at Bliot Hagan in Howrah. 
67 
1890.] 
of the death of the Tashi Lama at Poking by a letter which was received 
on the 12th February 1782. In this letter, among other things, the 
Regent spoke of his fervent hope in the return of the hour “ of trans- 
“ migration, that the bodies may be speedily exchanged, and our depart- 
“ ed Lama again be restored to our sight.” 1 
The happy news of the discovery of the spirit of the Tashi Lama, 
incarnated in an infant in the valley of Painom, 2 was soon received by 
Hastings, and he determined to seize the opportunity of communicating 
to the Regent his congratulations on this auspicious event, as the best 
occasion for sending another mission to Tibet. He accordingly selected 
Captain Samuel Turner for this purpose, who, with Lieut. Samuel 
Davis and Dr. Robert Saunders and the inevitable Puran Gir Gosain 
as their guido and adviser, left Calcutta on the 9th January 1783. 
Captain Turner followed the previous route of Mr. Roglo, and on 
arriving at Tashi Chhoijong transacted such affairs relating to Bhutan as 
he had been instructed to attend to, and after a stay of three months 
at this capital, proceeded to his destination. Early in the morning of 
the 22nd Septeinbei', dazed at the sight of the resplendent beams of 
the rising sun reflected from the gilt tops of the monasteries, and 
regaled with “ the deep tone of many sonorous instruments which were 
“ summoning the religious to their morning orisons,” the party found 
themselves ushered into the very splendid apartments of the Tashi 
Lhunpo palace. 8 The Regent gave the Governor-General’s envoy a 
hearty and respectful reception, assured him of the identity of the Lama 
who, in his previous existence, had been a great friend of Hastings’, and 
informed him of his regeneration having been acknowledged by the 
Emperor of China. The mission had indeed arrived in Tibet at one 
of its most important eras ; it was at a time when the nation was prepar- 
ing by a grand demonstration to announce their acknowledgment of the 
regenerated Lama who was then being removed into the Tharpa Ling 
monastery for that customary training and education, for which the 
Chinese Emperor had issued strict injunctions. The Captain witness- 
ed here most interesting objects and scenes, and collected materials by his 
intelligent observation and inquiry, whereby he confirmed and widened 
the knowledge regarding the country which had been laid open by his 
predecessor. When the time came to leave the place, ho was introduced 
to the infant Lama, then only a child oighteen months old, and he gives 
the most surprising and most romantic account of this audience, and of the 
manner in which this little Avatar comported himself. Throughout the 
whole period of the sojourn of the mission our Puran Gir was most 
* Turner, ibid., p. 450. “ Turner, ibid., 230. 
1 Turner, ibid., p. 240. 
