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

28 S TIBET.peculiarly accustomed to travel in the dark, from a desire, as I haveheard, that their route may be unobserved, and not productive oftrouble to the inhabitants, by withdrawing theirattention from theirpersonal pursuits.On the day after the departure of the Regent, Soopoon Choomboosent an invitation to me to meet him in the room, immediately beyondthe gallery of idols. He was accompanied by the treasurer : our conversationwas extremely miscellaneous. Egypt, in their language,eunani, and the lions, singhi, were favourite topics of conversationwith him. Between this country, indeed, and Tibet, there seemed atsome time or other, to have existed a frequent communication ; andEgypt appeared even now to merit respectful mention, whenever theynamed it.From hence perhaps they have derived their veneration forthe sovereign of brutes, Avhich they evince by the distinguished placethey assign him in their sacred architecture.There is no religious edifice, but what is adorned with the head ofthe lion at every angle, having bells pendent from his lower jaw;andthe same figure is equally common, at every projection of the palacewalls. It is certain, that no contiguous country can supply an exampleof the animal existing in it, in a state of nature, at this day. The lakeMaunserore was mentioned to me, as having lions on its banks, butthis assertion Iconsidered as fabulous, originating possibly in a desireto attach greater dignity ta the source of the Ganges and Berhampooter,by adding to itone more object of veneration.Lions are the natives of a warmer region; the burning sands ofNubia, Ethiopia, and Arabia, seem to be their proper habitation.If the