BOOTAN.. 
103 
For there appeared to us no trace of any living creature either in or 
near it. 
The door was not fastened, and was-without difficulty pushed open. 
We advanced within it, and had scarcely entered the court yard, 
when a boy approached, and greeted us with his master’s invitation. 
We obeyed, and ascending a Eight of wooden steps-to the upper floor, 
were met on the landing-place by a man of decent figure, in the reli¬ 
gious habit:. He led us to an inner, apartment, where cushions and' 
carpets were spread out, and invited us to sit down. A very ample 
repast of buttered tea, clouted cream, and parched grain, evinced the 
hospitality of this good humoured recluse. He was extremely talk¬ 
ative, and our dress supplied a copious subject of enquiry and obser¬ 
vation. He spoke with evident satisfaction of the good understanding 
subsisting between the Governor General and the Daeb Raja, as well 
as the favour and indulgence shewn by the English government to his 
nation ; for which he said we had the prayers- of all the Gylongs. 
All his attendants, and there were many, assembled to gratify 
themselves with gazing, at us. Amongst them I observed two line 
boys, who gave occasion to a loud burst of laughter, when I asked 
him if they were his sons. He smiled at my want of information, 
telling me that he was a Gylong, and that.Gylongs never marry. The 
sun had disappeared behind the mountains, and the rapid approach 
of evening, made it necessary to think of our return. We had now 
wandered to a great distance from home, and though our progress 
downwards was, of course, considerably accelerated, yet night, sur¬ 
prised us long before we reached our mansion. 
