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

;37 4 TIBET.imperfect scheme, render abortive the endeavours towards carrying intoexecution, the more important object ol' your phm ;which I conceivedto be an immediate intercourse between the English, and tiienativesof Tibet. I have obtained the Regent Chanjoo Cooshoo's promise ofencouragement to all merchants, natives of India, that may be sent totraffic in Tibet, on behalf of the government of Bengal. No impediment,therefore, now remains in the way of merchants, to prevent theircarrying their commercial concerns into Tartary. Your authorityalone, isrequisite to secure them the protection of the Regent of TeshooLoomboo, who has promised to grant free admission into Tibet, to allsuch merchants, natives of India, as shallcome recommended by youto yield them every assistance requisite for the transport of their goodsfrom the frontiers of Bootan ;and to assign them a place of residencefor vending their commodities, either Avithin the monastery, or, shoulditbe considered as more eligible, in the town itself.I did not deem it consistent with the spirit of your designs, at thepresent period, tobe importunate for greater privileges than these, tonative traders : such as I have obtained will, I trust, be competent tothe purpose, of opening the much wished for communication ;and asthis mode coincided with the Regent's wishes, itappeared to me betterto adopt it,than to check the opening trade with a load of taxes, anda variety of embarrassing forms. Let merchants first learn the way,taste the profit, and establish the intercourse ; and afterwards the'traffic may bear a tax, which if laid upon it in its infancy, mightsuppress its growth. These concessions, in which the Regent readilyacquiesced, will, I presume, be considered as most material, towards