1862.] Journal of a trip in the Sikkim Himalaya. 4G5 
ers, however, they soon became reconciled and appeared to take 
considerable interest in our culinary operations. 
Our host had been a cripple for twenty-two years from the effects of 
a hatchet cut, but this did not deter him from soliciting medicine to 
cure him. The females all left before we turned in for the night, but 
mine host remained and drank whiskey toddy which made him very 
restless all night. We had most of us become very bad sleepers, and 
very little disturbed us, so what with mine host passing in and out 
and the fighting and incessant squeaking of young pigs under the 
floor, we got very little sleep. 
As this is the last village towards the snow, the coolies wanted a 
halt which was not conceded. Before starting we purchased three 
maunds of rice, four fowls and some eggs, and distributed some glass 
beads and buttons amongst the members of our host’s family, and 
presented a metallic snuff box to the Doobdee Llama, from whom 
we bought a yak for 12 Rupees. We left Eksum at 9.30. The first 
part of the road was good, but it soon became very bad. It lay along 
the side of an almost precipitous hill, where a false step would often 
have precipitated the traveller many feet headlong down the kudd 
towards the Ratong, the roaring of whose waters below was very 
audible. At 11 A. M., we passed the beautiful water-falls of Bara- 
barong, dashing headlong down a precipice over immense blocks of 
gneiss in situ. The water was clear as crystal. 
The ascent on the opposite side was very difficult: we were some¬ 
times obliged to scramble upon all fours, at others to mount by steps 
cut in upright posts, or along saplings slung over precipitous parts. 
In a few places the yak herdsmen have cut foot-steps in the solid 
rock for the convenience of travellers, who would often find it diffi¬ 
cult to proceed without such assistance. The hills are very precipi¬ 
tous, as is the case in all the back ranges near the snow in Sikkim. 
The range on which we were, was thickly covered with forest trees and 
underwood, it was only occasionally we obtained a peep at the noble 
capped mountain across the Ratong. We encamped in a very jung¬ 
ly place in the midst of forest, at a spot called Joaboo, near a small 
mountain torrent. We wished to go on a little further to Neebee, but 
were prevented, for want of water at that place. Although the whole 
distance was not more than seven miles, the march was a fatiguing one 
for’the baggage coolies who arrived late in the evening. We all 
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