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

TIBET. 341it." He then observed upon the dispositions of the chiefs of Lassa.He said they were crafty designing men, of fair exterior, but deep andblack at heart ; and he concluded this confidential communication byobserving, that without mutual confidence, friendship could not subsist.I extolled his patience under the wrongs he had borne, and recommendedhim to wait the event of time ;when Teshoo Lama shouldbe fixed in power, and the unworthiness of the hostile party dismissthem, from the enjoyment of that influence, of which they had made sobad an use; it might then be hoped, that better subjects would be foundto succeed to their place. With such consolatory counsels I endeavouredto sooth his anxieties.I found Gyap to be not only a great lover of manly sports andmartial exercises, but also a perfect connoisseur on the subject of arms.His collection was exhibited, and he liberally descanted on the peculiarmerits of each weapon.There were arrows famed for their remoteand steady flight,which had names inscribed on each of them, andplaces assigned to them in a quiver, in separate cells. He honouredme with a present of three of these, and a large Chinese bow, nearfive feet in length, made of the horns of buffaloes, which he had used,he said, for many years. It was then perfect, but I feared, as it hassince happened, that the climate of Bengal would destroy its form,though, with the greatest care, I kept it for some time uninjured. Hisown favourite bows were of bamboo, a species produced in the mountainsbordering upon Tibet, of great strength, and almost entirelysolid. The bow is framed from two pieces of bamboo, split off nextthe outside; the inner sides of which, after being well fitted, are