A TOUR IN SIKKIM.

[Sikkim is a mountainous territory, separated from Chinese Tartary on the north by a portion of the Himalaya range, and bounded elsewhere by Nepaul, Bootan, and Bengal. Darjeeling, formerly one of its most important strongholds, is now more interesting as the grand sanatorium to which invalids resort from Calcutta; the mean temperature being 24 below that of the city of palaces. The inhabitants are of the Lepcha tribe, who professing for the most part the Lama religion, have none of the Brahminical prejudices, but eat all sorts of food, and drink ardent spirits.]

Dec. 28th.-Having procured supplies from Darjeeling, after the previous bad weather, we proceeded down the great Runjeet towards the Teesta, from the junction of the small Runjeet with the greater river of the same name, where we had been detained ten or twelve days by rain which fell at Darjeeling as snow, and other causes. Pass over the end of the Tuckvor ridge, which we find steep and difficult. The hill men travelling with loads have a staff formed of a piece of small bamboo, two cubits in length, with the lower end sharpened to a point, or double point rather; and this, from the stick being hollow, holds on admirably, so that an accident is a matter of very rare occurrence among these people from slipping on the precipitous faces of the hills.

To-day, about noon, we came on a deer at bay, in the river, whither it had been driven by the wild dogs. The deer was first seen by a sipahi, who also saw the wild dogs about him; but they stole off into the jungle, on becoming aware of the approach of the party. An attempt was made to shoot the deer, who remained in his position, but without success. B. entrusted the matter to two sipahis, assuming they must be very cognoscent in such matters; one fired one of B.'s guns at the animal, the other shot an arrow; but the effect was only to alarm him, and he quickly made for the forest.

Halted a little after mid-day by the river, where a second spur from Tuck vor abuts on it. Ilere I found a fossil bone of the size of the leg-bone of a deer, the specimen seemed silicfied; it was a drift bone, and its original locale is, of course, uncertain. The curiosity, now in two pieces, is in the possession of Dr. Campbell. I searched long for other specimens of this kind, but to no effect. I had abundance of leisure for my examination of the ground, which I industriously availed myself of, for my companion had gone after the deer, and did not return for an hour or two. Encamp for the night on a third spur from the Tukvor ridge. This day's march was short, because of the incident of the deer.

Dec. 29th.-Move to the Rungoong, the torrent which divides the Leebong or Ging-ridge from the ridge of Sinchul: the route lay over the north end of Ging, which we found difficult to travel along, from its precipitous nature. To-day the Sirdar Lepcha, while sitting with me in the bed of the Runjeet, had a feast on a sort of bug, which he called Nóp, and which abounds in such localities at this season, it being merely necessary to turn

over the stone to find numbers of the animal. He described the taste as resembling that of pepper. The bug-like smell is on the head, which he plucked off, and threw away. Now query, is this bad odour in many insects an offensively defensive effluvium to protect them from pursuers? Flying bugs have a very acrid humour about them, as any one who has had the mishap to get one in his eye knows, and perhaps this is attractive to birds, &c., and the bad savour of a section of their frame may be a means of protection to them, seeing they are weak animals, and of rather slow motion.

Dec. 30th.-Cross the Rumoong by a bamboo bridge, a short way above its junction with the Runjeet, near which we encamped. We then crossed, about half a mile or a mile further, on the great Runjeet by a ratan bridge. This we measured by means of a fishing line, and made it to be eightytwo yards in length. The measuring was by no means an easy matter, the bridge being in a rather ruinous state. These bridges are the same in principle as our iron suspension bridges. The parts that correspond to the main chains are of ratans, well tied together, sometimes by a hitch in the ratan itself, sometimes by its being bent back and the bending well lashed to the ratans, of which it is part, by slips of bamboo. Strong slips of bamboo attached to each ratan are hung from these chains, corresponding to the suspending rods and road frame in one of our bridges, and a couple of pieces of bamboo, for as many lengths as are needed, are laid in the bight which these bamboo slips form, and constitute the road-way. The ratan chains are kept apart by booms of bamboo, suspended under the bridge, and attached to the ratans by slips of bamboo, which form strong ties capable of supporting a great strain or weight.

Near this point of the Runjeet, firs or pines are met with, but chiefly on the hill to the north of the river. Encamp in the north side of the river near Puter, having crossed in the course of the day two brooks, coming from the north, named Moongbroo and Rumbroong.

To-day, while proceeding down the bed of the river, in which our road lay for the time, we met two Booteeas, who quickly made for the wood, on seeing the strength of the party, suspicious lest we should seize them for slaves. It is one of the worst traits of the people of these hills, that they make slaves of the members of other tribes. The Lepchas are not very willing to acknowledge that they practise such a custom, but the fact of the Booteeas running from the party, which was chiefly of this tribe, is a proof they did not choose to trust themselves within the power of our people. The sirdar, Sano by name, of our party, afterwards treated B. and myself to an account of the mode adopted to catch slaves; and the description was given so graphically, that it struck us that he must himself have acted occasionally in expeditions of this nature. Two men, he said, only, went on a trip of this kind: two were enough, more could not easily be concealed. They hang on the skirts of paths, and when a stranger passes

they throw themselves on him, overpower him, tie him and cram him into a basket, put it on the shoulders of one of them, and keep marching as fast as they can; relieving each other by turns till they reached a place where they are able to dispose of the fruits of their enterprise. In order to silence the prisoner in case of his calling out, they employ the simple expedient of beating him over the mouth with the end of their sticks. It seems to be no uncommon practice for a party of travellers to walk into a house in an unfrequented part of the country, and to take away children of the family, to sell them for slaves.

