146 ACCOUNT OF EHfjTXtf. 



dipur, both of which bear, but the fruit is bad, and sells for an extravagant 

 price : it ripens in the month of Ashin or September. There is one jack tree at 

 Jhargaon and two date trees in all Bhutan. Near Andipur sugar-cane is 

 cultivated .-radishes and turnips are very plentiful : the latter weighs 10 or 12 

 pounds. The women perform all the agricultural labor except the work of 

 ploughing-. 



In Bhutan there are fifteen tribes, the chief of which are those of Sha and 

 \Yaa. The Deb Rajas and also the principal officers of state used always 

 to be of these castes ; but the present Deb Raja, on account of his abilities, 

 obtained that office although a Parab. The tribe of Sha, inhabit the country 

 about Andipur ; the Waa, that about Tassisujon and Wakha ; the Parab, Para- 

 gaon ; Shasheb, Tangso ; and the Togab, Togna. Besides these five, which 

 are the principal tribes, there are the following- castes : Gen, Kapi, Thow- 

 zeb which are all of inferior rank ; they live in the mountains to the 

 north of Punakha and Tassisujon and are the herdsmen of the chowr- 

 tailed cattle. The caste of Pewa sell pan, belle and spirits, and the 

 women are prostitutes. The caste of Zongsob are all menials or slaves. 

 Both these castes live about Tassisujon, Punakha and Andipur, and 

 no where else. The son of a Bhutea and a Coch parent is called Thep. 

 The Toto tribe live in Lakhipur, the Dahya in Chamorchi, the Bagbo- 

 ra, and Ole in Cherang ; the whole of these castes repeat the sacred words 

 " Om mani peme hun" and revere the Dherma Raja, as an incarnation of 

 the Deity. Besides the above, there are Coch, liajbansi, Moosulmans and 

 other tribes in the; low-lands, all of whom profess their peculiar faith, and 

 follow its customs without molestation. 



The Bhuteas worship images and consider the Dherma Raja as a 

 God. They will not kill any animal even for food, but will eat carrion, or 

 what has been killed by any other person. They eat the flesh of every 

 sort of animal except that of the pigeon; but if any oiie should eat even 

 that, he will not lose caste, but will merely be exposed to ridicule. All 

 classes from boyhood to old age repeat this one mantra " Om mani peme 



