are only in attendance to flatter the
religious belief of the Mongols, and to bind them to the reigning
dynasty, by making them believe that the government of Peking has great
veneration for the divinity of the Buddha-La. Another advantage of this
embassy is, that the two Kin-Tchais can easily, at Lha-Ssa, watch the
movements of the people on the confines of the empire, and send
information of them to their government.

In the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Kien-Long, the court of Peking
had at Lha-Ssa two Kin-Tchai, or ambassadors, the one named Lo, the other
Pou; by a combination of the two names, these men were called the
Kin-Tchais (_Lo-Pou_). The word Lo-Pou signifying in Thibetian "radish."
This term was, to a certain extent, an insult, and the people of Lha-Ssa,
who had never regarded with a pleased eye the presence of the Chinese in
the country, were delighted to take up this denomination. Besides, for
some time past, the two Chinese Mandarins had given, by their behaviour,
umbrage to the Thibetians; they interfered every day, more and more, in
the affairs of the state, and openly encroached on the rights of the
Tale-Lama. At last, as a climax of annoyance, they ordered numerous
Chinese troops into Thibet, under the pretext of protecting the Tale-Lama
from certain Nepaulese tribes who were giving him uneasiness. It was
easy to see that China sought to extend its empire and dominion into
Thibet. The opposition of the Thibetian government was, they say,
terrible, and the Nomekhan exerted all his authority to check the
usurpation of the two Kin-Tchai. One day, as he was going to the palace
of the Chinese ambassadors, a young Lama threw a note into his litter, on
which were written the words, _Lo Pou, ma, sa_, which signifies, Do not
eat radishes--abstain from radishes. The Nomekhan clearly saw, that by
this play upon words, some one wished to advise him to be on his guard
against the Kin-Tchais (Lo-Pou); but as the warning was not clear or
precise, he went on. Whilst he was in secret conversation with the two
delegates of the court of Peking, some satellites suddenly entered the
apartment, poinarded the Nomekhan, and cut off his head. A Thibetian
cook, who was in an adjoining room, ran, on hearing the victim's cries,
took possession of the bleeding head, stuck it on a pike, and [Picture:
Insurrection of the Thibetians at Lha-Ssa] ran through the streets of
Lha-Ssa, crying, "Vengeance--death to the Chin