LV VAKIOLS PAKTS OF THE GLOBE. 23 



Commenced matins before the chair with the brass cup, which 

 he filled with water and placed again in the platter — took off' his 

 beads and continued counting them or beating tlie bell, uttering- 

 most dismal prayers in a very deprecatory tone, of whicli " Maliva, 

 oh Maliva," was the burden. After various disj)o.-als of the water- 

 jugSj cups, and platter, wliich were filled and refilled, rice added 

 and sprinkled about, a large bell was violently rung for some 

 minutes, himself snapping his fingers and uttering most unearthly 

 sounds. Having put away those instruments, incense was brought, 

 of charcoal with juniper-sprigs. This was swung about, and put 

 tiirough many evolutions, and finally, with the water, thrown out 

 of the window, when the morning service was concluded, to our 

 great relief, as the noises were quite intolerable. 



After breakfast the Lama came to visit us, bringing rice, a few 

 vegetables, and a large basket of fermented Murwa (seeds of 

 Eleusina coracana) : the latter is invariably given to the traveller, 

 either in the state of the fermented grain, or more conmiunly in 

 a bamboo jug filled with warm water and grain ; the fluid sucked 

 through a reed is a refreshing drink. 



A species of Pteris, very like aquilina (w hich is common 

 elsewhere in Sikkim), attains at Simonbong a height of 14 feel., 

 as great as I ever remember having seen itself or its congeners ii» 

 New Zealand, 



Leaving Simonbong, we descended to the Little Rungeet, ana 

 crossed it lower down than before, thus avoiding some trouble- 

 some spurs ; the heat of the valleys is very great, 80° at noon, 

 and of the stream 69° ; the latter an agreeable temperature for 

 the coolies, w ho plunged teeming with perspiration into the water, 

 catching fish with their hands. 



AVe reached Darjiling late in the evening, and again drenched 

 with rain ; our people, Hindus and Lepchas, imprudently tarried 

 for the night in the valleys below. Owing probably as mucii to 

 the great exposure they had lately gone through, as to the sudden 

 transition from a mean temperature of 50° in a bracing wind, to 

 a hot close jungly valley at 75°, no less than seven were laid up 

 with fever and ague. 



Few excursions from Darjiling can, for their length, give a 

 better idea of the general features and rich luxuriance of the 

 Sikkim Himalaya than one to Tonglo. I was amply rewarded, 

 and my ever cheerful and active companion pronounced him- 

 self so too, though we both had fully expected better weather 

 and some prospect, however transient or confined. It is always 

 interesting to roam with an aboriginal, and especially a mountain 

 people, through their thinly inhabited valleys, over their grar.d 

 mountains, and to dwell alone witii them in these forests, how- 

 ever gloomy and forbidding. No thinking man can do so with- 



