66 
BOOTAN. 
afterwards effectually proved, by what occurred to my own obser¬ 
vation, and this too in a way highly honourable to the religious zeal 
of this people, which, in the performance of any prescribed duty, will 
never admit of interruption. 
Early on the morning of Tuesday the 3d of June, a messenger came 
to me, with notice that the Raja proposed receiving us in the course of 
that day. We accordingly made the necessary preparations, and at' 
the appointed hour, with Mr. Davis, Mr. Saunders, and all our at¬ 
tendants, I proceeded to the palace, which we entered about noon, to 
the evident astonishment of multitudes, who had filled the balconies, 
crowded about the doors, and occupied the avenues, to gaze at their 
strange visitors. We were first conducted to a large apartment, on the 
west side of the great square of the palace, where the three principal 
officers, Zoompoon 3 , Zoondonier b , and Zempi c , had assembled to 
receive us. Here we rested until Zoondonier, who went to announce 
our arrival, returned to usher us into the presence of the Daeb. We 
followed him, the other officers with many Zeenkaubs accompanying 
us, through several passages, and up a number of lofty ladders, which 
connect the different floors, till at length we arrived at the elevated 
station occupied by the Raja, near the summit of the citadel. 
After a short pause upon the landing place, the door was thrown 
open, and we were ushered into a small, but well proportioned room, 
having on the west side an arched balcony with sliding curtains, being 
the only aperture for the admission of light, immediately opposite to 
a Commandant or keeper of the castle of Tassisudon. b Treasurer. 
c Cup-bearer to the Daeb Raja, and master of the ceremonies. 
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