60 
L. A. Waddell —Place and River-names in Sikkim , 8fc. [Ko. 2, 
which conveys the sense of extension or length* and is to be met with 
in other words, e. g., Rang-gan = a steep ascent, &c. The following 
are instances of river-names with this prefix. 
Rang-nyet ung = Rang , extended, 4 nyet, two 4 ung, water = ‘ the 
two extended waters.’ There are two rivers of this name, 
viz., the Rang-nyet ung mo, ‘the mother, or greater Rangit ’ 
and the Rang-nyet ung kap or ‘ the young, or lesser Rangit,’ and 
they form ‘ the two ’ principal rivers of Sikhim proper. (The 
Tista, which is of course larger, arises beyond Sikhim). 
Rang-fo ung = Rang 4 fo, muddy brown 4 ung = ‘ the muddy 
brown extended water.’ A rivulet arising in the reddish 
lateritic soil of the low outer hills, and tributary to the Tista 
near Sivok. 
Rang-zo ung = Rang 4 zo, precipitous or semi-vertical + ung — 
‘ the precipitous river.’ A torrent tributary of the Tista. 
Rang-rong ung = Rang 4 rong, splashing. A tributary of the 
Tista in Sikhim descending throughout greater part of its 
length over boulders and precipices. 
Rang-po ung = Rang 4 po, to shift or wander. 
Rang-glo ung = Rang 4 glo, to fall. 
Rang-GUK ung = Rang 4 guk, narrow and constricted. 
Rang-non-UNG —• Rang 4 non, to go straight. 
Rang-fok ung =» Rang 4 fok, to be incised deeply. 
Rang-nyu ung = Rang 4 nyu — queen, ‘the queen river ’ ac it—the 
Tista—is the Spouse of the great Rangit. Nyu is also said to 
be a contraction for nang-yu, i. e., ‘ straight-going.’ Where 
the Tista receives the Great Rangit, the chief river of Sikhim, 
which joins it at a right angle, the Tista continues in its 
straight unaltered course, its direction being unaffected by 
this great accession of waters, hence is attributed its Lepcha 
name. It is more likely, however, that it is so-called on account 
of its straight arrow-like course after leaving the hills, in contra¬ 
distinction to the other great effluent river of Sikhim (the 
Mahaldi) which means ‘ the bent moving water ’. Another 
possible derivation is from a-nyung — deep; the Tista being 
the deepest river in Sikhim and always unfordable. 
Other river names containing this prefix are Rang-bi (= bik, to 
tear asunder), Rang-mo, Rang-li and Rang-fap, &c. 
A few of the rivers share the prefix ra in common 
* Another possible, though not very probable, derivation is from Dang =» to 
run, i e., + ung = running waters ; d is frequently converted into r by the Lepchas 
—but this particular word in the colloquial is not subject to such change. 
