1839.] Capt. Tembertotis Mission to Bootan, 1837-38. 233 



grey-headed priest. He had fewer attendants, and his room was less 

 richly ornamented than that of the Deb. Around the room sat priests 

 busily employed in muttering charmed sentences from handsome gilt 

 lettered black books, which reminded me of those used in some parts 

 of Burmah. 



Very few of our attendants saw either of the Rajahs, and it was 

 expected that no one would presume to enter the Dhurma's presence 

 empty handed. To some of the sipahis, who were anxious to see him, 

 his confidential advisers said, " Give forty rupees, come into the quad- 

 rangle under the Dhurma's window, and then you may see him, or 

 you may not see him ; I will not be answerable for any thing, but 

 receiving the forty rupees." 



During our protracted stay at this place, nothing particularly 

 worthy of notice occurred. Intrigues seemed to be constantly going 

 on, and the trial of temper on the part of Captain Pemberton must 

 have been very great ; it was however soon evident that no business 

 could be transacted with a Bootea Government without being enabled 

 first to enforce abundance of fear, and consequently any amount of 

 agreement from them ; messages to and fro passed continually, the 

 bearer being a very great rascal, in the shape of the Deb's Bengal 

 Moharrer. Thus he would come and appoint the next day for a 

 meeting ; then he would return and say, that such a place was better 

 than such a place ; as evening drew near he would come and say, 

 unless you agree to such and such, there will be no meeting ; and after 

 bearing a message that no change in this respect would be made, he 

 would make his appearance and say, all the minsters were sick, and 

 so could not meet. 



My only amusement out of doors was a morning walk up or down 

 the valley. I was prompted to this chiefly by the pangs of hunger, 

 as the Bootea supplies were very short, indeed wild pigeons afforded 

 me at least some relief. During the day I examined such objects as my 

 collectors brought in, for it was too hot to think of being out after 

 9 a. m. I also had a few Bootea patients, most of whom were la- 

 bouring under aggravated forms of venereal. 



The climate of Punukka has but little to recommend it, and in fact 

 nothing, if viewed in comparison with the other places we had seen in 

 Bootan. The greatest annoyance existed in the powerful winds blow- 

 ing constantly throughout the day up the valley, and which were 

 often loaded with clouds of dust. The mean temperature of April 

 may be considered as 71°- 



The maximum heat observed was 83°, the minimum 64°. The 

 mean temperature of the first week of May was 75° 3' ; the maximum 



