g. It
is to their credit that they waited patiently several months in order to
give them every chance of settling things amicably. However, as might
have been expected, the Commission was boycotted. Irresponsible
delegates of inferior rank were sent by the Tibetans and Chinese, and
the Lhasa delegates, after some fruitless parleyings, shut themselves up
in the fort, and declined all intercourse, official or social, with the
Commissioners.[6]

[6] Their attitude was thus summed up by Captain O'Connor, secretary
to the mission: 'We cannot accept letters; we cannot write
letters; we cannot let you into our zone; we cannot let you
travel; we cannot discuss matters, because this is not the proper
place; go back to Giogong and send away all your soldiers, and we
will come to an agreement' (Tibetan Blue-Book).

At the end of August news came that the Tibetans were arming. Colonel
Younghusband learnt that they had made up their minds to have no
negociations with us _inside_ Tibet. They had decided to leave us alone
at Khamba Jong, and to oppose us by force if we attempted to advance
further. They believed themselves fully equal to the English, and far
from our getting anything out of them, they thought that they would be
able to force something out of us. This is not surprising when we
consider the spirit of concession in which we had met them on previous
occasions.

At Khamba Jong the Commissioners were informed by Colonel Chao, the
Chinese delegate, that the Tibetans were relying on Russian assistance.
This was confirmed later at Guru by the Tibetan officials, who boasted
that if they were defeated they would fall back on another Power.

In September the Tibetans aggravated the situation by seizing and
beating at Shigatze two British subjects of the Lachung Valley in
Sikkim. These men were not restored to liberty until we had forced our
way to Lhasa and demanded their liberation, twelve months afterwards.

The mission remained in its ignominious position at Khamba Jong until
its recall in November. Almost at the same time the expedition to
Gyantse was announced.[7]

[7] The situation was thus eloquently summarized by the Government of
India in a despatch to Mr. Brodrick, November 5, 1903: 'It is not
possible that the Tibet Government should be allowed to ignore
its treaty obligations, thwart trade, encroach upon our
territory, destroy our boundary pillars, and r