when the inhabitants are obliged from famine to change
their habitations in winter, the old and feeble are
frozen to death, standing and resting their chins on
their staves; remaining as pillars of ice, to fall only
when the thaw of the ensuing spring commences.
We remained several days at Bhomsong, awaiting
an interview with the Bajah, whose movements the
Dewan kept shrouded in mystery. On Dr. Campbell’s
arrival a week before, he found messengers waiting
to inform him that the Bajah would meet him here,;
this being half way between Dorjiling and Tumloong.
Thenceforward every subterfuge was resorted to by
the Dewan to frustrate the meeting; and even after
the arrival of the Bajah on the east hank, the Dewan
communicated with Dr. Campbell by shooting across
the river arrows to which were attached letters,
containing every possible argument to induce him to
return to Dorjiling; such as that the Bajah was sick at
Tumloong, that he was gone to Tibet, that he had
a religious fast and rites to perform, &c. &c.
One day we walked up the Teesta to the Bumphiup
river, a torrent from Mainom mountain to the west;
the path led amongst thick jungles of palm, prickly
rattan canes, and a screw-pine, called “ Borr,” which
has a straight, often forked, palm-like trunk, and an
immense crown of grassy, saw-edged leaves, four feet
long; it bears clusters of uneatable fruit as large as a
man’s fist, and their similarity to the pine-apple has
suggested the name of “ Borr ” for the latter fruit also,
which has for many years been cultivated in Sikkim,
and yields indifferent produce. Beautiful pink balsams
covered the ground, but at this season few other showy
plants were in flower.
Messengers from the Dewan overtook us at the river
to announce that the Bajah was waiting to give us a
reception; so we returned, and crossed on the.
bamboo-raft. As it is the custom on these occasions
to exchange presents, I was supplied with some red
cloth and beads; these, as well as Dr. Campbell’s
present, should only have been delivered during or
after the audience, but our wily friend the Dewan
here played us a very shabby trick; for he managed
that our presents should be brought in before our
appearance, thus giving to the by-standers the impression
of our being tributaries to his Highness!
The audience chamber was a mere roofed shed of
neat bamboo wattle, about twenty feet long: two Bho-,
teas in scarlet jackets, and with bows in their hands,
Stood on each side of the door, and our own chairs
were carried before us for our accommodation. Within
was a square wicker throne, six feet high, covered
with purple silk, brocaded with dragons in white and
gold, and overhung by a canopy of tattered blue silk,
with which material part of the walls also was covered.
An oblong box (containing papers) with gilded dragons
on it, was placed on the stage or throne, and behind this
was perched cross-legged, an odd, black, insignificant
looking old man, with twinkling upturned eyes: he
was swathed in yellow silk, and wore on his head a
pink silk hat with a flat broad crown, from all sides of
which hung floss silk. This was the Bajah, a genuine
Tibetan, about seventy years old. On some steps