'Volume II. MEMORANDA REGARDING OTHER EXTERNAL AFFAIRS. 1905.' [‎75v] (155/228)

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any important events occurring at Lhasa or
elsewhere.
8. (See paragraph 5 of the Memoran
dum for July 1905.) The Dalai Lama is
still at Urga. It is thought now that he
will not reach Lhasa till August or Septem
ber of next year at the earliest, since it will
be too cold for him to travel from Mongolia
till next summer. Starting in April, be would
not reach Lhasa till August or September as
he necessarily travels slowly, receiving ote-
ings, &c., on the way. The Chinese agent m
the employ of Captain O’Connor learned at
Lhasa that the Kalon Ta Lama (or Monk
Shape) is to leave Lhasa on the 9th of August,
accompanied by two other officials, with a
convoy of 170 mules, in order to meet the
Dalai Lama, and later to escort. him back to
Lhasa. The idea prevalent in Lhasa at
present, it appears, is that the Dalai Lama
will proceed to Peking this autumn, and will
return to Lhasa next summer.
9. The Chinese agent, whom Captain
O’Connor had sent to Lhasa, also furnished
the following information. All the four Shapes
have now been formally confirmed in their
offices. The Sechung Shape, as having been
through the initiatory ceremony first, now
ranks as the senior of the four. The Teling
Kushok is now confirmed as TJ or Lhasa
Depon, and has assumed the button and robes
of the office.
This man, who is the son of a former
Dewan, banished at the instance of Government
from Sikkim on account of his outrageous con
duct to Dr. Hooker and Mr. Campbell, owns
the small estate of Teling, near Khamba Jong,
where he constantly frequented our camp two
years ago.
He boasted so constantly of his acquaint
ance with our military methods that, when
hostilities began, he was given a command
of troops, and actually held command in the
Jong here during the investment of the
Mission last year. At the storming of the
Jong he made his escape by a back exit, and
has vaunted himself ever since as having cut
his way out through a number of our soldiers,
inflicting heavy losses upon us. He is also
the man, Captain O’Connor believes, who is
responsible for the brutal mutilation of Captain
Parr’s and Mr. Wilton’s servants. Since then
he has kept himself in the back ground, but
Captain O’Connor has heard of him occa
sionally as talking very big and advocating
fresh military measures. He has now advanced
at one bound to a position in the Tibetan State
second only to the four Shapes, and one which
implies considerable power and influence
and is accompanied by large grants of land!
The crops this year in the Tsangpo valley and
at Lhasa are said to be of unusual richness and
abundance.