Chapter 15
Next morning after striking camp and continuing westwards for a few hours they felt that they were now sufficiently far from the town of Gartok to turn southwards. This would probably bring them in touch with another drokpa camp, where they could spend the night. The country though which they were passing was hilly, the open steppe had given way to rugged hill country, some of the mountains being high enough for a short mantle of snow to be visible on their summits. However, it was still possible to find open gaps between the hills where the land was flat and it was relatively easy going. There were no valleys, because there were no rivers, nor any streams either. For water they had to depend on lakes, small tarn like pools of-deep blue water that one came across infrequently. They seemed, for all the world, like remnants of a sea which had retreated, leaving these residual accretions of water behind. These pools must have been fed by underground streams, thought Mary Joe, for the character of the vegetation showed that there was hardly any rain, or indeed much snow to speak of. Were they not replenished by these underground springs, they would soon turn brackish and saline and unfit for man or beast. Many of them were, in fact, too brackish to be any good for drinking and one of Mary Joe's favourite nightmares was to find herself dying of thirst, her tongue swollen and parched, unable to sit upright on the yak and toppling over to die on the turf.
Another fear was of losing their way, wandering endlessly on the vast plain without seeing anyone who could tell them where they were. Nor was this improbable. The great plain of Chang Tang, filled the horizon whereever one turned. It was the same landscape, whereever one looked, rolling hills bare of trees, and the vast endless expanse of brown steppe, stretching away like a brown ocean. Overhead was the sky, a deep cerulean blue, where isolated clouds floated like lonely ships on an uncharted sea.
But this plain wasn't a lifeless place. Far from it. Huge herds of antelope wandered over it, grazing placidly, without ' so much as glancing at the two human beings who had come into their midst. There were also yak herds, more wary than the antelopes, keeping a safe distance away. Mary Joe could see them quite plainly, dark and hulking. Occasionally they could see a brown or a golden yak among the crowd of black- haired beasts. Long homed Argali roamed freely over the mountains, and once they came across a herd of Kiang, the Tibetan wild ass, graceful and swift, cantering over the plain in their hundreds.
There was also life underfoot if one knew where to look for it. The stiff, coarse, sedge like grass covered everything in a mantle of buff verdure, and amidst this grass were coverts of spear, grass, small spits and promontories of wild flowers that lay almost hidden in the herbage, yellow cinquefoil and saxifrage and cushion like frittillaries. And occasionally one came across the long-eared Tibetan brown hare, sitting by its burrow, munching on something, its ears no-dding in the wind.
They came across their second drokpa tent before nightfall and after spending a comfortable night here, left the next morning with considerable additions to their caravan. They bought another yak from the drokpa family and a canvas tent to shelter them when they couldn't find any drokpas.
They were not far from the little settlement of Gerze or Gertse, lying almost in the centre of the Chang Tang, and they debated among themselves whether they should by-pass this place or give it a look in. Mary Joe was for pressing on.
"Let's carry on Lobsang. We should reach Lhasa as soon as we can."
"I agree Mary Joe, but there is a monastery here which is quite famous and I want to see the place if I can."
"But there may be Chinese troops about, won't we run the risk of detection."
"No, I don't think so. There may be some low-ranking Chinese army men here, but why should we fear anything from them. I am after all a monk on a pilgrimage and you Dolma are my sister."
"Dolma."
"You must have a Tibetan name, you know."
"Dolma, that sounds real nice. Thank you Lobsang.
As they drew near to the town of Gerse, they came across a few chortens, by the side of the road. These chortens were painted white and also had memorial cairns near them. In one high place were prayer flags fluttering in the stiff breeze that blew at all times. This high place was a point of vantage and from here they saw for the first time the settlement of Gerse, a huddle of small houses in the middle of the immense plain, distinguished mainly by its monastery, a fine red and white building whose golden roof finials gleamed in the sunshine.
On entering the town they were stopped by a Chinese army soldier who manned a small check post set up by the side of the dirt track which was Gerse's only link with the outside world. The soldier was posted at a barrier which was mostly raised to let the nomads and their livestock through. However ever since Colonel Chu-Teh's message to all outposts, security had been tightened across the whole of Tibet. Along with the soldier, there also stood at the out post sergeant, Li Sung of the PLA and Pasang a Tibetan who assisted the Chinese in various ways
It was the sergeant who stopped the two strangers for questioning.
"May I see your papers."
They showed him their papers, which were in order.
"I see that you are from the monastery of Kumbum, in Amdo province. Why are you so far from your home."
"I am on a pilgrimage."
"What holy places have you visited."
"The monasteries of Gartok and Rudok and Tholing, the shrine of Lhalama Yeshebo, the holy Kailas and Mansarovar.
