TIBET. 
203 
pungent and penetrating a smoke, that, almost suffocated, we were as 
glad to extinguish the lire, as we had been anxious to admit it, and were 
obliged immediately to throw open the door, and have recourse to the 
cold air, to get rid of its effects. Time had deprived our friend of half 
his teeth, and those which remained, kept no good neighbourhood with 
each other. He had numerous infirmities; shortness of sight, rheumatic 
pains, and bad digestion: age appeared also to have a share in his 
afflictions. He endeavoured to trace out the sad catalogue of his com¬ 
plaints to Mr. Saunders, who humanely consoled him with his good 
counsel and medical advice; and I had the good fortune to alleviate 
one grievous evil, by presenting him with a pair of spectacles. 
In the morning of Monday, the 15 th of September, we found our¬ 
selves in the vicinity of snow, covering a range of mountains, lying to 
the north-east, about two miles off. The snow continues on some of 
them, dining all seasons of the year. The most conspicuous of the 
number is that called Chumularee, which lifts itself above the rest, and 
terminates in a peak. 
Chumularee is highly venerated by the Hindoos, who, as Poorung- 
heer informed me, have been used, from time immemorial, to resort 
hither in pilgrimage, for the purpose of paying their adorations to its 
snow-clad summit. I could gain no satisfactory explanation of the 
superior sanctity attached to this mountain; but it may be observed, 
that every singular phaenomenon in nature, is of the same import¬ 
ance to the superstitious Hindoo: a snowy mountain, a hot well b , a 
l 
b As at Setacoon near Monghire, in the province of Bengal. 
D d 
