Institutions of the Inhabitants qf Boutan. 503 



in kind, and appropriated to the subsistence of the numerous priests, 

 faquires, and servants of government. The overplus of rice is exported to 

 Thibet, from whence returns are brought in wool, tea, and a few other 

 Chinese commodities ; and in the musk, furs, and gold-dust which are carried 

 annually to Rungpore. The Rajah himself is the proprietor of the horses, 

 and the produce of them furnishes no inconsiderable resource for the public 

 exigencies : they are bred in most parts of the country, carefully reared 

 and kept in the Rajah's stables, one of which adjoins to each castle, and 

 from thence they are sent for sale to Bengal, Assam, and Nepal. The 

 imports of tobacco, beetle-nut, dried fish, &c. from Bengal, and the coarse 

 cloths from Assam, are carefully lodged in the castles, as in a public store, 

 and dealt out for the subsistence and use of gylongs, zeen-caabs, and others 

 dependent on the government. The most extensive and unremitting busi- 

 ness seems to be that of regulating and superintending the affairs of religion. 

 This, however, may be more in the province of the present Rajah, as in that 

 station he also unites the dignity and office of a superior Lama, and because 

 the other two Lamas, his exalted colleagues, are both children. 



In the month of September is held a grand religious ceremonial, which lasts 

 for twenty days. Most of this time is spent by the gylongs in prayers, con- 

 fined to the chapel. On the seven last days an exhibition of dancing in 

 masquerade is made in one of the squares of the palace ; upon this occasion 

 most of the zempins, or governors of districts, are summoned to Tacissudon, 

 both to be present at the show, and to give an account of their administra- 

 tion. The gylongs and zeen-caabs also receive new clothes, which seem 

 to come very seasonably at a time when the winter is approaching. 



Were there any traffic or change of commodities among the natives worth 

 mentioning, it would appear at this annual resort to Tacissudon, in the 

 likeness of a market or fair ; but there are seen only about a dozen loads of 

 trifling things exposed to sale in a corner of the palace. If there were more, 

 very few could be found with money to make purchases ; neither are there 

 many who have occasion to buy. The gylongs and zeen-caabs receive 

 their food and raiment from the public stores ; even their swords or daggers, ' 

 which the latter wear as finery in their girdles, are in general only lent to 

 them from the palace ; and the wants of the common people, besides their daily 

 sustenance, are small indeed. Their dress, composed of a scanty allowance 

 of coarse strong cloth, with a red blanket, when once put on serves them 

 without alteration until it drops to pieces, and they are careful not to hasten 



3 T a 



