184 9. J Journal of a trip to Sikim. 539 



feet high, and as many broad. At the north end is a Chaitya, and 

 at the south end an upright stone 9 feet high, fixed in a basement of 

 dry stone masonry. At 4 feet from the ground, and along both sides, 

 is a line of inscribed and figured slabs, 708 in all. The figures are 

 principally Buddhas in the usual sitting posture — the others are Hindu 

 deities. The inscriptions are in the " Oochen' , and " Lencha" cha- 

 racters of Thibet. Uchen and Ranja* of some pronunciations. The 

 slabs are generally from a foot to 2 feet square. This 9 feet upright 

 stone has writing all over its southern side. 



From Gayzing I reached the Kullait river. After an hour of steep 

 descent forded the river ; it was 40 feet wide, thence ascended by a hor- 

 rid road, which is very little used, to Tadong, " which is to the west of 

 and above Rinchinpoong ; crossed the Rungsong, a feeder of the Kullait 

 near Tadong. Ther. at 7 a. m. 40°. 



January 3rd. — Started at 7 a.m.; about a mile above Tadong well, 

 fell into the high road from Rinchinpoong, at a saddle in the Kaluk ridge, 

 where there is a Mendong. From this point the " Zhen lah," a ridge 

 with 3 remarkable conical peaks, comes in view to the south. The cen- 

 tre peak of the 3 bears S. 20 "W. The Kaluk and Zhen lah ridges are 

 separated by the Rishi, which runs easterly to the great Rungeet. On 

 the eastern continuation of the Zhen lah is the Lenchi Goomba. It 

 bears S. 15 E. An hour and half from Taluk Mendong we crossed 

 the Rishi by sticks laid from one boulder to another, through a very 

 rapid current, into which one of the coolies fell. From this we ascend- 

 ed to a saddle between two of the Zhen lah peaks ; crossed the ridge at 

 the elevation of 3500 feet, I reckon, and at a Mendong. Thence we 

 descended to the Rahto, a feeder of the great Rungeet, and running 

 easterly, and by a tedious ascent in a south direction, we reached a 

 saddle on the ridge of Chakoong, which saddle is 5000 feet, I think, 

 and 6 hours good marching from Tadong. There is a Mendong at the 

 saddle, and some Lepchas' houses, ,but water is distant, so we crossed 

 Chakoong and descended about a mile on its southern face to a small 

 stream of water. From Chakoong the head of the little Rungeet bears 

 S. 52 W., and Talom, a very large flat terrace, S. 70 W. 



There is iron ore in the Chakoong range, and a mine was at one 

 time worked there, but is now closed, as the Lamas pronounce it an 



* Ranja ; Sanscrit — and Outza, Tibetan, — B. H, H. 



4 A 



