The official diary of the Gould mission to Lhasa sent by the British government. Read more about the mission diary.
Neame went to inspect the troops and barracks of the escort early, and at 9 A.M., met Gould for a tour of inspection of all the buildings, having in view a re-building programme for part of the post.
At this time of year the Post generally, and the B. T. A.'s Mess is a pleasant plaice, sunny and warm and with rows of willows as a wind break all round, and fine vegetable gardens. But at times the wind and dust is very unpleasant. The rest of the morning was spent by Gould in receiving official calls, and by the rest in sorting and organizing the great quantity of baggage, stores and technical gear.
Chapman went out at 4 A. M. to climb a 17,500 feet hill near by, i.e., a rise of well over 4,000 feet above our bungalow and back to breakfast.
The callers, all of whom brought presents, comprised the following. They are all given tea, or drinks, and will later receive presents in return.
The Tibetan Trade Agent, Kenchung.
The Eastern Jongpen of Gyantse.
The Western Jongpen of Gyantse.
The Nepalese representative at Gyantse Lieutenant Lok Bahadur Pande and his assistant Mukhia Bhagat Bahadur.
Tering Rimpoche (an incarnation Lama related to H. H. the Maharajah of Sikkim)
A local landlord named Chanyal.
Supplies Contractor, Ramratan Daga.
A representative of Transport Contractor, Pangda Tshang.
The Chusul Jongpen.
The Jongpen is the District Magistrate, or Deputy Commissioner, and most Jongs have two, one to watch the step of the other. Sometimes one is a lay official and the other a lama. The name of Eastern or Western only comes from which end of the Jong building they, live in.
In the evening we gave a dinner party to the B. T. A. and his stall and the B. T. A. Yatung (Dzara Norbhu Dhondup), and O. C. Escort.
Author: Philip Neame [see handwritten annotations in Diary by Hugh Richardson in MS. Or. Richardson 2, Bodleian Libary, Department of Oriental Collections, University of Oxford]
Page Reference: Pt II p.5