argument, bowed his head low, and sent me out the same -day I arrived. This must have been entirely owing to the -grace of the protection of our Holy Lord Buḍḍha; shedding -tears of gratitude on account of it, I read the sacred books -and passed the whole night without sleeping.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_652" id="Page_652">[652]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_LXXXIX" id="CHAPTER_LXXXIX">CHAPTER LXXXIX.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Good-bye, Tibet!</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>The whole distance through which I had passed from -Darjeeling to Lhasa was about two thousand four hundred -and ninety miles. In the first place, I started from Darjeeling -on the 5th of January, in the 32nd year of Meiji, and passing -through Calcutta by railway, came to Segauli; hence also I -travelled on foot, and on the 5th of February -arrived at Kātmāndu. The distance between Segauli -and Kātmāndu was about a hundred and fifteen -miles. Leaving there on the 7th of March, on the -11th of the same month I came to Pokhra. I left there on -the 14th of the same month and on the 16th of April -reached Lo Tsarang at the distance of about eighteen miles -from the boundary of Tibet. From Kātmāndu to here, -I walked about two hundred and sixty miles. Staying a year -there, on the 6th of April of the next year, I left there and -for the convenience of entering Tibet, returning a little, -I came to a mountain village Malba, situated on the -eastern valley of Mount Dhavalagiri. I started from -this village on the 12th of June, and passing half -way up north of Mount Dhavalagiri at the height of -nineteen thousand feet, I proceeded to the north-western -plain; and on July 4th I reached the mountain gorge of -the province of Hor-to-sho in the north-western plain of -Tibet. The distance from Tsarang to Malba is about seventy -miles, and that from Malba to the Province of Hor-to-sho -one hundred and fifty-five miles. In these places, as I had -to pass through thickets and round gorges, I walked more -than the actual distance. On December 5th I came to the -temple of Tashi Lhunpo, and after staying there a few days, -departed. On the 21st of March, in the 34th year of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_653" id="Page_653">[653]</a></span> -Meiji, just two years and three months after the departure -from Darjeeling, I arrived at the Temple of Sera in Lhasa. -As I took roundabout roads now and then from Hor-tosho -to Lhasa I walked about one thousand two hundred and -fifty miles.</p> - -<p>When I got up the next morning I found that some fuel -had been collected during the night, so I boiled water and -made some tea, and at the same time we ate parched wheat-flour, -and then departed. That day, as we thought it -might be impossible to get parched wheat-flour on the -way, we ate plenty of it before starting, and commenced -to climb up the mountain. The rain ceased, and the weather -was very fine; we climbed up three miles and came to -a place covered with bushes of various kinds. Ascending -half a mile further, there was a lonely house. It is placed -there to detain men of suspicious character coming from -Darjeeling, while word is sent to the castle of Nyatong. -In that house there was a man and also an old woman. -I was told that he went backwards and forwards between -the place and Kalenpong on some sort of commercial -business. I drank tea there, and as after ascending the -high and steep mountain I was somewhat hungry, I ate -parched wheat-flour, and again resumed the climb. After -ascending about a mile among very short dwarf trees, the -path came out upon a snow-mountain called by the name of -Jelep-la or Jela. Before advancing over the snow, looking -towards the north-eastern sky, across the wide, dark plain -appearing and disappearing in the clouds, where stands -Lhasa from which I had departed, I bade farewell to Tibet. -There is a lake there the water of which was completely -frozen over. While ascending, I looked down and saw an -immense volume of cloud rising from a vast wide plain moving -to and fro in a wide forest, and it was indeed beautiful. -On the upper part of it, rhododendron flowers in full bloom -were to be seen. Walking for a mile over the snow, I reached<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_654" id="Page_654">[654]</a></span> -the summit which forms the real boundary of Tibet and -British India; a step on the other side of the mountain, -the people are not governed by Tibetan law.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t654"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t654h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t654.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="589" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>ON THE WAY TO THE SNOWY JELA-PEAK.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>Since I had reached the boundary of Tibet, or Tsarang, -in the Himalayan range, three years had elapsed, and at -last I had safely arrived in a country where free communications -are possible. The feeling that my safe arrival in -this country is entirely owing to the protecting power of -the Lord Buḍḍha was further deepened, and I worshipped -Him with zeal and earnestness. Then I composed <i>utas</i>, as -follows:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">O Shakyamuni, Thou, my refuge dear!</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Till now Thy guardian shield has guarded me</div><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_655" id="Page_655">[655]</a></span> - <div class="verse">Through many devious dangerous paths and wilds</div> - <div class="verse indent2">And snowy plateaux threatening instant deaths.</div> - <div class="verse">My grateful, fervent heart shall ever thrill</div> - <div class="verse indent2">With deathless Dharma’s virtues taught by Thee.</div> - <div class="verse">In all my wanderings o’er the Himalayan range,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">On all my paths beset with perils great,</div> - <div class="verse">The path of Dharma is the path for me.</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Thus strengthened by the purest Dharma’s strength</div> - <div class="verse">Traversed have I these unknown wilds, secure,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">And holiest Saints and Sanghas have I met.</div> - <div class="verse">Fore’er in Thee alone, O Lord, I live.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>At that time, at the summit of the mountain, I felt -extremely cold; but that feeling of coldness was entirely -forgotten in the strong feeling of gratitude for the grace -of Buḍḍha, in the joy felt for the safe passing of the manifold -guard-houses. When I came to myself, I was indeed -very cold, but happily the day was bright and sunny, so -that I felt warmth more or less even among such snowy -mountains. Descending about a mile, I came upon a very -good road three feet in width and paved with stones. -It was indeed a contrast, for even the idea of such a one is -quite unknown in Tibet.</p> - -<p>It was said that the year I came there especially large -hailstones fell. Hailstones are notable in these regions -of snow-mountains, and the hail I saw in Nepāl was very -large. I dug out some imbedded in the snow, and found -many as large as a pigeon’s egg; while it was said that at -the time of falling they must have been as large as a hen’s -egg.</p> - -<p>It is hardly credible that such large stones come down -like rain; but I believe it to be true from actually seeing -some imbedded ones as large as pigeon’s eggs. Many -people coming from Darjeeling and Tomo-Rinchen-gang -for trade declare that what I have said about -the size of a hailstone is true. It is not seldom here -that when hailstones fall in abundance, the passage is -stopped even for a month or more.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_656" id="Page_656">[656]</a></span></p> - -<p>Now leaving the snowy part of the mountain and descending -two miles, we again walked up an ascent of -three miles; and descending still three miles more, we arrived -at the post-town of Naktang. There were about twenty -houses here, which, a long time ago, were constructed as -barracks for a soldier’s station, the large ones are at present -used as store-houses for woollen goods. As it rained -that day, the road was very bad, and I lodged there -that night.</p> - -<p>In spite of rain falling furiously, we started on June -16th at five o’clock, and descending through a luxuriant -forest for thirteen miles, we arrived at Lingtam and stopped -there. If the weather had been fine, we could have gone -further that day; but it was rainy all the day, and -in addition to this, after leaving the Tibetan domain, -we had no necessity for being in a great hurry; and -the consequence of slow and loitering steps was that -we were obliged to stop there. The next day we again -descended for about four miles and came to a place -where we felt extreme heat which by contrast was almost -unbearable. I took off my clothing and, giving it to -the servant, walked on only in an underdress; still -abundant perspiration moistened my whole body. -Going up toward the south-west, we came to -Tsom-Takba and stopped there, as the weather was still -rainy. The next day, in spite of rain, we walked three -miles, and passing over a bridge, we went another three -miles, and stopped in the town of Boetong.</p> - -<p>This town lies in the centre of a rich and fertile plain -among the Himālaya Mountains. Many people of Nepāl -have immigrated to the neighborhood of this town, and -in addition to the old cultivated fields, they have added -many rice-fields here and there. Though it is under the -dominion of England, and taxes are paid to the Government -of British India, most of the people are Nepālese, besides a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_657" id="Page_657">[657]</a></span> -small number of Sikkim people. Along the line of this road -the most delightful thing I saw was the planting -of rice-fields in the rain. Though most of the Indian -rice is inferior and consequently disagreeable to the -taste, yet that produced in this part of the Himālaya -Mountains is not different from our Japanese rice -either in quality or lustre. This Indian rice, when boiled, -gives a very agreeable smell and is very sweet to eat. -For the cultivation of it they were planting a rice-field that -rainy day.</p> - -<p>In this town many Europeans are living, and most of -them are engaged in farming. It is a very flourishing post-town -containing a fine post-office, a Roman Catholic -Church, and a school for poor people connected with it. As -I walked through the town and came right under the -building of the post-office, a Tibetan gentleman, standing -on a veranda and looking at the people passing by, turned -his face and stared at me with great surprise.</p> - -<p>“Come in, Sir,” said he, calling out to me suddenly in a -loud voice.</p> - -<p>“No, thank you,” replied I, “I am too busy to enter. I -am searching for a house to stop in to-night. Will you be -so kind as to lodge me?”</p> - -<p>“Any thing will do,” said he, “please come in, Sir.”</p> - -<p>“Though I go in,” replied I, “I shall be in great trouble -if you do not lodge me.”</p> - -<p>“Please come in,” said he, smilingly, “however it -may be.”</p> - -<p>Thinking it was strange for him to treat me as his -intimate friend, I stepped in; and as soon as he saw me, -“Do you forget me?” said he, extending his hand, and -showing me in every way that he was indeed acquainted -with me.</p> - -<p>While I was in Darjeeling, he was a teacher of the Tibetan -language in the Government High School there; but he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_658" id="Page_658">[658]</a></span> -was not my instructor. Though he was a teacher of the -second class, and not deep in learning, yet he was a man of -general knowledge having the power of quick understanding. -Of his change of position to be postmaster here -I was entirely ignorant. After exchanging our respective -accounts of events since we parted, he eagerly asked me -how I had come through those vigilant guard-houses without -endangering myself. My servant sitting near me, -hearing us talking in English, looked almost stupefied. I -at once perceived that our conversation would arouse the -suspicion of my servant again, and tried to talk in the -dialect of Lhasa. As the postmaster knew the dialect -of Darjeeling very well, but did not know that of Lhasa, he -did not answer me in the latter but consequently talked -in English and Tibetan. This, just as I thought, -aroused the suspicion which had been happily suppressed -since our arrival at the first guard-house. The -servant instantly went to the wife of the postmaster -and asked her:</p> - -<p>“Speaking truthfully, where is my master from?” -said the servant.</p> - -<p>“He is,” replied the lady, “a Japanese Lama.”</p> - -<p>“Where is Japan?” asked the servant eagerly, as he -heard me talking English, “is he not an Englishman?”</p> - -<p>“No, he is a Japanese,” replied the lady, “Japan is, at -present, so strong and powerful that even England looks -at it with surprise. Her name, like the rising sun, -gleams even to the remotest part of the world. So says -my husband, who read it in a newspaper.”</p> - -<p>“That is a terrible matter,” said the servant, being -frightened almost into taking flight, haggard and pale; -“I shall be killed.”</p> - -<p>This account of her personal conference with my servant -was given to me by the lady afterwards. It seemed to me -that my servant almost trembled with fear, as though he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_659" id="Page_659">[659]</a></span> -expected every moment to lose his life; but I had no time -to explain his misunderstanding. I slept that night in -a clean and comfortable European bed.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_660" id="Page_660">[660]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XC" id="CHAPTER_XC">CHAPTER XC.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Labche Tribe.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>The next day I arrived in the rain at Kalenpong, a -distance of fifteen miles. Kalenpong is a thriving town -situated some thirty miles east of Darjeeling, across a large -valley and on a little lower level. Though a cheap kind -of goods forms the greater proportion of its business, the -total amount of trade carried on there is said to exceed -that of Darjeeling, for the merchants from Tibet, Sikkim, -and Bhūtān generally exchange their goods here. As in -Darjeeling, many foreigners live here; Tibetans, Hinḍūs, -Sikkimese, Bhūtānese, Nepālese, and Europeans may all -be found. There are also large protestant churches, -schools, hospitals, Buḍḍhist temples, and smaller places of -worship of various other religions. In Kalenpong there -lives a Tibetan named Pu-chung, who moved here from -Shigatze, where he had been a priest; but after his -removal to this town he became a merchant and is now -in good standing in his new way of living. It was to this man -that my baggage had been directed through the kindness -of the Chinese druggist Thien-ho-thang. As stated before, -it was put under the care of a Chinese officer who -was to carry it, together with the allowance to the -Chinese soldiers, as far as Tomo-Rinchen-gang, whence it -was to be trusted to some Chinese servants and to be -brought to Kalenpong. Therefore when I came to -Pu-chung I expected to receive it and start again directly, -but I found that it had not yet arrived, so I had to wait.