296 THE SECOND HIMALAYAN JOUBNEY 



valley to the drying sheds and rescued the plants from the 

 marauders. Next morning, he tells Sir WiUiam (July 5) : 



Sure enough, as I was sitting drawing on my bed, with 

 a cup of tea on one side, it was ' Jenny Lass wha's coming ! * 

 and all the ' wild Macraws ' were wending up the glen. 

 Twenty of the most uncouth barbarians you ever set eyes 

 on gathered at the mouth of my tent, dressed in scanty, 

 tattered blanket kirtles, with long knives, long brass pipes, 

 and long matted hair, bare-legged and bare-headed ; they 

 reminded me most forcibly of Scott's tales. I scarcely 

 deigned to lift my head and look at them, but let them 

 gather as they pleased, and then sent to ask what they 

 wanted here. ' To speak to the Sahib.' I said they must 

 report to me who they individually were, which they refused 

 to do yesterday, and only gave insolence to my. Sirdars. 

 It turned out that every man was a Sikkim Bhotea and the 

 Thibetans had all run away the previous night ! I then 

 sent word to the head man, that he must send every one 

 of his rag-tag and bobtail away, or I would not speak to 

 him either. This he did with some trouble, as a few were 

 contumacious, and when he came to my tent I took him 

 roundly to task for frightening my people, detaining my 

 things, and giving insolence. Having rated him soundly, 

 and taken all his answers down on a big sheet of paper, I 

 sent him about his business, and have seen no more of the 

 Bhoteas since ! Can you fancy such fools ! If you give 

 in an inch it is all up ; if you get the upper hand an inch, 

 you may bully and swagger and knock them down like 

 ninepins. 



Intimidation having failed, dilatory tactics were renewed. 

 On the return to the bridge at Zemu Sandong on July 1 

 letters arrived from Campbell and from the Tchebu Lama; 

 conveying the Eajah's orders to the Phipun that he should 

 aid the party. Three days later the Singtam Soubah arrived 

 as conductor; with more commendatory letters and presents 

 for Hooker from the Kajah. His secret business, however, 

 was to starve the white man out, and though, after certain 

 suppHes arrived on the 11th, he led Hooker the following 

 day one more march up the Lachen to the village of Tallum, 



