Himalayan Journals, vol 2, J. D. Hooker [small books to read txt] 📗

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Climate of Ganges -- Pubna -- Jummul river -- Altered course of

Burrampooter and Megna -- Dacca -- Conch shells -- Saws -- Cotton

muslins -- Fruit -- Vegetation -- Elevation -- Rose of Bengal --

Burrampooter -- Delta of Soormah river -- Jheels -- Soil --

Vegetation -- Navigation -- Mosquitos -- Atmospheric pressure --

Effects of geological changes -- Imbedding of plants -- Teelas or

islets -- Chattuc -- Salubrious climate -- Rains -- Canoes -- Pundua -- Mr. Harry Inglis -- Terrya Ghat -- Ascent to Churra -- Scenery and vegetation at foot of mountains -- Cascades.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Churra, English station of -- Khasia people -- Garrow people --

Houses -- Habits -- Dress -- Arms -- Dialects -- Marriages -- Food --

Funerals -- Superstitions -- Flat of Churra -- Scenery -- Lime and

coal -- Mamloo -- Cliffs -- Cascades -- Chamaerops palm --

Jasper-rocks -- Flora of Churra -- Orchids -- Rhododendrons -- Pine -- Climate -- Extraordinaiy rain-fall -- Its effects -- Gardens of

Lieuts. Raban and Cave -- Leave Churra to cross the mountain range --

Coal, shale, and under-clay -- Kala-panee river -- Lailangkot --

Luculia Pinceana -- Conglomerate -- Surureem wood -- Boga-panee

river -- View of Himalaya -- Greenstone -- Age of pine-cones --

Moflong plants -- Coix -- Chillong mountain -- Extensive view --

Road to Syong -- Broad valleys -- Geology -- Plants -- Myrung --

Granite blocks -- Kollong rock -- Pine-woods -- Features of country -- Orchids -- Iron forges.

CHAPTER XXIX.

View of Himalaya from the Khasia -- Great masses of snow -- Chumulari -- Donkia -- Grasses -- Nunklow -- Assam valley and Burrampooter --

Tropical forest -- Bor-panee -- Rhododendrons -- Wild elephants --

Blocks of Syenite -- Return to Churra -- Coal -- August temperature -- Leave for Chela -- Jasper hill -- Birds -- Arundina -- Habits of leaf-insects -- Curious village -- Houses -- Canoes -- Boga-panee

river -- Jheels -- Chattuc -- Churra -- Leave for Jyntea hills --

Trading parties -- Dried fish -- Cherries -- Cinnamon -- Fraud --

Pea-violet -- Nonkreem -- Sandstone -- Pines -- Granite boulders --

Iron washing -- Forges -- Tanks -- Siberian Nymphaea -- Barren

country -- Pomrang -- Podostemon -- Patchouli plant -- Mooshye --

Enormous stone slabs -- Pitcher-plant -- Joowye -- Cultivation and

vegetation -- Hydropeltis -- Sulky hostess -- Nurtiung --

Hamamelis chinensis -- Bor-panee river -- Sacred grove and gigantic stone structures -- Altars -- Pyramids, etc. -- Origin of names --

Yandaca coerulea -- Collections -- November vegetation -- Geology of Khasia -- Sandstone -- Coal -- Lime -- Gneiss -- Greenstone --

Tidal action -- Strike of rocks -- Comparison with Rajmahal hills and the Himalaya.

CHAPTER XXX.

Best voyage to Silhet -- River -- Palms -- Teelas -- Botany -- Fish weirs -- Forests of Cachar -- Sandal-wood, etc. -- Porpoises --

Alligators -- Silchar -- Tigers -- Rice crops -- Cookies --

Munniporees -- Hockey -- Varnish -- Dance -- Nagas -- Excursion to

Munnipore frontier -- Elephant bogged -- Bamboos -- Cardiopteris --

Climate, etc., of Cachar -- Mosquitos -- Fall of banks -- Silhet --

Oaks -- Stylidium -- Tree-ferns -- Chattuc -- Megna -- Meteorology -- Palms -- Noa-colly -- Salt-smuggling -- Delta of Ganges and Megna -- Westward progress of Megna -- Peat -- Tide -- Waves -- Earthquakes -- Dangerous navigation -- Moonlight scenes -- Mud island --

Chittagong -- Mug tribes -- Views -- Trees -- Churs -- Flagstaff hill -- Coffee -- Pepper -- Tea, etc. -- Excursions from Chittagong --

Dipterocarpi or Gurjun oil trees -- Earthquake -- Birds -- Papaw --

Bleeding of stems -- Poppy and Sun fields -- -- Seetakoond --

Bungalow and hill -- Perpetual flame -- Falconeria -- Cycas --

Climate -- Leave for Calcutta -- Hattiah island -- Plants --

8underbunds -- Steamer -- Tides -- Nipa fruticans -- Fishing --

Otters -- Crocodiles -- Phoenix paludosa -- Departure from India.

