conversation then "ensued, and after a while Gyfeüng wkhdreW.' Gyap
soon ifoünd' oceasion-to commence the history of his fortunes: “ Lassa,
said he, is my native place, my home ; but some years-have noW
elapsed since^vexed shy hostile party, I was obligedto relinquish it',
and come hastily away. Hence I was compelled, in my haste, -to
abandon a variety of articles, which I had collected for my amusement,
and a fine collection that I possessed of my native arms.” He then
enumerated to. me his particular predilections, that he excelled- in
drawing the bow, delighted in martial exercises, and was well skilledaih
the management of the horse; that he was surpassedbyoodnedhhis
èomurymen in mechanical contrivances, and that architecture also had
been his study. “ Thus attracting their jealousy, continued- he,~my
qualifications soon drew upon me the enmity of the men of Lassa.
They strove, by all means, to prejudice the Ambas (.Chinese officers)
against me, for no Other reason, but my superiority to them,> in all
works of skill and ingenuity. Thus sorely pressed, I applied to Dalai
l .am for his advice. He recommended me instantly to retire-from
Lassaand seek protection from Teshoo Lama, to whom he would
write letters in my favour. I did so, and here I have remained- ever
since. It was once in contemplation with me, to abandon, altogether,
my native home, and seek protection from the-Governor General of
Bengal; but it happened that my design was changed, partly by the
advice of Teshoo Lama, and partly by apprehensions of the intemperate
heat'of India : yet, driven from my home, I was long dissatisfied
with the prospects around me, and the strength of, my predilection
for the place where 1 was born, still increased with my absence from
it.’* He then, ©bsei-yed-upon thfe dispositions* of- thej chiefs1« of Lassa.
He said they «were crafty «designing p.,em$ fit ’deep and
black at heart; and Iig, co’nqjnd.ol tins confidcntia>l(j.oinmiiincatioiiiiby
observing,, that;witho»|t|inii$ha^ 1„ Confidences friendship,'could Igm i sub--
sist. I extolled his patience- undef th^ wobgSJfid had boraefijamcbre-
commeoded him to wait fihe ^e^c^'tiin'efe.wiieri Te^hooiLampiishouId
be fixed in powej;, and tij^unVfoxthkiesSj qf t'heS>h«s€ileipapty5,disriiss
thpn*»,&bm;the :^joymaitl»pfci!haVinlli|e^ce}<.0fWliiQib’t^e^hadmad& so
ba,d an use; it might then be hoped,thatbettei «subjects,’wouldh.0 found
to succeed to >thedr place., -Witfiv such, q@nSQlatb>^6^ t's |l^ I ende^
youred to, sqq til, his«, j j jKSl i f t
I found,,Gyap,-to be* not only a great lover-o£-ma,nl!y!j‘‘^porfsjland
martial exerdses^but also, a, perfect connoisseurjqn the subjectrof arms.
His.cqllectiou was,exhibited, andfrejiherally desdantqd on,;the peculiar
merits|qf,each^wAapen. . There wqm arrowsfamedifor,their Femote
and steady flight, wipcb had.n^iq^inspribed« on egchof them^ and
places assigned to tfiem in a,quiyer, in. separate, cells«- He- honour^
me with a present of, three of these„.;and .ajdarge Chinese bbw> neaV
'|ye,feet in length, made the hornsh^Bb^Ipe^^highjihehad fe'd,'
he said, for many >years. f it was then^pecfect, but Ij Jeared, as ifeda«
sjnee^ happened, * that ithei ©lima te, of, Bengal would destroy
though, with the greatest care,I kephit -fbrispme timeiMinjuredavHis'
own favourite bows were of hamboq^a^pecieq produced- ih-’bhe'ino.ua-“
tains horderipg upon Tj,bet,. of great.-stipjSgtbi -'apd;; almost eatirely
solid. , The bow is framed from, two-pieces, of bamfrobibsplife offi, frext
the: outside ; the inner sides of which, after, being -well- fitted«, ana