Books: Himalayan Journals (Complete)

J >> J. D. Hooker >> Himalayan Journals (Complete)

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71

We were now in the Soubahship of the Gangtok Kajee; a member of the
oldest and most wealthy family in Sikkim; he had from the first
repudiated the late acts of the Amlah, in which his brother had taken
part, and had always been hostile to the Dewan. The latter conducted
himself with disagreeable familiarity towards us, and _hauteur_
towards the people; he was preceded by immense kettle-drums, carried
on men's backs, and great hand-bells, which were beaten and rung on
approaching villages; on which occasions he changed his dress of
sky-blue for yellow silk robes worked with Chinese dragons, to the
indignation of Tchebu Lama, an amber robe in polite Tibetan society
being sacred to royalty and the Lamas. We everywhere perceived
unequivocal symptoms of the dislike with which he was regarded.
Cattle were driven away, villages deserted, and no one came to pay
respects, or bring presents, except the Kajees, who were ordered to
attend, and his elder brother, for whom he had usurped an estate
near Gangtok.

On the 13th, he marched us a few miles, and then halted for a day at
Serriomsa (alt. 2,820 feet), at the bottom of a hot valley full of
irrigated rice-crops and plantain and orange-groves. Here the Gangtok
Kajee waited on us 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.* [Nothing
would have been easier than for the Gangtok Kajee, or any other
respectable man in Sikkim, to have overthrown the Dewan and his
party; but these people are intolerably apathetic, and prefer being
tyrannized over to the trouble of shaking off the yoke.] The Dewan's
brother (one of the Amlah) 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 also 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 mealtimes to be invited to partake, and loitered on
the road, changing garments and hats, which he pestered us to buy.
Nevertheless, be 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 Dhurma
Bhoteeas (Bhotanese), which is much the most populous, industrious,
and at the same time turbulent, in Sikkim. It is 4,950 feet above the
sea, and occupies many broad cultivated spurs facing the south.
This district once belonged to Bhotan, and was ceded to the Sikkim
Rajah by the Paro Pilo,* [The temporal sovereign, in
contra-distinction to the Dhurma Rajah, or spiritual sovereign of
Bhotan.] 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
repeatedly fallen out, and Dikkeeling has become a refuge for runaway
Bhotanese, and kidnapping is constantly practised on this frontier.

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. It was sent at once, and performed its duty without
any ill effects. I must confess to having felt a malicious pleasure
in the opportunity thus afforded of showing our jailor how little we
trusted him; 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 with
him the same day, and putting our stomachs and noses to a severe
test. Our dinner was served in Chinese fashion, but most of the
luxuries, such as _beche-de-mer,_ were very old and bad. We ate,
sometimes with chop-sticks, and at others with Tibetan spoons,
knives, and two-pronged forks. After the usual amount of messes
served in oil and salt water, sweets were brought, and a strong
spirit. Thoba-sing, our filthy, cross-eyed spy, was waiter, and
brought in every little dish with both hands, and raised it to his
greasy forehead, making a sort of half bow previous to depositing it
before us. Sometimes he undertook to praise its contents, always
adding, that in Tibet none but very great men indeed partook of such
sumptuous fare. Thus he tried to please both us and the Dewan, who
conducted himself with pompous hospitality, showing off what he
considered his elegant manners and graces. Our blood boiled within us
at being so patronised by the squinting ruffian, whose insolence and
ill-will had sorely aggravated the discomforts of our imprisonment.

Not content with giving us what he considered a magnificent dinner
(and it had cost him some trouble), the Dewan produced a little bag
from a double-locked escritoire, and took out three dinner-pills,
which he had received as a great favour from the Rimbochay Lama, and
which were a sovereign remedy for indigestion and all other ailments;
he handed one to each of us, reserving the third for himself.
Campbell refused his; but there appeared no help for me, after my
groundless suspicion of poison, and so I swallowed the pill with the
best grace I could. But in truth, it was not poison I dreaded in its
contents, so much as being compounded of some very questionable
materials, such as the Rimbochay Lama blesses and dispenses far and
wide. To swallow such is a sanctifying work, according to Boodhist
superstition, and I believe there was nothing in the world, save his
ponies, to which the Dewan attached a greater value.

