242 JOUKNEY TO THE KYMOEE HILLS 
even the forthcoming expedition to the rich botanical fields 
of Sikkim included the hope of discovering a trade route to 
Tibet if the result of war with China were to be the opening 
up of direct relations with the Forbidden Ijand, still under 
Chinese suzerainty. 
At the same time the personal friendship with Lord Dal- 
housie enabled him to send in a memorial regarding the ex- 
cessive cost of postage and travel, the destruction of timber, 
and the need of drawing up a good Indian Materia Medica. 
Further extracts from letters to his aunt Ellen (Mrs. 
Jacobson), and to his sister Ehzabeth, give some lively impres- 
sions of Oriental travel. 
To Mrs. Jacohson 
I often think of my cousins, little Willie and Mary, when 
perched on the top of my elephant ; or Avhen I am struck by 
the peculiarities of this far foreign land. Many things are 
interesting, thi'ough their novelty : others are of a deeply 
melancholy natm'e, too much so to be pleasing. The elephant 
is always an agreeable animal ; he is so docile and gentle, 
when properly tamed ; and though to ride on a pad on his 
back is somewhat akin to being tossed in a blanket, one soon 
becomes accustomed to the motion. Every morning, after 
he has breakfasted heartily on a stone and a half, or two 
stone, of boiled rice, relished with large boughs of Fig-trees, 
the elephant is led to my tent to be mounted. A little active 
Mohammedan driver sits on his broad neck, and directs his 
movements by poking his own toes behind either ear, accord- 
ing to the way he desires to turn the beast. He carries a 
goad, a short spear of iron, which he sticks into the poor 
elephant's head, if lazy, or inflicts a pat with it which would 
lay Willy's skull open. When the order is issued to ' hutt,' 
elephant drops on his knees ; and I climb up, by getting on a 
hoof and holding by the tail, or with ropes. Or I accom- 
plish the ascent by stepping upon a tusk and gripping at the 
broad ear. At the word of command, he rises, and walks 
off, at the rate of 6-8 miles an hour, his broad hoofs crushing 
the soft soil as he boldly tramps along. If the road be 
stony, he picks his way with great care, placing the hind 
hoof in the exact place from which he has lifted the fore one : 
he is a tender-footed beast, and cannot travel far or fast upon 
