453 Journal of a trip in the Sikkim Himalaya. [No. 5, 



10.30 A. M. It is situated on the summit of a narrow range which 

 separates the Little Rungeet from the Eumman, which river here 

 forms the boundary between British and Independent Sikkim. 



We parted with our ponies at Groke and proceeding on foot in an 

 easterly direction, reached the Eumman at noon, which river we 

 crossed, not very far from its junction with the Great Rungeet, by a 

 well constructed bridge of bamboos. The luxuriance of the vegeta- 

 tion along the northern slopes of the G-oke spur is beyond all de- 

 scription beautiful. Near Groke are groups of stately saul trees, 

 elegantly covered with clusters of ferns — one kind in particular encir- 

 cles the saul, forming coronet-like bunches one above the other, 

 the broad leaves of the fern resembling the feathers of a shuttle- 

 cock. On one tree we counted eleven of these coronets rising one 

 above another. Towards the Eumman, at a lower elevation, we passed 

 through a grove of gigantic bamboos about a mile in extent. These 

 bamboos are commonly used by the hill people for carrying water. 

 Mica schist exists in considerable quantity along the spur, and the 

 soil is rich and deep. Proceeding onwards and taking a northerly 

 direction, we doubled round the Chakoong hill, and reached the Rut- 

 +oo at 3 p. M. which we mistook for the Rishee. Crossing the Rut- 

 too by a couple of stout saplings thrown across this wild and very 

 pretty torrent, we commenced the ascent of the Rishee spur of the 

 Hee mountain. Here one of our party became quite knocked up by 

 the long and fatiguing walk, but after despatching the best part of a 

 tin of marmalade, was sufficiently recovered to proceed and mount 

 the remainder of the steep acclivity and descend the other side as far 

 as the Rishee cultivation, where we arrived at 6 P. M. after a harass- 

 ing march of twenty-seven miles, and encamped at an elevation of 

 about 1000 feet above the bed of the river. We found all our things, 

 which had been sent on ahead two days previously, were up and tent 

 pitched. The road which was marked out last year by the sappers, 

 during the temporary occupation of this part of Sikkim, was in pret- 

 ty good order. It is called by the natives the lower and level road, 

 to distinguish it from that via Siriong and upper Rishee, which has 

 many long ascents and descents. 



Early next morning the villagers brought us supplies and oranges 

 from Mixidong, for which we paid. After an early breakfast, left 

 Rishee at 8 x. m. and descended to the Rishee river, which was cross- 



