British Sikkim from its pristine condition of an impenetrable jungle, tenanted by half savage and mutually hostile races, to that of a flourishing European hill station, and a rich agricultural province." It has since become a centre of tea and chinchona cultivation.
The misunderstandings with the Sikkim Rajah arose from his kidnapping propensities. Two specially gross cases, in 1860, caused an order that his territory north of the Rumam river and west of the Great Runjít, should be occupied until restitution was made. The occupying force was, however, attacked and driven back, and in February, 1861, a larger detachment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Gawler, with the Hon. Ashley Eden as envoy, crossed the Great Runjít into Sikkim, proceeded to Tumlúng, and enforced the Rajah's agreement to another treaty, dated March 28, 1861. Nurugay Dewan, who had imprisoned Dr. Campbell, and had been incessantly hostile, was expelled from Sikkim for ever, and Chíbu Lama, a friend to the English, was appointed Dewan in his place. The other articles secured free trade, and the right of travelling and making roads in Sikkim.[1]
Dr. Campbell presided over the destinies of the hill station of Darjíling for twenty-two years, from 1840 to February 1862, when he retired. He returned to England, but he continued to take an active part in furthering projects for the good of Darjíling, especially the cultivation of tea, the establishment of chinchona plantations, and the construction of the Darjíling railway. He was a very active member of the Society of Arts, and also of the Anthropological Institute. "When Dr. Campbell died, on November 8, 1874, his great experience and wide knowledge of these subjects were missed, and his loss will long be felt by those who are interested in the progress of Indian
- ↑ See 'Sikkim; with Hints on Mountain and Jungle Warfare, exhibiting also the Facilities for Opening Commercial Relations through the State of Sikkim with Central Asia, Thibet, and Western China,' by Colonel J. C. Gawler, F.K.G.S. (Stanford, 1873.) This little book gives an interesting account of the military operations in Sikkim in 1861.
