1849.] Journal of a trip to Sikim. 485 



and a Havildar, 38 porter loads of rice, flour, salt, gram and choorah, 

 with 20 more loads of personal baggage of my own and the servants, 

 and 3 sirdars for their coolies. A double-barrel gun, a brace of pistols, 

 a compass and thermometer, and a Nipal dandy or litter — in case of 

 illness, or accidents end the list. The further sinews of travel are 400 

 rupees, principally in small coins, and some articles for presents, con- 

 sisting of broadcloth, beads, snuff, rum, coral, rings, and some crystal 

 vessels.* 



At the guard-house, elevation 1600 feet, the feeling of warmth was 

 delightful. The Thermometer stood at 68° and fell 4° only during the 

 whole night ; I hate cold, and all below the sixties is of this sort. It is 

 greatly the fashion in the east to praise the weather when you are half 

 frozen. Give me a temperate clime for comfort and pleasure ; any thing 

 lower than 60° of Faht. feels cold, and cold, except in the subsequent 

 re-action, is decidedly uncomfortable. It was a lovely morning on the 

 5th, a thin light purple fog rose from the noisy Rungno at daylight, 

 and spreading itself over the deep valley of this stream to the south of 

 the guard-house, had scarcely enveloped our gipsey-like encampment, 

 when the sun, rising in perfect splendour, instantly dispelled it. 



Not a drop of dew was formed at our encampment during the night. 

 The grass was quite dry and the standing hairs of my blanket tent were 

 without a globule. I do not understand this ; but will consult Hooker 

 about it. I very much wish that he was with me. We were on a 

 ridge half a mile lower down on the side of the spur, and all the way 

 to the Rungeet there was a heavy dew. 



The Pooah Hemp plant, Bcehmeria nivea, is very abundant, and 

 grows luxuriantly between the guard-house and the river. 



We started at ^ past 7 and had crossed 2 ponies by swimming, and 30 

 loaded men by a bamboo raft to the left bank of the Rungeet by ^ past 

 9. The cane bridge — elevation above the sea 1000 feet — is in a very 

 ricketty state indeed ; but I ordered the Badamtam Lepchas, who came 

 down to ferry our party, to remain there a couple of days, and repair 

 it. It was their duty under the old regime, Sikim Rajahs, to do this 

 annually, and it may well be the same for the future. The Lepchas are 

 expert enough ferrymen with the raft. It is made something like a 

 boat, but more like a wedge, for it is very wide and open behind. The 



* These particulars may be useful to future travellers. 



3 r 2 



