274 TO DABJILING : FIEST HIMALAYAN JOUENEY 
more importance to me) I shall lose the famihar landmarks 
of mountains etc. by which I should easily map my route, 
had I gone through Sikkim. I carry, however, a good time- 
keeper of my own and another chronometer lent me by Major 
Crommelin, by which I shall be able to take Longitudes 
with accuracy sufficient to determine m}^ position approxi- 
mately. As the day closes at 6 p.m. there is plenty of time to 
observe the stars, during the clear nights which I hope are 
coming ; I say ' hope,' for October is called ' Darjeeling's 
Heavenly Month ' ; though it has been so rainy and cloudy 
up to the present time that I could not have started for the 
mountains, if permission had been granted, 4 weeks ago. 
Lideed the rains are not yet over : they are singularly late 
this year, which would have caused me heavy disappoint- 
ment if I had been allowed sooner to travel Northward. The 
double evils of want of earher permission, and of earlier 
fine w^eather, thus mitigate one another, on the principle, 
I suppose, that two Blacks do make a White, a neutral tint, 
at any rate. 
On October 27 the party set out, fifty-six strong, including 
body-servant, collectors, shooter, stuft'er, boys to climb trees 
and change the plant papers, and coohes, with Nimbo, the 
sturdy headman, and a Havildar in command of the escort, 
who carried additional weight of authority as being also tax- 
gatherer ox the district through which they were to pass ; 
returning to Darjeeling on January 19. It is interesting to 
note that the cost to Hooker was about £100. His friends 
pressed every assistance upon him. Campbell superintended 
the supplies for- the men ; there were personal stores from 
Hodgson, warm things from the Campbells ; while 
My friends, the Miillers, have rated my timekeepers, 
overhauled all my Instruments, furnished me with some 
capital tin boxes, and done more useful and necessary jobs 
for me than I can remember. They have also kindly 
promised to work out all my observations of Longitudes, 
Latitude and elevations, as I shall send them to Darjeeling. 
So you see I am admirably cared for, and have only the more 
to dread failure when so much kindness and trouble have 
been expended upon me. 
