India and Tibet: A history of the relations which have subsisted between the two countries from the time of Warren Hastings to 1910; with a particular account of the mission to Lhasa of 1904Younghusband, Francis Edward, Sir
History
India and Tibet: A history of the relations which have subsisted between the two countries from the time of Warren Hastings to 1910; with a particular account of the mission to Lhasa of 1904
Younghusband, Francis Edward, Sir
British -- China -- Tibet Autonomous Region; India -- Foreign relations -- China -- Tibet Autonomous Region; Lhasa (China); Tibet Autonomous Region (China) -- Foreign relations -- India
The Tashi Lama repeated his concern at Bogle’s departure and the
satisfaction he had received in being informed of the customs of Europe.
He spoke all this, in and with a look very different from the studied
compliments of Hindustan. “I never could reconcile myself,” continues
Bogle, “to taking a last leave of anybody; and what from the Lama’s
pleasant and amiable character, what from the many favours and
civilities he had shown me, I could not help being particularly
affected. He observed it, and in order to cheer me mentioned his hopes
of seeing me again.”
Of Bogle’s own warm-hearted and affectionate feelings to the people of
Tibet there can be no question. On the eve of his departure he wrote in
a letter to his sister: “Farewell, ye honest and simple people! May ye
long enjoy the happiness which is denied to more polished nations; and
while they are engaged in the endless pursuits of avarice and ambition,
defended by your barren mountains, may ye continue to live in peace and
contentment, and know no wants but those of nature.”
* * * * *
At the close of Bogle’s Mission we may review its results. He was sent
by Warren Hastings to establish relationship and intercourse of trade
with the Tibetans. How far did he succeed in carrying out that object?
It is sufficiently clear that, as regards personal relationship, he was
eminently successful, and that was about as much as he could have
expected to establish at the start. As we have already seen, Warren
Hastings never expected any very striking result from the first
communication. He wished to lay the _foundation_ for neighbourly
intercourse, and in this much he succeeded. He had had experience enough
of Asiatics in other quarters to be aware that they are very naturally
suspicious of a European Power, then by some apparently irresistible
process gradually expanding over smaller Asiatic peoples. As the
instance of the Gurkha Raja’s letter showed, there are few Asiatic
rulers who, if they have the _power_ to subdue a weaker neighbour, will
not as a perfectly natural course proceed to bring that neighbour under
subjection. This is looked upon by most Asiatics as a quite normal and
inevitable proceeding. Naturally, therefore, the Tibetans would assume
that it would only be a matter of time before the English Governor of
Bengal would attack Tibet. He had the power to subdue the country; he
would therefore subdue it. In the first instance he would, of course,
send up an agent to spy out the land, to see what it was worth, and to
find out the best way into it; and such an agent doubtless Bogle was, in
their opinion. It was inevitable, therefore, that Bogle should be viewed
with suspicion, and that the Tibetans should not, at the first jump off,
throw their country freely open to trade. How much wiser, in their
opinion, would be the views of some shrewd old counsellor who said:
“Keep the English at a distance; don’t let one into our country; stay
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