Memoranda on the Geology of Sihkim. 529 



Under Kursiong, the portions of the valley in the neighbour- 

 hood of the old cane-bridge is flat and reedy, and looks as if it 

 had not improbably been the bottom of a lake. The same re- 

 mark applies to another circular portion of the valley bounded 

 by steep rocks, half a mile or three-quarters of a mile higher 

 up the river than the old bridge ; here the rocks approach the 

 river on each side at the south end of the portion of the valley 

 in question, and may at one time have been united, and have 

 yielded to the influence of running vrater, or been otherwise 

 broken down. Again further down the river than the old bridge 

 and on the right bank of the river, there are two or three cir- 

 cular basins with narrow and steep rocky sides, extending from 

 half a mile to a mile to the west of the present course of the 

 river, which if examined, might be found perhaps to have held 

 collections of water now drained off by the river flowing free- 

 ly through them ; a thorough investigation of the appearances 

 of the localities, however, owing to the heavy jungle, could not 

 be undertaken without occasioning much trouble and fatigue. 



The rocks forming the edge of the basins above-mentioned 

 have in them curious openings, which serve as passes from 

 one to another, of a size large enough to permit elephants to 

 come and go, and perhaps they have been formed by these 

 sagacious animals having selected soft places in the rock 

 and worn it down by frequent transit. It may be remarked 

 by the way, that they are extremely ingenious in making 

 roads, shewing themselves no mean adepts in selecting gentle 

 ascents by means of well-devised zig-zags : an elephant road 

 when come upon far surpasses a Lepcha path for easy tra- 

 velling ; these last generally go as straight up the mountain 

 as a man can manage to walk. Unfortunately, the elephant 

 tracks are only met with on the lowest range of hills, the 

 animals do not penetrate deep into the country, and only it is 

 supposed, seek the elevated lands during the rains ; at least 

 this was the inference we drew from the appearance of the 

 traces of them we met with in our rambles. 



