23 4 
SCENES IN INDIA, 
about fourteen days, returned, in the same manner I 
went, incognito, to Boutan/ 
“ I could not but express my surprise that the inde- 
pendent sovereign of an extensive region, who might 
have commanded every accommodation, attention, and 
respect from the neighbouring powers, should thus 
voluntarily relinquish the prerogative of rank, and 
submit to travel, under every disadvantage, exposed to 
all sorts of difficulty, hardship, and inconvenience. 
He answered me, that the humble character he as- 
sumed best accorded with the purpose of his journey, 
which, to render it meritorious, required some degree 
of penance ; and he hinted at the inconvenience 
which inevitably arises to the subjects of every state 
when a chief moves through the country with a dig- 
nity and pomp suited to his exalted station.”* 
With all their superstitions, the natives of Boutan 
are a kind-hearted and benevolent race, hospitable 
to strangers of whatever religion, simple, and gene- 
rally honest. They have the Tartar expression of 
countenance; the eye being small and black, with 
long pointed corners like those of the Chinese, a pecu- 
liarity which strongly marks their Tartar origin. 
They have scarcely any beard, their eyebrows and 
eyelashes being likewise so scanty as to be scarcely 
perceptible : they are nevertheless tall, stout, well - 
grown men, frequently exceeding the stature of six 
feet, with muscular and well-proportioned limbs, and 
light olive complexions. 
* Turner’s Account of an Embassy, &c. pp. 156, 7, 8. 
