'Volume II. MEMORANDA REGARDING OTHER EXTERNAL AFFAIRS. 1905.' [‎101v] (207/228)

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obtain leave to visit the Emperor. The Minister
stated that the Lama had himself made no
communication whatever to the Lhasa Govern
ment regarding his return to Tibet, ail inform
ation on the subject having been received
through the Chinese.
Captain O’Connor has stated that on
the 20th October an agent informed him that
a caravan of 42 camels had recently arrived
at Lhasa, laden with silks and other valuables
which had been presented to the Dalai Lama
during his residence in Mongolia. The Dalai
Lama was expected to reach Lhasa about
January. An agent of Captain O’Connor’s
reported that Dorjieff had twice visited Lhasa
during the past year and had returned thence
to Mongolia.
The news from Lhasa showed that all was
quiet there, and that preparations were being
made on an extensive scale for the reception
of the Dalai Lama. On the 2nd November,
His Britannic Majesty’s Minister at Peking
telegraphed that the Dalai Lama was reported in
the Native Press to have reached Kokonor, but
that Natung had denied this, and stated that he
was still in the territory of the Mongol Prince,
not far from Urga, where he would remain for
the winter months.
4. (See paragraph 2 of the Memoran
dum for October 1905.) The Comte de Lesdain
left Gyantse on the 9th October en route to
India.
5. (See paragraph 5 of the Memoran
dum for September 1905.) One of Captain
O’Connor’s agents reported that some of the
refugees who arrived at Nagchuka in July
were . camped in the district of Namdo.
Captain O’Connor has heard rumours that the
people are Russians, or at all events refugees
from Russian territory. He is endeavouring
to ascertain their nationality and the reason
for their presence in Tibet.
6. (See paragraph 14 of the Memo
randum for October 1905.) The Assistant
Political Officer in Chumbi has learnt from a
Muhammadan trader the following further
information regarding the party of Mongolians
who recently visited Lhasa. Their Muham
madan servant spoke Turki and came
from Khotan. It appears from what he told
Mr. Bell’s informant, who also speaks Turki
a little, that the leader was a Buriat or
other person of Mongolian origin living in
Russian territory. The trader saw this leader
himself, and describes his features as those of
a Mongolian, and not of a European. The
informant also stated that they had only
a few rifles with them for personal use, and
Mr. Bell therefore considers the Japanese
traveller Mr. Teramoto’s information, that they
had a large number of rifles with them, to be
of doubtful value.