410 A Journey through Sikim. [No. 5. 



till October, when it is very pleasant and the grazing is good. The 

 habitable and culturable portions of Eastern Thibet are all to the 

 North of Dingcham, and are confined to the narrow vallies of the 

 streams and rivers ; those portions are probably nowhere of greater 

 elevation than 14,000 feet, and require irrigation from the rivers to 

 produce crops. I infer 14,000 feet to be the upper limit of the cultura- 

 ble elevation in Eastern Thibet from the barrenness of Dingcham at 

 elevations of 16,000 feet and under, and because there is a considerable 

 descent from that elevation to the nearest cultivation to the North. I 

 am afraid, however, to touch on these difficult and important points of 

 enquiry with the little personal observation I have had in Thibet. At 

 the time of my journey and since, I have collected information 

 on various subjects connected with that country, which I may arrange 

 at a future time, and I have a very curious Map of the country 

 compiled by Natives who had travelled as Lamas and Merchants over 

 the greater part of it. With this explanatory introduction I must 

 leave the Diary to speak for itself, adding that the result of my local 

 enquiries fully confirmed my previous suspicions, that all the obstruc- 

 tions to Dr. Hooker were instigated, and directed by the Raja's Dewan, 

 in opposition to the Raja's wishes. The same evil influence was set on 

 foot to prevent my having access to the Raja to procure explanation, 

 and ended in violence to Dr. Hooker and myself with imprisonment 

 and disgraceful usage. As on my former journey in 1848, I was 

 everywhere received and treated with the utmost kindness and respect 

 by all classes of the Sikim people, and even in our confinement I 

 received numerous proofs of friendly feeling from old acquaintances 

 who thereby risked the grave displeasure of the Dewan, who was 

 dreaded and detested by all the Raja's loyal subjects, and they are nine 

 hundred and ninety -nine out of every thousand in Sikim. 



Diary. 



Namgialachi, September 25th, 1849. 



Having despatched my baggage and six weeks' supply of rice, &c. 

 for my people to this place, 24 miles, 3 days in advance, I quitted 

 Darjeeling this morning at \ past 5 a.m. It was a lovely morning. 

 Ther. 62° in the house. As I reached the " Dell Corner," the view 

 was as beautiful as it was novel to me although I have lived 10 years 



