THE VEGETATION OF THE ZEMU 
iU 
The period of the proposed tour being in the height of the 
rainy season we anticipated unpleasant experiences until we afrived 
at the upper valleys where the rainfall is comparatively light. 
Our fortune, however, was of the best, and from the 30th June to 
the 28th August we had only one really wet day. There is no 
guarantee that this is the usual condition of affairs — it is generally 
very much otherwise. Something is to be said for the plan of 
starting on a fair morning and travelling up the Tista with the 
fine weather — sometimes one can thus keep ahead of the next mon- 
soon storm from the south. 
The bulk of the baggage having left on June 2Tth with the 
majority of the coolies, we started :^rom Darjeeling on the morn- 
ing of the 30th June. Our objective being the flora of the north- 
west corner, we' no^ade no stop or deviation from the road for 
botanical purposes until we reached our base Lachen. What we 
met with by the wayside we secured, if it seemed worth while 
recording. More ways than one lead to Gangtok and we chose the 
short and hilly route by Namchi and Song, thus avoiding the Tista 
valley road which is very unhealthy at this season ; the people 
above Lachen call it the ^Walley of Death” which is expressive 
enough. 
We passed Lebong and Badamtam reaching the Manjithan 
bridge where the frontier was crossed about noon; Then a long 
climb on the ponies up to Namchi bungalow. The following morn- 
ing was very wet. We reached Temi at noon, and the weather 
improving, pushed on to Song which is further away than the 
mileage given for it. We arrived after dark. This is too long a 
stage for coolies at this season. Most of ours appeared next morn- 
ing. We may be prejudiced but the Sikkim mile is hereabouts not 
a constant. 
The forest above Song is very fine and is a good district for 
orchids. Signs of increasing cultivation are everywhere — soon 
many districts will be entirely destitute of the dense forests of 
Hooker’s days. It is to the advent of the Nepali cultivator that 
most of this change is due. We arrived at Gangtok on July th© 
2nd and found to our annoyance that th© advance baggage had 
got stuck here instead of proceeding on to Lachen. The sirdar 
in charge had got into difficulties with local mule contractors who 
were evidently driving a hard bargain with him. 
The 3rd July v/as spent in Gangtok. We here wish to record 
our indebtedness to Mr. C. H. Bell, I.C.S., the Political Officer of 
Sikkim, for ihe facilities afforded us and for the kindness with 
wliich he secured for us a favourable reception by the headmen of 