Dec. 31st.-Proceed to the junction of the Runjeet and Teesta, crossing the Runjeet on a bamboo raft at Singboom Ferry, a short way from our camp. Although the term ferry is used here, it is not to be supposed, that Mullahur dandies live at the place to guide the raft across the river. The raft is attached by bends formed of slips of bamboo, tied together to each side of the river, and a party wishing to make use of the conveyance put themselves over by means of them. These structures in general carry about the weight of two men, or of a man and his load. With more they are apt to sink, so that the water comes over the flooring of the contrivance. Go down the right bank over very rocky ground. To-day we met a Lepcha lady, with her hair dressed in a comely manner; it was divided into two portions, brought forward and passed through a ring, or band of cloth upon the forehead, then turned and knotted on the back of the head a short red mantilla also formed a portion of the dame's dress. She had several attendants, male and female, but seemed the chief person of the party.

The distance from the junction of the small Runjeet with the great Runjeet to the Teesta cannot at the most moderate computation be under twenty miles. Thus, call the first march four miles, the second and third six each, or twelve, and the last four. The course of the river is pretty nearly east. Between the small Runjeet and the Rumoong the course is more winding. than between the Rumoong and the Teesta, it being the first mentioned portion of its course, more put out of its way by the protrusion northward of the Tukvor and Ging spurs; from the Rumoong to the Teesta the river becomes narrow and very rapid.

Jan. 2nd, 1843.-Move about three miles down the Teesta to a ferry, between Bootea and Sikkim; here we find a man watching the place to prevent Booteeas from crossing, having had orders to this effect from Sikkim. It seems the Booteea authorities are annoyed at their ryuts taking refuge in the British and Sikkim territories, and are to send an envoy to remonstrate on the point; and if the refugees are not forthwith ordered back, the inhabitants of Darjeeling must look to themselves, or they shall be all murdered! A reference has already been made to the Sikkim Rajah, who, it is said, has consented to the stipulations !!

In regard to our party, the rumour is, that we have come to look for roads, and on our having

ascertained how they lie, the sipahis will be brought to take the country!

Jan. 4th.-Having resolved to make our way to the plains, by the valley of the Teesta, but being short of provisions, the country being less peopled than we expected, and not affording us necessaries, having also failed to obtain supplies from the Booteea side of the river, we to-day moved towards a valley nearer Darjeeling than our previous position, hoping to obtain food from the inhabitants of that glen, and also with a view of drawing provisions from the station, if we should find this a requisite measure. Our intention was to pitch our tent under Sircoom peak; but by taking a wrong turn, we found ourselves at Mungra, a clearance on the south-west edge of a valley, of which Pursokeblew forms the left or north-east side. Here we managed to procure some small supply of eggs, rice, fowls, &c., by paying well, for presents of articles of this description made us by some of the people; and this liberality seemed to open the hearts of other natives, and induced them to part with what they would have otherwise scrupled to give away. As they scarcely raise more food than is needed for domestic use, something above a bare remunerating price is needed to induce them to furnish strangers with supplies. Our march to-day was three or four miles in a northerly direction.

Jun. 7th.-Go along under the east side of Sircoom, a high peak, a little back from the rest, and halt on Sideeongbloco, a high ridge, overlooking that river, say six miles down the river from the ferry at which we halted on the 2nd.

Jan. 8th.-Halt at Konjere, passing on our way the Rungbo, a tributary of the Teesta, about mid-day; our progress to-day was, say six miles, our march having been shortened by the necessity of halting near water, which even here was only found with difficulty and by digging. These hills are in nothing more remarkable than for the little water that is to be found upon them; the ridges are steep, and the water from the clouds quickly ruus off the sides; nor, but for the pretty constant supply of moisture from the atmosphere, does it seem that vegetation would be supported, far less that such magnificent trees as are found in great numbers on all parts of the mountains should obtain nourishment. This dryness of the ground may also serve to account for the healthiness of the country, whether on the hill tops or in the valleys; the higher portion of the mountains remain salubrious throughout the year, and it is only in the rains that fever is known in the deepest glens resorted to by the inhabitants, and into which the love of fishing leads them.

Jan. 9th.-To the Rieng, perhaps three miles beyond Konjere: as we approached it we obtained a view of its junction with the Teesta from the Bootan side, near the same place. We had also a view of the course of the Teesta for a considerable way in the valley below us; it seemed narrow and rapid, as we had found it higher up, and quite unsuited for the purposes of traffic, and though sending down an immense volume of water, more perhaps than any European river can equal; the scene was a very noble one, and far

ignorant of the language, and the Mechis on their part, knowing nothing of Oordoo, so a conversation could not be got up with them. The present Munnagola is about a coss below the junction of the Selim and Munna, but it is not kept at one spot year after year.

