1852.] A Journey through Sikim, 565 



From this point the ascent was exceedingly steep, and the track 

 lay over and among loose stones and rocks of gneiss and quartz. It 

 took me just an hour from the point at which vegetation ceased to 

 get to the summit on an indifferent pony, which I rode almost all the 

 way. My breathing was a good deal affected, and my pulse above 100. 



The Thibetan guard lent us six of their yaks to take some of our 

 baggage up the Pass to the Sikim frontier ; this is on the crest of the 

 Pass, and marked by cairns of stones ; here they deposited the loads, 

 and the drivers could not be prevailed on to take them a step farther, 

 although our coolies were so ill as to be unable to carry the loads. 

 The yaks ascended easily and quickly compared with the men and 

 ponies ; but even they appeared to be a good deal affected in their 

 respiration at this elevation. They were eating the snow which lay 

 in patches near the path, as they went back. It was calm and warm, 

 as I ascended the north face, but on the crest a cutting wind from the 

 south made it very cold indeed. There was no snow on the road as I 

 ascended the north face, nor, as I descended, on the south side : but 

 it lay in patches among the rocks all the way on both sides. On the 

 mountain to the west of the Pass, snow lay deep in hollow places to 

 within 300 feet of the smaller lake. These snowed places may have 

 had glacial ice in them, but the surface of the snow was then smooth, 

 and was probably quite recent. There was no vegetation for 500 feet 

 on either side of the crest of the Pass, i. e. north or south faces. 

 The line of vegetation may be estimated at 18,000 feet on both sides. 



I reached the top of the Pass at 1 p. m. ; all the coolies were up at 

 the same time, but much oppressed in breathing, and suffering exces- 

 sively from severe head-aches. I had a fine view of the main peak 

 and massive part of Donkiah Lah which lies to the south-south-east 

 of the Pass. Five small lakes, which flow into the Lachoong, and lie 

 about 6 or 800 feet below the top of the Pass, were also in sight. I 

 left Hooker's Barometer for him in a niche of one of the cairns on 

 the top of the Pass, took a last look at Thibet with real regret, and 

 facing a bitter south wind descended into the valley of the Lachoong 

 river along which I travelled to Mom ay Samdong, reaching it at 5 

 p. m. The coolies left Cholamoo at 8 a. m., crossed the Pass at 1 p. m., 

 and reached Samdong at 6 p. m. The distance is not more than 

 thirteen miles. 



4 c 2 



