is kept open by the people of Lachung, who carry loads of planks, 

 bamboo, rice, (he-stuffs, such n- the leaves of Si/,ii]>locns and the roots 

 of Rubia cord [folia, which are transported 'by yak- to Tibet. In 

 exchange tlie Tibetans bring down loads of salt, bailey, blank. K and 

 other commodities for the inhabitants of Lower Sikkiiu. [ could not 

 ascertain how may yak loads of merchandise are carried annually over 

 the Donkia Pass, but e\. ;y day during my -la.) in tin- part I saw herds 

 of at least 10 or l'J yaks, ami often many more, eiilier -m,: oi reluming. 

 Looking northwards from Yeumtong, the slope of the valley to an 

 elevation of 13,000 feet is easy, and is black with pine forests. " Above, 

 the land is red and sterile. On the west a tributary stream llow> from 

 behind ( haugoklning along the base o! a long declivih ol sand. The 

 vieu higher uj) is cut oft by jutting spurs below Momay Samdong. 



The following morning we m i _. elevation 



15,300 feet. The first and the last two miles of the path are easy, but 

 the intervening portion is steep. A forest of silver iir, maples, birch, 

 l\i/rns, rhododendrons, and others extends to 13,000 feet ; for a few 

 hundred feet further some scattered black Juniper freer- occur; an equal 

 distance is occupied by rhododendron-; and willows, and pacing the 

 spurs which terminated the view 1'rom Yeumtong, the valley is broad, 

 with enormous rocks on its surface. . are rooky. 



I have nothing to add to the excellent description id this spot by Dr. 

 Hooker, but a place with more inhospitable surroundings can scarcely 

 be imagined. A few yaks were grazing, the sole survivors of large 

 herds almost annihilated by an epidemic of rinderpest which raged 

 during the previous year. 



This great calamity had impoverished the inhabitants of the valley, 

 as for toe greater p:irt of the year they depend lor sustenance on the 

 curds and cheese made from the milk yielded by their Hocks. 



As the morning of the 10th August was bright and sunny, holding 



I lie hills rising aroutKleU are masses ot rock ami rmmie. lorming a nio: 

 forbidding landscape in the aggregate. The shallow waters support a 

 abundance of reddish Scdnm and lihonn nobile. Myriads of bin 

 gentians unfolded in the briet glimpse of sunshine we enjoyed, an 

 Allardia qlabra grew in low dense tuffs, bearing large sessile iknvei 

 with yellow disks and purple rays. The musk-scented Oelp/iinim 

 17,500 feet, accompanied by Acomtum NapeUu. 



redact din th two or th 



short pedicelled flower. Other plants were Ra 



anthus of two species, the edelweiss (Leontopodii 



The view across tin i ■ > t. e Kanihajong > n> was r. and w< 



wre able to a pb c account erf this iroi 



My orders forbade my crossing ihe Donkia, so I returned to Momay 

 in the evening through a blinding storm of snow and rain. 



