414 W. T. Blauford— Journey through Sikkim. [No. 4, 



Buddhist, he mourned greatly over the sin we committed in shoot- 

 ing birds, though he admitted having once been a sportsman him- 

 self, and having actually bagged two wild yaks, rather an achieve- 

 ment. 



We spent a most agreeable evening with the Suba, who is a very 

 gentlemanly, well informed man. He examined our guns, and 

 the few books and similar small matters which we had with us. He 

 accepted the map, after writing the names of the places, and of the 

 marches to Darjiling, on it in Tibetan, and he also took a photo- 

 graph of Elwes, saying that he had received permission to accept 

 these, but he would take nothing else. He was very curious about 

 Europeans, we being the first he had ever seen, and especially 

 wished to know what English ladies were like. At the same time 

 he begged us not to form our judgment of Tibetan beauty by 

 the specimens to be seen on the mountains. 



We had a long conversation, through an interpreter of course, 

 about Tibet. The Suba had travelled much, having been at 

 one time in Ladak. I was particularly anxious to learn whether 

 the Tibetans as a body are unfriendly to Europeans, or whether 

 the sole hindrance to entering the country is the jealousy of the 

 Government. The Suba assured me that the people had no ill-will 

 towards foreigners, that, if allowed, they would willingly receive 

 Europeans, and he regretted that he was obliged to carry out the 

 orders he had received. Otherwise he would have had great 

 pleasure in receiving us at Kambajong. 



All that we learned as to the geography of the country north of 

 the Sikkim frontier confirms Hooker's account, even to the digging 

 of the salt at the lakes whence a great part of Tibet, Sikkim and 

 Nipal, are supplied. The salt country lies a long distance north 

 of Jigatzi, and is described as a dreadful wilderness in which no 

 one can live for any time. We were even told that the people 

 who procure the salt rush in, dig up a small quantity and run back, 

 or they would fall insensible. Fearful wild animals and the 

 horniest and hairiest of demons guard the frozen soil. All of 

 which means simply that the country is bitterly cold and barren, 



however, one died, and a second did not survive the road down to the plains. 

 I brought two to Calcutta, apparently in perfect health, in October, but before 

 I could despatch them to England; both died of inflammation of the lungs. 



