36 HISTORY OF SIKHIM AND ITS EULEES. 



(32) Rbenok-mo at Rheuok in Sikhiin. 



(33) Yong-bi-mo at Kotah in Nepal. 



(34) Chong-kliey-mo at Plioogurhi near Merig in Darjeeliug. 



(35) Lingdong-mo at Mangbru. 



(36) Yok-cbo-mo at Pbensung. 



(37) Re-uia-song near Ramtik. 



(38) Na-be-mo in tbe Dik-cbbu valley. 



(39) Sangmi-po, tbougb sometimes styled Lepcbas, are really 



Limbus. 



Many of tbe smaller families give a mytbical origin to their 

 ancestors, and trace their descent from spirits or demons, the off -spring 

 of an alliance between a rock or tree and a pond. To these they 

 always assign a known location. 



The most celebrated of their mythical heroes are reported 

 to have disappeared from earth through various caves that are still 

 pointed out. 



The origin of the LDIBUS is veiled in great obscurity, though 

 the most received account relates that they came from Kasi {i.e., 

 Benares). 



But the following, taken from an old Limbu manuscript, may be 

 interesting: — 



According to Yak-tbum (Limbu) tradition, in the beginning 

 existed almighty god Tagyera Ningwa Pama. His spirit entered 

 into Mubuk Wa-ma and caused him to create woman out of bamboo 

 ashes and fowls' droppings : she was called Muzina Kye-ong-ma, and 

 married the wind. They had a son by name Susu-weng Hara-weng. 

 He "went a-hunting one day and met two women whose origin is 

 unknown. They bore to him respectively a son, Suwangbe-ba, and a 

 daughter, Laba-dang-ma : these two marrying became the progenitors 

 of the wbole human race. 



After creating woman, Mubuk Wa-ma seated himself on the right 

 side of Khamba-karma (Mt. Kanchinjingna), and proceeded to invent 

 four different kinds of alphabets.* These were — (1) Shyang-bed, 

 (2) Athar-bed, (3) Jajur-bed, all written on paper, and (4) Riki-bed, 

 written on a doe-skin, and for many eras after their construction 

 were, however, lost. 



The direct descendants of Suwangbe-ba are not known, but one 

 branch appears at Kasi (Benares) in the persons of four brothers. One 

 of these peneti-ated direct into the hills, where there was uninha- 

 bited country, and settling there, his descendants were known as the 

 " Khambung-ba, " or "lords of the soil." This may bo the Phedhap 

 or Bhuiphuta branch. Another brother settled in " Suklii-gang-zi." 



* Dr. Waddell points out that this is merely a clumsy way of citing the four Hindu 

 veds or scriptures, viz., Sima, Atharn-a, Yajur and Rig veds. 



