380 



Stoional gotea from ^iMjim.— So. 1. 



By. J. A. Gammie. 



In sendiug a few notes from this part of India, I would draw 

 attention to Hooker's Himalayan Journals, which contain an 

 admirable account of Sikhim. Although the author spent but 

 part of two years in it, and labored under the great disadvan- 

 tage of having had no previous knowledge of the customs or 

 language of its inhabitants, the information he amassed is, in 

 many respects, almost exhaustive, . and in every way trust- 

 worthy. After twelve years' uninterrupted residence in Sikhim 

 I can but admire the book the more. For the fulness and 

 correctness of its information, it is beyond all praise, and I 

 would strongly recommend intending visitors to this part of 

 the world to procure it. 



Unfortunately, in consequence of Doctor (now Sir Joseph) 

 Hooker's time having been fully taken up with the Botany, 

 Geography, Meteorology, &c, of the district, very little is 

 said about its birds." 



In all essential matters the information collected, more than a 

 quarter of a century ago, stands perfectly good to this day ; but in 

 some respects a gradual change has taken place. The country side 

 had not then been cleared of its virgin forests for Tea and Cinchona 

 plantations, and was but thinly inhabited by Lepchas, who sub- 

 sisted partly on the few crops raised on small clearances — to be 

 abaudoned as soon as exhausted for virgin soil — and partly on 

 roots, &c, collected in the jungles. Now, there are Tea planta- 

 tions in every direction, from the Rungeet to the far side of 

 the Terai, and very little virgin forest remains under 6,000 feet 

 elevation ; while the population, now chiefly Nepaulese, has 

 become almost dense, and is either employed on the plantations 

 or in raising crops for sale to those so employed. The present 

 system of native cultivation, though far from perfect, is very 

 much in advance of that in vogue six or eight years ago, and 

 is another illustration of the truth of the old adage — 

 " Necessity is the mother of invention." 



A few years ago, when land was but little valued, this or that 

 particular spur was spoken of as the place that was, and alone could 

 be, ploughed, but now almost every native cultivator has his plough 

 and pair of bullocks, and ploughs most impossible-looking places. 

 Their plough is certainly a primitive looking affair, but a good 

 ploughman makes fair work with it on ordinary slopes, while on 

 the steeper slopes an English plough could not possibly be used. 

 Land is now in much more request, and when a native gets 



