1849.] Journal of a trip to Sikim, 503 



From the crest of Lingkeang the view is very grand. To the north 

 is still Sungdam, rugged, precipitously steep, and barren. The cha- 

 racter of the country is evidently changing, and the first sign of it was 

 in the peaks of Mainom, overhanging the beautiful basin of Rungoom. 

 Instead of well soil-clad mountains, as at Temi, and further west, 

 rockiness and scanty soil, with constant precipices, is now the character 

 of the Teesta valley, and more so on the west than east bank certainly ; 

 at elevations above 5,000 feet there is scarcely any thing but rock, 

 whitish clay slate, and gneiss. I have noted bearings from Ling- 

 keang to the N. and S., tf Sikim" to the south, and on this side of the 

 Teesta, is the largest piece of cultivation we have seen. The fields are 

 well railed in, and the ground turned up with the spade ready for 

 wheat, which will be sown next month. This is full two months later 

 than west of the Rungeet. The harvest it is said will be in May, as 

 there. The vegetation on Lingkeang is not altered I think from that 

 of similar elevations further S. and W. but about this place (Kedong) 

 there is grass, whenever there are bits of soil for it to grow on, — and 

 that is rare. We passed an old Lepcha, who looked half starved, and 

 was turning up the scanty soil for a buckwheat crop. " Have you any 

 cows, and can you give us a drop of milk," I said. " Cows !" was the re. 

 ply, " there is nothing for them to live on here, it is ail that the Thar and 

 Ghoral* can do to get a subsistence." These are really the only ani- 

 mals known hereabouts, and they are very scarce, nor are there any 

 birds ; during the two days, I was at the ghat, I did not see a single 

 bird ; and there is said to be no fish. The fishes of the Teesta on the 

 plain are the best river ones I know of. The Romphup water i s a 

 drumly white, and carries down a very fine white silt from its source, 

 which we saw at a distance, and is in a hill of apparently clay slate. 

 All the other feeders like the Teesta itself are green and clear, and this 

 is its character on the plains, where its water is unrivalled for drinking. 

 We had a good view of some snowy peaks before reaching this place, 

 The Powhunny of Waugh's chart I think. (See bearings.) We met a 

 party of Thibetans going to Darjeeling ; they were 10 days from 

 Lachoong, which they assert to be to the east of the Lachen Pass. 

 At Temi, we were told the contrary ; and Hooker had a similar story 

 told to him in Nipal. 



* Antelopes. 



