Page:Narratives of the mission of George Bogle to Tibet.djvu/188

16 the Deb Rajah, is in general inhabited by a people who, although they associate and intermix with the natives of Bhutan, are plainly of a different race, and resemble the Bengalis in colour, in shape, and features.

Set out early. The chain of mountains which stretches along the northern frontier of Bengal, 18 miles distant, seemed over our heads. As we approached the hills there were strong marks of a change in the climate and face of the country; forests crowded with sals, pines, and trees different from and more robust than those in Bengal; rivulets clear, and running on sand, pebbles, and stones. The road became uneven; and we reached the foot of the hills at about two o'clock; walk; ascent at first easy; way through a wood; some fine groves of first-rate trees; grows steep; narrow path zigzag up the hill; what a road for troops! about four miles to climb; many little springs to drink at; from the bottom of the hills to their summit covered with wood; variety of well-grown trees of the largest size; some grand natural amphitheatres, with the noise of waterfalls. We arrived at Buxa-Dúar towards evening; situated on a hill, with much higher ones above it, glens under it, and a 3-feet wall of loose stones about it; a fine old banian tree; that's all.

The commander (Pasang Katam, vulgo Buxa Subah) being at Bahar, I was visited by his dewan with presents, a white Pelong handkerchief (the general nazir throughout Bhutan), butter, rice,