all along the line with those of the Muscovite. Except
that we have no wish to make ourselves responsible
for the protection and good government of this huge
and unwieldy province, the aims of the government
of the Tzar are no doubt those of ourselves also. On
either side it has been a mere measure of self-protection ;
we happen to have been the better placed to achieve
our end. What the Russians did in allowing Dorjieff
to represent them unofficially in Lhasa we should have
been glad to be able to do, and it is a deplorable thing
that the millions of northern Buddhists under our
sway do not produce men of the capacity which is exhibited
by a Dorjieff or a Norzunoff; if these men
were to be found I fancy we should have used them
willingly long ago. For these quick-witted adventurers
are often the most effective screen which can be interposed
between two advancing nationalities, so long, of
course, as they are officially recognised by neither.
But there was no one whom we could oppose to the
dexterity of this Buriat lama.
He was originally best known by his Tibetan name,
Ghomang Lobzang, but after his adoption of the position
in which he has become famous, he is known to Western
nations by his Russian title of Dorjieff#a name, by
the way, which is merely a Russianized form of the
typical Tibetan word, which means a “ thunder-bolt,”
a “ diamond,” or, more important than all, the ultimate
symbol of Lamaic authority, a small brass ornament,
shaped somewhat like two royal crowns joined together
by an inch of moulded brass. Other names, too, he
h a s ; Kawaguchi, the J apanese traveller, refers to him
as Ngaku-wang-dorje; the commonest name in Lhasa
itself for this man was that of his official position, or
Khende-chega, and his name appears also as Akohwan
Darjilikoff. This list does not exhaust the number of
his aliases, but it may indicate why the Government of
India took some time to realise that one and the same
man lay behind these different personalities which had,
it was clear enough, at least one bond of union that of
hostility to British influence.
Precisely what took place in Russia has not been
made public, but in these days of indiscreet memoirs it
is not likely that the true inner history of Dorjieff’s
mission to Russia will long remain a secret. All that is
known is that when he returned to Tibet Ghomang
Lobzang found himself in the unofficial position of
Russian agent in Lhasa. He brought with him a large
number of exceedingly valuable presents, and he lost
no time in trying to persuade the Lhasan hierarchy that
it was to their interest to secure the informal protection
of the Tzar of Russia. Briefly stated, his arguments
were these :— You have no strength in the country
to resist invaders ■ your natural protector and suzerain,
China, is a broken reed; even at this moment she is
entirely under the domination of the British. If you
remain any longer trusting to her support, you will find
that she has thrown you as a sop to the Indian Government.
The English are a rapacious and heretical
nation ■ they will not respect your religion ■ they will
bring you into servitude, and the ancient and honourable
rule of the priests in this country will be surely put
an end to. On the other hand, if you will ask the aid
of Russia you will secure the most powerful protector
in the world. You will have gained on your side the
only military power which is able to crush the English
nation. More than that, you may be able to induce
the great monarch of that nation to embrace your faith.
Another emperor as great as he has in past ages been