

Dec. 1848. SIKKDI RAJAH. 803 



yaks, ponies, and salt, with worked silk purses and fans 

 for Mrs. Campbell ; after which we left. The whole 

 scene was novel and very curious. We had had no 

 previous idea of the extreme poverty of the Rajah, of 

 his utter ignorance of the usages of Oriental life, and 

 of his not having any one near to instruct him. The 

 neglect of our salutation, and the conversion of our presents 

 into tribute, did not arise from any ill-will : it was owing to 

 the craft of the Dewan in taking advantage of the Rajah's 

 ignorance of his own position and of good manners. 

 Miserably poor, without any retinue, taking no interest in 

 what passes in his own kingdom, subsisting on the plainest 

 and coarsest food, passing his time in effectually abstracting 

 his mind from the consideration of earthly things, and wrapt 

 in contemplation, 'the Sikkim Rajah has arrived at great 

 sanctity, and is all but prepared for that absorption into 

 the essence of Boodh, which is the end and aim of all good 

 Boodhists. The mute conduct of his Court, who looked 

 like attendants at an inquisition, and the profound venera- 

 tion expressed in every word and gesture of those who did 

 move and speak, recalled a Pekin reception. His attend- 

 ants treated him as a being of a very different nature from 

 themselves ; and well might they do so, since they believe 

 that he will never die, but retire from the world only to 

 re-appear under some equally sainted form. 



Though productive of no immediate good, our interview 

 had a very favourable effect on the Lamas and people, who 

 had long wished it ; and the congratulations we received 

 thereon during the remainder of our stay in Sikkim were 

 many and sincere. The Lamas Ave found universally in 

 high spirits ; they having just effected the marriage of the 

 heir apparent, himself a Lama, said to possess much ability 

 and prudence, and hence being very obnoxious to the 



