TO THIBET. 37 
new plants began to appear in any great numbers, since which 
time, every day has produced a vast deal of novelty. Our route, 
through Kunawur, lay along the right bank of the Sutlej, generally 
about 2,300 feet above the river, and through Meroo and Rogee 
to Pungee. The country is extremely mountainous, and the roads 
of the most difficult description, frequently passing along the face 
of precipitous rocks, and supported there by wood-work and 
planking, fixed imto holes in the rock. The forest continued to 
accompany us, the Deodar seemingly adapting itself to the dry 
climate. On the 15th, Pinus Gerardiana, and the Kunawur 
Fraxinus, made their appearance. It is around the villages that 
the great beauty of this country is concentrated. There the culti- 
vation is very rich, and the houses stand embosomed in groves of 
fruit-trees, Wal/nuts and Mulberry growing in the lower spots, 
and Peaches and Apricots everywhere. The Grapes were ripe in 
the warm parts of the valleys, but as we ascended, we found 
them still immature. 
* At Pungee we quitted the course of the river, and striking 
towards the north, began traversing a series of mountain ranges, 
crossed by the Weering, Roonung, and Hungarung Passes, which 
are respectively at 13,200, 14,500, and 14,800 feet of height. 
We took two days to each of these Passes. The first day we 
always proceeded as near the top as we could find water, and next 
morning we surmounted the ridge and descended into the valley. — 
During these six days, from the 18th to the 23rd, the change of — 
vegetation was most rapid, and I can hardly conceive any country - 
whose aspect alters more quickly and completely. On the south - 
side of the Weering Pass, we had beautiful forests of Deodar and 
Gerard's Pine: higher up grew Pinus ercelsa ; but on the north 
face, when descending, though we were still surrounded with 
forests, the nature of the trees, and their number, were greatly 
altered. Birches were first seen there, and curiously enough, a — 
good deal of Pinus Webbiana, both of which are wholly absent on 
the other side. When we started from Lippa to ascend the Roo- — 
nung Pass, we found the forest exceedingly scanty, and soon giving 
place altogether to Jwwipers; while on the descent to Soongnum 
