with a handsome present,, and informed us privately of
his cordial hatred of the “ upstart Dewan,” and hopes
for his overthrow; a demonstration of which we took
no notice. The Dewan’s brother (one of the A ml ah)
also sent a large present, but was ashamed to appear.
Another letter reached the Dewan here, directed to the
Rajah; it was from the Governor-General at Bombay,
and had been sent across the country by special
messengers: it demanded our instant release, or his
Raj would be forfeited; and declared that if a hair of
our heads were touched, his life should be the penalty.
The Rajah was incessantly urging the Dewan to
hasten us onwards as free men to Dorjiling, but the
latter took all remonstrances with assumed coolness,
exercised his ponies, played at bow and arrow, intruded
on us at meal-times to be invited to partake, and
loitered on the road, changing garments and hats,
which he pestered us to buy. Nevertheless, he was
evidently becoming daily more nervous and agitated.
From the Rungmi valley we crossed on the 14th
southward to that of Runniok, and descended to
Dikkeeling, a large village of Bhotanese, which is
much the most populous, industrious, and at the same
time turbulent in Sikkim. This district once belonged
to Bhotan, and was ceded to the Sikkim Rajah by the
Paro Pilo,* in consideration of some military services,
rendered by the former in driving off the Tibetans,
who had usurped it for the authorities of Lhassa.
Since then the Sikkim and Bhotan people have
* The temporal sovereign, in contra-distinction to the Dhurma Eajah,
or spiritual sovereign of Bhotan.,
repeatedly fallen out, and Dikkeeling has become a
refuge for runaway Bhotanese, and kidnapping is
constantly practised on this frontier.
The Bhotanese are more industrious than the Lep-
chas, and better husbandmen; besides having superior
crops of all ordinary grains, they grow cotton, hemp, and
flax. The cotton is cleansed here as elsewhere, with
a simple gin. The Lepchas use no spinning wheel,
but a spindle and distaff; their loom, which is Tibetan,
is a very complicated one framed of bamboo; it is
worked by hand, without beam, treddle, or shuttle.
The Dewan halted us here for three days, for no
assigned cause. On the 16th, letters arrived, including
a most kind and encouraging one from Mr. Lushington,
who had taken charge of Campbell’s office at Dorjiling,
Immediately after arriving, the messenger was seized
with violent vomitings and gripings : we could not
help suspecting poison, especially as we were now
amongst adherents of the Dewan, and the Bhotanese
are notorious for this crime. Only one means
suggested itself for proving this, and with Campbell’s
permission I sent my compliments to the Dewan with
a request for one of his hunting dogs to eat the vomit.
I t was sent at once, and performed its duty without any
ill effects. I must confess to have felt a malicious
pleasure in the opportunity thus afforded of showing
our jailor how little we trusted h im ; feeling indignant
at the idea that he should suppose he was making any
way in our good opinion by his familiarities, which we
were not in circumstances to resist. The crafty
fellow, however, outwitted me by inviting us to dine