LIFE AMONG THE PEOPLE OE EASTERN TIBET 



323 



when two persons like each 

 other very much they draw 

 up an agreement declaring 

 that they are brothers and 

 that they will help and stand 

 by each other through all 

 things. 



BECOMING A BROTHER 

 A TIBETAN 



OE 



When Lozong made the 

 proposal I told him that I 

 could not accept it. 



"Why not ?" said he, "we 

 are friends." 



"Yes," I replied, "I know 

 we are good friends, but 

 you occasionally kill people, 

 and you rob, and you drink 

 whiskey, and I cannot do 

 these things." 



He did not like that at all. 

 He went away, but two or 

 three days later he came 

 back again. 



"Well," he said, "if your 

 religion will not allow you 

 to become brother with me, 

 since you say you came here 

 to help people and not to 

 kill them, what will your 

 religion allow you to do?" 



I told him something of 

 our purpose and of our 

 faith and he went away 

 again. Two or three days 

 later he came back, all 

 smiles. 



"I've got things all fixed 

 up now," he said. "We can 

 be brothers all right. I 

 went up to the high priest 

 this morning and took an 

 oath that I will not kill anybody, that I 

 will not rob, and that I will not drink 

 whiskey." 



I assured him that I was greatly 

 pleased. 



"Then," he said, as he reached inside 

 his gown and pulled out a paper, "how is 

 this ?" 



He had it all written out and proceeded 

 to read the paper to me. It ran some- 

 what in this fashion: 



"In view of the fact that General 

 Lozong (he called himself General) and 



Photograph by Dr. A. L. Shelton 



WHERE A EAESE STEP MEANS DEATH : ALONG THE 

 MEKONG RIVER 



Safety apparently is not an important factor in the calcu- 

 lations of the Tibetan highway engineer, but he is not lacking 

 in daring, a trait which he assumes the traveler as well as the 

 road-builder to possess. These roads are never repaired until 

 they break down completely. 



Doctor Shelton have both taken an oath 

 that they will not kill anybody, they will 

 not rob any one, they will not drink 

 whiskey, they have decided to be broth- 

 ers." 



He enumerated several other condi- 

 tions, and in closing said : "And, further- 

 more, this is to give notice to any one 

 that if you ever molest Doctor Shelton in 

 any way I will bring a thousand men and 

 wipe you off the face of the earth." 



This paper is a pretty good passport 

 in some parts of the country. And there 



