START OF THE SECOND JOURNEY 291 
immediate leave to Dr. Thomas Thomson, Hooker's old friend 
and fellow-student, the explorer of the North-western Hima- 
layas, to join in this Sikkim expedition. He had, indeed, 
three months' sick leave which he was ahout to take at Simla, 
but his regular six months' leave \vas not due till the autumn. 
This he planned to claim immediately after rejoining his 
regiment in the Punjaub, and so share the final trip to Assam 
and the Khasia HiHs. 
A start was made on May 3, with a larger travelling camp 
than originally expected. 
They are 42 in all ; 10 are soldiers, 5 are Hodgson's 
shooters, &c., 10 are Lepchas of my own, the rest Sikkim 
Bhoteas. Only two or three have ever been to the Snows, 
but all seem active, willing, and cheerful. 
From his second camp he writes further : 
Everything promises happily for the success of this 
my present expedition, thanks to Hodgson and Campbell, 
whose kindness exceeds all I can describe. How far I may 
be able to proceed is very problematical, for the best 
collection of charts and routes will not reveal to me whither 
I am going. The soldiers inspire confidence in my people, 
and that is all I want. My own followers appear excellent 
fellows. To-day they accompanied me in a march which 
tired even my unloaded self, and though the weather is 
terribly hot, they uttered not a murmur. 
The villagers everyw^here showed themselves kind and civil. 
I have just been accosted by an enormously fat Lama, 
with a grand present of eggs, &c. The kindness of these 
simple mountaineers is very grateful, and their civil speeches 
quite graceful. They hope you will not fall ill, are sorry 
theii- roads are so indifferent, apologise for not bringing 
fowls (the priests say this) ' because they must not take 
life ' — say they will hear of your progress in safety with 
pleasure, and hope to see you en route home again, to stay 
with them. A small joke convulses them with laughter, 
and the expected ' backsheesh ' is always received with many 
thanks. 
