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

BOOTAI*. 173mountains, passing a Tofty precipice of bare rocic, from whose basegushed a copious body of water, which poured down rapidly besidethe path, and ran through a little village to the right, till it united with"another current on its skirts. A bridge just below their junction conductedus to the opposite side ;and about two miles beyond, havingkept close to their united streams, we arrived at Paimaitong, which isdistant twelve miles from Tassisudon, where a spacious mansion lodgedus for the night. The Tibetians were already there : they had precededus, and prepared buttered tea, indue form, for our receptionand refreshment.It is the custom in Bootan to eat whole roasted rice, or parchedgrain, with tea ;in Tibet they take malt meal, reduced to a fine flour,which is stirred about, and mixed in the teacup with an ivory chopstick; this, when not in use, is associated with another, with a knife"and toothpick, and sometimes a pair of dice, in a small case whichhangs suspended to a girdle, and constitutes one of the constant appendagesof the Tartar dress.This repast, of which we all, partook together, aflbrdedour friendsa hearty laugh ; for, being novices to this new mode of taking tea,we mixed the flour imperfectly, so that when we began to drink, thedry meal flew into our throats, and made us cough violently, to theirextreme diversion. This ceremony, with some conversation on ourjourney, occupied the time till the evening closed: we then parted;and presently after, the tolling of a bell, with its monotonous hum,informed us that the Tibetians had begun their vespers. We satfor some time, brooding over the dull liglit of a cherag, or lamp,.