Stopping at Naring for the night, he then passed through Tagnag and reached Targye on the 24th.[28] Near here is the Dora chu-tsan (“Hot Springs”), in the neighbourhood of which he saw several carpet looms, on which excellent rugs, called tum-shi, were being made by women, who showed great taste in designing patterns.
Leaving Targye the travellers passed without any incidents through Kurma, Kyoga, Labrang-dokpa, and Luguri Jong,[29] and reached Shigatse about noon on August 29.
Ugyen remained at Shigatse for seven days, drying the plants he had collected on his journey, and observing the different incidents which took place after the death of the Grand Lama.
The day after the Grand Lama’s death, he and a friend had gone to Tashilhunpo to perform their devotions, but were refused admittance. No outsider was admitted into the lamasery, the inmates of which were now not allowed to see any one or leave the monastery.
As they were coming back they passed in front of the palace of Kun-khyab ling, and saw a large pack of hounds and mastiffs, which the Panchen kept for hunting; for, though his sacred character forbade him shooting animals, he could indulge in this other form of sport.
While in the palace of Phuntso phodang, the lama’s favourite residence, and where they were allowed to enter, an officer from the Labrang attached seals on everything belonging to the deceased, and on all the doors of the principal rooms in Kun-khyab ling.
The next day there was a report that the lama had come to life again, and every one was thanking the gods; the tsamba vendors on the market-place were throwing handfuls of their ware heavenward as offerings to the gods who had restored their Grand Lama to them.
The Dingpon of Shigatse said, in the hearing of Ugyen, that last year, when the Government of Lhasa had consulted the oracle of Lhamo sung-chyongma, it had foretold great calamities for Tibet. [[212]]These were inevitable, in view of the perversity of the people who no longer had faith in the gods, but let themselves be led by demons in human shape.
Witchcraft was steadily increasing, he said, and in every village there were those who said they were in communion with devils. An edict had been issued forbidding witchcraft and fortune-telling. It was found that under the castle of Shigatse itself there were fifteen witches (paonal jorma). These had been brought to trial, and had been submitted to an examination which required them to describe the contents of several chests filled with a variety of things. Four alone were able to answer, the others were flogged and then released on condition that they should give up imposing on the public credulity and would furnish bonds for their good behaviour. [[213]]