BOOTAN. 
I 10 
impelling us to take an hostile part, or whether they wished to secure 
the assistance ol the English to their cause, I cannot pretend to say; 
we were however saved the trouble of resistance. A few days only 
before the rupture, I received from the Zoompoon of Wandipore, who 
was at the head of the rebellion, a present of fruits, with a very hand¬ 
some congratulatory letter, regretting that urgent business at present 
prevented his seeing one, who had come from so great a distance, and 
who belonged to a nation, for which he entertained the highest esteem. 
His servants, having performed their commission, joined him as he was 
advancing, and I had certain information, that they were among the 
numbers, now occupying the conquered villages to the south. A rein¬ 
forcement to the insurgents, shewed themselves upon the brow of a hill 
to the south-west, which the pickets in that quarter effectually opposed, 
and for the present prevented their junction; at the same instant two 
parties marched from the castle to the attack of the villages, in which 
-the insurgents had taken post; a measure which I considered to be 
meant merely as a diversion. Both divisions, with some interval be¬ 
tween them, advanced at first full in front of the villages, but as they 
drew near they divided into small parties, and crept slowly along, shel¬ 
tering themselves behind banks and bushes. The use of the bow and 
matchlock, on both sides, at first was very slack; but the Raja’s people 
commenced, after a while, a pretty smart hre. The rebels seemed 
careful of their ammunition, using it sparingly; and not choosing to be 
drawn out of their post, they remained almost completely concealed, 
except that now and then a Booteea would start up from behind a 
wall, which flanked the lower village, and brandishing his sword, shout 
