y from the Nepalese in character. They
despised commerce and disliked strangers. War was their trade, and their
aggressions soon disturbed conditions along the whole Himalaya range.
The flourishing trade which had once existed between India and Thibet by
way of Nepal was brought to an end, while the raids of the dominant
clan on neighboring powers excited general apprehension. Twenty years
after their conquest of Nepal the incursions of the Goorkhas into Thibet
became so serious as to demand the attention of the Chinese emperor,
though no decided action was taken for their suppression. But in 1790 an
event occurred that put a sudden end to this supine indifference.

The temples and lamasaries of Thibet were widely believed to contain a
great store of wealth, the reports of which proved highly alluring to
the needy and daring warriors of the Goorkha clan. The Chinese had shown
no disposition to defend Thibet, and this rich spoil seemed to lie at
the mercy of any adventurous band strong enough to overcome local
opposition. In consequence, the Goorkhas prepared for an invasion in
force of the northern state, and, with an army of about eighteen
thousand men, crossed the Himalayas by the lofty passes of Kirong and
Kuti and rapidly advanced into the country beyond.

The suddenness of this movement found the Thibetans quite unprepared.
Everything gave way before the bold invaders, and in a short time
Degarchi, the second town of the state, fell into their hands. This was
the residence of the Teshu Lama, ranking next to the Dalai in authority,
and possessed the vast lamasary of Teshu Lumbo, rich in accumulated
wealth, which fell into the hands of the invaders. A farther advance
would undoubtedly have given them the chief city of Lhassa, since the
unwarlike population fled in terror before their advance, but their
success at Degarchi had been so great as to check their march, many
weeks being spent in counting their spoil and subduing the surrounding
country.

Meanwhile urgent petitions were sent to Peking, and the old emperor,
aroused to the necessity for prompt and decisive action, gave orders
that all available troops should at once be despatched to Lhassa and
vigorous preparations made for war. Within a few months a Chinese army
of seventy thousand men, armed with several pieces of light artillery,
had reached Thibet, where the Goorkhas, alarmed by the numbers of their
opponents, made hasty preparations for a retreat. But