Chaudas, being the most distant from the Tibet border, only paid a nominal sum of 11 rupees in cash, and some 14 rolls of rough cloth; but Garbyang, for instance (besides a real trade tax jointly with Chaudas of 370 boxes of grain, each containing some 24 lbs., and 14 boxes of coarse cloth), paid for Sah-tal the following items:—
| 86 | (three anna bits). | |
| Oats | 1230 | lbs. |
| Saluk (right of pasture) | 2 | Tibetan rupees. |
| Ghur (sweet paste) | 4 | balls. |
| Coarse cloth | 3 | entire rolls. |
| Shoka liquor | 55 | jars. |
| Timber | 30 | huge logs. |
| Iron | 4 | lbs. |
| Cakes, sattoo, charcoal, and liquor for collecting party. | ||
The village of Kuti also paid a heavy Sah-tal.
| Rupees | 17 | |
| Oats | 1210 | lbs. |
| Saluk | 2 | rupees. |
| Garah cloth | 40 | yards. |
| Haunches of mutton | 12 | |
| Jars of chökti (wine) | 50 | |
| Ghur | 28 | balls. |
| Iron | 2 | lbs. |
| and charcoal, cakes, meat, liquor, etc. | ||
[[38]]
Darma paid some 150 balls of ghur, which had a local value of about 75 rupees.
Notwithstanding that the Government of the North-West Provinces could not or would not see matters in the right light, it was a great gratification to me to think that, on my giving publicity to such an injustice, the Government had at last deemed it right to discontinue the payment of the land revenue to Tibetans by our frontier subjects. It came, therefore, as a very great surprise to me, on approaching Garbyang, to hear that the Tibetans had come over to that place in great force,—with the sanction of the British Government,—and that several officials, including a Nerba, some Dhats in red and black tunics and long swords, four jimidars, two drummers, and a number of soldiers were parading the streets, proclaiming the annexation of the district to Tibet, and ill-using the natives who differed. They were gorging themselves at the expense of the natives, and having a fine time all round.
At the request of a deputation of Shokas, I hastened on to Garbyang; but the Tibetans, believing that I was coming up with a large and well-armed expedition to take a revenge upon them for former misdeeds, deemed it advisable to pack [[39]]up their chattels, pocket their pride, and decamp over the frontier.
I met with a most enthusiastic reception from the Garbyalis, who wished me to remain in their village until the passes were closed up by snow so as to keep their compulsory guests away. The Shokas seemed depressed and disgusted at what they rightly believed unwarrantable treachery on the part of the Government of India. They had always been faithful—even under trying circumstances—to the British, and such undeserved treatment led them to the one conclusion, preached by full-powered Tibetan lungs, that England must indeed be weak, or at least afraid of Tibet.
Undoubtedly these sad and unchecked occurrences all along our Tibetan frontier—you see, it is so uncomfortable for Anglo-Indian officials to go up to the snows to make inquiries and so on—have been the chief cause of Tibetan aggressiveness. There is no man so brave as the one who believes his opponent is not going to fight; and perhaps now, after the much-trumpeted, enigmatical expedition to Lhassa and the unexpected sudden retreat from that city, they will be no better than before.