At dawn on the following morning the stir and bustle in camp announced an
early start, and our elephant appeared at the tent door just as the
gallant rifle corps marched past, the band playing the "British
Grenadiers." Mounting the elephant, we picked our way through the debris
of the camp, now almost deserted; some few of the coolies were still
engaged packing the conical baskets which they carry on their backs, one
strap passing over the forehead, and two others over the shoulders. The
appearance of a hill coolie as he thus staggers along under his
tremendous burden is singular enough, and so totally unlike that of the
coolies of the plains, that it was a sort of promise of there being in
store for us more curiosities, both of Nepaulese men and manners, in
their native country, and we looked with no little interest upon the
first specimens we had seen of the Newar race--the aborigines of Nepaul.
Short and compact, the full development of their muscle bore evidence to
their almost Herculean strength. Their flat noses, high cheek-bones,
small eyes, and copper-coloured complexion are unequivocal signs of a
Mongolian origin, whilst the calves of their legs, which I never saw
equalled in size, indicate the mountainous character of their country.

Threading our way on our wary elephant through nearly 5000 of these
singular-looking beings, all heavily loaded with the appurtenances of the
camp, we soon overtook the cortege of the Minister and his brothers,
which consisted of three or four carriages dragged along by coolies, over
a road which, in many places, must have severely tried the carriage
springs, as well as nearly dislocated the joints of Jung's "beautiful
little Missis," whom I saw peeping out of one of the windows. The rest
of this motley crowd, with which we were destined to march for the next
three weeks, was made up of Nepaul gentlemen in various capacities, who
cantered past on spirited little horses, or squatted cross-legged in the