292 THE SECOND HIMALAYAN JOUENEY 
But official obstruction began with the first functionary 
encountered, to be answered, as always, with patience and 
firmness, seasoned with good-humoured contempt. The fellow 
declared he had no orders ; the party must wait two days 
until word could be received from the Eajah. Confronted 
with the necessary permit, he apologised, but must mend 
the roads, and that would take two days. 
So [exclaims Hooker] these trumpery functionaries lie, 
cheat, and obstruct, and nothing but patience and cool 
contempt put them down. The moment I gather the con- 
tents of their long speeches from the preface, I cut them 
short with an answer which does not suit Bhotean idioms 
and fashions. 
The personal difficulties on the journey may be measured 
by the fact that whereas to the snows was reckoned a matter 
of twenty-five, or for a heavily laden party, thirty marches, 
in the event it took eighty-three days, from May 3 to July 24, 
to reach the Kongra Lama pass. On May 5, the next hint of 
obstruction on the part of a friend of the hostile Lassoo Kajee 
melted away after the arrival of the Tchebu Lama on his way 
to Darjiling, though the latter, who was to prove himself a 
faithful friend, was formally commissioned to say that the 
Eajah had wished the expedition to be postponed on account 
of his son's death. 
Now [comments Hooker] as the Eajah had not spoken 
to his son for sixteen years, I doubt his sorrow. The period 
of mourning is over, anyhow, and, as I told the Lama, it 
was all one to me, if Eajah, son, and family were to die 
together — that was no reason why I should not travel 
through his country. He promptly apologised for his 
Master, and wrote an order (of what use it is the sequel 
will show) that I was to pass on unmolested, till I met a 
guide from the Eajah. 
Five days later obstruction was renewed, but the tables 
were neatly turned on the obstructor. The Lama of Gorh, 
another underling of the Dewan's, having obstructed the roads 
and bridges overnight, officiously came forward as a guide. 
