Mat, 1848. CAMP. TEMPERATURE. 153 



we crawled, very much fatigued, through burnt dry forest, 

 up a very sharp ridge, so narrow that the tent sate astride 

 on it, the ropes being fastened to the tops of small trees 

 on either slope. The ground swarmed with black ants, 

 which got into our tea, sugar, &c, while it was so covered 

 with charcoal, that we were soon begrimed. Our Lepchas 

 preferred remaining on the river-bank, whence they had to 

 bring up water to us, in great bamboo " chungis," as they 

 are called. The great dryness of this face is owing to its 

 southern exposure : the opposite mountains, equally high 

 and steep, being clothed in a rich green forest. 



At nine the next morning, the temperature was 78°, but 

 a fine cool easterly wind blew. Descending to the bed of 

 the river, the temperature was 84°. The difference in 

 humidity of the two stations (with about 300 feet difference 

 in height) was more remarkable ; at the upper, the wet 

 bulb thermometer was 67^°, and consequently the satura- 

 tion point, 0*713; at the lower, the wet bulb was 68°, 

 and saturation, 0*599. The temperature of the river was, 

 at all hours of the preceding day, and this morning, 

 67Jr°.* 



Our course down the river was by so rugged a path, 

 that, giddy and footsore with leaping from rock to rock, 

 we at last attempted the jungle, but it proved utterly 

 impervious. On turning a bend of the stream, the 

 mountains of Bhotan suddenly presented themselves, with 

 the Teesta flowing at their base • and we emerged at the 

 angle formed by the junction of the Rungeet, which we 



* At this hour, the probable temperature at Dorjiling (6000 feet above this) 

 would be 56°, with a temperature of wet bulb 55°, and the atmosphere loaded with 

 vapour. At Calcutta, again, the temperature was at the observatory 91*3°, wet 

 bulb, 81'8°, and saturation = 0*737. The dryness of the air, in the damper- 

 looking and luxuriant river-bed, was owing to the heated rocks of its channel ; while 

 the humidity of the atmosphere over the drier-looking hill where we encamped, 

 was due to the moisture of the wind then blowing. 



