1852.] A Journey through Sikim. 423 



climber, and is supported by long hop poles. It is eaten, boiled or 

 roasted, and is a sort of above-ground yam. 



2nd. — " Kusok," a black round substance like the above in structure, 

 but the size of a prune ; it is similarly grown on hop poles, and eaten 

 roasted or boiled. It is a handsome plant with large digitate leaves. 



3rd. — " Tukoombi," another climber. The edible part being black 

 currant-like berries, which are roasted or boiled when eaten. 



I have got into a Lama's house here and am dry and comfortable ; 

 but these people do not make the most ot their houses which are really 

 very good. They are all raised 4 to 8 feet from the ground, which at 

 first sight would promise exemption from damp ; the flooring, however, 

 is of loose boards, with intervals between them, and as pigs, fowls, 

 goats and calves live below you, and the ground is a perfect puddle, 

 you have damp and noisome air incessantly about you. The cows too 

 take shelter under the eaves and hang about the houses, so that dirt 

 and slush surround you. This is the state of things during the rainy 

 season, and different indeed it is from that which you find both at the 

 house, and on the road during the cold weather, to which alone the 

 English notices of the Himalaya generally refer. 

 Miangh, October 3rd. 



Heavy rain all night. We started at 6 a. m. in a drizzle, which 

 soon became a right down pour, and this continued until 1 1 when it 

 brightened, and we reached this place at noon. The peculiarities of 

 travelling in the rains were displayed in all their force and glory. 

 Our route lay along the north-west side of Rungeelah, and above the 

 Teesta south bank, with occasional descents to feeders of the river 

 which we crossed, and ascents to their corresponding spurs, the general 

 line being about the elevation of Singtam, until we made a lon«* 

 descent to this place which is about 500 feet above the river. The 

 Koormi, Bungkiong, and Bungchi are the principal feeders on the 

 route, they came dashing down their smooth narrow beds of quartzy 

 rock, occasionally impeded by immense round masses of rock through 

 which they rush thick with mud and clay-slate debris, the foaming 

 flood being the colour of dirty soap-suds. The crossings are very 

 difficult ; — the deepest places are passed over on rickety sticks or 

 bamboos, the remainder by crawling on hands and knees from rock to 

 rock and by wandering. 



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