1849.] Journal of a Irip to Sikim. 487 



and I was soon quite snug. The Thermometer did not fall below 50° 

 during the night, but it felt nevertheless very cold ; started at \ past 7 

 of the 6th, and reached Namgialachi via Silukfoke at 11 a. m ., dis- 

 tance 4 miles. The road from the Rungeet is generally rideable. The 

 distance may be 12 miles. The whole tract is very poorly supplied with 

 water ; there are but 3 streams I think altogether. A little repair to 

 the road and alteration of the line in some places would render it a 

 pleasant day's trip from Darjeeling. At Namgialachi there is not much 

 to be seen. The encamping ground is overrun with high wormwood 

 jungle. The top of Silukfoke however is well worth visiting. It is the 

 round green knoll commonly called Namgialachi at Darjeeling, and very 

 conspicuous from its smooth grassy look. The Lama of Namchi, (abbre- 

 viation for Namgialachi,) was waiting for me where the road turns off to 

 his house, and accompanied me to the top. I reckon it to be 500 feet 

 lower than Darjeeling. It is a very sacred peak, and like Kunchinjinga, 

 is probably reckoned so because it is not fit for the plough or spade. 

 There is no water for irrigation, and the soil is so dry and barren that 

 it is not fit for crops of any sort. It is an open, and very level expanse 

 of 20 acres or so, all under a coarse sort of grass. The view is very 

 fine in all directions ; the valley of the Rungeet apparently, right up to 

 the snow, Singalelah, Phugloot, Tonglo, and the crest of Sinchul to the 

 westward, — Sandoopchi, Tendong, Numdoomrum, Sankarjong and La- 

 kharry to the eastward, and Darjeeling, with the Jilla Pahar, Tugvor, 

 and Lebong offshoots, is an exceedingly pretty landscape to the west ; 

 Kunchinjinga was not out ; but I have noted a bearing of the snowy 

 peak, " D 2" of Waugh's Chart, as well as bearings of the hills to the 

 west and east. Numdoomrum is a level saddle, running north and 

 south and connecting Sandoopchi on the north with Lingdam to the 

 south, Sankarjong is the southern continuation of Tendong, and is a 

 very red wall-like ridge visible from the Darjeeling hill ; Lakharry is a 

 rugged and higher peak which terminates Sankarjong to the south ; both 

 overhang the Teesta, which runs east of them. The "Manpeen" 

 stream rises from Sandoopchi, and after receiving a tributary which 

 rises at Numdoomrum, runs westerly to fall into the Rungeet a mile 

 below the cave bridge ; Manbroo is the ridge stretching from Tendong 

 to the N. W., and its highest point is named Tingbi. I walked out 

 at Namgialachi in the evening and had a fine prospect of the country 



