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

B O O T A NrOfor there appeared to us no trace of any living creature either in ornear it.The door was not fastened, and was without difficulty pushed open.We advanced within it, and had scarcely entered the court yard,when a boy approached, and greetedus with his master's invitation.^Ve obeyed, and ascending a Hight of wooden steps to the upper floor,were met on the landing-placeby a man of decent figure, in the reli--gious habit. He led us to an inner apartment, where cushions and,carpets were spread out, and invited us to sit down. A very amplerepast of buttered tea, clouted cream, and parched grain, evinced thehospitality of this good humoured recluse. He was extremely talkative,and our dress supplied a copious subject of enquiry and observation.He spoke with evident satisfaction of the good understandingsubsisting betweenthe Governor General and the Daeb Raja, as wellas the favour and indulgence shewn by the English government to hisnation ; for which he said we had the prayers of all the Gylongs.All his attendants, and there were many, assembled to gratifythemselves with gazing at us. Amongst them I observed two fineboys, who gave occasion to a loud burst of laughter, when I askedhim if they were his sons. He smiled at my want of information,telling me that he was a Gylong, and that Gylongs never marry.Thesun had disappeared behind the mountains, and the Kipid approachof evening, made it- necessary to think of our return. We had nowwandered to a great distance from home, and though our progressdownwards was, of course, considerably accelerated, yet night surrprised us long before we reached our mansion.