To wind up the feast, we had pipes of excellent mild yellow Chinese
tobacco called "Tseang," made from _Nicotiana rustica,_ which is
cultivated in East Tibet, and in West China according to MM. Huc and
Gabet. It resembles in flavour the finest Syrian tobacco, and is most
agreeable when the smoke is passed through the nose. The common
tobacco of India (_Nicotiana Tabacum_) is much imported into Tibet,
where it is called "Tamma," (probably a corruption of the Persian
"Toombac,") and is said to fetch the enormous price of 30 shllings
per lb. at Lhassa, which is sixty times its value in India. Rice at
Lhassa, when cheap, sells at 2 shillings for 5 lbs.; it is, as I have
elsewhere said, all bought up for rations for the Chinese soldiery.

The Bhotanese are more industrious than the Lepchas, 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.

On the 18th we were marched, three miles only, to Singdong (alt.
2,116 feet), and on the following day five miles farther, to Katong
Ghat (alt. 750 feet), on the Teesta river, which we crossed with
rafts, and camped on the opposite bank, a few miles above the
junction of this river with the Great Rungeet. The water, which is
sea-green in colour, had a temperature of 53.5 degrees at 4 p.m.,
and 51.7 degrees the following morning; its current was very
powerful. The rocks, since leaving Tunlloong, had been generally
micaceous, striking north-west, and dipping north-east. The climate
was hot, and the vegetation on the banks tropical; on the hills
around, lemon-bushes ("Kucheala," Lepcha) were abundant, growing
apparently wild.

The Dewan was now getting into a very nervous and depressed state; he
was determined to keep up appearances before his followers, but was
himself almost servile to us; he caused his men to make a parade of
their arms, as if to intimidate us, and in descending narrow gullies
we had several times the disagreeable surprise of finding some of his
men at a sudden turn, with drawn bows and arrows pointed towards us.
Others gesticulated with their long knives, and made fell swoops at
soft plantain-stems; but these artifices were all as shallow as they
were contemptible, and a smile at such demonstrations was generally
answered with another from the actors.

From Katong we ascended the steep east flank of Tendong or Mount
Ararat, through forests of Sal and long-leaved pine, to Namten (alt.
4,483 feet), where we again halted two days. The Dingpun Tinli lived
near and waited on us with a present, which, with all others that
had been brought, Campbell received officially, and transferred to
the authorities at Dorjiling.

The Dewan was thoroughly alarmed at the news here brought in, that
the Rajah's present of yaks, ponies, etc., which had been sent
forward, had been refused at Dorjiling; and equally so at the
clamorous messages which reached him from all quarters, demanding our
liberation; and at the desertion of some of his followers, on hearing
that large bodies of troops were assembling at Dorjiling. Repudiated
by his Rajah and countrymen, and paralysed between his dignity and
his ponies, which he now perceived would not be welcomed at the
station, and which were daily losing flesh, looks, and value in these
hot valleys, where there is no grass pasture, he knew not what
olive-branch to hold out to our government, except ourselves, whom he
therefore clung to as hostages.

On the 22nd of December he marched us eight miles further, to
Cheadam, on a bold spur 4,653 feet high, overlooking the Great
Rungeet, and facing Dorjiling, from which it was only twenty miles
distant. The white bungalows of our friends gladdened our eyes, while
the new barracks erecting for the daily arriving troops struck terror
into the Dewan's heart. The six Sepoys* [These Sepoys, besides the
loose red jacket and striped Lepcha kirtle, wore a very curious
national black hat of felt, with broad flaps turned up all round:
this is represented in the right-hand figure. A somewhat similar bat
is worn by some classes of Nepal soldiery.] who had marched valiantly
beside us for twenty days, carrying the muskets given to the Rajah
the year before by the Governor-General, now lowered their arms, and
vowed that if a red coat crossed the Great Rungeet, they would throw
down their guns and run away. News arrived that the Bhotan
inhabitants of Dorjiling headed by my bold Sirdar Nimbo, had arranged
a night attack for our release; an enterprise to which they were
quite equal, and in which they have had plenty of practice in their
own misgoverned country. Watch-fires gleamed amongst the bushes, we
were thrust into a doubly-guarded house, and bows and arrows were
ostentatiously levelled so as to rake the doorway, should we attempt
to escape. Some of the ponies were sent back to Dikkeeling, though
the Dewan still clung to his merchandise and the feeble hope of
traffic. The confusion increased daily, but though Tchebu Lama looked
brisk and confident, we were extremely anxious; scouts were hourly
arriving from the road to the Great Rungeet, and if our troops had
advanced, the Dewan might have made away with us from pure fear.

