A GAME OF BLUFF 297 



he lingered there till the 23rd, alleging anew that this was 

 the last point of Sikkim, and that Tungu,- the next village, 

 was in Tibet. All the villagers; down to the little children, 

 were instructed to tell the same story. Talium was the 

 scene of the famous game of bluff, which convinced the 

 Soubah that it was he, and not Hooker, who was being 

 starved out. 



Now the Singtam Soubah's instructions I also saw were 

 to be most civil and draw me away ; he represented the 

 Eajah's affection for me as boundless ; should I be but in 

 a stream or come to hurt, nothing short of a Chait at Lhassa 

 and annual worship could be thought of. The Eajah's 

 anxiety on my behalf alone induced him to pray my return 

 to Darjeeling> &c. &c. The more civil he was the more so 

 was I, but I felt bound to assure him that my instruc- 

 tions were explicit, that I should wait where I was for 

 orders from Campbell, which could not be before twenty 

 days. He, knowing how short of food we were, grinned 

 acquiescence, fancying he would soon starve me out. I 

 in turn knew that the greedy old Kajah, by way of 

 insuring his getting on with his duty, had allowed him 

 and his coolies (sent to repair the road back) only six days' 

 food. 



Being camped at 11,500 feet, I had plenty to do, lots of 

 new plants, and was as busy as possible every day and all 

 day for nine or ten days. The Soubah visited me every 

 morning and we had long chats ; he is a fine fellow and has 

 been in Lhassa, Digarchi, &c., and told frankly and freely 

 all he knew, giving me most curious information. Talking 

 one morning of the mountain chains, I asked him for a rude 

 sketch of those bounding Sikkim ; he called for a great 

 sheet of paper and charcoal and wanted to make his 

 mountains of sand ; I ordered rice, of which we had sore 

 little, and scattered it about wastefully ; it had its effect, 

 he stared at my wealth and, after bidding him good-bye 

 (the custom always is you have to send your visitor away), 

 I saw no more of my rice, which was ominous for his granary. 

 Not long afterwards he volunteered to take me a ride to 

 Tungu, which all swore was across the border. I agreed if 

 the tent should go ; he dare not let me. Why ? It was in 



