Himalayan Journals

Volume I





CONTENTS

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Chapter I

Sunderbunds vegetation — Calcutta Botanic Garden — Leave for Burdwan — Rajah's gardens and menagerie — Coal-beds, geology, and plants of — Lac insect and plant — Camels — Kunker — Cowage — Effloresced soda on soil — Glass, manufacture of — Atmospheric vapours — Temperature, etc. — Mahowa oil and spirits — Maddaobund — Jains — Ascent of Paras-nath — Vegetation of that mountain.


Chapter II

Doomree — Vegetation of table-land — Lieutenant Beadle — Birds — Hot springs of Soorujkoond — Plants near them — Shells in them — Cholera-tree — Olibanum — Palms, form of — Dunwah pass — Trees, native and planted — Wild peacock — Poppy fields — Geography and geology of Behar and Central India — Toddy-palm — Ground, temperature of — Baroon — Temperature of plants — Lizard — Cross the Soane — Sand, ripple-marks on — Kymore hills — Ground, temperature of — Limestone — Rotas fort and palace — Nitrate of lime — Change of climate — Lime stalagmites, enclosing leaves — Fall of Soane — Spiders, etc. — Scenery and natural history of upper Soane valley — Hardwickia binata — Bhel fruit — Dust-storm — Alligator — Catechu — Cochlospermum — Leaf-bellows — Scorpions — Tortoises — Florican — Limestone spheres — Coles — Tiger-hunt — Robbery.


Chapter III

Ek-powa Ghat — Sandstones — Shahgunj — Table-land, elevation, etc. — Gum-arabic — Mango — Fair — Aquatic plants — Rujubbund — Storm — False sunset and sunrise — Bind hills — Mirzapore — Manufactures, imports, etc. — Climate — Thuggee — Chunar — Benares — Mosque — Observatory — Sar-nath — Ghazeepore — Rose-gardens — Manufactory of attar — Lord Cornwallis' tomb — Ganges, scenery and natural history of — Pelicans — Vegetation — Insects — Dinapore — Patna — Opium godowns and manufacture — Mudar, white and purple — Monghyr islets — Hot springs of Seetakoond — Alluvium of Ganges — Rocks of Sultun-gunj — Bhaugulpore — Temples of Mt. Manden — Coles and native tribes — Bhaugulpore rangers — Horticultural gardens.


Chapter IV

Leave Bhaugulpore — Kunker — Colgong — Himalaya, distant view of — Cosi, mouth of — Difficult navigation — Sand-storms — Caragola-Ghat — Purnea — Ortolans — Mahanuddy, transport of pebbles, etc. — Betel-pepper, cultivation of — Titalya — Siligoree — View of outer Himalaya — Terai — Mechis — Punkabaree — Foot of mountains — Ascent to Dorjiling — Cicadas — Leeches — Animals — Kursiong, spring vegetation of — Pacheem — Arrive at Dorjiling — Dorjiling, origin and settlement of — Grant of land from Rajah — Dr. Campbell appointed superintendent — Dewan, late and present — Aggressive conduct of the latter — Increase of the station — Trade — Titalya fair — Healthy climate for Europeans and children — Invalids, diseases prejudicial to.


Chapter V

View from Mr. Hodgson's of range of snowy mountains — Their extent and elevation — Delusive appearance of elevation — Sinchul, view from and vegetation of — Chumulari — Magnolias, white and purple — Rhododendron Dalhousiæ, arboreum and argentium — Natives of Dorjiling — Lepchas, origin, tradition of flood, morals, dress, arms, ornaments, diet — Cups, origin and value — Marriages — Diseases — Burial — Worship and religion — Bijooas — Kumpa Rong, or Arrat — Limboos, origin, habits, language, etc. — Moormis — Magras — Mechis — Comparison of customs with those of the natives of Assam, Khasia, etc.


Chapter VI

Excursion from Dorjiling to Great Rungeet — Zones of vegetation — Tree-ferns — Palms, upper limit of — Leebong, tea plantations — Ging — Boodhist remains — Tropical vegetation — Pines — Lepcha clearances — Forest fires — Boodhist monuments — Fig — Cane-bridge and raft over Rungeet — Sago-palm — India-rubber — Yel Pote — Butterflies and other insects — Snakes — Camp — Temperature and humidity of atmosphere — Junction of Teesta and Rungeet — Return to Dorjiling — Tonglo, excursion to — Bamboo, flowering — Oaks — Gordonia — Maize, hermaphrodite flowered — Figs — Nettles — Peepsa — Simonbong, cultivation at — European fruits at Dorjiling-Plains of India.


