to a fine mass of slaty gneiss, thirty feet long and
thirteen high, lying on the mountain side: on its sloping
face was carved in enormous characters, “ Om Mani
Padmi om; ” of which letters the top-strokes afford an
uncertain footing to the enthusiast who is willing to
DO-MANI STONE.
purchase a good metempsychosis by walking along the
slope, with his heels or toes in their cavities. An
inscription in one comer is said to imply that this
was the work of a pious monk of Raklang; and the
stone is called “ Do-mani,” literally, «stone of prayer.”
The rocks of Mainom are said to overhang the
descent with grandeur; hut the continued rain hid
everything hut a curious peak, apparently of chlorite
schist, which was close by, and reflected a green colour:
it was reported to be of turquoise, and inaccessible.
Lower down, I passed the monastery of Neongong,
the monks of which were building a new temple; and
came to bring me a large present. Below it is a pretty
little lake about one hundred yards across, fringed with
brushwood. We camped at the village of Nampok, 4,370
feet above the sea; where on the following morning
a messenger arrived from Dr. Campbell, who told
me he was waiting breakfast; so I left my party, and,
accompanied by the Kajee and Meepo, hurried down to
the valley of the Rangoon (which flows east to the
Teesta), through a fine forest of tropical trees; passing
the villages of Broom* and Lingo, to the spur of that
name; where I was met by a servant of the Sikkim
Dewan, with a pony for my use. I stared at the
animal, and felt inclined to ask what he had to do here,
where it was difficult even to walk up and down
slippery slopes, amongst boulders of rock, heavy forest,
and foaming torrents; but I was little aware of what
these beasts could accomplish. The Tartar saddle was
imported from Tibet, and certainly a curiosity; once
but a long time ago—it must have been very handsome
; it was high-peaked, covered with shagreen and
silvered ornaments, wretchedly girthed, and with great
stirrups attached to short leathers. The bridle and
* On the ridge above Broom a tall stone is erected, covered with marks,
indicating the height of various individuals; there was hut one mark above
5 feet 7 inches, and that was six inches higher. I t turned out to be
Campbell's, who had passed a few days before, and was thus proved to top
the natives of Sikkim by a long way.