Tibetan Border Scene of Serious Fighting as Disgruntled Henchmen in Interecine War Tachienlu, Dec. 15. situation throughout Sikang during the past few days has become quite serious and fighting broke out at Kanze between the Chinese and the Panchen's retinue.
Since the death of the Panchen Lama at Jyekundo the situation throughout Eastern Tibet has very slowly but definitely deteriorated and any one observing the Chinese and the Tibetans must have seen trouble ahead. During the past year the Panchen's followers has become largely a camp! of dissatisfied and gruntled men, When the Panchen with his Targe following left Nanking on the Jong trail to Lhasa his followers lived like lords and ate and drank and used all a generous government was prepared to give them, Beautiful suitcases, handbags and trunks were the order of the day and the followers of this big lama did everything but renounce the world, the flesh and the devil.
The Panchen was big lama and his followers naturally became big men.
It took $40,000 every month to move this big lama and his retinue From one point of the Chinese Empire to another: so when the big man stopped moving his income stopped coming and this hit very hardly his Targely increased camp following. When the Panchen died at Jyckundo in central Asia the camp followers numbered 2000 hardy beet-eating men.
When the Panchan entered Amdo and Tibetan territory his. retinue Fede the nicest and finest ponies the nomads could produce and rode them every day to the martial airs of the Panchei The nomad nothing if not reverential and de-Voted to the spiritual head of Lama Jand, Socwhen the big lama comes along the nomads bring out their yak Buller by the ton and entertain the Panchen" and his followers. Yak, mutton, lamb, venison, and sometimes felt Ht not in Gath—some good silees of good, fat, Chinese pork, helped to keep the retinue warm. Why not? Lamaland is a cold country and fat pork will not only keep a man nice and warm but sweet and happy. The Yact that, Lamaism says, "thou shalt not Kill" inno way implies, "thou shalt not eat."
Since the Panchen's death the camp. followers have been waiting for something to turn up: and something turned up at Kanze a fow days ago, What turned up is now largely a matter of discussion but the spark Went off and some fung took place. Dehehing Wangmo was a prisoner in her own large Tibetan palace: 30 the Chinese garrison with Col. Chang, it said, took refuge in the princess's palace," Heavy fighting soon followed one report has It that 200 Chin= ose goldiers were killed. When the garrison moved into the palace the fact was overlooked that the building. was some distance from water. The garrison had been careful to move tice and dzamba and other food staffs; but there was no water. When darkness came Chinese soldiers came fut for water and the Tibetans sniped them off, Camps In Armed Array things have quietened down somewhat but the two camps face each other in armed array. The demand fs now made for Dehehing Wangmo and her brother, the Kongsar Lama to surrender, and the Kanze lamasery has Joined in the demand. This is the first time that the Kanze lamasery with Its 3000 lamas has taken sides. Usually it tried, in all the Sikang disputes. to remain neutral. Kangsar's ister Dehching was a prisoner her own palace charged with crime of attempting another marriage, ko her followers, with the help of the Panchen's outfit, were prepared to fight and die on her behalf.
The uprising spread from Kanze to Nyarong, Derge, Denko and Lene kaisha, Jago Dodeh, a powerful chieftain in Derse, and some power~ ful robber bands have thrown in their lot with the Kanze lamasery. The Dajac lamasery has also taken sides and is fighting for the Kangsar Lama who is supposed to be a direct descendent of Genghis Khan, Kanze the centre of the Hor States and the Hor belong to the famous Horba, descendents of the famous Khan.
'Asa by-product of the—present Aispute between the Chinese and the 'Tibetans, two Tibetan tribes are now at each' other's throats and this struggle Is reported to be. fiercer than the fighting round Kanze, These two opposing tribes have waited for a Tong time but the opportunity has come at Fast and now there is a ter~ ible slaughter.
There is a report to the effect that the Central Government at Chungking has been asked 10 mediate between the Panchen's outfit and the Sikang administration; while it further reported that an independent slate fs beng formed with Kanze its contre.
Peter Goullart is now crossing the high Zhara Pass on his way to Gada.
For some weeks the weather has been. warm and sunny; today is illerly cold and looks as if there! wight be a heavy fall of snow on} long barren pass. Peter Goul-Tart has spent the last 20 years in Shanghai, part of the time in connection with the American Express, trid part of the time in_ connection with other enterprises. Leaving. all these 'Schind at some personal sacri-Nee he entered the Chinese Cooperative Adventure in West China and is on his way into Kham to see what can be done In improving' Tibetan butter and incidently improving Tibetan stock.
'On arrival in Tachienlu Mfr. Goullart' discovered several ce-operatives working. One functioned under the' name of the Government of Sikang, another under the auspices of the Central Government, anda third is known as the Kangting Ca-operative Society. Related oF unrelated there are other societies in the town with ce-operation above their doors. There is a ce-operative bank, a c0- operative Fiee shop and a ce-operative slare. And Br. Goullart found some: Anfeully in discovering the relation, if any, between these different soclelien, He will work in connection with the Sikang Ca-operative Society which has established an experiments farm in Gada, Mr, Goullart was born in Jaroslav itz and apparently grew up on a farm there. He has had experience in milking cows and knows how to make butter and cheese and other: dairy produce. His object is to dis cover what is wrong with nomad yak Dutler and if possible to put It right.
"There are two experimental farms alongside each other at Gada and, both, so far, have failed to market a butter that meets with approval. And what is wrong with it has not yet been discovered nor explained. Some have ventured to suggest that the milking Is wrongly done, others say the cans are not clean; still others blame the separator. The] butter has a taste all its own and when. one spreads it onto bread one doesn't feel. like cating the bread. Mr. Goulart has a problem before him which he in no way fears to} face or dreads to overcome.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.