1871.] W. T. Blanford — Journey through Sikkim. 403 



ing beside another small glacier, partly over grass, but chiefly over 

 piles of stones, many of them loose. At the top was an open barren 

 plateau with some small lakes. I went on till I came to the base 

 of the last ascent ; another most difficult pile of loose blocks of stone. 

 It was quite evident that the pass was impracticable for loaded 

 coolies. Here at above 17000 feet I turned back ; I felt perfectly 

 well until I did so, but I had a bad headache all the evening from 

 the elevation. 



17th. There was a little snow over the whole valley in the morn- 

 ing. We got ponies and started for the Donkia pass. The road 

 led up an open stony valley for 5 or 6 miles, and then ascended 

 rather more rapidly over barren slopes, leaving the Lachiing to 

 the right. "We passed flocks of that peculiar bird, Grandala 

 ccelicohr, scattered over the hill sides, and I succeeded in shoot- 

 ing a male in gorgeous blue plumage. We also saw a large 

 lark, probably an Otocoris y but it was a cold misty day and a 

 piercing wind swept up the valley, bringing sleet with it, so 

 we had little inclination for ornithology. As we came to the 

 base of the last ascent over a low rocky saddle connecting 

 two higher ridges, all unsnowed, we found the Tibetan en- 

 campment, and two officers received us very politely in their 

 tent and offered us the usual buttered tea. After a time there 

 were brought some pieces of cold mutton and flour of roasted corn 

 (sdtu in Hindustani) which was eaten by being mixed with 

 buttered tea in each man's cup and made into little balls of dough. 

 We requested that they would allow us to cross the pass and pro- 

 ceed via Cholamii to the Kongra Lama pass, in the same manner 

 as Hooker and Campbell had been permitted to travel in the 

 reverse direction from Kongra Lama to Donkia. Captain Chamer, 

 to whom I have already referred as having visited these passes a 

 few months before we did, and who was the first who had pene- 

 trated so far since Hooker's time, had been told that he might 

 traverse this small portion of the Lachen valley, and he would 

 have done so, but at that time (May) the snow was too deep. We 

 were therefore rather surprised and disgusted at being told that 

 we could not possibly he allowed to go, the Tibetan officers said 

 that especial orders had come from Lhassa, and that their heads 



