412 A Journey through Sikim. [No. 5. 



The trees and underwood soon shut him from my sight, but for a 

 minute and more I heard the horrid crashing sound as he bounded 

 along to his untimely end. The men who were behind me soon 

 came up and slid down in search of him. It was half an hour ere 

 they returned. When they reached him he was stone dead, lying 

 against a large rock the blood flowing from his nostrils, and his back 

 broken ; — poor Bhotia ! Nine years long you were my steady and 

 willing steed ! 



Walked the last 3 miles in a hot sun but reached this at 2 p. m. 

 Found a good house prepared for me by the Cheeboo Lama, Vakeel of 

 the Sikim Raja who had preceded me, and met with due attention 

 from the Raja's people. Thermometer 72° at 2 p. m., 68° at 6 p. m. 



The forest around this place is now in full and varied foliage ; very 

 many trees are in flower, and the orange-blossomed Erisina makes a 

 great shew. Just around my door are Oaks, Chesnuts in flower and 

 fruiting, Wormwood, Hypericum, Osbeckia, Holly, Magnolia in flower, 

 besides many handsome plants unknown to me by name. 



Close below me there are fine crops of Tugmaar rice in full ear, 

 but not ripe, and Murnea, Kodso, and Indian corn nearly ripe. The 

 first crop of rice, the Zorug variety which is grown lower down, has 

 been cut and stored. 



Temiy 26th September. 



Left Namgialachi at -7 a. m. and arrived here at 2 p. m. by which 

 I reckon the distance to be 14 miles. Road very bad, and in many 

 places ancle-deep in sticky clay, or black peaty earth. Tried a chair, 

 which is a tolerable substitute for a good poney, and no more. 



The Raja's people here are civil ; a good house has been put at my 

 disposal ; small supplies and other assistance have been offered and 

 accepted. The house is a Bhotia one ; a notice of its style will suffice 

 once for all on this journey. It consists of one large room 50 feet by 

 24, the floor raised 5 feet from the ground, well planked and supported 

 on massive squared posts and beams. The walls are of close bamboo 

 matting, the ceiling, of close laid straight bamboos an inch in diameter, 

 looks very neat, it is laid on scanted cross beams 8 feet apart. 

 The roof of bamboo thatch projects 7 feet, giving a verandah all round. 



The Teesta at " Look Sampoo," is in sight from Temi the water of 

 a very dirty greyish-green colour like soap suds. Badong, on the 



