Page:Narratives of the mission of George Bogle to Tibet.djvu/173

 NARRATIVE OF THE MISSION OF MR. GEORGE BOGLE TO TIBET (1774). CHAPTER I. MISSION TO TIBET. LETTER FROM THE TESHU LAMA — AMISSION TO TIBET — APPOINTMENT OP MR. BOGLE — HIS INSTRUCTIONS. 1. Letter prom the Teshu Lama^ to Warren Hastings. (Received March 29, 1774.)

The affairs of this quarter in every respect flourish, I am night and day employed in prayers for the increase of your happiness and

This was a letter of mediation, sent at the request of the Government of Bhutan. In 1772 the Bhutanese, under Deb Judhur, descended into the plains, and overran Kuch Bahar. This aggres- sion threatened the peace of Rangpur and adjacent parts of Bengal. Warren Hastings, therefore, resolved to drive the mountaineers back into their fast- nesses. A battalion of native infantry was employed on this service. But the invaders made a desperate resistance. They defended the fort of Bahar, which "Was stormed and taken by Captain John Jones, at the head of his troops, nearly one- fourth of the detachment being killed or wounded. Captain Jones him- self was wounded. Soon afterwards a night attack was made, at Chichakotta, on a small detachment under Lieutenant Dickinson and Mr. Purling, of 226 rank and file, by 3000 Bhutanese, who were beaten off with great loss. (See Letters from Warren Hastings to Sir George Colebrooke and to Mr. Purling. ' Memoirs,' i. pp. 279 and 295.) Even- tually the invaders retreated into their own mountainous country, followed by our troops. Captain Jones occupied the Dalim-kotta Duar (Baling) at the foot of the hills, and took the fortress of Dalim-kotta by assault in April, 1773. Our troops also defeated the Bhutanese at Chichakotta, and drove them up to Buxa-Duar. But the troops were decimated by disease. The malaria proved fatal to Captain Jones and many other officers. The Bhutan Govern- ment was however tlioroughly alarmed, and entreated the Teshu Lama of Tibet to interpose in their favour. The Lama sent a deputation to Calcutta, consist- ing of a Tibetan named Paima, and a Hindu pilgrim named Purungir Gosain, who were entrusted with this letter from the Teshu Lama. It is given in the introduction of ' Turner's Embassy,' p. ix. Captain Turner speaks of it " as an authentic and curious specimen of tiie Lama's good sense, humility, simplicity of heart, and, above all, of that delicacy of sentiment and expression which could convey a threat in terms of meekness and supplifation." B m ■ % h B