70 
BOOTAN. 
or delicacy, in its observance, however recommended by extensive 
fashion, we are obliged to have recourse to the suspicions suggested in 
remoter times, by the frequent and treacherous use of poison.. Hence 
originated a caution, in which the national character of this people 
readily disposed them to acquiesce; and the same jealousy and dis¬ 
trust, which gave birth to its adoption, has contributed inviolably to 
preserve it to the present day; so that however humble, or exalted 
the rank of the person, who introduces to his guests the refreshment 
of tea, the cup-bearer, which is an office of the first credit, never pre¬ 
sumes to offer it, without previously drinking some of the liquor that 
he brings. 
The Raja held out, upon the points of the fingers of his right 
hand, a shallow lacquered cup, of small circumference, which was 
filled with tea. Three cups had been sent, and were set down before 
us: the Raja directed his servant to fill them also; still holding the 
cup in his right hand, he repeated, in a low and hollow tone of voice, 
a long invocation; and afterwards dipping the point of his finger three 
times into the cup, he threw as many drops upon the floor, by way 
of oblation, and then began to sip his tea. Taking this as a signal, we 
followed the example, and partook of the dishes of parched rice, that 
were served up with it. We found this liquor extremely unlike what 
we had been used to drink, under the same name; it was a compound 
of water, flour, butter, salt, and bohea tea, with some other astringent 
ingredients, all boiled, beat up, and intimately blended together. 
I confess the mixture was by no means to my taste, and we had hi¬ 
therto shunned, as much as possible, these unpalatable libations, yet 
