An Embassy to the Court of the Teshoo Lama in Tibet - Prajna Quest

BOO TAN.fi9or all his subjects, who were conversant in it. The Bengalee languageis die only one, differing from their own, in which any business orcorrespondence is carried on; and in this, their commercial intercoursewith Bengal, as well as what relates to the territory situatedon its borders, is always and exclusively transacted. This was intimatedto me; and I was asked, whether the delivery of the letter Iliadborne from the Governor, was my only motive for coming to Tassisudon.So pointed and laconic a question was quite unexpected; butI answered it,by briefly stating the reasons that induced the GovernorGeneral, at this time in particular, to depute a person to the Lama'scourt; and added, that, when I learnt the road to Tibet lay throughhis dominions, and not very distant from his capital, knowing also hisattachment to the Governor, as well as having heard the fame of hisexalted name, it became an object of much anxiety with me, to havethe honour of paying my respectsto the friend of my patron, and toa prince of so great renown.With respect to any other reasons theremight be, for my waiting upon him, the contents of theletter wouldamply explain them.Three small benches, similar to that beforethe Raja, were broughtand placed before us ; and presently a servant came, bearing a largetea pot of white metal, embossed, and highly ornamented with someother metal, of a yellow colour. He approached the Raja, and thengiving a circular turn to the tea-pot, so as to agitate and mix its contents,he poured a quantity into the palm of his hand, which he had •^contracted to form as deep a concave as possible, and hastily sippedit up. To account for a custom which has so little either of grace.