THE TUNKEA-LA 301 
they produce no pain but the itching and bleeding are 
troublesome ; poor Kinchin can hardly walk from weakness, 
and he is blinded by the number hanging on to his eyelids, 
and his nostrils are quite full. (To W. J. H., Aug. 6, 1869.) 
At Ohoongtam he rested ten days ; then proceeded to 
complete his programme by starting afresh up the eastern 
stream, the Lachoong, to the disgust of the Singtam Soubah, 
who was still charged to accompany him, and longed to be 
back amid the comforts and the native beer of his own home. 
The unhappy man was also very lame from insect bites, and 
at the village of Lachoong (August 16) remained on the sick 
list, while Hooker, in unwonted freedom, made an eastward 
excursion to the unknown pass of the Tunkra-la, afterwards 
used by the British expedition to Lhas^a. Of this cold, un- 
sheltered spot and his botanical results so far he writes in a 
continuation of the letter to his father dated August 24th. 
I think the botanical results of my little Thibetan cruise 
(which you may talk of) will astonish you, for number ; not 
that they would have been increased by going further North ; 
but I found what I so many years have only dreamed of, 
the remarkable change in vegetation that only occurs at 
the boundary of the mountains and plains, that prevalence 
of species and paucity of specimens which marks that 
curious zone where the perpetual snow rises 2000 feet [i.e. 
the snow-line is 2000 feet higher than on the southern side] 
on mountain faces opposed to the most sterile country in 
the inhabited globe. I am indeed more gratified with my 
Lachen journey than I can express to you, so long have all 
my friends here and at home thought the probability of 
reaching the Thibetan Plateau in this direction visionary. 
Campbell's and Hodgson's congratulations are extravagant. 
I am very pleased too to think that any one may now go, 
the egg-shell is broken ; the intricate route once known and 
the nature of the impediments, it is easy to forestall the 
one and follow the other. Of the importance of its botanical 
results as to the Sikkim Flora you have yet no idea, nor had 
I till two days ago, when I returned from a long visit to 
another Pass of which nor I nor Campbell were aware and 
which took me to within ten miles of Phari and the Holy 
