274 TO DAEJILING : FIBST HIMALAYAN JOUENEY 



more importance to me) I shall lose the familiar landmarks 

 of mountains etc. by which I should easily map my route, 

 had I gone through Sikkim. I carry, however, a good time- 

 keeper of my own and another chronometer lent me by Major 

 Crommehn, by which I shall be able to take Longitudes 

 with accuracy sufficient to determine my position approxi- 

 mately. As the day closes at 6 p.m. there is plenty of time to 

 observe the stars, during the clear nights which I hope are 

 coming ; I say * hope,' for October is called ' DarjeeHng's 

 Heavenly Month ' ; though it has been so rainy and cloudy 

 up to the present time that I could not have started for the 

 mountains, if permission had been granted, 4 weeks ago. 

 Ladeed the rains are not yet over : they are singularly late 

 this year, which would have caused me heavy disappoint- 

 ment if I had been allowed sooner to travel Northward. The 

 double evils of want of earlier permission, and of earlier 

 fine weather, thus mitigate one another, on the principle, 

 I suppose, that two Blacks do make a White, a neutral tint, 

 at any rate. 



On October 27 the party set out, fifty-six strong, including 

 body-servant, collectors, shooter, stuffer, boys to climb trees 

 and ch^ge the plant papers, and cooUes, with Nimbo, the 

 sturdy headman, and a Havildar in command of the escort, 

 who carried additional weight of authority as being also tax- 

 gatherer of the district through which they were to pass ; 

 returning to DarjeeHng on January 19. It is interesting to 

 note that the cost to Hooker was about £100. His friends 

 pressed every assistance upon him. Campbell superintended 

 the supplies for the men ; there were personal stores from 

 Hodgson, warm things from the Campbells ; while 



My friends, the Miillers, have rated my timekeepers, 

 overhauled all my Instruments, furnished me with some 

 capital tin boxes, and done more useful and necessary jobs 

 for me than I can remember. They have also kindly 

 promised to work out all my observations of Longitudes, 

 Latitude and elevations, as I shall send them to DarjeeHng. 

 So you see I am admirably cared for, and have only the more 

 to dread failure when so much kindness and trouble have 

 been expended upon me. 



