MOUNTAIN SICKNESS 279 



mosses and lichens Hooker had last seen on the wild moun- 

 tains of Cape Horn and the rocks of the Antarctic islands, and 

 as on the Antarctic voyage, glacial terraces and erratic blocks 

 suggested similar problems of ice action. Marching through 

 snow from two to four feet deep among bushes was very difficult; 

 as on his second, but not his third visit to high altitudes, Hooker 

 was affected by mountain sickness as well as his men. 



The temperature fell to zero and it was bitterly cold. 

 My Lepchas, several of whom had never been in the snow 

 before, behaved admirably and not one uttered a complaint. 

 At this elevation a few steps under any circumstances is 

 fatiguing, and the glare of the new fallen snow in so rarefied 

 an atmosphere gives soreness at once to unprotected eyes. 

 I cut the veils Mrs. Campbell made me into little pieces for 

 some of the party, others hung Yaks' tails over their eyes 

 or pieces of paper, or unloosed their queues and combed the 

 long hair over the forehead. 



But the natives ascribed mountain sickness to another 

 cause ; namely, the Dwarf Ehododendrons : 



The scent (of resinous leaves) was overpowering ; the Bhoteas 

 attribute the headaches of these regions to them and not 

 to the rarefied air. I think I can feel my head throb still 

 every time I smell the plants in my collection. 



Discomforts apart, the journey to Jongri was a great 

 success. There was a rich botanical harvest on the way up, 

 above the pines, ten species of Ehododendrons, one or two of 

 them new ; and lower down, forty-six species of ferns. Geo- 

 logically it equalled in interest the Yangma valley, a remarkable 

 glaciated valley on the west of Kinchin. * I quite believe,' 

 he exclaims, ' no two such spots have ever been explored in the 

 whole Himalayan range.' 



The trip wound up with a quaint episode. The homeward 

 way led Hooker again to the Changachelling convents near 

 Pemiongchi, the Lamas of which he knew from his visit on 

 the outward march. 



They are re-ornamenting their temple very beautifully ; 

 the workmen come from Lhassa and the colors from Pekin. 



