Dec. 1848. BHOMSONG. PRESENT FROM RAJAH. 297 



the middle. The valley is very narrow, and the vegetation 

 wholly tropical, consisting of two species of oak, several 

 palms, rattan-cane (screw-pine), Pandanus, tall grasses, 

 and all the natives of dense hot jungles. The river is a 

 grand feature, broad, rocky, deep, swift, and broken by 

 enormous boulders of rock ; its waters were of a pale opal 

 green, probably from the materials of the soft micaceous 

 rocks through which it flows. 



A cane bridge crosses it,* but had been cut away (in 

 feigned distrust of us), and the long canes were streaming 

 from their attachments on either shore down the stream, 

 and a triangular raft of bamboo was plying instead, drawn 

 to and fro by means of a strong cane. 



Soon after arriving I received a present from the Rajah, 

 consisting of a brick of Tibet tea, eighty pounds of rancid 

 yak butter, in large squares, done up in yak-hair cloth, 

 three loads of rice, and one of Murwa for beer ; rolls of 

 bread, f fowls, eggs, dried plums, apricots, jujubes, 

 currants, and Sultana raisins, the latter fruits purchased 

 at Lhassa, but imported thither from western Tibet ; 

 also some trays of coarse milk-white crystallised salt, as 

 dug in Tibet. 



In the evening we were visited by the Dewan, the head 

 and front of all our Sikkim difficulties, whose influence was 

 paramount with the Rajah, owing to the age and infirmities 

 of the latter, and his devotion to religion, which absorbed 

 all his time and thoughts. The Dewan was a good-looking 

 Tibetan, very robust, fair, muscular and well fleshed ; he 

 had a very broad Tartar face, quite free of hair ; a small and 

 beautifully formed mouth and chin, very broad cheekbones, 



* Whence the name of Bhomsong Samdong, the latter word meaning bridge. 



t These rolls, or rather, sticks of bread, are made in Tibet, of fine wheaten 

 flour, and keep for a long time : they are sweet and good, but very dirtily 

 prepared. 



