Narratives of the Mission of George Bogle to Tibet, and of the Journey of Thomas Manning to Lhasa. Edited, with notes, an introduction, and lives of Mr. Bogle and Mr. Manning, by Clements R. Markham

Front matter

NARRATIVES OF THE MISSION OF GEOKGE BOGLE 1 0 TIBET, AND OF THE JOUKNEY OF THOMAS MANNING TO LHASA. EDITED, WITH NOTES, AN INTRODUCTION, AND LIVES OF MR. BOGLE AND MS. MANNING BY CLEMENTS R. MARKHAM, C.B., F.R.S. GEOGRAPHICAL PKPARTMF.NT, IKDrAOFFirF. LONDON: TBUBNER AND CO., LUDGATE HILL. 18 76. DEDICATION. To the Right Hon. the Lord Northbrook, G.M.S.I., Viceroy and Governor-General of India. My dear Lord Northbrook, I am glad to be allowed to inscribe to you, from whom, when I was your Private Secretary, in times past, I received so much kindness, my editorial labours in connection with a book which cannot, I venture to think, fail to have interest for the Viceroy of India. The most important jiortion of the volume would, without doubt, have been dedicated to Warren Hastings, the first Governor- General, by his envoy Mr. George Bogle, if untoward circumstances had not intervened to prevent its publication.

A century has since elapsed, and now that the intention of Warren Hastings that it should be given to the world is fulfilled, it is appropriate that the book should be dedicated to his successor, the present Viceroy and Governor-General of India. In the long period that has intervened, since the first Governor-General retired, no greater advances have been made towards the establishment of friendly commercial intercourse be tween India and the countries on the northern side of the Himalaya than in the time of your Lordship's administration. A a DEDICATION. mission has visited Kashgar, the Pamir table-land has been ex plored, and Mr. Edgar has held friendly converse on the Jelep-la. with the Tibetan officials of Pari-jong, the prelude of further steps towards acquiring the goodwill of the Lhasa Government.

The contents of the present volume will, I trust, prove to be useful contributions towards that knowledge which will be the means of some day re-establishing friendly intercourse between India and Tibet; and in the hope that my efforts towards that end will receive your approval, I remain, Dear Lord Northbrook, Yours with much regard and respect, CLEMENTS R. MARKHAM. Georrafuical Department, India Office, December, 1875. ERRATA. Page lix, line 24, for 1780 read 1680. „ b*.iii, ,, 2, „ Gauvil read Gaubil. i> » „ 10, „ Bicin (Bi-tsion) read Biciu (Bi-tsiou). „ lxvi, line 2 from bottom ; page lxvii, line 2 of note 1 ; and page 126, line 14 of note 3, for Guiseppe read Giuseppe. „ xciv, line 8 of note **, for Tubeto riental read Tubet oriental. „ cxxv, line 5, for Purbe tou read Purbet ou. „ 135, line 6 of note, for desert of Gobi read Kirghiz Steppe.

Preface

. It has long been known that the first British mission to Tibet was sent by Warren Hastings in 1774 under Mr. George Bogle, B.C.S., that a great friendship was formed between Mr. Bogle and the Teshu Lama, and that intercourse was then established between the Governments of British India and Tibet. But up to the present time no full account of this important mission has been given to the world. All attempts to find adequate materials among the records at Calcutta, or at the India Office, have failed. It is less generally known that the only Englishman who ever visited Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, and saw the Dalai Lama, was Mr. Thomas Manning, an adventurous traveller who performed that extraordinary feat in 1811. No account has hitherto been published of Mr. Manning's remarkable journey. These two gaps in the history of intercourse between India and Tibet have now been filled up.

The whole of Mr. Bogle's journals, memoranda, official and private correspondence, have been carefully preserved by his family in Scotland. Through the kindness and public spirit of Miss Brown of Lanfine, in Ayrshire, the representative of the Bogle family, these valuable manuscripts, after having been judiciously arranged by Mr. Gairdner of Kilmarnock, were placed in the hands of the present editor. They were con tained in a large box, and consisted of journals, memoranda of various kinds, and on many subjects; numerous bundles of private letters, including correspondence with Warren Hast ings, Sir Elijah Impey, Sir Gilbert Elliot, Mrs. Morehead, Dr. Hamilton, and the members of Mr. Bogle's family; appoint- VI

PREFACE.