</p> - -<p>When I arrived at his house, the host took me for a -Tibetan and treated me as such, but after some time he -asked my servant who I was, and my servant said that he -knew nothing about me except that I was called “Japan<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_661" id="Page_661">[661]</a></span> -Lama”. Pu-chung came to me and told me what he heard -from the servant, and asked whether I was the Japanese -Lama who had been at Darjeeling, telling me at the same time -that there was no need of concealment now that I was at -Kalenpong. I answered that there was no concealment, for -it had already been discovered at the post-office of -Boeton, and I asked him what my servant was thinking -about me and himself. Pu-chung informed me how surprised -my servant was, and how pale he turned when the -host told him that the Japanese Lama must have been an -intruder into the Forbidden Land, and how he could not -even eat the whole day from fear of the punishment he -would receive when he got back for meddling with me. Poor -fellow! I had to do something for him. If he was anxious -to return to his wife, who was pregnant at that time, and -to his children (of whom he had two) he must be sent back; -but if he was too much afraid of punishment to go home, -it might be better for him to stay and find some way of -living at Kalenpong or Darjeeling, and then his family -must be sent for; I was willing to help him to do this. -Whichever he might choose he must settle it himself. So -I told Pu-chung to go and ask my servant which he would -prefer.</p> - -<p>After a while my servant came to me accompanied -by the host, and requested me to divine for him by -the art of ‘Eki’ whether or not he should suffer if he -were to go back to Lhasa. This request I refused, because -of his connexion with me. Were he entirely a stranger to -me I might try ‘Eki,’ but he was my servant; if ‘Eki’ were -in favor of his staying there, it might be suspected that I -kept him for my own advantage; if on the contrary, my -‘Eki’ predicted that it was better to return home, he might -take me as anxious to get rid of him. So I told him plainly -what I thought, and advised him to go to some noted -Lama in the neighborhood and get his advice on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_662" id="Page_662">[662]</a></span> -subject. He would not listen to me, and demanded my -judgment again and again. At last I firmly refused, saying -that as there was no necessity to depend on ‘Eki’ now that -I was out of Tibet, I should never do it again even if any -one else applied to me. Seeing my strong determination -he went out. After a while he came back and told me the -judgment of a Lama was in favor of his returning home. -Thereupon I gave him thirty-five rupees, some old clothes -and provisions enough to carry him over the barriers, and -so sent him away. He was to go by the short road of the -Peach Valley, and he seems to have returned home safely -and also to have escaped punishment, as I heard nothing -more, though I inquired after him afterwards while I was -in Nepāl.</p> - -<p>Four or five days passed after his starting, yet the -Chinese to whom I had entrusted my baggage did not -come. I began to wonder about the cause of the delay; -even if he were stopped at a barrier, there could be no -arrest of the luggage. So it ought to be at Tomo at least, -but I heard nothing from Tomo for seven days. On the -eighth day, I met with a merchant from Tomo-Rinchen-gang -and was told that there had been two Chinese with several -Tibetan coolies and about twenty horses and mules coming -south, but the road being very bad owing to the recent rains, -three of the horses slipped into a river and were killed, -losing all the loads on their backs, which consisted of -musk and silver coins. My anxiety still further increased -when I heard that the horses that dropped into the river -belonged to the bigger Chinese of the two, for I remembered -that the Chinese who took charge of my goods was -the bigger one. Ten days passed, but nothing but similar -tidings were to be heard. At last I was almost in despair, -when on the morning of the eleventh day I heard of my goods, -and that night both the Chinese made their appearance -and to my great joy, I received my luggage at their hands.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_663" id="Page_663">[663]</a></span> -I paid thirteen rupees as freight from Tomo to Kalenpong.</p> - -<p>It was the first day of July when I received my baggage, -and on the next day I left Kalenpong. After about ten -miles descent I came to the river Tista, where an iron -bridge of European style a hundred and fifty feet long was -laid across. The bridge has no intermediate supports, -probably because the river is too rapid to allow of them. -From the Siliguri station by the river side, a bullock-cart -way runs by a very roundabout way to Kalenpong and -Boeton. It is chiefly used for freight.</p> - -<p>The Tista river has a mythological history, which I -will mention here. Among the Himālayas there is a savage -tribe called Labche who live in a primitive state. The -tribe is subdivided into two classes, of which one is much -inferior to the other. The forefather of the advanced -race, according to their genealogy, was called Tikum Serrong, -and is said to have been born from the earth of the Himālayas, -and his wife, whose name was Domi, from the water -of the Tista river; they call the river Domi’s Rangni Unlam -Hoklam. The river Tista runs through a large valley -to the north-east of Darjeeling and joins the Gaṇgā.</p> - -<p>The inferior tribe of the two is supposed to be descended -from a large stone, which is still to be seen in a little -village called Dalamthang, which is situated on a hill in the -plain north-west of Darjeeling. Their kinsmen are also -scattered about Sikkim. The superior and inferior tribes, -though they have different supposed ancestors, are really of -the same race—the Labche, though the latter tribe is much -lower and as stupid as the stone their forefather. With a few -exceptions, the Labche (who have lived at Darjeeling long -enough to imitate in dress the Tibetan or the Nepālese style) -all cling to their original customs and manners. The covering -of the body is only a cloth wound crosswise around the waist. -The cloth, known by the name of Kusdom of Domi, is woven<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_664" id="Page_664">[664]</a></span> -from the fibres of a grass called Sache in Tibetan. Sewing -with needles is entirely unknown among them. The Labche -women have their chins tattooed in three straight stripes, -and those who cannot afford tattooing are content to dye -three stripes, in some vegetable juice.</p> - -<p>Their food chiefly consists of grasses, seeds of grasses of wild -growth, and various kinds of mushrooms; meat and fish are -very seldom eaten. They are practically vegetarians, and are -such good botanists that they can discriminate with wonderful -skill the poisonous vegetables from the edible; they know that -such and such grasses are good against such and such diseases, -and in what season they are or are not good to eat, and -they know the names of all grasses. In this respect they -are far more intelligent than the Hinḍūs, who know nothing -of the names of grasses, nor even those of flowers. The -bamboo is the plant most useful to the Labches. In the -first place a section of bamboo is used as a kettle, into -which are stuffed the roots of grasses or fruits, and sometimes -corn well seasoned with salt and honey. Then it is -fastened with a lid and put on the fire (for fuel they use -bamboo) until the outside of the bamboo kettle turns -black. When it is removed and the lid opened, the contents -are found well cooked and ready for the table. This -is the only way of cooking known to the Labches in the -mountains. Earthen and stone kilns and metallic kettles -are not known at all. The bowls which they use at dinner -are also of bamboo, the bucket in which they carry water, -the basin in which they keep provisions and milk, are all -cylinders of bamboo. They also make bows and arrows -from the same useful plant, and are skilful archers with -bamboo bows and poisoned arrows.</p> - -<p>Among the Labche tribe polygamy is sometimes, but very -rarely, to be found; but polyandry is, in contrast to the -Tibetans, entirely forbidden. They are very timid by nature -and are extremely inactive, like other aboriginal races,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_665" id="Page_665">[665]</a></span> -but instead of diminishing, like the American Indians or -the Ainos of Japan, their number increases as much as does -that of the Tibetans. I believe their being monogamic -counts for something in their favor. I cannot say -whether their ancestors originated in the Himālaya -mountains, but, judging simply from their language, -which seemingly has no relation either to Tibetan or to -Samskṛṭ, I may safely say that they are descendants of -aboriginal people settled there in a very remote time. -Their faces are rather white and fine, and they are the best -looking among the Himālayan mountaineers. But they -have no courage or energy and look rather consumptive. -Though thieving is very common among this tribe, such -cruelty as manslaughter is utterly unknown. Most Labches -who come to Darjeeling now-a-days are of the superior -tribe of the two. Some people of the inferior tribe sometimes -come up to the city, but they are too timid to mingle -with others, and unless the utmost care be taken they run -back to their old home. But both of these tribes have -the finest countenance in the Himālayas, and, sad to say, -many of their women at Darjeeling are slaves of soldiers, -who are so numerous as to include many of the women -of the place in this infamous employment. In Sikkim there -are many immigrants both from Tibet and Bhūṭān, but -they mostly use the broken Tibetan language and can be -distinguished from the Labches, who differ from them not -only in language, but in appearance, customs, manners and -everything. The Labches believe in Buḍḍhism, but of a very -simple kind. I think they are a people of the greatest -ethnological interest. If polygenists find here original -man, it would be of no small interest to investigate -how his lines of descent have branched off. Monogenists, -on the other hand, would have to explain what linguistic -and ethnological relations they bear to the neighboring -tribes. No careful study seems to have been made of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_666" id="Page_666">[666]</a></span> -them yet. So we must leave the thorough investigation to -the scientists.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 525px;"> -<a id="zill_t666b"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t666bh.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t666b.jpg" class="hires" width="525" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>THE AUTHOR AS A TIBETAN LAMA AT DARJEELING -ON HIS RETURN.</p></div> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_667" id="Page_667">[667]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XCI" id="CHAPTER_XCI">CHAPTER XCI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Visit to my Old Teacher.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>But I must continue my journey. I crossed the iron -bridge over the Tista river, and found a good and wide -road on the other side. This time it was an ascent -of seventeen miles as far as Ghoom, where I expected -to arrive on that day. I quickened the pace of the horse -on which I was riding, but owing to the recent rain the -two horses which were loaded with my baggage could not -go so fast, and I was obliged to stop at a village for the -night, after only seven miles’ journey. The next day, I -arrived at Lhasa Villa, the country seat of Saraṭ Chanḍra -Ḍās of Darjeeling, my old teacher, through whom I first -became acquainted with the Tibetan language. When I -knocked at his door, one of his children opened it. He had -forgotten me and was asking my name, when Mrs. Chanḍra -Ḍās made her appearance and asked me on what business -I came.</p> - -<p>I replied with a smile, “Have you forgotten me? Can -you not still remember me?”</p> - -<p>Then the Rai Bahāḍur, who had probably recognised my -voice, rushed out and said: “Is it you, Mr. Kawaguchi? -You are welcome.”</p> - -<p>My baggage was immediately unloaded and carried in by -the servant, and I was shown in. Great was his -surprise and joy to see me again. He told me that he had -known of my whereabouts from my two letters to him, -and with what joy he had heard of my well-being as a -doctor, but with what apprehension he had considered my -prospects of getting out of Tibet. He also explained to -me how Tsa Rong-ba came to him to hand him my letter, but -as he ran away without calling at his house again as he -promised, he could not give me his answer, adding that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_668" id="Page_668">[668]</a></span> -in his answer he had intended to advise me to return -quickly, because on seeing my letter he had noticed there -was no further need for me to study the Tibetan language -and religion. He also told me that Dr. Bunyiu Nanjio of -Japan had been very anxious about me and asked him in -almost every letter to tell all he heard of me; and he said he -would write to the Doctor directly. I talked of my -experiences in Tibet and of the journey, and it was -midnight when we went to bed.</p> - -<p>Next morning I had bad fever, and when the fever went -down it was followed by palsy; my limbs began to lose -power and I felt as if the palsy was going to the heart. By -and by I was unable to move my hands or feet at all, and I -thought it must be a kind of heart attack of beri-beri from -which it is generally believed death is almost inevitable. -Rai Saraṭ was much concerned about me, and attended -me all the time of my sickness. Meanwhile a physician came in -and examined me. I learned afterwards that the physician -pronounced my disease to be a Tista fever, the most frightful -kind of malaria. I thought myself dying, and thought -how lucky it was to die here at Darjeeling, for then my -death could be announced to all my friends, whereas if it -had occurred in Tibet, no one would have heard of it. But -I thought that before I died I must make a will to the effect -that the books I brought from Tibet must be sent to Japan, -either to the Japanese Imperial University or to any other -great library within easy reach of my fellow-countrymen. -Therefore though in an almost insensible state I told my -teacher to write a will for me, and began to talk in English -but with great difficulty. Rai Saraṭ told me it was needless, -for he understood what I meant to say. The physician -also told me to keep quiet and spare both bodily and spiritual -exertion as much as possible.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 494px;"> -<a id="zill_t668b"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t668bh.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t668b.jpg" class="hires" width="494" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>PERFORMING CEREMONIES IN TIBETAN COSTUME.