Chapter VII

Continue the ascent of Tonglo — Trees — Lepcha construction of hut — Simsibong — Climbing-trees — Frogs — Magnolias, etc. — Ticks — Leeches — Cattle, murrain amongst — Summit of Tonglo — Rhododendrons — Skimmia — Yew — Rose — Aconite — Bikh poison — English genera of plants — Ascent of tropical orders — Comparison with south temperate zone — Heavy rain — Temperature, etc. — Descent — Simonbong temple — Furniture therein — Praying-cylinder — Thigh-bone trumpet — Morning orisons — Present of Murwa beer, etc.


Chapter VIII

Difficulty in procuring leave to enter Sikkim — Obtain permission to travel in East Nepal — Arrangements — Coolies — Stores — Servants — Personal equipment — Mode of travelling — Leave Dorjiling — Goong ridge — Behaviour of Bhotan coolies — Nepal frontier — Myong valley — Ilam — Sikkim massacre — Cultivation — Nettles — Camp at Nanki on Tonglo — Bhotan coolies run away — View of Chumulari — Nepal peaks to west — Sakkiazong — Buceros — Road to Wallanchoon — Oaks — Scarcity of water — Singular view of mountain-valleys — Encampment — My tent and its furniture — Evening occupations — Dunkotah-Cross ridge of Sakkiazong — Yews — Silver-firs-View of Tambur valley — Pemmi river — Pebbly terraces — Geology — Holy springs — Enormous trees — Luculia gratissima — Khawa river, rocks of — Arrive at Tambur — Shingle and gravel terraces — Natives, indolence of — Canoe ferry — Votive offerings — Bad road — Temperature, etc. — Chingtam village, view from — Mywa river and Guola — House — Boulders — Chain-bridge — Meepo, arrival of — Fevers.


Chapter IX

Leave Mywa — Suspension bridge — Landslips — Vegetation — Slope of river-bed — Bees' nests — Glacial phenomena — Tibetans, clothing, ornaments, amulets, salutation, children, dogs — Last Limboo village, Taptiatok — Beautiful scenery — Tibet village of Lelyp — Opuntia — Edgeworthia — Crab-apple — Chameleon and porcupine — Praying-machine — Abies Brunoniana — European plants — Grand scenery — Arrive at Wallanchoon — Scenery around — Trees — Tibet houses — Manis and Mendongs — Tibet household — Food — Tea-soup — Hospitality — Yaks and Zobo, uses and habits of — Bhoteeas — Yak-hair tents — Guobah of Walloong — Jatamansi — Obstacles to proceeding-Climate and weather — Proceed — Rhododendrons, etc. — Lichens — Poa annua and Shepherd's purse — Tibet camp — Tuquoroma — Scenery of pass — Glaciers and snow — Summit — Plants, woolly, etc.


Chapter X

Return from Wallanchoon pass — Procure a bazaar at village — Dance of Lamas — Blackening face, Tibetan custom of — Temple and convent — Leave for Kanglachem pass — Send part of party back to Dorjiling — Yangma Guola — Drunken Tibetans — Guobah of Wallanchoon — Camp at foot of Great Moraine — View from top — Geological speculations — Height of moraines — Cross dry lake-bed — Glaciers — More moraines — Terraces — Yangma temples — Jos, books and furniture — Peak of Nango — Lake — Arrive at village — Cultivation — Scenery — Potatos — State of my provisions — Pass through village — Gigantic boulders — Terraces — Wild sheep — Lake-beds — Sun's power — Piles of gravel and detritus — Glaciers and moraines — Pabuk, elevation of — Moonlight scene — Return to Yangma — Temperature, etc. — Geological causes of phenomena in valley — Scenery of valley on descent.


Chapter XI

Ascend to Nango mountain — Moraines — Glaciers — Vegetation — Rhododendron Hodgsoni — Rocks — Honey-combed surface of snow — Perpetual snow — Top of pass — View — Elevation — Geology — Distance of sound — Plants — Temperature — Scenery — Cliffs of granite and hurled boulders — Camp — Descent — Pheasants — Larch — Himalayan pines — Distribution of Deodar, note on — Tassichooding temples — Kambachen village — Cultivation — Moraines in valley, distribution of — Picturesque lake-beds, and their vegetation — Tibetan sheep and goats — Cryptogramma crispa — Ascent to Choonjerma pass — View of Junnoo — Rocks of its summit — Misty ocean — Nepal peaks — Top of pass — Temperature, and observations — Gorgeous sunset — Descent to Yalloong valley — Loose path — Night scenes — Musk deer.


