National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
| |||||||||
|
Antiquities of Indian Tibet : vol.2 |
134 ANTIQUITIES OF INDIAN TIBET
[VOL. II
•
about 5,000 infantry, a captain of the archers, a ya-po (hangman, executioner), two
ru-dpons, and two captains. They surrounded the Wazir's camp. From early dawn
till sunrise both sides were engaged in fighting, and the firing was without intermission.
Those who died on both sides were equal. When the sun rose on the mountain peaks,
the Tibetan officers, as many as there were, and 3,000 cavalry, came out [of the castle],
and Mig-dmar-tshes, the steward, without looking back or hesitating, leaped into the
[Dogra] entrenchments. They fought for one or two spaces of three hours. [Then]
the Wazir uttered the following vow : " Either the Tibetans will take my head and
neck, or I shall take it myself (commit suicide) ! " Then, shouting Sri-Gu-lab-Siil's
name, [he said] : " The omens are not good ! " The Wazir fought on horseback
with a sword in his hand. After he had killed four or five Tibetans, the executioner,
knowing that he was the Wazir, hurled his spears against him, regardless of his own
life. Then, going in front [of the Wazir], he thrust his spear right through the Wazir's
chest. The Wazir fell to the ground, not uttering a single sound ; his sword escaped
his hand. Once more the thought occurred to him to seize his sword ; but he could
not. The executioner, drawing out the spear, took his sword from the belt, and, cutting
off [the Wazir's] head, carried it off. Then the Dogra soldiers lost their heads (thoughts).
When the Tibetan infantry also pressed into the entrenchments, the [Dogra] officers as
well as the Ladakhi noblemen became confused. He who could save [his life] fled ;
the remainder were killed. On that day, a little after noon, the battle came to an end.
The Tibetans had gained a victory. On the following day the captain of the archers
and the ru-dpon, and 300 cavalry, in pursuit of the fleeing Sin-pas, reached Sgar.
But, as this took place in Byan-than (a desert country), they could not capture a single
Sin-pa. After they had finished examining [the desert], they remained at Sgar. At
that time reinforcements from the Upper and Lower gold-mine [districts] reached the
camp, 300 horsemen arriving all at the same time ; and it was reported that 3,000
infantry would follow soon. Then Mgon-po, the steward, No-no-Bsod-nams, the
minister of Ba-mgo, Go-lam-Khan, the minister of Sa-spo, several other noblemen,
several officers of the Sin-pas, and all those Sin-pas who had been taken prisoners
were despatched to Tibet.
NOTES
Local names :—Yar-khen is Yarkand (or Turkestan in general). Byaii-thaii is the districts north and east of Ru-thog. The Byaii-la [pass] is found on the road to the Pais-koii Lake, soon after Sak-ti. Sgar is the same as Garthog of the maps. Stag-la-inkhar (Dvag-la-mkhar) is stated to be situated in Bu-rais. It is found exactly south of the Manasarowar Lake. Gro-sod is a Tibetan province north of Bu-rais. Do-yo (Toy o) I cannot trace on a map. Sa-spo (Sa-spo-la) is a large village on the Indus, opposite A-Ici, the seat of a minister.
COMPARATIVE TABLE OF THIS CAMPAIGN ACCORDING TO THE THREE AUTHORITIES
Cunningham's ` Other Information ' (pp. 351 sqq.).
Zorawar threatens to invade Yarkand and Tibet.
In May, 1841, he marches to 2. Ru-thog is seized and plundered. Wam-le, Bkra-sis-sgaii, Ruthog and Sgar.
Tshe-brtan li'gyal-rabs.
Zorawar threatens to invade Yarkand and Tibet.
Ru-thog is conquered ; a fort is built at Sgar.
|
Copyright (C) 2003-2019 National Institute of Informatics and The Toyo Bunko. All Rights Reserved.