«equally at your command, and -did right ;in 'obeying you.- ” They were
mow called into/the presence, gad-made -before the Raja,,nine prostra-
'tions, which is (the obeisance paid >to ihim -by -his subjects, whenever
they are permitted to approach,; and I had the satisfaction to witness
their (being re-admitted into favour.
I .omit the (repetition of all that passed, relative to the business
of my commission: an inexhaustible succession of obstacles were
’.urged to appose the prosecution of it, to obviate which occupied
.almost all mytime, and constituted the principal sulyadt-ofevery.con-
ference. To attempt sthe medal here, would !be-.ente^ng-into ;a (tiresome
detail, widely «deviating from rmy present design, whtieh is!*an
-endeavour (to delineate .the .appearance of ,a region, little known,
and to mark so -much of the manners df /the people, as, from an im-
smediate intercourse with diem, attracted my (observation. .
The Raja shad .invited us io dine in /his apartment, which we-were
/assured, was the highest imark nf distinction and goodwill, he could
possibly confer ; since no person mihis own dominions, leven of the
most distinguished rank,-ever aspired to the (honour .of eatihg in his
■ presence: hut we were strangers, from a distant country, «and his
guests. By particular desire,- the table,was spread with.our own,can)p
equipage, and thetdinner was dressediby my servants,.much- more (p pur
satisfaction, than if furnished from the-Raja.’s kitchen.; for we had as
yet seen;nothing to.attach ustoiBaotan.cookery. As soouasthe/Raja’s
/frugal fere was brought, a plate of roots and boiled rice,,we'began the
-meal. He eat with,ivory.chopsticks, .and sometimes used; a «spoon. I
invited him to taste our-wine.and sweetmeats,-which he declined;
giving me to- understand, that whoever assumed his robe ((meaning the,
religious dress), is bound to abstain; from every sort of inebriating!
Itqwor: However, (Pnsidermg that one. who/ had absdlutiiOini in. his
hands, might vfenture at ate experiment* which a common subjeet .dared
not presume to make, in case a strong impulse of curiosity should
occur, Ileft the means to gratify it—claret and raspberry jam. Tcamapt
say what became of them;- krafa few days after, k had am application
for a fresh supply- of the- former^ with no intention/,'!. belif\ie, .that it
shoteM be reserved amonfg the relicss - We talked^muftiapfmnt^tMixiijf
meals, and I attempted the description of an Ea^ish onei( f ?
( -The Roora Soobab, now Toonso-Rite)*, who,sspatfoyears; agoi, soon,
after the conclusion of the war with Bootan; was doputedfbly the Baeb
Raja to the Governor ©efieral, the first of Ms nation who * had. ever
been in Calcutta, had been present, at one of Mrs. Hastings«?, concerts,
and, on his return, had given a very-lively account of|f(fa6®pmpanied'
of course with suCh-obSeiVationS} -as resulted 'from the''strong impression,
which »scene so novel, must naturally leave'on-a Boogeea’s mind.
What ray interpreter repeated, might serve to^eytYS^heirecollcctio^i
for the Raja listened with atiention, looked/|dea^^afrdswshkiiihi5iSielf
a spectator in a concert, Or a backroom. But tureturns to our damrer.
He was exceedingly astonished at the variety of-eatables, apd liquarsi
that composed an English- meal5 -and; could by no/means, cemieeive., in,
his own mind, the advantage of such an heterogeneous mixture: he
e That is the Gowrapr «rfTofinso; P>1Q title
the highest order, anal Toonso the name of the capital of the province. SoobaE? is the
title given to governors of inferior rank.