428 A Journey through Sikim. [No. 5. 



above the river, covered with an irrigated rice crop. Above this flat 

 is the Goomba and Lama's house, a fine airy situation, elevation 5000 

 feet. There was a delightful breeze from the south all day.* 



About half way from Chakoong I met Hooker, who came down so 

 far to welcome me. He is looking remarkably healthy and is quite 

 robust, wears a large beard, and is sadly sun-burnt since his trip to 

 the Passes. 



Latong, October 6th. 



Talked all night with Hooker about his visits to the Passes. Started 

 at 8 a. m. and reached this at 3 p. m., our road all the way in the 

 valley of the Lachen in a north-west direction, and on the left bank. 

 We crossed the river below Chongtam by a suspension cane-bridge. 

 At noon crossed the U'rkang. Halfway is Denga, aflat terrace, about 

 a mile long and half a mile broad, and there is a succession of similar 

 terraces all the way to Latoong, which is much the largest of the whole, 

 and is perhaps a mile broad at the place we encamped. 



These terraces or flats are covered with an upper stratum of black 

 peaty soil, and their general formation is sandy gravel, and roundish 

 masses of rock down to the river bed. The average elevation of them 

 above the river is under 100 feet. There has been a marked change 

 in the vegetation on this march. The most prominent plants not seen 

 below Chongtam and seen here, are the Poplar, Willow, Crab-apple, 

 and Anemone. We saw some of Hooker's newly discovered Rhodo- 

 dendrons, and the Dalhousie, growing not as an Epiphytic plant, but 

 out of the ground ; — elevation of Latong 7000 feet. 



At the elevation of 2000 feet above the river, the mountains on both 

 sides are clad with pines. Ther. at 6 p. m. 55°. The road all the 

 way from Chongtam is most difficult ; along the terraces it is ancle- 

 deep in mud and black soil, and in the other parts it is across land- 

 slips, or violent torrents, or over immense rocks in the river's bed. 

 Leeches very numerous. Insects infested the tent all night. 



(To be continued.) 



* Choongtam, and the whole country south of the Kungra Lama and Doukia 

 passes, was occupied by the Thibetians for many years, and at length restored to 

 Sikim by negotiation. 



