628 Notes upon a Tour in the Sikhim Himalayali Mountains. [No. 7. 



girl was dressed in a pretty coloured petticoat with two cross belts 

 of cloth covered with cowrie-shells thrown across her shoulders, from 

 which depended on the back two skirts almost touchiDg the ground 

 and fringed with the teeth of the wild boar, deer, and bear, the 

 dried heads and beaks of a handsome bird, of the scarlet pheasant, 

 and other birds heads, seeds, pheasants spurs, and bears claws, and 

 her head was ornamented with long cocks' tail feathers. The dance, 

 which was a slow monotonous shuffle at first, increased in spirit as 

 the drums beat louder, the girl moviDg gracefully to the time faster 

 and faster until she got into a perfect frenzy, wheeling round the 

 room and the fire places at a fearful pace, the men's heads keeping 

 time to her dance ; shouts, and beating of drums increased the girl's 

 pace until unable to controul herself, she dashed into the midst of a 

 large fire that was burning in the middle of the room, and with her 

 naked feet sent the fire flying all over the room, nor were her hands 

 idle, for she commenced tearing down a hanging frame-work upon 

 which all the household cooking apparatus and property is generally 

 slung ; the women of the house rushed forward to save their pro- 

 perty, the men to put out the burning brands ; all was uproar and 

 confusion during which moment we slipped out. The next morning 

 I sent for the little dancing maniac, she came in full dress, but was 

 as demure and quiet as any Limboo damsel possibly could be. I 

 examined her dress, and marvelled how so slight a creature could 

 dance, and at such a pace with the enormous weight of cowries and 

 cloth that encumbered her body. 



August 15th, 1852. — Four hours' quick walking in an easterly direc- 

 tion through forest, brought us to the summit of the Pemionchi 

 mountain. 



At 10 a. m. we reached the monastery of Chanachelling, or as the 

 Lepchas call it Sanachelling. It is a remarkable and curious look- 

 ing stone building three stories high, pierced with doors and win- 

 dows, ornamented with paint, horse-hair curtains, hanging balconies 

 and flights of stone stairs. The southern side faces a garden which 

 is enclosed by a stone wall, beyond which are several handsome 

 chaitans or stone monuments. The goompa or monastery is thatched, 

 the edges of the thatch are secured by long ratans being tied to it 

 at all points and pegged into the ground ; this is to guard against 



