CHAPTER XIII

LHASA AND ITS VANISHED DEITY

The passage of the river--Major Bretherton drowned--The Kyi Chu valley--Tropical heat--Atisa's tomb--Foraging in holy places--First sight of the Potala--Hidden Lhasa--Symbols of remonstrance--Prophecies of invasion--And decay of Buddhism--Medieval Tibet--Spiritual terrorism--Lamas' fears of enlightenment--The last mystery unveiled--Arrival at Lhasa--View from the Chagpo Ri--Entry into the city--Apathy of the people--The Potala--Magnificence and squalor--The secret of romance--A vanished deity--'Thou shalt not kill'--Secret assassinations--A marvellous disappearance--The Dalai Lama joins Dorjieff--His personality and character--The verdict of the Nepalese Resident--The voice without a soul--The wisdom of his flight--A romantic picture--The place of the dead 239-264