Illustration--LEPCHA SEPOYS. TIBETAN SEPAYS IN THE BACK-GROUND.

In the forenoon he paid us a long visit, and brought some flutes, of
which he gave me two very common ones of apricot wood from Lhassa,
producing at the same time a beautiful one, which I believe he
intended for Campbell, but his avarice got the better, and he
commuted his gift into the offer of a tune, and pitching it in a high
key, he went through a Tibetan air that almost deafened us by its
screech. He tried bravely to maintain his equanimity, but as we
preserved a frigid civility and only spoke when addressed, the tears
would start from his eyes in the pauses of conversation. In the
evening he came again; he was excessively agitated and covered with
perspiration, and thrust himself unceremoniously between us on the
bench we occupied. As his familiarity increased, he put his arm round
my neck, and as he was armed with a small dagger, I felt rather
uneasy about his intentions, but he ended by forcing on my acceptance
a coin, value threepence, for he was in fact beside himself
with terror.

Next morning Campbell received a hint that this was a good
opportunity for a vigorous remonstrance. The Dewan came with Tchebu
Lama, his own younger brother (who was his pony driver), and the
Lassoo Kajee. The latter had for two months placed himself in an
attitude of hostility opposite Dorjiling, with a ragged company of
followers, but he now sought peace and friendship as much as the
Dewan; the latter told us he was waiting for a reply to a letter
addressed to Mr. Lushington, after which he would set us free.
Campbell said: "As you appear to have made up your mind, why not
dismiss us at once?" He answered that we should go the next day at
all events: Here I came in, and on hearing from Campbell what had
passed, I added, that he had better for his own sake let us go at
once; that the next day was our great and only annual Poojah
(religious festival) of Christmas, when we all met; whereas he and
his countrymen had dozens in the year. As for me, he knew I had no
wife, nor children, nor any relation, within thousands of miles, and
it mattered little where I was, he was only bringing ruin on himself
by his conduct to me as the Governor-General's friend; but as
regarded Campbell, the case was different; his home was at Dorjiling,
which was swarming with English soldiers, all in a state of
exasperation, and if he did not let us depart before Christmas, he
would find Dorjiling too hot to hold him, let him offer what
reparation he might for the injuries he had done us. I added: "We are
all ready to go--dismiss us." The Dewan again turned to Campbell, who
said, "I am quite ready; order us ponies at once, and send our
luggage after us." He then ordered the ponies, and three men,
including Meepo, to attend us; whereupon we walked out, mounted, and
made off with all speed.

We arrived at the cane bridge over the Great Rungeet at 4 p.m., and
to our chagrin found it in the possession of a posse of ragged
Bhoteeas, though there were thirty armed Sepoys of our own at the
guard-house above. At Meepo's order they cut the network of fine
canes by which they had rendered the bridge impassable, and we
crossed. The Sepoys at the guard-house turned out with their clashing
arms and bright accoutrements, and saluted to the sound of bugles;
scaring our three companions, who ran back as fast as they could go.
We rode up that night to Dorjiling, and I arrived at 8 p.m. at
Hodgson's house, where I was taken for a ghost, and received with
shouts of welcome by my kind friend and his guest Dr. Thomson, who
had been awaiting my arrival for upwards of a month.

Thus terminated our Sikkim captivity, and my last Himalayan exploring
journey, which in a geographical point of view had answered my
purposes beyond my most sanguine expectations, though my collections
had been in a great measure destroyed by so many untoward events.
It enabled me to survey the whole country, and to execute a map of
it, and Campbell had further gained that knowledge of its resources
which the British government should all along have possessed, as the
protector of the Rajah and his territories.

