Evening star., 1925-09-06

not an animal, but a man conscious
of the part he is playing. 1t is sup
posed by the Tibetans that the lamas
expert in magic have the power to
transfer to him the causes that would
attract to others illness, poverty.
death, misfortunes of all kinds and
deliver them into the hands of evil
spirits. So. each year voluntary
! victim called Lus Kong XVI gyalpo
| tthe king OF impurity). is charged with
| JectS ana sent to sandy Samye, whose
| neighborhood is a true miniature Sa.
hara.
The lure of a considerable profit
induces some poor fellows to risk the
adventure. There may be a certain
| amount of scepticism in their mind
about the demons and the danger of
becoming their prey, but, more likely
the Lus Kong XVI gyalpos expect to
be able to secure, with a high homo
rariun1 some lamas, still cleverer
than those who put the peoples sins
on their head, who will cleanse them
and keep the demons away. How
ever, either on account of the credu-
ltty that they are not capable of en-
tirely shaking off or for any other
cause, these human "scapegoats"
often die prerhaturely, suddenly or in
mysterious circumstances or, again.
are affected with strange diseases. A
former Lus Kong XVI gyalpo died
during my stay at Lhasa, the day be.
fore his successor was to be driven
away to Samye.
did not fail to roam through the
town during the week that preceded
the sending away of the "scapegoat"
to see him collecting the tax to
which he Is lawfully entitled by the
government. He was dressed in a
good Tibetan robe and would not
have been recognizable but for a
black yak CTibetan long haired ok
tail which he kept In his hand. He
entered the shops and circulated in
the market requesting money or of.
ferings in kind.
If one tried to escape at too little
cost, Lus Kong XVI gyalpo remon-
strated briefly with him. Had he not
obtained what he wanted he would
have waved the yak tail above the
head OF the miser on the threshold of
his house, a gesture of curse that
would have had the most terrible con.
sequences
All were giving literally, it ap-
peared, Tor L had not the opportunity
to see Lus Kong XVI gyalpo flourish
ing the enormous, hairy yak tail.
Still, once a discussion arose. I was
too far to hear the words, but 1 had
no doubt about the subject. The fu-
ture Scapegoat" grew impatient and
half raised his hand holding the
strange weapon, but then several men
lnterposed themselves and all ended
SATISFACTORILY, for l heard them laugh
ing.
Lus Kong XVI gyaIpo collects his
TAX at the doors of the wealthiest,
the highest in rank, as well as at
that or the poor, and the product of
it is a veritable fortune for a. man of
low station in life, as he always is.
WONDERED if he would visit my
hosiery, but he must have thought
really not worth his trouble the bep-
gars who lived there and the fa1,
copper coins he might have gathered
ne dlo not appear. Anyhow fate
caused us to meet once in the street
and the strange parsonage extended
his hand toward me. Out of fun
wished TO see him moving the back
tall said, Il am a pilgrim who has
come from far away. have no
money" He only looked at me
sternly saying; Give" But I have
nothing, l replied. Then he lifted
slowly his arm as had seen him
have enjoyed the sight of the waving.
Of the yak tail on my head, but for
two well dressed ladies who stoned
him, saying hastily: I'VE will give
Tor her. They put a> few small coins
In the hand of the man, who went mis-
way. "Atsi! mother, you do not
Know, the two kind women told me.
had he lifted that tail on your head
you would never have seen your
country again."
The day when Lus Kong Xvi gyaIpo
was to be driven away a. dense crowd
assembled along the way that the
Dalai Lama would follow to go to the
10 khang, where he would preside
over the ceremony in which the
"scapegoat" would be charged with
the impurities of the people. That
year, according to his horoscope. was
critical period of his life, and, so,
as supplementary protection, think
ing perhaps, in all humility, that the
weight of his own errors was alone
sufficient to constitute the load of a
man. the lamaist pontiff had secured
a private "scapegoat The official
Lus Kong XVI gyalpo was to run to
Samye as usual when his colleague
would turn northward and reach the
first pass on the Mongolian road.
Soon the representatives of the
clerical police armed with sapiings
Creaders must not think that my inn
perfect knowledge of the English
language makes me write that word
for another; they were really young
thin trees about 10 feet long)N began
to maui the mob in order to clear the
way for the kingly lama. The scene
was very much like that / had wit
messed the evening of the butter torma
festival, but on a much larger scale.
/ cannot relate all the comical Incl
dents of the chase-people who let
fall, some belongings. fleeing women
who fell down, children dragged cry
ing. Nevertheless. everybody was
merry, even those who were hit and
must have felt their bones aching.
People were penned Hike cattle in a
large open place and allowed to
breathe little, under the strict
watch of various kinds of policemen
armed with whips, enormous straps
made of plated leather strings and the
saplings already mentioned.
At intervals some one ran, shout