494 Journal of a trip to Sikim. [May, 



also ; almost all the chiefs of the country, the priesthood generally, and 

 the people, as far as they care at all about the matter, were strongly in 

 favor of Tubgain Lama's succession, and they carried the point, he 

 being nothing loath ; but he required a dispensation from the Pope at 

 Lassa to enable him to resume secular pursuits, and to marry. This 

 was sometime ago obtained, and the marriage is the first result. 



There was great feasting, and some rejoicing ; all the chiefs of fitting 

 degree, amounting it is said to 150, were entertained by the Raja for 

 18 days, the proper period, from the Royal Kitchen, and served in a 

 large hall ; the chief minister, and the Lama of Pemiongchi presiding. 



As I was starting this morning the Meboo* of Namchi, came with a 

 letter to me from the Raja, which he said he had received during the 

 night, and that it was the Raja's wish that I should stay at Namchi 

 for sometime, or go on to Burmeok, one march, and stay there. Thus 

 advised of the probable contents of the letter, I told the Meboo I 

 would take it on with me to Temi, and read it there, and as some of 

 my people had started on that road, I should do so too rather than go 

 by Burmeok. I was lead to this by a feeling amounting almost to 

 certainty that it was a plan to delay me, and it has so turned out, for 

 I hear that two officers are gone from the Durbar to that place to meet 

 me, and endeavour to put obstacles in the way of my journey. Under 

 what pretext, I do not know, nor do I desire the knowledge. I bade 

 good bye to the Meboo, and gave \ and \ anna pieces to some old 

 women and children, who brought me eggs, fowls, and some rice. 



Namphok right bank of Teesta, 8th December. — Was up, and 

 dressed before sunrise, and if not rewarded for my vigilance by 

 any new and grander view of the snows, I was so fully by the 

 prospect up the valley of the Teesta, and by the gradual illumina- 

 tion of the snowy peaks at its source.f An hour later, and from a 

 point above and another below Temi, I had a fine view of Kunchin- 

 jinga, and of a peak which is not visible from Darjeeling. It is E. of 

 the highest points of Kunchin, and appears to be behind it. It may 

 be Biddulph's Pundeem, which was seen from Changachiling, and which 

 is not "Waugh's peak of that name. The mountain of Mainomchoo 

 shuts out the full view to the base of the E. faces of the Kunchin 



* Officer of Police. 



*f* See entries in this journal of the 12th, for these peaks. 



