In the Forbidden Land/Chapter LXXIX


 * Sarcasm appreciated&mdash;Kindness&mdash;A change for the worse&mdash;The place for an Englishman&mdash;Vermin&mdash;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.

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 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).