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>That night I felt a little better, but the palsy of the limbs -remained just the same, and I entered into samāḍhi, trying thus<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_669" id="Page_669">[669]</a></span> -to remove the root of the malady. If any one had seen me in that -state, he would have thought that I was indeed beside myself. -After three days’ suffering, thanks to the careful attendance of -Rai Saraṭ, I was a little better, and my limbs began to -have some feeling in them, and after that, though slowly, I -grew better and better, and on the eighth day I could move -my hand a little. I wished to telegraph home of my whereabouts, -but from Darjeeling to Japan the charge is -thirty-seven rupees for three words, and two rupees -was all the money I had left in my pocket now. -Nor was I bold enough to borrow the money from my -teacher, so after all, I did not telegraph home. But wishing -to notify my return, I did my best to use my hand and -wrote a letter addressed to Hige Tokujūro in my native -town, though I do not quite remember what I wrote in it. -I was gradually recovering, but for a whole month I was -unable to do anything, and became very thin and weak. -While in Tibet I had grown fat and healthy, and they had -often told me that I was another man after ten months’ -stay in Lhasa, and I had felt so too; but now I was again -quite lean. Happily, however, by the grace of Buḍḍha I -survived, and before another month had passed I was able -to read and write. After that I had a great many visitors -with whom I had every kind of conversation, to relate -which would take another volume, but as they have no -direct connexion with the journey to Tibet they need not -be narrated here.</p> - -<p>I was obliged to stay at Darjeeling for some time, -because after having been accustomed to the cold climate -of Tibet, I was afraid in my enfeebled state to undertake -a journey over the scorching plains of India. My doctor -also advised me to stay in Darjeeling for three months at -least, and I determined to do so. While I was thus waiting -for the recovery of my health, I heard nothing from Lhasa, -for in this season of the year the communication between<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_670" id="Page_670">[670]</a></span> -Phari and Darjeeling is almost entirely suspended from the -fear of attacks of fever on foreign travellers in the intermediate -region. The natives of Tomo-Rinchen-gang, who -are accustomed to the climate, do not catch it easily, but if -Tibetans were to pass through the district in the dangerous -season they would surely be attacked by the malady. -When I left Tibet it was at the beginning of the season and -the caravan which I joined was the last but one. I knew -the danger very well, but I had no other choice; the affair -which occurred in Lhasa drove me to come across the -dangerous path, and had caused my illness at Darjeeling. -In October the first caravan came from Tibet and brought -me some shocking news.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_671" id="Page_671">[671]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XCII" id="CHAPTER_XCII">CHAPTER XCII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">My Tibetan Friends in Trouble.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>I learned that a month had hardly passed after my -escape from Lhasa, when many of my acquaintances were -arrested and imprisoned. According to this information, -the ex-Minister of the Treasury with whom I lived, the old -nun living in his house, and one of his favorite servants, -were arrested and taken to prison; the new Treasury-minister -was set free, as he had not had much relation with me; -the Sera Seminary was closed, Tsa Rong-ba and his wife and -Takbo Tunbai Choen Joe were taken to jail and examined -with terrible tortures; every house which I had frequented -was closely observed by the detectives, and the people in -them were expecting every moment to be arrested; therefore -everybody who had had any connexion whatever with -me was endeavoring to conceal it, and consequently bribery -was prevalent in Lhasa. Such were the stories I -heard from the caravan, but the Tibetans are great story-tellers -in general, and are very fond of surprising people -by lies. So I thought they might be productions of their -imagination, derived from the rumor that I escaped from -Lhasa, and I did not give them much credit, and told them -they were absurd stories; but still I had some doubts.</p> - -<p>Some story of this kind reached the ear of the Magistrate -of Darjeeling. One day he called me to his private -house and asked me several questions as to the number of the -priests, and the educational system, and the regulations of -the Sera Monastery, and whether there was any law by -which a school could be closed for such occurrences as had -happened and whether I believed the stories. To this last -question I answered negatively, because not only the -Tibetans, but even the Chinese in Tibet, are very often<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_672" id="Page_672">[672]</a></span> -fond of exaggerating truths and circulating rumors at -Darjeeling; for instance, they say Russians have been seen -striding along the streets of Lhasa in broad daylight, while -in fact there are none, but only a Mongolian employed by the -Government of Russia.</p> - -<p>The local English officers of these districts are very -desirous of knowing anything about Tibet, and they would -write down any tidings brought thence, not distinguishing -whether they are true or not. At Ghoom there is -an officer whose special business it is to enquire into -anything occurring in Tibet. If there is anyone newly -arrived from that country, he would see him, ask -various questions, and if he found any important news he -would take the man to the Governor’s to enquire more minutely -about the matter in his presence. The present Governor -of Darjeeling can speak the Tibetan language to some -extent, but not with much ease; so interpreters are hired in -most cases. But the British Indian Government greatly -encourages these Governors of the districts adjoining Tibet to -study the Tibetan language, and they can take an examination -if they are able to speak colloquial Tibetan and explain -easy composition; and if they pass the examination -they can obtain a prize of a thousand rupees. Therefore -most of them study Tibetan. From these facts the reader -may infer with what caution the British Government is -trying to get insight into the Forbidden Land.</p> - -<p>As I knew well that the Tibetans were liars, I did not -much mind their talk, but when another caravan which -came two weeks later brought similar rumors my uneasiness -was greatly increased. Some days after a merchant -of my acquaintance came to Darjeeling, so I went to see -him and asked him whether these rumored stories were -true.</p> - -<p>“Not exactly,” said he, “things are not so bad as that. -It is true that the ex-Minister of the Treasury was once<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_673" id="Page_673">[673]</a></span> -arrested, but he was set free without being taken to prison. -However they say he will be again arrested in the near -future. When I started from Lhasa he dwelt in his residence, -not in prison; but I cannot tell what may have happened -since. Among those who are sure victims are your tutor -and your security at the Sera Seminary, Tsa Rong-ba and his -wife, Takbo Tunbai Choen Joe. Their torture is terrible -indeed; they are to be flogged every day, receiving three -hundred blows daily with a willow stick. We wished to pay -them a visit, and do something for them, but could not do -so; for if we did, it would only arouse the suspicion of the -detectives, who were hunting after anything they could get -hold of.”</p> - -<p>When I heard him I wondered what necessity there was -for such cruelty if it got out that I was a simple Japanese -priest, and asked the merchant whether he knew the cause -of the persecution. Then he said that they took me for an -English spy and not for a Japanese.</p> - -<p>“But then,” said I, “did any one tell them that I was an -Englishman?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, some one did,” said he. “In an official report -Chyi Kyab, the chief Guard of Nyatong, has stated to the -Pope that the Lama who was rumored to be a Japanese was -in truth an Englishman and brother to a high official of the -British Indian Government, by whose request he entered -Tibet in the disguise of a Japanese or Chinese. He also -stated that the disguised English spy had, while in Tibet, -several communications from Darjeeling through Tsa -Rong-ba and Takbo. Furthermore, the report says you are by -no means an ordinary man and can work miracles. It says -you did not come through the barrier on the highway, and -that even the bye-ways were watched with equal care, -so that you could not have passed through. It is said -that you must have flown to this side of the mountains -when you came to the neighborhood of the barriers.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_674" id="Page_674">[674]</a></span> -Since the report was read by the Pope, the persecution -of the prisoners is said to have been severe.”</p> - -<p>“By the way” he continued, “how did you come over -from Nyatong? Did you not fly?”</p> - -<p>“As I am no bird, how could I do such a thing?”</p> - -<p>“But they say you can do such a thing,” said he, “and I -am one of those who believe it, because for one who can -revive the dead, it must be an easy miracle to fly in the air. -In Tibet they all believe what Chyi Kyab has reported to -the Pope.”</p> - -<p>“Then,” said I, “I will show you one thing that tells -more than my speech; it is the passport given by the order -of Chyi Kyab himself.”</p> - -<p>The merchant seemed not to believe me yet, for by -this time even in Darjeeling the story that I could work -miracles became current and he had heard of it. I think -that this was caused by the fraudulent report of Chyi Kyab, -who was afraid of the punishment which was likely to befall -him if he made a true one. Sometime later when the -merchant came to my place, I showed him the passport and -he seemed to believe it. But a new suspicion arose that -I must have enchanted Chyi Kyab by magic and stolen the -passport. Ignorant people very often take a truth for a -miracle; and many Tibetans are no exception.</p> - -<p>I could not be calm now that I had heard such terrors -were raging in Tibet. In the first place, the ex-Treasury-minister’s -fate caused me much uneasiness. His acute and -strong character made him many enemies among his mean -fellow-countrymen, who might now find an opportunity of -revenging themselves upon him. Tsa Rong-ba and his -wife, my tutor at the Sera Seminary and my security there, -all of whom had shown me much favor and kindness, were -now suffering in chains; how could I sleep in peace? How I -wished I had been able to fly as they said I could, and -go to Lhasa to their rescue! Many considerations came to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_675" id="Page_675">[675]</a></span> -my mind as to the way of delivering them; but only two of -them seemed to be practicable. The one was to go to -Peking and to secure an order from the Chinese Government -to the Tibetan to suspend the hideous cruelty, and the -other was to go to Nepāl and ask the help of the Nepālese -Government. It took me a long while to decide which -method I should choose, but at last I determined to -try the latter.</p> - -<p>First, it was doubtful whether the Chinese Government -would admit any application, either from myself or through -the influence of the Japanese Government. In the second -place, China herself has ceased to have credit in Tibet. -In Tibet it is believed, even among the Government officers, -that the present Chinese Emperor has been married to an -English lady, and that since then, as she is on good terms -with England, the country is always disturbed. Besides -they know that China has become so helpless that they -can disobey her without being chastised. Lastly, the -Tibetan Government does not like any diplomatic interference -from China, because China is a country that proclaims -herself as friendly with all foreign countries. On the other -hand, Nepāl is much feared by the Tibetans, for the people -of Nepāl are very strong, and their soldiers, disciplined in -the English style, prove themselves very brave in time of -war. So the Tibetans are trying not to offend her, and -her advice is heard with more attention than that of -China. What made me think of the greater probability of -success through applying to the Nepālese Government -was the fact that that country puts so much trust in -Japan that she sends many students to Japan for study. -Thus I was determined to go to Nepāl.</p> - -<p>To do this, however, some money was needed, of which I -had none at that time; indeed, I had even some small -debts. Thanks to heaven, help came in my need; my -acquaintances at my native town were so kind as to collect<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_676" id="Page_676">[676]</a></span> -and send me three hundred yen, and with this money I was -ready to start. But there was one thing that held me -back; it was the compilation of a Tibetan grammar, which -I had sometime ago begun at the request of my teacher -Saraṭ Chanḍra Ḍās, who needed a complete grammar of the -Tibetan language to append to his Tibetan-English dictionary. -I began at once, and wrote some twenty pages, but -the complete study of the grammar of a foreign language -is not to be compared to writing compositions for papers or -magazines; books must be referred to and the opinions of -others must be consulted. And thus three months were -spent, but the completion of the grammar proceeded at a -very sluggish pace and I felt that it would take a year -or more to finish it. But the present prison affair in -Lhasa required my immediate exertion, otherwise all hope -might be gone. So I told my teacher that I had to suspend -the work, and towards the end of November I left -Darjeeling and came to Calcutta.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_677" id="Page_677">[677]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XCIII" id="CHAPTER_XCIII">CHAPTER XCIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Among Friends.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>I arrived at Calcutta and lodged at the Mahāboḍhi -Society’s rooms, where I found many priests from Ceylon -and Burma as my fellow-lodgers and conversational -companions. One or two days after my arrival, I called -on Mr. Kōjun Omiya, one of my fellow-students in Japan, -who was now staying here for a long time for the study of -Samskṛṭ. He had not the slightest notion of my being in -the same town, and I was dressed in Tibetan clothes -when I called on him. Being informed by his servant -that he was in the parlor, I entered the room without -being announced. Owing to the total disuse of Japanese -for many years, it was some while before I could utter a -single word in that language, so I simply bowed to him -a little and stared at him. My old friend, who was also -staring at me and undoubtedly feeling offended by the -intrusion of a strange man in a Tibetan dress, addressed me -in Hinḍusṭāni: “Whence have you come?”</p> - -<p>I could not help laughing to hear him say this, but at -the same time the words in Japanese came back to me and -I said: “Are you not Omiya?”</p> - -<p>He did not yet recognise me, and asked in Japanese: -“You are a Japanese who knows me? But who are you?”</p> - -<p>I replied: “I am Kawaguchi.”