LHASA AND cp;n"tral tihet. 745 



Speaking about the East Tibetan robber tribes, we must saj' they 

 try to ]:)rey upon the goods of others Avithout bloodshed, tlireatening 

 only the cowards. As soon as they see that the intended victims are 

 determined to show serious resistance, they escape to their quarters. 

 If one band of robbers strips a victim of everything, another band 

 will cU)the him and supply him with food. 



The monasteries are governed l)y their own laws, administered by 

 their own elders, the highest of which in the principal monasteries are 

 appointed by the Dalai Lama. Discipline and the whole regime is 

 based on " the fear of the governors." This fear must be manifested 

 even on the street; a monk must not show himself before them on the 

 street. When, on very exceptional occasions, he does meet them, he 

 must lie down, wrap his head in his hood, and lie motionless as if dead. 

 Justice is also ])ased principally on bribery, and the punishment is 

 banishment from the monastery with a tine of money and lashes. The 

 material condition of plain monks in Tibet is so bad that the convicted 

 always prefers the punishment of the lash to fines. 



The foreign relations of Tibet are conducted with British India 

 through Bhutan; with Kashmir through Ladak, and directl}' with 

 Nepal, (]hina, and Mongolia. 



Ti))et imports from India, English materials, principalh' cheap 

 cloths, enameled vessels, teapots, plates, and cups; objects of luxur\", 

 as coral, amber, brocade; medicine and d3'e stuffs; and various I^ng- 

 lish trinkets, such as mirrors, beads, jars, matches, penknives, etc. 

 All these articles are imported by native Bhutanese, Nepalese, Kash- 

 mii'i, and Chinese merchants. In general, the Tibetans are of late 

 l)ocoming more and more fond of English products; the English rupees, 

 too, are beginning to compete with the local coinage. The things 

 exported to India are yak tails, sheeps' wool, borax, salt, silver and 

 gold, yaks to a certain extent, and horses and mules brought over 

 from northern China. 



From China the Tibetans import tea, which they love so well, china- 

 ware, cotton and silk fabrics. From northern China, nuiles and horses 

 are imported, and, to a limited extent, breeding asses. 



For use by the Chinese, Tibet exports little, and the considerable 

 amount of native manufactured articles, together with those imported 

 from India, that are exported there go to satisfy tlu^ demands of the 

 Mongol lamaists. 



The articles exported arc various objects of cidt, as small statues, 

 ))ainted iiuiiges, I'cligious books, and prints made from carved wooden 

 blocks, incense candles, ribbons, peacock feathers, leaf-shaped seeds 

 " tsampaka," and similar articles that bring high prices only because 

 of the piety of the Mongol lamaist and his reverence for holy things 

 from Tibet. The more famous the person that produces these articles 



