1936 - 1937 Mission Diary

The official diary of the Gould mission to Lhasa sent by the British government. Read more about the mission diary.

January 29, Friday.

This morning Gould, Richardson and Sonam went to interview the Cabinet at the building in the city called Kashag, from which the Tibetan name of this governing body is derived. After that we all went to the Prime Minister for lunch. Chapman, who has lately had many requests of this sort, went round early to take photographs of the Prime Minister and of his wife and small daughter. Our host was extremely affable and gave us an excellent lunch, which, incidentally, included a new dish, sprouting beans, which we have not had before. Our discussion of international affairs was somewhat limited by the fact that the Prime Minister has never been further from Lhasa than Tresum Sampa (about seven miles), and though he was obviously very interested in the affairs of Russia, Italy and Spain, these countries were mere names to him. To the suggestion that he should visit India he replied that nothing would give him greater pleasure, but that it was not the custom, nor could he obtain leave. [The italicised part of the text is marked ‘Not for publication’ in the Diary]

Author: Frederick Spencer Chapman [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 XIII p.2