T I BE T. 
267 
At all times, when I met the Regent, Soopoon Choomboo was in 
company. The distinguished attention shewn to him, and the part 
he generally took in conversation, plainly bespoke his consequence. I 
thought him intelligent, quick of apprehension, and, as w r ell as the 
Regent, extremely communicative. I was not a little surprised to dis¬ 
cover, by their conversation, how accurate an idea they had acquired 
of the position of different countries, though maps and charts are totally 
unknown among them. Of China (or Geanna) their own travels had 
taught them the situation; and they pointed out to me, not only the 
relative bearings of the countries surrounding them, as China on the 
east; Siberia on the north; Turkestan, Cashmeer, AImora,on the west; 
Nipal, Bootan, Assam, to the south, and Bengal beyond these; but also 
of England, and of Russia, with almost equal truth. Yet, desirous to 
extend their knowledge, a great variety of questions were proposed to 
me, relating to the peculiar produce, temperature of climate, and dif¬ 
ferent distances, of remote countries. 
Bengal, of which they had from various authorities collected a tolerably 
distinct idea, they expressed a most eager curiosity to visit. Nor can, 
perhaps, the inhabitants of a rocky, arid, bleak, and naked region, 
fancy a scene more enchanting, than is exhibited in a country of wide 
extent, presenting throughout a smooth and equal surface, clothed with 
eternal, verdure, intersected by numberless deep and copious rivers* 
abounding with groves of large and shady trees, and yielding an im¬ 
mense variety of fruits and Howers, through every season of the year. 
But Bengal is rendered peculiarly dear to them, by the powerful 
M nx 
