f 



382 



Note on the Lepchas of Sikkim. 



[No. 100. 







and he is counted as a good match for the daughters of the 

 chiefs. The influence of the priests is considerable, but it is far 

 short of that attained by those of Bootan over the Bhotiahs, 

 as described by Captain Pemberton, and the majority of them 

 are obliged, and not ashamed, to relinquish a dependence on 

 alms for the more active employments of agriculture and trade. 



Restrictions of Hindooism as to caste are not admitted 

 by the Lepchas, although those who live under the Nipal 

 government are obliged to conform to the Hindoo laws of that 

 state, this however they do with a very bad grace, and rarely 

 forego an opportunity of crossing into Sikkim, or coming to 

 Dorjeling, to indulge their beef-eating propensities. They are 

 gross feeders, eating all kinds of animal food, including the 

 elephant, rhinoceros, and monkey, and all grains and vegetables 

 known to us, with the addition of many roots and plants altoge- 

 ther excluded from our culinary list. Pork is their most favourite 

 flesh, next to that, beef, goat, mutton. The yak is considered 

 the best beef, next to that the flesh of the Sikkim cow (a fine 

 animal) and last, the Bengalli and common cow. All birds are 

 included in their list of eatable game; of the carrion of wild animals 

 that of the elephant is most prized. The favourite vegetable 

 food is rice, next to it wheat, barley, maize, millet, murwa, and a 

 fine species of yam called i( bookh," which grows all over these 

 mountains, at elevations of from 1500 to 3000 feet. During the 

 rains when grain is scarce they contentedly put up with ferns, 

 bamboo roots, several sorts of fungi, and innumerable succulent 

 plants found wild on the mountains. Fond of fermented and 

 spirituous liquors, they are nevertheless not given to drunken- 

 ness ; their common drink is a kind of beer made from the 

 fermented infusion of Indian corn and murwa, which is weak, 

 but agreeably acid, and very refreshing. This is drunk at all 

 times when procurable, and when making a journey it is carried 

 in a large bamboo chunga, and diligently applied to throughout 

 the day. They have no distilled liquor of their own, but they 

 greatly admire and prize all our strong waters, our port and 

 sherry, cherry brandy, and maraschino. Tea is a favourite bever- 

 age, the black sort brought from China in large cakes being that 

 preferred; it is prepared by boiling, after which the decoction 



