32 LACHEN VALLEY. Chap. XIX. 



coolies : I had suspected him all along (perhaps unjustly) 

 of avoiding the most practicable routes ; but when I found 

 him waiting for me at this bridge, to which he sarcastically 

 pointed with his bow, I felt that had he known of it, to 

 have made difficulties before would have been a w T ork of 

 supererogation. He seemed to think I should certainly turn 

 back, and assured me there was no other crossing (a state- 

 ment I afterwards found to be untrue) ; so, comforting 

 myself with the hope that if the danger were imminent, 

 Meepo would forcibly stop me, I took off my shoes, and 

 walked steadily over : the tremor of the planks was like 

 that felt when standing on the paddle-box of a steamer, 

 and I was jerked up and down, as my weight pressed 

 them into the boiling flood, which shrouded me with 

 spray. I looked neither to the right nor to the left, 

 lest the motion of the swift waters should turn my 

 head, but kept my eye on the white jets d'eau springing 

 up between the woodwork, and felt thankful when fairly on 

 the opposite bank : my loaded coolies followed, crossing 

 one by one without fear or hesitation. The bridge was 

 swept into the Lachen very shortly afterwards. 



Towards Lamteng, the path left the river, and passed 

 through a wood of Abies Smithiana* Larch appears at 

 9000 feet, with Abies Brunoniana. An austere crab-apple, 

 walnut, and the willow of Babylon (the two latter perhaps 

 cultivated), yellow jessamine and ash, all scarce trees in 

 Sikkim, are more or less abundant in the valley, from 

 7000 to 8000 feet ; as is an ivy, very like the English, 

 but with fewer and smaller yellow or reddish berries; 



* Also called A. Khutrow and Morinda. I had not before seen this tree in the 

 Himalaya : it is a spruce fir, much resembling the Norway spruce in general 

 appearance, but with longer pendulous branches. The wood is white, and consi- 

 dered indifferent, though readily cleft into planks ; it is called " Seh." 



