286 THE SECOND HIMALAYAN JOURNEY 



fine things (April 2). I have obtained, however, plenty of 

 young plants, and will send a tin case, direct, on my return 

 to Darjiling (April 11). 



$ he cold weather gave opportunity of a trip with Hodgson 

 to the Terai in order to complete the botanical chain from the 

 plains to the snows. Six weeks were spent in sorting and 

 packing the botanical spoil from Nepaul ; eighty coolie loads 

 were sent down to Calcutta. 



The most notable event of these intermediate weeks was 



what I might call an AngeVs visit from Mr. William Tayler, 1 

 the Postmaster-General for India, brother to Frederick 

 Tayler the artist ... a highly accomplished man and a 

 splendid sketcher ; and we became friends in a very few 

 hours. . . . 



The botanist among the mountains suggested an admirable 

 subject for his brush. 



He is pleased to desire my sitting in the foreground 

 surrounded by my Lepchas and the romantic-looking Ghorka 

 guard, inspecting the contents of a vasculum full of plants, 

 which I have collected during the supposed day's march. 

 My Lepcha Sirdar (which means Great man's Head man) 

 is kneeling before me on the ground, taking the plants out of 

 the box, that in his hand being a splendid bunch of Dendro- 

 Uum noUk. He is picturesquely attired in costume, with a 

 large pigtail. Another is behind me ; the Ghorka Havildar 

 and Lepchas, in their picturesque uniforms, are looking on, 

 and my big Bhotea dog lies at my feet. On one side two 

 Lepchas are making my blanket tent house, cutting Bamboos, 

 &c. I am in a forest, sitting on the stump of a tree, with the 

 Snowy mountains in the background ; and a great mass of 



1 William Tayler (1808-92) was an Indian civilian who about this time was 

 Postmaster-General of Bengal. His skill in portrait painting made him many 

 friends ; his caricatures some enemies. In 1855 he became Commissioner of 

 Patna. His policy during the Mutiny had provoked great controversy, pro- 

 longed for many years, and an open quarrel with the Lieuter ant-Governor led 

 to his resignation, when he practised as a lawyer in Bengal till his return to 

 England in 1867. 



Kis brother Frederick (1802-89) wasa water-colourist and etcher who en joyed 

 lifelong popularity in England, especially for his sporting and pastoral scenes. 

 He was President of the Old Water-colour Society, 1858-71, 



