Oct. 1849. MEET DR. CAMPBELL. 147 



for his visiting Sikkim. Foremost, was his earnest desire 

 to cultivate a better understanding with the Rajah and his 

 officers. He had always taken the Rajah's part, from a con- 

 viction that he was not to blame for the misunderstandings 

 which the Sikkim officers pretended to exist between 

 their country and Dorjiling ; he had, whilst urgently 

 remonstrating with the Rajah, insisted on forbearance on 

 my part, and had long exercised it himself. In detailing 

 the treatment to which I was subjected, I had not hesitated 

 to express my opinion that the Rajah was more compro- 

 mised by it than his Dewan : Dr. Campbell, on the con- 

 trary, knew that the Dewan was the head and front of the 

 whole system of annoyance. In one point of view it 

 mattered little who was in the right ; but the transaction 

 was a violation of good faith on the part of the Sikkim 

 government towards the British, for which the Rajah, 

 however helpless, was yet responsible. To act upon my 

 representations alone would have been unjust, and no course 

 remained but for Dr. Campbell to inquire personally into 

 the matter. The authority to clo this gave him also the 

 opportunity of becoming acquainted with the country which 

 we were bound to protect, as well by our interest as by 

 treaty, but from which we were so jealously excluded, that 

 should any contingency occur, we were ignorant of what 

 steps to take for defence, and, indeed, of what we should 

 have to defend. 



On the 6th of October we left Choongtam for my second 

 visit to the Kongra Lama pass, hoping to get round by the 

 Cholamoo lakes and the Donkia pass. As the country 

 beyond the frontier was uninhabited, the Tchebu Lama saw 

 no difficulty in this, provided the Lachen Phipun and the 

 Tibetans did not object. Our great obstacle was the 

 Singtam Soubah, who (by the Rajah's order) accompanied 



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