VOL. LXVII.] VHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. ISQ 



hours, were equally strangers to each other. At the attack of a town called 

 Gooch Behar, our troops and the Boutaners first met; and notliing could exceed 

 their mutual surprize in the rencounter. The Boutaners, who had never met 

 in the plains any other than the timid Hindoos flying naked before them, saw, 

 for the first time, a body of men, uniformly clothed and accoutred, moving in 

 regular order, and led on by men of complexion, dress, and features, such as 

 they had never beheld before: and then the management of the artillery, and 

 incessant fire of the musketry, was beyond any idea which they could have 

 conceived of it. On the other hand, our people found themselves on a sudden 

 engaged with a race of men unlike all their former opponents in India, uncouth 

 in their appearance, and fierce in their assault, wrapped up in furs, and armed 

 with bows and arrows and other weapons peculiar to them. The place was 

 carried by our troops, and a great many things taken in the spoil, such as arms, 

 clothing, and utensils of various sorts. Images in clay, in gold, in silver, and 

 in enamel, were sent down to Calcutta; all which appeared perfectly Tartar, as 

 we have them represented in the relations and drawings of travellers; and there 

 were besides several pieces of Chinese paintings and manufactures. While those 

 things continued to be the subject of much conversation and curiosity to us in 

 Bengal, the fame of our exploits in the war had reached the court of Thibet, 

 and awakened tlie attention of the Tayshoo Lama, who (the Delai Lama being 

 a minor) was then at the head of the state. The Dah Terriah, or Deb Rajah 

 as he is called in Bengal (who rules immediately over the Boutaners, and had 

 engaged them in the war) being a feudatory of Thibet, the Lama thought it 

 proper to interpose his good offices, and in consequence sent a person of rank 

 to Bengal, with a letter and presents to the governor, to solicit a peace for the 

 Dah, as his vassal and dependent. 



Mr. Hastings, the governor, did not hesitate a moment to grant a peace at 

 the mediation of the Lama, on the most moderate and equitable terms; and, 

 eager to seize every opportunity which could promote the interest and glory of 

 this nation, and tend to the advancement of natural knowledge, proposed in 

 council to send a person in a public character to the court of the Tayshoo Lama, 

 to negociate a treaty of commerce between the two nations, and to explore a 

 country and people hitherto so little known to Europeans. Mr. Bogle, an 

 approved servant of the company, whose abilities and temper rendered him 

 every way qualified for so hazardous and uncommon a mission, was pitched on 

 for it. It would be foreign to my purpose to enter into a detail of his progress 

 and success in this business: it will be sufficient to say, that he penetrated, 

 across many difficulties, to the centre of Thibet; resided several months at the 

 court of the Tayshoo Lama ; and returned to Calcutta, after an absence of 1 5 



