May, 1849. CHEPANGS. SINGTAM SOUBAH. 15 



wear it in a knot ; they use the bow and arrow, and eat 

 snakes and vermin, which the Lepchas will not touch. Such 

 is the account I have heard, and which is certainly believed 

 in Sikkim : similar stories are very current in half civilized 

 countries ; and if this has any truth, it possibly refers to 

 the Chepangs,* a very remarkable race, of doubtful affinity 

 and origin, inhabiting the Nepal forests. 



At Singtam I was waited on by the Soubah of the dis- 

 trict, a tall portly Bhoteea, who was destined to prove a 

 most active enemy to my pursuits. He governs the 

 country between Gorh and the Tibet frontier, for the 

 Maha-Ranee (wife of the Rajah), whose dowry it is ; and she 

 being the Dewan's relative, I had little assistance to expect 

 from her agent. His conduct was very polite, and he 

 brought me a handsome offering for myself; but after 

 delaying me a day on the pretext of collecting food for my 

 people, of which I was in want, I was obliged to move on 

 with no addition to my store, and trust to obtaining some 

 at the next village, or from Dorjiling. Owing, however, to 

 the increasing distance, and the destruction of the roads by 

 the rains, my supplies from that place were becoming irre- 

 gular : I therefore thought it prudent to reduce my party, 

 by sending back my guard of Sepoys, who could be of no 

 further use. 



From this point the upper portion of the course of the 

 Teesta (Lachen-Lachoong) is -materially different from what 

 it is lower down ; becoming a boisterous torrent, as suddenly 

 as the Tambur does above Mywa Guola. Its bed is narrower, 

 large masses of rock impede its course, nor is there any place 

 where it is practicable for rafts at any season ; the only 

 means of passing it being by cane bridges that are thrown 

 across, high above the stream. 



* Hodgson, in " Bengal Asiatic Society's Journal" for 1848. 



