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.
[Plate VI.] View of Kinchinjunga from Singtam, looking north-westward.
[Plate VII.] Kinchinjunga from the Thlonok river, with rhododendrons in flower.
[Plate VIII.] Tibet and Cholamoo lake from the summit of the Donkia pass, looking north-west.
[Plate 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.
[Plate 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.
[Plate XI.] The Bhotan Himalaya, Assam valley, and Burrampooter river, from Nunklow, looking north.
[Plate XII.] Seetakoond hill.

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. 27.] 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).
[Fig. 46.] Pandanus in the Teesta valley.
[Fig. 47.] Cane-bridge over the Lachen-Lachoong river, below Choongtam. Tukcham mountain is brought into the view, as seen from a higher elevation.
[Fig. 48.] Juniperus recurva, the weeping juniper.
[Fig. 49.] Lamteng village, with Tukcham in the distance.
[Fig. 50.] Black juniper and young larch.
[Fig. 51.] Tungu village, with yaks in the foreground.
[Fig. 52.] Women’s head-dresses—the two outer, Lepcha girls; the two inner, Tibetan women.
[Fig. 53.] Tibet marmot. Sketched by J. E. Winterbottom, Esq.
[Fig. 54.] Lachoong valley (looking south), larch tree in the foreground.
[Fig. 55.] Conical ancient moraines in the Lachoong valley, with Abies brunoniana and smithiana.
[Fig. 56.] Head and legs of Tibet marmot. Sketched by J. E. Winterbottom, Esq.
[Fig. 57.] Block of gneiss with granite bands, on the Kinchinjhow glacier.
[Fig. 58.] Summit of forked Donkia mountain, with Goa antelopes in the foreground; from 17,500 feet elevation.
[Fig. 59.] 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.
[Fig. 60.] Head of Chiru antelope, the unicorn of Tibet. From a sketch by Lieut. H. Maxwell.
[Fig. 61.] A Phud, or Tibetan mendicant. Sketched at Dorjiling by Miss Colvile.
[Fig. 62.] Tea (brick of), tea-pot, wooden cup, etc.
[Fig. 63.] Portrait of Aden Tchebu Lama. Sketched by Lieut. H. Maxwell.
[Fig. 64.] Silver chain and hooks, ornamented with turquoises, used to fasten women’s cloaks.
[Fig. 65.] Horns of the Showa stag of Tibet (Cervus wallichii). Sketched by Lieut. H. Maxwell.
[Fig. 66.] 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.
[Fig. 67.] Tibetan tobacco-pipe and tinder-pouch, with steel attached.
[Fig. 68.] Lepcha sepoys, the right hand figures, and Tibetan ones on the left.
[Fig. 69.] Dr. Falconer’s residence, Calcutta Botanic Gardens; from Sir L. Peel’s grounds, looking across the Hoogly.
[Fig. 70.] View in the Jheels of Bengal, with Khasia mountains in the distance.
[Fig. 71.] Living bridge, formed of the aerial roots of figs.
[Fig. 72.] Dewan’s ear-ring of pearl and turquoises.
[Fig. 73.] Waterfalls at Mamloo, with fan-palms.
[Fig. 74.] Kollong rock.
[Fig. 75.] Chela, on the Boga-panee river.
[Fig. 76.] Nonkreem village, with boulders of denudation.
[Fig. 77.] Bellows of iron smelters in the Khasia mountains.
[Fig. 78.] Old bridge at Amwee.
[Fig. 79.] Stones at Nurtiung.
[Fig. 80.] Dipterocarpus turbinatus, gurjun or wood-oil tree.

To CHARLES DARWIN, F.R.S., etc.
This volume is dedicated,
by his affectionate friend,
J. D. HOOKER
Kew, Jan. 12th, 1854

PREFACE

Having accompanied Sir James Ross on his voyage of discovery to the Antarctic regions, where botany was my chief pursuit, on my return I earnestly desired to add to my acquaintance with the natural history of the temperate zones, more knowledge of that of the tropics than I had hitherto had the opportunity of acquiring. My choice lay between India and the Andes, and I decided upon the former, being principally influenced by Dr. Falconer, who promised me every assistance which his position as Superintendent of the H.E.I.C. Botanic Garden at Calcutta, would enable him to give. He also drew my attention to the fact that we were ignorant even of the geography of the central and eastern parts of these mountains, while all to the north was involved in a mystery equally attractive to the traveller and the naturalist.

On hearing of the kind interest taken by Baron Humboldt in my proposed travels, and at the request of my father (Sir William Hooker), the Earl of Carlisle (then Chief Commissioner of Woods and Forests) undertook to represent to Her Majesty’s Government the expediency of securing my collections for the Royal Gardens at Kew; and owing to the generous exertions of that nobleman, and of the late Earl of Auckland (then First Lord of the Admiralty), my journey assumed the character of a Government mission, £400 per annum being granted by the Treasury for two years.