376 W. T. Blanford— Journey through Siklcim. [No. 4, 



about 1500 feet up the slope of the hill above Chusaehen to a hut, 

 in which we had a bamboo platform or machan built to sleep upon. 



From just above the place where we encamped there was a fine 

 view, much impeded by clouds, over the Tista valley to the westward. 

 On a hill in front, the slopes of which were for Sikkiin unusually 

 gentle, stood the large village of Dikiling, its houses and clearings 

 scattered over three or four square miles of country. Throughout 

 lower Sikkiin the houses of a village are not placed close to- 

 gether, as in India, but are scattered about, each house apparently 

 in the midst of its own fields ; and different houses in the same 

 village are frequently long distances, as much as one or two 

 miles, apart. The only exceptions to this which I saw were in 

 the villages of the Laehen and Lachung valleys. As the usual 

 object in placing houses together is mutual protection, this 

 appears to indicate that the attacks of enemies have been uncommon, 

 except in the valleys close to the Tibetan frontier, which, in fact, 

 belonged to Tibet formerly.* 



August ISth. Our route lay up the spur : rain began almost im- 

 mediately after we started and continued steadily throughout the 

 morning ; it had also poured nearly the whole night. We soon 

 entered the usual high forest, with but little underwood, which 

 marks an elevation of 6000 to 8000 feet above the sea, and in which 

 the leeches are met with in the greatest profusion. They can be 

 kept off to a considerable extent by tying tobacco leaves round 

 one's ankles. In addition to this, I used to powder the inside of 

 my gaiters with snuff, but it is impossible to escape them altoge- 

 ther. After traversing forest for four or five miles, we descended 

 about 1000 feet into clearings, and emerged into a small side val- 

 ley, leading into that we had left behind at Chusaehen. The rain 

 had ceased and we breakfasted at some Bdtia houses. The coo- 

 lies had made up their minds to halt at this place, however we 

 induced them to go on and reascended into the forest. After three 

 or four miles we reached Kaplui, the last permanent village on the 

 road ; beyond this we were told we should meet no one until we 

 arrived at the upland pastures to which the cattle had been taken 

 for the summer. 



* Hooker's Himalayan Journals, II, 42. (2nd Ed. II, 64.) 



