TO TAZEDO, ON THE CHINESE FRONTIER, 515 



the traveller's resting place, in a good brick-building. This stage here 

 and there exhibits signs of cultivation and population. 



6th Stage, of three cos, to Chanshing. Twenty paces in advance of 

 Churku are three brick houses of two-stories and thatched, built by the 

 Nepal government, for the double purpose of protecting travellers and 

 levying customs. Several grain merchants reside in these houses, and 

 also one Subadar, two Jemadars, and sixty soldiers, whose duty is to pro- 

 tect trade and levy tolls. Each merchant pays five rupees Mahendra malli, 

 (name of Nepal rupee, which is worth thirteen annas). The whole of 

 this stage is along the shoulders of mountains, with here and there a vil- 

 lage and some cultivation. Chanshing, the name of the halting place, is 

 derived from two Bhotiya words, meaning wood and spirituous liquors — 

 whereby hangs the following tale : — A wealthy resident of the spot took 

 it into his head to have a huge vase constructed, the top of which he 

 closed with wood, and made a hole on the side of it. This vessel he kept 

 filled with liquor, and whenever a traveller passed by, he uncorked the 

 vent on the side of the vase, and caused the traveller to drink his fill 

 gratis. Such is the tale. 



7th Stage, of two cos, to Kangld. The road is one unbroken ascent, 

 terminated by a village called Kangld. Here, by the road side, is a large 

 stone fixed, which it is the custom for the traveller to strike heavily with 

 another stone, as a notice to the villagers of his arrival. The villagers, 

 upon notice thus obtained, immediately come forth to serve and entertain 

 the traveller. 



8th Stage, of ten cos, to Dum — a toilsome repetition of ascents and 

 descents. After a descent of three cos, you come to a river, which is 

 crossed by a huge plank thrown over the stream. This river is the 

 boundary of the Nepal territory towards Bhote. On the Nepal side of 



