1871.] W. T. Blanford— Journey through Silckim. 389 



mont to convince the Tibetans of the existence of this treaty with 

 China. This is not the fault of the Government of India, but of 

 the British Government and its representatives at Pekin. 



We returned to our tent after about an hour's interview, some- 

 what disgusted at the result, though it was only what we had 

 expected. We determined to halt the next day and then start 

 for Tamlilng. 



28th. We borrowed mules from the Raja in the morning and 

 rode up to the Cho-la, nearly 15000 feet above the sea. It is scarce- 

 ly worth visiting, as it is in a hollow between two hills, and there 

 is no view over Chumbi. At the frontier chait we found an 

 officer and a guard of about 15 men, who were civil, and greatly 

 relished some whiskey we had with us. The morning was misty, 

 and the peak of Chiimanako or Dobendikhan completely concealed 

 by clouds. On our way down we found the Raja's brother wait- 

 ing for us at the Durbar tent ; he excused the Raja's absence on 

 the plea of ill health. We had again a long conversation, with 

 enquiries upon all kinds of subjects. In the course of it, fuller 

 details were given to us of the Raja's position, and of an application 

 he wished to make for an increased allowance from the British 

 Government ; some allusion had been made to this the day be- 

 fore, but I replied that we were simply travellers and had no 

 authority to receive any communications intended for the Govern- 

 ment ; that all such should be made to Colonel Haughton, the Com- 

 missioner. Of course we could only repeat this. At the same time 

 we added that doubtless the Government would learn with plea- 

 sure that we had been so well received and aided in travelling 

 through the country, and that they would have been still more 

 pleased had we been allowed to go through Chiimbi. Meantime 

 cups had been placed before us and kept constantly supplied with 

 buttered tea, not a bad drink in a cold climate, and after some 

 time breakfast was brought. The first dish was little dumplings 

 filled with chopped meat ; after this we had large cups of a kind 

 of macaroni stewed with a very nice gravy and some meat. Small 

 plates also were placed before us containing red pepper, garlic and 

 radishes, the two latter cut into small strips, and a pair of chop 

 sticks, our endeavours to make use of which were only moderately 



