226 



BOOTAN. 



another Ficus, Hastingsia, Bassia, Labiata Sudyensis, Grislea, very 

 common, Emblica, Ficus obliquus were found along the road, after 

 crossing the nullah. The ridge of the mountain was rocky, barren, 

 covered chiefly with grasses, the Butea of Nurtung, Artemisia minor, 

 Umbelliferse, Desmodium vestilum, Kalanchce, also occurred. At the 

 few houses below our path, we saw plantains ! and bamboos as well 

 as mangoes ! The terraces here are fronted with stones : Lemna occur- 

 red in water ; Linaria on rocks ; Conaria and a fleshy Euphorbia, this 

 last, about villages. 



The occurrence of plantains and mangoes here is curious, and a sure 

 sign of mild climate, as Kalanchoe is of dryness ; nothing could well 

 exceed the barrenness of the road, from crossing Dumria to Benka. 



Benka is a straggling place, built on a ridge overhanging the 

 Monass, and on exceedingly rugged ground, the north face of the 

 ridge being nearly equally steep ; the southern face, contains about 

 fifty houses, all of which are small and a few in ruins. The only 

 large house is the Rajah's, which is said to be of Chinese construction. 



This day the Rajah paid us a visit ; a tent was pitched for his 

 reception on the open ground before our house, consisting of a small 

 silken pall, with two high silken parti- coloured kunnauts. He arrived 

 about eleven, preceded and succeeded by followers amounting to less 

 than a hundred. On reaching the ground, he was carried or shuffled 

 off his horse and deposited in the tent amid most terrific screechings. 

 He took an immense time to arrange for our admission. We found 

 him seated on a shabby throne, with a head priest, a coarse looking 

 man, on his right, on a less elevated seat. Brass cups, etc. were 

 arranged before him. Our chairs occupied the left ; a present of 

 fruits, onions, etc., the floor. The meeting was friendly, and he 

 promised us coolies in two days. He is a youngish man with a 

 square face, and was well dressed. 



After we had taken leave, he feasted his attendants and the spec- 

 tators with salt- fish and rice. He departed about 2 p. m. The pro- 

 cession was as follows, both going and returning — 



A large, black, shaggy dog led by a chain. 



A drum and drummer ; a gong with a melodious sound ; a clarionet 

 played by an old and accomplished musician, rivalling in its strains that 

 beautiful instrument the bagpipe ; a man bearing a wooden painted 

 slab on a pole, on this was an inscription ; a banner looking like a 

 composition of rags ; a white flaglet ; fifteen matchlockmen ; fifteen 

 bowmen ; the Dompa of Roongdong ; five horses and one mule led. 



