DK. CAMPBELL ARRIVES 309 
better Plato (I think it was Plato ?) might have let his pupils 
eat their fill. A very large leech presented himself as the 
bell rang, to whom I did not refuse the rites of oriental 
hospitality, laying salt before him with alacrity. 
The servant I left here has caught some beautiful butter- 
flies and splendid beetles. I have rewarded him with fifteen 
shillings to buy a garnet-colored Bhothea cloak which is his 
[heart]-eating envy, and in which, with his long hair parted 
down the middle and beardless face, he looks like an auld 
wife at Kilmun Kirk. ... 
You will I fear think this a very childish letter, but 
really I have little news and can think of nothing but ' the 
Campbells are coming.' My little finger too is hurt and I 
cannot write much. 
Lachoong (village) : October 25, 1849. 
What do you think — we spent four days in Thibet ! 
in spite of Chinese guards, Dingpuns, Phipuns, Soubahs, 
and Sepas. It was a serious undertaking and required a 
combination of most favourable accidents, together with 
my previous acquaintance with the country, and a most 
indomitable share of resolution and boldness. Campbell 
has behaved splendidly, and diverted me by throwing all 
the sage precepts he sent me to the winds. He has frankly 
told me that he did not, could not, beheve the real nature of 
the opposition and ill-treatment I had received ; he had 
not been two days with me before he was storming and 
bullying right and left. The unfortunate Singtam Soubah, 
with whom at C.'s intercession I had kept such good friends, 
he gave no peace to, blackened his face, and sent him to the 
Durbar in disgrace. 
On arriving at Tungu an hour after C. I found him at a 
drawn battle with the Phipun, my arch-enemy, and quite 
astonished that the ruffian cared no more for himself than 
he did for me, or the Rajah, or anybody else under the sun. 
After fully weighing the possible consequences of 
breaking through the border and perhaps exposing the 
Rajah to menaces from China, &c., we determined to do 
it if possible, and we told the Border Chief that if he dared 
to oppose we would send a guard of Sepas from Darjiling 
to close the Pass. This threat, and promise of a present 
if we succeeded, got the man over, the Singtam Soubah 
VOL. I X 