</p> - -<p>He was of course much surprised by so great a change -in me that I could easily have passed for a Tibetan. -I was soon shown to his room, which was kept very neat, and -we talked about our own country. Mr. Omiya is a priest of -the Tendai Sect and a very agreeable companion, and from -this time I shared his room. On the evening of December -14th, Dr. E. Inouye, the president of the Tetsugakkwan<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_678" id="Page_678">[678]</a></span> -in Tokyo (where we were instructed) came to Calcutta and -called on us. I need not describe here how delighted -our kind teacher was to see me back safe from the Forbidden -Land.</p> - -<p>Next morning, about three o’clock, I waked up -Dr. Inouye, and guided him to the Tiger Hill near Darjeeling, -the best place from which to see the Himālayas; for -though it was the best season of the year to see -the loftiest mountains in the world, it was generally -impossible to get a good view after nine or ten -o’clock in the morning. With the noblest work of -Nature before us, our poetical interest was aroused -and we made several poems. After short trips here and -there, on the 23rd of the month I returned to Calcutta -with Dr. Inouye, and on the same night we had to start on -a pilgrimage to Buḍḍhagayā. Pilgrimage was not my sole -object in going to Buḍḍhagayā; I wished to go to Delhi -to see Lieutenant-General Oku of Japan, who was to be -present at the Durbar in honor of the coronation of the -King of England and Emperor of India, and to apply to -him for a letter of introduction to the King of Nepāl, -through whose influence I intended to make my appeal -to the Tibetan Pope. So I had first to go to Buḍḍhagayā, -and then to the holy land of Benares, where I had to part -with Dr. Inouye, he going to Bombay and I to Delhi. We -got into a train and the next afternoon we arrived at -Bankipur. Here we had to stay some five hours to -change cars for Buḍḍhagayā. Dr. Inouye went to send -a telegram and I remained at the station; there was a -Hinḍū there also, who could speak English. He approached -me and asked: “Are you a Tibetan?”</p> - -<p>“No, I am not.”</p> - -<p>“Are you a Nepālese then?”</p> - -<p>“I am not that either?”</p> - -<p>“Do you not come from Tibet?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_679" id="Page_679">[679]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Yes, I did.”</p> - -<p>“Do you say you have come from Tibet, and yet are not -Tibetan?”</p> - -<p>“It does not necessarily follow that I am a Tibetan, -though I came from Tibet.”</p> - -<p>While I was thus talking, one man whose presence I -did not notice came running to me. Turning to the man, -I found my old acquaintance the Rev. Fujii Sensho. -Extending his hand to me, he expressed his joy at the -unexpected meeting, and congratulated me on my safe -return from Tibet.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t679"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t679h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t679.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="590" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>ACCIDENTAL MEETING! WITH A FRIEND AND COMPATRIOT.</p></div> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_680" id="Page_680">[680]</a></span></p> - -<p>“But what are you waiting for in such a place?” said he.</p> - -<p>“I am going to Buḍḍhagayā with Dr. Inouye.”</p> - -<p>“Then our destination is the same. I am going to call -on the Rev. Otani Kozui, who is staying at Gayā.”</p> - -<p>We despatched a telegram to Mr. Otani telling -him that we should arrive by the next train, and -we three then entered the train which took us to -Gayā, where we found a carriage sent by Count Otani -to meet us. When we arrived at the Dak bungalow, we -enjoyed a conversation with the Honorable Count Otani -and his suite. After various questions and answers, His -Highness asked me where I was going. I replied that I was -going to Nepāl. Mr. Fujii, whom I had not had an -opportunity of telling my object, was much surprised to -hear it now, and asked me what I wanted there.</p> - -<p>“I have two things to do there,” said I; “one is to bring -back my books, which I left with a certain person in that -country. The other is more serious. Many of my acquaintances -and friends in Tibet are now suffering in prison for -having been friendly towards me. So though it is doubtful -whether I shall succeed, I am going to Nepāl to get -help from its Government to save them.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Fujii rebuked me, saying, “You are no more Kawaguchi -of college life. Your fellow-countrymen are anxious -to see you come back and to hear of the strange land you -have visited. Therefore give up that idea of going to Nepāl, -where you can expect nothing but attacks of fever or wild -beasts or robbery, of which you have already had plenty of -experience; I tell you you had better prepare to start home.”</p> - -<p>Dr. Inouye, from whom I had heard such advice very -often, but who found me unpersuadable, now said to -Mr. Otani: “What is the opinion of Your Highness about -the matter of Kawaguchi?”</p> - -<p>His Highness, who was listening to our discussion with -interest, spoke now: “I can but praise your courage,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_681" id="Page_681">[681]</a></span> -Mr. Kawaguchi; with such courage only you could enter and -return from the closed country. But think of your personal -position; you must not expose yourself to useless danger.”</p> - -<p>I was again obliged to expound my motive and intention -to go to Nepāl, and said:</p> - -<p>“All that has been said is very true. But if I follow -the advice of you all, where is ‘the Japanese righteousness?’ -I am a servant of Buḍḍha, and my duty is to save -any one from misery, though he should have no personal -relations with me. But here are a great many men, to -whom I owe a debt of gratitude, by whose help I accomplished -my escape. They are suffering in jail; while I -am enjoying myself in a warm and comfortable room, what -pains are they suffering? I can see them shivering with -cold in the unlighted prison of Lhasa. In the day-time -they are flogged, and the only food given them is a -small quantity of parched barley once a day. Knowing -them to be in such a condition, how should I abandon -them, and start for home, even though my life is very -precious to me?”</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_682" id="Page_682">[682]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XCIV" id="CHAPTER_XCIV">CHAPTER XCIV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The Two Kings of Nepal.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Having made up my mind as to what I was going to do, -I took a train back to Calcutta a few nights after. Money -has its power in India, as elsewhere, and soon afterwards I -was once more on my way to Nepāl.</p> - -<p>By some means I was introduced to a Professor Keḍarnāṭh -Chatterji, an old Bengalī gentleman who had once been -the Principal of the Municipal School of Kātmāndu, Nepāl, -and was then living in Calcutta and known to be in the -good graces of the King of Nepāl. He readily, even -cheerfully, complied with my request and gave me a letter -of introduction to the King of Nepāl. I may observe that -the natives of Tibet, Bhūṭan and Sikkim are allowed to -travel in Nepāl, so long as they are in possession of a passport -issued by the Commander-in-Chief of Beelganji; but -no other foreigners are admitted into that country unless -armed with the King’s own pass. Hence my negotiations -with Professor Chatterji, to whom I presented myself as -one anxious to make a pilgrimage to all the holy Buḍḍhist -stations in Nepāl.</p> - -<p>On January 10th, 1902, I left Calcutta by train and reached -Raxaul, a station on the Nepālese border, at dusk of the -following day. It was about six o’clock then and, hiring -a coolie to carry my luggage, I crossed the Siman River -which separated India from Nepāl. Landed on the other -side, I was refused further progress by the officers of a -police station there, on the ground that the King of Nepāl -was soon coming home, and that, consequently, no one -from beyond the borders could be allowed entrance into the -country, until they had been subjected to thorough examination -and found harmless. I noticed that the natives beg<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_683" id="Page_683">[683]</a></span>ged, -begged, and were finally allowed to pass on. I -thought that here too bribery had its logic. But, no, I was a -foreigner and could under no circumstance be granted an -immediate passage. I finally produced Chatterji’s letter -of introduction to the King of Nepāl. The policeman on -attendance, who until then had refused even to let me interview -the chief of the station, now took me to that functionary. -The upshot was that the station chief caused my -letter of introduction, together with a very carefully prepared -description of my person, to be forwarded to Beelganji -and ordered me to wait for the result. At Beelganji was -the Commander-in-Chief, who was then acting there as -Regent in the absence of the King, and it was to this -authority that the documents were sent.</p> - -<p>The distance between the Siman police station and -Beelganji is only about a mile. I had waited in vain till -eleven o’clock at night for the expected instruction, and I -had just set about making a hot cup of tea in order to keep -myself warm, when a policeman belonging to the Royal -Palace Force put in an appearance and ordered me to accompany -him at once to Beelganji. At Beelganji I was -taken to a cottage in front of the Local Hospital to lodge -for the night. The next morning I presented myself at -the Regent’s court and there had to wait till five in the -afternoon before I could have an interview with His Excellency, -who informed me that the King was coming -home on the 14th and that he would then endeavor to -secure for me an audience with his royal master.</p> - -<p>I may here explain why I have given to the present -chapter the heading: “The Two Kings of Nepāl.” Nepāl, -indeed, possesses two Kings, a King <i>de jure</i> and a King <i>de -facto</i>, in Nepālese respectively Pānch Sarkār and Tīn Sarkār. -The <i>de facto</i> King is the real Ruler of Nepāl and -the <i>de jure</i> King is only the figure-head, maintaining his -court by means of a civil list, or rather a pension allowed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_684" id="Page_684">[684]</a></span> -by the former. In name the <i>de facto</i> King is the Prime -Minister of the country, but the actual sovereignty is in -his hands, and the nation knows only him as its King. -The existence of the King <i>de jure</i> is known, it may be said, -only by a circle of Government officials, the general mass -having but a very vague idea about it. It was of the return -home of the <i>de facto</i> King that I was informed.</p> - -<p>About sunset on the 14th, the Prime-Minister (the -King <i>de facto</i>) did, indeed, arrive in Beelganji, preceded -and followed by a <i>cortège</i> of great splendor, the most conspicuous -feature of which was a train of enormous elephants, -on which were seated the Princes and Princesses of the -royal family. Nepāl is a polygamous country, and the -number of royal scions is consequently very large. The -entrance of the royal procession into Beelganji was announced -with a salvo of thirteen guns. So the King returned, -but the Regent advised me to wait another day, promising -me that he would manage to obtain an audience for me -at about ten o’clock the following morning, or more accurately, -he would arrange the matter for me if I should present -myself at the palace at about ten o’clock in the morning -and patiently wait there till five o’clock in the afternoon. -This I did.</p> - -<p>It appeared that no person, as a rule, is granted an audience -in the palace on the occasion of a first presentation. -However I was taken into an inner court and was presented -to the King as he came out on his evening walk. Then -I had the singular satisfaction of his accepting from me a -certain object of Japanese fine art. The Prime-Minister -King seemed to be very well pleased with my present, and -even offered to pay me its price. Whatever the King’s offer -meant, I insisted on its being a present on my part. Then -I was invited to go in with His Highness, who treated me -like a ten years’ acquaintance.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 499px;"> -<a id="zill_t684b"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t684bh.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t684b.jpg" class="hires" width="499" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>THE PRIME MINISTER OF NEPAL, -H. H. CHANDRA SHAMSIR.</p></div> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_685" id="Page_685">[685]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XCV" id="CHAPTER_XCV">CHAPTER XCV.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Audience of the Two Kings.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Following the <i>de facto</i> King into a royal apartment, I -saw His Highness take his seat first, followed by another -who sat by him and whom I took for a Minister of State. I -subsequently found out that the second gentleman was no -less a personage than his Majesty the real King of Nepāl. -The audience took the form of a catechism, which was in -substance as follows:</p> - -<p>“I understand that you have been to Tibet: what made -you undertake the adventure?”</p> - -<p>“In order to complete my study of Buḍḍhism, Your Highness,” -replied I.</p> - -<p>“I am told,” said the Prime Minister, “that while in Tibet -you were in friendly intercourse with the nobles and high -priests of that country: who is the most powerful person -in Tibet just now?”</p> - -<p>“As a Buḍḍhist priest,” answered I, “I devoted all my -time to the study of Buḍḍhism and had no opportunity to -make myself acquainted with the political condition of that -country.”</p> - -<p>“There is no occasion whatever for you to be reserved; -Tibet and our country are on the most friendly terms with -each other, and your divulgence will do no harm. I want to -know these things only for my own information: besides, I -know that you are well posted on things Tibetan.”</p> - -<p>“Your Highness, I am well aware of the amicable relations -existing between Nepāl and Tibet: I only wish to -speak of nothing of which I have no accurate information.”</p> - -<p>“I understand that;” said the Minister; “I do not mean -to find fault with you: I shall only be pleased to hear your -opinion on the subject.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_686" id="Page_686">[686]</a></span></p> - -<p>“May it please Your Highness, then, the most powerful -personage in Tibet at present is, I think, the Dalai Lama -himself, and the man of the greatest influence among his -subjects, Shata.”</p> - -<p>“What do you think of the position of the Chinese representative -in Tibet in relation to the Hierarchy?”</p> - -<p>“I think his influence is in decadence now, Your Highness.”</p> - -<p>“How do you account for that, Mr. Kawaguchi?”</p> - -<p>“I imagine it all comes from the impotency of the Peking -Government, on the one hand, and from the fact of His -Holiness being a man of great ability, decision and political -acumen.”</p> - -<p>“Do you know Tsan-ni Kenbo of Russia?”</p> - -<p>“No, Your Highness. He was not in Lhasa while I was -there.”</p> - -<p>“But you must have heard something about him?”</p> - -<p>“That I have,” I admitted.</p> - -<p>“Who among the Government officials of Tibet is said -to be on the most friendly terms with him? Do you think he -enjoys the confidence of the Dalai Lama, as well as that of -His Holiness’s high officials?”