INTRODUCTION. 
It is not known that any direct communication existed between 
Bengal and Tibet a before the year 17 74. A physical reason might be 
assigned for this, in the enormous height, and vast extent, of the 
mountains which are interposed between the two countries, did not 
an almost equal degree of strangeness, prevailing between Bengal and 
Bootan, which lie adjacent to each other, necessarily imply a diffe¬ 
rent, or at least some concurrent cause. The most probable one, 
which the history of little more than a century can afford us, is to 
be found in that spirit of conquest which forms the common cha¬ 
racter of all Mahometan states, and in that hostility which their 
religion enjoins against all who are not its professors. The Booteeas, 
. . , / ■ 
who, though a strong and hardy race of people, are little versed in the 
arts of war, and thinly scattered over a mountainous region, derive 
from their local situation the only means of defence against invaders; 
an advantage which they would inevitably lose, if they were to allow 
a free passage through their territories. It is certain, however, that, 
a This name in Bengal, as well as Tibet, is pronounced with a duplication of the 
letter b ; but out of respect to long established orthography, I have written it according 
to the more usual mode of spelling it in Europe. 
b 