It remains to say a few words of the events that succeeded our
release, in so far as they relate to my connection with them.
The Dewan moved from Cheadam to Namtchi, immediately opposite
Dorjiling, where he remained throughout the winter. The supreme
government of Bengal demanded of the Rajah that he should deliver up
the most notorious offenders, and come himself to Dorjiling, on pain
of an army marching to Tumloong to enforce the demand; a step which
would have been easy, as there were neither troops, arms, ammunition,
nor other means of resistance, even had there been the inclination to
stop us, which was not the case. The Rajah would in all probability
have delivered himself up at Tumloong, throwing himself on our mercy,
and the army would have sought the culprits in vain, both the spirit
and the power to capture them being wanting on the part of the people
and their ruler.

The Rajah expressed his willingness, but pleaded his inability to
fulfil the demand, whereupon the threat was repeated, and additional
reinforcements were moved on to Dorjiling. The general officer in
command at Dinapore was ordered to Dorjiling to conduct operations:
his skill and bravery had been proved during the progress of the
Nepal war so long ago as 1815. From the appearance of the country
about Dorjiling, he was led to consider Sikkim to be impracticable
for a British army. This was partly owing to the forest-clad
mountains, and partly to the fear of Tibetan troops coming to the
Rajah's aid, and the Nepalese* [Jung Bahadoor was at this time
planning his visit to England, and to his honour I must say, that on
hearing of our imprisonment he offered to the government at Calcutta
to release us with a handful of men. This he would no doubt have
easily effected, but his offer was wisely declined, for the Nepalese
(as I have elsewhere stated) want Sikkim and Bhotan too, and we had
undertaken the protection of the former country, mainly to keep the
Nepalese out of it.] taking the opportunity to attack us. With the
latter we were in profound peace, and we had a resident at their
court; and I have elsewhere shown the impossibility of a Tibet
invasion, even if the Chinese or Lhassan authorities were inclined to
interfere in the affairs of Sikkim, which they long ago formally
declined doing in the case of aggressions of the Nepalese and
Bhotanese, the Sikkim Rajah being under British protection.* [The
general officer considered that our troops would have been cut to
pieces if they entered the country; and the late General Sir Charles
Napier has since given evidence to the same effect. Having been
officially asked at the time whether I would guide a party into the
country, and having drawn up (at the request of the general officer)
plans for the purpose, and having given it as my opinion that it
would not only have been feasible but easy to have marched a force in
peace and safety to Tumloong, I feel it incumbent on me here to
remark, that I think General Napier, who never was in Sikkim, and
wrote from many hundred miles' distance, must have misapprehended the
state of the case. Whether an invasion of Sikkim was either advisable
or called for, was a matter in which I had no concern: nor do I offer
an opinion as to the impregnability of the country if it were
defended by natives otherwise a match for a British force, and having
the advantage of position. I was not consulted with reference to any
difference of opinion between the civil and military powers, such as
seems to have called for the expression of Sir Charles Napier's
opinion on this matter, and which appears to be considerably
overrated in his evidence.

The general officer honoured me with his friendship at Dorjiling, and
to Mr. Lushington, I am, as I have elsewhere stated, under great
obligations for his personal consideration and kindness, and vigorous
measures during my detention. On my release and return to Dorjiling,
any interference on my part would have been meddling with what was
not my concern. I never saw, nor wished to see, a public document
connected with the affair, and have only given as many of the leading
features of the case as I can vouch for, and as were accessible to
any other bystander.]

There were not wanting offers of leading a company of soldiers to
Tumloong, rather than that the threat should have twice been made,
and then withdrawn; but they were not accepted. A large body of
troops was however, marched from Dorjiling, and encamped on the north
bank of the Great Rungeet for some weeks: but after that period they
were recalled, without any further demonstration; the Dewan remaining
encamped the while on the Namtchi hill, not three hours' march above
them. The simple Lepchas daily brought our soldiers milk, fowls, and
eggs, and would have continued to do so had they proceeded to
Tumloong, for I believe both Rajah and people would have rejoiced at
our occupation of the country.

