April, 1848. LEPCHAS, RELIGION 135 



Bhotanese, and others. Rheumatism is frequent, and inter- 

 mittent fevers, with ague ; also violent and often fatal 

 remittents, almost invariably induced by sleeping in the 

 hot valleys, especially at the beginning and end of the 

 rains. The European complaints of liver and bowel disease 

 are all but unknown. Death is regarded with horror. The 

 dead are burnt or buried, sometimes both; much depending 

 on custom and position. Omens are sought in the entrails 

 of fowls, &c, and other vestiges of their savage origin are 

 still preserved, though now gradually disappearing. 



The Lepchas profess no religion, though acknowledging 

 the existence of good and bad spirits. To the good they 

 pay no heed; "Why should we?" they say, "the good 

 spirits do us no harm ; the evil spirits, who dwell in every 

 rock, grove, and mountain, are constantly at mischief, 

 and to them we must pray, for they hurt us." Every 

 tribe has a priest-doctor; he neither knows nor attempts 

 to practise the healing art, but is a pure exorcist ; all 

 bodily ailments being deemed the operations of devils, 

 who are cast out by prayers and invocations. Still they 

 acknowledge the Lamas to be very holy men, and were the 

 latter only moderately active, they would soon convert 

 all the Lepchas. Their priests are called " Bijooas ; " 

 they profess mendicancy, and seem intermediate between 

 the begging friars of Tibet, whose dress and attributes they 

 assume, and the exorcists of the aboriginal Lepchas : they 

 sing, dance (masked and draped like harlequins), beg, 

 bless, curse, and are merry mountebanks ; those that affect 

 more of the Lama Boodhist carry the "Mani," or revolving- 

 praying machine, and wear rosaries and amulets ; others 

 again are all tatters and rags. They are often employed 

 to carry messages, and to transact little knaveries. The 

 natives stand in some awe of them, and being besides of a 



