The latter yields tlie finest wool, but they are mixed
for ordinary purposes. I was assured that the sheep
(of which large flocks were grazing near) afford the
finest wool of any. The animals were caught by
the tail, their legs tied, the long winter’s hair pulled
out, and the remainder cut away with a broad flat
knife, which was sharpened with a scythe-stone. The
operation was clumsily performed, and the skin much
cut.T
urnips are grown at Palung during the short stay
of the people, and this is the most alpine cultivation
in Sikkim; the seed is sown early in July, and the
tubers are fit to he eaten in October, if the season is
favourable. They did not come to maturity this year,
as I found on again visiting this spot in October;
hut their tops had afforded the poor Tibetans some
good vegetables. The mean temperature of the three
summer months at Palung is probably about 40°, an
element of comparatively little importance in regulating
the growth and ripening of vegetables at great elevations
in Tibetan climates; where a warm exposure, the
am mint, of sunshine, and of radiated heat, have a much
greater influence.
On the top of the surrounding hills, which, for
barrenness, reminded me of the descriptions given of
the Siberian Steppes, I found, at 17,000 feet elevation,
several minute arctic plants, with Rhododendron nivale,
the most alpine of woody plants. On their sterile
slopes grew a curious plant allied to the Cherleria of
the Scotch Alps, forming great hemispherical halls on
the ground, eight to ten inches across, altogether
resembling in habit the curious Balsam-hog (Bolax
glebaria) of the Falkland Islands, which grows in very
similar scenes.
A few days afterwards, I again visited Palung, with
the view of ascertaining the height of perpetual snow
on the south face of Kinchinjhow; unfortunately, bad
weather came on before I reached the Tibetans, from
whom I obtained a guide in consequence. From this
place a ride of about four miles brought me to the
source of the Chachoo, in a deep ravine, containing the
terminations of several short, abrupt glaciers, and into
which were precipitated avalanches of snow and ice.
I found it impossible to distinguish the glacial ice from
the perpetual snow; the larger beds of snow, where
presenting a flat surface, being generally drifts collected
in hollows, or accumulations that had fallen
from above : when these rest on slopes they become
converted into ice, and, obeying the laws of fluidity,
flow downwards as glaciers. I t was snowing heavily
at this time, and we crouched under a gigantic
boulder, benumbed with cold. I had fortunately
brought a small phial of brandy, which, with hot
water from the apparatus for taking elevations, re freshed
us wonderfully.
The plants found close to the snow were minute
primroses, Parnassia, Draba, tufted wormwoods,
saxifrages, gentian, small Compositse, grasses, and
sedges. Our ponies unconcernedly scraped away the
snow with their hoofs, and nibbled the scanty herbage.
When I mounted mine, he took the bit between his
teeth, and scampered back to Palung, over rocks and