TIBET. 
229 
my recollection, the important use to which Caesar b once applied this 
rude and simple invention of our British ancestors. 
Having travelled about ten miles, we came in view of Painom 
castle, with its square and round towers, loftily situated upon a per¬ 
pendicular rock, washed by the river, which flows at its foot. The 
Tibetians invariably place their strong buildings upon rocks: these 
constitute the base of every fortress, and most of the monasteries 
rest upon the same foundation. I do not remember to have seen a 
single edifice of strength or importance, that was not situated upon 
a rock. 
At the fool of Painom, over the broadest part of the river, was 
constructed a long bridge, upon nine piers of very rude structure. 
The piers were composed of rough stones, without cement, but, to 
hold them together, large trees, with their roots and branches, had 
been inserted; and some of them were vegetating. Slight beams of 
timber were laid from pier to pier; and upon them large flat stones 
were loosely placed, that tilted and rattled when trod upon*, and this, 
I fear, is a specimen of their best bridges in Tibet. Many of them 
were extremely dangerous to pass over. The town lay to the south¬ 
east of the castle, at the base of the rock, and some of the houses 
extended even to the foot of the bridge. 
As we turned short to the left, travelling due west, upon our right 
was seen, under a range of rocks, a very considerable monastery, 
endowed by Dalai Lama; and, about two miles farther on, was just 
visible, peeping through the midst of some tall trees, a large white 
b De Bello civili, i. liv. 
