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Alcesti de Righi Diary Entry Thursday, 10 August 1905
At the rest house every cooly is again checked and we start off on our longest and worst march between Darjeeling and Phulut. This proves a trying march not only owing to the distance and harassing descents and rises, but three coolies abandon their loads and decamp, taking a tin of satthu, a tin of sugar, and two tins of biscuits. I sincerely trust I shall able to bring them to book, if it is not done long before I return, by the authorities of Darjeeling to whom notice is being sent. This desertion gave us a good deal of trouble. We did not know of the missing loads and coolies till 6 o'clock at night and we expected them to arrive at any minute, but when 9 o'clock came and no coolies, we sent out a relief party to search for them. They went as far as Kalapookry and failed to find them. Nothing could be done till next morning.
Nangar left at 3 o'clock and eventually found the loads just 4 miles outside of Toongloo. He had taken the precaution of taking two pack ponies fearing that the coolies had decamped; he did not get to Sandackphu till 3-30 and pluckily came on with them to Phulut, doing a march of about 35 miles. Before we knew what had really happened we kept a watch in turns in case they should turn up during the night and as by 6 o'clock of the 11th no tidings had come of them the train started on their next march, I being left behind to continue the search. I went as far as the first saddle after Kalapookry where a "pukdandy" branches off and there I decided to wait. I waited in a cold piercing north wind which drove the persistent rain into every crevice of my clothing and succeeded in chilling one to the bone. I saw after an hour's consideration the futility of my remaining and regained the dark bungalow at 2 p.m. The first tidings of our missing loads reached me in the shape of our dakwallah, who told me that Nangar had found the loads and was just behind him and would be there in an hour or so. I waited till 3 o'clock but knowing that Nangar would bring them along safely I rode off and reached Phaloot at 7-30. I am just starting off to Chaubanjan. Our stores we have just found are still there, so I must get along and see why these have not been forwarded on. The coolies are there and as I am the only one, beside the leader, who speaks Hindustani, I am sent ahead to carry out instructions.
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