16 HISTORY OF SIKHIM AND ITS EULEES. 



the Lepcha or national party in favour of Namgu^ Penchoo gained 

 strength, and Tamdi was forced to flee to Lhassa and lay his cause 

 before the Tibetans. During the quarrel there were several fights, 

 and blood was shed on either side. 



To settle this dispute and the succession, the Tibetans sent a 

 commission under one Rabden Sher-pa* Gyalpa to make a full enquiry 

 and report. Having once obtained a footing in Sikhim, Rabden 

 Gyalpa was in no hurry to depart, and actually reigned for some five 

 years, though pretending all the while he was still engaged on his 

 enquiry. 



During his regency he built forts at Karmie (Raja Tendook's 

 seat) and at Mangsir at the head of the Chongtong spur. 



In these days the Tasong monks of Pemiongtchi had a branch 

 establishment at Rishehot opposite to Darjeeling, to which they used 

 to resort in the hot weather and rains. The most celebrated among 

 them was Lama Kang-chen-Ralpe-Dorje, a Tibetan from Sher. While 

 at Rishehot he made friends with Changzed Karwang, described as 

 a Lepcha minister, who was living in exile at Darjeeling. Karwang 

 besought the Lama's aid and went to Karmie, where through the Lama's 

 intercession he was introduced to, and pardoned by, the Regent 

 Rabden, who hitherto had not taken up warmly the cause of Namgud 

 Penchoo. Now, however, by the influence of Lama Ralpe, the Regent 

 declared for Namgu^ Penchoo, and a national agi-eement or amnesty 

 was drawn up and promulgated at Mangsir. This is known as the 

 Mang-Sher-hl3u-ma. 



A copy unfortunately in detail is not forthcoming, but apparently 

 under it the Lepchas obtained a greater share in the administration as 

 Tumiyang or superintendents of cultivation, and some fixed system of 

 revenue was devised. The names still survive and are — 



(1) h Bah-pa. 



(2) b Zo-lung, a tax on forest produce. 



(3) Tshong-skyed, a custom or income-tax. 



After this Rabden formally placed Raja Namgu^ Penchoo on the 

 throne and returned to Tibet. 



The Regent Rabden's eldest son was one Angel, whose daughter 

 became Raja Namgue Penchoo's first wife. The lady, however, died 

 from dysentery without having had any children. 



Subsequently Raja Namgu^ married or, perhaps, more properly 

 engaged himself to two ladies — (1) a daughter of Pishi-Tergyen of U, 

 and (2) a daughter of Deba-Shatnsher-Khiti-Phukpa. 13eing in a 

 dilemma which lady to choose, the Raja sent and consulted the Sakya 

 Penchen Rimpoche as to which lady he should marry, and the choice 



* Also Shak-pa. 



