1891.] L. A. Waddell— Tlace and River-names in Sikhim, tyc. 61 
Ra-thong ung = Ra, surging and tumultuous advance, 4 thong, 
to swallow or drink up. The main source of the Rangit, and 
a glacier-fed rapid torrent subject to sudden and destructive 
flood. 
Ra-do ung = Ra, (as above) -4- do, a lake. The river arises from 
a small lake called ‘ Kala pokh'ri ’, or tbe black lake ’ by the 
Nepalis and TJng-Do by the Lepchas. 
Ra-mith ung — Ra mith, dust or grit. Arises in the lower 
slopes below Birch Hill and is turbid. 
Ra-mom ung ( Pahariya ‘ Ra-nhtm ’) = Ra 4 (?) Mong, a demon, 
the name of the lake— Mong-do —whence this river rises, 
beyond Phallut. (As an alternative derivation mom — incom¬ 
plete, somewhat, in the sense of the Latin sub). 
Other rivers are named :—• 
Ro-lo ung = Rol, tortuous. 
Ri-li-ung = Ril, to revolve or turn round. 
Ri-ri ung = Ri-ri, swift or rapid. 
Ri-yot ung = Rh, rapid 4 yot, let loose, or unlimited. An extremely 
rapid river called by the Bhotiyas the DiJc-chhu (q. v.). 
Ri-shi ung = Ri, 4* ? shiap, whirling. A rapid mountain torrent. 
Re-ing ung (‘ Raing ’ of map) = Re-ing, to spread out, or be shallow. 
A shallow and broadish rivulet in the outer hills near Sivok. 
Ma-hal-di ung (corrupted by Bengalis and Pahariyas into 1 Mahanadi ’ 
or ‘ Mahananda ’) = Ma-hal, bent or curved 4 di to move. This 
river, as seen from the hills, takes a very sudden bent to the 
right on reaching the plains ; and seems so-called in contrast to 
the Rang-nyu Ung, i. e., ‘the straight river,’ the Lepcha name 
for the other great effluent river of Sikhim, viz., * the Tista 
Bhotiya River-names. 
The Sikhim-Bhotiyas exhibit much poverty of invention in naming 
their rivers. When not directly borrowing the Lepcha name, which is 
the rule, they usually name the stream after the mountain whence it 
arises, or after the chief village or pass near which it flows. For 
example :— 
La-chhen chhu S3 Op la, a pass 4- chhen, great 4 chhu, 
water: ‘ the water of the great pass.’ 
La-chrung chhu = la 4 chhung, small 4 chhu: 1 the water of 
the small pass.’ 
Ri-tse chhu = Ri-tse, the name of the hill 4 chhu. 
Rong-li chhu = Rong-li, a Lepcha’s house 4 chhu. At the ford or 
bridge over this river was encountered the first Lepcha’s house 
on the way from Tibet. 
