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

27 6 TIBET.Lassa, and Nipal, I could not avoid giving my friends, ample cieditfor their superior skill.Besides Soopoon Choomboo, who was his constant companion, Ifound the Regent attended this day, Monday, the 13th of October, bya young Lama from Luddauk.After the accustomed ceremonies andcompliments had passed, we poured out copious libations of warm tea;and a most miscellaneous conversation immediately ensued.The Regent, who appeared ever anxious to receive and to communicateinformation, on all points of local, civil, and natural history, firstdirected his inquiries to the military force, the wealth, and extent ofthe British empire.He professed himself deeply interested concerningthe war, of which he had heard so much, and which, by unhappilyinterrupting the general intercourse of nations, had augmented theprice, and occasioned a scarcity of every article of foreign trade. Igratified him, as well as Iwas able, by recounting the leading causes ofthe war between England, and America, which once constituted a partof the English dominions. I endeavoured also to give him a clear ideaof the circumstances, which compelled us to engage in a war withFrance; a war which had involved the Carnalic in confusion, interruptedthe communication between India and Europe, and covered theseas with hostile fleets.They could not avoid expressing their surprise, that a matter ofmere localmoment, should have thus embroiled the remotest regions,and spread distrust and enmity, over such a wide extent of the habitableworld. However, I assured him, that Bengal still enjoyed profoundtranquillity ; and indeed I felt happy in being able confidently