ittle.
The exercise of his authority wholly depends on his will and pleasure.
There is no charter or constitution to regulate his conduct.

After the Tale-Lama, whom the Thibetians also call Kian-Ngan-Remboutchi
(sovereign treasure), comes the Nomekhan, or Spiritual Emperor. The
Chinese give him the name of Tsan-Wang, king of Thibet. This personage
is nominated by the Tale-Lama, and must be selected from the class of
Chaberon Lamas. He retains office for life, and can only be overthrown
by some state stroke. All the affairs of the government are managed by
the Nomekhan, and four ministers called Kalons. The Kalons are chosen by
the Tale-Lama, from a list of candidates made out by the Nomekhan; they
do not belong to the sacerdotal tribe, and may marry; the duration of
their power is unlimited. When they render themselves unworthy of their
office, the Nomekhan sends a report to the Tale-Lama, who dismisses them,
if he thinks proper. The subaltern functionaries are selected by the
Kalons, and most frequently belong to the class of Lamas.

The provinces are divided into several principalities, which are governed
by Houtouktou Lamas. These petty ecclesiastical sovereigns receive their
investiture from the Tale-Lama, and recognise his sovereign authority.
Generally they are of a warlike turn, and frequently engage with their
neighbours, in hostile skirmishes, which are always accompanied by
pillage and conflagration.

The most potent of these Lama sovereigns is the Bandchan-Remboutchi. He
resides at Djachi-Loumbo (mountain of oracles), capital of Further
Thibet. This town is situated south of Lha-Ssa, and is only eight days
journey from it. The celebrity of the present Bandchan is prodigious;
his partisans assert that his spiritual power is as great as that of the
Tale-Lama, and that the sanctuary of Djachi-Loumbo does not yield in
sanctity to that of the Buddha-La. It is generally, however, admitted,
that the temporal power of the Tale-Lama is superior to that of the
Bandchan-Remboutchi. Great rivalry will not fail to manifest itself,
sooner or later, between Lha-Ssa and Djachi-Loumbo, and occasion dismal
dissensions among the Thibetians.

The present Bandchan-Remboutchi is sixty years of age; he is, they say,
of a fine and majestic frame, and astonishingly vigorous for his advanced
age. This singular personage states himself to be of Indian origin, and
that it is already some thousands of years since his fi