Himalayan Journals, vol 2, J. D. Hooker [small books to read txt] 📗

and a profusion of vegetables. I refused to take them on the friendly terms on which they were brought, and only accepted them as

provisions during my detention. I remonstrated again about our

separation, and warned the Soubah of the inevitable consequence of

this outrage upon the representative of a friendly power, travelling under the authority of his own government, unarmed and without

escort: he was greatly perplexed, and assured me that Campbell's

detention was only temporary, because he had not given satisfaction to the Rajah, and as the latter could not get answers to his demands from Calcutta in less than a month, it was determined to keep him

till then; but to send me to Dorjiling. He returned in the evening to tell me that Campbell's men (with the exception only of the Ghorkas*

[These people stood in far greater fear of the Nepalese than of the English, and the reason is obvious: the former allow no infraction of their rights to pass unnoticed, whereas we had permitted every

article of our treaty to be contravened.]) had been seized, because they were runaway slaves from Sikkim; but that I need not alarm

myself, for mine should be untouched.

The hut being small, and intolerably dirty, I pitched my tent close by, and lived in it for seven days: I was not guarded, but so closely watched, that I could not go out for the most trifling purpose,

except under surveillance. They were evidently afraid of my escaping; I was however treated with civility, but forbidden to communicate

either with Campbell or with Dorjiling.

The Soubah frequently visited me, always protesting I was no

prisoner, that Campbell's seizure was a very trifling affair, and the violence employed all a mistake. He always brought presents, and

tried to sound me about the government at Calcutta. On the 12th he

paid his last visit, looking wofully dejected, being out of favour at court, and dismissed to his home: he referred me to Meepo for all

future communications to the Rajah, and bade me a most cordial

farewell, which I regretted being unable to return with any show of kind feeling. Poor fellow! he had staked his last, and lost it, when he undertook to seize the agent of the most powerful government in

the east, and to reduce him to the condition of a tool of the Dewan.

Despite the many obstructions he had placed in my way, we had not

fallen out since July; we had been constant companions, and though at issue, never at enmity. I had impeached him, and my grievances had

been forwarded to the Rajah with a demand for his punishment, but he never seemed to owe me a grudge for that, knowing the Rajah's

impotence as compared with the power of the Dewan whom he served;

and, in common with all his party, presuming on the unwillingness of the British government to punish.

On the 13th of November I was hurriedly summoned by Meepo to the

Phadong temple, where I was interrogated by the Amlah, as the Rajah's councillors (in this instance the Dewan's adherents) are called.

I found four China mats placed on a stone bench, on one of which I

was requested to seat myself, the others being occupied by the

Dewan's elder brother, a younger brother of the Gangtok Kajee (a man of some wealth), and an old Lama: the conference took place in the

open air and amongst an immense crowd of Lamas, men, women,

and children.

I took the initiative (as I made a point of doing on all such

occasions) and demanded proper interpreters, which were refused; and the Amlah began a rambling interrogatory in Tibetan, through my

Lepcha Sirdar Pakshok, who spoke very little Tibetan or Hindostanee, and my half-caste servant, who spoke as little English. The Dewan's brother was very nervously counting his beads, and never raised his eyes while I kept mine steadily upon him.

He suggested most of the queries, every one of which took several

minutes, as he was constantly interrupted by the Kajee, who was very fat and stupid: the Lama scarcely spoke, and the bystanders never.

My connection with the Indian government was first enquired into; next they came to political matters, upon which I declined entering; but I gathered that their object was to oblige Campbell to accept the Lassoo Kajee as Vakeel, to alter the slavery laws, to draw a new boundary line with Nepal, to institute direct communication between themselves and the Governor-General, [They were prompted to demand this by an unfortunate oversight that occurred at Calcutta some years before. Vakeels from the Sikkim Durbar repaired to that capital, and though unaccredited by the Governor-General's agent at Dorjiling, were (in the absence of the Governor-General) received by the president of the council in open Durbar. The effect was of course to reduce the Governor-General's agent at Dorjiling to a cipher.] and to engage that there should be no trade or communication between Sikkim and India, except through the Dewan: all of these subjects related to the terms of the original treaty between the Rajah and the Indian government. They told me they had sent these proposals to the government through Dorjiling, [These letters, which concluded with a line stating that Campbell was detained at Tumloong till favourable answers should be received, had arrived at Dorjiling; but being written in Tibetan, and containing matters into which no one but Campbell could enter, they were laid on one side till his return.

The interpreter did not read the last line, which stated that Dr. Campbell was detained till answers were received, and the fact of our capture and imprisonment therefore remained unknown for several weeks.] but had received no acknowledgment from the latter place, and they wanted to know the probable result at Calcutta. As the only answer I could give might irritate them, I again declined giving any. Lastly, they assured me that no blame was imputed to myself, that on the contrary I had been travelling under the Rajah's protection, who rejoiced in my success, that I might have visited Yakla pass as I had intended doing, but that preferring to accompany my friend, they had allowed me to do so, and that I might now either join him, or continue to live in my tent: of course I joyfully accepted the former proposal. After being refused permission to send a letter to Dorjiling, except I would write in a character which they could read, I asked if they had anything more to say, and being answered in the negative, I was taken by Meepo to Campbell, heartily glad to end a parley which had lasted for an hour and a half.