APPENDIX

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

LITHOGRAPHIC VIEWS.

Fig. VI. View of Kinchinjunga from Singtam, looking north-westward.

p.14

Fig. VII. Kinchinjunga from the Thlonok river, with rhododendrons in flower. Frontispiece

Fig. VIII. Tibet and Cholamoo lake from the summit of the Donkia

pass, looking north-west. p.124

Fig. IX. Kinchinjhow, Donkia, and Cholamoo lake, from the summit of Bhomtso, looking south; the summit of Chumulari is introduced in the extreme left of the view. p.166

Fig. X. The table-land and station of Churra, with the Jheels, course of the Soormah river, and Tipperah hills in the extreme distance,

looking south. p.277

Fig. XI. The Bhotan Himalaya, Assam valley, and Burrampooter river, from Nunklow, looking north. p.300

Fig. XII. Seetakoond hill. p.352

WOOD ENGRAVINGS.

Fig. 1. Pandanus in the Teesta valley. p.9

Fig. 2. Cane-bridge over the Lachen-Lachoong river, below Choongtam.

Tukcham mountain is brought into the view, as seen from a higher

elevation. p.21

Fig. 3. Juniperus recurva, the weeping juniper. p.28

Fig. 4. Lamteng village, with Tukcham in the distance. p.35

Fig. 5. Black juniper and young larch. p.55

Fig. 6. Tungu village, with yaks in the foreground. p.73

Fig. 7. Women's head-dresses--the two outer, Lepcha girls; the two

inner, Tibetan women. p.86

Fig. 8. Tibet marmot. Sketched by J. E. Winterbottom, Esq. p.93

Fig. 9. Lachoong valley (looking south), larch tree in the

foreground. p.103

Fig. 10. Conical ancient moraines in the Lachoong valley, with Abies brunoniana and smithiana. p.104

Fig. 11. Head and legs of Tibet marmot. Sketched by J. E.

Winterbottom, Esq. p.106

Fig. 12. Block of gneiss with granite bands, on the Kinchinjhow

glacier. p.135

Fig. 13. Summit of forked Donkia mountain, with Goa antelopes in the foreground; from 17,500 feet elevation. p.139

Fig. 14. View of the eastern top of Kinchinjhow, and Tibet in the

distance, with wild sheep in the foreground; from an elevation of

18,000 feet. p.140

Fig. 15. Head of Chiru antelope, the unicorn of Tibet. From a sketch by Lieut. H. Maxwell. p.158

Fig. 16. A Phud, or Tibetan mendicant. Sketched at Dorjiling by Miss Colvile. p.187

Fig. 17. Tea (brick of), tea-pot, wooden cup, etc. p.189

Fig. 18. Portrait of Aden Tchebu Lama. Sketched by Lieut. H. Maxwell.

p.193

Fig. 19. Silver chain and hooks, ornamented with turquoises, used to fasten women's cloaks. p.195

Fig. 20. Horns of the Showa stag of Tibet (Cervus wallichii).

Sketched by Lieut. H. Maxwell. p.214

Fig. 21. Rajah's house at Tumloong, in the foreground the cottage in which Dr. Campbell was confined, with the Dewan's retinue passing.

This is partly executed from memory. p.217

Fig. 22. Tibetan tobacco-pipe and tinder-pouch, with steel attached.

p.219

Fig. 23. Lepcha sepoys, the right hand figures, and Tibetan ones on the left. p.235

Fig. 24. Dr. Falconer's residence, Calcutta Botanic Gardens; from Sir L. Peel's grounds, looking across the Hoogly. p.243

Fig. 25. View in the Jheels of Bengal, with Khasia mountains in the distance. p.261

