INTEEVIEW WITH THE EAJAH 277 



the interview was the open friendship displayed by the Lamas 

 and people of Sikkim. 



This man [the Dewan] and Campbell had become great 

 friends, and he also became intimate with me. He was 

 educated at Lhassa, and has very agreeable manners and 

 personal address, but is the very most consummate liar and 

 scoundrel in all pohtical matters that you can imagine, and 

 the coolest withal. He took me for a brother spy and rogue, 

 and probably does so still. Next day we had an audience of 

 the Eajah. He is a httle, old, black man, of quick manners 

 and eye, thoroughly Chinese in every thought and action, 

 and very sorry indeed to see us so far into his country. We 

 crossed the river on a bamboo raft ; I wore a shooting-coat 

 lent me by Campbell, my travelHng cap and plaid ; Camp- 

 bell more respectable. We were received in a shed, fitted 

 up so as to show off the Eajah to immense advantage, accord- 

 ing to the taste of his poor self and people. The shed was 

 hung with faded China silk ; there was no furniture ; we 

 brought, at the Eajah's request, our own chairs ; the leg of 

 mine poked through the bamboo floor, and kept up a squeak- 

 ing in a very high key. At the upper end of the little room 

 was a high stage 6 feet ! also covered with tattered silk, and 

 over it a shabby canopy, under which the Eajah squatted, 

 cross-legs, a little body swathed in yellow silk, with a pink, 

 broad-brimmed and low-crowned hat on. Such an attempt 

 at display was really humihating ! He never returned our 

 salutes, but looked wistfully at us, and then at his courtiers, 

 some dozen of very dirty fellows in silks (Kajis), ranged 

 against the wall as mutes. The conversation was brief and 

 trifling ; it related chiefly to Campbell's insisting on having 

 a responsible authority from the Eajah at Darjeehng. In 

 the middle presents were brought, and white scarfs thrown 

 round our necks, as a signal to depart, but we stuck to our 

 seats in spite of all hints, and told him of my intention to visit 

 again in spring the Snowy Passes to the east of Kinchin, 

 and of how dissatisfied I was with the permission coming so 

 late. He made no reply to all this. 



After the interview the two friends travelled together till 

 January 2, when Campbell was recalled by business. After 

 two months' travel without a European companion, this ten 



