24 
B O O T A N. 
We were now within half a mile of Buxadewar. Here, at the foot 
of the last ascent, we were met by a herald who preceded our party, 
sounding a trumpet; and when we came near the summit, we were 
joined by five mountain nymphs, with jetty flowing tresses, who es¬ 
corted us with strains of gratulation, as I conceived, into Buxadewar, 
twenty miles from Chichacotta. 
The day was far spent; it was past three o’clock, and we remained 
under the shade of a tree, until a house was made ready for our recep¬ 
tion. After waiting some time in the open air, we were conducted 
into a wretched habitation, which impressed us with very unfavour¬ 
able ideas of the attention of our new hosts, either to cleanliness or 
convenience. All the Zeenkaubs, and officers in public stations, came 
to see us, each presenting a white pelong handkerchief, and offering 
copious draughts of tea, and a spirit extracted from rice, or wheat, by 
them called Chong , but to which, as a more familiar appellation, we 
gave the name of whisky. 
Chong is a slightly acid and spirituous liquor, extemperaneously 
prepared by the infusion of a mass of grain in a state of fermentation. 
Wheat, rice, barley, and other kinds of grain, are indiscriminately 
made use of for the purpose. The process employed in the prepara¬ 
tion, as well as I could learn, is as follows: to a given quantity of 
grain is added rather more water than will completely cover it, and 
the mixture is placed over a slow fire till it begins to boil; it is then 
taken up, and the water drained from the grain, which is spread abroad 
upon mats, or coarse cloths, to cool. When it is cold, a ball of the 
composition, here termed Bakka, (which is the blossom of the Cacalia 
Saracenica JLinntei, collected and rolled together in small balls), is 
