CHAPTER VII. 



Continue the ascent of Tonglo — Trees — Lepcha construction of hut— Simsibong 

 — Climbing-trees— Frogs — Magnolias, &c. — Ticks— Leeches — Cattle, murrain 

 amongst — Summit of Tonglo — Rhododendrons — Skimmia — Yew — Rose — 

 Aconite— Bikh poison — English genera of .plants — Ascent of tropical orders 

 — Comparison with south temperate zone — Heavy rain — Temperature, &c. 

 — Descent — Simonbong temple — Furniture therein — Praying-cylinder — 

 Thigh-bone trumpet — Morning orisons— Present of Murwa beer, &c. 



Continuing the ascent of Tonglo, we left cultivation 

 and the poor groves of peaches at 4000 to 5000 feet (and 

 this on the eastern exposure, which is by far the sunniest), 

 the average height which agriculture reaches in Sikkim. 



Above Simonbong, the path up Tonglo is little 

 frequented : it is one of the many routes between Nepal and 

 Sikkim, which cross the Singalelah spur of Kinchinjunga 

 at various elevations between 7000 and 15,000 feet. As 

 usual, the track runs along ridges, wherever these are to be 

 found, very steep, and narrow at the top, through deep 

 humid forests of oaks and Magnolias, many laurels, both 

 Tetranthera and Cinnamomum, one species of the latter 

 ascending to 8,500 feet, and one of Tetranthera to 9000. 

 Chesnut and walnut here appeared, with some leguminous 

 trees, which however did not ascend to 6000 feet. Scarlet 

 flowers of Vaccinium serpens, an epiphytical species, were 

 strewed about, and the great blossoms of Rhododendron 

 Dalhousice and of a Magnolia [Talauma Hodgsoni) lay 

 together on the ground. The latter forms a large tree, 



