1852.] • A Journey through Sikim. 495 



saddle of snow noted before, and dividing two peaks of Kanchanjhow, 

 a feeder from this saddle running easterly also supplies the Lake at 

 the south-west extremity. 



Further to the west is the great rounded summit of Kanchanjhow, of 

 towering height and dazzling brightness. 



To the north east, a fine red and yellow spur from Kanchanjhow, 

 which divides the Lake from the Cholamoo one, and to the west the 

 rocky and bare spur from which I have just descended. 



The eastern bank of the Lake is grassy, and now scorched, along 

 the water's edge, but high and rocky beyond. On the west it is abrupt 

 and rocky. The outlet is thirty paces across : but the stream is not 

 a foot deep, nor more than 5 feet wide. The air is excessively dry, 

 parching up my lips and cracking the skin of my face ; the sun is hot, 

 but the wind is bitterly cold, and sudden blasts from the mountain 

 raise whirlwinds of dust. The base of the mountain is not half a 

 mile from the Lake ; it rises quite abruptly. Snow is lying deep in 

 the hollow places to within 200 feet of its base, and is sprinkled to 

 the same line on the steepest places, which are of solid rock.* 



Not a plant is to be seen in the Lake, nor on its stony margin. Not 

 a fish, or shell, in its waters ; nor any saline deposit near it, but its 

 water is sweet : the sky is clear, brilliant and blue, and all around is 

 new and most imposing. Oh that I could paint or draw ! and how 

 delightful it would be to sail, or row, on the green rippling waters of 

 this little Lake now for the first time spied by European eyes ! 



As I had done inspecting and admiring the Lake, the Lama came 

 up much fatigued and breathing very hard ; his presence relieved me 

 of all apprehension about being out all night, as he told me our tents 

 and baggage were coming up. Hooker says it would have killed us at 

 the present temperature of the night to have lain in the open air ; and 

 I dare say he is right. The Lama told me that after I had started 

 from Kangra Lama, the Thibetan guard had agreed to allow our people 

 to follow me, and that Hooker was at Yeumtso close by, where we 

 were to pitch for the night. This was good news ; I descended a short 

 way, and found him there quite knocked up, and with a violent head- 

 ache, the effect of great exertion at this elevation, 16,800 feet. We 



* The snow line on the northern face of Kanchanjhow in October may be taken 

 at 18,000 feet. 



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