1859.
Travels of M. Húc.
667
Tala lama, imparted to H'lassa a majestic and imposing appearance. The missionaries arrived at this Tibetan city on the 29th of January, 1846, having been eighteen months on the journey we have briefly, but succinctly recorded; and they were received in a miserable lodg- ing, a single room, with a hole for a chimney, a vessel for burning argols in the centre, a window-frame without glass, and two deer- skins for beds. But our missionaries were poor and uncomplaining; they had greater miseries awaiting them in their attempt to preach the doctrines of Christ in the very heart of the Budhist superstitions.
H'lassa is not a great town, being barely two leagues in circum- ference; nor is it inclosed with ramparts. The houses are large, well whitewashed, and the framework painted red or yellow. Inside they are filthily dirty. The suburbs are extensive, and embosomed in beautiful, shady gardens. The houses are constructed of stone or brick, but in the suburbs there are some built of the horns of sheep and oxen. The palace of the Tala-laına (from tala, “sea;”—M. Huc says Dalai Lama is a thoroughly incorrect epithet) is built on a conical mountain, call- ed Budha-lha
The palace is made up of a number of Budhist temples, the central one of which rises up to a height of four stories, and is surmounted by a dome, covered with gold, and sur- rounded by a peristyle, the columns of which are also gilt. A double avenue of trees leads from II'lassa to Budha-lha, and is at all times crowded with pilgrims.
The population of H'lassa is composed of Tibetans, Pabuns, Ka- tchis, and Chinese. The Tibetans are Mongols, of short stature, who unite the agility of the Chinese to the strength of Tartars. The so called Pabuns are Hindus, from beyond the Himalaya; they are workers in metal. The Katchi are Cashmerian Mussulmen. They have a governor of their own at H'lassa, where they are the richest merchants and shopkeepers. They keep up a constant intercourse between H'lassa and Calcutta. The Chinese at H'lassa are few in number, and are either soldiers or government employés.
Unfortunately, our missionaries resembled none of these, and they were consequently subjected to so much annoying curiosity, that they took the fatal measure of reporting themselves to the Chinese police as "Frenchmen who had come to Tibet to preach there the Chris- tian religion." They were not long, in consequence, in being sum- moned before a regent, who at that time ruled in the place of the usual Chaberon, or incarnation of lama, who was a minor; as also be- fore the Chinese plenipotentiary, Kishen, the same who signed the treaty of
peace with Elliot in 1841, The Tibetan regent was liberal and
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.