* 
THE TABLE LAND OP THIBET. 351 
I have to-day received an Sib. bottle of chloroform from 
another Edinburgh house, who showed me some time ago 
a certificate from Dr. Gregory, that their chloroform was 
absolutely pure. It has been opened and examined by an 
assistant in my presence. It is very similar to the former 
Edinburgh specimen. Its odor is similar. It reddens, and 
speedily bleaches litmus paper, suspended as before. Its 
sp. gr. at 71° appears 1.490 in a bottle gratuated at 60°. It 
scarcely colors sulphuric acid. I have not had time to make 
a more complete examination. — London Pharmaceutical 
Journal, July 1, 1850. 
; ,. ART. LXXVIIL— THE TABLE LAND OF THIBET. 
By Joseph Dalton Hooker. 
In April last we had occasion to speak of the first fruits 
of Dr. Hooker's mission to explore the botanical and phy- 
sical character of the Himalaya. He had ascended the 
eastern extremity, within sight of the great snowy range, 
of which the peak Kinchin-junga, altitude 28,172 feet, is 
the loftiest yet known in the world, — and was anxiously 
waiting in the environs of Darjeeling, with the view of 
reaching the great table-land of Thibet/and determining the 
questions submitted to him by Humboldt relative to its ele- 
vation and snow lines. Owing to the jealousy with which 
the frontiers are guarded by the Chinese and Sikkim tribes, 
and the difficulty of obtaining provisions and guides, it was 
some months before Dr. Hooker could make the pass. — 
This, however, has been effected: — as the following letter 
describes. 
Tungu, N. E. Sikkim, alt. 13,500 ft. July 25, 1849. 
I have at length carried my point, and stood upon the 
table-land of Thibet, beyond the Sikkim frontier, at an ele- 
