512 Journal of a trip to Sikim. [May, 



and thereby securing to himself the continuance of his ministry. These 

 are all and singly even sufficient to keep a new man, who rules his 

 fellows more by force of favoring circumstances than from superior 

 talents, on the qui vive ; and doubtless my affairs, as they are not very 

 pressing, are held inferior to any of his own. If furthering my 

 wishes could materially serve his own purposes, I might through him 

 acco'mplish something for the more satisfactory transaction of business 

 with Sikim ; but it is not so ; and if I do not see the Raja, or seeing 

 him, do not find that he is able or willing to amend matters, I must 

 wait for some other opportunity or try some other mode of bringing 

 this about. As it is, a great point has been lately gained in the permis- 

 sion to Dr. Hooker to return by Kunchinjinga, and by the facilities 

 given to my own travelling in Sikim. 



Bangsong, 16 th. — Heavy rain all last night. The river has risen a 

 little, and although its waters are still green they are turbid, and the 

 pace is quickened. It is always a matter of deep interest to me to 

 watch the endless current of a stream, however sluggish, to the insati- 

 able ocean. But the headlong course of mountain torrents, equally 

 unceasing, I can never look on without feelings of great wonder. How 

 is the rate of these currents ascertained : I have never met with any 

 observations to this end. 



While waiting for breakfast this morning I saw the Dewan, whose 

 house is close by, having his ponies trotted up and down, with their 

 grooms mounted, over a piece of rocky and rough ground just in front 

 of his door ; I joined him, and we talked of horses — a very favorite topic 

 with him, and of which he has some curious information ; — I asked if he 

 knew the Giangtchi breed of Thibet, which is a favorite with the chiefs 

 in Nipal, and if it was not a very good one ? He said, " I know 

 Giangtchi well, and the ponies you allude to, but they come from a long 

 way east of that place, although the Nipalese may perhaps buy them 

 there. They are very fine ones. There is a lake in their native district 

 out of which a noble stallion was produced by miraculous means. He 

 passed a season on its bank, and this is the origin of the celebrated 

 Giangtchi blood, and there is no better in Thibet." I remarked, " that 

 the bit in the mouth of a fine colt that the groom was awkwardly 

 shewing off was too severe, as it was bleeding." " Oh no," he replied, 

 "it is not his blood, it is what he has just been eating. Pigs blood, and 