</p> - -<p>“Shata alone, with the Dalai Lama, seems to place infinite -confidence in Russia; but the latter is an object, as -far as I know, of much distrust and dislike to all others.”</p> - -<p>Here the true King, sitting next to the Prime-Minister, -asked in Nepālese whether or not what I was saying -coincided with the stock of information in this latter’s -possession. The reply was a full affirmative. Then the -catechism was resumed:</p> - -<p>“Supposing,” asked the Minister “that Tibet concludes -a secret treaty with Russia, do you think that our neighbor -will be able to give effect to such a treaty?”</p> - -<p>“In my humble opinion, Your Highness, there will be -nothing to prevent the two Governments concluding such<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_687" id="Page_687">[687]</a></span> -a treaty; but the moment it is made public and an attempt -is made to put its stipulations into practice, one of two -things will happen—either the poisoning of the Dalai -Lama, or a popular uprising.”</p> - -<p>“What makes you hold such a view?”</p> - -<p>“Because,” replied I, “so far as I can see, the majority -of the Government authorities and the people in general -are opposed to such a state of things, even though a few -persons may be in its favor.”</p> - -<p>The Prime-Minister-King asked me some other questions, -but these I may omit here, with the answers which -I made. The point he seemed to be most anxious to know -was the secret path I took in entering Tibet. For a moment -I thought of satisfying his curiosity, but prudence -counselled forbearance, and I kept silence; because I -thought that the divulgence on my part might involve -some of my erstwhile friends and acquaintances in serious -trouble. Consequently I excused myself on the ground -that my poor command of English was not equal to the -task of narrating so complicated a tale, and that I might -have an occasion, when in the Nepālese capital, of imparting -the whole story to some of his Highness’s trusted -officials who understood Tibetan.</p> - -<p>The last question I was asked on the occasion was: -“What has transformed Japan into so great a power as -she is now?” I, of course, answered that it was the -result of education and patriotism. I was then excused -from the royal presence with the instruction that I should -return there at two o’clock the following afternoon.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_688" id="Page_688">[688]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XCVI" id="CHAPTER_XCVI">CHAPTER XCVI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Second Audience.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>At the appointed hour on the following day, I repaired -to the Government building, and the guards refused me -admittance until about five o’clock. When finally I was -admitted to the royal presence, it was only to be told that -his Highness was extremely busy that day, and that he -would see and give me the necessary papers the following -day at the Lambān preserve.</p> - -<p>When I came back to my lodging that evening my -servant expressed himself as quite sure that I was being -duped and that I would never be allowed to reach Lambān -on the morrow. That was bad. So I walked a distance -of about two and a half miles and back, in order to see -and be assured by the King’s Lord Chamberlain that I -was only uselessly worrying myself.</p> - -<p>On the 17th I hired an <i>ekka</i> (a single seat carriage) and -with my servant drove to the foot of a mountain called -Binbiti, going over a distance of about four days’ journey -on foot. On the way I went to the royal preserve of Lambān, -which is situated at the southern end of the Dalai Jungle. -The place presented a grand sight on this occasion, -for a hunt was being held in honor of the Coronation -of the Emperor of India. There must have been -fully five or six hundred tents pitched, covering an -immense tract of land and forming an entrance to the -famous Dalai Jungle. The royal tents sheltering the -Kings and their multiple consorts, the Princes and Princesses, -were conspicuously beautiful to look at, while the sight -of those of the Ministers of State and others, variegated in -colors of red, white, blue and yellow, dotting the woodland, -was both grand and picturesque. There were about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_689" id="Page_689">[689]</a></span> -two thousand soldiers present, all of the Royal Bodyguard. -Their uniform was after the British pattern, and -they all looked men of splendid physique.</p> - -<p>Being refused admittance, I hung about the royal -precincts for about four hours, all the time looking for an -opportunity to obtain an audience. Ultimately I got a -glimpse of the King, who was going out on a hunt -seated on a huge elephant. He recognised me, but -had just time enough to express his regret and tell me to -come to him in the morning; and he was gone! Then my -servant again tried to make light of my credulity; but I -scolded him into silence.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t690"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t690h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t690.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="694" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>STRUGGLE WITH A NEPALESE SOLDIER.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>At six o’clock on the morning of the 18th, I smuggled -myself into the royal enclosure, having chosen an unguarded -spot for the purpose. There was such a great -number of tents that I in vain tried to locate that -intended for royalty. While wandering about I was -challenged by an officer. I explained the purpose of my -presence there, only to be told that the time for audience -had not yet arrived. Eventually the officer ordered a -private to see me out of the enclosure. I thought that, -once out of the enclosure, I might never have an opportunity -of seeing the King, and feigning not to hear the -remonstrances of the private, I doggedly held my ground. -Finally a guard came and ordered me out. I said that I -was there by the order of the King. But my words were -only wasted on the sturdy soldier, who forthwith collared -me and with a push on my back, as I staggered up, -hurled me out of the enclosure, handling me altogether as -if I were a little child. Outside the fence I became an -object of the laughter of the soldiers and of jeering -remarks from the general spectators. Professor of -resignation and self-denial though I am, this treatment could -not but displease me. But on second thoughts I -awoke to the fact of my still lacking the spirit of patience<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_690" id="Page_690">[690]</a></span> -and perseverance. Dead to my surroundings for the time -being, I sat in silence on the grass for hours, and in the -meanwhile I could not hold back my tears as I thought, -if it was hard for me to bear these insults, how great -must be the suffering of my Tibetan friends and benefactors, -who because of me were even then, as I imagined, undergoing -dreadful tortures, having no one to vindicate their -innocence for them, and I composed an <i>uta</i> for my consolation:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_691" id="Page_691">[691]</a></span></p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">My suffering surely I with ease must bear</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Compared with all the tortures which my friends</div> - <div class="verse">Now undergo, for my sake prisoners made,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">In distant regions far above the clouds.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>At about eleven o’clock I noticed the Lord Chamberlain -passing by me, and I hastened to acquaint him with the -plight I was in. His Lordship greatly commiserated me -and at once gave orders that I should that minute be -taken to the tent of royal reception. After waiting another -two hours in the tent, the King was announced—the Prime-Minister-King -I should have said.</p> - -<p>The King wanted to know what I wished to have from -him. The passport, I said. Then he said that that I should -certainly have, but that what he had meant was if I was -well provided with travelling funds. I replied that I had -then with me three hundred rupees. His Highness thought -that the amount was not enough for my purpose, and -ordered his attendants to give me two hundred rupees. I -refused to accept his generosity, saying that I had not -come to his country to make money. What was it then -that I wanted in reality? I was on the point of making a -direct reference to my petition; but that spirit of caution -and forbearance which I have already mentioned counselled -me once more to bide my time on that score; and I disclosed -a part of my desire, that I wished to secure a complete -collection of the Samskṛṭ text of the Buḍḍhist Scriptures in -existence in Nepāl, offering in return to forward the Japanese -edition of the same on my return home. That I should -have, he said, and ordered me to present a list of the texts -I wanted to the Regent at Kātmāndu, where His Highness -was to return in twenty-five days. Henceforward I became -a sort of special traveller under royal protection, for a -police official was detailed to escort me to Kātmāndu.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_692" id="Page_692">[692]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XCVII" id="CHAPTER_XCVII">CHAPTER XCVII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Once more in Katmandu.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>After procuring my passport, escorted by the policeman, -I came back to a village called Simla where I had left my -carrier and carriage. I found that the carriage and its -driver had absconded in my absence: it had been paid for -in advance. The policeman wanted to beat my carrier -for allowing the driver to abscond; but I interfered. -It was then after three in the afternoon, and my route -to Khātmāndu lay for eight miles at least through the -jungle. I was warned about tigers; but I knew the route, -as I was going over it for a second time, and forthwith I -set out on the road.</p> - -<p>Every two miles, through the eight miles of the -jungle, is a large reservoir of drinking water, each reservoir -being connected with the one next to it by means of -iron ducts. Originally not a drop of water was obtainable -in the jungle, and the ducts and reservoirs were built in -compliance with the dying wish of the late Queen of -Nepāl, who in that way wanted to benefit the travelling -public. One reads the origin and history of this benevolent -institution engraved on stone tablets, set up on the -roadside; the language used on one being Nepālese, on -another Tibetan, on the third English, then Hinḍū and -Parsī.</p> - -<p>Before night came on I arrived at Bichagori, where on -the occasion of my former visit I heard a tiger break the -midnight silence with his roars. I felt rather lonely -on account of the absence of his roaring now, and I -made an <i>uta</i>:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">The same as once before the moonlight sleeps</div> - <div class="verse indent4">On Bichagori fair; but whence is heard</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Upon the stream the savage tiger’s roar?</div> -</div></div></div> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_693" id="Page_693">[693]</a></span></p> -<p>Crossing the Bichagori river, I travelled to Spalta, -from Spalta to Bahise, thence to Binbit and Tispanī -during the next two days. Tispanī is also known -by the alternative name of Tisgari, which, I think, -was the one I mentioned before. Between Simla -and Tispanī I had my passport examined three times. -Tispanī maintains a custom-house and all ordinary ingoing -travellers are detained here at least half a day. The case -was different with me: my stop here lasted no longer than -half an hour. My police-escort took leave of me here and -his place was taken by a soldier, who thenceforth accompanied -me to Kātmāndu.</p> - -<p>As we reached the top of Tisgari, I once more stood -an all-absorbed admirer, struck by the wondrous grandeur -of the Himālayas, which, seen a second time, appeared to -increase instead of diminish in their fresh majesty and -charms.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">To fitly paint the grandeur of the scenes</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Words fail me quite; what can I, helpless, do?</div> - <div class="verse">These scenic beauties on the Himal’yan range</div> - <div class="verse indent4">E’en human eyesight fails to comprehend.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Thousands of years ago, Shākyamuni Buḍḍha, our Lord, -spent six years in the jungles and mountains, and I -imagined that I was possibly treading in His holy footsteps. -I had spent the same number of years under the shadows -of the Himālayas, but neither had I attained Nirvāṇa, -nor become a Boḍhisaṭṭva!</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse"><i>Yuki yama-ni mutose heshi mino ikani-shite</i></div> - <div class="verse indent2"><i>Akatsuki-no Hoshi-ni awade sugoseshi?</i></div> -</div></div></div> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">Upon these plateaux six years have I passed</div> - <div class="verse indent4">But yet Illumination’s Morning Star</div> - <div class="verse">Have I not seen—the Star that flashed so bright</div> - <div class="verse indent4">At that Illumination of our Lord,</div> - <div class="verse">The Holy Saint under the Bodhi tree.<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a></div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>We next made a sharp descent of about three miles -past the village of Kurikane and an iron bridge, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_694" id="Page_694">[694]</a></span> -entered Marku, where we lodged for the night. Starting -at three o’clock on the 21st we calculated upon reaching -Kātmāndu by the evening. The weird serenity of the -great mountain pass under the starry heavens of the early -morning; the bracing chill, the gradual revelation of the -scenery around under the rising sun, the famous rhododendron -flowers almost in bloom, the climb of Chandragiri, -the vast plain at the height of six thousand feet above the -sea level—all the sights and scenes, awe-inspiring, entrancing -and interesting—were there as on the occasion -of my former visit.</p> - -<p>Arrived in Kātmāndu, I at once proceeded to the -official residence of the Local Commander-in-Chief and -Acting Prime Minister. His Excellency was too busy to -see me that evening, and sent me word asking to come -the next day. In the place of the one that had accompanied -me to Kātmāndu two fresh bodyguards were then -given to me. Such being the case, my arrival in the town -had apparently become known to my old friend of four -years ago Lama Buḍḍha Vajra; for, as I came out -of the Commander-in-Chief’s residence, I was met by -one of my friend’s sons and some servants with a horse. -I at once rode to the Kāṣyapa Buḍḍha Tower and -there renewed my friendship with its master, who, it will -be superfluous to say, received me with a right royal -welcome and placed me under fresh obligations by his -great hospitality. I may add, however, that the Nepālese -custom is almost the reverse of that of Tibet, in that all -those who can afford to do so marry two, three, even five -wives. My friend, though a Lama, but belonging to the -Old School, has two wives and thirteen children.