Meanwhile Colonel Brander, who had been sent forward with three
hundred rifles to reconnoitre, found the Karo Pass defended by a thick stone wall and two " sangars," or stone stockades. A frontal attack was next to impossible, and, in fact, was beaten back, Captain Bethune falling in the effort ; but the Pioneers and Ghoorkas—only about fifty of each— scaled the precipitous cliffs at the sides of the 'Pass, and the Tibetans, thus outflanked, lost heart and fled, pursued by mounted infantry, who inflicted a loss estimated at two hundred and fifty men. It is probable, as the Dalai Lama is summoning " giants," that is, picked men, from distant provinces, that every twenty miles of the distance between Karo and Lhaia a fortification will be found of the same kind, and that Lhasa itself will be desperately defended ; but, nevertheless, we must go there, even at the risk of driving the Grand Lama into distant mountains. As we have explained elsewhere, if we retreat now, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, and all the tribes of the Eastern Himalaya will consider the Indian Government beaten—which, moreover, will in a sense be the truth—and that in Asia is a position full of danger. It seems clear that the Grand Lama is a strong man, that he has con- trived to assert his personal authority to an unusual extent, and that he intends to keep Tibet secluded if be can. We do not believe in the least that our conduct will offend Pekin, where they have many grievances against Lhasa ; but we must be careful lest we incur obligations which will lead to a protectorate.. It is profitless business ruling at an elevation above that of the Alps.
