y of the Chinese, who for several years past, taking
advantage of the infancy of the Tale-Lama, had assumed unprecedented
claims in the country. We thanked the Regent for his goodwill, and left
him to wait upon the Chinese ambassador.

We told Ki-Chan that, at a distance from all protection, we had resolved
to leave Lha-Ssa, since he was determined to compel us to do so; but that
we protested against this violation of our rights. "Well, well,"
answered Ki-Chan, "you cannot do better; you must depart; it will be
better for you, better for the Thibetians, better for me, better for
everybody." He then told us that he had ordered all preparations to be
made for our departure; that the Mandarin and escort who were to
accompany us, had been selected. It had even been arranged that we
should depart in eight days, and that they should take us along the route
which leads to the frontiers of China. This last arrangement, excited at
once our indignation and surprise; it was inconceivable how they could
have the cruelty to condemn us to a journey of eight months, whilst by
proceeding towards India twenty-five days' march would suffice to carry
us to the first European station, whence we could not fail to find means,
both secure and easy, for reaching Calcutta. We forthwith and vehemently
protested against the project, but our protest was disregarded, as was
the request for some few additional days rest, after the long journey we
had just made, and to give time for the closing of the great wounds
caused by the cold of the desert. All we could say to mollify the
cruelty of the Chinese ambassador was unavailing.

We then laid aside our suppliant tone, and declared to the delegate of
the court of Peking, that we yielded to violence, but that we would
denounce to our government: first, that the Chinese ambassador, installed
at Lha-Ssa, had arbitrarily and violently driven us thence, under the
vain pretext that we were strangers and preachers of the Christian
religion, which he called wicked and repudiated by his Emperor. In the
second place, that in opposition to all right and all justice, he had
prevented us from pursuing an easy and direct route, of only twenty-five
days' journey, to drag us tyrannically into the interior of China, and
make us undergo the hardships of an eight months' journey. Finally, that
we would denounce to our government the barbarity with which they forced
us to set out, without allowing us a little res