Himalayan Journals, vol 2 by J. D. Hooker (great reads TXT) 📖

a steep and dangerous path runs along the east flank of Mainom, sometimes on narrow ledges of dry rock, covered with long grass, sometimes dipping into wooded gullies, full of _Edgeworthia

Gardneri_ and small trees of Andromeda and rhododendron, covered with orchids* [Especially some species of Sunipia and Cirrhopetalum,

whicb have not yet been introduced into England.] of great beauty.

Descending to Gorh (4,100 feet), I was met by the Lama of that

district, a tall, disagreeable-looking fellow, who informed me that the road ahead was impassable. The day being spent, I was obliged to camp at any rate; after which he visited me in full canonicals,

bringing me a handsome present, but assuring me that he had no

authority to let me advance. I treated him with civility, and

regretted my objects being so imperative, and my orders so clear,

that I was obliged to proceed on the following morning: on which he abruptly decamped, as I suspected, in order to damage the paths and bridges. He came again at daylight, and expostulated further; but

finding it of no use, he volunteered to accompany me, officiously

offering me the choice of two roads. I asked for the coolest, knowing full well that it was useless to try and out-wit him in such matters.

At the first stream the bridge was destroyed, but seeing the planks peeping through the bushes in which they had been concealed, I

desired the Lama to repair it, which he did without hesitation. So it was at every point: the path was cumbered with limbs of trees,

crossing-stones were removed from the streams, and all natural

difficulties were increased. I kept constantly telling the Lama that as he had volunteered to show me the road, I felt sure he intended to remove all obstacles, and accordingly I put him to all the trouble I possibly could, which he took with a very indifferent grace. When I arrived at the swinging bridge across the Teesta, I found that the

canes were loosened, and that slips of bamboo, so small as nearly to escape observation, were ingeniously placed low down over the single bamboo that formed the footing, intended to trip up the unwary

passenger, and overturn him into the river, which was deep, and with a violent current. Whilst the Lama was cutting these, one of my party found a charcoal writing on a tree, announcing the speedy arrival

from the Rajah of my old guide, Meepo; and he shortly afterwards

appeared, with instructions to proceed with me, though not to the

Tibetan frontier. The lateness of the season, the violence of the

rains, and the fears, on the Rajah's part, that I might suffer from fever or accident, were all urged to induce me to return, or at least only to follow the west branch of the Teesta to Kinchinjunga.

These reasons failing, I was threatened with Chinese interference on the frontier. All these objections I overruled, by refusing to

recognise any instructions that were not officially communicated to the Superintendent of Dorjiling.

The Gorh Lama here took leave of me: he was a friend of the Dewan,

and was rather surprised to find that the Rajah had sent me a guide, and now attempted to pass himself off as my friend, pompously

charging Meepo with the care of me, and bidding me a very polite

farewell. I could not help telling him civilly, but plainly, what I thought of him; and so we parted.

Meepo was very glad to join my party again: he is a thorough Lepcha in heart, a great friend of his Rajah and of Tchebu Lama, and one who both fears and hates the Dewan. He assured me of the Rajah's good

wishes and intentions, but spoke with great doubt as to the

probability of a successful issue to my journey: he was himself

ignorant of the road, but had brought a guide, whose appearance,

however, was against him, and who turned out to be sent as a spy on us both.

Instead of crossing the Teesta here, we kept on for two days up its west bank, to a cane bridge at Lingo, where the bed of the river is still only 2000 feet above the sea, though 45 miles distant from the plains, and flowing in a valley bounded by mountains 12,000 to 16,000

feet high. The heat was oppressive, from the closeness of the

atmosphere, the great power of the sun, now high at noon-day, and the reflection from the rocks. Leeches began to swarm as the damp

increased, and stinging flies of various kinds. My clothes were

drenched with perspiration during five hours of every day, and the crystallising salt irritated the skin. On sitting down to rest, I was overcome with languor and sleep, and, but for the copious supply of fresh water everywhere, travelling would have been intolerable.

The Coolies were all but naked, and were constantly plunging into the pools of the rivers; for, though filthy in their persons, they revel in cold water in summer. They are powerful swimmers, and will stem a very strong current, striking out with each arm alternately. It is an animated sight when twenty or thirty of these swarthy children of

nature are disporting their muscular figures in the water, diving

after large fish, and sometimes catching them by tickling them under the stones.

Of plants I found few not common at similar elevations below

Dorjiling, except another kind of Tree-fern,* [Alsophila spinulosa,

the "Pugjik" of the Lepchas, who eat the soft watery pith: it is

abundant in East Bengal and the Peninsula of India. The other Sikkim Tree-fern, A. gigantea, is far more common from the level of the

plains to 6,500 elevation, and is found as far south as Java.] whose pith is eaten in times of scarcity. The India-rubber fig penetrates thus far amongst the mountains, but is of small size. A Gentian,

Arenaria, and some sub-alpine plants are met with, though the

elevation is only 2000 feet, and the whole climate thoroughly

tropical: they were annuals usually found at 7000 to 10,000 feet

elevation, and were growing here on mossy rocks, cooled by the spray of the river, whose temperature was only 56.3 degrees. My servant

having severely sprained his wrist by a fall, the Lepchas wanted to apply a moxa, which they do by lighting a piece of puff-ball, or

Nepal paper that burns like tinder, laying it on the skin, and

blowing it till a large open sore is produced: they shook their heads at my treatment, which consisted in transferring some of the leeches from our persons to the inflamed part.

