1839.] Capt. Vembertoris Mission to Bootan, 1837-38. 271 



from them, if the government will allow him to pay 40,000 Rupees a 

 year as tribute. 



It acts injuriously on Bootan by diminishing the energies of its in- 

 habitants, and suppressing the development of those resources which 

 every habitable country may be supposed to possess. It must be re- 

 membered that the cultivation of the Plain tracts is not, as in some 

 other instances, carried on by the inhabitants of the mountains, but by 

 the natives of the Plains, who after reaping the produce of their labour 

 appear to be compelled to take it to the first station in the Hills, from 

 which it is distributed to the appointed places. 



In all cases of entreaty for restoration it has been urged that the in- 

 habitants of Bootan cannot subsist without these tracts, but they forget 

 that by labouring in their own country they might supply themselves 

 either with grain, or the means of purchasing it; and further, that the 

 supplies drawn from the Plains are only enjoyed by the chiefs and 

 their followers. 



Some distress would doubtless result from immediate and final re- 

 sumption, but this distress would be confined to the better orders, and 

 would be a due punishment to them; it would in a short time be 

 abundantly counteracted by the reduction of the Gy longs, and by the 

 compulsion of a great number of idle hands to work for subsistence. 

 It would also, I think, have a beneficial effect in lessening internal 

 commotions. The ambition or rapacity of a chief is now readily 

 seconded by the greediness of his idle followers, but were these 

 necessitated to become agriculturists they would certainly not respond 

 very readily to his call ; as matters now stand, in short, there is a 

 ruinous drainage of a very fertile tract of country, without any sort of 

 return whatever ; for the revenue derived from one Dooar during, 

 a short season that it remained in our hands was amply beyond 

 all proportion to the tribute ; and it may fairly, I think, be stated 

 that a country which draws every thing from another, and makes no 

 return, may be compared to a parasite, the removal of which is 

 always desirable, and very frequently essential. The Bootan go- 

 vernment has been invariably treated with great liberality by the 

 greatest power in the East, and how has it requited it f It has 

 requited it by the rejection of a treaty which could only be productive 

 of advantage to them, by shuffling mendacity, by tampering with 

 British subjects, and by inconsiderate conduct to a British Mission, 

 evinced in many other ways than that of opening its daks. They ob- 

 ject to forwarding communications to Lhassa, they object to British 

 traders entering their country, and, in fine, they object to every thing 

 that is reasonable, and that would be mutually advantageous. In short, 



