216 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. IX. 



had fallen the previous night, descending to 13,000 feet. We left Chamanako 

 on the 28th, and resumed our journey along the Chola Range. The path 

 follows the course of the Rutto for half a mile, then crosses it, and an ascent 

 to 14,000 feet follows, through a scrub of Rhododendrons. At 14,000 feet 

 there is a large hollow covered with Rhododendrons, containing two lakes, the 

 larger ovoid in shape, the smaller long and narrow. Attaining the ridge beyond 

 we descended to the river Rungpo, passing through on the way a narrow defile 

 walled with rock. Another ascent through small Rhododendrons again follow- 

 ed, after which we descended and struck a path from Guntok. We walked 

 along this for a mile, and reached the camping ground, named Buthan, a large 

 expanse of green turf closed in on the east by a barrier-like cliff. 



During this march we found specimens of Chrysanthemum Atkinsoni, the 

 only example of the genus occurring in Sikkim, some small Saussureas with 

 fern-like leaves, Primroses, Parnossia, the bladder-headed Saussurea, Senecio 

 amplexicaulis, and the small Rhubarb, Rheum acuminatum. 



The following day we marched to Kapup, a small plateau under Zeylap La. 

 We ascended to the top of the rocky barrier east of the camp. From here we 

 obtained a magnificent view of a long trough-like valley terminated by a ridge 

 beyond Kapup. The whole scene was of a warm brown colour from the her- 

 baceous vegetation killed by the late autumn frosts. This valley, which runs 

 southwards, is bounded on the north by the main Chola ridge which forms the 

 political boundary between Sikiim and Tibet. There was a long gradual de- 

 scent down this remarkable valley, in which are two marshy lakes of consider- 

 able extent. Beyond the second lake a deep narrow gorge intervenes. This 

 is clothed with Pine forest, and at the end of the valley the meeting of two 

 opposite spurs holds back the stream so as to form a large lake reflecting the 

 pine woods on its dark-tinted surface. Surmounting the ascent from the 

 stream, we emerged on the grassy flat of Kapup with a few scattered Silver Fir 

 trees, small Rhododendrons and shrubby Berberis in its sheltered parts. The 

 Spikenard, Nardostachys Jatamansi, was common, but few plants grew in the 

 closely-cropped herbage. 



On the 30th September I walked to th6 pass, and returned through Kapup to 

 Gnatong. No vegetation exists at the pass itself, and that below it was fast 

 withering. At Gnatong the plants still in flower were Onosma, Senecio, and a 

 few species of Saussurea, Swertia and Saxifraga. From Gnatong I travelled 

 by the military road to the Teesta Bridge, arriving at Mongpoo on the 5th 

 October. 



During the whole of this excursion I had only one fine day, namely, the 28th 

 September. A dense fog with drizzling rain prevailed to my disappointment 

 during the rest of the time, which prevented me from noting the details of the 

 scenery I passed through. 



