REPORT 
ON 
A BOTANICAL TOUR IN SIKKIM, 
1892. 
I departed to collect botanical specimens in Sikkim and. on its 
frontiers on the 6th June 1892. As Mr. White, the Political Agent-, 
informed me that he would probably be at liberty to accompany me 
on a journey to the little known district of Lhonak, I arranged to 
meet him at Guntok in about six weeks’ time, when we should make 
the necessary arrangements for our travelling together. To my 
regret the exigencies of his appointment prevented him from 
carrying out his intention, and 1 was obliged to abandon the 
idea of going alone to Lhonak, as Mr. White considered it inadvis- 
able on my part to attempt it while important negotiations concern- 
ing the frontier were pending with the Tibetans.* 
He kindly forwarded to me parwanas written in Tibetan and 
addressed generally to the headmen of villages, ordering them to 
render me whatever assistance I required^; but it the same time he 
wisely advised me not to depend on procuring carriers or supplies 
from the inhabitants. His passports were of the utmost value to 
me on the rare occasions I had to avail myself of assistance from 
the villagers, a service these indolent people would have been loath 
to afford me had I not been supported by such indisputabJe autho- 
rity. As 1 had no hope of procuring supplies in the country^ 
I made thorough arrangements for food sufficient for all to be sent at 
intervals to different stations, regulating my movements in accord- 
ance with the planr laid down, thus, at all times, avoiding a possible 
scantiness of rations, which would have disheartened my men and 
caused their desertion, a most undesirable contingency. 
1 he slothful and improvident habits of the inhabitants prevent 
them from growing more grain than is actually necessary for their 
bare subsistence, a condition of affairs concomitant with their lack 
of mercantile enterprise, which is probably due to their isolation from 
the outer and more civilized world. 
Being thrown on my resources, and having permission from Mr. 
White to travel in any part of the country, excepting Lhonak and 
