the respect shown him, that upon entering his
presence the prime minister invariably touched with his forehead the foot
of the holy man. To the office of spiritual adviser to the Rajah is
added that of judge of the spiritual court, which is one of great
emolument, arising chiefly from fines levied on the infraction of
religious ceremonies or ordinances--such as the killing or maltreating of
a cow and other like enormities.

Next in order follow the Kazies, or "Patres conscripti," who ought to
possess some voice in the administration of affairs, but are content to
remain silent during the independent rule of the Minister Sahib. They
number thirty or forty, and their duty is to consult upon all weighty
matters connected with the Government, while some act as governors of
provinces, others as judges in important causes.

Then come the Sirdars, who also decide causes, and possess considerable
authority in the more remote districts, governing some of the provinces,
and superintending the collection of revenue. Their number is far larger
than that of the Kazies.

We visited the supreme court one day and saw the Chief-justice, or Durma
Dikar, sitting cross-legged (smoking his hookah on the verandah), the
court having adjourned. The old man bore that venerable appearance which
is everywhere esteemed inseparable from the judicial character, and I
doubted whether his long grey beard was not a more imposing, as it
certainly was a more natural and graceful, appendage than a wig.

There are six law courts in Katmandu, presided over by Sirdars and
Bicharees, and the laws and modes of punishment are very effectual for
the prevention of crime; for although a prisoner cannot be convicted
except upon his own confession, he may be subjected to an ordeal which
will most probably extort it; and, perhaps, in an eastern country justice
is more effectually administered by such methods than where the judge
decides on the guilt or innocence of a man by speculating on the
character of the witnesses, and believing those who look most as if they
were telling the truth; and where, although he knows that all the
witnesses are more or less bribed, he is not allowed to take any but a
voluntary admission from the prisoner, when perhaps a little gentle
persuasion would save a great deal of unnecessary trouble, to say nothing
of the amount of lying that might thus be dispensed with. Whatever the
laws may be, they seem to give perfect satisfaction