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

76 BOOTAN.was no less troublesome, than protractive of our conferences ;the hourof two had passed ;tea was introduced, of which we drank with theRaja. We received presents of fruits and vegetables, and retired toour house.It was expected, and seemed necessary, that we should pay thesuperior officers under government, the compliment of a visit ; I dispatchedtherefore a messenger to each of them; and, a convenient timebeing appointed, we proceeded the following day, to perform the ceremony.They were all three accommodated in the palace ; and, thoughinvested with offices of different duty, were looked upon asnearly ofequal rank. Their titles, artd, as well as I could understand, the natureof their employments were as follow: first, theTasse-Zoompoon, whois commandant of the castle of Tassisudon, keeper of warlike stores,and governor of allthat tract of covuitry over which we had travelled,between the capital, and the Company's dominions.Second, the Zoondonier,who is treasurer, as well as captain-general of all the forces,which in times of emergency he heads in person.Thii-d, the Zempi,who ismaster of ceremonies, cup-bearer^ and keeper of the wardrobefieis constantly attendant upon the Raja, and conducts the plan of all!iis operations: his office, being rather of a private nature, is of lessostensible consequence than the other two ; but, as he is always nearthe person of the Raja, and consequently supposed to be a lavourite,his situation gives him weight in the general estimation.We were first conducted to the apartment of the Tasse-Zoompoon»whom we met on the day of our introduction to the Raja, in the westangle of the palace.He was a corpulent, unwieldy figure, and not of