1852.] A Journey through Sikim. 479 



place and picturesquely situated on a gently sloping terrace covered 

 with grass, and having handsome clumps of Pines scattered over it. A 

 streamlet of clear water runs over a pebbly bottom meandering through 

 the village.* Lamteng consists of about 30 houses built of wood 

 and raised on posts four feet from the ground, with lath and plaister 

 walls neatly white-washed, or of a light blue colour. The roofs are 

 shingled, with rows of stones to keep them down, and the lower story 

 is generally walled in with stone, and used for goats, sheep and cattle. 

 The only cultivation was some turnips near the houses, and a little 

 buck-wheat higher up the hill. The inhabitants are all Bhotias, and 

 are at present engaged in tending their flocks of yaks and cows higher 

 up the valley. There was not a man, woman, or child left to look 

 after the houses. The doors were locked and sealed, the latter a 

 Thibetan custom. Lachen is the situation of a Phipun and of a 

 Lapun, two officers who manage the joint interests of the Sikim and 

 Thibet governments among the nomadic population of this valley. 

 The Lachen Bhotias graze their flocks over a great extent of country 

 in Thibet and Sikim, penetrating as far as Kambajong in Thibet to 

 the north, and descending to Dengaf in Sikim on the south. The 

 valley of the Lachen forming the cis-Himalyan portion of their beat 

 extends as far as Kongra Lama where the Sikim territory terminates ; 

 thence they go over the Thibetan wilds towards Geeree and Kamba- 

 jong wherever grass is procurable. These nomadic people, occupying 

 as they do both sides of this border, are equally subject to Thibet as to 

 Sikim. During the time they are in Thibet, or about half the year, 

 they pay for cattle grazing there, and the same while within the Sikim 

 border. Their payments are in curds, ghee and kine to Sikim ; to 

 Thibet they pay in shingles, bamboos, dye stuffs, and also in dairy 

 produce. The Thibetan influence is upon the whole much greater in 

 the Lachen valley than that of Sikim, although the territorial limits 

 are to the north of it, and not disputed now. The origin and con- 

 tinuance of this state of things between two contiguous states are 

 curious enough. It appears that a very long time ago a Phipun of 

 Lachen — in the service of Sikim — became indebted to the Lama of 



* Elevation of Lachen 9000 feet. The Pine clad mountain forming its back 

 ground is 1500 feet more. 



f Denga is three miles above Choongtam. 



3 p 2 



