Imaus, i f 1 have not mentioned it before, it divides Scythia into
two parts; the Scythia intra and extra Imaum; many various
wandering branches pafs from the external Scythia through the
internal, and unite the great chain, which feems peculiarly appropriated
to India. From its quitting Sirinagur it recedes
rather northward, and between it and Hindoojlan bounds on the
north Napaul and the great Thibet.
B ootan. ' Bootan is on the fouth fide. In 1774 Mr. Hajlings fent an
embaffy to the great Lama, a Mr. Bogle. By thefe means we
arrive at a knowlege of that country, and alfo of Bootan, which
feem very little known except by the relations of the travellers
o f the middle age. Mr. Saunders, an ingenious furgeon refi-
dent at Boglepour, alfo travelled into Bootan and Thibet, in 1783.
Both o f them took their departure from the fame place.
CoosBtiHAR. Coos Beyhar is on the northern frontier of Bengal, where we
had a fa&ory for the fake o f the commerce with Affam, and
other adjacent countries. This town was attacked by the Boo-
tanners, who had never met in the plains, any other than the
timid Hindoos flying naked before them, faw, for the firft time,
a body of men uniformly clothed and aecoutred moving in regular
order, and led on by men o f complexion, drefled, and features
fuch as they never beheld before; and then the management
o f the artillery, and inceflant fire of the mufquetry, was-
heyond any idea which they could have conceived o f it.. On-
the other hand, our people found themfelves engaged with a
race of men unlike all their former opponents in India, uncouth
in their appearance, and fierce in their aflault, wrapped in furs,.
K and
and armed with bows and arrows, and other weapons peculiar
to them *.
Im m ed ia te l y beyond Coos Beyhar arifes the great range o f
mountains which gives admittance through their pafies into
Bootan, each o f which, difficult as they are, is fortified. T h e
ridge rifes here a mile and a half in perpendicular height, and
affords a moft aftonifhing view over the plains o f Hindoojlan al-
moft immediately fubjacent, and ftretched beneath like a bound-
lefs ocean when it firft burft on the eye o f the traveller, y e t
behind thefe arife other ranges o f far fuperior heights, w hich
fbar with a majefty paft the power o f the pen to defcribe, and
fhew their fnowy tops to the melting inhabitants o f Bengal a.
hundred and fifty miles diftant.
In the gorges of this firft range, not far to the north-weft o f
Coos Beyhar, ftands, on a lofty and rude pyramidal mountain,,
with a flatted head, the fort o f Delamcotta. It is impoflible
for imagination to invent a ruder fituation.; the furrounding
mountains are equally horrible, and approximate io near as to!
form only darkfome chaftns of immenfe depth, ©n the fides
are narrow roads impending over the dreadful, precipices. Along
thefe paths Captain John Jones, on April 7th, 17,73, his detachment
to attaek this aerial fortrefs, and took it by ftorm. This
was done ini refentment o f the infult offered, to Coos Beyhar.. I
truft that this hero was a Weljhman, and may be added to the
lift o f my. illuftrious countrymen, who have crowned their heads
with well-earned laurels, All the fpoils favored of Tartarian:
*- Mr. Bogle’s account of Thibet, publiihed in the Phil, Tranf.-vol. Ixvii. p. 467.
V a s t M oun-^
ta in s .
D e l am c o t t v í '
F o r iv
T aken" b y ;
C a p t a in Jones»
origin,