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

158 BOOTAN.my devotions at the sacred shrine of Pootalah' ; and, after a residenceof about Iburteen days, returned, in the same manner I went, incognito,to Bootan."I could not but express my surprise, that the independentsovereign of an extensive region^,who might iiave commanded everyaccommodation, attention, and respect from the neighbouring powerSjshould thus voluntarily relinquish the prerogative of rank, and submitto travel, under every disadvantage, exposed to all sortsof difficulty,hardship, and inconvenience. He answered me, that the humble\ character he assumed, best accorded with the purpose of his journey,which, to render it meritorious, required some degree of penance ; andhe hinted atthe inconveniences which inevitably arise to the subjectsof every state, when a chief moves through the country, Avith a dignityand pomp suited to his exalted station.As the hour of dinner now approached, we were desirous awhile tostroll and look about us, which as soon as the Raja understood, herecommended to us to view the inside of his villa, and called a servantto attend and shew it to us. On the lower floor we found a superbtemple, in which some of the Gy longs are perpetually employed inreading their sacred writings. The most conspicuous figure in it was*an immense idol ; it contained also many other gilded images of asmaller size. In recesses, upon either side the doorway, tablets ofthe expences, and other circumstances, attending the construction ofthis edifice, were written.Some mythological paintings, and symbolsof their system of the creation, decorated the walls ; and in a largehall adjoining, were hung up representations of the city of Lassa, and'The chief monastery and residence of Dalai Lama, near Lassa.