June, 1849. PROCEED TO ZEMU SAMDONG. r.\ 



Kongra Lama, 10,000 feet up the west Hank of Kin- 

 chin j how. 



On the third of June I took a small party, with my tent, 

 and such provisions as I had, to explore up the river. On 

 hearing of my intention, the Pliipun volunteered to take 

 me to the frontier, which he said was only two hours dis- 

 tant, at Zemu Samdong, where the Lachen receives the 

 Zemu river from the westward : this I knew must be false, 

 but I accepted his services, and we started, accompanied by a 

 large body of villagers, who eagerly gathered plants for me 

 along the road. 



The scenery is very pretty ; the path crosses extensive 

 and dangerous landslips, or runs through fine woods of 

 spruce and Abies Brunoniana, and afterwards along the 

 river-banks, which are fringed with willow (called "Lama"), 

 and Hippophae. The great red rose (Bosa macrophylld) , 

 one of the most beautiful Himalayan plants, whose single 

 flowers are as large as the palm of the hand, was blossoming, 

 while golden Potentillas and purple primroses flowered by 

 the stream, and Pyrola in the fir-woods. 



Just above the fork of the valley, a Avooden bridge 

 (Samdong) crosses the Zemu, which was pointed out to me 

 as the frontier, and I was entreated to respect two sticks and 

 a piece of worsted stretched across it ; this I thought too 

 ridiculous, so as my followers halted on one side, I w T ent on 

 the bridge, threw the sticks into the stream, crossed, and 

 asked the Phipun to follow ; the people laughed, and came 

 over : he then told me that he had authority to permit of my 

 botanising there, but that I was in Cheen, and that he 

 would show me the guard-house to prove the truth of his 

 statement. He accordingly led me up a steep bank to an 

 extensive broad flat, several hundred feet above the river, 

 and forming a triangular base to the great spur which, 



