266 Capt. Pembertoris Mission to Bootan, 1837-38. [April, 



or of spirits — no water ever comes into contact with any part of their 

 person ; they scarcely ever change their clothes, especially the woollen 

 ones. The people about Bhoomlungtung are far the dirtiest, and as 

 they wear dark woollen cloths, rendered still darker by long accumu- 

 lation of smoke and dirt, they look more like representations of natives 

 of Pandemonium, than of any place on the earth's surface. 



As they, at least the official part, are very assuming, so does state 

 enter largely into all their proceedings. All our interviews with 

 them were conducted with all possible state on their part ; and that 

 exhibited to us at Tongsa and Punukka, was striking enough, and 

 will ever after form in my mind as bitter a satire upon state as one 

 could well wish. The effect was much lowered by the usual Asiatic 

 want of arrangement, by an assumption of superiority among the in- 

 feriors (probably enough at the instance of their superiors), and by the 

 admixture of the profanum vulgus, who had no opportunity of hiding 

 inherent dirt under fine robes. On these occasions the behaviour of 

 the chief was certainly gentlemanly, but the impression was soon ob- 

 literated by a messenger overtaking us, probably on our return, for 

 another watch, or another telescope, or any other thing. In personal 

 appearance I did not observe much difference between the higher and 

 the lower orders, with the exception of the ex-Pillo of Tongsa, who 

 seemed to have the best blood in the country concentrated in him. 

 The presents given as returns of the magnificent gifts of the Governor 

 General were beggarly ; and yet there was a good deal of parade in 

 their exhibition. To us narrow silk scarfs were always given, occa- 

 sionally varied with a foot and a half of blanket. The scarfs are 

 habitual gifts among all the upper classes, and very generally form 

 the inner envelope of letters. 



Fine woollens and embroidered China silks form the dress of the 

 nobles ; thick cotton or woollen doublets or tunics are common to every 

 body else, but the chiefs probably have similar dresses in private, at 

 least their principal officers certainly have ; and the only difference in 

 such cases is the belt, from which the dha is on occasions suspended 

 these are embroidered, and have a rich appearance. ,Tne dress of all 

 is certainly cumbrous, especially when the peculiarly Chinese boots are 

 donned. The boots of the higher orders are certainly not made in 

 Bootan ; those of the lower orders consisted of a foot of some skin, with 

 party-coloured woollen leggins, which lie above the calf. They are worn 

 by both sexes. 



The general receptacle for odds and ends, and a most capacious one it 

 is, is between the skin and the doublet. Into this, which (consequent 

 to one side being formed by the body) is not of the cleanest description, 



