1849.] Journal of a trip to Sikim. 527 



covering oi 4 feet long thick shingles of pine loosely laid on rafters. 

 We burn fires of pine and Rhododendron in both apartments, and bar- 

 ring the smoke, which is abominable we are snug enough. Hooker likes 

 fires, and is indifferent to smoke. I do not like one or the other in the 

 jungles, and prefer cloaking up to the cold. Here there is a full view 

 of all the snowy mountains in Sikim, and of nearly the whole lower 

 hills besides. It is a rare peak for the Geographer and admirer of 

 mountain scenery. But Kunchinjinga is by no means so fine as from 

 Darjeeling, the full view of it is cut off by the peaks of Nursing to the 

 right, and Pundeem on the left. The great Rungeet, which rises from 

 a spur of Kunchin bearing N. by W. from this, sweeps by a westerly and 

 southerly course to Tassiding, which is a very remarkable place (and the 

 connection of Mainomchoo with Kunchinjinga on the N.'W. is by a 

 saddle to the N. of Gongong.) It (Tassiding) bears from this S. 78° 

 W. and is a nearly insulated eminence, round the N. east and south 

 sides of which the great Rungeet flows, the Ratong flowing by its N. 

 and W. sides. Tassiding is the most sacred spot in Sikim I believe, 

 and besides the goomba has many tombs of famous Lamas. It is 

 compared to the hill of Sumboonath in the valley of Nipal, on which 

 there is a beautiful Buddhist temple. The two hills are somewhat 

 similar in form ; but there is no building in Sikim to be compared to 

 that at Sumboonath for size or beauty.* On the ascent to Mainomchoo 

 I had a peep at Tumloong, the residence of the Raja. It was but for 

 a minute, while clouds broke over it : and I did not get a bearing. It 

 appeared to be on a spur from Chola : the Ryote river running to the 

 east, the Runnett to the west of the spur. From the position of " La 

 Ghep" of the Chola route, which I got from Mainomchoo, I think that 

 Tumloong bears about 70° east from Mainomchoo. 



2$th.- — Yangang, about 5000 feet above the level of the sea. Return- 

 ed here to-day from Mainomchoo. The descent, which is upwards of 

 5000 feet, took us above 4 hours. It was a beautiful morning on the 

 top of the hill, clear sky, bright sunshine, and hard frost. The ther- 

 mometer fell during the night to 21°, and at 10 a. m. on the surface of 

 the snow was 25° . On our arrival here the Lamas of the Goomba 



* I feel that the correctness of this remark is doubtful, since I have carefully 

 examined the Goombas at Pomiongchi ; I give the palm for beauty to Sumboonath 

 nevertheless. 



