498 Journal of a trip to Sikim. [May, 



At \ past 9 reached " Neh $" the last part of the ascent to the ridge 

 of this spur is excessively steep, and the path is overhung by a pre- 

 cipice as steep as the one on its lower side. The top of this pass is 

 celebrated as the place whence the Goorkhas were driven back in their 

 conquest of Sikim to the Teesta. 



The Sikimites made a gallant stand here, rolled stones, and flew 

 vallies of poisoned arrows at the enemy and succeeded in driving them 

 back to Brom, which was the furthest point on the Teesta attained by 

 them, and they never crossed it. It is 61 years since this event, i. e. 

 it occurred in A. D. 1787. 



The father of my interpreter, who for the remainder of this trip 

 will be called " the Kaji," commanded the Sikimites on that occasion, 

 and his son, although by no means disposed to be a warrior, is very 

 proud of it, and well he may be. The annals of Sikim have no doubt 

 their Wallaces and Bruces, if one could get at them. There is a Men- 

 dong at Neh, smaller than the Namchi one, and an upright stone 

 against which travellers measure themselves and cut their mark on its 

 edge ; I overtopped all the marks by a very long chalk ; at least 6 

 inches. 



The maximum stature in Sikim does not exceed 5 feet 7. From 

 Neh there is an easy descent to the Sungkoom, a feeder of the Teesta 

 from the west, and after crossing a narrow spur the road descends to, 

 and crosses the Mungshing. At \ past 111 had headed the line a 

 good way, reached Turboling, from which there was a fine view up the 

 Teesta terminated by snowy peaks ; crossed the Bunnett at \ past 1 2, a 

 rapid and large feeder of the Teesta ; and arrived at this ground, 

 Bangsong, soon after.* 



The Teesta has a cane suspension bridge over it here ; it is a good 

 deal larger than the Bungeet, beautifully green but turbid and not very 

 violently rapid. Its roar however is somewhat deafening, as I now 

 write, and have to shout to my people instead of speaking. Water 



* I pushed on ahead of my people in the hope of getting across the Teesta and 

 on to the Durbar before the Dewan arrived at the ghat, to perplex, delay and thwart 

 my purposes, as I expected he would ; but he was there before me, although he 

 concealed himself ; and when I came to the cane bridge I found its end fastenings 

 loosened, so that an attempt to cross on it would have been certain death ; I then 

 went on to the Ferry, and here I found the raft moored on the other side. 