The plains were said to be a good day's march from the junction of the Selim and Munna; and this point cannot be less than 18 or 20 miles from the Mahalderam range; thus say we descended the bill three miles the first day, marched six miles the second, and five miles the third day, and completed only four or five on the fourth day, we should have made this much progress.

This morning the Mechis go off on their own errand down the river. We proceed upwards; pass two deserted golas a little after starting. A little further on, the river divides into two branches; take up the stream to the right a short way, and encamp. The march was short, for there being no water to be met with along way a-head, we were compelled to remain by the river.

Feb. 24th.-Leave the Munna and go up Sut toong, turn its highest point a little after noon, and go down towards the Rieng-pass some fine bamboos and measure one at the ground where we halted, and find it 99 feet in length, not by any means the finest we had seen; but in cutting the specimen we had to consult the convenience of having our people with us with their knives, which was not the case in the place where the finest bamboos occurred.

Feb. 25th.-Descend the hill to the Rieng, which we cross; meet with bamboos in clumps, as if planted, they being at apparently regular intervals, and of nearly equal size, both stock and shoots. This occurs on the left bank of the river. Though the land seems good, we were told it did not answer for rice, the crop being obnoxious to the attack of a fly as we understood.

Feb. 26th.-Halt near Mungpo clearance, the only cultivated land we have seen since leaving Kursiong.

Feb. 27th.-Descend to the Rungeo, and pass it about noon; then ascend Rieschup to Rieng-hienyonlot, on the top of which is a Lama's tomb, or cenotaph rather, buried beneath which (as we were told) is a pot, containing money, grain, a skull, &c. The erection seems quite recent, as judging from its appearance, not many years can have elapsed since it was built. Pass also what we were told was a Kazi's house, now in ruins, and built on the plan of the dilapidated stonehouse on Darjeeling-hill.

Feb. 28th.-This morning pass another ruined Kazi's house, larger than the former, and near it. They were deserted, and the country became waste some years ago, on account of a revolt of a Kazee against the Raja. The country in the vicinity has formerly been well cultivated, and would form a good locality for a farm, from which Darjeeling might be supplied. The hills are prettily varied, and a good view is got down to the Teesta.

Go up over the shoulder of Sinchul and down to Singenboom, opposite Ging, from which the Rumoong divides it. We had a fair path from the junction of the Munna and Selim to the ridge

| of Sinchul, after which we found the track_partially grown up, but still passable enough. From Dhobeedone to the Munna there was no path but what we contrived to cut for ourselves.

The Mechis whom we met on the Munna and elsewhere have a stronger dash of the Bengalee in them than the other hill tribes, who indeed bear no trace of any cross with the people of the plains. The Mechi nose has scarcely a perceptible bridge, but the physique of the tribe is an improvement on the Bengalee. They are less good looking, but show a better muscular development, and a larger frame of body than their low country neighbours. The habits too of the Mechis are, I apprehend, more like the Bengalee habits than those of the Booteeas, Lepchas, and Limboos. This I infer from their showing dislike to a dog approaching their cooking pots or places where they were preparing food, as if afraid of defilement; they did not, however, seem to care for our going near them when cooking, and in this they exhibited a superiority to the people of the plains, who reject food when approached by others than of their own or of a supposed superior caste.

In this excursion one of our Lepchas was taken ill of small pox, and so far from there being any disposition exhibited to abandon him in the jungle or to destroy him as we had heard alledged to be the custom of these hill tribes, in their excessive dread of the disease, they made up a chair, and had the patient carried on the back of a man, who had had the disease, and no longer had cause to dread its ill-effects. They also took the precaution to have him kept separate from that portion of the people who had cause to fear the effects of the complaint if seized with it; but the regard for the man was undoubted and unaffected, and the step of making a chair for him taken as a measure of course, and not as if with the desire of exhibiting any extraordinary feelings of humanity. The treatment was the hot bath, and hot water to drink; and these simple observances are said to be wonderfully efficacious, combined with abstinence from strong food, so long as food can be taken. The Lepchas say they are more successful in bringing their patients through this ailment than the Booteeas are, who are not observant of any regimen: the inhabitants of that country being a gross feeding people, generally the disease appears among them with great violence. On its breaking out in a Lepcha village, those obnoxious to an attack leave it, and place the sick people in charge of an individual who has had the disease; and the patients, on recovery, are by custom bound to give him large presents for his trouble. Property to the amount of 100 Rs., a large sum in these regions, is thus made over to the person who has discharged the office of doctor, or nurse, in a season when small pox has prevailed.

The favourable points of the Lepcha character are good humour and fondness for fun. These may in some degree be owing to the good climate, and consequent good digestion which they enjoy; but there must be something constitutional or hereditary also in their good nature, for the Booteeas, who dwell in the same country, are rather stern and cross. The Lepchas drink a beer made from