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

TIBET. 205colour, approaching nearly to what we term a fawn colour;the face,belly, and legs, were lighter, indeed almost white. They are said tobe extremely fleet ; and are never taken alive to be rendered serviceable,or domesticated: the young indeed are sometimes caught, but theysoon pine away and die. I was informed, that the huntsmen in Tibetgo in quest of them as game, and, by lying in wait, sometimes shootthem, and esteem their flesh a great delicacy.I have heard, that fourof these animals were once in Mr. Hastings's possession :three of themwere vicious, stubborn, and untameable ; the fourth, a female, was ofa differentdisposition, following a camp, loose, and perfectly familiarwith every body, and every thing around it.By the way, our guide, as well as Poorungheer, deviated a littlefrom the road, to pay their respects to Chumularee. Not choosingto interrupt their devotions, we moved on. The mountain did notappear very lofty from the level of this plain ; and I think we passedit, leaving it on our right, at about the distance of three miles : yetthe great altitude of this part of Tibet is demonstrated, not only bythe many rivers that originate in these frontier mountains, and flowtowards the south, with a great descent, through Bootan into Bengal :but because the streams issuing from it a little further to the north,and taking a northerly direction, fall into the Berhampooter, andare finally conveyed with it, to a junction, in the neighbourhood ofthe sea, with the waters which flow in a contrary course, from thesame general store. I conclude, therefore, that spot on which wenow stood, constitutes the highest point of land, in what is calledLittle Tibet.