the horizon: behind these the sun rose majestically,
instantly dispersing them, while a thin haze spread
over all the intervening mountains : this, as the sun
mounted higher, became invisible, though still giving
that transparency to the atmosphere and brilliant definition
of the distances, so characteristic of a damp,
yet clear day.
Mon Lepcha commands a most extensive view of
Sikkim, southward to Dorjiling. At my feet lay the
profound valley of the Ratong, a dark gulf of vegetation.
Looking northward, the eye followed that stream
along its devious course from the glaciers descending
from the summit of Kinchinjunga (distant eighteen
miles), which fronts the beholder as Mont Blanc
does when seen from the mountains on the opposite
side of the valley of Chamouni. To the east are the
immense precipices and glaciers of Pundim, and on the
west those of Kubra, forming great supporters to the
stupendous mountain between them. Mon Lepcha
itself is a spur running south-east from the Kubra
shoulder: it is very open, and covered with rounded
hills for several miles further north, terminating in a
conspicuous conical black rocky hummock called
Grubroo, of 15,000 feet elevation, which presents a
black cliff to the south.
Kinchinjunga is topped by three small hummocks,
rising to nearly equal elevation,* which form a line
running north-west. I t exposes many white or grey
rocks, bare of snow; the colour of all which above
* The eastern and western tops are respectively 27,826 and 28,177 feet
above the level of the sea.
20,000 feet, and the rounded knobbed form of the
summits, suggest a granitic formation. Lofty snowed
ridges project from Kubra into the Ratong valley, presenting
black precipices to the south-ward. Pundim has
a very grand appearance; being eight miles distant,
and nearly 9000 feet above Mon Lepcha, it subtends
an angle of 12°; while Kinchin top, though 15,000 feet
higher than Mon Lepcha, being eighteen miles distant,
rises only 9° 30' above the true horizon : these angular
heights are too small to give much grandeur and
apparent elevation to mountains, however lofty ; nor
would they do so in this case, were it not that the
Ratong valley which intervenes, is several thousand
feet lower, and many degrees below the real horizon.
Pundim has a tremendous precipice to the south,
which, to judge from its bareness of snow, must be