516 Journal of a trip to Sikim. [May, 



accompanied by the Gantoke Kaji, and 3 or 4 other minor Sirdars, and 

 had an escort of a dozen Lepchas armed with muskets, and dressed in 

 long scarlet jackets, conical caps with the peacock feather in front, and 

 black cross and pouch belts. The party looked very striking crossing the 

 river on the bamboo raft manned by half a dozen wild looking Lepcha 

 ferrymen. The raft here is pulled straight across the stream. There 

 is a rope of 4 or 5 ratans stretched across, and fixed on either bank, by 

 which the ferrymen pull the raft. 



This is quicker than the plan on the Rungeet, where it is pulled 

 across by a party on each side with attached ropes. In this way the 

 raft is each time carried some way down the stream and has to be pulled 

 up to the landing place. The ferrymen here and on all the ghats of 

 the Teesta are so by an hereditary tenure. They can reckon 100 years 

 of it here, from father to son. They get no pay, nor any ferry fees, 

 but they are exempt from payments of all kinds, whether in money, 

 grain or other service. All the ferries are exempt from transit duties 

 on merchandise, &c. except the Katong one, and there although the 

 levy is irregular in amount, it is not heavy. It is generally taken in 

 kind on goods. 



The system of Begarree (unpaid carriage labour) is the law of Sikim 

 everywhere, and it is managed on a plan by no means harrassing to 

 the people. There are fixed stages beyond which the people are not 

 expected to travel, and they do not generally exceed two days' journey 

 with a load. A man is therefore rarely more than 3 or 4 days at a 

 time away from his home on these occasions ; but he has to provide 

 his own food, and the frequency of the calls upon him are quite uncer- 

 tain. 



This has been a very busy day indeed at the ferry. All the provi- 

 sions for the Raja's party are sent by the Dewan from this side, and all 

 the people from the country between the Teesta and the Rungeet, as 

 well as westwards to the Nipal frontier, are flocking in to make their 

 salaams to the Raja. It saves them a longer trip to the Durbar ; be- 

 sides it is a great novelty to find his Highness in this part of his terri- 

 tory, which he has not approached since 1837-8, when he met Colonel 

 Lloyd at the Took Sampoo, 30 miles or so, south of this. 



The provisions do not look very tempting as they pass by, but 

 Bhotia cookery may do much for them. They consist of great sides 



