Nov. 1848. BHOTEEA SALT-TRADERS. 215 



in various parts of which country it is found ; and the 

 Tibetans say, in reference to its size, that the liver is a load 

 for a tame yak. The Sikkini Dewan gave Dr. Campbell 

 and myself an animated account of the chase of this animal, 

 which is hunted by large dogs, and shot with a blunderbuss : 

 it is untameable and horridly fierce, falling upon you 

 with horns and chest, and if he rasps you with his tongue, 

 it is so rough as to scrape the flesh from the bones. 

 The horn is used as a drinking-cup in marriage feasts, and 

 on other grand occasions. My readers are probably familiar 

 with Messrs. Hue and Gabet's account of a herd of these 

 animals being frozen fast in the head-waters of the Yang- 

 tsekiang river. There is a noble specimen in the British 

 Museum not yet set up, and another is preparing for 

 exhibition in the Crystal Palace at Sydenham. 



The inhabitants of these frontier districts belong to two 

 very different tribes, but all are alike called Bhoteeas (from 

 Bhote, the proper name of Tibet), and have for many 

 centuries been located in what is — in climate and natural 

 features — a neutral ground between dry Tibet Proper, and 

 the wet Himalayan gorges. They inhabit a climate too 

 cold for either the Lepcha or Nepalese, migrating between 

 6000 and 15,000 feet with the seasons, always accompanied 

 by their herds. In all respects of appearance, religion, 

 manners, customs, and language, they are Tibetans and 

 Lama Booddhists, but they pay tax to the Nepal and 

 Sikkim Rajahs, to whom they render immense service 

 by keeping up and facilitating the trade in salt, wool, 

 musk, &c, which could hardly be conducted without their 

 co-operation. They levy a small tax on all imports, and trade 

 a little on their own account, but are generally poor and 

 very indolent. In their alpine summer quarters they grow 

 scanty crops of wheat, bailey, turnips, and radishes ; and 



