June, 1849. GLACIERS OF THLONOK VALLEY. 51 



high, which, from Dorjiling, appears as a sharp peak, but 

 is here seen to be a jagged crest running north and south. 

 On the north flank of the valley the mountains are more 

 sloping and black, with patches of snow above 15,000 

 feet, but little anywhere else, except on another beautiful 

 peak (alt. 19,240 feet) marked D 3 on the map. This flank 

 is also continuous from Kinchin ; it divides Sikkim from 

 Tibet, and runs north-east to the great mountain Chomiomo 

 (which was not visible), the streams from its north flank 

 flowing into the Aran river (in Tibet). A beautiful blue 

 arch of sky spanned all this range, indicating the dry 

 Tibetan climate beyond. 



I made two futile attempts to ascend the Thlonok river 

 to the great glaciers at the foot of Kinchinjunga, following 

 the south bank, and hoping to find a crossing-place, and so 

 to proceed north to Tibet. The fall of the river is not 

 great at this part of its course, nor up to 12,000 feet, 

 which was the greatest height I could attain, and about 

 eight miles beyond my tents ; above that point, at the 

 base of Liklo, the bed of the valley widens, and the rhodo- 

 dendron shrubbery was quite impervious, while the sides 

 of the mountain were inaccessible. We crossed exten- 

 sive snow-beds, by cutting holes in their steep faces, 

 and rounded rocks in the bed of the torrent, dragging one 

 another through the violent current, whose temperature 

 was below 40°. 



On these occasions, the energy of Meepo, Nimbo (the 

 chief of the coolies) and the Lepcha boys, was quite 

 remarkable, and they were as keenly anxious to reach the 

 holy country of Tibet as I could possibly be. It was 



Dorjiling," I believe to be the "Liklo " of Dr. Campbell's itineraries from Dorjiling to 

 Lhassa, compiled from the information of the traders (See " Bengal Asiatic Society's 

 Journal" for 1818); the routes in which proved of the utmost value to me. 



e 2 



