Sarcasm appreciated--Kindness--A change for the worse--The place
for an Englishman--Vermin--A Tibetan prayer.
THE Rupun possessed a good deal of dry humour, and I told him how fast
the Tibetan soldiers had run away on previous occasions when I had met
them and had my rifle by me. But he was quite equal to the situation and
exclaimed: "Yes, I know that they ran, but it was not through fear. It
was because they did not wish to hurt you." Upon which I answered that,
if that were the case, they need not have run so fast.
The Rupun seemed amused and laughed at my sarcasm. He patted me on the
back and said I was right. He professed to be grieved to see me tied up,
and said he had received strict orders not to give me food or unloose my
bonds.
[Illustration: CHARM-BOX]
The soldiers, who had been listening open-mouthed to the affable and
friendly conversation between the Rupun and myself, a practice not common
in Tibet between captor and prisoner, followed their chief's example, and
from being harsh and rough, turned quite kindly and respectful. They
placed a cushion under me and tried to make me as comfortable as they
could in the circumstances.
Towards the evening, however, the Rupun was summoned before the Pombo,
and the guard was relieved by a fresh lot of men. This was a change for
the worse. Their manner was extremely rough, and they dragged me away
from the dignified seat I had occupied in the place of honour in the
tent, and knocked me violently down on a heap of dung which they used for
fuel.
"That is the place for _plenkis!_" shouted one of the men, "not in the
best part of the tent."
They pounced upon me roughly, and though I made no resistance whatever,
they again tied my feet together, and another rope was fastened round my
knees. The ends of these ropes were left long, and each was given in
charge of a soldier.
No part of a Tibetan tent is over clean, but the spot where I was to rest
for the night was the dirtiest. Bound so tightly that the ropes cut
channels in my flesh, it was out of the question to sleep; but tenfold
worse than this was the disgusting fact that I soon got covered with
vermin, which swarmed in the tent. From this time till the end of my
captivity, or twenty-five days later, I suffered unspeakable tortures
from this pest. The guards, with their swords drawn, were all round me
inside the tent, and others were posted outside.
The night was full of strange events. Shouts could be heard at intervals
from a distance outside, and some one of the guard in the tent answered
them. They were to keep the men awake and make sure that I was still
there. One of the soldiers in the tent revolved his prayer-wheel,
muttering the following prayer so often that I learned it by heart:
Sangbo, sangbo
Yabni namla dupchenché
Yumni sala lockchendir
Lashin shukpi Kani san
Pashin tagpe Kani san
Yulo parba palui san
Tumlo parba wumboi san
Lassan lussan tamjeh san
Chedan Kordan jindan san
Takpeh yeiki polloh san
Takpeh yonki molloh san
Tzurzu Kaghi Tablah san
Arah, Banza, Nattittí
Jehmi jangla changzalu.
The almost literal translation of the words is this:
Oh, my God, I confess
That my father has gone to heaven,
But my mother is at present alive (_lit._ in the house).
First my mother sinned
And you took all men to heaven,
Then my mother and father sinned and I will go to heaven.
If all other men and I sin, and we withdraw our sins,
We are all liable to sin and the wumboo wood absolves (_lit._
washes all) from all sins.
On the North-west (Lassan) and South-east (Lussan) are the two
ways to heaven.
I read the holy book and purify myself,
My arm-bone[32] is the sacred bone (_lit._ God's bone).
And the sign of manhood my left arm.
Oh, my God, who art above my head,
And at the sacred Kujernath, Banzah and Nattittí
I pray every day for health and wealth (silver and gold).
[32] The Tibetans believe that in men the left, and in women the right,
arm belongs to God. They regard it as sacred, because with this arm food
is conveyed to the mouth, thus giving life to the body, and also because
it is with the arms that one can defend oneself against one's enemies.
The bone of the nose is also regarded as sacred.