1839.] Capt. P ember ton's Mission to Bootan, 1837-38. 215 



this was the highest elevation at which we saw these trees living. 

 There is a species of Atripleig, the Mooreesa of the Assamese, likewise 

 cultivated about Roongdoong : the seeds are eaten as well as the 

 leaves, which form a sort of turkaree. The ingenuity of the Booteas 

 was well shewn here by the novel expedient of placing stones under 

 the ponies' feet to enable them to get at the contents of the mangers ! 

 The ponies appeared tolerably well fed, at least I saw them enjoy one 

 good meal, consisting of wild tares and the heads of Indian corn, 

 which had been previously soaked ; besides these luxuries, they were 

 supplied with a slab of rock as a rolling stone or scratch-back. Our 

 host, the Dhoompa, who is appointed by the Deb himself, was an im- 

 pudent drunken fellow, and presumed amazingly on*his low rank. 

 He was one of the most disagreeable and saucy persons we met with 

 in Bootan. 



Feb. 1st. Our march commenced by descending, gradually at 

 first and then very rapidly, to the Dumree Nuddee ; crossing this, 

 which is of small size, at the junction of another torrent, we wound 

 along the face of the mountain forming the right wall of the ravine, 

 ascending very gradually at the same time. We continued thus 

 until we came on the ravine of the Monass, which we followed 

 upwards, the path running about 1000 feet above its bed for about 

 two miles, when we reached Benka. We passed two or three small 

 villages on the right side of the Dumree, and a few others were 

 seen on its left. The country throughout was of a most barren ap- 

 pearance, the vegetation consisting of coarse grasses, stunted shrubs, 

 and an occasional long leaved pine. Benka, or as it is better known 

 Tassgong, is a small place situated on a precipitous spur, 1200 feet 

 below which, on one side, the Monass roars along, and on the other 

 a much smaller torrent. From either side of the village one might 

 leap into eternity : it is elevated 3100 feet above the sea. 



We were lodged in a summer house of the Soobah, about half 

 a mile up the torrent, and in which, as it was an open house, 

 and as they kept the best room locked up on the score of its being 

 sacred, we were much incommoded by the furious gusts of wind 

 sweeping as usual up the ravine. 



The place itself is the Gibraltar of Bootan, consisting of a large 

 square residence for the Soobah, decorated in the usual manner, 

 of a few poor houses much crowded together, and the defences. 

 These consist of round towers of some height, and a wall which con- 

 nects the village with the tower ; and on the opposite side of the 

 torrent there are other defences of towers and outhouses. All seemed 

 to be in a somewhat ruinous state. 



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