Himalayan Journals, vol 2 | Page 5

of Tendong -- Gigantic oak -- Plants
-- Teesta valley -- Commencement of rains -- Bhomsong -- Ascent to
Lathiang -- View -- Bad road -- Orcbids -- Gorh -- Opposition of Lama
-- Arrival of Meepo -- Cross Teesta -- Difficulties of travelling --
Lepchas swimming -- Moxa for sprains -- Singtam -- Grandeur of view
of Kinchinjunga -- Wild men -- Singtam Soubah -- Landslips --
Bees'-nests and honey-seekers -- Leeches, etc. -- Cbakoong --
Vegetation -- Gravel terraces -- Unpleasant effects of wormwood --
Choongtam, scenery and vegetation of -- Inhabitants -- Tibetan salute --
Lamas -- Difficulty of procuring food -- Contrast of vegetation of inner
and outer Himalaya -- Rhododendrons -- Yew -- Abies Brunoniana --
Venomous snakes -- Hornets and other insects -- Choongtam temple --
Pictures of Lhassa -- Minerals -- Scenery.
After my return from the Terai, I was occupied during the month of
April in preparations for an expedition to the loftier parts of Sikkim.
The arrangements were the same as for my former journey, except with
regard to food, which it was necessary should be sent out to me at
intervals; for we had had ample proof that the resources of the country
were not equal to provisioning a party of from forty to fifty men, even

had the Dewan been favourable to my travelling, which was clearly not
the case.
Dr. Campbell communicated to the Rajah my intention of starting early
in May for the upper Teesta valley, and, in the Governor-General's
name, requested that he would facilitate my visiting the frontier of
Sikkim, north-east of Kinchinjunga. The desired permission was, after
a little delay, received; which appeared to rouse the Dewan to institute
a series of obstructions to my progress, which caused so many delays
that my exploration of the country was not concluded till October, and I
was prevented returning to Dorjiling before the following Christmas.
Since our visit to the Rajah in December, no Vakeel (agent) had been
sent by the Durbar to Dorjiling, and consequently we could only
communicate indirectly with his Highness, while we found it
impossible to ascertain the truth of various reports promulgated by the
Dewan, and meant to deter me from entering the country. In April, the
Lassoo Kajee was sent as Vakeel, but, having on a previous occasion
been dismissed for insolence and incapacity, and again rejected when
proposed by the Dewan at Bhomsong, he was refused an audience; and
he encamped at the bottom of the Great Rungeet valley, where he lost
some of his party through fever. He retired into Sikkim, exasperated,
pretending that he had orders to delay my starting, in consequence of
the death of the heir apparent; and that he was prepared to use strong
measures should I cross the frontier.
No notice was taken of these threats: the Rajah was again informed of
my intended departure, unless his own orders to the contrary were
received through a proper accredited agent, and I left Dorjiling on the
3rd of May, accompanied by Dr. Campbell, who insisted on seeing me
fairly over the frontier at the Great Rungeet river.
Arrangements were made for supplies of rice following me by
instalments; our daily consumption being 80 lbs., a man's load. After
crossing into Sikkim, I mustered my party at the Great Rungeet river. I
had forty-two in all, of whom the majority were young Lepchas, or
Sikkim-born people of Tibetan races: all were active and cheerful
looking follows; only one was goitred, and he had been a salt-trader. I

was accompanied by a guard of five Sepoys, and had a Lepcha and
Tibetan interpreter. I took but one personal servant, a Portuguese
half-caste (John Hoffman by name), who cooked for me: he was a
native of Calcutta, and though hardy, patient, and long-suffering, and
far better-tempered, was, in other respects, very inferior to Clamanze,
who had been my servant the previous year, and who, having been bred
to the sea, was as handy as he was clever; but who, like all other natives
of the plains, grew intolerably weary of the hills, and left me.
The first part of my route lay over Tendong, a very fine mountain,
which rises 8,613 feet, and is a conspicuous feature from Dorjiling,
where it is known as Mount Ararat. The Lepchas have a curious legend
of a man and woman having saved themselves on its summit, during a
flood that once deluged Sikkim. The coincidence of this story with the
English name of Ararat suggests the probability of the legend being
fabulous; but I am positively assured that it is not so, but that it was
current amongst the Lepchas before its English name was heard of, and
that the latter was suggested from the peculiar form of its summit
resembling that