Himalayan Journals — Volume 1: Or, Notes of a Naturalist in Bengal, the Sikkim and Nepal Himalayas, the Khasia Mountains, etc.Hooker, Joseph Dalton
History
Himalayan Journals — Volume 1: Or, Notes of a Naturalist in Bengal, the Sikkim and Nepal Himalayas, the Khasia Mountains, etc.
Hooker, Joseph Dalton
Himalaya Mountains -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Himalaya Mountains
The audience chamber was a mere roofed shed of neat bamboo wattle,
about twenty feet long: two Bhoteeas in scarlet. jackets, and with
bows in their hands, stood on each side of the door, and our own
chairs were carried before us for our accommodation. Within was a
square wicker throne, six feet high, covered with purple silk,
brocaded with dragons in white and gold, and overhung by a canopy of
tattered blue silk, with which material part of the walls also was
covered. An oblong box (containing papers) with gilded dragons on it,
was placed on the stage or throne, and behind it was perched
cross-legged, an odd, black, insignificant looking old man, with
twinkling upturned eyes: he was swathed in yellow silk, and wore on
his head a pink silk hat with a flat broad crown, from all sides of
which hung floss silk. This was the Rajah, a genuine Tibetan, about
seventy years old. On some steps close by, and ranged down the
apartment, were his relations, all in brocaded silk robes reaching
from the throat to the ground, and girded about the waist; and
wearing caps similar to that of the Rajah. Kajees, counsellors, and
shaven mitred Lamas were there, to the number of twenty, all planted
with their backs to the wall, mute and motionless as statues. A few
spectators were huddled together at the lower end of the room, and a
monk waved about an incense pot containing burning juniper and other
odoriferous plants. Altogether the scene was solemn and impressive:
as Campbell well expressed it, the genius of Lamaism reigned supreme.
We saluted, but received no complimentary return; our chairs were
then placed, and we seated ourselves, when the Dewan came in, clad in
a superb purple silk robe, worked with circular gold figures, and
formally presented us. The Dewan then stood; and as the Rajah did not
understand Hindoostanee, our conversation was carried on through the
medium of a little bare-headed rosy-cheeked Lama, named "Tchebu,"
clad in a scarlet gown, who acted as interpreter. The conversation
was short and constrained: Tchebu was known as a devoted servant of
the Rajah and of the heir apparent; and in common with all the Lamas
he hates the Dewan, and desires a friendly intercourse between Sikkim
and Dorjiling. He is, further, the only servant of the Rajah capable
of conversing both in Hindoo and Tibetan, and the uneasy distrustful
look of the Dewan, who understands the latter language only, was very
evident. He was as anxious to hurry over the interview, as Dr.
Campbell and Tchebu were to protract it; it was clear, therefore,
that nothing satisfactory could be done under such auspices.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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