ABSTRACT
Our arrival in the city of Lhatá was at once known to the King who, ere we had time to deliver our letters of introduction, sent to invite us to an interview. He received us most kindly, as being men from a far-off country, and with much honour as Lamás [bLa-ma] or Doctors of Law, and promised us his protection without referring to the letters we presented. The Grand Lama, the Longbó [bLon-po], or Prime Minister, and the other chief ministers treated us in like manner. Later they all sent us presents. At our first audience the King was seated on his throne surrounded by his ministers and all his court, but afterwards, during the two months we spent at Lhe, he often asked us to the Palace without any ceremony. Soon the merchants of Kascimir became jealous of our familiar intercourse with the King and the court, and spread the report that, while pretending to be Doctors of Law, we really were rich merchants with quantities of pearls and precious stones, and rare foreign goods. When the King heard this, he sent one of his ministers, brother of the Longbó, to ask us not to sell in any other place or to other people as he wished to buy, assuring us that we should be satisfied with the price he would give. We replied that he had been very ill-informed by whoever spread such a report, that our precious goods consisted solely in teaching the true Law which leads to Heaven and eternal salvation. But the King thought this was a pretext suggested by a doubt of not being paid by him. So he sent the Minister to us again with expressions of high esteem and renewed assurances that we need not fear any loss, or leave the country dissatisfied with his treatment. When we found that our protestations had not convinced the Minister, we begged him to see with his eyes and touch with his hands our small baggage. He most courteously replied that our word was sufficient, and it was only after repeated demands, and even supplications, that at last he looked at all we had, and found nothing but some books and manuscripts, a few clothes and common utensils, and money for our journey. He went back to the King and told what he had seen and that we had spoken the truth, and that all the tales about jewels were false and malignant lies. The King, who loves justice, at once gave orders that none of the merchants of Kascimir were to be permitted to enter the Court or to approach his palace, and sent to ask us to bring some of our things for him to see. He made almost too courteous excuses, and examined with interest our breviaries, images, medals, and other things, asking questions and saying he had been more pleased to see them than to see the most precious jewels, or rare merchandise. After a long and most friendly audience the King dismissed us and at once sent us another present. In this and other interviews both the King and the Longbó expressed a wish that we should stay in that city and practise as doctors of our Law. I can hardly tell you how great was the temptation to do missionary work in a place which seemed to offer so good a field for our labours. But after praying to God for guidance, we consulted together and decided to continue our journey to Third and Principal Thibet as being the head and centre of that false sect, and also because Father Antonio de Andrade and other missionaries of our Society after him had once been there [see Note 35]. We therefore began to prepare for our departure. The King gave orders that we were to have every assistance in buying horses and other needful things, and when we took leave, not only bestowed on us more presents, but gave us passports to the Governors under him, and special letters of introduction to the Lamá, the Governor and the Castellan of a town called Trescij-Khang [Tashigong], of which more hereafter.