Chapter XII

Yalloong valley — Find Kanglanamo pass closed — Change route for the southward — Picrorhiza — View of Kubra — Rhododendron Falconeri — Yalloong river — Junction of gneiss and clay-slate — Cross Yalloong range — Yiew — Descent — Yew — Vegetation — Misty weather — Tongdam village — Khabang — Tropical vegetation — Sidingbah mountain — View of Kinchinjunga — Yangyading village — Slopes of hills, and courses of rivers — Khabili valley — Ghorkha Havildar's bad conduct — Ascend Singalelah — Plague of ticks — Short commons — Cross Islumbo pass — Boundary of Sikkim — Kulhait valley — Lingcham — Reception by Kajee — Hear of Dr. Campbell's going to meet Rajah — Views in valley — Leave for Teesta river — Tipsy Kajee — Hospitality — Murwa beer — Temples — Acorus Calamus — Long Mendong — Burning of dead — Superstitions — Cross Great Rungeet — Boulders, origin of — Purchase of a dog — Marshes — Lamas — Dismiss Ghorkhas — Bhoteea house — Murwa beer.


Chapter XIII

Raklang pass — Uses of nettles — Edible plants — Lepcha war — Do-mani stone — Neongong — Teesta valley — Pony, saddle, etc. — Meet Campbell — Vegetation and scenery — Presents — Visit of Dewan — Characters of Rajah and Dewan — Accounts of Tibet — Lhassa — Siling — Tricks of Dewan — Walk up Teesta — Audience of Rajah — Lamas — Kajees — Tchebu Lama, his character and position — Effects of interview — Heir-apparent — Dewan's house — Guitar — Weather — Fall of river — Tibet officers — Gigantic trees — Neongong lake — Mainom, ascent of — Vegetation — Camp on snow — Silver-firs — View from top — Kinchin, etc. — Geology — Vapours — Sunset effect — Elevation — Temperature, etc. — Lamas of Neongong — Temples — Religious festival Bamboo, flowering — Recross pass of Raklang — Numerous temples, villages, etc. — Domestic animals — Descent to Great Rungeet.


Chapter XIV

Tassiding, view of and from — Funereal cypress — Camp at Sunnook — Hot vapours — Lama's house — Temples, decorations, altars, idols, general effect — Chaits — Date of erection — Plundered by Ghorkas — Cross Ratong — Ascend to Pemiongehi — Relation of river-beds to strike of rocks — Slopes of ravines — Pemiongehi, view of — Vegetation — Elevation — Temple, decorations, etc. — Former capital of Sikkim — History of Sikkim — Nightingales — Campbell departs — Tchonpong — Edgeworthia — Cross Rungbee and Ratong — Hoar-frost on plantains — Yoksun — Walnuts — View — Funereal cypresses — Doobdi — Gigantic cypresses — Temples — Snow-fall — Sikkim, etc. — Toys.


Chapter XV

Leave Yoksun for Kinchinjunga — Ascend Ratong valley — Salt-smuggling over Ratong — Landslips — Plants — Buckeem — Blocks of gneiss — Mon Lepcha — View — Weather — View from Gubroo — Kinchinjunga, tops of — Pundimcliff — Nursing — Vegetation of Himalaya — Coup d'œil of Jongri — Route to Yalloong — Arduous route of salt-traders from Tibet — Kinchin, ascent of — Lichens — Surfaces sculptured by snow and ice — Weather at Jongri — Snow — Shades for eyes.


Chapter XVI

Ratong river below Mon Lepcha — Ferns — Vegetation of Yoksun, tropical — Araliaceæ, fodder for cattle — Rice-paper plant — Geology of Yoksun — Lake — Old temples — Funereal cypresses — Gigantic chart — Altars — Songboom — Weather — Catsuperri — Velocity of Ratong — Worship at Catsuperri lake — Scenery — Willow — Lamas and ecclesiastical establishments of Sikkim — Tengling — Changachelling temples and monks — Portrait of myself on walls — Block of mica-schist — Lingcham Kajee asks for spectacles — Hee-hill — Arrive at Little Rungeet — At Dorjiling — Its deserted and wintry appearance.


Chapter XVII

Dispatch collections — Acorns — Heat — Punkabaree — Bees — Vegetation — Haze — Titalya — Earthquake — Proceed to Nepal frontier — Terai, geology of — Physical features of Himalayan valleys — Elephants, purchase of, etc. — River-beds — Mechi river — Return to Titalya — Leave for Teesta — Climate of plains — Jeelpigoree — Cooches — Alteration in the appearance of country by fires, etc. — Grasses — Bamboos — Cottages — Rajah of Cooch Behar — Condition of people — Hooli festival — Ascend Teesta — Canoes — Cranes — Forest — Baikant-pore — Rummai — Religion — Plants at foot of mountains — Exit of Teesta — Canoe voyage down to Rangamally — English genera of plants — Birds — Beautiful scenery — Botanizing on elephants — Willow — Siligoree — Cross Terai — Geology — Iron — Lohar-ghur — Coal and sandstone beds — Mechi fisherman — Hailstorm — Ascent to Kursiong — To Dorjiling — Vegetation — Geology — Folded quartz-beds — Spheres of feldspar — Lime deposits.




