1890.] at Bhot Bdgdn in Howrah. 83 
“ from the hands of the Dalai Lama, the greatest portion of his tem- 
“ poral power.” 
The Regent and the minister, however, soon after the retirement of 
the Chinese troops and officers, who had been sent by the Emperor to escort 
the infant Lama to the monastery, allowed Captain Turner to obtain, 
through the Gosain’s endeavour, a ready compliance with such requests 
as he made from time to time. He was admitted into the monasteries, 
and allowod to enter the mausoleum of the late Tashi Lama, the structure, 
adornments, and riches of which, and the ceremonies in which, he des- 
cribes with groat circumstantiality. Ho saw depicted, upon the pedestal, 
the imperial Chinese dragon — a conspicuous indication of the suzerainty 
of this nation. Uudor the portico of the mausoleum, sat a priest reading 
a book 1 with the greatest attention, indifferent to what was going around ; 
there were others to relieve him, it being their duty to pray perpetually 
upon the same spot, and keep alive the sacred fire 2 that burns before 
the shrine. The departed Tashi Lama, whose corpse cased in gold was 
deposited at the base of the pyramidal tomb, in an upi’ight sitting 
devotional attitude, was represented on the top in an effigy of gold. 
Puran Gir Gosain and others “ prostrated themselves nine times with 
devout humility.” The Captain saw also every religious edifice adorned 
with the head of the lion evincing the Tibetan veneration for the 
animal. 
Towards tho commencement of December, when, on the return 
journey, the deputation came to the foot of the hill on which was 
situated the Tharpaling monastery already noticed, in which the infant 
Lama, then eighteen mouths old had been lodged for education, Captain 
Turner was allowed to visit this Lama, whom he found seated in great 
form upon his throne with his parents on each side. The child turned 
towards a crowd of visitors that came to worship him, “ and received 
them all with a cheorful look of complacency.” The father, among 
other things said, that the Lama rose earlier than usual, “ because the 
English gentlemen were arrived, and he could not sleep.” “ During 
the time we were in the room,” says the Captain, “ I observed that 
“ the Lama’s eyes were scarcely ever turned from ns, and when our 
“ cups were empty of tea, he appeared uneasy, * * * until 
“ they were filled again. He took some burnt sugar out of a golden cup, 
Gosab in fact is cousiderod as tho real sovereign, the Dalai on coming to years of 
maturity often tries to shake oil the control of the ambitions Gesabs, but the latter 
succeed by foul means to retain power. 
1 Like the reading of the Gliandi in the Hindu shrines ; but the Tibetan practioe 
of unremitting reoitation is unique. 
s The preservation of the sacred fire is another old Hindu religious practice 
adopted by tho Tibetans. 
