1849.] excursion from Da?'jiling to TongU* 421 



over a broad intervening valley, to Darjiling. There they bank on the 

 east side of the spurs, and this being clear of trees, the accumulation is 

 slow,* and always first upon the rare clumps of woods. Very generally 

 by 9 A. m. the whole eastern sky, from the top of Darjiling ridge, is a 

 dense fog, the western exposure enjoying sunshine for an hour or two 

 later. At 7 or 8 a. m., very small patches are seen to collect on Ton- 

 glo, which gradually dilate and coalesce, but do not shroud the mount 

 for some hours, generally not before 11 a. m. or noon. Before that time 

 however, masses of mist have been rolling over Darjiling ridge to the 

 westward, and gradually filling up the valleys, so that by noon or 

 1 p. m. every object is in cloud. 



Towards sunset it falls calm, or a light S. W. wind springs up. In 

 the former case the mists rise, first from the S. E. mounts, and especially 

 if the S. E. wind, exhausted of its surplus vapors, still blows. This 

 raises the clouds first from Sinchul, and when this is not clear, Tonglo 

 breaks through the western mists. If on the other hand a S. W. 

 breeze sets in, or a W., or N. W., Tonglo clears first. 



In descending from Darjiling the zones of vegetation are marked well 

 at a little below 7000 feet, or between 6000 and 7000 by— (1.) The 

 oak, chestnut and magnolia, the main features of 7000 — 10,000 feet. 

 (2.) Immediately below 6500, the Tree-fernf appears (Alsophila gi~ 

 gantea, Wall.), a widely distributed plant, common to the Himalaya from 

 Nepal eastward to the Malayan Peninsula, Java and Ceylon. (3) Palms, 

 a species of Calamus,% the " Rhenoul" of the Lepchas, This, though 



* I have the singularly good fortune to occupy in Mr. Hodgson's house the most 

 favorable spot in the station, for watching the diurnal march of atmospheric pheno- 

 mena. My host's house is placed on an eminence, 500 ft. above the main body of the 

 Darjiling spur, and at its upper or southern extremity ; — it commands an unimpeded 

 prospect to the N. W. and E. having the snows of Kunchin-jinga to the N. and the 

 superb sweep of 80 miles of snow from its summit round by N. E. to E. To the 

 S. E. Sinchul :— and to the west the Singalelah range, from Kunchin to Tonglo. The 

 station stretches N. in full front, as a sharp ridge. I have found it difficult to make 

 old residents of one or other side of Darjiling spur, believe, that whilst their house 

 in the western slope is enjoying hours of sunshine the whole western side is enve- 

 loped in fogs. 



f Of this I have seen but one species in the mountains, a very similar, or possibly 

 distinct species, grows at the foot of the outer range. 



X The fruit of all the Calami are eaten by the Lepchas and the stems of larger 

 species applied to various economic purposes. 



3 i 2 



