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

178 BOOTAN.of mud. There is but one entrance into tlie castle, wliicii is on tiieeastern front, over a wooden bridge, so constructed as to be with greatfacihty removed, leaving a deep and wide space between the gatewayand the rock.Opposite to this front are seen, upon the side of the mountain, threestone buildings, designed as outposts, placed in a triangular position.The centre one is most distant from the palace, and about a doublebowshot from those on either side, as you look up to them. The centrebuilding, and that on the left,defend the road from Tassisudon, whichruns between them ; thai oji the right, the road fiom Buxadewar, andthe passage across the bridge. On the side next the river, from thefovmdation of the castle, the rock is perpendicular, and the river runningat its base, renders it inaccessible. The bridge over the Patchieu,which is at no great distance, is covered in the, same manner as thoseof Tassisudon and Punukka, and has two spacious gateways..The valley of Paro exceeds that of Tassisudon, by almost a mile inwidth; it lies nearly north-west and south-east, and the river intersectsit irregularly, as it pursues its winding course.We were obliged to halt a day at Paro, and make a new arrangement of our baggage : it had hitherto been conveyed by the labour ofthe people of the country alone; horses were now called in to beartheir share in its carriage. The aid we took from hence, both animaland human, was designed to conduct us beyond the boundary olBootan to Phari, the Tibet frontier.We had not been long in our quarters atthis place, when we werevisited by a Mookhy, or agent, whose business it is to conduct that