1852.] A Journey through Si/cim. 409 



most amicable manner. A few days' residence in Thibet and the 

 exploration of the Lachen and Lachoong vallies of Sikim amply repaid 

 me for the difficulty and danger of the journey which was considerable, 

 and my companion was equally satisfied with his success in the cause 

 of science. From Choongtam we retraced our steps to Singtam, 

 whence we proceeded to Tumloong, the residence of the Raja, in the 

 hope of procuring explanation from him in person. From Tumloong 

 we were anxious to go by the Chola Pass into the valley of Choombi, 

 which is Thibetan territory, and to return from that valley by the 

 Yakla Pass to Darjeeling. We crossed the Chola Pass on the 7th of 

 November, but the Thibetan officers here were not so accommodating 

 as those we met at Kangra Lama, and we returned on the same day to 

 Chumneko in Sikim, where the Singtam Soobah and other adherents 

 of the Dewan brought matters to a crisis by personal violence on both 

 of us, their force however being mainly expended on me. The accom- 

 panying map is a reduced one from Dr. Hooker's, and exhibits our 

 whole route. All the elevations and Meteorological observations are 

 his also. The climates of Lachen and Lachoong much drier than that 

 of Darjeeling, and the noble scenery in and around those Northern 

 vallies of a totally different character to the forests of the Southerly 

 portions of Sikim, give them additional interest as promising places of 

 resort to invalids from Bengal. Their proximity to Thibet with which 

 country a route for unembarrassed commerce from Darjeeling and 

 Bengal would be a great advantage, also gives them a more general 

 importance. Of Thibet I can in no way say that it is a land of any 

 promise. As far as I could see, it was mountainous and rugged, bare 

 of vegetation and barren. The province of Dingcham, which we visited 

 has probably a mean elevation of 16,000 feet. Bhamtoo is 18,000, 

 the valley of the Geree to the North is, say 15,000, it is utterly bare 

 of trees, and quite barren. Dingcham extends along the Northern 

 face of Himalaya from the Tingu Maidon on the West to Tawang, on 

 the East an extent of 360 miles. The intense cold of the climate in 

 the winter does not admit of its being permanently habitable by man 

 or beast.* It is occupied, however, by Nomadic Bhotias from May 



* On the 17th of Oct. the Ther. fell to 5° of Faht. It was fortunately for our 

 party quite calm. When it blows hard in Thibet in the cold weather it is almost 

 certain death to be as little protected as we were. 



