322 LAST DAYS IN SIKKBI 
made at once I returned to my plants at Darjiling, but 
expect to be summoned down very soon again nov\^. No 
opposition of any kind was made to us, and I doubt if there 
will be any, so you need be under no alarm on my account. 
Under any circumstances it appeared to me so clearly my 
duty to undertake the service that I did so without any 
hesitation and have no fear for the result. Except Campbell 
and myself no one knows anything of the country, and hence 
the marching of the troops without good guidance would 
be most unadvisable. Campbell is so much the aggrieved 
party that he could not with propriety go to attack the 
Eajah's country ; I, on the other hand, have no ill-will (nor 
has C. for that matter), the people, I know, are friendly to 
and fully trust me, they would far rather make overtures to 
me than to soldiers with guns in their hands, and with the 
heartiest desire and determination to bring things to a peace- 
ful issue if possible, I do hope my presence may be useful. 
The orders at present are to march to Tumlong and 
occupy the capital, for the Eajah refuses to give himself up 
or to offer any adequate concessions for his conduct. Many 
of the people I know from private sources are all ready and 
willing to come over to DarjHing, and only want om' assurance 
that they will not be molested to gi'ant a peaceful march 
to our soldiers. This they now have and appreciate. The 
Dewan has only thirty men to oppose us with and they 
will not help him, the Eajah has no army nor is he trying to 
raise one, so that he will probably flee at our approach. 
It is said that the Eajah has sought succour from Thibet, 
and has received for answer that he has only got his deserts.^ 
^ The expedition was abandoned, because the general, from his experience of 
the Nepaul campaign, reported the country as 'impracticable for British troops.' 
In 1861 another punitive expedition was organised against the same Rajah 
for acts of violence and aggression on our territory. A staff officer engaged 
on this campaign wrote afterwards to the Standard (August 13, 18G2) apropos 
of Hooker's military services : 
'In 1859-60, on my way between Calcutta and Darjeeling, I studied Dr. 
Hooker's most interesting and valuable work, Himalayan Journals, which I 
found to be a most perfect stafiE officer's report, containing accurate informa- 
tion on every point that could be useful to the commander of an expedition, 
regarding hills, valleys, elevations, distances, rocks, soil, trees, vegetation, roads, 
rivers, bridges, productions, inhabitants, their character, climate, seasons, &c., 
and accompanied moreover by an excellent sketch map, which the government 
copied and furnished for our use. 
' For the time that the force was in the field the work was as hard as ha3 
ever been performed bj- any force ; but the rapidity of its movements and the 
