attached to it since Turner’s mission to Tibet in 1783.
I t was seen and recognised by Dr. Campbell, and
measured by Colonel Waugh, from Sinchul, and also
from Tonglo, and was a conspicuous object in my
subsequent journey to Tibet. Beyond Junnoo, one of
the western peaks of Kincbinjunga, there was no continuous
snowy chain; the Himalaya seemed suddenly
to decline into black and rugged peaks, till in the far
north-west it rose again in a white mountain mass of
stupendous elevation at eighty miles distance, called,
by my Nepal people, “ Tsungau.” From the bearings
I took of it from several positions, this is probably on
the west flank of the Arun valley and river, which
latter, in its course from Tibet to the plains of India,
receives the waters from the west flank of Kinchinjunga,
and from the east flank of the mountain in question.
I t is perhaps one which has been seen and measured
from the Tirhoot district by some of Colonel Waugh’s
party, and which has been reported as being upwards
of 28,000 feet in elevation; and it is the only mountain
of the first class in magnitude between Gosainthan
(north-east of Katmandoo) and Kinchinjunga.
To the west, the black ridge of Sakkiazung, bristling
with silver-firs, cut off the view of Nepal; but southwest,
the Myong valley could be traced to its junction
with the Tambur about thirty miles off: beyond which
to the south-west low hills rose on the distant horizon,
seventy or eighty miles off; and of these the most
conspicuous were the Mahavarati, which skirt the
Nepal Terai. South and south-east, Sinchul and the
Goong range intercepted the view of the plains of
India, of which I had a distant peep to the southwest
only.
A few of the Bhotan coolies having returned, I left
Tonglo on the 5th, and proceeded to the Mai, a feeder
of the Myong. The descent was as abrupt as that of
the east face, but through less dense forest; the
Sikkim side being much the dampest. I encamped at
dark near a small village (Jummanoo), at 4,360 feet,
baying descended 5000 feet in five hours. Hence I
marched eastward to the village of Sakkiazung, which
I reached on the third day.
Though rich and fertile, the country is scantily populated,
and I had much difficulty in procuring coolies:
I therefore sent back to Dorjiling all but indispensables,
and on the 9th of November started up the ridge in a
northerly direction, taking the road from Ilam to
Wallanchoon. The ascent was gradual, through a fine
forest, full of hom-bills (Buceros), a bird resembling the
Toucan. Water is very scarce along the ridge; we
walked fully eight miles without finding any, and were
at length obliged to encamp at 8,350 feet by the only
spring that we should be able to reach. With respect
to drought, this ridge differs materially from those of
Sikkim, where water abounds at all elevations; and the
cause is obviously its position to the westward of the
great ridge of Singalelah (including Tonglo) by which
the S.W. currents are drained of their moisture. Here
again, the east flank was much the dampest and most
luxuriantly wooded.
While my men were forming their encampment, I
ascended a rocky summit, from which I obtained a
i 3