TIBET. 
34 1 
it.” He then observed upon the dispositions of the chiefs of Lassa. 
He said they were crafty designing men, of fair exterior, but deep and 
black at heart; and he concluded this confidential communication by 
observing, that without mutual confidence, friendship could not sub¬ 
sist. I extolled his patience under the wrongs he had borne, and re¬ 
commended him to wait the event of time; when Teshoo Lama should 
be fixed in power, and the unworthiness of the hostile party dismiss 
them, from the enjoyment of that influence, of which they had made so 
bad an use; it might then be hoped, that better subjects would be found 
to succeed to their place. With ,such consolatory counsels I endea¬ 
voured to sooth his anxieties. 
I found Gyap to be not only a great lover of manly sports and 
martial exercises, but also a perfect connoisseur on the subject of arms. 
His collection was exhibited, and he liberally descanted on the pecu¬ 
liar merits of each weapon. There were arrows famed for their remote 
and . steady flight, which had names inscribed on each of them, and 
places assigned to them in a quiver, in separate cells. He honoured 
me with a present of three of these, and a large Chinese bo'w, near 
five feet in length, made of the horns of buffaloes, which he had used, 
he said, for many years. It was then perfect, but I feared, as it has 
since happened, that the climate of Bengal would destroy its form, 
though, with the greatest care, I kept it for some time uninjured. His 
own favourite bows were of bamboo, a species produced in the mourn 
tains bordering upon Tibet, of great strength, and almost entirely 
solid. The bow is framed from two pieces of bamboo, split off next 
the outside; the inner sides of which, after being well fitted, are 
