Blessing at the Monastery

15th May 1924

One of the single most important aspects of the whole summit attempt was the morale of the porters, which was very low after the death of Shamsher. It had been that which had most deeply concerned Bruce on his arrival in Camp II and it was Norton’s  foremost thought now. If their morale and courage could be restored there would be hope for a renewed assault. He sent Karma Paul, the interpreter, down to Rongbuk Monastery to enquire as to whether the Chief Lama would grant them an audience. Norton knew that this would mean a very great deal to the porters who held the Lama in the highest regard. He agreed and on 15th May the whole party of climbers and porters made their way down to the monastery for the ceremony. 

The visit to the monastery was successful in reviving the moral of the expedition. Norton had arranged for each of the porters to be given some rice and a few coins to use as an offering to the Lama, while he had with him a gift of a painting on silk of the Potola Palace* and a wrist-watch. Sandy's diary entry of May 15th: 'We all went down to the Rhanbuk monastery to be blessed by the chief Lama. After sitting for an hour + a half eating meat + macaroni with chop sticks (well chewed ends)  drinking Tibetan Tea + eating radish with very strong Pepper in an anti (sic) chamber, we were ushered into the presence of the Lama who sat on a red throne on an iron bedstead just inside a kind of varandah(sic) while we sat on beautifully upholstered benches on either side of an alcove in the roof. Noel had his camera about 30 ft away on the edge of the roof.

After being blessed and having our heads touched with a white metal pepper-pot (at least it looked like that) we sat down while the whole damn lot of coolies came in turn doing 3 salams – head right onto the ground and then presented their caddas and offerings and were similarly blessed. After that Norton presented a picture on silk of the Palala – worth £10 and a wrist watch to the Lama. Next bowls of rice were brought and the Lama addressed the coolies in a few well-chosen words and then said a prayer of prayers – it all sounded the same, ending on a wonderfully deep note. We got back to camp about 3 p.m. My Tibetan food recurred rather often on the way back. Packed a film pack developed by Beetham yesterday to send to E.'