THE TUNKRA-LA 301 



they produce no pain but the itching and bleeding are 

 troublesome ; poor Kinchin can hardly walk from weakness, 

 and he is blinded by the number hanging on to his eyelids, 

 and his nostrils are quite full. (To W. J. H., Aug. 6, 1869.) 



At Choongtam he rested ten days ; then proceeded to 

 complete his programme by starting afresh up the eastern 

 stream, the Lachoong, to the disgust of the Singtam Soubah, 

 who was still charged to accompany him, and longed to be 

 back amid the comforts and the native beer of his own home. 

 The unhappy man was also very lame from insect bites, and 

 at the village of Lachoong (August 16) remained on the sick 

 list, while Hooker, in unwonted freedom, made an eastward 

 excursion to the unknown pass of the Tunkra-la, afterwards 

 used by the British expedition to Lhassa. Of this cold, un- 

 sheltered spot and his botanical results so far he writes in a 

 continuation of the letter to his father dated August 24th. 



I think the botanical results of my little Thibetan cruise 

 (which you may talk of) will astonish you, for number ; not 

 that they would have been increased by going further North ; 

 but I found what I so many years have only dreamed of, 

 the remarkable change in vegetation that only occurs at 

 the boundary of the mountains and plains, that prevalence 

 of species and paucity of specimens which marks that 

 curious zone where the perpetual snow rises 2000 feet [i.e. 

 the snow-line is 2000 feet higher than on the southern side] 

 on mountain faces opposed to the most sterile country in 

 the inhabited globe. I am indeed more gratified with my 

 Lachen journey than I can express to you, so long have all 

 my friends here and at home thought the probability of 

 reaching the Thibetan Plateau in this direction visionary. 

 Campbell's and Hodgson's congratulations are extravagant. 

 I am very pleased too to think that any one may now go, 

 the egg-shell is broken ; the intricate route once known and 

 the nature of the impediments, it is easy to forestall the 

 one and follow the other. Of the importance of its botanical 

 results as to the Sikkim Flora you have yet no idea, nor had 

 I till two days ago, when I returned from a long visit to 

 another Pass of which nor I nor Campbell were aware and 

 which took me to within ten miles of Phari and the Holy 



