the Nirba hoped that, after the interview was over,
the proprieties would allow him to have the bottle.
The Lama was proof against cigarettes, and the Jong-
pen said he had made a vow a year ago not to smoke;
however, he took a gold-tipped cigarette just to show
good feeling and put it behind his ear, as a clerk does
a pen. The Nirba said nothing, but his eyes and hands
spoke volumes, for he knew these cigarettes, Long-
staff having shortly before offered him some, when
he could scarcely be dissuaded from taking the whole
box.
The interview closed with a firm friendship on both
sides, and our visitors were bid farewell with handshaking
and much formality, the Nirba on his bounding
mare being the only discordant element, for he nearly
swept the Jongpen away in one of his wild rushes.
When we returned the visit as a compliment to
the authorities, we did so in state with all my officials
attending and the escort to the fore. The Jongpen
met us at the gate of the fort, and conducted us up
almost perpendicular stairs and along the darkest
of passages, while prayer-barrels and prayer-wheels
were turned zealously on all sides. The presents to
the Jongpen included a handsome rug, black on one
side and a design of leopards on the other, a leather
hand-bag, a strong steel trunk, a light-blue sunshade,
and, above all, the coveted glass carafe and liqueur
glasses. I t was ordained that we should drink the
Tibetan spirit Arak (made from rice) out of the newly-
presented glasses. The Nirba was anxious to clean
the packing sawdust from the glasses with his finger,
but some brave man told him to desist, when he
resolutely wiped them out with a scrap of dirty paper. We
all drank with the Jongpen, and there was the greatest
good humour, which was enormously increased when
some toys were presented by us. Musical boxes and
penny trumpets were in great demand, but nothing
THE “ CHUM,” OR RANT, WIFE OF THE THREE BROTHERS
The tiara is of turquoise and coral; ear-rings of silver and turquoise; a
silver charm is suspended from the neck; beads are fastened to the
waist; the long boots are Lhasa-made. She is wearing a shirt with an
apron, and a long robe (like a dressing-gown) with full sleeves. Behind
the shoulders the hair is plaited, and the two ends are connected by
coloured cord 2 ft. long
equalled the hen that ran along and flapped its wings.
She was greeted with loud guffaws of delight, and
so great was the general good feeling that the lady of
the house, the wife of the three brothers, called by the
familiar English name “ chum,” sent word to say
that she wished to see the Pombo and the Amji,
M