The Lapchak 



255 



and perhaps this also. Perhaps the tribute-bear- 

 ing mission is recognised by them also as a 

 convenient fiction with which to cloak commercial 

 dealings with a non-Buddhistic country. Anyhow, 

 the Lapchak remains one of the few links con- 

 necting Lhassa with the outside, and, in Tibetan 

 opinion, the less important part of the world. 



The articles of commerce the mission takes to 

 Lhassa are of different kinds, the most important 

 being : dried apricots, corals, velvet, saffron, and 

 English piece goods, also alwan, or pashmina, 

 from Kashmir ; for the Tibetans have not the 

 art of weaving their superb wool into the finest 

 sorts of cloth. In return, the Lapchak brings 

 musk, turquoises, cTierus (a sort of inferior astra- 

 khan), and Chinese brick- tea. The foundation of 

 the trade is the last commodity, for in spite of 

 the distance of Ladak and Turkestan from the 

 tea-gardens of China, this form of the leaf more 

 than holds its own with the Indian article in 

 these parts. Into Tibet the latter finds no entry 

 at all, as the brick-tea brought from Szechuan is 

 the monopoly of Government officials and State 

 traders, and a most profitable one, for it is thrust 

 on the people whether they want it or no. When 

 they do not want or cannot afford it, the trans- 

 action is simplified ; for on the payment becoming 

 due the official vendor receives his tea back, plus 



