I>f VARIOUS TARTS OF THE GLOBE. 19 



ing the temperate zone of the Sikkim Himalaya, and the snow- 

 level not being proportionally higher, it follows that, cceteris 

 jjaribus, the belt occupied by upland alpine and Arctic species 

 is more confined, and in all probability less prolific in species, 

 tlian it is in the N.W. Himalaya. Of this the rarity of Pines 

 (themselves indices of a severe drought in tlie air or soil) 

 would appear to afford a proof; for between the level 2500, the 

 upper limit of the P. longifoUa. and the Taxiis, 10,000, wliicli 

 also coincides with the lower limit of Abies, there is no coni- 

 ferous tree whatever in Southern Sikkim, except on the moun- 

 tain faces immediately subtending the perpetual snow ; and there 

 they descend 1000 feet lower. There are only six species of 

 Coniferce, including Taxus and Juniperus, in this part of Sikkim, 

 of which two are not common to the N.W. mountains, and none 

 are by any means abundant. 



We encamped amongst the Rhododendron trees, on a spongy 

 soil, of black vegetable matter, so oozy that it was difficult to 

 keep the feet dry. The rain poured in torrents all the evening, 

 and this, the calm, and wetness of the wood prevented our enjoy- 

 ing a fire. Except a transient view into Nepal, a few miles west, 

 of us, nothing was to be seen, the whole mountain being wrapped 

 in dense masses of vapour. Gusts of wind, not felt in the forest, 

 swept over the gnarled and naked tree tops; and though the tem- 

 perature was 50°, tliis produced cold to the feelings on walking 

 about, and being exposed to it. 



Our poor Lepclias were miserably off, but always happy under 

 four posts and a bamboo-leaf thatch, and witli no covering but a 

 single thin cotton garment. They crouched on the sodden turf, 

 joking with the Hindus of our party, who, though supplied with 

 good clothing and shelter, were doleful companions. 



I made a shed for my instruments under a tree ; Barnes, ever 

 active and ready, floored the tent with logs of wood, and I laid a 

 " corduroy road " of the same to my little observatory. 



During the night the rain did not abate; the tent-roof bagged 

 and leaked in torrents, so that we had to throw pieces of wax- 

 cloth over our shoulders as we lay in bed. 



May 22nd. — There is no improvement whatever in the weather. 

 Two of the Hindus crawled into the tent during the nigiit, with 

 fever and ague.* The tent being too sodden to carry, we had 

 no choice but to remain where we were, and there being 



* It is a remarkable fact that both the natives of the plains under many 

 circumstances, and the Lepchas when sufi'ering from protracted cold and 

 wet, take fever and ague in sharp attacks. The disease is wholly unknown 

 amongst Europeans residing above 40u0 feet, similar exposure in whom 

 brings on rheumatism and cold, even in constitutions predisposed to the 

 former by repeated attacks of fevers in other climates. 



c2 