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 527px;"> -<a id="zill_t695"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t695h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t695.jpg" class="hires" width="527" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>MEETING AGAIN WITH AN OLD FRIEND LAMA BUDDHA VAJRA.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>I considered it a rare privilege to pass a night in a -place of such holiness, and availing myself of the opportunity -I spent the best part of the night in lighting up the -butter-lamp and holding a service in memory of my father<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_695" id="Page_695">[695]</a></span> -and friends, who had died at home during my absence. The -next morning I saw the sun rising from the snows and felt -the emotions which are embodied in the following <i>uta</i>.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">In Japan was I born, my native land</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Of cherry flowers fair, the cheerful home</div> - <div class="verse">Of birds e’er singing their melodious songs.</div> - <div class="verse indent4">It is for this am I inspired to sing</div> - <div class="verse">Of that bright light reflected from the snows?</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>That afternoon at one o’ clock, accompanied by my friend, -I called on His Excellency Bheem Shamsher, the Commander-in-Chief -of Nepāl. We were shown into the reception -hall in the second floor of the building, in which I found -fourteen or fifteen chairs of Western style, while the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_696" id="Page_696">[696]</a></span> -upper half of the floor was covered over with a rectangular -piece of thick Nepālese carpet, with a layer of white cloth -over it. On the walls of the room I noticed a number of -pictures in occidental frames. Trifling as these details -may appear, I mention them here, because the use side by -side of native and western articles indicates the general -features of the national policy of Nepāl.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 528px;"> -<a id="zill_t696b"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t696bh.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t696b.jpg" class="hires" width="528" height="800" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF NEPAL, -H. E. BHIM SHAMSIR.</p></div> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_697" id="Page_697">[697]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XCVIII" id="CHAPTER_XCVIII">CHAPTER XCVIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Interview with the Acting Prime Minister.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>In His Excellency Bheem Shamsher I found a perfect -gentleman, easy of approach, but nevertheless of -commanding presence.</p> - -<p>“How are you impressed with our country?” said he.</p> - -<p>“I am filled with a feeling of extreme pleasure,” I -replied.</p> - -<p>“How can that be?”</p> - -<p>“Because not only your natural scenery, trees and -plants, but even your people look very much like those of -my own country, and I cannot help feeling quite at home -here—a feeling which makes me forget the difficulties of -travel I have come through.”</p> - -<p>His Excellency smiled a little. “That may be, because -we belong to the same race; but are you quite sure about -our flora?”</p> - -<p>“Why, yes, Your Excellency, not only your mountains -and waters look like ours, but you have pines, cedars, oaks, -willows, keyaki (<i>Planeta japonica</i>), cherries, peaches, pears, -oranges, azaleas, elms, among trees, and field products, -such as rice, wheat, beans, millet, buck-wheat and corn -are as common with you as they are in Japan. I also -notice an equal similarity between the flowers and birds of -the countries. Above all I am profoundly impressed by -the bravery of your people and their kindness toward -strangers.”</p> - -<p>Quite pleased at what I said, His Excellency now -changed the course of conversation:</p> - -<p>“I have been told that Tibet has concluded a treaty -with Russia: do you know of any evidence to prove this?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_698" id="Page_698">[698]</a></span></p> - -<p>“I have not come across any definite proof,” I replied; -“but judging from what Tsan-ni Kenbo has done and the -fact that the Dalai Lama has accepted a present of a -Bishop’s robes from the Russian Government, one may think -that there must be some foundation for the rumor. Furthermore, -since the return of a Tibetan envoy from his mission -to the court of S. Petersburg, the Tibetan Government has, -it is said, come to show great firmness, even to the extent -of expressing its determination to engage in war, if need -be, with any other country, and this fact may point to -the existence of a secret Russo-Tibetan treaty.”</p> - -<p>“I have no doubt of its existence,” said my interlocutor; -“but what do you think has induced Tibet to conclude -it?”</p> - -<p>“As a mere priest, I know nothing about politics and diplomacy, -but I may venture to presume that it all came from -the unreliability of China, and the skilful manœuvres of -Tsan-ni Kenbo, who worked on Tibetan sensitiveness as -regards its relationship with the Indo-British Government.”</p> - -<p>“Why is the Tibetan Government hostilely disposed -toward England?” asked the Commander-in-Chief.</p> - -<p>The other questions which he put to me may be -gathered from the answers I gave, which were -to the effect, that Tibet believed that its intercourse -with Christian England would end in the destruction of -its Buḍḍhism and nationality, while it rejoiced in the -delusion that Russia was a Buḍḍhist Power, and that -the reason why it did not befriend Japan was because it -knew practically nothing about the existence of such a -country.</p> - -<p>I next took my turn in leading the conversation, and as -a beginning I gave in detail the story of the causes which -had led to the incarceration and torture of my friends and -benefactors in Tibet, and appealed to His Excellency’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_699" id="Page_699">[699]</a></span> -generosity to take the trouble of forwarding my petition to -the Dalai Lama. In the second place I referred to the -Samskṛṭ edition of the Buḍḍhist Scriptures, promised me by -the Prime-Minister-King. Thereupon the Commander-in-Chief -cheerfully gave consent to both my requests. He -greatly pitied the ignorance of the Tibetan authorities, -and keenly sympathised with my position. He promised -me to do all in his power to have the petition forwarded, -but as the matter rested solely with the King <i>de facto</i>, he -advised me to wait for the latter’s return, when he would put -in a good word for me. As for the Scriptures, he saw no -way of procuring for me the entire collection within the -period of time I intended to spend in Nepāl. I then informed -him of my determination to revisit Nepāl in two -years’ time, and that I should be most pleased to receive the -remainder of the Scriptures on the occasion of that second -visit, I taking home for the time being such portions of -them as could be collected during my stay. All this was -agreeable to His Excellency, and before I took leave of him -he shook me warmly by the hand and flattered me by -saying that he was very glad to have met such an honored -Japanese.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_700" id="Page_700">[700]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_XCIX" id="CHAPTER_XCIX">CHAPTER XCIX.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Painful News from Lhasa.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>A few days after my arrival at the Tower, I met many -Tibetans who had come to worship at the holy places in Nepāl. -They told me positively that the ex-Minister of Finance -had been imprisoned on such and such a day and had been tortured -in the Court. I could not quite believe the news, but -I was very anxious to know the truth of the case. Fortunately -I saw a high Lama named Kusho Lokela from -Lhasa, who was on a pilgrimage in memory of his master -Temo Rinpoche, whom I have already mentioned. I -enquired of him whether the rumor about the imprisonment -of the ex-Minister of Finance was true.</p> - -<p>“I left Lhasa a month and a half ago,” he said, “and -then the ex-Minister was at home. After my departure -from Lhasa I heard of his arrest, on my way to Nepāl. -But I cannot say whether it is a fact, for, as you -know, in Tibet rumor often magnifies misfortune. -But there is really great misfortune for Tsa Rong-ba, who -was somehow connected with you. I saw him on the -veranda of the Court waiting for his trial. I wondered at -his bonds, and asked him about his imprisonment. He -told me with tears, that he did not commit a theft, nor -engage in any quarrel, but he was acquainted with and -asked medicine from a doctor of Sera, and that was the -cause of his arrest. But he did not know very much -about you personally. He was tortured every alternate -day, and he became so thin that his body was mere skin -and bone. My sympathy and pity became the greater -when I heard from him that he bore all his sufferings -patiently in the belief that his tortures were due to the -sins of his former lives.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_701" id="Page_701">[701]</a></span></p> - -<p>Kusho Lokela was a very honest gentleman, so I could -not but believe this. I was really very sorry to receive -from him this sad information, and I could not sleep -through the night thinking about these Tibetan friends of -mine who were imprisoned. I composed an <i>uta</i> about it, -which may be rendered in prose somewhat as follows:</p> - -<p>“To hear about the misfortunes and sufferings of my -friends is to me painful; to speak of them is still more -painful and bitter; but unbearable it is for me to write of -them. But now for the sake of reviving my recollection -of them in my memories in the future, I shall relate in -verse all the details.</p> - -<p>“Six years ago, I remember, I determined to study -Buḍḍhism, the wonderful Pure Law. I left my Motherland, -and traversing the snowy range of the Himālayas I -entered Tibet, and again have I arrived here from my -travels. My heart bleeds to hear now that in that hermit -country those friends of mine, as a result of their friendly -services to me and for no other offence, have been arrested -and imprisoned ‘in durance vile’ and confined within -stone walls.</p> - -<p>“For these friends of mine I cannot but shed tears when -I know that it is for my sake that their sufferings are -acute, their bodies shivering within the stony walls of -their prison-house in the snowy capital city of Lhasa, -sitting disconsolate and wretched on the wooden floor -unenlivened by the light of the sun.</p> - -<p>“Who will give them food? As a rule in the jails of Tibet, -the prisoners get but one meal a day—a handful of barley -flour. If my friends are the victims of this rule they will -die of starvation, benumbed with the cold.</p> - -<p>“Still worse misfortunes and excruciating sufferings they -are undergoing, I am sure, for the jailors, unfeeling and -cruel, not only starve them with insufficient food, but with -insults beat them and inflict bodily pain. My friends, I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_702" id="Page_702">[702]</a></span> -fancy, now desire to extinguish themselves as a release -from their sufferings. These painful reflections on my part -drive me to the desire of extinguishing myself also in order -to put an end to all my own tortures.</p> - -<p>“O how pitiful is my friends’ condition! When I was -in Lhasa, you, my friends, never thought that you would -be treated as culprits for my sake; your offence simply -was the help you rendered me during my sojourn in your -country. Now how can I leave you helpless without -saving you?</p> - -<p>“Judging of men as they naturally are, I should fancy that -you would feel disgust towards me and hate me. I thought -so, but I have since heard from the man who has met you -in the Court of Justice that you said this:</p> - -<p>“‘I am not guilty of any theft or breach of the peace, but -was told by the Judge that I had acted against the law. -I was simply acquainted with a Japanese priest of whose -antecedents I knew scarcely anything. All these torments -which I am now suffering are, to my mind, but the results -of the evil deeds (Karmas) of my past lives. Therefore -it is I have to bear them in order to get rid of them as -such.’</p> - -<p>“O my friends! you may mitigate your misfortunes with -that kind of consolation; but how is it possible for me -to bear the galling thought that I am the cause of all the -misfortunes you have suffered for my sake?”</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_703" id="Page_703">[703]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_C" id="CHAPTER_C">CHAPTER C.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">The King betrays his suspicion.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t704"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t704h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t704.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="777" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>THE AUTHOR AND HIS FRIEND BUDDHA VAJRA ENJOYING THE BRILLIANT -SNOW AT KATMANDU.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>On February 9th at two o’clock, accompanied again by -Buḍḍha Vajra, I presented myself at the palatial residence -of His Highness Chanḍra Shamsher, Prime Minister -or King <i>de facto</i> of Nepāl. The residence with its grounds -must cover an area of at least three hundred and fifty yards -square, and it has a guarded gate, within which are -barracks, a small parade-ground, and a race-course. -Proceeding over a broad pavement for about seven -hundred yards, we came to the main entrance of the palace. -Inside the reception hall, into which we were taken, I -saw three chairs and a thick piece of white cloth carpet of -the Nepālese style at the upper end of the room, and a -teak-wood shelf of European design standing against a -wall, with a white statue of a Nepālese Goddess riding -on an elephant on its top. Other conspicuous objects -catching the eye at a glance were a pair each -of the carved heads of lions and deer, and a huge -pendulum clock. From where we were seated we saw to -the south through the glass-paned windows a most -enchanting view of the “Moon Peak,” the “Dragon Tree -Peak” and other great elevations.</p> - -<p>In the reception hall were many officers of the army and -other dignitaries. The Secretary for Foreign Affairs -being one of the company, took me to task—all by pre-arrangement -as I suspect—and I replied to his questions -as well as I could.</p> - -<p>“I believe more than twenty days have elapsed since your -arrival here,” said he; “how have you been employing -yourself in the interval?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_704" id="Page_704">[704]</a></span></p> - -<p>“In religious meditation and in composing poems,” I -replied.</p> - -<p>“What is your court rank and what office do you hold -in Japan?” he asked.</p> - -<p>“Nothing,” I answered.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_705" id="Page_705">[705]</a></span></p> - -<p>But he continued: “Don’t try to make a secret of those -things; do you think we can form no idea of our own about -you? It will be better for you to tell me all.”