Peking to Lhasa : vol.1 / Page 246 (Color Image)

0246	Peking to Lhasa : vol.1

182 PEKING TO LHASA

Pereira advanced he got a glimpse of the glitter

on its golden roof. The country was still treeless

till getting near to Lhasa, when villas and walled

enclosures full of willow and other trees were seen.

At 10 miles was Drukpa or " the Ferry ", with a

very stony beach on either side. The river was

80 yards wide and 10 feet deep. As usual, coracles

were used for the passage. A small official sta-

tioned here brought Pereira some Chinese cakes

and small unripe peaches. He then crossed a

stony plain stretch 4 miles to the north to barren

hills, at the foot of which was the great Sera

monastery, a several-storied block of whitewashed

buildings. At 141 miles he entered Lhasa, a

rather dirty city with houses of stone, two or three

storied, and with the usual quaint Tibetan windows.

And here, once more, were shops, pink potatoes,

eggs, sugar, etc. It was a treat to him to see a

shop again.

He rode straight to the newly established

telegraph office and despatched a telegram to his

brother, worded, " Lhasa Englishman first." He

had to economise words, and what he meant was

that he, an Englishman, was the first to reach

Lhasa from Peking.

" I entered with my white beard, very tired but

happy ", he writes, " for the great trek was at last

a thing to look back upon. The weary miles of

tramping were over.

" Riding through the city I passed the wonder-

ful Potala, one of the wonders of the world —a

gigantic block of buildings. I have not yet counted

how many stories high, mostly whitewashed, with

the centre painted red and surmounted by small

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