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

TIBET. 235capacity of messengers, toassist in domestic business;be sent on any service abroad, but also toand these friendly tokens of the good dispositionentertained towards us, could not but fill our minds withsatisfaction,and intimate the most auspicious presage respecting theevent of my mission.Towards the close of the evening, I received a visit from the personwho had been sent to meet me by the Regent, while I resided in Bootan.His appearance and manners were extremely conciliating.The featuresof theTibetian, which are in general high and harsh, were in him,softened by a cheerful, intelligent, and placid expression of countenance.I could not but conceive the strongest prepossessions in hisfavour ; nor did any conduct of his, that I ever witnessed, cause me,in the slightest degree, to alter that good opinion.As long as he continuedin the monastery, his attentions were unremitted, and few dayspassed, in which he did not spend some hours with me. He wasmy instructor in the language of Tibet ; and, when tired with therepetition of guttural and nasal sounds, of which Ifound this languagein a great degree to consist, he would, with the utmost cheerfulness,accept my challenge to a trial of skill at chess ; in which, though Isometimes came off victorious, I was rather disposed to attribute mysuccess to his urbanity, than to my own superior play. The stationand movement of every piece, I found to be the same; and the gamewas conducted by the same rules, which regulate our play, in England.These visits continued regularly, until he Avassummoned to a distantpart of Tibet on the public service. I felt in his departure, the loss ofan agreeable companion and an useful instructor, and we really parted.^Hh