2 DORJILING. Chap. XVIIT. 



in the Governor- General's name, requested that he would 

 facilitate my visiting the frontier of Sikkim, north-east of 

 Kinchinjunga. The desired permission was, after a little 

 delay, received ; which appeared to rouse the Dewan to 

 institute a series of obstructions to my progress, which 

 caused so many delays that my exploration of the country 

 was not concluded till October, and I was prevented 

 returning to Dorjiling before the following Christmas. 



Since our visit to the Rajah in December, no Vakeel 

 (agent) had been sent by the Durbar to Dorjiling, and 

 consequently we could only communicate indirectly with 

 his Highness, while we found it impossible to ascertain 

 the truth of various reports promulgated by the Dewan, 

 and meant to deter me from entering the country. In 

 April, the Lassoo Kajee was sent as Vakeel, but, having on 

 a previous occasion been dismissed for insolence and 

 incapacity, and again rejected when proposed by the 

 Dewan at Bhomsong, he was refused an audience ; and he 

 encamped at the bottom of the Great Rungeet valley, 

 where he lost some of his party through fever. He retired 

 into Sikkim, exasperated, pretending that he had orders to 

 delay my starting, in consequence of the death of the heir 

 apparent ; and that he was prepared to use strong mea- 

 sures should I cross the frontier. 



No notice was taken of these threats : the Rajah was 

 again informed of my intended departure, unless his 

 own orders to the contrary were received through a proper 

 accredited agent, and I left Dorjiling on the 3rd of May, 

 accompanied by Dr. Campbell, who insisted on seeing me 

 fairly over the frontier at the Great Rungeet river. 



Arrangements were made for supplies of rice following 

 me by instalments ; our daily consumption being 80 lbs., 

 a man's load. After crossing into Sikkim, I mustered my 



