BOOTAN. 
31 
out to a bamboo stage erected on the side of the hill, and hanging over 
a declivity, Mr. Davis shot a crow. Though not sanguinary in their 
dispositions, these were murders they could easily pardon, for both 
these marauders are considered as mortal enemies to the strings of raw 
meat, which it is their common custom to pull into shreds, and hang- 
in the sun to dry; an effect which does not completely take place, 
before the meat has acquired an odour, extremely attractive to kites 
and crows. The Soobah proposed firing at a mark, and one was placed 
in the valley, at three hundred yards distance. We each shot twice, 
but without success; but in justice to the Soobah it must be owned, 
that, when he took my fowling piece, he shot more truly than either 
of us. When the sun was nearly down, I turned about to walk; the 
Soobah followed’ and we went to the tent. I told him, that as I un¬ 
derstood him to have been lately ill, I was apprehensive the walk we 
proposed to take, would fatigue him too much, and begged, therefore, 
he would not trouble himself to accompany us. His answer was equally 
polite and attentive; nor could we dissuade him from escorting us, 
and he accordingly went home to make some preparations. 
I was told, that it was a custom with the Soobah to ascend this hill 
every month, when he sets up a white flag, and performs some religi¬ 
ous ceremonies to conciliate the favour of a Dewta, or invisible being, 
the genius of the place, who is said to hover about the summit, dis¬ 
pensing at his will, good and evil to every thing around him. I was 
advised to set up a flag also; and I did not think it prudent to give 
offence by refusing to comply with their customs, however absurd or 
ridiculous. In half an hour the sound of the nowbut c and the trumpet 
c A kind of kettle-drum, used only as an appendage of state by persons in authority. 
