国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
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India and Tibet : vol.1 | |
インドとチベット : vol.1 |
:TIBETANS AGAIN ASSEMBLE 185
of it. Meanwhile, I said, I would receive the Amban,
and would ascertain what power to effect a settlement he
and the Tibetan representative really possessed.
In making this recommendation I was counting on a
collapse of the Lhasa authorities, which seemed to be
indicated by the Resident's statement, by the statement
of a Chinese official from Lhasa that Tibetan officers were
begging the Resident to intercede, by the fact that the
common people even, it was said, at Lhasa did not resent
our presence, that there were few troops between Gyantse
and Lhasa, and that the Lhasa authorities had been able
to produce only 5,000 men to oppose our advance as far as
Gyantse.
Whether this collapse would have taken place if we
had then set about advancing to Lhasa it is impossible to
say. Certainly it did not take place. But this may have
been due to the retirement of General Macdonald with
the greater part of the force which now took place, in
accordance with the plan prearranged between us of
leaving the Mission with a good strong escort to conduct
negotiations while the bulk of the force remained in sup-
port in Chumbi, where supplies were more readily avail-
able. This, from a supply point of view, was desirable,
and it was in accordance with the policy of Government,
but it may have had the effect of re-arousing the Tibetans.
Anyhow, rumours soon began to reach me that
Tibetan forces were collecting again. On the 24th came
news that they were building walls across the road at the
Karo-la (pass) on the way to Lhasa, that camps holding
700 or 800 'Tibetans had been established there, that the
Dalai Lama was endeavouring to gain time to enlist
Tibetans from far and wide to resist a British advance to
Lhasa, and that the local soldiers round Gyantse were,
under his orders, quietly leaving and proceeding towards
Lhasa.
To ascertain the truth of these rumours, Colonel
Brander, who was now in command of the Mission escort
of 500 men, two guns and two Maxims, and some mounted
infantry, on April 28 sent out a reconnaissance party of
one company of mounted infantry to the Karo-la ; and on
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