C hanmantng
a n d L a s s a .
Affam, and Tipra, are not leis fubjeit to Goitres, or wens, than
the inhabitants of the European Alps.
T he firft'city near its banks is Cbanmaning; the next is
Lajfa, or LabaJJ'a,the capital of the kingdom, in Lat. 30° 30.
The river waihes the walls, yet I do not find that Mr. Bogle
makes any mention of its being navigable, notwithftanding it is
above fix hundred miles from its fource. I have been informed
that in part o f its courfe along Thibet, it is as broad as the
L a h a s s a C i t y . Thames 2tWeJinrinJier. The city of LabaJJa is well built with
ftone, and has confiderable commerce with China, chiefly by
the means of caravans; it alfo fends caravans to Senlinginjki, in
the Ruffian dominions in Siberia, by which it receives numbers
of the manufadtures of*Europe. It is very populous, and o f a
confiderable fize; is the refidence of the chief officers of government,
and of the two Chinefe mandarines and their fuite.
Thefe mandarines have aitually a garrifon of a thoufand men
in the city. It is alfo inhabited by Cbinefe and Cachemerian
merchants and artificers, and is the daily refort of numberlefs
traders, who come in occafional parties, or in ftated caravans.
Besides muik, the fine wool, and cow tails, Thibet produces
great quantities o f gold, either waffied from the fands of the
Sampoo, or the leffer rivers, or dug out o f the mines. The
Lama never ufes any in his mint, but it is exchanged for the
articles o f commerce, particularly with the Cbinefe. Rhubarb
is alfo an article o f commerce. I may mention that Thibet
fupplies India with great variety o f fine falcons. It is alfo
famed for its breed of great dogs, which Marco Polo fays are
almoft
G old.
almoft as tall as an afs, and are much ufed in the chace o f wild
beafts.
Beyond the river, oppofite to Lajfa, and immediately beyond
the chain of mountains called Kambala, adjacent to the Sampoo,
is the vaft lake of Palte, or Jambdro, about a hundred and fifty L a k e P a l t e ,
miles in circuit, fo filled with a fingle ifland as to leave around it
only from three to eight miles breadth o f water. On it is a
monaftery, the feat (according to the Tbibetian mythology) of
Lamiffa Turcepano, or the great Regenerate, the divine
fpirit o f a Lamefa, or female Lama, regenerated.
The Lama, the Prince, the Prieft, and, 1 may fay, the Deity T h e L a m a .
o f the country, refides about feven miles from Laffa, at Puteli,
a vaft palace, on a mountain near the banks of the Burrampooter.
He is fuppofed to be immortal; it is true that he
appears to die, but it is only the adt of his removing into
another body, that o f an infant, who is difcovered by the
priefts by a certain token known only to themfelves, and is
called the Delai Lama.
W h e n Mr. Bogle was there, the Regenerate was difcovered th e T aysho
by the Tay/ho Lama, a charadter fecond only to him in fane- AMA‘
tity and authority, and is his guardian during his minority.
He has feveral palaces; in one o f which Mr. Bogle lived with
him feven months. He reprefents him as the moft amiable and
intelligent o f men, maintaining his rank with the utmoft mild-
nefs o f authority, and living in the utmoft purity of manners.
Every thing within his gates breathed peace, order, and dignified
elegance.
It