June, 1849. HOSTILITY OF BHOTUEAS. 61 



Meanwhile, the Lachen Phipun continued to threaten us, 

 and I had to send back some of the more timorous of my 

 party. On the 28th of June fifty men arrived at the 

 Thlonok, and turned my people out of the shed at the 

 junction of the rivers, together with the plants they 

 were preserving, my boards, papers, and utensils. The 

 boys came to me breathless, saying that there were 

 Tibetan soldiers amongst them, who declared that I was in 

 Cheen, and that they were coming on the following 

 morning to make a clean sweep of my goods, and drive me 

 back to Dorjiling. I had little fear for myself, but was 

 anxious with respect to my collections : it was getting late 

 in the day, and raining, and I had no mind to go down 

 and expose myself to the first brunt of their insolence, 

 which I felt sure a night of such weather would materially 

 wash away. Meepo was too frightened, but Nimbo, my 

 Bhotan coolie Sirdar, volunteered to go, with two stout 

 fellows ; and he accordingly brought away my plants and 

 papers, having held a parley with the enemy, who, as I sus- 

 pected, were not Tibetans. The best news he brought was, 

 that they were half clad and without food; the worst, 

 that they swaggered and bullied : he added, with some 

 pride, that he gave them as good as he got, which I could 

 readily believe, 'Nimbo being really a resolute fellow,* and 

 accomplished in Tibet slang. 



On the following morning it rained harder than ever, 

 and the wind was piercingly cold. My timid Lepchas 

 huddled behind my tent, which, from its position, was only 

 to be stormed in front. I dismantled my little observatory, 

 and packed up the instruments, tied my dog, Kinchin, 

 to one of the tent-pegs, placed a line of stones opposite 



* In East Nepal he drew his knife on a Ghorka sepoy ; and in the following 

 winter was bold enough to make his escape in chains from Tumloong. 



