was, moreover, all but a dependant of the British
government, and it was supposed, would therefore be
glad to facilitate my researches.
No part of the snowy Himalaya eastward of the
north-west extremity of the British possessions had
been visited since Turner’s embassy to Tibet in 1789;
and hence it was highly important to explore scientifically
a part of the chain which from its central position
might be presumed to be typical of the whole range.
The possibility of visiting Tibet, and of ascertaining
particulars respecting the great mountain Chumulari,
which was only known from Turner’s account, were
additional inducements to a student of physical
geography; but it was not then known that Kinchin-
junga, the loftiest known mountain on the globe, was
situated on my route, and formed a principal feature
in the physical geography of Sikkim.
My passage to Egypt was provided by the Admiralty
in H. M. steam-vessel “ Sidon,” destined to convey
the Marquis of Dalhousie, Governor-General of India,
thus far on his way. On his arrival in Egypt, his
Lordship did me the honour of desiring me to consider
myself in the position of one of his suite, for the
remainder of the voyage, which was performed in the
“ Moozuffer,” a steam frigate belonging to the Indian
Navy.
During the passage out, some days were spent in
Egypt, at Aden, Ceylon, and Madras. I have not
thought it necessary to give here the observations
made in those well-known countries ; they are detailed
in a series of extracts published in the “ London
Journal of Botany,” from letters written to my private
friends. Arriving at Calcutta in January, I passed the
remainder of the cold season in making myself
acquainted with the vegetation of the plains and hills
of Western Bengal, south of the Ganges, by a journey
across the mountains of Birbhoom and Behar to the
Soane valley, and thence over the Yindhya range to
the Ganges, at Mirzapore, whence I descended that
stream to Bhaugulpore; and leaving my boat, I then
struck north to the Sikkim Himalaya.
In the course of this narrative, I shall give a sketeh
of the rise, progress, and prospects of the Sanatarium,
or Health-station of Dorjiling, and of the anomalous
position held by the Sikkim Rajah. The latter circumstance
led indirectly to the detention of Dr.
Campbell, the superintendent of Dorjiling (who joined
me in one of my journeys), and myself, by a faction of
the Sikkim court, for the purpose of obtaining from
the Indian Government a more favourable treaty than
that then existing. This mode of enforcing a request
by douce violence and detention, is common with the
turbulent tribes east of Nepal, but was in this instance
aggravated by violence towards my fellow-prisoner,