G24 Notes upon a Tour in the Sikhim Himalayah Mountains. [No. 7. 



highest elevation, I was enabled by a series of bearings to lay down 

 a correct outline upon Dr. Hooker's Map of the snow line in the 

 height of summer, and which from careful observations I calculated 

 to be about 17,000 feet ; but some of the glaciers are far below this 

 elevation, probably not higher than 12,500 feet. The great glacier 

 at the foot of Kunchinjinga, visible from Darjeeling, is elevated about 

 16,000 feet. 



At 8 a. m. we left our encampment and descended in a southerly 

 direction over the loose rocks, crossing many running streams and 

 pools of water. I particularly remarked, and that after repeated 

 examinations, that none of these pools contained any living animal, 

 either fish or animalcule, nor had they any weeds, grass, nor indeed 

 any organic matter in them. The only living things to be seen 

 were two minute wrens hopping about the rocks, At 9 a. m. we 

 reached a path, or rather a track marked out by the yak herdsmen 

 by erecting large stones within sight of each other ; upon a fall of 

 snow occurring, these form their only guides through this wilderness 

 of loose rocks ; to us they were invaluable, as no one of our party 

 had ever been where we were now threading our way, in the midst 

 of a thick fog that obscured everything from our view. Prom the 

 rocks we commenced ascending the ridge of which Gubroo forms 

 the northern culminant point, and which separates the waters of the 

 Eatong and Eungbi rivers. At 9.30 we reached the summit of the 

 ridge, which to the east is precipitous, descending to the Eatong by 

 a steep fall of about 8,000 feet. Looking back into the rocky basin we 

 had left, and from which the fog had blown oif, the view was very 

 wild and interesting. Several landslips have taken place upon Singa- 

 leelah, uprooting large tracts of fir forest, some of which trees were 

 seen with their roots in the air, their fine stems shivered and torn 

 by the falling rocks. 



We were much disappointed in not being able to see the view 

 from the eastern face of the G-ubroo range, as from our position, we 

 should have been enabled to comprehend in one view all the glaci- 

 ers lying at the foot of Kunchinjinga and Pundeem mountains, 

 probably twelve in number, the nearest being five miles distant, 

 as well as Jongri, situated upon one of the swelling buttresses of 

 Kunchinjinga overhanging the right bank of the Eatong. Jongri 