Fig. 26. Living bridge, formed of the aerial roots of figs. p.269

Fig. 27. Dewan's ear-ring of pearl and turquoises. p.271

Fig. 28. Waterfalls at Mamloo, with fan-palms. p.279

Fig. 29. Kollong rock. p.295

Fig. 30. Chela, on the Boga-panee river. p.307

Fig. 31. Nonkreem village, with boulders of denudation. p.311

Fig. 32. Bellows of iron smelters in the Khasia mountains. p.312

Fig. 33. Old bridge at Amwee. p.315

Fig. 34. Stones at Nurtiung. p.320

Fig. 35. Dipterocarpus turbinatus, gurjun or wood-oil tree. p.349

HIMALAYAN JOURNALS.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Arrangements for second journey into Sikkim -- Opposition of Dewan --

Lassoo Kajee -- Tendong -- Legend of flood -- Lama of Sillok-foke --

Namtchi -- Tcbebu Lama -- Top of Tendong -- Gigantic oak -- Plants --

Teesta valley -- Commencement of rains -- Bhomsong -- Ascent to

Lathiang -- View -- Bad road -- Orcbids -- Gorh -- Opposition of Lama -- Arrival of Meepo -- Cross Teesta -- Difficulties of travelling --

Lepchas swimming -- Moxa for sprains -- Singtam -- Grandeur of view of Kinchinjunga -- Wild men -- Singtam Soubah -- Landslips --

Bees'-nests and honey-seekers -- Leeches, etc. -- Cbakoong --

Vegetation -- Gravel terraces -- Unpleasant effects of wormwood --

Choongtam, scenery and vegetation of -- Inhabitants -- Tibetan salute -- Lamas -- Difficulty of procuring food -- Contrast of vegetation of inner and outer Himalaya -- Rhododendrons -- Yew -- _Abies

Brunoniana_ -- Venomous snakes -- Hornets and other insects --

Choongtam temple -- Pictures of Lhassa -- Minerals -- Scenery.

After my return from the Terai, I was occupied during the month of

April in preparations for an expedition to the loftier parts of

Sikkim. The arrangements were the same as for my former journey,

except with regard to food, which it was necessary should be sent out to me at intervals; for we had had ample proof that the resources of the country were not equal to provisioning a party of from forty to fifty men, even had the Dewan been favourable to my travelling, which was clearly not the case.

Dr. Campbell communicated to the Rajah my intention of starting early in May for the upper Teesta valley, and, in the Governor-General's name, requested that he would facilitate my visiting the frontier of Sikkim, north-east of Kinchinjunga. The desired permission was, after a little delay, received; which appeared to rouse the Dewan to

institute a series of obstructions to my progress, which caused so

many delays that my exploration of the country was not concluded till October, and I was prevented returning to Dorjiling before the

following Christmas.

Since our visit to the Rajah in December, no Vakeel (agent) had been sent by the Durbar to Dorjiling, and consequently we could only

communicate indirectly with his Highness, while we found it

impossible to ascertain the truth of various reports promulgated by the Dewan, and meant to deter me from entering the country. In April, the Lassoo Kajee was sent as Vakeel, but, having on a previous

occasion been dismissed for insolence and incapacity, and again

rejected when proposed by the Dewan at Bhomsong, he was refused an

audience; and he encamped at the bottom of the Great Rungeet valley, where he lost some of his party through fever. He retired into

Sikkim, exasperated, pretending that he had orders to delay my

starting, in consequence of the death of the heir apparent; and that he was prepared to use strong measures should I cross the frontier.

No notice was taken of these threats: the Rajah was again informed of my intended departure, unless his own orders to the contrary were

received through a proper accredited agent, and I left Dorjiling on the 3rd of May, accompanied by Dr. Campbell, who insisted on seeing me fairly over the frontier at the Great Rungeet river.

Arrangements were made for supplies of rice following me by

instalments; our daily consumption being 80 lbs., a man's load.

After crossing into Sikkim, I mustered my party at the Great Rungeet river. I had forty-two in all, of whom the majority were young

Lepchas, or Sikkim-born people of Tibetan races: all were active and cheerful looking follows; only one was goitred, and he had been a

salt-trader. I was accompanied by a guard of five Sepoys, and had a Lepcha and Tibetan interpreter. I took but one personal servant, a

Portuguese half-caste (John Hoffman by name), who cooked for me: he was a native of Calcutta, and though hardy, patient, and

long-suffering, and far better-tempered, was, in other respects, very inferior to Clamanze, who had been my servant the previous year, and who, having been bred to the sea, was as handy as he was clever; but who, like all other natives of the plains, grew intolerably weary of the hills, and left me.

The first part of my route lay over