An Embassy to the Court of the Teshoo Lama in Tibet - Prajna Quest

TIBET. 255present, from the unerring signs of wisdom and greatness stampedupon liis brow, and the early traits of his sublime character whichhad been already evidently displayed. Nor did he drop the subject,without enlarging on the partiality which the Lama had entertainedfor the English in his state of pre-existence, and regretting that histender age rendered him at present unable to converse with me.Much conversation afterwards followed,on the subject of my commission,in which he manifested great anxiety to remove any unfavourableidea I might have formed, respecting his friendly disposition,in consequence of the difficulties which had been thrown in the wayof my proceeding to his court. He told me that many letters hadpassed upon the subject between him and Dalai Lama, who was alwaysfavourably inclined towards the English ;but he principally attributedthe discouragement and obstruction Ihad experienced to GesubRimbochay: in his apologies also he glanced strongly at theChinese.The Tibetians do not, it is true, bend under the immediate authorityof that court ; but its influence overawes them in all their proceedings,and produces a timidity and caution intheir conduct, moresuited to the character of subjects, than allies. The jealousy withwhich they regard this interference of the Chinese, and their uneasinessunder the yoke, though itrests so lightly upon them, was manifest,from the distant reserve with which they treated those oflicersand troops, who came for no other purpose than to do honour to theirhigh-priest. They were not suffered to lodge within the confines ofthe monastery ; this, I understood, would have been considered us a