the arch of brilliant blue that spanned the heavens
to the north, beyond a black canopy of clouds that
hid everything around, and poured down rain without
one day’s intermission, during the eight which I spent
here.
b l a c k j u n i p e r ( h e i g h t s i x t y f e e t ) a n d y o u n g l a r c h .
CHAPTER XX.
Camp o h Zemu river—Scenery—Falling rocks—Tukcham mountain—
Height of glaciers Botany—Gigantic rhubarb—Storm—Temperature
of rivers—Behaviour of Lachen Phipun—Hostile conduct of Bhoteas
—View from mountains above camp—Descend to Zemu Samdong—
Vegetation Letters from Dorjiling—Arrival of Singtam Soubah__
Presents from Bajah—Parties collecting Arum-roots—Insects—Ascend
Lachen river—Tallinn Samdong village—Cottages—Mountains—
Plants—Entomology—Weather—Conduct of Singtam Soubah—His
character and illness—Agrees to take me to Kongra T.gma—Tungu—
Appearance of country—Houses—Poisoning by Arum-roots—Yaks
and calves—Tibet ponies—Journey to Kongra Lama—Tibetan tents__
Butter, curds, and chums—Hospitality—Kinchinjhow and Chomiomo
—Magnificent scenery—Beach Kongra Lama Pass.
My little tent was pitched in a commanding situation,
on a rock fifty feet above the Zemu, overlooking the
course of that river to its junction with the Thlonok.
The descent of the Zemu in one thousand feet is more
precipitous than that of any other river of its size with
which I am acquainted in Sikkim, yet immediately
above my camp it was more tranquil than at any part
of its course onwards to the plains of India, whether as
the Zemu, Lachen, or Teesta. On the west bank a fine
mountain rose in steep ridges and shrubby banks to
15,000 fee t; on the east a rugged cliff towered above the
stream, and from this (owing to the melting of the snow,
and consequent disintegration of the blocks) huge masses
E 2