346 



SIKKIM HIMALAYA. 



Chap. XV. 



apparent elevation to mountains, however lofty ; nor would 

 they do so in this case, were it not that the Ratong valley 

 which intervenes, is seen to be several thousand feet lower, 

 and many degrees below the real horizon. 



KINCHIN JUNGA AND PUNDIM FROM MON LEPCHA. 



Pundim has a tremendous precipice to the south, 

 which, to judge from its bareness of snow, must be nearly 

 perpendicular ; and it presented a superb geological section. 

 The height of this precipice I found by angles with a 

 pocket sextant to be upwards of 3,400 feet, and that of 

 its top to be 21,300 above the sea, and consequently only 

 715 feet less than that of the summit of Pundim itself 

 (which is 22,015 feet). This cliff is of black stratified 

 rocks, sloping to the west, and probably striking north- 

 west ; permeated from top to bottom by veins of white 

 granite, disposed in zigzag lines, which produce a con- 

 tortion of the gneiss, and give it a marbled appearance. 

 The same structure may be seen in miniature on the 

 transported blocks which abound in the Sikkim rivers ; 

 where veins of finely grained granite are forced in 





