566 Notes upon a Tour in the Sik/cim Himalayah Mountains. [No. 6. 



from Sikkim into Nepal. Barometer gave an elevation of 10,792 feet, 

 Thermometer 64°. 



On our way up we were shown two rocks between which the nar- 

 row footpath runs ; and where our guide informed us that a stout 

 Nepalese Soubah, who was travelling in this direction, was unable, 

 without great maneuvering, to force his portly personage, much to the 

 merriment of his followers and of Cheeoong Lethoo Sirdar, who related 

 the story, as we halted for breath, with great gusto. 



At 10,000 feet we fell in with the pale-coloured leech that inhabits 

 this elevation, but, as they are scarce and sluggish, we paid little heed 

 to them. 



The Tumbok Pass is a depression in the Singaleelah range 

 flanked on either side by high mountains, that to the south " Melido" 

 or " Singaleelah" is four miles distant and rises to 12,329 W. feet ;* 

 that to the north, distant two miles, is nameless and is about 12,000 

 feet in height. The immediate summit of the Pass is destitute of 

 trees, the forest being for two or three hundred yards on each side 

 of the footpath replaced by grassy banks and slopes covered with 

 a bright assemblage of purple geraniums, white roses, primrose, 

 everlasting chrysanthemum of a buff colour, lily of the valley, forget- 

 me-not, thistle, numerous pretty wild flowers whose names I am 

 unacquainted with, a large white Passion flower-looking creeper, 

 hemlock, holly, raspberry, arums, campanula, two kinds of buc- 

 cinium, ferns, lichens, mosses, grass, carex, fennel, dock, ranun- 

 culus, anemone, a shrub bearing an elegant cluster of red bells, and 

 a delicate lily-of-the-valley-looking plant bearing a pink or white 

 cluster of minute bells. The trees near at hand were arboreous 

 rhododendron, maple, a mimosa-looking tree, bearing a cluster 

 of brown berries (Pyrus Americana ?) and several others ; wild 

 garlic grows in great abundance with a very beautiful purple flower ; 

 this herb was gathered in large quantities and consumed by the 

 Lepchas. 



A few feet below the summit of the Pass on the Nepal side, there 

 is a deep black looking tarn surrounded by such deep forest that 

 we could not conveniently get to it. The Sirdar and coolies all held 



* W. When applied to heights, indicates heights ascertained by Colonel Waugh, 

 Surveyor General. 



