286 NEPAL. Lhása to the Rájá of Nepál, carrying along with him a considerable quantity of treasure. His representations so inflamed the avarice of the Nepalese Government that they marched a body of troops towards Lhása, and extorted from the Láma a tribute of 3 lákhs of rupees (£30,000). In 1790 they sent a second force, who pillaged the temples, and succeeded in carryir.g off a large booty, though closely pursued by a Chinese army, and losing 2000 men in their retreat from the severity of the weather. The Emperor of China, as the terrestrial protector and spiritual disciple of the Lámas, incensed by these unprovoked aggressions, despatched an army of 70,000 men against the Nepalese, who were overthrown in repeated battles; and the Chinese army advanced to Noakot, within 26 miles of Khatmandu, and 100 miles froin the British frontier of Bengal. A peace was at last concluded, on terms ignominious to the Nepalese, who were compelled to acknowledge the suzerainty of China, and to refund the spoil which they had taken from the Lámas. It does not appear that tribute was ever exacted. About this period (1792), Lord Cornwallis concluded a treaty of commerce with the Nepalese. An attempt to improve the advantage thus gained was frustrated by the indifference of the Gúrkhalís. The queen-regent, Rájendra Lakshmi, died in 1786, when the care of the young Rajá devolved entirely on his uncle, Bahadur Shah, who was accused of encouraging him in his debaucheries, in hopes of bringing him into contempt, and thus securing to himself the supreme authority. In this expectation, however, he was deceived, as the Rájá, in 1795, when he had entered upon his twentieth year, suddenly announced that he had resolved to assume the reins of governinent. He rendered hinself extremely popular during the first year of his reign. But this fair prospect was speedily overcast, and the youth plunged into all the excesses of the most furious despotism and cruelty. He caused his uncle to be arrested, and starved to death in prison. He daily tortured and mutilated his subjects, and beheld their sufferings with savage joy. In his outrages he made no distinction of age or sex. Woinen of all castes, even those belonging to the sacred order, were subjected to abuse from the vilest characters. In 1795 a son was born to him by a Brahman widow, who being taken seriously ill next year, and finding her end approaching, reminded the Rájá of the prediction of astrologers, that he would never complete his twenty-fourth year, and entreated him to provide for the unprotected orphan they were about to leave. The Raja, relying implicitly on the superstitious prophecy, immediately, and in the most solemn manner, before all the chiefs, abdicated the throne in favour of his son, though illegitimate ; and an administration was then appointed, over which one of the Ránis was appointed to preside. The abdicated monarch now devoted his whole time to attendance on the favourite
