articularly uneasy, for the Tibetan soldiers
with their clumsy matchlocks, long spears, and jewelled swords and
daggers, inspired us more with admiration for their picturesque
appearance than with fear.

[16] Hunyas = Tibetans.

[17] _Magpun_ or _Magbun_ = General-in-Chief.

CHAPTER XXIX

Arrival of a high official--The Barca Tarjum--A tedious
palaver--The Tarjum's anxiety--Permission to proceed--A
traitor--Entreated to retrace our steps--Thirty armed horsemen--A
pretty speech.

QUITE early the next morning we were roused by the distant sound of
tinkling horse-bells. On looking out of the tent, I saw a long row of
pack-ponies heavily laden, escorted by a number of mounted soldiers with
matchlocks and spears. It was evident that some high official was coming.
This advance detachment consisted of his subalterns and his baggage. They
took a long sweep far away from our tent and dismounted by the Gyanema
fort. Other soldiers and messengers were constantly arriving in groups
from all directions. The leader of one party, with a considerable escort
of soldiers, was received with profuse salaams and I concluded that he
must be an important personage.

After some time a message was sent to us that this new comer, the Barca
Tarjum, practically a potentate equal in rank to a king under a
protectorate, wished to have the honour of seeing us. We replied that we
were having our breakfast and that we would send for him when we wished
to speak to him. Our experience had taught us that it was advisable to
treat Tibetan officials as inferiors, as they were then more subdued, and
easier to deal with. At eleven we despatched a messenger to the fort to
say we should be pleased to receive the Tarjum. He came immediately with
a large following, a picturesque figure dressed in a long coat of green
silk of Chinese shape, with large sleeves turned up, showing his arms up
to the elbow; he had a cap similar to those worn by Chinese officials,
and was shod with heavy long black boots, with large nails under the
soles. His long, pale, angular face was remarkable in many ways; it was
interestingly stolid, and though somewhat effeminate, had rather fine
features; unmistakable signs of depravity indicated his low class of mind
and morals. Long hair fell in loose curls down to his shoulders, and
hanging from his left ear was an earring of large dimensions, with
malachite ornaments and a pendant. In his nervous finger