I found my friend in good health and spirits, strictly guarded in a small thatched hut, of bamboo wattle and clay: the situation was

pretty, and commanded a view of the Ryott valley and the snowy

mountains; there were some picturesque chaits hard by, and a

blacksmith's forge. Our walks were confined to a few steps in front of the hut, and included a puddle and a spring of water. We had one black room with a small window, and a fire in the middle on a stone; we slept in the narrow apartment behind it, which was the cage in

which Campbell had been at first confined, and which exactly admitted us both, lying on the floor. Two or three Sepoys occupied an

adjoining room, and had a peep-hole through the partition-wall.

My gratification at our being placed together was damped by the

seizure of all my faithful attendants except my own servant, and one who was a Nepalese: the rest were bound, and placed in the stocks and close confinement, charged with being Sikkim people who had no

authority to take service in Dorjiling. On the contrary they were all registered as British subjects, and had during my travels been

recognised as such by the Rajah and all his authorities. Three times the Soubah and others had voluntarily assured me that my person and people were inviolate; nor was there any cause for this outrage but the fear of their escaping with news to Dorjiling, and possibly a

feeling of irritation amongst the authorities at the failure of their schemes. Meanwhile we were not allowed to write, and we heard that

the bag of letters which we had sent before our capture had been

seized and burnt. Campbell greatly feared that they would threaten

Dorjiling with a night attack,* [Threats of sacking Dorjiling had on several previous occasions been made by the Dewan, to the too great alarm of the inhabitants, who were ignorant of the timid and pacific disposition of the Lepchas, and of the fact that there are not fifty muskets in the country, nor twenty men able to use them. On this

occasion the threats were coupled with the report that we were

murdered, and that the Rajah had asked for 50,000 Tibetan soldiers, who were being marched twenty-five days' journey over passes 16,000

feet high, and deep in snow, and were coming to drive the English out of Sikkim! I need hardly observe that the Tibetans (who have

repeatedly refused to interfere on this side the snows) had no hand in the matter, or that, supposing they could collect that number of men in all Tibet, it would be impossible to feed them for a week,

there or in Sikkim. Such reports unfortunately spread a panic in

Dorjiling: the guards were called in from all the outposts, and the ladies huddled into one house, whilst the males stood on the

defensive; to the great amusement of the Amlah at Tumloong, whose

insolence to us increased proportionally.] as we heard that the

Lassoo Kajee was stationed at Namtchi with a party for that purpose, and all communication cut off, except through him.

Illustration--HORNS OF THE SHOWA STAG (Cervus Wallichii), A NATIVE

OF CHOOMBI IN TIBET.

Length of antler, 4 feet 6 in.

CHAPTER XXVI.

Dr. Campbell is ordered to appear at Durbar -- Lamas called to

council -- Threats -- Searcity of food -- Arrival of Dewan -- Our

jailer, Thoba-sing -- Temperature, etc., at Tumloong -- Services of Goompas -- Lepcha girl -- Jew's-harp -- Terror of servants --

Ilam-sing's family -- Interview with Dewan -- Remonstrances -- Dewan feigns sickness -- Lord Dalhousie's letter to Rajah -- Treatment of Indo-Chinese -- Concourse of Lamas -- Visit of Tchebu Lama -- Close confinement -- Dr. Campbell's illness -- Conference with Amlah --

Relaxation of confinement -- Pemiongchi Lama's intercession -- Escape of Nimbo -- Presents from Rajah, Ranee and people -- Protestations of friendship -- Mr. Lushington sent to Dorjiling -- Leave Tumloong --

Cordial farewell -- Dewan's merchandise -- Gangtok Kajee -- Dewan's pomp -- Governor-General's letter -- Dikkeeling -- Suspicion of

poison -- Dinner and pills -- Tobacco -- Bhotanese colony --

Katong-ghat on Teesta -- Wild lemons -- Sepoys' insolence -- Dewan

alarmed -- View of Dorjiling -- Threats of a rescue -- Fears of our escape -- Tibet flutes -- Negotiate our release -- Arrival at

Dorjiling -- Dr. Thomson joins me -- Movement of troops at Dorjiling -- Seizure of Rajah's Terai property.

Since his confinement, Dr. Campbell had been desired to attend the

Durbar for the purpose of transacting business, but had refused to

go, except by compulsion, considering that in the excited state of

the authorities, amongst whom there was not one person of

responsibility or judgment, his presence would not only be useless, but he might be exposed to further insult or possibly violence.

On the 15th of November we were informed that the Dewan was on his

way from Tibet: of this we were glad, for knave as he was, we had

hitherto considered him to possess sense and understanding.

His agents were beginning to find out their mistake, and summoned to council the principal Lamas and Kajees of the