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

liOOTAN. 135of them pointed towards the east, on which side art could not possiblyhave rendered them more bare ; but on the other side, the branchesgrew with great vigour, and were full of luxuriant Ibliage.This curiouseffect resulted from the peculiar conformation of the hills, which throwsa constant current of wind with great fury across that corner.A perpetualhurricane seems to prevail at Wandipore. This character ofthe situation, would have forced itself upon our notice, had we beenless particular in our observations, in consequence of the utter wantof shutters, or any other provision made to exclude it from our apartments.To supply this capital defect, we barricaded the windows andbalconies of our house, with coarse mats; yet it was with difficuly wecould keep a candle burning.The wind still whistled rudely throughour matted fence, and, aided by the roaring of the rapid river below,rivalled in noise, the uproar and turbulence of a wind or watermill,when going in full force.The Raja, perceiving that his business was likely to detain himlonger than he had foreseen, and that, in consequence, he should beobliged to drop his design of visiting Punukka, with evident solicitudefor our entertainment, proposed to us to go alone.We joyfully closedwith the offer. It would have been acceptable, had we considered itas affording an escape from the multiplied evils of our present uncomfortablequarters ;but it was particularly so to me, as being, at thesame time, the most pleasing testimony of the Raja's having totallythrown aside that jealousy and distrust, which we had been taughtinvariably to expect. As another instance of his liberal confidence,supposing that I might not have been prepared for so long an absence,