508 Journal of a trip to Sikim. [May, 



the precipice to which they could attach a rope, and thereby descend 

 to the hives, as is the fashion to do in like cases. These were the large 

 black bees of Sikim, with a little yellow below the wings. They are 

 called " Vott" by the Lepchas, " Piabeany" by the Bhotiahs. Their 

 honey is pretty good ; the quantity of wax they yield is very large. 

 The small bee of these hills is like the English one. The Lepchas call 

 it " Hoo," the Bhotiahs " Seviang." Its honey is very fine, — its wax 

 very little. The honey of both species is intoxicating while the white 

 Rhododendron is in flower, and they feed on it, i. e. in April and May. 

 The Pupa of both, as well as of a very large black hornet with yellow 

 head, are much prized as a delicacy in Sikim. 



Bangsong y on the Teesta, 14th. — We arrived here from Kedong at 

 11a. m., having started at ^ past 7. It was very pleasant to tread the 

 bit of level road near the ghat, after 4 days of incessant climbing and 

 descending, not to speak of sleeping off the level ; for the Machan is 

 always higher at one end, and mine on this occasion had by no means 

 an even surface, being made of sticks instead of bamboos. I have 

 pitched my little camp in the Raja's orange grove, and cleared the jun- 

 gle that shut out the view of the river. It is a fine spot of 2 acres, or 

 so, quite level ; the river rolling in front, and Sungdam rising precipi- 

 tously behind it to 6,000 feet at least. On my arrival the Dewan met 

 me, and took me to the house he has fitted up for his quarters. His 

 reception was polite, and almost kind. His enquiries about my trip 

 very amusing. Why or wherefore I went such a road without direct 

 necessity he could not yet understand ; nor could he at all sympathise 

 with me in my expression of pleasure at what I saw. The end of the 

 house was fitted with a bench raised about a foot, on which was spread 

 a rug of soft carpetting, blue and white, and of Chinese or Thibetan 

 manufacture. On this he insisted I should sit alone, he taking another 

 carpet on my right hand, and some paces down the room. Between us 

 on the floor were his devotional implements, and on the bench beside 

 him a Thibetan dagger with silver handle, and an English pistol. The 

 walls were hung round with white and coloured furs and sheep skins, 

 China satin bukoos, (cloaks), a shield, and 4 or 5 enormous China 

 hats of white straw, or matting, lined with blue silk and studded over 

 with worked silk figures of butterflies, &c. About a dozen dirty 

 brawny fellows in blue or purple long woollen wrappers, loitered out 



