the clefts of a rock Ave found a small simply pinnate Poly podium and a 

 species of Pellcea. 



The tract into which we emerged wore a different aspect to that we 

 had just Left. Above us towered enormous walls and pinnacles of bare 

 rock, intersected by equally stony valleys, all tending towards the 

 broad and terraced slope over which we marched without difficulty. 

 Rhododendron Anthopoyon and R. setosum were the only woody plants. 

 On the sides of the rocks along the terraces Sa.rifraya imbrmtta and 

 X.jdvtpn'iiioiiddiKi ;_!!•>•' .led with white 



and yellow flower?. The soil is covered with a thick turf of grass and 

 sedges, amongst which arc innumerable plants of Primula Stunrtii 

 and a species of Anemone. Beyond this first terrace the route led over 

 alternate flats and ravines, and passed four lakes. At first the rocks 

 near the path are scattered singly over the ground ; further on the 

 whole surface of the hill is covered by a confused mass of glacier 

 dei te 1 \ oulders, where the path is marked at intervals by upright 

 white stones. Very little vegetation, except moss, maintains an 

 existence in this wilderness. Sir J'< >pph Hooker, in his admirable 

 " "ikkim, thus explains the cause 

 1 descend to 15,000 feet in the 

 tortuous gorges which i i the snows of Kinchin- 



junga, but no plants grow on the debris they carry down, nor is there 

 any sward of grass or herbage at their base, the atmosphere immedi- 

 ately around being chilled by enorne now, and the 



Attaining a ridge marked by a rudely built monument, bearing a 

 small ting, we descended a steep gorge down which a stream urged its 

 turbulent course. Its bed was cumbered with gneiss blocks with many 

 of a fine grai jher levels. This stream 



effects a junction with two others to form the Rangbi river at a flat 



rassy valley, which rapidly attains a, high 

 the desolate locality we had traversed is the 



. the weird effect of such scenery Uy their cadaverous stave 

 like stems, for only by closer inspection can the actual beauty of the 

 plant be realised. Tie • existed on inaecosible 



<■:•.-..- 



The elevation of Gambothan by P>. P. thermometer was 12. ',00 feet. 



Leaving Gambothan, a steep ascent was made to the summit of the 

 ri.lg, — l ;;.;;()() feet in elevation. For half the distance there is a 

 scattered forest of Abies ircl>bi<ni,/. Jinn perns rerurni. Rhododendron 

 eumprnndatinii, I'rnnxs rnftr, and I'xtnla xtilis ; the upper part, was 

 almost wholly occupied by Rhododendron Anthopoy> ,-, and /,'. sitosum 

 These, when' bruised or 'trodden upon, exhale a strong perfume from 

 the superficial glands with which they are covered, aggravating the 

 headaches to which all are subject at high elevations. Gentiana 

 sfyhiphora is exceedingly common. l'.eyoud the ridge is the broad 

 open summit of Bokto, covered with grass, on which two large flocks of 

 sheep were feeding. From this a descent has to be made into the 

 valley of the -<■ growths of rhododendrons, Abies 



