J 
6 S BOO TAN. 
then ranged themselves behind us, on the same side of the room by 
which they entered; the three officers stood in front of the balcony, 
between us and the Raja, and the interpreters by them. 
When the commotion of settling in our respective places had ceased, 
and silence ensued, the Raja addressed me with many earnest and 
particular enquiries respecting the Governor General; he congratulated 
us on our safe arrival at Tassisudon, and expressed his apprehensions 
for the fatigue and inconvenience, we might have endured in travel¬ 
ling through a country, abounding with so many natural difficulties, 
and so scantily furnished with the necessaries of life. 
I was happy in the opportunity thus afforded me, of paying every 
acknowledgment due to the civilities and attention, we had experi¬ 
enced in the course of our progress; I expressed my thanks also for 
the ample supplies of provision provided for us, by the inhabitants and 
his officers, at every stage, as well as for the diligence and good care of 
the guide, who had conducted us from the frontier of his dominions. 
The Raja was not wanting in attention to the superior members of 
our government, but asked respectively after the health of the gentle¬ 
men of the Supreme Council, and the Chief Justice; and in endea¬ 
vouring to convey to me an adequate idea of the strength of his regard 
and friendship for the Governor, he used various modes of expression, 
which he concluded with the action of advancing his arms, and bending 
the forefingers of each hand, linking them one in the other, and pulling 
them at right angles, with a strong exertion, as if to give force to his 
sentiments. The letter I delivered, being written in the Persian lan¬ 
guage, could not be then read; for there were none among his servants, 
v 
