1840.] Note on the Lepchas of Sikkim. 385 



ance of the latter in a village it is deserted by the young and 

 strong whose relatives are not attacked, and nothing will induce 

 a Lepcha from another part of the country to visit an infected 

 village. Vaccination is already greatly prized by these people, 

 for which fortunate circumstance we are indebted to Doctor 

 Pearson's success in introducing it among them ; its preser- 

 vative blessings are eagerly sought for at Dorjeling by them, 

 and the Bhotiahs from remote parts of Nipal and Sikkim. 



Goitre is known among them, but is by no means com- 

 mon ; among 200 persons at this place now, I can find but one 

 goitred individual, and that is a woman. Ophthalmia is I think 

 very uncommon, and syphilis rarely met with. During fif- 

 teen months residence, I have seen one case of leprosy only in 

 a Lepcha, and although the mountainous nature of their coun- 

 try renders the climate sufficiently damp and cold, rheumatism 

 seems to be a rare disease ; on the whole they are decidedly 

 exempt from many of the ills which flesh is certain heir to in 

 the most favoured countries of the globe. Consumption I have 

 never met with, nor liver disease, nor dysentery, nor do they 

 know the cholera by name even. These four scourges of 

 Europe and India find no food to feed on among the Lepchas. 



In person the Lepchas are short, averaging about five feet 

 in height ; five feet six is tall, and four feet eight is a common 

 stature among the men. The women are short in the usual 

 proportion. The men are bulky for their height, but rather 

 fleshy, than sinewy. The muscular development of their limbs is 

 greatly inferior to that of the Magars, Gurungs, Murmis, and 

 other Purbottiahs. They are very fair of skin, and boys and girls 

 in health have generally a ruddy tinge of complexion ; this is 

 lost however in adolescence, although the fairness continues. 

 The features are markedly Mongolian, but there is a fulness and 

 roundness of feature, accompanied by a cheerful expression and 

 laughing eye, which renders the face a most pleasing one. The 

 total absence of beard, and the fashion of parting the hair along 

 the crown of the head, adds to a somewhat womanly expression 

 of countenance in the men, and the loose bed-gown sort of 

 jacket with wide sleeves which they wear, contributes still more 

 to render it rather difficult for strangers to distinguish the sexes, 



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