1871.] W. T. Blauford — Journey through Siklclm. 407 



The scene that bursts upon the eye from the crest of Donkia is one 

 of those which can neither be described nor represented. Cholamu 

 lake is in front beneath the feet of the spectator, beyond is a desert 

 with rounded hills. Farther away range after range of mountains, 

 some of them covered with snow, extend to a distance which the 

 eye cannot appreciate. The total change of colour and form from 

 the valleys of Sikkim, the utter barrenness, the intense clearness 

 of the atmosphere produce such an effect as if one were gazing 

 upon another world in which the order of this is no longer 

 preserved ; where a tropical desert is seen amongst snow-capped 

 peaks, beneath the unnaturally clear atmosphere of the arctic 

 regions. 



Hooker's description, Vol. II, pp.* 123-128, and the view in PI. 

 VIII, of his Himalayan Journals, (larger edition, ) give a faint idea 

 of a scene which it is beyond the powers of either art or language 

 to convey faithfully. It is doubtless one of the most remarkable 

 landscapes in the world, and alone worth the journey from Darjiling 

 in order to see it. 



I rode back in the afternoon rather disgusted at the prospect 

 of not crossing the pass ; not only did I wish to see something more 

 of the Tibetan plain, but the fauna, as described by Hooker, is 

 peculiar and quite different from that of the neighbouring valleys 

 in Sikkim. I especially wished also to see the fossiliferous lime- 

 stone which Hooker noted, and which, singularly enough, appears 

 just beyond the Tibetan frontier. 



On arriving at our camp I found Elwes had not returned, nor did 

 he do so until half past 7 o'clock, an hour after dark. He had strolled 

 out up the side valley which branches off from the Lackiing to the 

 west close to our camp, and leads to a little known pass called 

 Sing-la, two or three miles west of Donkia pass. He had gone out 

 without any intention of doing more than looking at the valley ; 

 indeed, being rather lame from leech bites, he had stayed behind 

 in order to rest, but he found himself so close to the frontier that 

 he went on to the top of the pass, and then, seeing Cholamu lake 

 beneath him, and no Tibetan in sight, the temptation to go on 

 was irresistible and he descended to the lake, partly by a snow 

 slope, partly over a shoot of stones. There he could find no one ; 



