days, the least default or delay calling down heavy
punishment on all concerned. There are always ponies
in readiness owned by the Tarjum and the local residents,
the latter paying part of their government dues
by the supply of post-horses, and as nobody ever has
the least idea when the next post will come or go,
whether to-day or to-morrow or next month, every
one is always on the qui vive. A regular log-book is
kept at the post, and if on examination the inspect-
ing Sipchu is dissatisfied—and it is always to his
advantage to be dissatisfied—a fine is levied, which, of
course, goes into the inspecting officer’s private purse,
as he purchases his post and makes what he can out
of it.
While at Missar the assistant of the retiring official
merchant (Yungchong) (the post is held for a year
only), passed through on his way from Gartok, and his
approach was heralded by riders carrying flags and
much jingling of bells on the ponies’ necks. We had a
long interview with him, made all the more interesting
from the fact that he knew all parts of Tibet, being a
resident of Lhasa, and had also visited Calcutta. A singularly
shrewd and intelligent man, he was much struck
by the pictures of Lhasa and other places in Waddell’s
“ Lhasa, and its Mysteries,” and Landon’s “ Lhasa.”
The picture “ The working of the heliograph being
explained to the Chinese General Ma ” especially appealed
to him, and he readily grasped the system of long
and short flashes, which is the basis of all telegraphy.
European journals with pictures of royal visits, motorcars,
bicycles, and generally of a world totally different
from his own, were the more appreciated as he had
some knowledge of European life as seen in Calcutta
and Darjeeling. I t is impossible to imagine a more
unpopular department than his, and, whether personally
agreeable to him or not, there can be no question that
habits 'Of oppression had hardened the man and given
a look of sternness to his otherwise pleasing appearance.
The system of trade at fancy prices carried on by compulsion
reminds one of charity bazaars, where one is
forced to buy something one does not want at an
exorbitant price. In the latter case one has the consolation
of religious motives; but in the former the mere
fact that each official is trying to make the most out
of his post and advantages entirely overwhelms whatever
feeling of patriotism may exist to persuade the
victim that the impost is merely a lawful form of
state taxation.
During our stay at Missar a Ladakh merchant was
set upon by thieves and robbed of all he possessed
.quite close to our camp; he asked us to assist him in
recovering his property, but no clue whatever was
obtainable as to the route taken by the dacoits.
Properly authenticated news also reached us of the
seizure of two hundred goats and sheep and fifteen
jibboos at Gyanema by dacoits, who, when pursued,
made a fight of it and only yielded their booty when
one of their number had been shot dead and four had been
captured and bound. The captives were taken to the
Daba Jongpen, and no doubt they will wish that they
had died rather than been taken alive to be tortured.
In this case the persons who had been robbed, finding
that nothing but extreme measures were of the least
avail, hired a professional Tibetan desperado who
made it a practice to lend his services for a consideration
to shoot dacoits. This man had shortly before shot
three other dacoits, and was quite a well-known character.
This picture of the state of things in Tibet