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
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

268   ANTIQUITIES OF WESTERN TIBET   [VoL. II

The Indian soldiers of Zoráwar Sing fought under very great disadvantages. The battlefield was upwards of 15,000 feet above the sea, and the time mid-winter, when even the day temperature never rises above the freezing point, and the intense cold of

night can only be borne by people well covered with sheepskins and surrounded by fires. For several nights the Indian troops had been . exposed to all the bitterness of the climate. Many had lost the use of their fingers and toes ; and all were more or less frost bitten. The only fuel procurable was the Tibetan furze, which yields much more smoke than fire ; and the more reckless soldiers had actually burned the stocks of their muskets to obtain a little temporary warmth. On the last fatal day not one-half of the men could handle their arms ; and when a few fled, the rush became general. But death was waiting for them all ; and the Chinese (Tibetans) gave up the pursuit to secure their prisoners and plunder the dead, well knowing that the unrelenting frost would spare no one. A few men made their way to their brethren at Takla-Khar (Dvag-la-mkhar, Stag-la-mkliar) ; but that garrison was so dismayed by the defeat, that they fled precipitately, even over the snowy mountain-range, near the head of the Kali river, into the British province of Kumaon. But even in this unopposed flight one-half of the men were killed by frost, and many of the remainder lost their fingers and toes. These few, and the prisoners, form the whole number that escaped with their lives.

Amongst the prisoners were Ahmed Shah, the ex-ruler of Skardo, and his favourite

son Ali Muhammed, whom Zoráwar Sing was afraid to leave behind. The old man was treated with kindness, and even with distinction; but his heart was broken, and he pined and died in a few months. Other prisoners of distinction were, 1st, Rai Sing, Zorá war's second in command, for whose liberation Maharaja Guláb Sing wished the Governor-General to intercede with the Lhasan authorities.

2nd. Chang-Nabdan (Tshe-dban-rab-brtan), the Káhlon of Bazgo (Bab-sgo-bkah-

blon), whose wife, a buxom rosy-cheeked dame, came crying to me in 1847 at Nyimo (Sne-mo), to do something for her husband's release. She had written every year to him by different persons, but had never got any reply, as no communications were allowed with the prisoners.

3rd. Nono-Sungnam (No-no-Bsod-nams), the brother of the last. These two brothers were considered particular friends of the invaders, and were therefore treated more harshly than the multitude.

4th. Ghulám Khán, the active plunderer and desecrator of the Buddhist temples, was tortured with hot irons. His flesh was picked off in small pieces with pincers ; and, mangled and bleeding, he was left to learn how slow is the approach of death to a wretch lingering in agony.

NOTES

The statement that Ru-thogs and Mnah-ris had been alienated from Ladakh since the time of Sen-ge-rnamrgyal is not quite correct. These districts were separated from Ladakh after the battle of Bab-sgo under Bdelegs-rnam-rgyal. With regard to Basti-Ram's flight from Dvag-la-mkhar (Stag-la-mkhar), Cunningham says in a note that the Dogras were very kindly received by Mr. Lushington, British Resident of Almora. According