28 DR. HOOKER'S MISSION TO INDIA. 
The head-man of the village wore a peacock's feather in his cap, a 
thoroughly Chinese symbol of authority. All paid much respect to a 
very old man, who declared himself above 100, but still had some teeth 
and black hair left. I could not guess what his age really was, his 
features being contradictory ; the signs of youth I have already men- 
tioned, those of extreme longevity were equally obvious, in the fore- 
head, eyes, complexion, &c. Pigs were the principal live stock, and 
were carefully tended, and fed out of troughs like English swine. There 
are several villages on this, the Choongtong spur, all small, and if 
inhabited by Lepchas, only temporary. The Bhooteas, or Thibetan 
settlers, are more industrious, and they cultivate the same spot for 
many years. A Lysimachia (like nemorum) grew on the ridge, at 3,000 
feet elevation, with Mussenda, a tree very conspicuous from its snowy 
calycine leaves, whitening the tree. We arrived, five p. m., at the 
Little Runjeet River, which flows into the Great Runjeet, to the north 
of this place. Its bed is rocky and very steep, in a deep forest, with 
Marlea on its banks. The valley was hot (75°) and close, full of 
innumerable minute flies, which float like specks before the eye. Their 
bite leaves a spot of extravasated blood under the cuticle.* They are 
called Peepsas, and sometimes disfigure the Lepchas’ naked legs so 
much, that it is surprising they do not resort to wearing some sort of 
hose. A small wild mulberry, Morus Indica, hitherto, I believe, unknown 
ina wild state, frequents the margin of the river, its fruit is small and not 
bad eating ; together with several Rudiacee, Gardenia, and Rondeletia, 
Fici of six or seven species, some dwarf, others arboreous, Réttlera 
and Zuphorbiacee, many Cucurbitacee, Citrus, Terebinthacee, Sterculia, 
and a few Ferns. The Grasses are not up yet, nor the. Scitaminee. 
. Temperature of water, 69°. 
On crossing the Little Runjeet by a bridge of logs, we ascended’ 
another very sharp and steep ridge from the base of Tonglo, about 
500 feet above the river, and then encamped for the night. The soil 
was bare and burnt, with some aphyllous terrestrial Orchidee. Two 
species of Oak grow at this elevation (3,000 feet): one, with a very 
small and elegant acorn, is a slender tree; the other, a larger and 
robust species, has broad acorns in heavy woody cups, and sessile leaves. 
Large Bamboo forms the usual jungle, with two Calami, and several 
* If the little sac of blood be not opened, the bite, though small, becomes 
irritating and annoying. 
