184 EAST NEPAL. Chap. VIIL 



had the smallest authority over them. I had hired some 

 Ghorka coolies to assist and eventually to replace them, 

 and had made up my mind to send back the worst from 

 the more populous banks of the Tambur, when I was 

 relieved by their making off of their own accord. The 

 dilemma was however awkward, as it was impossible to 

 procure men on the top of a mountain 10,000 feet high, or 

 to proceed towards Phulloot. No course remained but to 

 send to Dorjiling for others, or to return to the Myong 

 valley, and take a more circuitous route over the west end 

 of Sakkiazung, which led through villages from which I 

 could procure coolies day by day. I preferred the latter 

 plan, and sent one of the soldiers to the nearest village 

 for assistance to bring the loads down, halting a day for 

 that purpose. 



From the summit of Tonglo I enjoyed the view I had so 

 long desired of the Snowy Himalaya, from north T east to 

 north-west ; Sikkim being on the right, Nepal on the left, 

 and the plains of India to the southward ; and I procured 

 a set of compass bearings, of the greatest use in mapping 

 the country. In the early morning the transparency of the 

 atmosphere renders this view one of astonishing grandeur. 

 Kinchinjunga bore nearly due north, a dazzling mass of 

 snowy peaks, intersected by blue glaciers, which gleamed 

 in the slanting rays of the rising sun, like aquamarines 

 set in frosted silver. From this the sweep of snowed 

 mountains to the eastward was almost continuous as far 

 as Chola (bearing east-north-east), following a curve of 150 

 miles, and enclosing the whole of the northern part of 

 Sikkim, which appeared a billowy mass of forest-clad 

 mountains. On the north-east horizon rose the Donkia 

 mountain (23,176 feet), and Chumulari (23,929). Though 

 both were much more distant than the snowy ranges, 



