ACTIVE HOSTILITY 179 



knickerbocker stockings, and fingered them with 

 the air of a connoisseur. 



The shaven-headed lamas are in a different 

 category altogether. Thibetan Lamaism is about 

 as corrupt and degrading a form of Buddhism as is 

 to be found ; Thibetan lamas, forced to undergo 

 the restrictions of a compulsory monastic life — for 

 each family with a son devotes him to religion — 

 are almost as corrupt, degraded, filthy, and evil- 

 looking a crew as it is possible to imagine. They 

 were, however, friendly on the whole, though some 

 of the younger ones badly wanted kicking, and 

 expressed child-like and unfeigned pleasure at the 

 doctor's removable teeth, a magnifying shaving- 

 glass, telescopes, and field-glasses. 



So the day passed, while an old gentleman sat 

 and watched the crowd from a corner of the roof, 

 said his prayers, and pointed out our strange ways 

 to a naked child, who seemed, in his arms, to 

 experience no discomfort from a chilling wind. 

 From another corner an aged female appeared at 

 intervals, screamed out a remark and vanished. 



Early on in the proceedings the old villain of 

 a headman, who had taken a look through the 

 telescope with a seemingly grateful smile, dashed 

 into the crowd, and with a few hoarse shouts 

 caused all the villagers to disperse, leaving a sedi- 

 ment of lamas who did not recognise his authority. 



After lunch we had a little mild excitement. 

 Our enemy sent in to say that we must go at 

 once. We refused, and told him we would leave 

 at daybreak. A sudden uproar caused us hastily 

 to enter the courtyard. There was the old head- 

 man, his garment off', stripped to the waist, setting 