It was Pasang who now asked Lobsang, "Your reverence, pilgrims who go to Kailas and Mansarovar, travel via the Tsang Po valley, aren't you a bit far from the usual pilgrimage routes."
"I like to travel on the Chang Tang. Remember I am from a drokpa family. And there are many holy places on the Chang Tang also which a true disciple of the Buddha should see."
Li Sung now turned to Mary Joe. "You are the Lama's sister?"
"Yes."
"And your name Dolma."
"Yes."
"And the name of your parents."
Mary Joe hesitated momentarily. It was Lobsang whointerjected," Pal Dorji and Ma Sary."
Pasang noted the momentary hesitation.
"Since you come from Amdo, no doubt you also speak Chinese?" Li Sung asked Mary Joe.
"Yes, I do"
Li Sung then put a few questions to her in Chinese and found that Mary Joe was quite fluent in the language, though her accent was a little too cultivated for a dropka woman from Amdo. Still his suspicions were now allayed and he waved them on.
They pitched their little tent in a meadow on the edge of the town and after having taken their meal of tsampa and tea wandered out to take a look at the main square of Gerse. This consisted of the usual cluster of small shops selling an assortment of articles. There were shops selling amber and turquoise jewellery favoured by drokpa women. Traditional fabrics, homespun yak hair blankets, felt tunics and other woollen items were also on display. What struck them as unusual was the open selling of meat, venison, and sheep mutton was freely available and the buyers were mostly Chinese immigrants who were assisting in the building of the army base that was coming up in Gerse. There was also brisk trade in several items that are not normally available in Tibet due to the traditional ban on hunting of wild animals. Tiger and bear claws and skins, the horns of argali and musk deer, the pelts of yak and kiang were all available and eagerly being picked up by the Chinese.
The monastery that Lobsang had wanted to visit was visible from all ends of the market, being built on an eminence and it was to there that they bent their steps after having seen all that their was to see in the market place of Gerse. It was an attractive building that stood out amid the cluster of mean dwellings that they had been wandering through. It looked freshly painted, kept in good trim by the industry of the lamas and the piety of the local populace. It was painted in white and purple and the golden spires and finials on its roof were visible from afar a testimony to the wealth and veneration which religion still commanded in Tibet, despite the persistent attempts of a godless regime to destroy its ancient fabric.
The monastery was constructed on the usual plan, cloisters enclosing a rectangular courtyard with a central shrine abutting the shorter side of the rectangle at the far end. They were taken to see the abbot who lived in a room on the first floor in one comer of the rectangle. His chambers were in fact, built into a square tower and commanded a fine view of the surrounding country. The lama was sitting motionless on a low settee when they entered. He bade them take a seat and motioned the other lamas to leave.
When they were alone, he turned towards Lobsang," have you had an uneventful journey so far, brother Lobsang."
"Y es,your reverence."
"l counsel you, my son, to leave this place immediately, for danger threatens you if you stay."
"We shall do so at once."
The abbot now turned to Mary Joe and addressed her in English, "and you my dear, you are wondering how i know all about your mission and about the dangers that threaten you, is not so."
"Well now that you mention it, yes, but how on earth could you guess that."
"I did not guess, my dear Mary Joe, I know but do not trouble your mind about it. As your poet Shakespeare says, there are more thing under heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy,' is that not so?"
"Shakespeare, well! I must admit your reverence that I have to catch up with my reading. They never taught us Shakespeare at school, at least not this particular bit.''
"And they gave us whole chunks of him to memorize in the boarding school at Kalimpong, in India, where I spent my youth in those far off happy days. Well, both sorrow for the bygone past and fear of the unknown future are useless emotions, caused only by ignorance. Lama Lobsang take good care of this brave woman, and may the Lord Buddha, bless you with success."
They both bowed low the abbot to obtain his blessings. He placed his hands on their heads in a geature of benediction and murmured a mantra. When they walked out the sun was gilding the snowy summits of a lofty mountain far to the south.
"Lobsang, how did the abbot know what I was thinking."
"He is an expert in tantra, Mary Joe, and in the Nyingmapa practices. Mind reading is just one of the things that he knows. He can also foretell the future. Remember his warning to me about not staying on at Gerse. But these are only minor things, they do not lead to liberation, and many a time only distract the seeker from the true path. Come let us hurry up and leave this place."
But when they reached their tent they found Pasang waiting for them. ''Hullo! I thought, I should see you again, maybe, before you get a call from the sergeant."
