B O O T A N. 
79 
I had the greatest difficulty imaginable, in dissuading the Zeenkaubs 
from persisting in their intention to go with me. In vain did I state 
to these hardy mountaineers, the dangers of a burning sun, and the 
fury of the scorching winds: these conveyed no terror to their minds, 
equal to the displeasure of the Daeb; and at last I was obliged to leave 
them, rather in the helpless condition of being unable to follow me, 
than convinced of the extravagant wildness of their scheme. 
Having urged every thing that occurred to me, in extenuation of 
their crime, apparently without much effect, I was obliged at last to 
own, that the Zeenkaubs had yielded to the advice of Mr. GoodIad d 
and myself, and not acted of their own accord. I observed, that I had 
taken upon myself thus much to answer for, being charged with par¬ 
ticular dispatches from the Governor General, and entrusted with a 
confidential communication upon the business of their mission, which 
respected the ancient boundary, between the Company’s provinces and 
Bootan. Concluding from hence, that their residence at Rungpore was 
by no means necessary, and thinking that, having been much among 
the English, and being conversant with our manners, they might 
render to me and my companions, material service in conducting us 
through a country, in which we were equally strangers to the customs 
and the language, I had ventured to determine upon their departure. 
The Raja then turned to me with much good humour, and said, 
“ Well, since I hear so favourable a report of them, and as they acted 
by your direction, if they had been guilty of ten thousand crimes, I 
would pardon them all:” he added, “ as being my servants, they were 
d The Company’s Resident at Rungpore. 
