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

364 TIBET.of the countries through which he passed, had he returned in safety toTibet.But I must beg leave to observe, that the unfortunate accidentswhich prevented the proposed deputation of Mr. Bogle, a second timeto Teshoo Loomboo, and the untimely death of the Lama himself, wereevents in themselves, not unlikely to destroy the effect of every formereffort ; sufficient to revive in the minds of the Tibetians, naturallyaverse to innovation, all their former distrust, and to interrupt thegrowing confidence with which they had been so successfully inspired.Yet, in some measure to compensate for these disadvantages, the deathof Gesub Rimbochay, offered a new prospect of opening that communicationwhich was the objest of our wishes ; for he was remarkablefor the turbulence and activity of his disposition, and his violent enmityto all intercourse with the English. Unhappily, however, the expectationsformed from this event were defeated by his successor, whosucceeded to his place with the same prejudices, and, studying thedisposition of the people, has had a view to establish himself in officeby a conformity to popular opinions, knowing that the time of hisauthority was limited and uncertain.His conduct has, moreover, beenactuated by a strong spirit of jealousy and animosity, in consequenceof Teshoo Lama's negociation inChina, through which, he narrowly'escaped being deprived of his authority. From the combined influenceof all these motives, he is still induced to neglect no occasionthat offers, of thwarting the designs of the government of TeshooLoomboo.Since the subjection of Tibet to the Chinese yoke, the influence ofthe Lamas, who were once supreme, has been much weakened by the