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A BOTANICAL TOUR IN SIKKIM. 



By G. A. Gammie. 



[From the Records of the Botanical Survey of India."} 



I departed to collect botanical specimens in Sikkim and on its frontiers on 

 the 6th June, 1892. As Mr. White, the Political Agent, informed me that he 

 would probably be at liberty to accompany me on a journey to the little- 

 known district of Lhonak, I arranged to meet him at Guntok in about six 

 weeks' time, when we should make the necessary arrangements for our tra- 

 velling together. To my regret the exigencies of his appointment prevented 

 him from carrying out his intention, and I was obliged to abandon the idea 

 of going alone to Lhonak, as Mr. White considered it inadvisable on my part 

 to attempt it while important negotiations concerning the frontier were 

 pending with the Tibetans. 



He kindly forwarded to me parwanas written in Tibetan and addressed 

 generally to the headmen of villages, ordering them to render me whatever 

 assistance I required ; but at the same time he wisely advised me not to depend 

 on procuring carriers or supplies from the inhabitants. His passports were 

 of the utmost value to me on the rare occasions I had to avail myself of 

 assistance from the villagers— a service these indolent people would have been 

 loath to afford me had I not been supported by such indisputable authority. 

 As I had no hope of procuring supplies in the country, I made thorough 

 arrangements for food sufficient for all to be sent at intervals to different 

 stations, regulating my movements in accordance with the plans laid down, 

 thus, at all times, avoiding a possible scantiness of rations, which would have 

 disheartened my men and caused their desertion, — a most undesirable con- 

 tingency. 



The slothful and improvident habits of the inhabitants prevent them from 

 growing more grain than is actually necessary for their bare subsistence — a 

 condition of affairs concomitant with their lack of mercantile enterprise, 

 which is probably due to their isolation from the outer and more civilized 

 world. 



Being thrown on my resources, and having permission from Mr. White to 

 travel in any part of the country, excepting Lhonak and Cholamoo, I decided 

 to devote the remainder of the allotted time to exploring the Lachung Valley 

 with its ramifications, the Lachen Valley and the Chola Range from Tumlong 

 to the Zeylap La, from whence I could return to Darjeeling by the Gnatong 

 road. 



In anticipation of the meeting with Mr. White, I considered that the first 

 month of deputation would be most usefully spent in traversing the Singalelah 

 Range to Kinchinjunga, from which I could march to Guntok by way of 

 Yoksun. 



As I was requested to confine my attention as much as possible to the col- 

 lection and observation of temperate and alpine vegetation, that of low 



