492 Journal of a trip to Sikim. [May, 



plant covering the ground with scarlet berries, and raspberries* Descend- 

 ing on the north side of the mountain, which is quite precipitous and rocky, 

 yet bearing gigantic oaks and Rhododendrons we reached the Temi 

 road in half an hour. I never travelled on a steeper path ; it is what the 

 Yankees call Slantindicular, i. e. more than perpendicular ! My knees will 

 ache for a fortnight, whenever I think^of it. After joining the Temi 

 road we came on a portion of it roughly flagged with stone. This was 

 pointed out as the work of the Bhootanese, who it appears made an 

 inroad into Sikim as far west as the old Durbar, before they were re- 

 pulsed. This was in the time of the present Raja's grandfather. 



At " Atooknot," 8 or 9 miles from Namchi, a road goes off to the 

 left leading to Daling Goomba, and Yangang, and a little further on the 

 descent begins which continues to Temi, it took us upwards of 2 hours 

 and a half without any halts, direction easterly. I never saw a nobler 

 forest than it is all the way from Lamchook. The chesnuts and oaks 

 of great girth and shaft, are finer than anywhere I have been yet ; I 

 measured the former to 26 feet in circumference, and the latter to 22 

 feet. 



From a knoll above the station of Temi I had an extensive pros- 

 pect, although the snowy mountains were not visible. The Teesta 

 running southerly, and I reckon 4000 feet below us, is a fine stream 

 even at this distance. 



The valley of it appears to stretch N. 29° E. right up to the snow,* 

 with numerous spurs from lofty mountains on either side running down 

 to it. On the west the peak of Mainomchoo, bearing N. to W. is the 

 most conspicuous to the N. E. and forming the opposite bank to 

 this is Badong (A.) Further to the east is the Goomba of Rumtik, bril- 

 liantly white in contrast with the wooded ridge it stands on. It is 2 

 journies from this across the Teesta, and on the N. bank of the Rung- 

 bo river. To the east is another Badong, a fine mountain, probably 

 7000 feet high ; also across the Teesta, and to the south east is Bur- 

 meok the residence of a Kaji, and a spur from Tendong. 



Tendong, elevation 8660 feet, as it is the most remarkable feature in 

 the country between tne Rungeet and the Teesta, on account of its eleva- 



* See Journal of Dec. 12. This is the Rungmo or Rungmon feeder, rising in 

 Kali Kongri, that bears N. E. from Temi. 



