Nov. 1848. ARRANGEMENTS OF CAMP. 189 



Returning to my tent, I was interested in observing how 

 well my followers had accommodated themselves to their 

 narrow circumstances. Their fires gleamed everywhere 

 amongst the trees, and the people, broken up into groups 

 of five, presented an interesting picture of native, savage, 

 and half-civilised life. I wandered amongst them in the 

 darkness, and watched unseen their operations ; some were 

 cooking, with their rude bronzed faces lighted up by the 

 ruddy glow, as they peered into the pot, stirring the 

 boiling rice with one hand, while with the other they 

 held back their long tangled hair. Others were bringing 

 water from the spring below, some gathering sprigs of 

 fragrant Artemisia and other shrubs to form couches — some 

 lopping branches of larger trees to screen them from noc- 

 turnal radiation ; their only protection from the dew being 

 such branches stuck in the ground, and slanting over 

 their procumbent forms. The Bhotanese were rude and 

 boisterous in their pursuits, constantly complaining to the 

 Sirdars, and wrangling over their meals. The Ghorkas 

 were sprightly, combing their raven hair, telling inter- 

 minably long stories, of which money was the burthen, 

 or singing Hindoo songs through their noses in chorus ; and 

 being neater and better dressed, and having a servant to 

 cook their food, they seemed quite the gentlemen of the 

 party. Still the Lepcha was the most attractive, the least 

 restrained, and the most natural in all his actions, the 

 simplest in his wants and appliances, with a bamboo as his 

 water-jug, an earthen-pot as his kettle, and all manner of 

 herbs collected during the day's inarch to flavour his food. 



My tent was made of a blanket thrown over the limb of 

 a tree; to this others were attached, and the whole was 

 supported on a frame like a house. One half was occupied 

 by my bedstead, beneath which was stowed my box of 



