All’s well that ends well.
Something more than two years had elapsed since my return to Japan, and
in all that time the worry of my mind had kept on increasing, instead
of abating; in fact, every day that passed seemed to add to the misery
and to make more vivid the picture of the dreadful fate of my friends
and benefactors in Tibet. The reader may well imagine, therefore, with
what kind of feeling I read the following letter (from which an extract
only is given here):
“Mr. Kawaguchi passed through Yatung (Tibet) on his way to Darjeeling
from Lhasa about June 1902. During his brief stay at Yatung, he, to my
personal knowledge, attended or prescribed for the wife of the local
Tibetan official there, commonly known as Dhurkey Sirdar. Soon after he
had crossed the Jelap pass into Sikkim (British protected territory)
an order was sent from Lhasa to the effect that he had been living at
the Gompa of Sera, Lhasa, for some fifteen months and had suddenly
disappeared, and was believed to be a foreigner. Therefore Dhurkey
Sirdar was instructed to compass his arrest. This in itself would seem
sufficient proof or corroboration of Kawaguchi’s statements, however,
they need not rest on this alone, for there is no Tibetan official
or merchant whom I have met who was not cognisant of Kawaguchi’s
lengthened residence at Sera Gompa and his flight therefrom....
“As I have already mentioned, I never yet met an official or merchant
who did not know of Kawaguchi’s lengthened residence at Lhasa, but I
have still to meet either one or other who has ever heard of Lander of
spiked-saddle fame!
“Please tell Kawaguchi that from enquiries I have ascertained that his
Teacher and the merchants who befriended him have been released. I am,
however, instituting fuller enquiries and will do all in my power for
them and let him know as soon as possible.”
The letter is dated “c/o Gratong P. O., Tibet Frontier Commission,
Tuna, 17 March, 1904,” and is from Captain Randal Parr, British Tibet
Frontier Commissioner, to whom I previously had the pleasure of
writing, through the introduction of Miss E. R. Scidmore of Yokohama.
It is addressed to the lady just mentioned, who has kindly placed at my
disposal the contents thereof.
The present translation of my book on Tibet was near its completion
when I was allowed a perusal of the above, and never before had I
read any letter with so much genuine and mingled feeling of the
most profound joy and gratitude as I felt on that occasion. A great
tormenting load was suddenly taken off my mind--it will not be
necessary to say why. I am glad further that I am able to incorporate
this piece of good tidings in, and make it the concluding chapter of
this translation of my book.
PEACE TO ALL BEINGS.
[Illustration: MOUNT GAURISHANKARA, THE HIGHEST PEAK IN THE WORLD.]
Transcriber's Note
Illustrations have been moved next to the relevant text.
The following apparent errors have been corrected:
p. xi "Third Challenge Gates" changed to "Third Challenge Gates."
p. xi "from Lhasa" changed to "from Lhasa."
p. xv "Bahaḍur" changed to "Bahāḍur"
p. 7 "Ḍarjeeling" changed to "Darjeeling"
p. 13 "Lāma Shabdung" changed to "Lama Shabdung"
p. 53 "Paḍma Sambhava" changed to "Padma Sambhava"
p. 66 "Ḍas" changed to "Ḍās"
p. 142 "Bodhisaṭṭvas" changed to "Boḍhisaṭṭvas"
p. 142 "Amiṭābha" changed to "Amitābha"
p. 144 "just at" changed to "just as"
p. 146 "than Mānasaṛovaṛa" changed to "than Mānasarovara"
p. 172 "of Buḍḍhism" changed to "of Buḍḍhism."
p. 196 "ice-blocks" changed to "ice-blocks."
p. 218 "he would" changed to "He would"
p. 229 "agreable" changed to "agreeable"
p. 237 "priests" changed to "priests,"
p. 241 "twenty one" changed to "twenty-one"
p. 244 "familar" changed to "familiar"
p. 245 "two and half" changed to "two and a half"
p. 256 "someone" changed to "someone."
p. 258 "in one" changed to "is one"
p. 263 "occasion" changed to "occasions"
p. 295 "being trouble" changed to "bring trouble"
p. 298 "in front of of" changed to "in front of"
p. 321 "so much," changed to "so much."
p. 370 "neigbors" changed to "neighbors"
p. 395 "class" changed to "class."
p. 425 "other which" changed to "other with"
p. 440 "divisons" changed to "divisions"
p. 453 "sen at Lhasa" changed to "_sen_ at Lhasa"
p. 456 "inconvenience to" changed to "inconvenience"
p. 487 "a fatal" changed to "fatal"
p. 499 "Tsar in" changed to "Tsar is"
p. 527 "agressive" changed to "aggressive"
p. 535 "of a abiding" changed to "abiding"
p. 535 "ngos' should" changed to "should"
p. 535 "monastery" changed to "of a monastery"
p. 572 "ancester's" changed to "ancestor's"
p. 577 "Dās" changed to "Ḍās"
p. 579 "determined" changed to "determined."
p. 592 "aquaintance" changed to "acquaintance"
p. 601 (note) "“_Lha-kyallo_" changed to "“_Lha-kyallo_”"
p. 613 "road?”" changed to "road?"
p. 614 "choose." changed to "choose.”"
p. 626 "do so." changed to "do so.”"
p. 654 "ollows" changed to "follows"
p. 657 "disagreeble" changed to "disagreeable"
p. 664 "Lapches in" changed to "Labches in"
p. 673 "then," changed to "then,”"
p. 674 "the air" changed to "the air."
p. 674 "security, there" changed to "security there,"
p. 699 "fowarding" changed to "forwarding"
Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation have otherwise been kept as
printed.