After the withdrawal of the troops, the threat was modified into a
seizure of the Terai lands, which the Rajah had originally received
as a free gift from the British, and which were the only lucrative or
fertile estates he possessed. This was effected by four policemen
taking possession of the treasury (which contained exactly twelve
shillings, I believe), and announcing to the villagers the
confiscation of the territory to the British government, in which
they gladly acquiesced. At the same time there was annexed to it the
whole southern part of Sikkim, between the Great Rungeet and the
plains of India, and from Nepal on the west to the Bhotan frontier
and the Teesta river on the east; thus confining the Rajah to his
mountains, and cutting off all access to the plains, except through
the British territories. To the inhabitants (about 5000 souls) this
was a matter of congratulation, for it only involved the payment of a
small fixed tax in money to the treasury at Dorjiling, instead of a
fluctuating one in kind, with service to the Rajah, besides exempting
them from further annoyance by the Dewan. At the present time the
revenues of the tract thus acquired have doubled, and will very soon
be quadrupled: every expense of our detention and of the moving of
troops, etc., has been already repaid by it, and for the future all
will be clear profit; and I am given to understand that this last
year it has realized upwards of 30,000 rupees (3000 pounds).

Dr. Campbell resumed his duties immediately afterwards, and the
newly-acquired districts were placed under his jurisdiction. The
Rajah still begs hard for the renewal of old friendship, and the
restoration of his Terai land, or the annual grant of 300 pounds a
year which he formerly received. He has forbidden the culprits his
court, but can do no more. The Dewan, disgraced and turned out of
office, is reduced to poverty, and is deterred from entering Tibet by
the threat of being dragged to Lhassa with a rope round his neck.
Considering, however, his energy, a rare quality in these countries,
I should not be surprised at his yet cutting a figure in Bhotan, if
not in Sikkim itself: especially if, at the Rajah's death, the
British government should refuse to take the country under its
protection. The Singtam Soubah and the other culprits live disgraced
at their homes. Tchebu Lama has received a handsome reward, and a
grant of land at Dorjiling, where he resides, and whence he sends me
his salaams by every opportunity.

CHAPTER XXVII.

Leave Dorjiling for Calcutta -- Jung Bahadoor -- Dr. Falconer --
Improvements in Botanic Gardens -- Palmetum -- Victoria --
_Amherstia_ -- Orchids spread by seed -- Banyan -- _Cycas_ --
Importation of American plants in ice -- Return to Dorjiling -- Leave
with Dr. Thomson for the Khasia mountains -- Mahanuddy river --
Vegetation of banks -- Maldah -- Alligators -- Rampore-Bauleah --
Climate of Ganges -- Pubna -- Jummul river -- Altered course of
Burrampooter and Megna -- Dacca -- Conch shells -- Saws -- Cotton
muslins -- Fruit -- Vegetation -- Elevation -- Rose of Bengal --
Burrampooter -- Delta of Soormah river -- Jheels -- Soil --
Vegetation -- Navigation -- Mosquitos -- Atmospheric pressure --
Effects of geological changes -- Imbedding of plants -- Teelas or
islets -- Chattuc -- Salubrious climate -- Rains -- Canoes -- Pundua
-- Mr. Harry Inglis -- Terrya Ghat -- Ascent to Churra -- Scenery and
vegetation at foot of mountains -- Cascades.

I was chiefly occupied during January and February of 1850, in
arranging and transmitting my collections to Calcutta, and completing
my manuscripts, maps, and surveys. My friend Dr. Thomson having
joined me here, for the purpose of our spending a year in travelling
and botanising together, it became necessary to decide on the best
field for our pursuits. Bhotan offered the most novelty, but it was
inaccessible to Europeans; and we therefore turned our thoughts to
Nepal, and failing that, to the Khasia mountains.

The better to expedite our arrangements, I made a trip to Calcutta in
March, where I expected to meet both Lord Dalhousie, on his return
from the Straits of Malacca, and Jung Bahadoor (the Nepalese
minister), who was then _en route_ as envoy to England. I staid at
Government House, where every assistance was afforded me towards
obtaining the Nepal Rajah's permission to proceed through the
Himalaya from Dorjiling to Katmandu. Jung Bahadoor received me with
much courtesy, and expressed his great desire to serve me; but begged
me to wait until his return from England, as he could not be
answerable for my personal safety when travelling during his absence;
and he REferred to the permission he had formerly given me (and such
was never before accorded to any European) in earnest of his
disposition, which was unaltered. We therefore determined upon
spending the season of 1850 in the Khasia mountains in eastern
Bengal, at the head of the great delta of the Ganges and Burrampooter.