216 EAST NEPAL. Chap. IX. 



at their winter quarters, as at Loongtoong, the better classes 

 cultivate fine crops of buck-wheat, .millet, spinach, &c.; 

 though seldom enough for their support, as in spring 

 they are obliged to buy rice from the inhabitants of the 

 lower regions. Equally dependent on Nepal and Tibet, they 

 very naturally hold themselves independent of both ; and I 

 found that my roving commission from the Nepal Rajah was 

 not respected, and the guard of Ghorkas held very cheap. 



On my arrival at Wallanchoon, I was conducted to 

 two tents, each about eight feet long, of yak's hair, 

 striped blue and white, which had been pitched close to 

 the village for my accommodation. Though the best 

 that could be provided, and larger than my own, they 

 were wretched in the extreme, being of so loose a texture 

 that the wind blew through them : each was formed of two 

 cloths with a long slit between them, that ran across the 

 top, giving egress to the smoke, and ingress to the weather : 

 they were supported on two short poles, kept to the ground 

 by large stones, and fastened by yak's hair ropes. A fire 

 was smoking vigorously in the centre of one, and some 

 planks were laid at the end for my bed. A crowd of 

 people soon came to stare and loll out their tongues at me, 

 my party, and travelling equipage ; though very civil, and 

 only offensive in smell, they were troublesome, from their 

 eager curiosity to see and handle everything j so that I had 

 to place a circle of stones round the tents, whilst a soldier 

 stood by, on the alert to keep them off. A more idle 

 people are not to be found, except with regard to spinning, 

 which is their constant occupation, every man and woman 

 carrying a bundle of wool in the breast of their garments, 

 which is spun by hand with a spindle, and wound off on 

 two cross-pieces at its lower end. Spinning, smoking, and 

 tea-drinking are their chief pursuits ; and the women take 



