wy peaks disappears behind the nearer outer
ranges. Then we come to these ranges themselves, which rise with
considerable abruptness out of the level plains with very little
intermediate modulation of form, and we find them densely clothed
in forest--true, rich, luxuriant, tropical forest with all the delights of
glistening foliage, graceful ferns and palms, glorious orchids, and
brilliant butterflies.

CHAPTER II

THE TEESTA VALLEY

This great forest, which extends for hundreds of miles along the
slopes of the Himalaya, reaches up from the plains to the snows. In
the lower part it is a truly tropical forest, and about a tropical forest
there is something peculiarly mysterious. A strange stillness is over
all. Not, indeed, the absolute silence of the desert, where literally not
a sound is heard; for here in the forest, even during the hot noonday
quiet, there is always the purring of insect life. But that stillness
when not a leaf moves and no harsh noise is heard, when an
impressive hush is laid upon the scene and we seem to be in some
mysterious Presence dominating all about us and rousing our
expectancy.

A kind of awe seizes us, and with it also comes a keen exhilaration.
We can see at most for a hundred yards in any direction. But we
know that the forest extends like this for hundreds of miles. And we
realise that if we wandered off the track we might never find it again.
It is all very awe-inspiring, and in some ways frightening. Still, we
are thrilled by the sight of such a profusion, intensity, and variety of
life. In this hot, steamy atmosphere plants and trees grow in
luxuriant abundance. Every inch of soil is occupied. And these
forests are not like woods in England, which contain only three or
four species--oaks, beeches, sycamores, etc. In these Sikkim forests
we seldom see two trees of the same kind standing next each other.
One tree may be more prevalent than others, but there is always
great variety in the forms and colours of the stems, the branches, the
leaves, the flowers, the habit of growth. There are trees of immense
height with tall, strong, straight stems, and there are shrubs like
hydrangeas of every size and description. There are climbers as huge
as cables. And there are gentle little plants hardly rising above the
ground. There is no end to the variety of plant life, and we have an
inner spring of delight as we come across treasure after treasure that
hitherto we had only seen reare