other part of Chang-lo consisted of a very irregularly
shaped building which probably represented the actual
daily living-house of the ducal family of Chang-lo.
It was very thickly built, and presented its most impregnable
side towards the jong. This peculiarity,
which was common enough in the houses of the plain
to suggest that it was not wholly unintentional, proved
afterwards the salvation of the situation. The place
was capable of defence, and to the south, away from
the jong, a thick plantation of leafless willow-thorns
was carpeted from end to end with iris. The river
ran beside us sixty yards away, turning in its course
towards the far distant spur upon which the scattered
houses and temples of Tse-chen were built. Other
white houses dotted the plain on all sides within a mile,
and twelve hundred yards away to the north-east the
little village of Pala, then deserted, guarded the road
to Lhasa. .
It is worth while to review the political situation
at the time of our arrival at Gyantse. Colonel Young-
husband had sent a letter to the Amban announcing
to him the impending arrival of the British Mission,
and requesting him to come to Gyantse to discuss the
terms of the agreement, bringing with him properly
qualified Tibetan representatives of sufficiently high
rank. This letter was sent off during the march up,
but I do not suppose that anyone in the force really
believed that the Tibetans were willing to treat with
us. The news of their loss at Tuna was brought to the
Lhasan authorities in a wholly mendacious form. It
is easy to see how the incidents of that unfortunate
day lent themselves to misconstruction. It was reported,
and believed, in Lhasa that the English had