Page:The Chinese Empire. A General & Missionary Survey.djvu/406

 secret treaty just signed between Russia and the Dalai Lama. The expedition was hastily prepared, and the force crossed the Jelap Pass and reached Rinchingong in the middle of December, moving a month later to Tuna. After three months the force advanced to Jura, where a hostile body of 5000 warriors blocked the road to Gyangtse. Overcoming this opposition, the expedition pushed on to Gyangtse, where they were for seven weeks besieged, until a relieving column appeared in June. From this point a peaceful march was allowed by the Tibetans to Lhasa, which city was reached in August. After the signing of a treaty the expedition returned to India. Although the results of this move are not yet distinctly apparent, they will doubtless be manifest in days to come. It is evident that Chinese rule has of late become stronger, and it appears that in the near future the Chinese will more fully colonise and develop the country and then allow access thereto. It now remains to briefly recount the story of missionary enterprise in seeking to carry the Gospel to these people.

The Roman Catholics were the first to attempt missionary work in. In 1845 the Fathers Hue and Gabet, travelling from Sining in China, succeeded in reaching Lhasa, and stayed there six weeks, propagating their tenets, when they were arrested by the Chinese and sent back to Canton viá Batang. Since that time missionaries of the Roman Catholic Church have taken up work at various points on the Chinese border of Tibet, and now have stations at Tachienlu—which is the residence of their Bishop—at Batang, at Atentze, Tseku, and Weisi, in the provinces of Szechwan and Yunnan. In most of these centres they have converts.

Protestant Missions.—The were the first to work among the Tibetans. In 1853 two men named Edward Pagell and Augustus William Heyde were sent to open up a Mission in Mongolia. They were, however, prevented from entering and crossing Tibet, and they