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388 ADVENTURES IN TIBET.
the fear that our main caravan was but the advanced guard
of the big invading arni}^ which the Tibetans seemed to
expect from the north. They had a panic terror of this
imaginary army, and I am perfectly certain that the highest
authorities in Tibet never even dreamed of putting them-
selves under Russian suzerainty and protection. The inter-
preter declared that no matter who we were, we should
never get into Lassa, but at the same time, by command
of the Dalai Lama, no harm was to be done to us.
Shagdur and I now began to ride tlie high horse, and
lectured the poor interpreter right and left. " What did
they mean by stopping us ? We had the permission of the
Russian Czar to make the pilgrimage to Lassa. Had the
Dalai Lama ever before refused to -allow peaceful Buriats
to go there ? Kamba Bombo’s head was in danger ; if he
did not restore us our freedom, he might lose his life. The
interpreter and his attendants looked very grave. Of
Russia they knew nothing whatever and of India they had
but the faintest idea. What we said about the extent and
power of these empires made not the slightest impression
upon them. At length we agreed that a special messenger
should be sent to Kamba Bombo, with the request that he
would hasten his arrival, and the interpreter promised that
he himself would send a courier to Lassa to lay before the
Dalai Lama everj^thing that I had just said to him.
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