[12] Waddell, op. cit., 491, calls this sacrifice to the manes of the deceased ting-shag. [↑]
[13] Our author is not quite right here, as the Tibetans have borrowed the major part of their pharmacopœia from China and India. Most of their medical works are purely Chinese or Indian, and I do not believe they have much more, if even so much, knowledge of surgery as the Chinese, who are terribly ignorant themselves in this art. Tibetan medicines are in high favour among the Chinese and Mongols.—(W. R.) [↑]
[14] This is the usual Chinese method of inoculation.—(W. R.) [↑]
[15] Our author was misinformed. Snakes are very rare along the western border of China, venomous ones especially.—(W. R.) [↑]
[16] Camel’s milk must be as great a rarity in most parts of Tibet as is elephant’s milk, another remedy much prized in that country.—(W. R.) [↑]
[17] Probably the same as the Lo Tawa, or “stripped Lhopas,” mentioned by lama Serap-gyatso, ‘Report on Explor. from 1856 to 1888,’ p. 7. This explorer distinguishes three classes of Lhopas—Lho karpo, or “white Lhopas,” who are somewhat civilized; Lho nagpo, or “black Lhopas,” who are a little less civilized; and the Lho tawa (kra-pa), or uncivilized, literally “mottled” Lhopas. Cf. also, op. cit., pp. 16, 17, and Nain Singh’s remarks in Jour. Roy. Geog. Soc., vol. xlvii. p. 120. [↑]
[18] Our author gives the name of this disease as gzah-nad. Jaeschke, ‘Tib. engl. dict.,’ translates this word by “apoplexy,” adding that, in Western Tibet it seems to be used only for “epilepsy.”—(W. R.) [↑]
[19] Klu nad, or Klin gnod-nad, meaning that the Nagas brings about the disease. Mje nad is mdje nad.—(W. R.) [↑]
[20] These charmed banners are the lung-ta, or “airy horses,” of which mention is frequently made in this work. [↑]
[21] This remark applies equally well to all diseases in Buddhist estimation. [↑]