Lobsang looked coldly at Pasang. He did not like collaborators. But there was more to it than that. The intensity of repugnance that he felt for this man couldn't simply be explained by the fact that he wasn't a partisan of Tibetan freedom. Many people become collaborators out of compulsion, for fear of torture or out of sheer economic necessity. But in this case, he felt sure there were no extenuating circumstances. Pasang had chosen to betray his country simply because he was one of those men who have no conscience.
"Well!"
"Aren't you going to invite me inside your tent."
"No."
"Oh, come now, there is no cause for you to get angry. I only want to ask a few questions, and to help you, if you will take my help," Pasang said with a grin, which exposed most of his yellowing teeth.
"We have answered all your questions, we have nothing to say now."
"It is not you that I want to question. It is the lady, the Dolma."
"Well, what do you want to ask me? Shoot," said Mary Joe "Shoot?"
"I mean, ask whatever you want to ask, but be quick about it," she regretted the instinctive lapse into American forms of expression.
"Why, what's the hurry. You're not leaving us, are you?"
"Get on with your questions."
"Well, Dolma, you are no drokpa women, are you?"
"Huh, what makes you say that."
"You speak Chinese like a mandarin, like a cultivated town bred women. No drokpa speak like this. Who are you Dolma?"
"I told you I am a drokpa and the Lama's sister. You believe him at least."
"No I don't. That is what I want to know, why is a lama trying to mislead the authorities. Why?"
"Get off, away with you, you mannerless oaf." Lobsang broke in.
"In a moment your reverence. First allow me to enter your tent, even if you do not want to invite me."
Pasang entered the tent, leaving his muddy footprints on the yak hair felt that was spread on the ground. His feet were encased in outsize shoes, badly scuffed and turned up at the toes.
"Now we can talk, as I was saying Dolma, this sergeant Li Sung is a bad man. He is cruel and greedy. He takes money from all the traders in Gerse. He does not spare the drokpa even. And he has a weakness for women. You know what will happen to you are arrested and interrogated by the sergeant. I don't have to tell you. But if you trust me, I can get you out of this hole."
"Well," said Mary Joe.
"I am afraid, it will cost money, Dolma,"
"And if we refuse to pay."
"Tut, tut, would that be wise. You are a pretty woman, Dolma. Imagine what will happen to your fingernails once burning cigarette stubs are put on them. No it would be most unwise. Most unwise."
Mary Joe looked at Pasang. The same thought passed through their minds. "All right, Pasang, let me discuss the matter with my brother, and then you shall have the money. If you don't mind, can you wait outside for a moment."
"No, you go outside. I will wait here."
"Very well."
Mary Joe and Lobsang walked outside. They discussed their next move in whispers.
"We will have to kill him, Mai Hoe."
"Too risky. If we leave the body here the Chinese will suspect us and all hell will break loose."
"What then."
"Let us take him with us, tied and gagged. We can leave him a safe distance away on the Chang Tang. He can then find his own way back."
"Or die on the way."
"Yes, if the gods will it. We will leave him enough food and clothing for survival, but no more."
"Allright, then leave him to me."
Lobsang entered the tent with a grin on his face. "Well here you are then, your money."
Pasang, who suspected nothing rose to take the proffered hand and was immediately struck a stunning blow on his chin which knocked him out for a while. When he came to, he was lying on the ground, tied hand and foot and his mouth stuffed with some cloth that seemed to be choking him. All that he could do was to make inarticulate noises, while the other two packed up their tent and loaded the Yaks. Pasang himself was loaded on to the back of one yak. They left by a back-street, an undefined trail that straight away led into the wilderness. It was already getting dark, so no one saw them. It was only after travelling for more than two hours in a westerly direction that they set up their tent again, in the lee of a large rocky hill. Pasang was relieved of his gag and given food and then the lot of them went off to sleep, secure in the knowledge that without the use of yaks and provisions, their prisoner could not think of escape.
After travelling for a week over a terrain where there was no sign of man, they decided to set pasang free. He was given a bag full of tsampa and other provisions that would last him for a week. Then it would be upto him.
"Don't leave me behind, your reverence."
"We have no choice Pasang. We can't afford to feed and carry you any more. You have enough to last you for a week. You can find your way back or take shelter with some drokpa families, whom you will find close by. But do remember one thing, make no attempt to follow us or to tell the Chinese where we have gone, because if you do that, I assure you, you will not live to tell the tale."
"Oh, I won't do that, I swear, but please don't leave me alone your reverence. Please, sir, there are wolves around and bears. I shall die of fear if not of cold and hunger. Oh please sir, take. pity on your brother."
However they had no time for Pasang's whining and after saying a brief prayer for him, left him to his fate, moving on towards the Nyenchenthagla whose towering escarpment was now faintly visible on the horizon. They knew they were looking at their final obstacle before entering the town of Lhasa.
