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

74 BOOTAN.dilTerent than our habits, and our manners.I had a pleasure in recognisinga more striicing similitude in the productions of his countryand our own, as well as in the temperature of the climate. We hadoften met with strav/berries and raspberries growing wild, in greatabundance; and had seen apple, walnut, pear, peach, and apricottrees; the ash, the birch, the maple, yew, pine, and fir; but I lookedfor the oak in vain.The forests abounded with other handsome timbertrees, to wiiose names and kinds I was equally a stranger.The Raja expressed a wish that my servants should leave the room.He then began to lay aside something of his formality, and conversedwith less reserve.He dwelt much upon his friendship for tlie GovernorGeneral, and ascribed a durability to their connexion, in strict unisonwith the doctrine of the metempsychosis. He told me that he understoodthe contents of the Governor's letter,in which I was mentionedin high expressions of confidence and regard ;and assured me of theparticular satisfaction he experienced, inseeing a person so intimatelyknown to, and deputed by, his friend ; enjoining me to esteem him inthe same light. Then carrying on an allusion, which agreed perfectlywith the tenets of their faith, he claimed with Mr. Hastingsthe nearest spiritual alliance ; and, rejecting every degree of mortalrelation;,asserted theirs to be no other than emanations from the samesoul ; thus indicating a new species of affinity of unlimited extentand compass; embracing, in one comprehensive system, tlie immaterialspirit, or animating principle of all the good and great, unconfinedto place^ to nation, or religion, but indelibly distinguishedby amore permanent and definitesimilitude, than the operation of nature