which is perhaps due more to the absence of anything
unpleasing, than to the presence of direct grace or
beauty. In like manner, the girls are often very engaging
to look upon, though without one good feature : they
are all smiles and good nature; and the children are
frank, lively, laughing urchins. The old women are
thorough hags. Indolence is their besetting sin ; they
detest any fixed employment, and their foulness of
person and garments renders them disagreeable inmates:
in this rainy climate they are supportable out of doors.
Though fond of bathing when they come to a stream
in hot weather, and expert, even admirable swimmers,
these people never take to the water for the purpose of
ablution. In disposition they are amiable and obliging,
frank, humorous, and polite, without the servility of
the Hindoos ; and their address is free and unrestrained.
Their intercourse with one another and with
Europeans is scrupulously honest; a present is divided
equally amongst a party, without a syllable of discontent
or grudging look or word; each, on receiving his
share, coming up and giving the donor a brusque bow
and thanks. They have learnt to overcharge already,
and to use extortion in dealing, as is the custom with
the people of the plains; but it is clumsily done, and
never accompanied with the grasping air and insufferable
whine of the latter. They are constantly armed with a
long, heavy, straight knife,* but never draw it on one
another: family and political feuds are alike unheard
of amongst them.
* It is called “ Ban,” and serves equally for plough, toothpick, table-
knife, hatchet, hammer, and sword.
The Lepcha is in morals far superior to his Tibet
and Bhotan neighbours, polyandry being unknown, and
polygamy rare. This is no doubt greatly due to the
conventual system not being carried to such an excess
as in Bhotan, where even the ties of relationship are
disregarded.
Like the New Zealander, Tasmanian, Fuegian, and
the natives of other climates, which, though cold, are
moist and equable,the Lepcha’s dress is very scanty, and
when we are wearing woollen under-garments and hose,
he is content with one cotton vestment, which is loosely
thrown round the body, leaving one or both arms free ;
it reaches to the knee, and is gathered round the waist:
its fabric is close, the ground colour white, ornamented
with longitudinal blue stripes, two or three fingers
broad, prettily worked with red and white. When new
and clean, this garb is remarkably handsome and gay,
but not showy. In cold weather an upper garment
with loose sleeves is added. A long knife, with a common
wooden handle, hangs by his side, stuck in a
sheath; he has often also a quiver of poisoned arrows
and a bamboo bow across his back. On his left wrist is
a curious wooden guard for the bowstring; and a little
pouch containing aconite poison and a few common
implements is suspended to his girdle. He seldom
wears a hat, and when he does, it is often extravagantly
broad and flat-brimmed, with a small hemispherical
crown. I t is made of the leaves of Scitaminece, between
two thin plates of bamboo-work, clumsy and heavy;
this is generally used in rainy weather, while in dry a
conical one is worn, also of platted slips of bamboo,
TOL. I.