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

LITHOGRAPHIC VIEWS

Plate I. The Dhak, Butea frondosa, and Cochlospermum gossypium, with the Kymore Hills in the background.
Plate II. View of Kinchinjunga from Mr. Hodgson's bungalow at Dorjiling, from a sketch by W. Tayler, Esq., B.C.S.
Plate III. From Chingtam, looking up the Tambur Valley.
Plate IV. Nango mountain, from the summit of the great moraine in Yangma Valley, looking eastward.
Plate V. Junnoo mountain from the Choonjerma Pass.



WOOD ENGRAVINGS

Fig. 1. Old tamarind trees.
Fig. 2. Crossing the Soane River above Tura, with the Kymore Hills in the background.
Fig. 3. Equatorial sun-dial, Benares Observatory.
Fig. 4. Equinoctial sun-dial, Benares Observatory.
Fig. 5. Azimuth circle, Benares Observatory.
Fig. 6. Monghyr on the Ganges.
Fig. 7. Punkabaree, Sikkim Terai, and Balasun River. The trees in the foreground are Araliaceæ.
Fig. 8. Lepcha girl and Boodhist priest. From a sketch by Miss Colvile.
Fig. 9. Pinus longifolia, in the great Rungeet Valley.
Fig. 10. Construction of a cane suspension-bridge.
Fig. 11. Lepcha boy carrying a bamboo water-vessel. From a sketch by Miss Colvile.
Fig. 12. Amulet usually worn by Lepchas.
Fig. 13. Trunk-like root of Wightia gigantea, ascending a tree, which its stout rootlets clasp.
Fig. 14. Interior of Boodhist temple at Simonbong.
Fig. 15. Trumpet made of a human thigh-bone.
Fig. 16. Tibetan amulet set with turquoises.
Fig. 17. Head of Tibet Mastiff. From a sketch taken in the zoological gardens by C. Jenyns, Esq.
Fig. 18. View on the Tambur River, with Ambies brunoniana.
Fig. 19. Wallanchoon village, East Nepal.
Fig. 20. Head of a Tibetan demon. From a model in the possession of Captain H. Strachey.
Fig. 21. Ancient moraines surrounding the lower lake-bed in the Yangma valley (looking west).
Fig. 22. Second lake-bed in the Yangma valley, with Nango mountain, (looking east).
Fig. 23. Diagram of the terraces and glacial boulders, etc., at the fork of the Yangma valley (looking north-west up the valley). The terraces are represented as much too level and angular, and the boulders too large, the woodcut being intended as a diagram rather than as a view.
Fig. 24. View of the head of the Yangma valley, and ancient moraines of debris, which rise in confused hills several hundred feet above the floor of the valley below the Kanglachem pass (elevation 16,000 feet).
Fig. 25. Skulls of Ovis ammon. Sketched by J. E. Winterbottom, Esq.
Fig. 26. Ancient moraines, in which small lake-beds occur, in the Kambachen valley (elevation 11,400 feet).
Fig. 21. Brass box to contain amulets, from Tibet.
Fig. 28. Pemiongchi goompa (or temple) with Chaits in the foreground.
Fig. 29. Costumes of Sikkim lamas and monks, with the bell, mani, dobje, and trident.
Fig. 30. The Do-mani stone, with gigantic Tibetan characters.
Fig. 31. Implements of worship in the Sikkim temples.
Fig. 32. Chaits at Tassiding, with decayed funereal cypresses.
Fig. 33. Vestibule of temple at Tassiding.
Fig. 34. Southern temple, at Tassiding.
Fig. 35. Middle temple, at Tassiding, with mounted yaks.
Fig. 36. Chair, altar, and images in the great temple at Tassiding.
Fig. 37. Ground-plan of southern temple at Tassiding.
Fig. 38. Interior of temple at Pemiongchi, the walls covered with allegorical paintings.
Fig. 39. Doobdi temple, with young and old funereal cypress.
Fig. 40. Summit of Kinchinjunga, with Pundim on the right; its black cliff traversed by white granite veins.
Fig. 41. Image of Maitrya, the coming Boodh.
Fig. 42. Stone altar, and erection for burning juniper ashes.
Fig. 43. Facsimile of the vermilion seal of the Dhurma Rajah of Bhotan, head of the Dookpa sect of Boodhists.
Fig. 44. A Mech, native of the Sikkim Terai. Sketched by Miss Colvile.
Fig. 45. Mech pocket-comb (of wood).

Dhurma Rajah's Seal



Title | Chapter I