. ments, minutes of conversations, and official despatches. No commencement had been made of a work intended for publica tion. The whole of this voluminous mass of papers had to be carefully read through and annotated before any attempt could be made to arrange a consecutive narrative of the mission. My object has been to keep the author constantly in the foreground, ancl to avoid any sign of editorial intrusiveness, and, as the journal was fragmentary, and it was necessary to supplement it occasionally with extracts from letters and other materials, there were some difficulties in adhering to this plan. They have, however, been overcome, and a connected history of the Mission to Tibet is now presented to the world. It must, however, be remembered that Mr. Bogle had not prepared any of his materials for the press, that they are submitted in a more or less crude form a century after they were written, and that, therefore, it would be unfair to judge of them as of a work completed and revised by its author.

Mr. Manning appears to have hastily jotted down his first impressions, day by day, in a rough note-book, which was copied out fair by his sister, and has since remained in manu script. He was a man of learning and great ability, and was well able to have written a good account of his remarkable journey. He never did so. But, through the kindness of his nephew, the Rev. C. R. Manning, Rector of Diss, in Norfolk, I have had the rough journal placed in my hands. Thus an account of the visit to Lhasa of the only Englishman who ever entered that famous city, is presented to the world. It must be remembered that Manning's narrative is from the hasty and desultory jottings of a note-book. We are fortunate to have obtained this relic, and must make the most of it. Good or bad, it stands alone. No other countryman of ours has ever followed in Manning's footsteps.

Ancl, for those who know how to find it, there is much wheat to be gathered from amongst Mr. Manning's chaff. In my introduction, I have attempted, in a narrative form

PREFACE.

. VII with foot-note references, to enumerate all the sources of in formation respecting Great Tibet, and the region between it and British India; and especially to furnish particulars as to the visits of Europeans to those countries. My first object is thus to show the exact positions, in history, which are occupied by the mission sent by Warren Hastings and conducted by Mr. Bogle, and by the journey of Mr. Manning to Lhasa. My second object is to supply facilities for the exhaustive study of an important subject, and one which ought to be thoroughly understood by all public men connected with British India, and by all who interest themselves in the progress and welfare of our Eastern Empire. The introduction is followed by two biographical sketches, one of Mr. George Bogle, B.C.S., and the other of Mr. Thomas Manning.

The narratives of Grueber, Desideri, and Horace della Penna, Catholic priests who visited Lhasa in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, are given in an Appendix. I should not have been able to complete my task if I had not received much kind assistance from many quarters. In the first place, the proof sheets of Bogle's narrative have had the in estimable advantage of revision from Mr. Brian Hodgson, who, in addition, has supplied me with many hints from his vast storehouse of information. I have also to thank Sir John Davis, Colonel Yule, Colonel Haughton, Dr. Hooker, Commodore Jansen of the Hague, Professor Veth of Leyden, the learned President of the Dutch Geographical Society, Mr. Major of the British Museum, Mr. Charles B. Phillimore, and Colonel Montgomerie, for valuable assistance.

The staff of the Geographical Department of the India Office have zealously made the aid they have given in the production of this volume a part of their extra work. Mr. Trelawney Saunders, besides preparing the maps, has been indefatigable in identify ing names of places, and in conducting difficult bits of research. It must be remembered that a single identification, represented

PREFACE.

. VIII perhaps by a sentence or a word, may have occupied many hours and even days of weary searching and close study. Mr. Charles E. D. Black, whose aptitude for orderly and lucid exposition, and whose accomplishments as a linguist render his co-operation most acceptable, has given a helping hand, which is only very partially represented by the translations in the Appendix. Last, but not least, Mr. W. Ronson has been a most valuable assistant in the labour of passing the sheets through the press, and in attending to their methodical arrangement. TABLE OF CONTENTS. l'AGK Dedication Preface . . 111 v

