_May 21._—Early this morning we proceeded upwards, our prospect more gloomy than ever. The path, which still lay up steep ridges, was very slippery, owing to the rain upon the clayey soil, and was only passable from the hold afforded by interlacing roots of trees. At 8000 feet, some enormous detached masses of micaceous gneiss rose abruptly from the ridge, they were covered with mosses and ferns, and from their summit, 7000 feet, a good view of the surrounding vegetation is obtained. The mast of the forest is formed of:—(1) Three species of oak, of which _Q. annulata?_ with immense lamellated acorns, and leaves sixteen inches long, is the tallest and the most abundant.—(2) Chesnut.—(3) _Laurineæ_ of several species, all beautiful forest-trees, straight-holed, and umbrageous above.—(4) Magnolias.[57]—(5) Arborescent rhododendrons, which commence here with the _R. arboreum._ At 8000 and 9000 feet, a considerable change is found in the vegetation; the gigantic purple _Magnolia Campbellii_ replacing the white; chesnut disappears, and several laurels: other kinds of maple are seen, with _Rhododendron argenteum,_ and _Stauntonia,_ a handsome climber, which has beautiful pendent clusters of lilac blossoms. [57] Other trees were _Pyrus, Saurauja_ (both an erect and climbing species), _Olea,_ cherry, birch, alder, several maples, _Hydrangea,_ one species of fig, holly, and several _Araliaceous_ trees. Many species of _Magnoliaceæ_ (including the genera _Magnolia, Michelia,_ and _Talauma_) are found in Sikkim: _Magnolia Campbellii,_ of 10,000 feet, is the most superb species known. In books on botanical geography, the magnolias are considered as most abounding in North America, east of the Rocky Mountains; but this is a great mistake, the Indian mountains and islands being the centre of this natural order. At 9000 feet we arrived on a long flat covered with lofty trees, chiefly purple magnolias, with a few oaks, great _Pyri_ and two rhododendrons, thirty to forty feet high (_R. barbatum,_ and _R. arboreum,_ var. _roseum_): _Skimmia_ and _Symplocos_ were the common shrubs. A beautiful orchid with purple flowers (_Cælogyne Wallichii_) grew on the trunks of all the great trees, attaining a higher elevation than most other epiphytical species, for I have seen it at 10,000 feet.