The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-08-06


with their gilt canOpies. and the
POtala, crowned by the magnificent
palace Of the Grand Lama. and all unit
ing to constitute a majestic and impOs-
ing spectacle. The potala or palace of
the grand lama is situated on a rocky
eminence, rising like an island from
the plain, and il is on the lofty terrace
on the palace that the grand lama gave
audience to Chandra Das, who thus de-
scFibeS the event:
THE great altar, resembling an
Oriental throne, and supported by lions
carved in wood. on which his holiness,
child of s. sat, was covered with silk
ScaTfS OF great value A yellow kinkOb
or mitre hat crowned the grand lama's
head and a yellow mantle his shoulders,
and he sat eross-Iegged. with the palms
of his hands Joined together 10 bless
us. In my turn l received his holiness
benedjction and surveyed his divine
face. The Drincely child possessed a
really bright and fair complexion, with
rosy cheeks. His eyes were large and
penetrating. The cut of his face was re
markedly Aryan though somewhat
marred by the oblique eyes. The thin
ness of his person was probably owing
10 the fatigues of the ceremonies of his
court and the aScetic ObSerVanceS since
taking the VOWS of mOnkhOOd. 1 pitied
Ills CAdAlCu pOSlllOIl, lOt WHO hIlONS liidl
he will not be forced TO undergo another
TRANSPORTATION before reaching his
twentieth year,"
The grand lama's supremacy, both
spiritual and temporal. is acknowledged
all over Thibet. his position being not
unlike that of the pope in the middle
ages. He is believed to be Buddha's
Vicegerent incarnate on earth to uphold
Buddhism and to protect Tibet. and is
supposed never to die, though at times
being displeased with the sins of NOR
tails he retires to the sO-called Cab
Dan, the Mansion Of Joy, to reappear
in the person of the new grand lama.
His prime minister and principal eX
ecutive officer bears the title of desi.
and il is the deSi who, like the grand
ViZier in MOhammedan countries, uSu-
ally exercises the powers of regency
during the minority of the grand lama.
The dai lama's government extends
over a population Of about 5000 600, in
Guiding the inmates of the great mon
asteries. 10000 monks alone occupying
the buildings around his palace at
LhaSsa. His standing army does not
exceed 5000 troops, armed with long
matchlocks of Chinese make, bows and
arrows, long knives and spears
But it is estimated that If a call TO
arms were made the grand lama could
easily muster force of 300, 900 hardy
fighting men, highlanders all of them,
and fearless not only by nature. but
likewise in the belief of the divine at
tributes of the dai lama and the con-
viction that death while fighting in his
behalf insures bliss in the world here
after. Armed European fashion, led by
white officers and imbued with the
fiercest kind of hatred for the Chinese.
they would prove invaluable allies 10
the great powers in the event of any
necessity Of attacking China from what
is now its most vulnerable point, name
ly, from the southeast The country
abounds in ponies. mules. dOnkeys and
yaks, which could be easily utilized for
transport services, while in every part
of the country there are aocks of sheep
and goats, which would constitute in
valuable supplies for the commissariat
service of any European force invading
China via Tibet
1t would take too long to attempt to
give within the limits of a mere news
paper article any more extended de-
scriptiOn of the Forbidden Land" The
above notes, however, will enable the
readers of the Dispatch to form an idea
of the Importance of the news of the
opening UP of Tibet and the effect
which it is likely TO exercise upon the
present imbroglio in China.