Introduction

. Policy of Warren Hastings xxi Abandonment of former policy. Loss of records xxii Narratives of Bogle and Manning xxii Objects of the Introduction xxii Geographical Sketch : the Himalayan system xxiii The Northern Range, or Nyenchhen-tang-la xxiv The Central Range xxv Tibet — the name — provinces xxvi The valley of the Tsanpu or Brahmaputra xxvii Identity of the Tsanpu and Brahmaputra xxx Region between the Central and Southern Himalaya xxxi Passes over the Central Chain ! . . xxxii The Central Chain xxxiii The Southern Chain xxxiv River systems of Nepal xxxv SikMm and Bhutan rivers xxxvii Diiars xxxvii Rivers of Bhutan xxxviii The Himalayan system xxxix The Andes and the Himalaya xl Historical Sketch. — Tibet. The inhabitants xlii The Pon religion xliii Buddhism xliii The Chinese pilgrims xliv Tibetan Buddhism xlv Odoric of Pordenone xlvi The reformer Tsong-khapa xlvi The Dalai and Teshu Lamas xlvii The Taranath Lama xlviii Monks and monasteries 1 Religious services.

Literature li Tribes of Nepal Iii Trade of Nepal liv Sikkim and Bhutan Iv CONTENTS. \ Romish Priests in Tibet. — Andrada '" Grueber and Dorville 'vu Desideri and Freyre 'vl11 Manuscripts of Desideri "x Horace della Penna 'x The Lama Survey ■ 1*' Samuel Van de Putte lxii Revolution at Lhasa lxv Gorkha conquest of Nepal Isv' Bogle's mission to Tibet lxviii Hamilton's mission to Bhutan lx'x Death of Mr. Bogle and the Teshu Lama Ixx Turner's mission to Tibet .. , lxx' Mission of Purungir Gosain to Tibet lxxv Gorkha invasion of Tibet b*-xvi Chinese invasion of Nepal lxxvii Kirkpatrick's mission to Nepal lxxviii The Chinese close the passes lxxix Journey of Manning to Lhasa lxxx War with Nepal lxxxi Troubles with Bhutan lxxxii Pemberton's mission to Bhutan lxxxiii Residents in Nepal. — The Hon. Edward Gardner, Mr. Brian Hodgson, Sir Herbert Maddock Ixxxiv Services of Mr. Brian Hodgson in Nepal lxxxv Political services of Mr. Hodgson lxxxvii Csoma de Koros lxxxviii Archibald Campbell lxxxix Darjiling xc War with Sikkim xci Dr. J. D. Hooker xcii Hooker's ' Himalayan Journals ' xciii Klaproth, Gutzlaff, Hue xciv Tibetan politics xcv The Dalai Lamas xcviii Present state of Nepal xcix Eden's mission to Bhutan c The Bhutan war ci Tawang , cii Recent exploration in Sikkim ciii Relations with Sikkim civ Mr. Edgar's Report . . , , cv Moravian mission in Lahaul cvij Journey of the Pundit of 1865 to Lhasa cjx The Pundit's account of Lhasa cx;ii Exploration of No. 9 . . . . : cxv Exploration of Lake Tengri-nor cxv; Trade of Tibet cxviii Policy of Warren Hastings cxxj Speculations as to the future cxxii Conclusion CONTENTS.

XI NOTE ON THE MAPS OF TIBET, NEPAL, SIKKIM, AND BHUTAN. PAGE Early maps, including Tibet cxxiv Delisle and D'Anville cxxv Crawford. Aaron Arrowsmith cxxvi Later maps of Nepal cxxvii Maps of Sikkim cxxviii Recent maps of Bhutan and Tibet exxix Maps of Colonel Montgomerie's explorers exxx BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF GEORGE BOGLE. Disciples of the school of Hastings cxxxi Family of George Bogle cxxxii Bogle's early years cxxxiii Bogle enters the Company's service cxxxiv The famine of 1770 cxxxv Bogle in the Revenue Department cxxxvi Bogle's character of Warren Hastings cxxxvii Friendship for Alexander Elliot cxxxviii Letters from Tibet cxxxix The Lama's necklace cxi Approval of Bogle's Proceedings cxii The Francis faction exlii Dignified conduct of Warren Hastings cxliv Characters of Hastings and Francis cxlv Death of Alexander Elliot cxlvi Bogle's appointment to Rangpiir cxlvii Correspondence while at Rangpiir cxi viii Death and character of Mr. Bogle cl Letter of Hastings to Dr. Johnson cii Preservation of the Bogle manuscripts cliv BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THOMAS MANNING.

