Parbatiyas in the Hill-states. Buddhism was probably
introduced into Nep&ll ^immediately from the adjacent
country of Behar, which was the original cradle of this
religion. A tradition prevalent in Nephl ascribes -its
introduction "into that country to a fabulous hero named
Manju-Nbth, who is said to have divided the mountains by
his scymetar.* A similar tradition prevails in Kashmir
concerning Kasyapa, an ancient Indian saint, who is
reported to have led into that celebrated valley the-first
colony of Hindoos.*! At what period Nepbl adopted
Buddhism is uncertain. It was probably before3 the year
sixty-five after Christ, which was, according to Professor
Neumann, the era of its entry into China, whither it may
be supposed to have passed from Nephl and Tibet.§ But the
ancient Buddhism of Nepal has undergone modifications
and corruptions from Indian systems of later dateij|%
Besides the Hindoos and Buddhièts of the Himalayan
border of India, there are two other races or groupes of
nations, who must be described in this chapter, though not
strictly within the limits marked out by the, two great
boundary rivers of India. One of, these are the barbarous
tribes, mostly of Tartar physiognomy, who live in the
mountainous tracts bordering on the-Brahmapptra, to the
eastward of Bhutan. They are numerous and imperfectly
known, but so far as we can judge from the accounts yet
received, appear to be people of the same description, as
many mountain-tribes of the Indo-Chinese Peninsula. They
have among them various sorts of rude paganism, and may
well be supposed to be remains of _ the barbarous aborigines * §
* See Kirkpatrick’s Expedition to Nepal.
The tradition prevalent in Nepal is found also in the Sanskrit books brought
from Nepal by Mr. Hodgson, of which an, analysis was given by Professor Wilson,
in the sixteenth volume of the Asiatic Researches .
f Professor Wilson on the Annals of Kashmir.—Asiatic Researches, vol. 16.
% Neumann, Nouveau-Journal Asiatique.
§ The innovations on the older Buddhism of Nepal consist in the introduction
of some parts of the worship of Siva and of the Tantrika system from
India, between the fifth and twelfth centuries of our era.—See Professor Wilson,
ubi supra, Asiatic Researches, vol. 16.
of thes^ countries-,^ ad similar perhaps to the Bhotlyahs
before the latter a certain degree civilised and
'ehang,ed» by the introduction of Buddhism* Many of these
tribes live beyond the Brahmaphtra towards the east. The
second barbarous people are a mountain tribe who inhabit
a enrrespondinm , tract Jsemnd^ he north-western boundary.
I allude to the, Siahl^psh or Kafirs of the Hindd-Khuh.
.They will be^deftC.ribed in. this- chapter as an offset from the
Hindfi stock.. ..
S ection .II.—Ivtdo- Tartar Tribes in Bhutan, ■ Nepal, and
, / the Himalayap.-.Cdunf^^ itos the Eastwarch@f the Gogra
■ff.'jGwd Kali. ,
, T h e e x te n s iv e ly rsp re a d r a c e o f Bh,Qh»or th e B h o tly a h s ,is
pne of, th e d i v ^ i - o n s : t h a t g r e a tn om a d i c classy of n a tio n s,
m a rk e d -b y p e c u lia r features*. who^ojscupy th e h ig h , regfioRS
o f C e n tra l Asia.. T h e B h o tly ah s are, .d istin g u ish ed . b y th e ir
la n g u a g e w h i l b a p p ro a c h e s m o re n e a r ly to th e C h in e se , from
the* T u rk is h , M o n g o lian , ’.and T u h g u siam fam ilie s, w h om
th e y kesembl€$Mn p h y sic a lja n ^ n a ieE aL .(p o litie s. , T h e p rin -
eipahvcountry o f th e .B h o tly a h s J s fT ib e t,.b u t,tr ib e s a llie d to
th is ra c e a p p e a r to h av e fu rn ish e d primitive., in h a b ita n ts ,to
th e g r e a t H im a lay a , o f w h ich th e y stifl occupy, nic^t; o f th e
e a ste rn p a rt.
1 .—Of the Bhotlyahs of the Kingdom ofiT.assisudon.
B'hfitan Proper, or the kingdom of Deb-rajah who reigns
at Tassisudon, is separated from the territory of the rajah
of Sikim by the eastern branch of the Teesta. This is its
western boundary ; to the; east its limits are unknown.
Bengal and the Assam border ©n it towards the south, and
Tibet towards the north. The subjects of this kingdom are
precisely similar in manners^ aspect, and1 religion, to- the
Bhotlyahs of Tibet and the other tracts at the feet of the
Himalaya. The following description of the people of