SSS«H
inrinlging an unreasonable- partiality, I thought I might claim for my
£puntrymen, a decided superiority; and I ventured to assert* thatmucfi
of the jknbwledge of[ the Chinese had been derived .from European
missionaries, one of "whom I was assured at this moment held the
highest station amongst the astronomers of China. He promised, as
some testimonial of the ancient knowledge of the Chinese,. tOtgfjes me
theirregister of past eclipses, which I afterwards .received,.;,though
without any satisfactory explanation,of its contents, i,
near Chittagong, gav.e’eGcasipn
to some observations and inquiries; I found, by their prejudices, that
they esteemed it as holy. I havé been informed, that a .viyid flamö 'is 1
often seento play upon the. surface of the water in this well, ar® g
probably from the spontaneous combustion of mephitic gas..
Assam and its inhabitants became our next subject of conversaf ipn;
with this region, it should seem, they hold .but ;pfr^^pmej>yiimlted
intercourse. A large reservoir upon its eastern border, formed,. I
suppose, by the Berhampooter, on emerging from the mountains,
appears to be held by them in some degree of veneration. j
Many other topics succeeded in their turn., I was dressed in the
warm embroidered vest which the Regent had provided for me. They
enjoined me to be extremely cautious in guarding, a gainst the apr
preaching cold; and informed me that they had the Regent’s command,
to contribüte by every possible means to my comfort and satisfaction,
expressing a hope that they should be happy in frequent opportunities
of meeting cie.
| Brahma-koond, fountains of Brahma.
t uln 'my^’ifCktk interview? ’with'^f&'hf^Wt 1 entertained
me with'a* |dl'SCripriori * 'g-ardMs,'’^tlla^%lfd^pS<l'aces?j'• of tHfe
®®perbr ofCh^^a^hdvaridu^^r^lutents^dWlriyedef^itify
and amuse the Teshoo* Lama', during hils'ife'SidbnSBtat’that* .* One
of the* first spedtacles he noticed, was a most %|dfljhd display of fireworks,
exhibited in'i’Si'Mbr^tiiJtnldfifth'e^co^h'nenfeem.ent of the' new1 year,
which1 greatly' edgagedhhiS' ati'ehrio%tand;ddmitario|if?'‘ Thist ehtertain-
t»rn&nfico'htinued,5for thtree'iM3>di^w lday^iii ^ ^ rM® tirrie'theTeshoTp
Lairia,i&company With the«-Mtripdrdi<# ^ ^® frequent*Spectator- of their
-beauty and effect. The siagular*tnMgh^^G%%f'sdmls®f^thehmperial!
“gardens', <h'ad: made an 'equal* irajihe'ssibrf'upon< Hisi’mindr .fhrsli*gf ;®f
thejfe,' according to his description, w a^f knal^^#rht!ihlied"With
figut‘e'S’<#a? "gigintid size, repr'&eriting the' signs1 Ofr the 'zOdi'a'ch’ each
i f k i^ ’^thte Wn ehtereddfs ferr^p5ndih''^sign; beedffihg^a|foun'tain
/dfiwater,* Which' continued 'to^jila^until' h#f>$3sh^;$ id* i®§ Hex thet -
An extensive rnenagery, filled-w ith fafhitnd turioris’dFniifMsyanidtig
which’vfcre tigers, leopards. b’Carsf d'etiƒ afrd die wj^bVar^Wcijually
; successful in attracting frheitfndfifeeC' He statedfalSo,tha$ thfe Emperor
Had ordered a ship'to' be''cotiStidcied,;CH*i‘ai]afgedakefiahd'<armed with
, guns, to resemble a first rate mafr of war. The* gfinS-w&dMisthatged
‘‘on board this ship, to'give them an id'ea!:wit?sea'ehfehgerflent.‘>j A
Feats of horsemanship Were noth forgotten, ’with • a design tiWary
their amusernesfits^ihind fill up the tKl& In these, ftet&hid^ifetpb^pleilof
China displayed'great aSgifity arid’Skill.’ ''With such a^ufcipitulalion^of
"the various modes, devised to entertain th^Lama^dffriiighis ^elMehhe
at Jehol, did SoopObfe Chodmboo withh'much goodkhhfebuf(endeavotir
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