168 
BOOTAN, 
— Sana—last Post in Bootan — Guard-house—Patchieu Bridge.— 
The Yak of Tarlary, particular Description of—Gloomy Wilds.— 
Rude Region of the Frontier.—Of Bridges in Bootan.—Vast Dif¬ 
ference between the muscular Form of the Booteea and Tibetian.— 
Social Groups of Mountaineers. — Ghassa.—Lama of Phari.— 
Dhy , Kummuz of the Tartars.—Tartar Herdsmen.—Dukba 
Elevation and bleak Site of Soomoonang. 
Mr . Saunders and myself now paid our last respects to the Daeb 
Raja, and to the principal officers of his durbar, and left them all busily 
engaged, in the fantastic ceremonies of their great festival. On Monday 
the 8th of September we departed from Tassisudon, accompanied by 
the Gosein Poorungheer, and a party of Tibetians, in order to pursue 
our journey to Tibet, after having taken leave of our friend and com¬ 
panion, Mr. Davis, whom the suspicious caution of our conductors 
compelled us to leave behind, with deep and sincere regret. We 
passed in front of the palace, immediately beneath the walls, and 
inclined to the right towards the mountains behind it, till a narrow 
valley opened to the west, and we at once lost sight of Tassisudon, 
and turned our backs upon the Tehintchieu. We travelled up this 
valley, having high hills both to the right and left, and in front, a very 
lofty mountain. 
The ascent of this mountain was at first easy; but the road became 
extremely steep and toilsome before we attained its summit; so that 
I have no hesitation in pronouncing it, both from the time and labour 
it cost, the highest we had yet ascended. I now recollect seeing the 
