1862.] Journal' of a trip in the SiJclcim Himalaya. 477 



them. Dr. S. had inadvertently left behind a portion of his photo- 

 graphic apparatus, this had been picked up by one of the monks 

 who declined to restore it, unless he received a remuneration of 2 

 Rs. Under the circumstances this demand was refused, and the man 

 of holy orders peremptorily ordered to give it up, which he did, and 

 never shewed his face again. This avariciousness was probably caused 

 by seeing us pay liberally for every thing we required, a policy we 

 strictly adopted from the commencement, and which secured us a 

 ready and ample supply of every thing. The prices paid were — rice 

 12 seers per rupee, fowls 8 annas each, milk 4 annas per bottle, eggs 

 2 for an anna. 



Pemionchee is about 7000 feet high. The thermometer at sunrise 

 stood at 45°. The weather was close and cloudy. Left at 9.30 A. m. 

 and after a very rapid descent passed Gazing at 10.15, stopping a 

 short time to photograph " the Great Mendong" at that place. 

 Reached the Kullait river at noon. After a long, rapid and fatiguing 

 descent, we found the villagers and fishermen had erected a substan- 

 tial bridge of bamboos about a mile below the weir since our former 

 visit. Here we enjoyed a refreshing bathe in the clear cold waters of 

 the Kullait, and washed clothes, and at 1 p. M. continued our journey 

 up the northern spur of the Rinchingpoong hill, which has a much 

 milder gradient than we had been accustomed to for some time past. 

 At 2.15. halted for a quarter of an hour for luncheon at Soomtong, 

 and reached Rinchingpoong at 4 P. M. ; but the coolies did not arrive 

 until after dark, the march being fifteen or sixteen miles, and very 

 fatiguing — the descent from Pemionchee to the Kullait being not 

 less than 5,000 feet, and the ascent to Rinchingpoong about 3,600 

 feet. "We put up in the Llama's house on the ridge of the hill, situ- 

 ated in the midst of barley cultivation. The dwelling consists of one 

 spacious room, in which was a miscellaneous family of men, women, 

 maidens and children, none of whom were at all put out by our pre- 

 sence, but sat round a large fire drinking tea, &c. Some sugar given 

 to a man was handed round the family circle for each to taste, and 

 some hot brandy and water given to another man in the palm of his 

 hand was in like manner handed round to each member to take a sip, 

 after they had retired to rest. The hill tribes are particularly liberal 

 and friendly towards each other, always sharing with their friends 

 anything they may become possessed of. 



