TIBET. 
199 
an extensive suburb, on the north and west sides ofPhari: on the south 
lay a large basin of water; and on the east, a bank of earth projected 
to a considerable distance, which seemed to fall with an easy slope, 
from a level with the rampart, into the plain. 
The valley of Phari is very extensive, compared with the narrow 
slips of land we have been used to look at in Bootan. I suppose it to 
be not less than ten miles in length, and four in breadth; surrounded 
on all sides with low rocky hills. The little soil on this,, as well as on 
the other, is incapable of cultivation : it was covered with loose stones, 
and intersected with numberless water channels. Some of them now 
conveyed shallow streams; but the broadest, which have been worn, as 
I conjecture, by the torrents produced from the sudden thaw of snow, 
were dry. At the foot of the rocks, on the western border of the plain, 
was a large brook, flowing towards the south, which they called 
Mahalchieu; and added, that it had a passage through the hills of 
Nipal, into Bengal. Tangun horses climb with ease and safety over 
the steepest and most rugged roads; but level land is not so familiar 
to them: mine fell twice upon the plain, between the last descent and 
Chassa Goombah, where we took up our residence, after a short stage 
of about eight miles. 
This is the station ofPhari Lama, a dependant ofTeshoo Loomboo, 
who is here a little potentate, being superintendent of a Goombah, 
or monastery, and governor of a most extensive range of rocks and 
deserts, which yield verdure only in the mildest season of the year, 
when his neighbourhood is frequented by large herds of the long¬ 
haired, bushy-tailed cattle : from his character and station, he has 
C 
