DK. CAMPBELL ARRIVES 309 



better Plato (I think it was Plato ?) might have let his pupils 

 eat their fill. A very large leech presented himself as the 

 bell rang, to whom I did not refuse the rites of oriental 

 hospitality, laying salt before him with alacrity. 



The servant I left here has caught some beautiful butter- 

 flies and splendid beetles. I have rewarded him with fifteen 

 shillings to buy a garnet-colored Bhothea cloak which is his 

 [heart ]-eating envy, and in which, with his long hair parted 

 down the middle and beardless face, he looks like an auld 

 wife at Kilmun Kirk. . . . 



You will I fear think this a very childish letter, but 

 really I have little news and can think of nothing but ' the 

 Campbells are coming.' My little finger too is hurt and I 

 cannot write much. 



Lachoong (village) : October 25, 1849. 



What do you think we spent four days in Thibet ! 

 in spite of Chinese guards, Dingpuns, Phipuns, Soubahs, 

 and Sepas. It was a serious undertaking and required a 

 combination of most favourable accidents, together with 

 my previous acquaintance with the country, and a most 

 indomitable share of resolution and boldness. Campbell 

 has behaved splendidly, and diverted me by throwing all 

 the sage precepts he sent me to the winds. He has frankly 

 told me that he did not, could not, believe the real nature of 

 the opposition and ill-treatment I had received ; he had 

 not been two days with me before he was storming and 

 bullying right and left. The unfortunate Singtam Soubah, 

 with whom at C.'s intercession I had kept such good friends, 

 he gave no peace to, blackened his face, and sent him to the 

 Durbar in disgrace. 



On arriving at Tungu an hour after C. I found him at a 

 drawn battle with the Phipun, my arch-enemy, and quite 

 astonished that the ruffian cared no more for himself than 

 he did for me, or the Eajah, or anybody else under the sun. 



After fully weighing the possible consequences of 

 breaking through the border and perhaps exposing the 

 Eajah to menaces from China, &c., we determined to do 

 it if possible, and we told the Border Chief that if he dared 

 to oppose we would send a guard of Sepas from Darjiling 

 to close the Pass. This threat, and promise of a present 

 if we succeeded, got the man over, the Singtam Soubah 



VOL. I X 



