406 W. T. Blanford — Journey through Sikkim. [No. 4, 



ly probable that this stubborn opposition to our traversing a small 

 uninhabited valley was due to Hooker's old enemy the ex-Dewan 

 of Sikkim ; now governor of Chdmbi, as I have already mentioned. 

 I, of course, pleaded that there could be no objection to our going 

 where Hooker and Campbell had been before us, but the Suba 

 replied that the Dingpan who allowed them to pass had been 

 beheaded and his property forfeited. 



This story I had never heard before, and I fully believe it to have 

 been invented, indeed I expressed myself unable to put faith in it. 

 It is simply incredible that it should never have been told to us at 

 Chumanako, when we enquired as to our being permitted to cross the 

 Donkia pass, that no such story should ever have been heard by any 

 previous traveller in Sikkim, and that no rumour of such an occur- 

 rence should have penetrated to Darjiling ; above all that Captain 

 Chamer should have been allowed to cross Kongra Lama only a 

 few months before our arrival. 



But although I doubt whether my friend the Suba was quite 

 truthful in this matter, it was impossible to be insensible to his 

 politeness. He said he wished very much that no European tra- 

 vellers would come to the Sikkim frontier, for he had just obtained 

 leave of absence and started for a visit to see his relations whom 

 he had not met for years, when he was suddenly ordered back to 

 the frontier to stop us from passing. Indeed it was no sinecure 

 to be perched up on a bleak barren mountain pass at upwards of 

 18000 feet elevation for several days. 



After a long conversation, I expressed a wish to see the view 

 from the pass, but even this was opposed, and I was assured, with 

 the usual pantomime of decapitation, that the Suba dared not allow 

 me even to look upon Tibet. As I knew this was absurd, the only 

 effect was to make me disbelieve every word I had been told pre- 

 viously. I insisted upon seeing the pass at any rate, promising not 

 to go beyond the chait which marks the frontier, and no fur- 

 ther opposition was made. It is not easy to climb a steep path at 

 18500 feet, and we all made several halts in ascending the short 

 distance which separated us from the crest of the mountain. All 

 on the side by which we ascended was mist, but on the other 

 side it was clear, the only impediment to sight being the clouds 

 which were blown up from behind us. 



