1842.] certain Hill Tribes in Sikkim. 5 



me particulars of their Thibetan origin, all being satisfied with the 

 knowledge of their tribe having at some remote period migrated across 

 the snows from Bhote, and with asserting that they had preserved their 

 language (Thibetan) and religion (Bhuddism) unchanged since their arri- 

 val. The Murmis are by the Lepchas and the Bhootiahs of Nipal and Sik- 

 kim, called " Nishung," which my informant says, arises from their being 

 composed of two families, or divisions ; one having migrated from the 

 province of "Nimo" in Thibet, and the other from the district of 

 " Shung" in the same country. Hence the general appellation " Ni- 

 shung." The Dewan says, that the " Murmis" are a numerous tribe in 

 their original country, through which he has passed en route from Sikkim 

 to Lassa, by a road running parallel with the one from Digarchi to that 

 city, but considerably to the eastward of it. He believes that the Mur- 

 mis on this side of the snow are less changed in habits than any of the 

 other Thibetan ones with which we are acquainted. Of the " Magars" 

 he says, " They are unquestionably a people of this side of the snows, 

 and the original country is Sikkim, from which they were first driven 

 west by the Lepchas across the Mechi and Konki rivers, and thence fur- 

 ther west by the Limboos beyond the Arun and Doodkooshi. While in 

 Sikkim they were not Hindoos ; they ate fowls, pigs, and everything ex- 

 cept the cow, from which I believe they abstained. They had no 

 priests, or puja of any kind. Now, however, they have the Brahmins, 

 and are, I believe, reckoned very good Hindoos in Nipal." 



As to the " Gurungs," said the Dewan in reply to my questions anent 

 them, "we people of Thibetan origin have nothing to do with them, 

 they belong especially to the central and western parts of the Nipal 

 mountains, and have always, I believe, been less or' more followers 

 of Hindooism." The locale of the Gurungs is correctly enough stated 

 here ; whether their Thibetan origin can be disproved I know not, but 

 Mr. Hodgson probably can settle the question. 



