Different prophecies at different times have been made regarding the last lama to occupy the lama's throne, and No, 14 and No. 17 have been singled out as probably the. last_to hold this high and sacred office, But hitherto no prophecy has mentioned No, 18 a9 the last of the Grand Lamas, Is it now merely a question of time and we shall see again installed in Lhasa, the sacred capital, another Dalai' Lama and another' Panchan Lama? No one can ignore the fact that serious steps, have been taken fon the part of those responsible for the finding of the new Dalai, with very little success, When. the Panchan passed through Amdo on his way to Jyekundo from China, the story goes, he or his fol-Towers made the discovery of a new Dalat Lama and was making the necessary Preparations to take the tittle boy with him to Lhasa, When blessing the populace of a Tibetan village through which the Panchan was pasting certain precocious child, held by its mother. grabbed the Panchan's Foeury, stoutly refusing to let it go. The Panchan, to please the child, who was now erying, let his rory £0, and later some of his Jama followers discovered both the child and the rosary.
The Panchan made no definite stitement but many of fis devout lowers saw in this act a sure sign of the future Dalai Lama. "The Panchan wisely held his opinion in reserve. number of high lama officials from] Lhasa now are visiting Jyekundo with the object of testing out Tudon JJamtso's Incarnation. 1 was told today that the gudra from Lhasa now visiting Jyekundo have grave doubts about the preseat supposed Inearnation, However they hope to make every test and some of he tests for the new Dalai are very severe.
The gudra are Tibetan officials and they come from the Dalai's camp and are therefore more or less anti-Panchan, The fact that this child has Jbeen rut forward by the Panchan's followers as a "probable starter" demands the presence of Lhasa offi-dals in Jyekundo, Many on.the Root of the World are now patiently await ing the tests and investigation. Should he prove to be the true Incarnation of Tuden Jamtso there is some hope for many. of the followers of Tuden Chosie Nema, the late Panchan Lama. Should the investigation prove fruitless there is much fear that this may be the end of the Jama tin known as the*Drashe Lama. Chosie Nema, that is the Sun of the Doctrine, He Was had an unfortunate and chequered career and has not been blest by a following whose ambitions have always been religious, he story is told that when His Highness discovered that the way Lhasa and Drashe Lhumbo was not open, and that probably he would again have to return to China, the poor fellow broke up entirely. "It ts {rue he has not enjoyed very health "but there can be no' doubt that the great disappointment exjpetienced in not being able to return' to his own lamasery has preyed upon his mind and hastened his death, What will become of his Inrge following now at Jyekundo remains to be seen. Hundreds of Jamas and camp followers have lived for many years on the handsome remittance of the Panchan Lama; with his death this naturally ceases and his large follow. ing will have to adopt a Micawber-like altitude towards food in particular fond life in general.
IE it is true that there is a tide in the affairs of men, which if taken at] the flood leads on the victory, thea the Young Nationalist Party in the Land of the Lamas have both the tide and the flood at their disposal. The first Dalai Lama, Gedun Druba, cceupled the title from A.D, 1301 to 1475; and the first Panchan Lama, Lozang Chosje, was recognized from 'A.D. 1560 {0 1662 and during the history of their positions there has always been one or the other to exercise authority on the Roof of the World.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.