been the officiating head
of the Tibetan Government, an elderly man with a sad ascetic face, and
dressed quite simply in the plain red robes of an ordinary lama. Next to
him was a row of Chinese officials, of whose uniform, as in the case of
the Amban, bright blue silk formed the chief part. Further away were
the seats of the Nepalese contingent, at the head of whom sat the Nepali
resident, a fierce-looking old man in a rather shabby and uncommonly
short jacket of plum-coloured brocade lined with fur. Alongside, but at
a different angle and facing the throne, sat the Tonsil Penlop and his
suite. These represented Bhutan and were all clad in striped yellow silk
robes, which one can only describe as barbaric. Their millinery was also
marvellous, the Tonsil Penlop himself wearing a kind of bonnet, on the
top of which was perched a whole stuffed bird, which in the distance
appeared to be a parrot. Immediately opposite the throne were the
Tibetan lay council of three. They affected plain yellow silk and yellow
hats, but the yellow was of a bright shade, and the general effect of
their appearance was as magnificent as that of any of the others. In
face they struck me as the least attractive of the various Eastern
officials present, being unhealthy-looking, rather fat, and wearing
what seemed a sulky cowed expression. Behind them stood a whole array of
monks.

The process of signing began almost at once. The number of documents
seemed never ending. Apparently there were several copies of the treaty
in every language spoken by any of the parties directly or remotely
concerned with it, and every one of these copies had to be signed, not
only by the chief authorities above enumerated, but also by various
lesser lights of Tibet, as, for instance, the heads of certain
monasteries. At one period the limelight flashed upon us, and we all had
our photographs taken from a corner of the room.

We saw many copies of the treaty being signed with great care, but
gathered nothing of its contents except from the speech which, when at
last the signing was over, Colonel Younghusband addressed to the
Tibetans in general, and to the 'council of three' in particular. The
latter sat bobbing their heads deferentially at each sentence, and
looking thoroughly ashamed while Colonel Younghusband addressed them
from his chair. The speech was translated sentence by sentence into
Tibetan for Tibetan benefit, and afterwards passed on in Chinese to the
Am