India and Tibet : vol.1 / Page 55 (Color Image)

0055	India and Tibet : vol.1

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subsequent occasion the Regent told Turner that many

letters had passed between himself and the Dalai Lama,

who was always favourably inclined towards the English ;

but he attributed the discouragement and obstruction

Turner had received to the Chinese officials at Lhasa.

The influence of the Chinese," adds Turner, overawes

the Tibetans in all their proceedings, and produces a

timidity and caution in their conduct more suited to the

character of subjects than allies." At the same time, they

were very jealous of interference by the Chinese, and

uneasy of their yoke, though it sat so lightly upon them.

And while they respected the Chinese Emperor, and had

this fear of Chinese officials, they looked upon the

Chinese as a gross and impure race of men."

And now again, as in Bogle's time, we see traces of

ii Russian influence. The Regent and the Ministers told

Turner that they were no strangers to the reputation of

t the reigning Czarina, Catherine, her extent of dominion,

and the commerce carried on with China. Many over-

tures, they told him, had been made on the part of

Russia to extend her commerce to the internal part of

Tibet, but the disinclination of the 'Tibetans to enter into

any new foreign connection, and the watchful jealousy of

the Chinese, had hitherto defeated every attempt of

that nature.

Turner spent nearly a year in Tibet, and though he was

unable to visit Lhasa owing to the antipathy of the

Lamas, he was able to obtain some substantial concessions

from the Regent of the Tashi Lama at Shigatse. He

obtained* his promise of encouragement to all merchants,

i natives of India, that may be sent to traffic in Tibet, on

If behalf of the Government of Bengal," and he reports to

0, Warren Hastings that his authority alone is requisite

to secure these merchants the protection of the Regent,

who had promised to grant free admission into Tibet

* Turner, p. 374.

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