Birth and education of Mr. Manning civ Manning goes to China clvi Manning goes to Calcutta clvii The journey to Lhasa clviii Joins Lord Amherst's Embassy clix Eccentric life clx Death of Mr. Manning NARRATIVE OF TnE MISSION OF ME. GEOEGE BOGLE TO TIBET (1774). CHAPTEE I. MISSION TO TIBET. I-nOM THE TESHC LAMA — MISSION TO TIBET — API-OINTMENT Or MB. DOCILE — HIS INSTRUCTIONS. 1. L, tter from tin- Teshu Lama to Warren Hastings 1 2. Minute by Warren Hastings .. _j :;. letter from Warren Hastings to the Court of Directors 6 +. Appointment of Mr. Bogle U 5, Private commissions to Mr. Bogle 8 b\ Memorandum on Tibet, by Warren Hastings ........ -J CHAPTEE II. FROM KUCH BAHAR TO TASSI8UD0N The mission departs from Calcutta 14 Enters Bhutan 15 Buxa-Duar 16 Ascent of the mountains 17 Bhutanese and Bengalis 18 Rivers and cascades 19 Vegetation of Bhutan 20 Bridges 21 List of stages 22 CHAPTEE III TASSlStTDON, THE CAPITAL OF BHUTAN.

Scenery round Tassisudon 23 Arrival of the Deb Rajah 24 Interview with the Deb Rajah 25 The Lama-Riniboehe' 26 Services and dances of the priests 27 Manners and customs 28 A funeral pile 23 Position of women .,n Trouble with servants •_,, Temples and praying wheels CONTENTS. XIII

CHAPTER IV. HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT OF BHUTAN.

PAM The lamas 33 Priests, oificials, and peasants 34 Influence of the priests in Bhutan 35 Government. Revenue 3G Career of Deb Judhur 37 Fall of Deb Judhur 38 Insurrection in favour of Deb Judhur 39 Arguments of the contending factions 40

CHAPTER V. BHUTAN

: NEGOTIATIONS. 1. Interview with the Deb Rajah 42 2. Reports to Warren Hastings 44 Objections to Mr. Bogle proceeding to Tibet 45 Obstacles to progress 46 Detention at Tassisudon 47 Removal of the obstacles to progress 48 Permitted to proceed 49 Proposals for the extension of trade 50 The caravan to Rangpiir 51 Collection of plants and seeds 52 Encouragement of trade 53

CHAPTER VI. SUGGESTIONS RESPECTING BHUTAN AND ASSAM.

The Diiars 55 Future military operations against Bhutan 56 Trade through Assam 58 Proposal respecting Assam 59

CHAPTER VII. THE JOURNEY TO TIBET.

1. From Tassisudon to Pari-jong 61 Soldiers in Bhutan 62 Lumbolong 63 The harvest at Essana 64 Paro 65 The valley of the Pachu 66 Pari-jong 67 2. From Pari-jong to Desheripgay 67 Pari-jong 68 Set out from Pari-jong 69 Chumalhari Peak CONTENTS. PAGE Lake of Sham-cliu Pelling " -. 71 Game laws in Tibet 72 Sham-chu and Calo-chu lakes 73 A happy family 74 Position of women in Tibet 75 Giansu 76 Painam 78 Banks of the Tsanpu 79 Gylongs 80 Arrival at Desheripgay 81

CHAPTER VIII. AT DESHERIPGAY.

Desheripgay 82 Interview with the Teshu Lama 83 Character of the Lama 84 Grand reception by the Lama 85 Dried meat. Dangerous medicine 86 Charity of the Lama 87 Tibetan dress 88

CHAPTER IX RIDE FROM DESHERIPGAY TO TESHU LUMBO.

Leave Desheripgay ;■ 90 The procession 91 Teshu-tzay. A Tibetan dance 92 Birth-place of the Lama 93 Return of the Lama to his palace 94 Enthusiastic reception of the Lama 95

CHAPTER X. TESHU LUMBO.

