196 Account of the Mountain Tribes [April, 



Golgotha, is looked upon as the man of the greatest wealth and libe- 

 rality ; and when he dies, the whole smoke-dried collection of many 

 years is piled upon his grave as a monument of his riches, and a 

 memorial of his worth. 



Migration. — These people, accustomed to a temperature at and about 

 the freezing point, seem to dread an exposure to the heat of the low 

 countries during the summer, and make their descent to their markets 

 at Suddia only in the cold weather, and take their departure to their 

 snows as soon as the Simala tree puts forth its blossoms. 



Trade. — They bring along with them a few bags of musk, and 

 musk-deer skins ; some ivory ; a few copper pots, which they obtain 

 from the same country ; and a considerable quantity of a vegetable 

 poison called Bis-Bisd, used in poisoning arrows. These they exchange 

 for glass beads, of which they are very fond, and cattle, for the purpose 

 of eating. The musk is for the most part adulterated ; a portion of 

 the genuine musk being abstracted to make into artificial bags, and its 

 place filled up with dried blood. 



Poison. — The poison is of a very superior quality, and is in great 

 request by all the neighbouring nations for destroying wild animals. 

 It is contained in a small fibrous root, which they tie up into little 

 bundles. It is prepared by pounding the root to powder, and mixing 

 it up with the juice of the Otenga tree, to give it tenacity, and make it 

 adhere to the arrow head. They keep the plant a great secret, and 

 take the effectual precaution of boiling it before leaving their homes, 

 so as to destroy all possibility of its being propagated. 



Road to Thibet. — The route to Thibet, adopted by pilgrims, leads 

 through the Abor country, along the course of the Dihong or Sampu, 

 and is accomplished in sixteen days from Suddia. The route, as 

 mentioned by Mr. Bruce, is as follows : 



From Saddia to Kaj-jin, five days' journey ; thence to Lak-qui, one 

 day; Gha-lum, one day; Ma-ma-nu, one day; Dulld, one day; Omono, 

 one day ; Hulli, one day; Sum-lay, one day; Han-nay, one day; Kum- 

 day, one day; Ri-shdh, one day; Bhd-lu, one day. Bhdlu is the frontier 

 town of Thibet. About four days' journey beyond it stands the city of 

 Ro-shi-mdh, containing fine buildings, and a large civilized population, 

 and a government purely Chinese. 



The Grand Lama himself, and all head officers throughout Thibet, 

 are appointed by the Emperor of China, and receive allowances from 

 the Chinese government. The chief of Suddia seems to have consi- 

 derable influence with the Thibetans, and the intermediate hill tribes. 

 Almost all pilgrims apply to him for a passport, and he is in the habit 



