290 SIKKIM HIMALAYA. Chap. XII. 



depressions in the surface, from which, as I have repeatedly 

 observed, the land clips rapidly to the valleys below. 



This being the high-road from Tumloong or Sikkim 

 Durbar (the capital, and Rajah's residence) to the numerous 

 monasteries which I had seen, we passed many Lamas 

 and monks on their way home from Tumloong, where 

 they had gone to be present at the marriage of the 

 Tupgain Lama, the eldest son of the Rajah. A dispensation 

 having previously been procured from Lhassa, this marriage 

 had been effected by the Lamas, in order to counteract the 

 efforts of the Dewan, who sought to exercise an undue 

 influence over the Rajah and his family. The Tupgain 

 Lama having only spiritual authority, and being bound to 

 celibacy, the temporal authority devolved on the second son, 

 who was heir apparent of Sikkim ; he, however, having 

 died, an illegitimate son of the Rajah was favoured by 

 the Dewan as heir apparent. The bride was brought 

 from Tibet, and the marriage party were feasted for eighteen 

 days at the Rajah's expense. All the Lamas whom I met 

 were clad in red robes, with girdles, and were shaven, with 

 bare feet and heads, or mitred ; they wore rosaries of onyx, 

 turquoise, quartz, lapis lazuli, coral, glass, amber, or wood, 

 especially yellow berberry and sandal-wood : some had 

 staves, and one a trident like an eel-fork, on a long staff, 

 an emblem of the Hindoo Trinity, called Trisool Mahadeo, 

 which represents Brahma, Siva, and Vishnu, in Hindoo; 

 and Boodh, Dhurma, and Sunga, in Boodhist theology. 

 All were on foot, indeed ponies are seldom used in this 

 country ; the Lamas, however, walked with becoming 

 gravity and indifference to all around them. 



The Kajee waited upon me in the evening, full of import- 

 ance, having just received a letter from his Rajah, which he 

 wished to communicate to me in private ; so I accompanied 

 him to a house close by, where he was a guest, when the 



