do. Thirty-six days had
elapsed since our departure from Lha-Ssa. According to the Chinese
Itinerary we had travelled 2,500 lis (250 leagues.)

[Picture: Proul-Tamba, a celebrated Thibetian Chief]

CHAPTER IX.

Glance at Tsiamdo--War between the Living Buddhas--We meet a small
Caravan--Calcareous Mountains--Death of the Mandarin Pey--The great chief
Proul-Tamba--Visit to the Castle of Proul-Tamba--Buddhist Hermit--War
among the Tribes--Halt at Angti--Thibetian Museum--Passage of the
Mountain Angti--Town of Djaya--Death of the son of the Mandarin Pey--Musk
Deer--River with Gold Sands--Plain and Town of Bathang--Great Forest of
Ta-So--Death of Ly-Kouo-Ngan--Interview with the Mandarins of
Lithang--Various Bridges of Thibet--Arrival on the frontiers of
China--Residence at Ta-Tsien-Lou--Departure for the Capital of the
Province of Sse-Tchouen.

The Chinese government has established at Tsiamdo {268} a magazine of
provisions, the management of which is confided to a Liang-Tai. The
garrison is composed of about 300 soldiers and four officers, a Yeou-Ki,
a Tsien-Tsoung, and two Pa-Tsoung. The maintenance of this military
station, and of the garrisons dependent upon it, amounts annually to the
sum of 10,000 ounces of silver.

Tsiamdo, the capital of the province of Kham, is built in a valley
surrounded by high mountains. Formerly it was enclosed by a rampart of
earth, now broken down every where, and the remnants of which are taken
away every day to repair the floors of the houses. Tsiamdo, indeed, has
little need of fortifications; it is sufficiently defended by two rivers,
the Dza-Tchou and the Om-Tchou, which, after flowing, the one to the
east, the other to the west of the town, unite on the south, and form the
Ya-Long-Kiang, which crosses, from north to south, the province of
Yun-Nan and Cochin-China, and falls at length into the sea of China. Two
large wooden bridges, one over the Dza-Tchou, the other over the
Om-Tchou, to the right and left of the town, lead to two parallel roads,
the first called the Sse-Tchouen road, the other the Yun-Nan road. The
couriers who convey the mails from Peking to Lha-Ssa, and all the civil
and military servants of the Chinese government, are obliged to use the
Sse-Tchouen road; that of Yun-Nan is almost deserted. You only see
there, from time to time, a few Chinese merchants, who purchase, from the
Mandarins of their provinces, the privilege of going to Thi