Palace of Teshu Lumbo 9g Ceremony of blessing the people 9g A Tibetan feast 99 The images in the palace jqq A game of chess jqi Reception of an envoy from Lhasa 102 A monastic life 1Q3 Chess, and church-going IO4. The Lama's relations jq-j New year ceremonies j qq Fortune-telling IO7 Tibetan ladies 1(1q Tibetan lames jgg Generous feeling of the Lama's family . . : j qj-. Familiar intercourse with the Lama's family jjq CONTENTS. XV

CHAPTER XI.

A VISIT TO A TIBETAN COUNTRY SEAT. PAGE Journey with the Pyn Cushos 112 Ride to Rinjaitzay 113 Hunting the musk deer 114 Return to Teshu Lumbo 116 The Governor of Janglache' 117 Departure from Teshu Lumbo 118 Parting with the Pyn Cushos 118

CHAPTER XII. AN ACCOUNT OF TIBET.

PACE OF THE COUNTRY — PRODUCE — FOOD — DRESS OF THE PEOPLE — PRIESTS AND NUNS — HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS — HOUSES — DISPOSAL OF DEAD BODIES — POLYANDRY. Produce. Food 119 Dress of the people 120 Priests. Horses .. 121 Burial of the dead 122 Polyandry 123

CHAPTER XIII. TRADE OF TIBET.

Kashmiris 124 Trade with Bhutan, Assam, and China 125 Trade with Nepal 126 Trade with Bengal 127 Currency 128

CHAPTER XIV. NEGOTIATIONS.

1. Politics of Tibet and neighbouring countries 130 Obstructive policy of the Gesub Rimboche' 131 Character of the Teshu Lama 132 Exclusion of Europeans 133 The Lama's proposal to use influence at Peking 134 2. Conversations with the Teshu Lama at Desheripgay 135 Discussion of the Bhutan War 136 Friendly feeling of the Lama. Questions as to religion 138 Encounter with the Benares vakil 139 The Sopon Chumbo 140 Decline of trade between Bengal and Tibet — causes 141 Mussulman invasion of India 142 Religious conversation — reference to Lhasa 143 Gorkha aggression. Further conversation CONTENTS. XVI

CHAPTER XV. CONVERSATIONS WITH THE TESHU LAMA AT TESHU LUMBO.

PAGE The Lama's desire to have a Buddhist temple on the Ganges 146 Interest with the high-priest at Peking 146 Conversation with deputies from Lhasa 147 Decay of trade through the conduct of the Gorkhas 14S Aggression of the Gorkhas. Invasion of Sikkim 149 The Gesub Rimboche and the Chinese 1 50 Second interview with the deputies from Lhasa 152 Letter to Gesub Rimboche 153 Reasons for not going to Lhasa 154 Narrow-minded prejudices of Gesub Eimboche' 155 Vakils from Nepal. The Gorkha Rajah 157 Death of the Gorkha Rajah 159 Misunderstanding between Russia and China 160 Interview with the Kashmiri merchants 161 Visit from the Tibetan merchants 163 The temple on the Ganges. Further conversation 164 Requests at parting 166 More religious conversation. Catholic missionaries 1 67 Russians and Chinese.

The Lama's watches 168 Efforts of the Lama to remove jealousy of English 169 Desire of the Lama for friendly relations between India and China . . . . 170 Farewell to the Lama 171

CHAPTER XVI. THE EPISODE WITH THE CHAUDURI.

The Chauduri an emissary of the Gesnb Rimboche' 172 Conversation with the Chauduri 173 The Chauduri disclaimed by the Gesub 174 Second interview with the Chauduri 175 Reasoning on the Chauduri intrigue 176

CHAPTER XVII. RETURN FROM TIBET TO BENGAL.

NEGOTIATIONS IN BHUTAN. Mr. Bogle's affection for the Lama and his people 177 Incidents on the road ' 178 Sects of the Yellow and Red Caps 180 Old friends. A hot spring 181 Arrival at Paro. Return to Tassisudon 182 Paro as a central mart ] 83 Proposals for facilitating trade 184 Offer of free trade to Bhutan 180 Opening of trade with Bhutan 187 Exclusion of Europeans 188 Negotiations with the Deb Rajah 189 Return to Bengal * CONTENTS. XVII

CHAPTER XVIII. GENERAL REPORT BY MR.

