AND LLONAKH VALLEYS OF SIKKIM. 
147 
and Zeinu — both foaming cataracts. We crossed the former by 
a rough bridge and after another half hour’s struggle with 
Rhododendron Hodgsoni reached an open tract tenanted by a 
‘ got ’ or flock of sheep and affording a good camping ground at 
somewhat over 10,000 feet. The attendant shepherds were clad 
only in a rough coat and a blanket, seemingly most inadequate 
protection against the rough weather of the Zemu. Tents were 
pitched in a cold drizzle — no very pleasant welcome to the valley. 
This proved a very stiff day especially to the laden men on account 
of the depth of mud among the rhododendron roots— a purgatory 
of a road which we were to see later on at its worst. 
We left our first camp next morning in a drizzle to proceed 
further up the valley and establish a fixed camp for a week or 
10 days. What track there was led through a dense growth of 
rhododendron, chiefly R. ^odgsoni, our enemy of the day before. 
Here and there were clumps of small bamboos which were dripping 
wet and added to the discomfort of the thick heavy mud under 
foot. Occasional logs and branches, wet and slippery, had been 
placed by the shepherds to improve the track in the worst places.. 
In the undergrowth Pavacarya glochidiatum was common and in 
beautiful flower — also Smilacina oleracea and species of Arisaema. 
The latter were in demand as an article of food not only by the 
people of the district but by bears of whose digging operations 
there were plenty of signs. Our guide presented us with some of 
the cakes made of these aroids but we did not venture on more 
than a taste. A few we kept as curios ultimately resembled thick 
slabs of glue and probably would prove as dangerous to unaccus- 
tomed stomachs. 
The track continued bad to 11,000 feet but subsequently after 
crossing the Tumrachen Chu by a rough and very precarious bridge 
of logs the valley opened out — trees became fewer and the rhodo- 
dendrons less troublesome. Towards the close of the day we 
reached a rough shelter of logs at an elevation of just under 
12,000 feet. This is the only erection approaching a permanent 
structure in either the Zemu or the Llonakh valleys and must be 
but rarely tenanted. It cannot be called a hut— two sets of heavy 
logs are set against one another, one end is filled with brushwood 
and the ‘ house ’ is complete. Small as were our. tents it was 
difficult to find a level spot of sufficient size for a camp, and the 
first night our slumbers were disturbed by a tendency to slide down 
the incline. However we had a lullaby as Hooker had — ^the con- 
tinued rumbling of the boulders in the boisterous Zemu resembling 
thunder in the distance. 
