

Jan. 1849. GEOLOGICAL SPECULATIONS. 325 



number, variety, and size, their commanding and romantic 

 position, and their being interspersed with weeping 

 cypresses, are particularly so. 



The Tassiding temples and convents were founded 

 upwards of 300 years ago, by the Lamas who accom- 

 panied the first Rajah to Sikkim ; and they have been 

 continuously served by Lamas of great sanctity, many of 

 whom have been educated at Lhassa. They were formerly 

 very wealthy, but during the Nepal war they were plun- 

 dered of all their treasures, their silver gongs and bells, 

 their best idols, dorjes, and manis, and stripped of their 

 ornaments ; since which time Pemiongchi has been more 

 popular. In proof of their antiquity, it was pointed out 

 that most of the symbols and decorations were those of 

 pure Lama Boodhism, as practised in Tibet. 



Although the elevation is but 4,840 feet, the weather 

 was cold and raw, with rain at noon, followed by thunder 

 and lightning. These electrical disturbances are frequent 

 about midsummer and midwinter, prevailing over many 

 parts of India. 



January 1st, 1849. — The morning of the new year was 

 bright and beautiful, though much snow had fallen on the 

 mountains ; and we left Sunnook for Pemiongchi, situated 

 on the summit of a lofty spur on the opposite side of the 

 Ratong. We descended very steeply to the bed of the river 

 (alt. 2,480 feet) which joins the Great Rungeet below the 

 convents. The rocks were micaceous, dipping west and 

 north-west 45°, and striking north and north-east, which 

 direction prevailed for 1000 feet or so up the opposite 

 spur. I had observed the same dip and stroke on the east 

 flank of the Tassiding spur ; but both the Ratong on its 

 west side, and the Great Rungeet on the east, flow in 

 channels that show no relation to either the dip or strike 



