A PREVIOUS FLIGHT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 751, 25 February 1910, Page 5

A PREVIOUS FLIGHT.

TASHI. GREATEE PRESTIGE. ■ Originally the spiritual authority Vof the,' Dalai Lama and the Tashi lama were equal,' but -the Dalai Lama, through having'.his seat at the capital..(Lhassa), became a greater political force than the Tashi Lama, whose seat is: Shigatee. But the Dalai Lama's previous 'flight—at the time: of. the, English expedition—ha6un: dermined his authority in Tibet. In the story of his last expedition, Dr.. Sven Hediri.wTites:—■•-.-■ ::...■,-. '...■■ ,

■ "As "in the .two. preceding years :the : New Tear festival of. 1907 was of a more solemn, character ■ than- usual, and had attracted largo bands,: of pilgrims, ■ for the,Dalai'Lama.had taken fl)ght when the' English advanced to Lhassa, and this cowardly, pope dwelt, misunderstood and despised, .in • Urga, •■ in -Mongolia,. after abandoning .his: country^/where : ;all was' in' confusion,; to':the mercy of the.;, invaders. Many . a pilgrim, who would otherwise have: gone to Lhassa,, now : resorted to , Tashilunpo in preference, whero the Panchen Kinpoche' , (the Tashi Lama), of Chang, had Btuck. to,his post Vhen the country was.in danger; -. -■■'■: ."The .Chinese had posted up a vlong proclamation, at all the street, corners in Lhassa,, in whicli they declared, that'the Dalai Lama was doposed because he had exposed his people to danger-instead of defending them, and appointed the Tashi Lama in his place as the highest administrator .of , the tpme affairs 'of:' Tibet. True, the mob .had :torn down this proclamation and trampled 'it in the dust, and the, Tashi. Lama, had refused h\s acquiescence,:, but nevertheless it was still apparent; • two" and :a- half 'years: ;later,. that.the Tashi Lama enjoyed a far higher reputation than the Dalai Lama. 'For .though tho Dalai Lama was supposed to be omnipotent,' all-seeing, and omniscient, his troops had .been defeated by 'infidel strangers; although lie .had,promised nis 'warriors invulnerability, they "had been shot down like pheasants by : the English machine-'guns !■ although'"■Kβ hod.solemnly, .sworn that no harm could befall,Lhassa, the abode of the'gods, theeneinyhad ocf cupied the ■ town, while the invincible one,.: the,dlmighty, ■ the incarnation of the •• deity, had taken to'.headlong, .flight, like the:'most cowardly of. marauders,•'. more cowardly! arid '.meaner', tban' the ■ worst, mercenary, > from ■ Kham/, ■ The! Tibetans may bo forgiven for beginning to doubtthe infallibility'of''the Dalni:Lama;.after: the' butchery -at- Guru and Tuna,,.though ■ the ipriestsvwerb. ready-with'plausible' ex-' plaiiations of:these events. -.-.:" . ; ' '"Tho. Tashi; ■Jjaraa.'.ontne. other-hand,' had:stuck:to. his post;'ani was the objectj of the reveroncb'and'respect traditionally paid to the/chief priests in ;'Tashilunpo.: He iwas the. highest' prelate: in iTibot, while the Pope of Lhassa was wandering a- homeless fugitive about Mongolia. At the New Tear, festival of 1907 it was easy to: perceive what-great prestige and what ■boundless 1 cohfidonce were : attached to' the person of the Tashi,Lama." '•"..■'.■'•:. ':