After crossing the Teesta by the cane bridge of Lingo, our route lay over a steep and lofty spur, round which the river makes a great

sweep. On the ascent of this ridge we passed large villages on flats cultivated with buckwheat. The saddle is 5,500 feet high, and thence a rapid descent leads to the village of Singtam, which faces the

north, and is 300 feet lower, and 3000 feet above the river, which is here no longer called the Teesta, but is known as the

Lachen-Lachoong, from its double origin in the rivers of these names, which unite at Choongtam, twenty miles higher up. Of these, the

source of the Lachen is in the Cholamoo lakes in Tibet; while the

Lachoong rises on the south flank of Donkia mountain, both many

marches north of my present position. At Singtam the Lacben-Lachoong runs westward, till joined by the Rihi from the north, and the

Rinoong from the west, after receiving which it assumes the name of Teesta: of these affluents, the Rinoong is the largest, and drains

the south-east face of Kinchinjunga and Pundim, and the north of

Nursing: all which mountains are seen to the north-north-west of

Singtam. The Rinoong valley is cultivated for several miles up, and has amongst others the village and Lamasery of Bah. Beyond this the view of black, rugged precipices with snowy mountains towering above them, is one of the finest in Sikkim. There is a pass in that

direction, from Bah over the Tckonglah to the Thlonok valley, and

thence to the province of Jigatzi in Tibet, but it is almost

impracticable.

Illustration--VIEW OF KINCHINJUNGA FROM SINGTAM, LOOKING

NORTH-WESTWARD.

A race of wild men, called "Harrum-mo," are said to inhabit the head of the valley, living in the woods of a district called Mund-po,

beyond Bah; tbey shun habitations, speak an unintelligible tongue,

have more hair on the face than Lepchas, and do not plait that of

their heads, but wear it in a knot; they use the bow and arrow, and eat snakes and vermin, which the Lepchas will not touch. Such is the account I have heard, and which is certainly believed in Sikkim:

similar stories are very current in half civilized countries; and if this has any truth, it possibly refers to the Chepangs,* [Hodgson, in "Bengal Asiatic Society's Journal" for 1848.] a very remarkable race, of doubtful affinity and origin, inhabiting the Nepal forests.

At Singtam I was waited on by the Soubah of the district, a tall

portly Bhoteea, who was destined to prove a most active enemy to my pursuits. He governs the country between Gorh and the Tibet frontier, for the Maha-Raanee (wife of the Rajah), whose dowry it is; and she being the Dewan's relative, I had little assistance to expect from

her agent. His conduct was very polite, and he brought me a handsome offering for myself; but after delaying me a day on the pretext of

collecting food for my people, of which I was in want, I was obliged to move on with no addition to my store, and trust to obtaining some at the next village, or from Dorjiling. Owing, however, to the

increasing distance, and the destruction of the roads by the rains, my supplies from that place were becoming irregular: I therefore

thought it prudent to reduce my party, by sending back my guard of

Sepoys, who could be of no further use.

From this point the upper portion of the course of the Teesta

(Lachen-Lachoong) is materially different from what it is lower down; becoming a boisterous torrent, as suddenly as the Tambur does above Mywa Guola. Its bed is narrower, large masses of rock impede its

course, nor is there any place where it is practicable for rafts at any season; the only means of passing it being by cane bridges that are thrown across, high above the stream.

The slope on either side of the valley is very steep; that on the

north, in particular, appearing too precipitous for any road, and

being only frequented by honey seekers, who scale the rocks by cane ladders, and thus reach the pendulous bees'-nests, which are so large as in some instances to be conspicuous features at the distance of a mile. This pursuit appeared extremely perilous, the long thread-like canes in many places affording the only footing, over many yards of cliff: the procuring of this honey, however, is the only means by

which many of the idle poor raise the rent which they must pay to

the Rajah.

The most prominent effect of the steepness of the valleys is the

prevalence of land-slips, which sometimes descend for 3000 feet,

carrying devastation along their course: they are caused either by

the melting of the snow-beds on the mountains, or by the action of

the rains on the stratified rocks, and are much increased in effect and violence by the heavy timber-trees which, swaying forwards,

loosen the earth at their roots, and give impetus to the mass.

This phenomenon is as frequent and destructive as in Switzerland,

where, however, more lives are lost; from the country being more

populous, and from the people recklessly building in places

particularly exposed to such accidents. A most destructive one had, however, occurred