t our leisure the singular spectacle which this council presented.
Of the immense multitude, there was not an individual who was not an
orator; everybody spoke at once; and, judging from the sounding altitude
of the voices, and the impetuous animation of the gestures, there must
certainly have been some very fine speeches there. Some orators mounted
upon the luggage that was piled in the court, and made of it a pulpit,
whence they overlooked the multitude. Sometimes it seemed that the
eloquence of words was insufficient to convey conviction to the minds of
the audience, for the disputants would fight and pull each other's hair,
and beat each other without mercy, until an orator of superior influence
came and called the honourable members to order. This calm, however,
would not be of long duration; the tumult and disorder would soon
recommence with increased vigour. The thing became so serious, that we
were convinced these people would end with drawing their sabres, and
massacring each other. We were mistaken. After the assembly had
vociferated, gesticulated, and manipulated for more than an hour, there
was a great shout of laughter; the council rose, and everybody withdrew
perfectly calm. Two deputies then ascended to the second-floor, where
the staff of the caravan lodged; and informed Ly-Kouo-Ngan, that the
chiefs of the family of Gaya, after deliberating on the organisation of
the oulah, had decided that they would furnish gratuitously animals for
the two Lamas of the Western Heaven, and for the Thibetians of Lha-Ssa;
but that the Chinese must pay half-an-ounce of silver for a horse, and a
quarter for a long-haired ox. At this intimation, Ly-Kouo-Ngan collected
his strength, and inveighed with energy against what he called a tyranny,
an injustice. The Chinese soldiers of the caravan, who were present,
co-operated with loud cries and menaces, for the purpose of intimidating
the delegates of the national assembly of Gaya; but the latter preserved
an attitude deliciously haughty and contemptuous. One of them advanced a
step, placed, with a sort of wild dignity, his right hand on the shoulder
of Ly-Kouo-Ngan, and after piercing him with his great black eyes, shaded
with thick eyebrows, "Man of China," said he, "listen to me; dost thou
think that with an inhabitant of the valley of Gaya, there is much
difference between cutting off the head of a Chinese and that of a goat?
Tell thy soldiers, then, not to be too fie