490 A Journey through Sikim. [No. 6. 



and is the Ovis ammonoides of zoologists, I believe. They were basking 

 in the sun on a hill side at 16,000 feet. The younger ones were of a 

 bluish grey, the old ones whitish. I also fell in with a large covey — 

 sixty or eighty — of chakoor-like birds, their flight and size that of 

 chakoor, but they had no black bars on the wing, nor red legs. 

 Crossed the Phaloong ridge into Lachen valley, which we ascended to 

 our camp at "Sitong;" elevation 16,000 feet. Temp, at 6 p. m. 38°. 

 No fire-wood. "We are four miles below the Kangra Lama Pass. 

 Some wood was brought from Tungu, eight miles. The coolies are all 

 suffering much from headache and the cold. 



Teumchoo or Yeumtso, Thibet, \6th October. 



The Ther. fell at Sitong during the night to 21° ; at 7 a. m. it was 

 32° ; a cold north wind blew down the Pass all night ; at daylight the 

 cold was intense ; but as soon as the sun appeared, the north wind 

 ceased and the temperature was delightful. We were pitched in the 

 dry bed of a stream coming from the north-west, which rises to the 

 north of Chomiomo. The Lachen was not a foot deep here. Kan- 

 chanjhow towered over our heads due east of us. We heard last night 

 that a Chinese guard was posted on the frontier at Kangra Lama to 

 arrest our progress. We sent to see, and found it true, for they told 

 my messenger we should not pass into Thibet, as their necks would 

 be the forfeit if we did. This did not disturb our rest, and although 

 hardly pressed by the Lama not to move the camp to the Pass until 

 we had previously seen the guard, and arranged for a passage through 

 Thibet, I resolved to move up to the frontier in the morning, and 

 trust to what might happen there on meeting the Thibetans for the 

 accomplishment of our wishes. The bright sun, highly rarified atmo- 

 sphere, and gazing at the dazzling snow all day yesterday, have made 

 my eyes sore and weak. I have a veil ; but it blinds me to wear it. 

 The skin of my face is inflamed, and very painful : but I have escaped 

 all headache and discomfort from the high elevations. Hooker has 

 not however done so, with all his practice. He feels sick and head- 

 achy like every body else in camp, but he takes violent exercise all 

 day on foot, whereas I have ridden whenever I could, and was able to 

 do so almost all day yesterday. 



At 8 a. m. this morning having with much difficulty started our 

 benumbed coolies, we left " Sitong," and marched up to the pass of 