</p> - -<p>“Sir, I am a Buḍḍhist priest, and I possess no rank, -nor order, nor any office under the Japanese or any other -Government for that matter.”</p> - -<p>“Oh! come, Mr. Kawaguchi; how do you happen to visit -Tibet and Nepāl, in spite of the great expense involved?”</p> - -<p>“I am absolutely free from all official connexions: I -went to Tibet and came to your country with the one sole -object of completing my Buḍḍhist study.”</p> - -<p>Next he asked “What route did you take in entering -Tibet?”</p> - -<p>“By way of Mānasarovara,” answered I.</p> - -<p>At this he evinced signs of suppressed excitement, -and asked quickly: “And what was the route you took in -reaching Mānasarovara?”</p> - -<p>“Sir,” I replied, “I cannot answer that question, except -in the presence of the King.”</p> - -<p>“Why?”</p> - -<p>“Because I do not wish to bring trouble on innocent -parties.”</p> - -<p>The other officers then took turns in catechising me as to -the manners and customs, national characteristics, and -military organisation of Tibet and of Japan. I heard them -say in Nepālese that I must be an emissary of the Japanese -Government.</p> - -<p>Presently we were told to proceed to the court of audience, -whither the rest of the assembly were now hurrying. I -proceeded as far as a portal, where I observed a large number -of the provincial dignitaries of Nepāl (as I subsequently -found them to be) salāaming in the most respectful manner. -I also noticed one man in the crowd who appeared greatly -astonished to see me there: he was the chief of the district -of Tukje, in whose house I stayed when on my way to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_706" id="Page_706">[706]</a></span> -Tibet, and when I went to him in no better capacity than -a begging Chinese Lama.</p> - -<p>The Prime-Minister King had finished examining the -horses sent in as a tribute and sat down on a sofa, and I -advanced to his presence. He asked me:</p> - -<p>“What can I do for you now?”</p> - -<p>“My first appeal to Your Highness is the forwarding of -my petition to the Dalai Lama of Tibet, and the second is -about Your Highness’s promise as to the Samskṛṭ text of -the Buḍḍhist Scriptures.”</p> - -<p>“We will talk about those things afterwards,” said he. -“I understand that you were in this country four years -ago; is that true?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, your Highness, I was most certainly here four -years ago.”</p> - -<p>He straightened himself up and said in a changed -tone of voice—“Ha! How was it that you did not tell me -so when you saw me at Beelganji? Do you not think that -it was in the order of things that you should have told me -about your former visit to this country then?”</p> - -<p>“I do not deny that, your Highness; let me say, however, -that much as I wished to do so then, I abstained from -doing so owing to a certain fear I entertained.”</p> - -<p>“Might I know what you were afraid of?”</p> - -<p>“Certainly, your Highness. In the first place I thought -then, that should I open my mouth carelessly, I might -invite your anger and consequent punishment on the -officers of your challenge gates and many other people of -this country. I should have felt unbearable sorrow of -mind, had my thoughtless divulgence of the fact at the -time involved my friends and acquaintances in Nepāl in -the troubles and afflictions now being undergone by -those in Tibet. I most earnestly beseech Your Highness -that you will punish none of your subjects because of my -having passed through this country once before, or else I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_707" id="Page_707">[707]</a></span> -pray your Highness to allow me to retract all that I have -said about my former visit.”</p> - -<p>“I grant your request; you may rest assured that I -will not punish any of our people on your account.”</p> - -<p>“Your Highness has greatly relieved me; I thank your -Highness for your magnanimity.”</p> - -<p>When truth speaks, it touches the heart; and I was -gratified to notice that the King seemed to believe my -words. But when it came to the question of the motive of -my Tibetan and Nepāl journey, it was another thing—as -the King appeared to say, for he next asked me:</p> - -<p>“Who sent you to our country and Tibet—was it your -Minister of Foreign Affairs, or your Chief Marshal? Tell -me the truth.”</p> - -<p>I was thunder-struck—I could see that even the King -was laboring under the suspicion that I was a political -emissary of Japan. Never did I feel more disgusted with -what they call politics and diplomacy than on that -occasion; especially as I had always had a higher opinion -of Nepālese than of Tibetans. Absorbed in these -thoughts I kept silence for a while. The silence was -misunderstood, for the King said:</p> - -<p>“So you cannot disclose your secret?”</p> - -<p>“Your Highness, there is no secret about me! I will tell -your Highness all the truth there is: it was my own self -that sent me here.”</p> - -<p>The Minister laughed, and exclaimed:</p> - -<p>“Good; but you must know that one cannot travel abroad -for six years, unless he is well provided with money; and -then you have given to me, as well as to our Commander-in-Chief, -presents which must have cost you no small amount -of money. Altogether the amount of money involved -cannot be such as is likely to be found in the pocket of a -mere Buḍḍhist priest with no worldly possessions. Then -you seem to be a man of scholarly attainments, besides<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_708" id="Page_708">[708]</a></span> -being well informed of the affairs of the world. You are -now before me, and there is no necessity for you to adhere -to your secret. If however, you must keep your secret, I -will grant you a special audience the day after to-morrow, -when you may see me alone and tell me all. Should you -still insist on being reserved, then, I may withdraw all my -promises to you; nor will I grant you any protection.”</p> - -<p>“I have long since vowed my vow to our Lord Buḍḍha, -and I tell no falsehood. If your Highness refuses to believe -me, I can only rest contented with the fact that I have -always adhered to the truth, and beyond that I shall have -no means, for the present at least, to prove the truth of -what I say. I can only hope that a day will come when -your Highness will be convinced of the truth of what I -say.”</p> - -<p>“If you tell the truth,” replied the Minister, “nobody -will suspect you. I shall grant you another interview at -half past ten on the morning of the day after to-morrow, -and I hope you will think well about telling the truth in -the meantime. I bid you good afternoon.”</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_709" id="Page_709">[709]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_CI" id="CHAPTER_CI">CHAPTER CI.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Third Audience.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>It was on the 9th of February that I had had such an -unpleasant interview with the Nepālese Prime Minister, -and was told to wait on him again two days after. On the -way back to the Tower, deeply moved by what I had -heard, I saw the grand appearance of Gaurīshankara, the -highest peak in the world, now mottled by clouds, and -I gave vent to my feelings thus:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">What gnawing torments do I suffer now?</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Suspense, distrust and doubts o’erwhelm me.</div> - <div class="verse">These melt not or dissolve not from my heart</div> - <div class="verse indent2">As yonder snows unmelted, hard to melt.</div> - <div class="verse">Those friends of mine, what fate attends them now?</div> - <div class="verse indent2">’Tis hard their painful destiny to guess:</div> - <div class="verse">Incarcerated and in durance vile</div> - <div class="verse indent2">In regions far beyond those snowpeak clouds;</div> - <div class="verse">Communing with myself in dire suspense</div> - <div class="verse indent2">I know not how to save them, in despair.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>But again:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">Should I such means adopt, perversely false,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Subversive of all Truth, dishonest, vile?</div> - <div class="verse">To utter falsehoods base would choke my throat;</div> - <div class="verse indent2">But still to rescue them resolved am I</div> - <div class="verse">To seek for means, untainted by untruth;</div> - <div class="verse indent2">To truth, unvarnished, perfect, will I cling.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>So on the 10th I spent much time in the company of my -host, who tried to persuade me into acting conventionally. -He himself believed, he said, that I was truly a Buḍḍhist -priest and nothing more, but counselled that I might better -serve my purpose by acting on the King’s suspicion -than by adhering to the truth. Had I not already had -occasion to have recourse to falsehood, when it suited -me, as for instance, in passing myself off for a Chinese -Lama? Was not the most important thing in view the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_710" id="Page_710">[710]</a></span> -rescuing of my Tibetan friends, and did I not consider that -the prospect of enlisting the Nepālese King’s assistance in -the matter was greater by passing myself for a Japanese -official than by trying to be strictly truthful? That was -all so, I replied; but I dwelt on the points of difference -between Tibet and Nepāl.</p> - -<p>“Stratagems or temporary plans,” I said, “may be -used in war, or in circumstances like war, or among -rascals, in order to avoid difficulties for others as well as -for ourselves. Now the Nepālese are not like the Tibetans, -who do not allow a foreigner to enter into their -country. The civilisation of Nepāl permits the people to -hear reason and truth. How could I insult the Governor -with falsehood? If he will not believe me I shall be satisfied -with my own truth, and I shall go to Peking and there -do my best for these Tibetan friends of mine.”</p> - -<p>My host finally acquiesced in the line of argument -I pursued, but nevertheless seemed quite concerned about -my future safety.</p> - -<p>The 11th had come, and Buḍḍha Vajra and I reported -ourselves at the palace at the appointed hour. In the -waiting-room I found a number of officers and officials as -before. A secretary came to me and took down carefully -in English what amounted to my <i>curriculum vitæ</i>. -Presently, and quite suddenly too, another high official -who spoke English with great fluency wanted to know -from me if I had not drawn maps of Tibet and Nepāl, -and if he could see them. I denied the charge. The -official insisting, however, on the correctness of his -suspicion, I told him that he was welcome to cherish his -own suspicion, as I for my part could rest contented on -the saying that detectives see thieves in most people. He -was saying that his suspicion was not his alone but was -shared by a large number of people, when we were -summoned to the royal presence.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_711" id="Page_711">[711]</a></span></p> - -<p>We were then shown into a fine room after going up four -flights of stairs. I saw the throne occupied by one whom -I had taken to be a junior member of the Cabinet at -Beelganji. The King <i>de facto</i> sat by the King <i>de jure</i>. -A few military officers and some Chamberlains remained -standing outside the room. I was told to sit before the -<i>de facto</i> King and I took my seat after Tibetan fashion, -sitting cross-legged on the floor. The <i>de facto</i> King opened -the conversation as follows:</p> - -<p>“You are ready now to tell me your secret, I suppose; -what is it you wish to tell me most?”</p> - -<p>“I possess no secret, Your Highness,” I answered. “What -I most earnestly solicit is that Your Highness will be kind -enough to take the trouble of forwarding my petition to -the Dalai Lama of Tibet and also procuring for me the -Buḍḍhist Scriptures in Samskṛṭ.”</p> - -<p>The King appeared disappointed but not discomforted. -He next wanted to know the gist of my petition. I replied -that I pointed out in it that I was in truth a Buḍḍhist -priest of Japan, that my Tibetan friends and acquaintances -in trouble had associated with me without knowing my -nationality; that I was the sole cause of all the trouble, -and that those Tibetans had committed no crime; that I -would come to Tibet in order to clear my friends and show -their innocence, if the Dalai Lama so willed; that if my coming -into Tibet was not permissible, it was incumbent on His -Holiness to send to Japan a number of competent scholars -to ascertain the truth about me before he punished his -innocent subjects; that I was willing to find means to -bear the cost of the proceeding; and so on.</p> - -<p>After attentively listening to my recital, the King, who -now seemed to have more or less banished his suspicion, -said:</p> - -<p>“I see; I shall then want two copies of your petition, -one in Tibetan and the other in Nepālese; I will forward<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_712" id="Page_712">[712]</a></span> -the one in Tibetan to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for -you, and shall keep for myself the Nepālese copy.”</p> - -<p>The order meant that I had not come to Nepāl in vain, -and in secret I wept with joy, and I thanked His Highness -with all my heart. Being then asked if I had not really -disclosed my identity to any one before leaving Tibet, I -admitted that I had taken the ex-Minister of the Treasury -alone into my confidence.</p> - -<p>I was not yet safely through my ordeal; for the King -was very curious to know next how I had occupied my -time during the twenty days that had elapsed since my -arrival in Kātmāndu. He accepted my reply, which was to -the effect that I had spent my time chiefly in literary -efforts to take home in verse and prose descriptions of the -grandeur of the Himālayan scenery. I then submitted -to His Highness a list of the Scriptures in Samskṛṭ that I -wished to procure. The King took the list from my hand -and gave instructions accordingly to one of his Chamberlains. -He said that I should have all that could be collected in -fifteen days.</p> - -<p>On the way back to the Tower I again saw that highest -peak, Gaurīshankara, but its splendor was now far greater -than it had been that other day. Moreover my desires -had been fulfilled by the grace of our Lord Buḍḍha, and -I thanked Him with <i>utas</i>:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">Till yesterday uncertain of their fate,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">In doubts and painful anguish was I lost.</div> - <div class="verse">To-day means being found to rescue them</div> - <div class="verse indent2">My doubts dissolve like snows upon the hills.</div> - <div class="verse">Of all expedients, honest Truth must be</div> - <div class="verse indent2">The best; no doubt, whatever be the fruit,</div> - <div class="verse">E’en if the object aimed at be not gained,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">But honest Truth itself is th’ object gained.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">I find no place where Buddha not exists.</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Non-space, non-Buddha—this my constant thought.