the Kingdom of Thibet. 475 
expence, in the palace of Pekin, an inferior Lama, de- 
puted as his Nuncio from Thibet. It is even reported, 
that many of the Tartar chiefs receive certain prefents, 
eonfifting of fmall portions of that, from him, which is 
ever regarded in all other perfons as the molt humiliating 
proof of human nature, and of being fubject to its laws, 
and treafure it up with great reverence in gold boxes, 
to be mixed occafionally in their ragouts. It is, how- 
ever, but juftice to declare, that Mr. BOOLE ftrenuoufly 
infills, that the Lama never makes fuch prefents; but 
that he often diflributes little balls of confecrated flour, 
like the pain benit of the Roman catholics, which the 
fuperflition and blind credulitity of his Tartar votaries 
may afterwards convert into what they pleafe. The or- 
thodox opinion is, that when the grand Lama feems to 
die, either of old age or of infirmity, his foul in fa< 5 t only 
quits an actual crazy habitation to look for another 
younger or better, and it is difcovered again in the body 
of fome child, by certain tokens known only to the 
Lamas or Priefts, in which order he always appears. 
The prefent Delai Lama is an infant, and was difcovered 
only a few years ago by the Tayfhoo Lama, who in au- 
thority and fanclity of character is next to him, and con- 
fequently, during the other’s minority, a efts as chief. The 
Lamas, who form the mofl numerous as well as the mo ft 
Q q q 2 powerful 
