502 Journal of a trip to Sikim. [May, 



about giving me a proper reception at the Durbar, and many profes- 

 sions of friendship, beginning as usual with the "ancient alliance," and 

 ending with the unalterable nature of it for the future. I was most 

 amiable and acquiescent in all this, and to the expressed anxiety about 

 my reception, I merely said that whatever the Maharaja might think 

 worthy of himself on the occasion would be quite satisfactory to me. 

 It was then agreed that as it would be necessary, according to the Dewan, 

 to refer to the Raja before I went to see His Highness, and as this 

 would take some days, I should go on a trip to the north along the 

 Teesta, and return whenever the Dewan should send after me to say 

 that the preparations for crossing the river were completed. He then, 

 appointed three men to accompany me as guides and cicerones, and I 

 started, the Dewan coming with me as far as the Raja's orange garden, 

 where he had a basket full plucked and presented to me. 



We talked of shooting hare, when the Dewan gave me a broad hint 

 for a gun. He examined mine, a borrowed one by the way, and also 

 a pair of pistols, with which he made me show off my firing at a 

 mark, and then tried it himself. We parted in mutual good humour : 

 at least I was very well pleased to get away from the ghat for further 

 travel, and he said he was well pleased at meeting me. I have not the 

 smallest dependence on any thing he said. He is the most deceptive, 

 and lying, of all the faithless Sikim chiefs and officials. He will mar 

 my purposed visit to the Raja if he can. 



We started at ^ past 8 a. m. and arrived at Kedong at 2 o'clock ; all 

 hands up and fairly tired. It is the severest march I have yet made 

 in the hills, although far from being the longest. The general direction 

 is north. 



We came principally in the bed of the Teesta to the junction of the 

 Romphup, a western feeder running due east. This took us an hour. 

 Then up the bed of this stream for a mile or so, crossed it over on 

 bamboos, and commenced the ascent of Lingkeang, a shoulder of 

 Sungdampoong, which we attained after 3 hours and half hard work ; 

 it is almost perpendicular ; the road, so to call it, is the very narrowest, 

 and in many places it is rather alarming from the immense dip of 

 rock on the lower side. In many of the narrowest places a slip would 

 be inevitably fatal. No ponies to-day ; left them at the ghat, and it is 

 well, I did so ; and none of the coolies carry more than 20 seers, which 

 is just the load for easy and fast travelling. 