</div> - <div class="verse">These brilliant snowy mountains in the sky</div> - <div class="verse indent2">The Lord Supreme pervades—the Lord of all.</div> -</div></div></div> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_713" id="Page_713">[713]</a></span></p> -<p>When I left Japan for Tibet, a friend of mine, -Mr. S. Shimamura, had sent in farewell a prophetic <i>uta</i> -which had been fulfilled, so I mention it here with my -reply.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">The path for you, you’ll find as you proceed</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Across the pathless mountain-passes drear;</div> - <div class="verse">The Universal Leader, Buddha Great, your Guide</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Shall be in all your rambles in Tibet.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Reply:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse">My heaped my sorrows and calamities</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Now all are melted like th’ eternal snows</div> - <div class="verse">With that unfailing Beacon-light, my Guide;</div> - <div class="verse indent2">The Universal Leader, Buddha Great, my Guide</div> - <div class="verse">Has been in all my rambles in Tibet.</div> -</div></div></div> - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_714" id="Page_714">[714]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_CII" id="CHAPTER_CII">CHAPTER CII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">Farewell to Nepal and its Good Kings.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>I had asked my host Buḍḍha Vajra to make a -translation of my petition to the Dalai Lama into Nepālese. -He had finished the translation, taken both copies to -the palace and handed them to the King Chandra Shamsher. -He had come home and was talking to me:</p> - -<p>“Never before in my life,” said he, “have I felt so -pleased as I did to-day!”</p> - -<p>“Pray, what happened?”</p> - -<p>“When I handed up the petition and its translation, the -King wanted to know who had composed your Tibetan -petition. I told His Highness that you were your own -author—which was nothing but truth—and he appeared -to be well pleased. I then said that His Highness might -judge the high merit of your composition by reading my -translation of it, which was but a poor effort. The King -took up my translation and began to read it. When he -had finished going over the concluding part, where you -said: ‘The Dalai Lama of Tibet is the incarnation of the -God of Mercy and knoweth all. The fact that Ekai -Kawaguchi, a priest of Japan, was allowed personally to -wait on and be taught by Your Holiness who knoweth -all, proveth that our Lord Buḍḍha willed that it should -be even so; not only that, but the same fact proveth that -the Gods guarding the four points of Your Holiness’ -palace all willed so. Twenty years have elapsed since -Your Holiness’ country adopted the policy of absolute -seclusion, and no foreigner has been allowed to enter -it during that interval; and the fact that I alone was suffered -to visit it proveth that the Gods guarding the -frontiers of your country had permitted me to do so. Fur<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_715" id="Page_715">[715]</a></span>thermore -I discern something profoundly significant in the -combination of events which led Your Holiness that knoweth -all generously to overlook Ekai’s entry into your land -and impart to him the grand mysteries of your -religion. Your Holiness knoweth as well as I that the -only two countries in the world that maintain the Mahāyāna -teaching of Buḍḍhism are the Empire of Japan and -Tibet. There are others indeed, but they are insignificant and -are in decadence now. The time is come when these two countries -of Mahāyāna Budḍḍhism shall become acquainted -and open intercourse with each other, and join in sending -forth to the world the light of true Buḍḍhism. I think it -was the advent of this new epoch that paved the way for -my entrance into Tibet, and gave me an opportunity, most -difficult to obtain, of being initiated into the grand mysteries -even by your Holiness.’ The King was enraptured -with the force and eloquence of your argument.”</p> - -<p>I was well pleased that things were so, and I praised our -Lord Buḍḍha, for by His protection and assistance my -purpose in coming to Nepāl was accomplished.</p> - -<p>I had to wait till about the 10th of March, in order to -secure the promised royal gift. I thought it unwise to -spend the interval in doing anything that would give an -appearance of my being engaged in secret observations; -so openly obtaining permission, I made a trip to the famous -Nāgar Zong peak, a place sacred to Buḍḍhism.</p> - -<p>On the 12th of March, a few days after my return from -the trip, I was once more and for the last time summoned -to the palace. I took with me then a red and a white -piece of crape, which had arrived in the meantime from -Japan, and presented them to the King, who accepted them -only after much protest. His Highness then caused the -Samskṛṭ Texts to be brought in and gave them to me. He -at the same time signed to one of his English interpreters -and through him said in an authoritative tone of voice:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_716" id="Page_716">[716]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Mr. Kawaguchi, these are rare volumes; I have been -able to collect only forty-one parts of the Scripture. I -hope you will accept them from me as a mark of my appreciation -of your presents to me.”</p> - -<p>I tendered to His Highness my most heartfelt thanks and -took leave of him after a most respectful farewell. The -volumes were forwarded for me to Buḍḍha Vajra’s -house, borne by two men.</p> - -<p>Everything was done to oblige me, even to passing all -my luggage—which had by that time become quite considerable—through -the customs-house in advance at Kātmāndu -instead of at Tispanī or Chisapani, which is the -usual place where all outgoing freights are examined.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_717" id="Page_717">[717]</a></span></p> - -<p>On the 16th of March I left Kātmāndu, reached Raxaul -station in the night of the 21st, and on the following -night arrived at Calcutta, where I was met by my friend -Mr. Omiya, who scolded me for spending money recklessly. -I spent some days in Calcutta, doing a good deal of preaching -among my countrymen residing there. Thence I -went to Bombay early in April, and there received a most -hearty welcome. There too I did some preaching and also -lecturing, on one occasion before an assembly of Japanese -gentlemen resident in the port and on another before the -members of the local branch of the Asiatic Society. -Contributions and gifts given me in money during my stay -there amounted to a considerable sum, and with that -money I purchased my passage home, besides paying back -the debts I owed to my friends in Calcutta. On the 24th -of April I embarked on the <i>Bombay Maru</i>, and sailed for -home.</p> - -<p>On May 19, 1902, the good ship passed Moji, and the -next day she came along side the Kobe pier, where from a -considerable distance I discerned the figures of my friends, -relatives and members of my former flock, with eyes that -grew dimmer and dimmer as the distance shortened.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_718" id="Page_718">[718]</a></span></p> - - - - - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="CHAPTER_CIII" id="CHAPTER_CIII">CHAPTER CIII.</a><br /> - -<span class="subhead">All’s well that ends well.</span></h2> -</div> - - -<p>Something more than two years had elapsed since my -return to Japan, and in all that time the worry of my mind -had kept on increasing, instead of abating; in fact, every -day that passed seemed to add to the misery and to make -more vivid the picture of the dreadful fate of my friends -and benefactors in Tibet. The reader may well imagine, -therefore, with what kind of feeling I read the following -letter (from which an extract only is given here):</p> - -<p>“Mr. Kawaguchi passed through Yatung (Tibet) on his -way to Darjeeling from Lhasa about June 1902. During -his brief stay at Yatung, he, to my personal knowledge, attended -or prescribed for the wife of the local Tibetan -official there, commonly known as Dhurkey Sirdar. Soon -after he had crossed the Jelap pass into Sikkim (British -protected territory) an order was sent from Lhasa -to the effect that he had been living at the Gompa of Sera, -Lhasa, for some fifteen months and had suddenly disappeared, -and was believed to be a foreigner. Therefore Dhurkey -Sirdar was instructed to compass his arrest. This in -itself would seem sufficient proof or corroboration of Kawaguchi’s -statements, however, they need not rest on this -alone, for there is no Tibetan official or merchant whom I -have met who was not cognisant of Kawaguchi’s lengthened -residence at Sera Gompa and his flight therefrom....</p> - -<p>“As I have already mentioned, I never yet met an official -or merchant who did not know of Kawaguchi’s lengthened -residence at Lhasa, but I have still to meet either -one or other who has ever heard of Lander of spiked-saddle -fame!</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_719" id="Page_719">[719]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Please tell Kawaguchi that from enquiries I have ascertained -that his Teacher and the merchants who befriended -him have been released. I am, however, instituting -fuller enquiries and will do all in my power for them and -let him know as soon as possible.”</p> - -<p>The letter is dated “c/o Gratong P. O., Tibet Frontier -Commission, Tuna, 17 March, 1904,” and is from Captain -Randal Parr, British Tibet Frontier Commissioner, to whom -I previously had the pleasure of writing, through the -introduction of Miss E. R. Scidmore of Yokohama. It is -addressed to the lady just mentioned, who has kindly -placed at my disposal the contents thereof.</p> - -<p>The present translation of my book on Tibet was near -its completion when I was allowed a perusal of the above, -and never before had I read any letter with so much -genuine and mingled feeling of the most profound joy and -gratitude as I felt on that occasion. A great tormenting -load was suddenly taken off my mind—it will not be necessary -to say why. I am glad further that I am able to -incorporate this piece of good tidings in, and make it the -concluding chapter of this translation of my book.</p> - - -<p class="p2 center"><span class="smcap">Peace to all Beings.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_721" id="Page_721">[721]</a></span></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<a id="zill_t721"></a> -<a href="images/zill_t721h.jpg"> -<img src="images/zill_t721.jpg" class="hires" width="600" height="439" alt="" /> -</a> -<div class="caption"><p>MOUNT GAURISHANKARA, THE HIGHEST PEAK IN THE WORLD.</p></div> -</div> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_723" id="Page_723">[723]</a></span></p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="footnotes"><h2>Footnotes</h2> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> The word <i>uta</i> in Japanese means a short epigrammatic poem, expressed -tersely, and inspired by some special occasion.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Bhota is the name by which Tibet is known in Samskri.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> Dr. Sven Hedin succeeded in entering Tibet from Kashmir in 1906.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> The words “<i>Lha-kyallo</i>” mean: the virtuous God will be victorious.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> The Gospel teaches that the Buḍḍha attained His enlightenment as -He sat gazing up to the “Morning Star” on His last night of meditation -under the sacred bodhi tree.</p></div></div> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<div class="transnote"> - -<h2 class="nobreak"><a name="Transcribers_Note" id="Transcribers_Note">Transcriber's Note</a></h2> - - -<p>Illustrations have been moved next to the relevant text.</p> - - -<p>The following apparent errors have been corrected:</p> - - -<ul><li>p. xi "Third Challenge Gates" changed to "Third Challenge Gates."</li> - -<li>p. xi "from Lhasa" changed to "from Lhasa."</li> - -<li>p. xv "Bahaḍur" changed to "Bahāḍur"</li> - -<li>p. 7 "Ḍarjeeling" changed to "Darjeeling"</li> - -<li>p. 13 "Lāma Shabdung" changed to "Lama Shabdung"</li> - -<li>p. 53 "Paḍma Sambhava" changed to "Padma Sambhava"</li> - -<li>p. 66 "Ḍas" changed to "Ḍās"</li> - -<li>p. 142 "Bodhisaṭṭvas" changed to "Boḍhisaṭṭvas"</li> - -<li>p. 142 "Amiṭābha" changed to "Amitābha"</li> - -<li>p. 144 "just at" changed to "just as"</li> - -<li>p. 146 "than Mānasaṛovaṛa" changed to "than Mānasarovara"</li> - -<li>p. 172 "of Buḍḍhism" changed to "of Buḍḍhism."</li> - -<li>p. 196 "ice-blocks" changed to "ice-blocks."</li> - -<li>p. 218 "he would" changed to "He would"</li> - -<li>p. 229 "agreable" changed to "agreeable"</li> - -<li>p. 237 "priests" changed to "priests,"</li> - -<li>p. 241 "twenty one" changed to "twenty-one"</li> - -<li>p. 244 "familar" changed to "familiar"</li> - -<li>p. 245 "two and half" changed to "two and a half"</li> - -<li>p. 256 "someone" changed to "someone."</li> - -<li>p. 258 "in one" changed to "is one"</li> - -<li>p. 263 "occasion" changed to "occasions"</li> - -<li>p. 295 "being trouble" changed to "bring trouble"</li> - -<li>p. 298 "in front of of" changed to "in front of"</li> - -<li>p. 321 "so much," changed to "so much."</li> - -<li>p. 370 "neigbors" changed to "neighbors"</li> - -<li>p. 395 "class" changed to "class."</li> - -<li>p. 425 "other which" changed to "other with"</li> - -<li>p. 440 "divisons" changed to "divisions"</li> - -<li>p. 453 "sen at Lhasa" changed to "<i>sen</i> at Lhasa"</li> - -<li>p. 456 "inconvenience to" changed to "inconvenience"</li> - -<li>p. 487 "a fatal" changed to "fatal"</li> - -<li>p. 499 "Tsar in" changed to "Tsar is"</li> - -<li>p. 527 "agressive" changed to "aggressive"</li> - -<li>p. 535 "of a abiding" changed to "abiding"</li> - -<li>p. 535 "ngos' should" changed to "should"</li> - -<li>p. 535 "monastery" changed to "of a monastery"</li> - -<li>p. 572 "ancester's" changed to "ancestor's"</li> - -<li>p. 577 "Dās" changed to "Ḍās"</li> - -<li>p. 579 "determined" changed to "determined."</li> - -<li>p. 592 "aquaintance" changed to "acquaintance"</li> - -<li>p. 601 (note) "“<i>Lha-kyallo</i>" changed to "“<i>Lha-kyallo</i>”"</li> - -<li>p. 613 "road?”" changed to "road?"</li> - -<li>p. 614 "choose." changed to "choose.”"</li> - -<li>p. 626 "do so." changed to "do so.”"</li> - -<li>p. 654 "ollows" changed to "follows"</li> - -<li>p. 657 "disagreeble" changed to "disagreeable"</li> - -<li>p. 664 "Lapches in" changed to "Labches in"</li> - -<li>p. 673 "then," changed to "then,”"</li> - -<li>p. 674 "the air" changed to "the air."</li> - -<li>p. 674 "security, there" changed to "security there,"</li> - -<li>p. 699 "fowarding" changed to "forwarding"</li></ul> - - - -<p>Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation have otherwise been kept as printed.</p> - - -</div> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Three Years in Tibet, by Ekai Kawaguchi - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THREE YEARS IN TIBET *** - -***** This file should be named 52594-h.htm or 52594-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/2/5/9/52594/ - -Produced by Henry Flower and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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