142 DESPATCHES FBOM LHASSA 



heaps of broken stone slabs may be seen, covered with 

 inscriptions in Sanscrit character. They are not under- 

 stood by the natives, but are held in great respect, and 

 if a piece gets broken off or thrown into the road, it is 

 always carefully replaced. The Chinese take no notice 

 of these heaps. 



This town is on the high road Ijetween Pekin and 

 Lhassa, and sometimes the Government messenger may 

 be seen passing through. The system is curious, and 

 it seems to be indispensable that a despatch of any im- 

 portance must be carried the whole distance by one 

 man. The best horses are procured for him to ride 

 upon, and he never stops except to change horses, to 

 the saddle of which he is tied. He is accompanied by 

 two soldiers, who are changed at every station, on the 

 arrival at which a fresh horse is always found ready, 

 and fresh guards in attendance. The courier is untied 

 from the horse, given a raw Qgg to eat, mounted and 

 tied to a fresh horse, and proceeds on his journey. I 

 was informed that this excessively liard work proves 

 fatal to many couriers. 



On July 11 Mr. Eockhill left on his return journey, 

 which he made to Shanghai by, I believe, the same 

 road that I had come up, viz. by land to Kia-ting-fu, 

 and then down the river by native boat to Ichang, 

 where he would be able to finish his journey by steamer. 



