ABSTRACT
The town was entered for the first time on the 4th August, when the British Mission, marched in state through the streets of Lhasa, to return the ceremonial visit paid by the Amban the previous evening. Empress upon it was regarded with reverential awe as being the effigy of the mild form of the dread Buddhist Goddess, who is called "The Great Queen." From first to last, from far and near, this imposing pile on Potala hill dominates the landscape and catches and holds the eye. In complexion the people are generally of a light chocolate colour, and a large proportion of the women, are almost as fair as a South Italian. Many of the shops, especially those of the Chinese and Nepalese merchants, looked tidy inside, but the open doors and windows of most of the Tibetan.