BOGLE ON HIS RETURN FROM TfBET* Bhutan.— Face of the country 191 History 192 „ Revenue. Contrast between Bhutan and Tibet 193 Tibet.— History „ 194 „ The Lamas. Chinese at Lhasa 195 Parallel between Lamas and Popes 196 „ Influence of Teshu Lama 197 Conduct of the Gorkha Rajah 197 Visits from Kashmiri and Tibetan merchants 198 Reasons for not going to Lhasa. Return to Bhutan 199 Difficult negotiations at Tassisudon 200 Trade engrossed by the Deb Rajah and his officers 201 Permission obtained for merchants to pass through Bhutan 202 Trade between Bengal and Tibet 203 Suggestions for extension of trade 204 Importance of removing obstructions in Nepal 205

CHAPTER XIX. JOURNEY OF THE TESHU LAMA TO PEKING, AND HIS DEATH.

PROJECT OF MR. BOGLE FOR MEETING THE LAMA AT PEKING. Debts of Chiuese merchants. Journey of the Teshu Lama 207 Promise of the Lama to procure passports to Peking for Mr. Bogle . . . . 208 Account of the Teshu Lama's journey and death (note) 208 Proposals respecting Mr. Bogle's mission to Peking 209 JOURNEY OF MR. THOMAS MANNING TO LHASA (1811-12).

Chapter I. Journey From Cantalbary To Pari-jong

Approaching Bhutan 213 On the road to Paro 214 Theft of spoons. Leave Paro 215 Arrival at Pari-jong 216 A churlish servant. Ai rival of Chinese 217 Successful practice as a physician. Permission to proceed 218 I. CONTENTS.

Chapter II. From Pari-jong To Giansu

PAGE Leave Pari-jong with a Chinese General. Intense cold 219 A night scene. Bad horse-gear 220 A runaway horse 221 Shores of a lake 222 Smoky lodgings 223 A hot spring. Colossal image 224 Discomforts of travelling 225 CHAPTER HI- RESIDENCE AT GIANSU. Approach to Giansu 226 Description of Giansu — its Chinese appearance 227 Clothing for cold weather 228 Prejudices respecting dress 229 Dinner with the Chinese General. Breakfast with the Sub-Mandarin . . 230 Visit to a Tibetan Mandarin 231 Practising medicine 232 Advice from the General 233 Hiring a servant 234 Handiness of Chinese soldiers. Dinner with a patient 235 The General gives a concert 236 Postal difficulties .. .. 237 Sulkiness of the Munshi 238 A Chinese suit of clothes 240

Chapter IV. Journey From Giansu To Lhasa

PAGE Departure from Giansu. Jokes with Chinese soldiers 241 Postal service in Tibet 242 Skirts of the Central Chain ' 243 The Palti lake 244 Travelling arrangements 246 Hospitable Tibetan family 247 Frolicsome ravens 248 The Munshi sulky 249 A cold night's rest 250 Valley of the Tsanpu. Crossing the river 251 Ride to Lhasa 252 View of the palace of Potala 255 Arrival at Lhasa CONTENTS. XIX

RIOT— EXECUTION OF A GOOD MANDARIN. Scuffle between a Tibetan and Chinaman 271 Conspiracy against an upright magistrate. His execution 272 Lhasa looked on as banishment 273 Bad character of mandarins sent to Lhasa 274

Chapter VIII. Residence At Lhasa

Spies. Anger of Mr. Manning 275 Interrogatories 276 Hopes of continuing the journey 277 Uneasiness of the Munshi 278 Unpleasant anticipations of being executed 279 Reception of patients 280 Altercation with a patient 281 New lodgings 282 Misconduct of the Munshi. Inattention of servants 284 Visit to a Thalung's mother 285 Visit to the physician of the Dalai Lama 286 Want of money : 2S7 Second visit to the Dalai Lama 28S Visit to the temples 289 Toleration 291 I CONTENTS. XX

Chapter IX. Fragmentary

NOTES— RETURN JOURNEY. PAGE Another visit to the Dalai Lama 292 Last days at Lhasa 293 Return to Bengal 294