1852.] A Journey through Si Jam. 407 



Diary of a Journey through Sikim to the Frontiers of Thibet. — By 

 Br. A. Campbell, Superintendent of Darjeeling — with a Map. 

 (Communicated by Sir James Colvile, Kt.) 



In 1848, I made a journey into Sikim ; a Journal of my trip was 

 published in the Journal of the Asiatic Society for May 1849. The 

 Map which accompanied that paper, although it contained a good deal of 

 the Geography of Sikim previously unknown, was altegether inaccurate 

 in the Northern districts, which I had not then visited. I now give the 

 completion of a tour of Sikim with Geographical notices of the proxi- 

 mate parts of Thibet, and hope that it may be acceptable. 



The journey here detailed was performed in September, October, 

 and November, 1849, in company with Dr. J. D. Hooker, R. N., who 

 was then on a Botanical Mission from the British Government to the 

 East Indies. Dr. Hooker having obtained the permission of the 

 Governor-General, Lord Dalhousie, to travel in Sikim, and the Raja of 

 that country having agreed to facilitate his journey to the passes which 

 divide his territory from Thibet, left Darjeeling early in the month of 

 May in the expectation of reaching the Northern Frontier of Sikim by 

 the end of the same month, and returning before the setting in of the 

 heavy rains in July. He had, however, not gone more than a few 

 marches when the most vexatious obstructions were put in the way of 

 his advance by the local officers along the route, encouraged thereto 

 by the Singtam Soobah, the officer appointed by the Raja's Dewan to 

 attend upon him to facilitate his journey and his researches !* His 

 plant collectors were threatened and misdirected ; the people along 

 his route were prohibited from furnishing him with supplies ; attempts 

 were made to convince him that he had reached the Thibet frontier 

 soon after he passed Choongtam when he was 30 miles from it, and he 

 was repeatedly told that an attack by Thibetan Troops and a tramp to 

 Pekin would be the result of his further progress. In short, every 

 effort that bullying and falsehood could devise was made to drive him 

 from his purpose, but ineffectually ; for although he and his people 

 were reduced to living on wild spinage and arum roots, the Sikimites 



* This man was expressly selected by the Dewan for the purpose of defeating 

 the object in view, and to the end was his zealous co-adjutor in preventing access 

 to the Raja and the adoption of more friendly conduct. 



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