262 Capt. Pemberton's Mission to Bootan, 1837-38. [April, 



and no artificial ones are employed, the population must vary their 

 abodes in accordance with means of subsistence. The only cause for 

 surprise is that they should build such substantial houses ; they may 

 do so with a view of returning to them after the ground has been 

 sufficiently fallowed. 



Education. Of the course of this essence of the growth of the mind 

 I can state nothing. If the assumption of the habits of priesthood 

 be considered as the first step of education, it is rather extensive; 

 but I doubt whether a Bootea boy may not wear these robes for 

 years and then throw them off improved in no good, but in all vice. 

 There is scarcely a village in Bootan in which some exterior decorations, 

 as well as the whole air of the house, do not indicate it to be the 

 favoured residence of a priest ; yet I never heard the hum of scholars 

 in any other place than Dewangiri, in which, and it is a curious 

 coincidence, priests were comparatively uncommon. 



The Booteas appear to have no caste ; they are divided, however, 

 into several sects, and in the account of the Persian sent into Bootan 

 by Mr. Scott, whose account may be found in the fifteenth volume of 

 the Asiatic Researches, as many as fifteen are enumerated. It does 

 not appear, however, that the possession of the higher offices is con- 

 fined to the higher sects ; for Tongsa Pillo is known to be a man of a 

 low sect, although he may be considered, from his station and con- 

 nexions, the most powerful man in the country. 



Most Booteas have much of the same appearance ; to this however 

 the people about Bhoomlungtung, Byagur, and Jaisa, as well as those 

 about Rydang are marked exceptions, and have much more of what I 

 imagine to be the Tartar appearance.* 



If we look at those sects which do not depend upon blood, but 

 upon education or circumstances, we may divide the inhabitants into 

 labourers, priests, idle retainers, and great men, which is in many 

 places another word for tyrants. The labourers are better acquainted 

 with poverty than any thing else, and are lucky in being allowed to 

 have such a safeguard. 



Perhaps the most numerous, and certainly the most pernicious 

 class, is that of the Priests or Gylongs. Their number is really astonish- 

 ing, particularly when compared with the population in general. Not 

 only do they swarm in the castles and palaces, of which they occupy 

 the best and most exalted parts, but they inhabit whole villages, which 

 may be always recognised by the houses being somewhat white- washed, 

 of a better than ordinary description, and always in the best and 



* The people again towards Buxa are of very distinct appearance, but this results 

 from a tolerably free admixture of Bengalee blood. 



